"You're saying, you want to use your nomination spot to recommend this kid into the Inner Sect?"
In a grand hall, a middle-aged man in a black robe sat, holding a teacup in his hand, taking a light sip, and gave Ling Feng a once over up and down.
"Yes, Elder Yang."
Wang Danfeng promptly nodded. The middle-aged man before him, named Yang Wei, held a very esteemed position within the Wenxian Sect, being one of the chiefs among the nine major peaks of Nine Immortals Mountain; he presided over the peak with the strongest comprehensive power aside from the Sect Leader's own.
"Is it this kid?"
Yang Wei let out a disparaging laugh, "Wang Danfeng, you must be going senile, right?"
"Elder Yang, this is a little token of my regard." Wang Danfeng took a bulging pouch from within his robes, gently placing it on the table, laughing hehe.
"Oh?" Yang Wei picked up the pouch and lightly tossed it in his hand, cracking a grin, "There's some merit to it."
Then, Yang Wei stood up from his seat, walked over to Ling Feng, and spoke indifferently, "Kid, what's your name?"
"Ling Feng." Ling Feng looked up at Yang Wei, speaking neither humbly nor arrogantly.
"Not a bad look in your eye, the mentality seems passable."
Yang Wei patted Ling Feng on the shoulder, his expression growing darker and darker, until he finally let out a cold snort, shouting angrily, "Bone age over eighteen, and you've only just managed a wisp of True Qi? Wang Danfeng, are you sure you're not joking with me?"
Yang Wei turned his back, striding back to his seat, and said coldly, "Such trash, even if tossed into the Outer Sect, would be a sheer waste of resources, yet you're delusionally trying to recommend him to the Inner Sect?"
Wang Danfeng turned his head to glance at Ling Feng, then bit his teeth and said, "Elder Yang, the boy's grandfather saved my life!"
"What of it? It's not like he saved my life." Yang Wei smiled coldly, "Take him back with you. Such rubbish has no right to cultivate! He's clearly useless, yet he puts on airs, behaving neither servile nor overbearing, thinking himself a genius?"
"Elder Yang!"
Wang Danfeng wanted to say more, but was interrupted by Yang Wei's stern voice, "Enough, Wang Danfeng, remember your place. You're just an Outer Elder, what right do you have to talk nonsense here?"
Wang Danfeng let out a long sigh. This Yang Wei was a real "Boss Zhou"; as the saying goes, you're soft when you eat other's food, and short when you take other's money.
This old geezer, even after accepting the bribe, still treated him with such casual dismissal, truly despicable!
"Eh, Senior Brother Yang, since Elder Wang has put it that way, rejecting him so outright would seem too unsympathetic."
Just then, a slim middle-aged man strode in from the doorway, laughing hehe, "Our Wenxian Sect always puts people first. Since Elder Wang holds this boy in such high regard, I'd reckon he must possess some extraordinary qualities. We should not be too heartless."
"Oh?" Yang Wei raised his eyes, a curve forming on his lips, "It turns out to be Junior Brother Lee Liang."
"Elder Lee..." Wang Danfeng's pupils shrank sharply. Compared to Yang Wei, Lee Liang was the real type to fleece people to the bone!
However, Ling Feng didn't quite understand the situation and thought a glimmer of hope had just appeared.
"Elder Wang, recommending this boy into the Inner Sect isn't impossible. However, our sect's resources are always very scarce," Lee Liang chuckled, his gaze fixating on Wang Danfeng.
"Qi Enhancement Pills, t…twenty!"
Wang Danfeng clenched his teeth as he spoke.
"Good!" Lee Liang laughed out loud, then patted Ling Feng on the shoulder, "I think this kid isn't bad. Joining the Inner Sect shouldn't be a problem."
Yang Wei's eyebrows twitched, and he then nodded, "Then let him join the Inner Sect."
"How about it, Elder Wang, you should be satisfied now," Lee Liang looked back at Wang Danfeng and spoke lightly.
"Thank you to both Elders!"
Wang Danfeng's heart silently lamented, twenty Qi Enhancement Pills, that was almost equivalent to two years' worth of allocation!
However, being able to do something for the descendants of the Medical Saint, this was also considered repayment for the life-saving grace of the past.
Ling Feng observed all this with silent gratitude; perhaps most people were indifferent, but there were indeed individuals like Wang Danfeng who valued friendship and righteousness.
"Alright, you can go back now," Strength waved a hand and indifferently said, "An Outer Elder really shouldn't stay too long in the Inner Sect."
"Yes, I shall take my leave," Wang Danfeng looked deeply at Ling Feng and said in a solemn voice, "Xiao Feng, after joining the Inner Sect, cultivate well and don't let your grandfather's painstaking efforts go to waste!"
"Mhm!" Ling Feng nodded firmly; although the process was somewhat fraught with hardship, now, he should be considered an Inner Sect Disciple of Wenxian Sect.
With his abilities of the Heavenly Dao Eye and Human Dao Eye, it wouldn't be long before those who once looked down on him would be trampled under his feet.
After Wang Danfeng had left, Yang Wei and Lee Liang instructed Ling Feng to wait outside the hall before they entered the inner chamber together.
"Junior Brother Lee, you really are ruthless!" Yang Wei squinted his eyes, laughing with a sly tone.
Lee Liang sneered, "It's just twenty measly Qi Enhancement Pills, nothing of significance." Lee Liang sneered.
"However, within the Inner Sect, I'm afraid no Feng Sect would accept such a dull and useless trash. Let's make it clear beforehand, we split the Qi Enhancement Pills fifty-fifty, but I definitely won't take this kid!"
"This…" A trace of difficulty flashed across Lee Liang's face, his eyes rolled, and then he suddenly laughed, "Senior Brother, have you forgotten that our Wenxian Sect still has one branch that, although not among the Nine Peaks, every year we must send one disciple with mediocre talents to that old bastard. This kid's talents are as mediocre as they come; we might as well send him to that branch!"
"You mean, Old Bastard Duanmu?" Yang Wei pondered for a moment, a trace of hatred flashing in his eyes!
Lee Liang coldly laughed, "Once he's sent to that branch, I believe he'll leave on his own in just a few days."
"Alright then, let's follow the old rules and send him to Old Bastard Duanmu's branch," Yang Wei huffed, "I'll leave the rest to you to handle."
Before long, Lee Liang came out of the great hall and said indifferently, "Your name is Ling Feng, right. From now on, you'll be under Old… Master Duanmu, cultivate well!"
"Master Duanmu?" Ling Feng was stunned, could he really have been assigned to someone on the same generation level as these Peak Masters? Wasn't he supposed to have mediocre talent?
Despite his inner doubts, he still bowed respectfully and said, "Yes!"
"Mhm. Zong Yuan, take him to Little Bamboo Peak," Lee Liang instructed a disciple beside him.
"Yes!"
A disciple at the door, about twenty years old, stepped out, bowed to Lee Liang, and then cast a "sympathetic" glance at Ling Feng, saying indifferently, "Follow me."
Ling Feng, seen with such a gaze by Zong Yuan, grew even more puzzled.
This Little Bamboo Peak was definitely not a good place!
...
Soon, the youth named Zong Yuan led Ling Feng to a bamboo forest.
Within the bamboo forest, there were only a few bamboo houses, forming a small courtyard. Although it appeared very simple compared to those majestic buildings along the way, it also had a different kind of peaceful charm.
This was indeed a place for cultivating one's moral character.
"Senior Brother, who exactly is Master Duanmu?" Ling Feng could no longer hold back his question.
Zong Yuan had not initiated any conversation along the way, keeping a distance from Ling Feng as if afraid of being entangled with him.
"I don't know!" Zong Yuan walked outside a bamboo house and called out loudly, "Grandmaster Duanmu, here is the disciple allocated to you for this year! I have brought him to you!"
After speaking, Zong Yuan, as if fleeing disaster, didn't linger for a moment, and left the place as if escaping.
Ling Feng frowned; was the person living inside really so terrifying?