Bai Zihan stopped teasing Yun Qingmei and Fei Ling.
Not because he wanted to, but because he noticed Elder Qinglan and Lin Xuan making their way toward him.
The two girls didn’t know what made him suddenly stop, but they weren’t about to stick around and ask.
Just as they disappeared around the corner, Lin Xuan hurried over, eyes lighting up the moment he spotted Bai Zihan.
“Young Master, you’re here?”
His voice was full of excitement and barely-contained admiration.
“Congratulations! I watched everything—I saw it all! I’m really happy you were able to show your worth to everyone.”
His words were sincere, his tone free of pretense.
“It’s all thanks to your help, Young Master,” Lin Xuan said, bowing his head slightly.
“Without you… I never would’ve gotten this far.”
Elder Qinglan watched the two interact.
From what she saw, it was clear the rumors she’d heard were completely fabricated.
“You two can catch up later. Let’s go,” Elder Qinglan said.
“Elder, can I make a request?”
Lin Xuan asked hesitantly.
He already owed her too much, and asking for more—even something small—made him feel a little guilty.
“Of course. What is it?”
Elder Qinglan didn’t even hesitate.
She didn’t think much of it; to get someone like Lin Xuan to join her peak, she’d fulfill any wish—unless it was something evil.
“Can I have my residence near the Young Master?”
Lin Xuan asked.
“It’d be easier to serve him if I was closer.”
That surprised both Elder Qinglan and Bai Zihan.
Elder Qinglan had known Lin Xuan was grateful, but she didn’t expect it to run this deep.
Even after being revealed as a Heaven-Blessed talent—someone the entire Heaven Sword Sect treasured—Lin Xuan still wanted to serve Bai Zihan?
He could’ve repaid the favor by asking the Sect for help like giving back 10 times the resource Bai Zihan gave him.
There was no need to keep acting like a servant.
The Sect certainly wouldn’t want their future Sect Leader—or at the very least a high-ranking elder—to lower himself for someone like Bai Zihan, whose reputation could only be described as rock bottom.
No one else in the entire Heaven Sword Sect—maybe even the whole Desolate Heaven Empire—had a worse name than him.
If it were another elder, they’d probably step in and tell Lin Xuan not to throw himself away like this.
But Elder Qinglan wasn’t like most elders. She didn’t care about appearances or fake face—she cared about values.
If Lin Xuan wanted to repay kindness by staying close and continuing to serve Bai Zihan, then she didn’t feel the need to interfere.
“Certainly! There are quite a few residences near Bai Zihan’s. You can pick the one that suits you best.”
Lin Xuan shook his head.
“The closest one will do.”
He’d been staying in some rundown handyman’s shack, so he didn’t care about luxury. He just wanted to be near Bai Zihan.
While Elder Qinglan and Lin Xuan were talking, Bai Zihan listened with a smile.
It seemed that even after Lin Xuan’s flashy moment, he was still loyal. That was good news.
At least Lin Xuan was someone who repaid kindness with kindness—no matter the situation.
Unlike certain protagonists who throw a few resources at someone and act like they’ve paid back a life debt, then go off to rise to the heavens, completely forgetting the people who helped them.
Until hundreds of Chapters later, when they find out that person died to some low-tier villain while they were busy being the main character.
***
The news of the assessment test spread through the Heaven Sword Sect like wildfire.
At first, it was just whispers—someone claiming Lin Xuan, that quiet little handyman who used to sweep the stairs and scrub toilets, had actually awakened a Heaven-grade talent.
People laughed. Thought it was a joke. A blatant lie!
But as more details came in—confirmation from Elders, word from various disciples who’d witnessed it firsthand—those whispers turned into a full-blown storm.
The handyman had shattered expectations.
But even more shocking than Lin Xuan’s Heaven-grade result was the revelation that he hadn’t climbed the mountain alone.
According to some disciples who’d been present, Lin Xuan had wielded a Profound-grade sword technique during the combat trial—one exclusive to the Bai Clan.
That alone was already enough to turn heads.
But when people started connecting the dots—the expensive pills, the sudden boost in strength, the calm demeanor, and how he always seemed to be hovering near Bai Zihan like a loyal guard dog—things began to click.
And what came next sent shockwaves through the Sect.
“Wait… you’re telling me Bai Zihan gave him an Earth-grade cultivation technique? Are you kidding me?!”
“I heard that he promised Lin Xuan if he became his personal servant, he’d be given one. Looking at Lin Xuan’s progress, it seems to be true!”
“But why would Bai Zihan give something like that to an outsider?”
“Exactly! That’s the thing—he shouldn’t have! It’s a massive breach of clan secrecy. If the Bai Clan finds out, he’s not just getting scolded. He’s getting executed. Or at the very least, thrown out of the clan with nothing but his name left!”
“What the hell is going on with that guy…”
The Heaven Sword Sect was in a frenzy.
They thought of Bai Zihan as a lazy and arrogant young master without any talent or morals.
There were various rumors about him—one crazier than the next. He was truly the embodiment of a privileged child.
Then they found out that he was crazier than the rumors.
To be able to teach his Clan’s exclusive technique to an outsider, it seemed like Bai Zihan didn’t even fear his own clan’s rules.
Even teaching a Profound-Grade technique to an outsider just to make them a servant would be unthinkable—not to mention an Earth-Grade one.
If there was such a person, even a Nascent Soul cultivator might be willing to become a servant.
“Wait, so those rumors about Bai Zihan mistreating Lin Xuan are false?”
“Exactly! Lin Xuan’s a Heaven-grade talent now. The Sect would be willing to do everything to have Lin Xuan stay, even expelling Bai Zihan, if Lin Xuan asked for it.”
“But instead, he asked Elder Qinglan personally to have his residence moved closer to Bai Zihan’s.”
The group of disciples fell into stunned silence.
“So all those rumors about Bai Zihan torturing him, beating him up, and feeding him poison pills were just… bullshit? I thought for real that Bai Zihan would do those things.”
“Looks that way! Wouldn’t be the first time people made shit up to ruin someone’s reputation.”
Soon, the Heaven Sword Sect began to think Bai Zihan was the victim of someone else’s scheme—and his reputation was starting to look a whole lot better.
Of course, those things weren’t as important as the Sect gaining another Heaven-grade talent.
Though for one person, this was a huge problem.
***
Inside a secluded courtyard on one of the Inner Peaks, Shen Liang sat alone beneath a pavilion, his tea untouched, his brows furrowed so deep they might as well have been carved into stone.
“Damn it!”
CRACK!
The cup in his hand shattered with a sharp crack, ceramic shards scattering across the table.
Everything had been going so perfectly—or so he thought.
Lin Xuan—some nobody handyman—was supposed to be just one of his pawns to ruin Bai Zihan’s reputation.
He didn’t care whether the rumors were true. Even if they were proven false, it wouldn’t affect much. There were still plenty of other bad ones to latch onto.
But now?
Because of Lin Xuan’s sudden rise and the news about his Heaven-Grade Dao Resonance spreading everywhere, people were only focused on the rumors about Bai Zihan mistreating him.
And now, those were collapsing.
The little bastard had chosen to join Mystic Moon Peak—publicly, in front of everyone—and even called Bai Zihan his benefactor?
Many now thought the other rumors were false too—guilt by association working in reverse.
“Tch!”
Shen Liang scowled, his teeth clenched.
Worse still, the whispers were changing.
In the last hour alone, Shen Liang had overheard things he never thought he’d hear.
“I didn’t think Bai Zihan was the complete opposite of what I’d heard.”
“Yeah, look at how he treated Lin Xuan, who was just a handyman. Giving him so many precious resources and even Earth-Grade cultivation techniques!”
“People are even volunteering to serve Bai Zihan now. I heard some Inner Disciples saying they’d do everything he commands if he made them his servants.”
(Generous? Kind? Cultivating loyalty?)
“Bullshit!”
Shen Liang growled.
After suffering through Bai Zihan’s scheme, it felt like getting slapped every time someone praised him.
Would he have suffered falsely if Bai Zihan was so generous? Is he kind just because he knows how to make others fear or obey?
Sure, he made up some of the rumors. But that didn’t make them wrong.
He just fabricated the wrong incident.
He was protecting people—people who might fall for the same trick he did.
Of course those were the justification he made to himself while committing all those horrendous things.
But now, all that hard work was going to waste.
And Shen Liang wasn’t going to let that continue.
He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a communication talisman.
“Fang Jinyan,” he said coldly.
Moments later, a familiar voice answered through the talisman, smooth and composed:
“Senior Brother Shen. Awaiting your command.”
Shen Liang’s eyes darkened.
“It’s time. We’re done playing nice.”
There was a pause. Then Fang Jinyan’s voice came through, this time with a hint of interest.
“So we’re moving forward with the plan?”
“Yes!”
Shen Liang snapped.
“I’ll completely destroy Bai Zihan’s reputation this time!”