The man clutching Lin Feng's leg, weeping with snot and tears streaming down his face, was none other than Fei Biao—one of Lin Feng's few acquaintances in the Lingyue Sect, his predecessor as Spirit Beast Garden caretaker, and famously nicknamed "Fat Fei."
Fei Biao's current state was truly pitiable. His clothes hung in filthy tatters, his hair was a greasy, matted mess, making him look scarcely better than a roadside beggar. His face bore deep exhaustion, as if he hadn't slept for days and nights, and his entire frame seemed noticeably thinner.
Though given his original size, "thinner" still meant he remained impressively rotund.
Hearing the man's torrent of relief-laden sobs, Lin Feng was utterly bewildered. "Senior Brother Fei," he asked, "what... what happened to you?"
Looking closer, Lin Feng noticed numerous bruises mottling Fei Biao's skin, stark evidence of rough treatment. The cloth covering his right leg was shredded into strips, revealing purple and black blotches beneath. No wonder he stumbled earlier...
Fei Biao, embodying the misery of a long-suffering wife, wailed, "Junior Brother Lin Feng! You have no idea!! Those spirit beasts... they... they... they're absolute monsters!!!"
"..." Lin Feng silently rolled his eyes. Well, yeah, technically they ARE beasts…
Unaware of his own phrasing blunder, Fei Biao plunged deeper into his tearful lament, snot mixing freely with tears. After several minutes, Lin Feng finally pieced together the story, a mixture of disbelief and suppressed laughter bubbling within him.
It turned out Fei Biao's wretched condition was entirely the handiwork—or rather, the paw, claw, and horn-work—of the spirit beasts.
During Lin Feng's brief 'leave of absence,' the sect had temporarily reassigned the spirit beast caretaking duties back to old Fei Biao. He hadn't thought much of it—just babysitting for a few days. But tragedy struck on his very first day back.
He was utterly flabbergasted when, upon delivering the pills to the back mountain, the spirit beasts unexpectedly marched out to 'greet' him. That alone was startling, but the true shock came next: the beasts refused point-blank to eat the defective pills he presented!
Refusal was one thing, but the beasts displayed profound indignation. Sniffing disdainfully, they turned their noses up at the pills and simply walked away.
Day One was merely awkward.
Day Two, however, took a violent turn. Seeing Fei Biao return—and bearing only defective pills again—the spirit beasts grew visibly agitated. Fei Biao only escaped being turned into a snack for the Darkmyst Demon Wolf by the skin of his teeth, thanks to a panicked sprint.
Day Three descended into pure calamity. It wasn't just the Darkmyst Demon Wolf expressing displeasure. The Purple-crested Thunder Crane and the Verdant Mandrake Python joined the protest. Though they didn't actively try to kill him, each delivered a casual 'nudge.' Those mere touches nearly shattered his bones.
Day Four saw the entire menagerie erupt into open revolt. Fei Biao hadn't even managed to pull out the pills before the Azurehorn Rhinobeast charged, sending him flying through the air like a ragdoll. He landed hard, narrowly avoiding permanent crippling injuries.
Day Five, Six, Seven...
Nine agonizing days. Nine days of living hell. Fei Biao existed in a state of perpetual terror, plagued by nightmares that jolted him awake. Last night, sleep deserted him entirely. He'd considered reporting the beasts' rebellion to the sect elders, but fear of punishment held him back. His only hope was enduring until Lin Feng returned and dumping this disastrous mess back into his lap.
Thus, the sight of Lin Feng prompted tears of salvation. Clutching Lin Feng's leg felt like clinging to the hem of a deity descended from heaven.
...
Lin Feng patiently endured over thirty minutes of Fei Biao's tearful denouncement of the beasts' "inhuman brutality." Waiting until the sobs subsided into sniffles, Lin Feng offered reassurance. "Senior Brother Fei, I truly had no idea the beasts would act like this. They were perfectly fine before... You've suffered tremendously. Don't worry, whatever's bothering them, I'll handle it."
Of course he knew the reason. The beasts had grown addicted to half a year of top-grade pills. The shoddy substitutes Fei Biao offered were beneath their notice now. He'd anticipated some reluctance upon leaving, but Fei Biao's ordeal far exceeded his wildest expectations. Admitting this truth, however, was out of the question. Fei Biao would have to swallow this injustice.
A pang of genuine guilt struck Lin Feng. Reaching into his storage ring, he pulled out a pill radiating gentle spiritual warmth. "Senior Brother Fei," he said, extending the pill. "Please accept this Xuanyang Pellet as an apology. Go rest and heal properly. Leave the beasts to me."
"Xuanyang Pellet?!" Fei Biao, having finally managed to stand up, froze mid-motion. His small eyes bulged wide as he stared at the pill in Lin Feng's hand, disbelief etched on his grimy face. "Junior Brother Lin... you... you actually possess this?!"
Lin Feng smiled casually. "Indeed. I even had a few more. After the Purple-crested Thunder Crane and the Darkmyst Demon Wolf successfully advanced, the Vice-Sect Master and Elder Guo rewarded me with Xuanyang Pellets. I used the others to cultivate... this last one is yours."
Fei Biao flushed, a mixture of overwhelming gratitude and embarrassment. "Th-this... it's too generous..."
"Nonsense." Lin Feng pressed the pellet firmly into Fei Biao's palm. "Take it. But," his tone turned serious, "I must ask you to keep this quiet. It's better if others don't know. And regarding the beasts... it's best not to mention that incident either."
Fei Biao nodded vigorously, clutching the precious pellet like a lifeline. "Understood! Absolutely understood, Junior Brother Lin! My lips are sealed!" Bragging about the pellet would only breed jealousy. Talking about the beast mutiny? That was pure career suicide.
Watching Fei Biao's despair evaporate into radiant joy, Lin Feng smiled faintly. He no longer relied on Xuanyang Pellets for cultivation, so parting with one was inconsequential. A question surfaced in his mind. "Senior Brother Fei," he inquired, "what do you know about the Blackmist Herb Valley trial?"
Fei Biao, still mesmerized by the glowing pellet in his hand, blinked. "Oh, that? Of course! The sect competition is happening in just a few days! Half the inner sect is scrambling to prepare for it!" His voice suddenly gained excitement. Previously, he'd written off any chance of participating. But now, with this Xuanyang Pellet... if he could frantically push his cultivation to the 8th level of Foundation Building... maybe he could throw his hat in the ring. Snagging a spot in the top ten, entering the Valley, finding some treasures... perhaps then he'd catch an elder's eye, become a personal disciple, and soar to new heights!
"Sect competition?" Lin Feng frowned. "What connection does that have to the Blackmist Herb Valley trial? Do only the winners of the competition qualify?"
"Exactly!" Fei Biao confirmed. "Only ten spots are allocated for the Valley trial. Meaning... only the top ten disciples in the sect competition get to go."
"Top ten..." Lin Feng's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "What does this competition entail? Combat prowess?"
Fei Biao shook his head. "Other sects might focus on combat, but not us! We are a pill-refining sect, after all. The core of the competition is alchemy skill. Though..." he added pragmatically, "...there's still a minimum cultivation requirement. Being a master alchemist won't save you in the Valley if you're too weak. The sect mandates competitors must be at least 8th level Foundation Building."
"Eighth level Foundation Building." Lin Feng's brow furrowed slightly. "So... anyone at that level or above can participate?"
"Yes, anyone who meets the cultivation requirement can register..." Fei Biao trailed off, finally grasping the implication behind Lin Feng's questions. He stared at his junior brother, eyes wide with astonishment. "Junior Brother Lin... you... you actually want to join?!"