After Immortal Zhou Qing had stayed on Servant Peak for a week, occasional fragments of conversation began drifting out from the stone hut.

While clearing a corner of the shack, Chen Ping overheard two of the chosen servants huddled together, whispering in reverent tones.

"Did you hear? Exalted Immortal Zhou said it's not just our place-apparently the Spiritual Qi across the entire Sect has grown thinner..."

"Really? No wonder the Exalted Immortal investigated for so long without finding any clues. So the problem lies with the bigger picture?"

"Exactly! I caught a few words when the Exalted Immortal was speaking with Manager Wang. Something about 'the Sect Protection Formation running sluggishly' and 'the higher-ups' cultivation being obstructed.' That's why they sent people out to inspect the nodes... Ah, but what do we know of Immortal affairs?"

Chen Ping's hand on the broom paused for a heartbeat, then he nonchalantly swept the dust aside once more.

The Spiritual Qi concentration of the entire Sect was declining? And the timing happened to fall within these two months since he obtained the Jade Pendant?

A chill shot up his spine without warning. This... was too much of a coincidence.

He did not dare think further and immediately forced down the stormy waves surging in his chest.

Whether or not there was any connection, the secret of this Jade Pendant had to be guarded even more tightly!

Subconsciously, he pressed at the warm, hard object against his chest through his coarse cloth shirt.

In the days that followed, he became even more cautious. Aside from necessary labor and training...

He kept himself tucked away in the corners of the crowd, avoiding anything that might draw attention-especially the direction of that stone hut.

He even reduced the number of times he practiced in secluded places during the day, preferring to endure a little longer...

A month slipped by quietly amid Chen Ping's relentless training and taut nerves.

The door of the stone hut finally opened once more.

Zhou Qing stepped out, still clad in that spotless green robe, though a faint trace of fatigue and impatience lingered on his face.

He offered a few indifferent words to the bowing and scraping Manager Wang-roughly that there was no obvious abnormality at this node, and that the fluctuations in Spiritual Qi might be tied to overall changes in the Sect Protection Formation. He needed to return to the Hall of Affairs to report.

A green streak of light flared up, and Zhou Qing's figure shot into the sky, vanishing beyond the horizon in the blink of an eye.

The Immortal had left.

The invisible Pressure hanging over Servant Peak suddenly dissipated. After a brief silence came Manager Wang's thunderous roar.

"What are you all staring at?! Get back to work! You really think you're somebody? Some bullshit Immortal fate! A bunch of lowborn trash!"

His face was livid. A month's worth of pent-up frustration, along with the disappointment of failing to curry favor with the Immortal, had now erupted into surging fury.

Like an enraged Wild Boar, his vicious gaze swept across the servants-silent as cicadas in winter-and finally fixed itself with precision on the figure quietly cleaning tools in a far corner.

Chen Ping.

It was all because of this unlucky piece of trash!

If not for him... if he hadn't kept thinking about how to deal with him and gotten distracted, maybe he could have performed better in front of the Immortal! Maybe...

"Chen Ping! Are you deaf?!"

Manager Wang strode over and jabbed a finger at Chen Ping's nose.

"The Immortal is gone, so you trash are useless now! Get yourself to the Back Mountain! That patch of brambles-clear it out within three days! If you don't finish, I'll skin you alive!"

He intended to dump all the rage he had built up over the past month onto this eyesore of a punching bag.

The Scarred Foreman immediately caught on. With a vicious grin, he drew his whip and approached with several lackeys in tow.

"Did you hear that, trash? Get moving!"

Chen Ping slowly straightened up and set down the tools in his hands.

He dusted off his palms, raised his head, and calmly regarded the furious Manager Wang and the menacing Scarred Foreman.

There was no fear in his eyes. No anger. Only an almost indifferent calm.

"Manager Wang."

Chen Ping's voice was not loud, yet it cut clearly through Manager Wang's roar.

"Find someone else for the bramble-clearing."

"What did you say?!"

Manager Wang could hardly believe his own ears. His eyes nearly bulged from their sockets.

The Scarred Foreman raised his whip higher.

"Courting death!"

Chen Ping ignored the descending whip. He merely looked at Manager Wang and spoke, one word at a time.

"My work is done. Now, I'm going down the mountain."

"Down the mountain? You want to run?"

Manager Wang laughed from sheer rage.

"No."

Chen Ping shook his head, met Manager Wang's stunned gaze, and said clearly,

"I'm going to find the Manager at the foot of the mountain and take the assessment for Regular Disciple."

The air seemed to freeze for an instant.

The rage on Manager Wang's face stiffened, then was replaced by disbelief and contempt.

"Assessment? You? A cripple with a ruined hand? You want to become a Regular Disciple? I think you've gone mad!"

The Scarred Foreman's whip also stopped in midair as he stared at Chen Ping like he was a fool.

Chen Ping said nothing more. He turned and walked straight toward the path down the mountain.

His steps were steady. His back was straight.

"Stop him! Break his legs!"

Manager Wang finally reacted and let out a shrill howl.

The Scarred Foreman and several lackeys lunged at him viciously, whips and fists whistling toward Chen Ping's back.

As if he had eyes behind his head, Chen Ping's body shifted sharply to the side at the very instant the whip tip was about to strike. With a crack, the whip lashed the ground, sending up dust.

At the same time, his left arm swung backward. The movement was not fast, but it carried a heavy, solid force-just enough to knock aside a lackey's incoming fist.

"Hm?"

That lackey felt his arm go numb as a powerful force traveled through it, actually shaking him so hard that he staggered back two steps, his face full of astonishment.

The Scarred Foreman also sensed something was wrong. With a snap of his wrist, he lashed the whip out again viciously.

This time, Chen Ping did not fully dodge. His right hand shot out like lightning, five fingers hooked like claws, and he seized the incoming whip tip in one precise grip!

"What?!"

The Scarred Foreman was greatly alarmed and yanked hard to pull it back, but the whip seemed welded into Chen Ping's hand-it did not budge in the slightest!

Chen Ping's gaze turned cold. The arm gripping the whip suddenly exerted force and gave a fierce tug!

The Scarred Foreman felt a tremendous force surge through the whip. His whole body was dragged forward, and he crashed to the ground in a miserable heap!

Everyone froze.

The few lackeys who had still wanted to rush forward stood rooted in place as if struck by a holding technique, staring in disbelief at Chen Ping, who stood there steadily.

Manager Wang's eyes nearly fell from their sockets. His mouth hung open, but he could not utter a single word.

Chen Ping released his grip, and the whip dropped limply to the ground.

Without even glancing at the Scarred Foreman sprawled in the dirt or the frightened lackeys, he looked toward Manager Wang once more. That gaze was calm to a terrifying degree.

"Manager Wang, the assessment time is limited. I'll be leaving first."

With that, he did not linger. He turned and strode down the mountain path.

His steps were resolute, no longer carrying even the slightest trace of the timidity and stumbling of the past.

Manager Wang stared at that receding back. His face went from red to green, then from green to white, and finally turned ashen.

His lips trembled as if he wanted to curse, but his throat seemed blocked.

A chill rose inexplicably from the bottom of his heart.

Chen Ping did not look back.

He had only one goal-the Servant Manager's office at the foot of the mountain, and that stone lock marking five hundred pounds of Physical Strength.

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