The onlookers among the ordinary disciples were thrown into an uproar. If not for their concern about Su Mu's status, they would have surely spread the news far and wide. However, due to Su Mu's involvement, they kept the incident to themselves.
Peace finally returned to the small cottage.
Yang Kai glanced at the sky, feeling somewhat disheartened. Today, Su Mu's interruption had caused him to miss his training time for the Body Tempering Technique, which was quite regrettable.
Returning to his room, he retrieved his last set of clothes. Yang Kai headed to a nearby pond, discarding his tattered garments to take a bath. Having wandered the mountains for days and battled the Flower-Back Spider, his body carried a distinct odor.
Xia Ning Chang stealthily approached the cottage, eager to gauge her junior brother's current level. Unable to see clearly from a distance earlier, she found the cottage empty and moved to the back. There, her eyes widened as she caught sight of Yang Kai's bare buttocks. Moving her gaze upward, she realized Yang Kai was completely naked, poised to dive into the pond.
Xia Ning Chang's face turned crimson. Despite her high cultivation, she was still an inexperienced young girl. She had never seen even a man's thigh, let alone such a sight. Overwhelmed, her heart raced, and she quickly hid herself.
Why did she have to be so unfortunate today? Close to tears, she no longer cared about spying on Yang Kai's secrets. She stomped her foot in frustration before disappearing from view.
That shameless junior brother, acting so indecently in broad daylight! It was utterly disgraceful and brazen!
Meanwhile, in the pond, Yang Kai washed himself while inspecting his body. He noted that after training in the Body Tempering Technique, his muscles had become more toned and robust, though still lean and defined.
Moreover, the wound on his abdomen from the battle with the Flower-Back Spider had already scabbed over, though the puncture on his arm still throbbed slightly.
Recalling the life-and-death struggle from the previous day, Yang Kai felt a surge of excitement. For some reason, he seemed to thrive in dangerous situations, a stark contrast to his usual demeanor. Could it be that he had a latent masochistic tendency, only recently awakened after so many years?
With this thought, he submerged himself in the pond, holding his breath for a long time before resurfacing.
Despite having many tasks to attend to, Yang Kai, after his bath, dressed and grabbed a broom to start sweeping the area. This was his job in Lingxiao Pavilion, and he intended to do it diligently.
As he swept, he noticed the peculiar gazes from his fellow disciples. They were filled with curiosity, likely stemming from the morning's commotion and their bewilderment over how he managed to knock out Zhao Hu.
Yang Kai remained calm and focused on his work.
After finishing his chores, Yang Kai returned to the cottage and unpacked his belongings. He took out the needed herbs, Three-Leaf Remnant Soul Flower and Withered Wood Grass, and put the rest back.
These remaining herbs were of no use to him, so he decided to sell them to the Contribution Hall for some contribution points.
Grabbing his package, Yang Kai was about to leave when he decided to change into his blood-stained, tattered clothes and smear his face with dirt before heading out.
At the Contribution Hall, Elder Meng was leisurely sipping tea behind the counter, humming a tune.
Suddenly, a shadow appeared at the door. Elder Meng looked up, ready to scold the intruder, but was stunned to see Yang Kai in a disheveled state, his tattered clothes barely covering him. Two female disciples passing by shrieked and fled in embarrassment.
Elder Meng, usually unflappable, almost spat out his tea in shock.
"Yang Kai, what are you doing?" Elder Meng asked, bewildered.
Yang Kai rushed to the counter, catching his breath. "I'm back!"
"You must have had a tough time," Elder Meng said sympathetically. Yang Kai had left in decent shape a few days ago, but now he looked utterly wretched.
"Yes, it was quite dangerous," Yang Kai nodded. Without further ado, he opened his package and displayed the herbs. "But I did gather some herbs. Will the Contribution Hall accept them?"
Elder Meng inspected the herbs, frowning. They were low-grade, with little value. The hall already had plenty of such herbs.
He was about to refuse when he saw Yang Kai's hopeful expression and shabby appearance. His heart softened, and he nodded. "Yes, we will accept them. Two herbs for one contribution point."
"Please count them," Yang Kai said, pushing the package forward.
Elder Meng counted the herbs, totaling thirty-two, amounting to sixteen contribution points, which he duly noted.
"You spent three days at Black Wind Mountain and only gathered these?" Elder Meng asked casually.
"Considering the circumstances, this is quite good," Yang Kai replied, glancing around furtively.
"Yes, quite good," Elder Meng agreed, though he knew Yang Kai's struggles. Despite his poor aptitude, Yang Kai was diligent and hardworking, a rarity among young people. Unfortunately, his lack of talent meant he was unlikely to achieve great success.
Seeing Yang Kai's shifty behavior, Elder Meng asked, "What are you looking for?"
Yang Kai leaned in, speaking quietly, "Elder Meng, I found something extraordinary in the mountains."
Sensing the gravity of Yang Kai's words, Elder Meng's expression turned serious. "What is it?"
"I'm not sure. I brought it back for you to identify. With your vast experience, I'm sure you can recognize it," Yang Kai said, pulling out another package from behind and placing it gently on the counter.