## Chapter Six: Seeds of Discontent
The weeks following the first Outer Court assessment saw a palpable shift in the atmosphere. The initial awe of the **Crimson Lotus Sect** began to wear thin, replaced by the grind of daily chores and the stark reality of competitive cultivation. Yan Zhen, while still inherently optimistic, felt the weight of the routine more acutely. His restless spirit chafed against the repetitive meditations and the often-degrading tasks assigned to outer disciples.
"This is ridiculous, Lin Feng!" Yan Zhen grumbled one morning as they were tasked with scrubbing moss from ancient stone pathways leading to a lesser-used meditation hall. His brow was furrowed, his usually bright eyes clouded with frustration. "We're here to cultivate, to become stronger, not to be glorified cleaners! I thought being an immortal disciple meant more than just fetching water and scrubbing rocks."
Lin Feng, humming a cheerful tune as he vigorously scrubbed a particularly stubborn patch, glanced up with a sympathetic chuckle. "Tell me about it! My back feels like an old man's. But hey, at least we get to do it together, right? Think of it as... a secret strength exercise! Like, building up our 'scrubbing qi' for when we fight actual monsters!" He made a dramatic sweeping motion with his brush, narrowly missing Yan Zhen's foot.
Yan Zhen laughed, momentarily distracted, but the underlying frustration remained. Lin Feng noticed. *Perfect. Let the discontent simmer. Don't suppress it; just redirect it for now.*
Lin Feng had also made good on his suggestion to approach Shen Li. Shen Li, a sullen boy with sharp, resentful eyes, had indeed been wallowing in self-pity and anger after his poor assessment. Yan Zhen, with his genuine, unwavering empathy, had slowly started to chip away at Shen Li's defenses.
"Hey, Shen Li! Wanna join us for a 'super-advanced' sweeping competition?" Yan Zhen had offered one afternoon, flashing his usual bright smile.
Shen Li had eyed them suspiciously. "What's the point? It's just sweeping. We're useless here."
Lin Feng, always quick to lighten the mood, had slung an arm around Yan Zhen's shoulder. "Nah, man! It's totally important! Think about it, if we don't sweep, the whole sect becomes a giant slip-and-slide! Then all the Elders would fall down, and who would teach us amazing cultivation techniques then?" He widened his eyes comically. "Chaos!"
Shen Li had actually cracked a small, reluctant smile. Gradually, through shared chores and Lin Feng's strategic jokes, Shen Li began to open up. He revealed his bitterness about coming from a once-renowned, but now fallen, cultivation family, and how the sect looked down on him.
"My family used to have powerful artifacts, ancient techniques!" Shen Li confided one evening, his voice low with resentment as they gathered firewood in a secluded part of the mountain. "Now look at me, scrubbing floors. They treat us like dirt because we're not from rich merchant families or established clans."
Yan Zhen, ever direct, frowned. "That's not fair! Everyone should be judged on their own hard work!"
Lin Feng nodded thoughtfully, his eyes gleaming in the fading light. "Yeah, it really sucks, Shen Li. You're right. And it's not just you. I've heard some older outer disciples grumbling too. Seems like if you don't have a big family name or a crazy-good spirit root, you're stuck doing chores forever. It's almost like... like the sect isn't really fair to everyone." He made sure his voice was soft, almost innocent, like a genuine, shared observation, not an accusation.
He watched Shen Li's face. The words struck a chord. The resentment in Shen Li's eyes deepened. *Good. Fuel the fire, but let it seem like his own realization.*
Their cultivation progress continued, albeit slowly for most. Yan Zhen, being a protagonist, naturally experienced steady, if unremarked, breakthroughs. He was now firmly in **Body Tempering, Stage 4**, his muscles growing denser, his stamina seemingly limitless. Lin Feng, publicly, remained a solid **Body Tempering, Stage 2**, occasionally hinting at minor breakthroughs that just kept him "barely" able to keep up with Yan Zhen. Privately, Lin Feng was already pushing into **Spirit Condensation, Stage 1**, having secretly learned advanced qi absorption techniques from his past life knowledge. He meticulously hid his true progress, cultivating in stolen moments in secluded corners of their shared room, using his advanced senses to ensure no one would detect his qi fluctuations. He carefully modulated his public qi signature to appear only at Stage 2.
Their friendship with Xiao Li continued to blossom. She would often share cultivation insights she'd learned from her senior sister, or play her guqin for them during their rare breaks. Xiao Li herself was now nearing **Spirit Condensation, Stage 3**, her gentle nature hiding a formidable talent for healing and spiritual arts. Lin Feng found her useful for gaining insight into the sect's inner workings, and also as a convenient 'target' for Yan Zhen's burgeoning affections. He subtly encouraged Yan Zhen's chivalrous instincts towards Xiao Li, always making sure Yan Zhen was the one to offer help or protection.
One afternoon, a senior inner disciple, Li Xuan, a handsome young man with a cold demeanor and a cultivation level far beyond theirs (rumored to be at **Core Formation, Stage 1**), walked past Xiao Li and bumped her, causing her to drop her basket of herbs. He didn't even stop.
Yan Zhen's eyes flashed with anger. "Hey! Watch it!" he yelled, rushing forward to help Xiao Li.
Li Xuan merely glanced back, a dismissive sneer on his face. "Mind your place, outer disciple. Don't interfere with your betters."
Before Yan Zhen could retort, Lin Feng quickly stepped between them, a wide, almost goofy grin on his face. "Whoa, Li Xuan! That was super fast! We didn't even see you coming! My bad, man, my bad! Yan Zhen just gets a little hot-headed sometimes, he doesn't mean anything!" He offered a hasty bow, pulling Yan Zhen back. "Come on, Zhen, let's help Xiao Li with these herbs."
Yan Zhen fumed as they helped Xiao Li gather her scattered herbs. "He's such a jerk! Who does he think he is?"
Xiao Li, her face pale, shook her head. "Don't, Yan Zhen. He's an inner disciple. And his family is very powerful. It's best not to antagonize him."
Lin Feng put an arm around Yan Zhen's shoulder. "Yeah, Zhen. Some guys are just jerks, no matter how strong they are. But hey, it just means we gotta get even stronger, right? Strong enough so no one can treat our friends like that!" He whispered just loud enough for Xiao Li to hear, "And anyway, Yan Zhen, your heart is way bigger than his."
Yan Zhen nodded, his anger slowly subsiding into a quiet determination. Xiao Li looked at Lin Feng, a flicker of gratitude in her eyes, not just for defending her, but for calming Yan Zhen. Lin Feng simply gave her a warm, comforting smile. *Control the temper. Inspire the ambition. And always, always make Yan Zhen the hero, even when you're the one pulling the strings.*
The deeper they delved into sect life, the more Lin Feng noticed the subtle, insidious currents flowing beneath the surface. The Outer Court was a pressure cooker, breeding ambition, envy, and desperation. Those who couldn't keep up often resorted to petty sabotage or gossip. Resources were scarce, and connections were everything. He began to learn which elders favored which disciples, which families held the most sway, and which cultivation resources were truly valuable but strategically hidden.
He started dropping subtle hints to Yan Zhen, cloaked in casual conversation. "Hey, Zhen, did you hear about that Elder who only trains disciples with really rare fire spirit roots? Man, imagine how powerful they'd be!" Or, "Someone told me the best qi-gathering spot in the Outer Court is actually by that old, overgrown waterfall, not the busy one. But it's probably just a rumor, right?" He'd always present it as a rumor, or something he'd "just heard," allowing Yan Zhen's natural curiosity to investigate, often leading him to a valuable (or strategically inconvenient) resource or person.
One evening, Yan Zhen burst into their room, eyes gleaming. "Lin Feng! You won't believe it! That old waterfall you mentioned? It *is* a much better qi-gathering spot! I found it! The qi there is so much denser!"
Lin Feng smiled, a proud, innocent best friend's smile. "No way! I just guessed! See, Zhen, you're a natural explorer! You always find the good stuff!"
He then casually steered the conversation. "But wow, it's probably too small for a lot of people, right? And if too many know, it'll just get crowded like the other spots. We should probably keep it a secret, just between us, don't you think?" He knew Yan Zhen's good nature would be torn by keeping a secret, but the implied scarcity often worked.
Yan Zhen nodded slowly. "Yeah, you're right. It's kinda small. Okay, our secret!"
Lin Feng allowed himself a small, internal sigh of satisfaction. *Another piece moved. Another resource secured. And another subtle wedge driven between Yan Zhen's innate generosity and the harsh realities of the cultivation world.* The seeds of discontent were well-planted, watered by the frustrations of Outer Court life and carefully tended by Lin Feng's loyal smile. The real challenges, and the true tests of Yan Zhen's character, were still to come. Lin Feng was ready.
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