10 - A Farewell to Mr. Luo

### Chapter 10 Bai Fan watched as the disciple sprinted away, thinking that the group probably wouldn't dare take any action against it. Feeling confident, he decided to wait openly for them to fetch someone. A crowd of disciples surrounded Bai Fan, fearing it might escape. Both sides remained in a deadlock, neither daring to make a move. Moments later, the disciple who had left returned with another person. This man was skinny and looked like old dried meat. From a distance, Bai Fan recognized him; he had seen this person earlier in the main hall. "It's Senior Uncle Li Zhen," someone whispered. The disciples promptly made a path as Li Zhen, frowning, approached. Seeing Bai Fan reminded him of Li Liansheng. If it weren't for that young upstart, his daughter would have smoothly taken over as sect leader. Already in a foul mood today, he was further irked to find the beast brought by Li Liansheng causing trouble. "What's going on here?" he asked in a deep voice. The quick-witted disciple who had called for him hurriedly explained the situation, emphasizing the significant loss of spirit chickens, which were meant for the evening's meal. Half of them had been eaten, leaving the kitchen short-handed on ingredients for dinner preparations. "I heard from Elder Li Erhuai that we have guests from the upper sect visiting today. These spirit chickens are one of our sect's specialties, and now half of them are gone. What are we supposed to do?" Hearing about the important guests, the kitchen disciples began whispering amongst themselves, worried about the repercussions. Being punished for this incident was their worst nightmare, as expulsion from the sect would invalidate all the effort and resources used to secure a disciple position, all for a chance of catching a master's eye. They were common disciples selected for their skills rather than spiritual aptitude, hoping to seize an opportunity to advance. Seeing the group dejectedly pushing all the blame onto him, Bai Fan was unwilling to take this lying down. Although he only had Li Liansheng behind him in the Qingxu Sect, Li Liansheng held a significant position. Even if he were to be punished, it would have to go through Li Liansheng first. But the old sect leader didn't like him much. "We'll figure out something else for the food. Aside from spirit chickens, our sect's lotuses are also quite good. Send a few disciples to the spirit pond to fetch some for the evening meal," Li Zhen ordered, dismissing some of the disciples. In reality, losing a few spirit chickens wasn’t a big deal; they weren’t rare or precious. But the kitchen crew, lacking experience, viewed it differently. Seeing the old, dried-meat-like man in front of him, Bai Fan felt very uneasy, fearing that in a fit of anger, Li Zhen might chop him up for snake stew. “Hisssssss…” he hissed in protest at the old man, but Li Zhen’s expression remained unchanged. He looked at Bai Fan as if he were merely an ant underfoot. “Don’t get too arrogant, you snake demon. Just because you follow Li Liansheng, don’t think I won’t touch you. Though he is the young sect master, he’s still quite green. You won’t escape unscathed for eating those spirit chickens.” Then, in front of everyone, Li Zhen declared, “Your life will be spared, but you must be punished. This white snake demon has eaten so many spirit chickens and must be penalized. Since the young sect master isn’t here, I’ll decide. From now on, the snake demon will serve in the kitchen, doing chores until the sect leader is satisfied and allows it to leave.” The implied duration was indefinite. The old sect leader disliked Bai Fan, and expecting him to be pleased with Bai Fan was near impossible. Although it sounded simple, a non-humanoid snake demon wouldn’t be capable of much in the kitchen. Even if it didn’t steal food, that would be a good start. The disciples didn’t know what Li Zhen intended. Li Zhen had his motives. The old sect leader was heavily investing in Li Liansheng, and he had little useful personnel around him, apart from this snake demon. Now was the perfect time to install his own people. As Li Liansheng grew stronger, it would become increasingly difficult to intervene. Hearing that he was being relegated to kitchen duties, Bai Fan felt it wasn’t too bad. After all, the kitchen had plenty of good food, including those spirit chickens he had developed a taste for; much better than wild hares and mice. With the kitchen matter resolved, the disciples dispersed. Bai Fan slithered away, looking for a place to rest and digest the chickens he had consumed. However, before he could settle, Li Zhen called the quick-thinking disciple. “The snake demon is under your command now. I will inform the young sect master.” The disciple took the assignment seriously, nodding vigorously, “I will definitely keep the snake demon in line.” He saw it as a crucial task, hoping to impress his superiors. However, Li Zhen didn’t think much of it, considering today’s kitchen chaos trivial if not for Li Liansheng’s involvement. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have bothered. Once everyone had left, the disciple saw Bai Fan coiling up a tree to slack off. Feeling a strong sense of duty, the disciple followed Bai Fan and, whether out of bravery or ignorance, dared to tug on Bai Fan’s tail. Turning to see who pulled its tail, Bai Fan recognized the disciple who fetched someone earlier. Shocked at his audacity, Bai Fan hissed vehemently. Having just eaten a bunch of spirit chickens, its breath smelled terrible, almost making the disciple faint with the stench. Hearing the disciple mutter complaints, Bai Fan would’ve been furious if he understood. For tens of years, it had only eaten dry pills since its formative years, yet he called its breath foul. “Senior Uncle Li said you’re here to work, not to slack off,” the disciple reprimanded, positioning himself firmly in Bai Fan's path. Bai Fan flicked its tongue a few times, hesitating before finally complying. After all, Li Zhen wasn't one to tolerate defiance. Bai Fan followed the disciple into the kitchen. Inside, people bustled around, the fragrance of spices tantalizing its senses. The clatter of cooking utensils and the sizzling of oil felt oddly familiar, more like mundane life than cultivation. In reality, the Qingxu Sect hadn’t completely severed its ties with the secular world. The sects from which the upper sect hailed were true cultivators, unlike the Qingxu Sect, which still straddled both worlds. Thus began Bai Fan's first job, marking the end of its leisurely days beside Li Liansheng. Overwhelmed with endless tasks, the kitchen consisted of a dozen disciples catering to over two hundred sect members, working from dawn till dusk without a day off. Now, Bai Fan, dragging bags of rice weighing dozens of kilograms, was tasked with physical labor. The kitchen staff used to handle all the supplies delivered from the foot of the mountain, but with Bai Fan’s strength, they now saved themselves the arduous trek up the long stone stairs. Setting the rice down, Bai Fan slithered away, its belly scales burning up from the journey. It needed to cool off in the pond, but just as it turned, the diligent disciple called out again. “Hey, big tail! Wait, I need you to carry ten spirit chickens down to the mountain. Come along!” Furious, Bai Fan flicked its tongue, thinking this guy never gave it a moment to breathe. Recalling the leisurely days at Moonwatching Monastery, Bai Fan resented the constant orders. The disciple didn’t notice Bai Fan's displeasure. He casually placed a cage of spirit chickens on Bai Fan's back and led the way. Laden with the heavy load, Bai Fan felt utterly drained, wondering when Li Liansheng would come to its rescue. Descending with the disciple, Bai Fan noticed people approaching. It had come to understand the sect's daily routines within a few days. Eighty percent of Qingxu Sect’s two hundred members required food, with a substantial part of the sect’s revenue coming from selling spirit chickens. ### Chapter 10 (Continuation) The spirit chickens were originally brought back from the wilderness by the Qingxu Sect’s patriarch. Their meat is exceptionally delicious and contains spiritual energy. For cultivators, consuming them offers slow cultivation enhancement, while for regular people, it can strengthen the body and prolong life. In short, they are a rare and precious commodity. Last time, Bai Fan devoured a significant number of spirit chickens, and it felt the effects that very night. It couldn't quite pinpoint what felt different, but it knew that consuming the spirit chickens was more beneficial than basking in moonlight. A snake’s sturdiest bone is its spine. Bai Fan absorbed every ounce of the spiritual energy from the spirit chickens, not wasting a single bit, and found that even its spine began to harbor some spiritual energy. Given enough time, Bai Fan might genuinely touch upon the true essence of cultivation. What is cultivation? It’s the union of man and nature, breaking through to higher realms, mastering magical arts, and gaining abilities like flying and teleportation. Transforming into a mythical serpent (jiao) is a change in form and constitution, but true cultivation is about complete transcendence. Qingxu Sect’s presence in this grand canyon is precisely for the purpose of cultivation. The reason those kitchen hands forsake worldly luxuries to toil here is also for the chance to cultivate. It is well-known in the world of cultivators that those who attain the Dao can live as long as the heavens and the earth. Being in such close proximity to these disciples, Bai Fan too developed a deep yearning for cultivation. Although it’s exceedingly difficult for a demon to pursue cultivation, Bai Fan isn’t alone in facing challenges in this world. Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, Bai Fan observed that the people here were ordinary mortals, most of whom belonged to the Li family. The spirit chickens were sold through the Li family, cementing its influence in the mundane world. The disciple, Li Lin, picked up the cage of spirit chickens and placed it on the ground. Bai Fan slithered nearby, casting a glance at the mortals. "Li Lin, how do you find life in Qingxu Sect?" someone asked the disciple, their tone brimming with envy. After all, cultivation promises eternal youth and immortality, unattainable treasures for ordinary people. ### End of Chapter Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter