488: Chapter 488 Outer Disciple

[Outer Sect Law Enforcement Hall.]

[Deacon Tang Yifeng sat atop the hall, his Late Golden Core Stage aura faintly enveloping the entire chamber.]

[Indeed, his surname was Tang—just like Tang Jun, he hailed from the Tang Family.]

[A dozen Law Enforcement Disciples stood on either side of the hall, their gazes falling simultaneously upon you and the others.]

[Tang Yifeng finished examining the shadow recording stone and physical evidence you had submitted, then questioned Wang Yuan and the other two about their testimonies once more, his face devoid of expression.]

[He looked up at Zhao Lang: "What do you have to say for yourself?"]

[Zhao Lang had already shed his previous panic, his expression now composed:]

["Reporting to Deacon Tang, this matter was entirely my doing and has nothing to do with anyone else. Fortunately, no great harm was done. I ask the Deacon to show leniency; I am willing to pay ten thousand Spirit Stones to compensate Junior Brother Qin for his losses."]

[Tang Yifeng nodded and turned to you: "What do you say?"]

[You remained calm: "Attempting to harm a fellow Disciple, whether successful or not, warrants expulsion according to the Sect rules. I ask the Deacon to handle this impartially."]

[Zhao Lang's face darkened as he glared at you, his voice trembling: "Qin Chen, don't push things too far! Do you really want to make an enemy of me?"]

["Senior Brother Zhao misunderstands," you replied, your tone still flat,]

["I am not targeting you; I am upholding the Sect rules. If leniency is shown today just because no great harm was done, then everyone will follow suit. In such a vast Sect, what would remain of our rules?"]

[Just as you finished speaking, a figure walked in from outside the hall.]

[It was Zhao Gongming.]

[He didn't even spare you a glance, walking straight toward Tang Yifeng and cupping his hands with a smile:]

["Brother Tang, busy? I've prepared two bottles of drunken immortal brew. When will you be free to have a taste?"]

[Tang Yifeng also smiled: "Brother Zhao, you've come at the right time. This matter happens to involve your nephew."]

[Zhao Gongming waved his hand, his gaze finally sweeping over you and the others, his tone casual:]

["I've heard about this. Since that... whoever... said we should follow the Sect rules, then we must indeed follow them. Otherwise, if everyone learns from this, what will become of us?"]

[Zhao Lang's face changed drastically: "Uncle..."]

["Enough!" Zhao Gongming interrupted coldly, "You violated the Sect rules, and the evidence is conclusive. Do you want to escalate this? By then, it won't be as simple as just being expelled from the Sect."]

[You stood to the side, watching the scene expressionlessly.]

[Zhao Lang's body slumped. He opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing more.]

[Tang Yifeng nodded: "In that case, according to the Sect rules, Zhao Lang shall be expelled from the Sect."]

[He waved his hand, and two Law Enforcement Disciples stepped forward, grabbing Zhao Lang and dragging him out.]

[As he was dragged to the entrance, Zhao Lang looked back and glared at you fiercely, as if he wanted to swallow you whole.]

[You acted as if you hadn't seen it.]

[Then, Tang Yifeng turned to Zhao Gongming, and the two began chatting and laughing about the drunken immortal brew, completely ignoring the rest of you.]

[You didn't mind either. Nodding to Wang Yuan and the other two, you turned and left.]

[Behind you, the hall doors slowly closed.]

[Tang Yifeng waved his hand, and a barrier of spiritual light enveloped the entire hall.]

["Brother Zhao, this boy does things flawlessly." He stopped smiling and looked at Zhao Gongming. "Using him to deal with the Lu Family won't be easy, I'm afraid."]

["A mere Handyman, what waves can he possibly make? As long as he's still in the Outer Sect, there will be plenty of opportunities." Zhao Gongming sneered.]

["Does Brother Zhao have a plan?"]

["He is still a Handyman for now," Zhao Gongming said slowly. "Once I have him promoted to an Outer Sect Disciple and arrange for him to do what needs to be done, then..."]

[Hearing this, a smile returned to Tang Yifeng's face: "Brother Zhao always has a way."]

["Let's go," Zhao Gongming patted his shoulder. "Time to taste those two bottles of drunken immortal brew."]

["Just drinking is boring," Tang Yifeng laughed. "Why not bring the wine and go to the Qiuxiang Pavilion in the Immortal City?"]

["Hahaha, Brother Tang sure knows how to have fun. Let's go!"]

[In truth, these scions of noble families were sometimes quite helpless.]

[Behind them stood their entire Family—the fates of hundreds of thousands, or even millions, were tied together.]

[That was why they had to follow the rules.]

[It wasn't that they naturally loved this system; it was that they were afraid.]

[Afraid of having their weaknesses exposed.]

[Because everyone ate from the same pot; if they fell out, no one would eat well.]

[So, internally, they shared a deep tacit understanding.]

[They competed when they should and yielded when they should, all while playing within the rules.]

[In their daily interactions, they were all smiles, performing the proper salutations and yielding when necessary, strictly adhering to the set of rules.]

[It wasn't that they were naturally polite, but rather that they knew rules were both a constraint and a protection.]

[If you broke the rules today, someone else could use those same rules against you tomorrow.]

[The slightest misstep could lead to losing face at best, or endangering the entire Family at worst.]

[Thus, unless absolutely necessary, they were willing to follow the rules.]

[At least on the surface, they had to.]

[But you were different.]

[You were alone.]

[When you were happy, you followed the rules; when you weren't, you flipped the table.]

[You didn't have to worry about anyone's opinion, nor would you implicate anyone else.]

[Handling things on your own meant glory if you won, but total destruction if you lost.]

[But the most terrifying thing in this world isn't someone who doesn't follow the rules. It's someone who doesn't follow the rules yet understands everything perfectly.]

[This was also your greatest realization in the Wuji Immortal Sect—rules were for those within the Sect to follow.]

[Outside the Sect, there were no rules to speak of.]

[To the outside world, there was only one saying: those who follow me shall prosper, and those who oppose me shall perish.]

[You had also thoroughly grasped this set of survival Laws within the Wuji Immortal Sect.]

[When you returned to that familiar foot of the mountain and looked at the ruins of the wooden house before you, you couldn't help but smile.]

[Normally, one should be promoted to an Outer Sect Disciple after Foundation Establishment.]

[But with this incident occurring, and it being under Zhao Gongming's jurisdiction, this matter would likely be delayed for a long time.]

[Unless you could directly break through to the Golden Core and pass the Inner Sect assessment—once in the Inner Sect, it would be a completely different world, and the Outer Sect's reach wouldn't be able to extend that far.]

[But it didn't matter.]

[When the time came, you would simply advance straight to the Inner Sect.]

[However, a week later, you received a notice: promotion to Outer Sect Disciple.]

[You looked at the identity jade token in your hand; the front still read "Wuji Immortal Sect," but the back had changed from "Handyman" to "Outer Sect".]

[What did this mean?]

[Zhao Gongming actually allowed you to be promoted?]

[You pondered for a moment and simply smiled.]

[It seemed Zhao Gongming had a new scheme waiting for you.]

[On the contrary, you were happy.]

[To you, they were nothing more than stepping stones.]

[There was no difference between being a Handyman and an Outer Sect Disciple to you.]

[An Outer Sect Disciple was different from a Handyman.]

[Handymen performed the lowest-level tasks—tending to spirit fields, guarding medicinal gardens, and raising Spirit Beasts. They worked themselves to the bone all year round yet could hardly save any Contribution Points.]

[Outer Sect Disciples were much freer.]

[Of course, freedom was relative.]

[Sect Contribution Points were like a rope, tethering everyone.]

[There were only two ways to obtain Contribution Points:]

[Either go to the Deacon Hall to claim tasks yourself, or wait for the Deacon Hall to assign them.]

[Within the Sect, Contribution Points were more useful than Spirit Stones.]

[There were some things that no amount of Spirit Stones could buy; they had to be exchanged for Contribution Points.]

[You put away the jade token and glanced back at the golden spirit fields.]

[It was time for a new way of life.]

[Following the guidance of your new identity jade token, you immediately found the mountain peak where you were stationed and opened up your own Immortal Cave.]