Yan Ming excitedly got dressed and combed his hair. He dusted his clothes and looked at the reflection of the water from the bath.
After a short walk, he arrived in front of the girls living quarters.
Outer sect members weren't given the comfort of living alone. They were only seperated into the men living quarters and the women living quarters.
So when Yan Ming, a trash talent disciple showed up, they were surprised.
Yan Ming stood outside of the building, not daring to go in.
A girl walked out and Yan Ming stopped her.
"Please wait, is Yuan Jinghua here?"
The girl looked Yan Ming up and down before saying, "Who are you?"
"Outer disciple, Yan Ming."
"What do you want with sister Jinghua?" they asked warily.
Yuan Jinghua was well known amongst the outer disciple for being kind and generous. She was perfect and beautiful, no one could hate her.
"This morning...miss Jing asked me to do something for her. I'm just reporting back to her."
They nodded and it seemed reasonable. Yan Ming didn't seem like a bad guy to her either.
"She's not here right now, I think that she went to the training ground."
"I see. Thank you then."
He walked off and made his way towards the training ground. But when he got there, it was strange.
"Where is everybody?"
There was almost no one here when it usually averaged around 70 people per day.
Is there some kind of event?
No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't think of any events that were supposed to occur today. Suddenly he heard a sound.
A moan.
"Senior brother~"
Yan Ming was petrified and got behind a pillar. He knew this voice.
A deep, but playful voice spoke out, "Yuan Jinghua, you really know me well."
Peeking out just a bit, he could see 2 figures. Yuan Jinghua and...the inner disciple–Tang Tao. With hair slicked back and fiery eyes, he almost looked like a delinquent.
Yan Ming knew he didn't deserve to be with Yuan Jinghua, but seeing her with someone else pained his heart.
Well...at least she's happy. I owe her too much.
Yan Ming breathed in and exhaled regulating his emotions.
Let's leave...It's rude to eavesdrop.
But just as Yan Ming was about to leave, he heard Tang Tao.
"Today, you went to Yan Ming's place to give him the rice?"
"Just like you told me to." She smiled widely.
"Very good. Here, your reward."
Tang Tao opens his palms. Inside was a jade slip with the engraving of Tang. "From now on, you can go to the Tang family and let them know with this jade slip, that you are mine. "
Her eyes shone brightly as she sees it and takes it in her hand like holding a baby bird.
She looked up, "I still don't get it."
"You're wondering why I'm so kind to Yan Ming?"
"He's just a waste, why bother with all the effort?"
Hearing these words out of Yuan Jinghua's mouth, Yan Ming started to breathe heavily.
"It took him 2 months and he still hasn't gotten to stage 2. All those spirit rice were wasted on him."
"Sigh~ You don't get it." He held his hands on his back as talked. "The reason is simple. By appeasing the bottom feeders, we at the top can protect our position better. Rumors, gossip, and propaganda will help us when we are in a bind."
He smiles, "If nothing happens, then its fine–Just consider it as me giving to the poor. If something happens, then I have another pawn I can play. Besides, it's just a little bit of spirit rice and he's willing to give up his life for you. Don't you think that that's a fair trade?"
She nodded with a now complete understanding of his plan. "So that's senior brothers plan. No wonder you told me to fool all of those idiots."
"Hahaha, let them live their foolish dreams." He caressed her face. "At least when they die, they won't have any regrets."
Tang Tao leaned in for a kiss.
Yan Ming couldn't bear to see it or hear about it anymore. He rushed out and ran.
He ran to the point where he wasn't able to see his surroundings, his legs burning, his tears blurring his vision, the only thing he could hear was his muffled cries.
What was this all for!?
I cultivate day and night just to be made a fool of?
Why do I get scratch the floor just to survive while they can stomp all over me and my feelings!?
Several thoughts passed through his mind.
Though he practiced the dao, he couldn't understand it. He was just another cog in the machine.
As he looked up, droplets of water fell on his face. The sky began raining. The rain was cold to the touch, and the thunder sounded like a parents scolding.
"Just what is cultivation for!? An excuse to torture others!?" He screamed out to the void as the rain drowned out any noise that came out.