"So that's how it is."
Ling Feng wasn't naive; of course, he understood that Wen Tingguang was intentionally seeking an opportunity to impart the advanced techniques of the Cangqiong Sect to him.
Feeling appreciative inwardly, he gave Wen Tingguang a deep glance and nodded subtly.
However, obtaining the techniques of the Cangqiong Sect wouldn't be so easy. At the very least, he had to win this so-called herb-picking competition first.
The rules of this competition were straightforward: it was a test of one's ability to identify spirit flowers and herbs.
Those disciples were all newly assigned to the medicinal herb garden and similarly had no idea which area cultivated what kind of medicinal herbs. So, although Ling Feng joined later, comparatively, it was still quite fair.
However, Ling Feng obtained this opportunity without undergoing any selection process, which led quite a few disciples to harbor hostility and disdain towards him.
He was just someone who relied on connections to enter! Soon, I would make him lose face!
Ling Feng remained indifferent to those glares, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.
After all, it's purely a matter of ability speaking for itself. If anyone disagrees, they can challenge him with their own proficiency in identifying spirit flowers and herbs!
"Very well, the competition for harvesting from the medicinal herb garden begins now. Each participant is allocated half an hour; there's no need for haste, but also, don’t waste too much time on a single type of herb. Each individual may gather up to five varieties of spirit flowers and herbs, and the victor will be determined by the highest overall quality."
Considering Ling Feng's last-minute inclusion, Elder Li deemed it necessary to reiterate the rules once more.
As soon as the announcement concluded, all the disciples rushed into the medicinal herb garden. Just before the young man in the crimson robe dashed in, he cast a challenging glare at Ling Feng.
Ling Feng raised an eyebrow, paying no mind, and instead turned back to Wen Tingguang, expressing his gratitude, "Senior Wen, I'll head in now. Thank you, Senior."
"Hehe, the opportunity is in your hands; it's up to you to seize it!" Wen Tingguang's lips curved into a smile, impressed by Ling Feng's perceptiveness.
With a deep breath, Ling Feng lunged into the medicinal herb garden.
"Uncle Wen, you're quite generous to Mr. Ling, aren't you?" Yue Yunlan couldn't help but comment after overhearing Wen Tingguang's words to Ling Feng.
"Hehe, it's because I have a good rapport[1] with him!" Wen Tingguang glanced back at Yue Yunlan. "You, young lady, don't you think I treat you well too?"
"Yes, yes, Uncle Wen is the best."
Yue Yunlan chuckled softly, her gaze following Ling Feng's figure as he gradually vanished into the depths of the garden.
Spanning thousands of acres, the Cangqiong Sect's medicinal garden was intricately designed with various arrays to mimic environments and temperatures from different regions, thus creating optimal conditions for the growth of spirit flowers and herbs.
"No wonder it takes half an hour just to harvest one herb; this garden is truly enormous!"
Ling Feng took a deep breath. Faced with such a vast array of spirit flowers and herbs, selecting the best among them would indeed require some strategy.
Shortly after, Ling Feng arrived at an area permeated with the fragrance of medicinal herbs and came to a halt.
Detecting a highly rare fragrance, he felt a faint assurance that exceptionally precious medicinal herbs might be present here.
In the fields ahead, Ling Feng observed a slender girl of about sixteen or seventeen, diligently removing weeds among the medicinal plants.
This girl wasn't an official disciple of the medicinal garden but rather a lowly ranked menial disciple.
Such menial disciples usually had mediocre cultivation talent and held low social status. Therefore, despite being part of the Cangqiong Sect, they were assigned to perform only menial tasks.
The girl appeared extremely shy, her head lowered bashfully upon Ling Feng's arrival, too timid to meet his gaze.
At that moment, another disciple from the medicinal garden arrived at the scene. Upon noticing Ling Feng's presence, he couldn't help but emit a disdainful snort.
Seeing Ling Feng, a mere martial artist at the Qi Formation Realm, only fueled his contempt.
"Rubbish! Get lost! Don't interfere with my herb collection!"
The disciple from the medicinal garden, aware that Ling Feng was brought by Wen Tingguang, refrained from directly confronting him. Instead, he directed his anger towards the menial disciple who was weeding, sweeping his leg to deliver a kick.
Ling Feng frowned at the scene. Though it appeared as if the disciple was reprimanding the menial worker, it was actually a veiled attempt to embarrass Ling Feng.
Given the frailty of the menial disciple's physique, a direct kick from the other disciple could potentially inflict severe harm, if not fatal injury.
Although Ling Feng wasn't exactly a saint, he had no desire to witness others suffer because of him, nor would he stand idly by in the face of danger.
With a swift movement, Ling Feng executed the Boundless Sword Steps, swiftly arriving in front of the offending disciple. With a raised leg, he blocked the disciple's advance, forcing him back several steps.
"What's the matter? You can take it out on me!" Ling Feng locked eyes with the disciple, a glint of cold determination in his gaze. "Only cowards find pleasure in bullying the weak! And you, are nothing but a coward!"
"What did you say?" Wu Pingzhi's forehead veins bulged as he pointed accusingly at Ling Feng, cursing, "Kid, who do you think you are? If it weren't for your relationship with Elder Wen, I swear I could knock your teeth out right now!"
"Elder Wen?" Ling Feng's smirk was cold. "Rest assured, I have no special relationship with Senior Wen. You don't need to worry about him. If you're itching for a fight here, I'm more than willing to oblige!"
"You!" Wu Pingzhi clenched his fist, sneering, "Just a Qi Formation Realm junk, daring to stick up for a menial disciple here? Rubbish protecting rubbish? Haha, how amusing!"
Ling Feng stood calmly with his hands behind his back and responded nonchalantly, "Oh, really? I'm afraid you might even be inferior to rubbish."
This disciple from the medicinal garden, indeed a Pulse Formation Realm martial artist, but is being at the Pulse Formation Realm really that formidable?
There's been more than one Pulse Formation Realm cultivator who met their end at Ling Feng's hands!
“What a joke!” Wu Pingzhi's gaze turned icy. He was at the Second level of the Pulse Formation Realm, and who was Ling Feng to dare imply he was even worse than rubbish?
"You, a mere rubbish! Today, I'll make sure you learn your lesson. Later, feel free to cry and run to Elder Wen to complain. Remember, my name is Wu Pingzhi. If you want to report me, go right ahead!"
Wu Pingzhi displayed a hint of cunning, knowing that by using such provocation, Ling Feng's male pride would prevent him from reporting being beaten up.
"Let's hope certain individuals won't be crying to their elders later!"
Facing Wu Pingzhi's gaze head-on, Ling Feng stood his ground without a hint of retreat.
"No fighting, please, no fighting!" Despite trembling in fear, the menial disciple rushed forward and tightly clutched Wu Pingzhi's thigh, pleading, "Senior brother, please don't fight, I beg you, please stop!"
She felt grateful for Ling Feng standing up for her, but she didn't want to see him getting hurt because of her.
"Who do you think you are calling me your senior brother? You're nothing but a lowly menial!" Wu Pingzhi's face contorted with a terrifying grimace as he forcefully kicked the menial disciple away. His gaze then turned coldly towards Ling Feng, a malicious grin spreading across his face. "You're next!"
"Are you even a man if you lay hands on a defenseless woman?" Ling Feng's fists clenched, a surge of fierce determination rising within him.
Such scum deserves nothing but death!
1. a friendly, harmonious relationship. especially : a relationship characterized by agreement, mutual understanding, or empathy that makes communication possible or easy. ☜