Teacher by day, Farmer by passion
Chapter 274 - 274: Backstab [11] (BONUS)

"Huh? Elder Yuu and Liu Mei aren't around?"

"And you're telling me that Grand Elder Lily went to the Tharz Kingdom for urgent business?"

"Yes, Senior Brother," replied a chubby outer sect disciple, scratching his head and looking a little overwhelmed by the questions.

Shan Yifeng blinked.

Then blinked again.

And then… the corners of his mouth twitched upward.

Wait a second.

The main roadblocks— Elder Yuu, Liu Mei, Elder Lily—all mysteriously gone?

His eyes gleamed.

The heavens had smiled upon him.

He placed a firm hand on the disciple's round shoulder with a pat that made the poor boy wobble slightly.

"Good job," Shan Yifeng said solemnly. "As a reward… I'll double your training quota starting tomorrow."

"HAH?!"

"And I'll increase your spirit apple rations."

"YES, SENIOR! THANK YOU!" The boy bowed so quickly his forehead nearly kissed the ground.

Shan Yifeng turned with a satisfied nod and walked away, his steps light and nearly skipping.

Ahhh, how smooth! The stars have aligned, the moon shines bright, and even the pigs in the back of the valley are probably doing celebratory flips!

He tried not to grin too hard.

Tch, calm down, Shan Yifeng. You're not some teenage kid in love—

But then he thought about it again.

Yuu, gone. Liu Mei, gone. Lily, gone.

Ahahahaha! Truly, am I not the son of heaven today?!

He turned a corner, almost bumping into someone.

"Teacher?"

Standing before him was Elder Akha, his alchemy instructor, decked out in ceremonial robes that shimmered with silver leaves and crimson embroidery, her face stiff with reluctant dignity.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

Elder Akha sighed, long and loud, like someone had just reminded her how much work she'd left undone.

"Your Master is in seclusion," she began, her tone stiff, "and as fate would have it, the Fairy Pavilion is hosting a grand occasion. We've been invited as chief guests. Elder Lily conveniently vanished to Tharz for some mysterious nonsense, and Yuu, that slippery brat, vanished with Liu Mei the moment she heard your Master went into hiding. So now, as the eldest, the responsibility has fallen… to me."

Shan Yifeng blinked again.

His teacher was never this talkative.

She must've been truly—truly—annoyed.

He covered his mouth to suppress the grin that nearly escaped.

"You can do it, Teacher!" he said, pumping his fist.

But inside?

Ahhh this is divine orchestration. Everyone important is GONE. The road is clear! The stage is mine! The sky itself is singing my name—Shan Yifeng! Shan Yifeng! SHAN YIFENG!

"Make sure you take care of the sect while I'm gone," Akha said.

"Yes, yes, I will! You go enjoy the event, Teacher."

"I'll try. Khani and Kathum will accompany me," she said, rubbing her temples.

"Safe travels!" he said, his face glowing like a man who just won the spirit lottery.

Akha walked off, robes fluttering behind her in reluctant elegance.

Shan Yifeng watched until she vanished from view, then turned on his heel, practically dancing his way toward the training field.

He reached the usual clearing, practically glowing with joy, chest puffed like a peacock.

Then the temperature dropped, subtle, but sharp. A ripple of pressure rolled across the field.

Before he could even catch his breath—

"What happened to you?" a voice rang out…

a voice rang out, sharp and unimpressed.

"You're smiling like a love-struck fool."

Standing at the center of the field was Angie, arms crossed, tail flicking impatiently, her dragon aura simmering around her like a pot that might boil over at any moment.

"We can get the ring from Elder Mati tonight," Shan Yifeng said, eyes gleaming with certainty.

The words hit like a gong in Angie's chest.

Her pupils flared with golden excitement, and she straightened up immediately, her tail swaying behind her like a banner caught in a rising wind.

You're serious?" she asked, golden pupils widening with joy.

Her tail gave a sharp flick and then stilled as Shan Yifeng raised a hand.

"Not so fast."

Angie blinked, her excitement cooling into caution as she narrowed her gaze at him.. "Hmph. Go on, then."

"We need to avoid suspicion," he continued, arms crossing behind his back in a calculated pose.

"If Elder Mati finds the ring missing too soon, the whole plan might collapse."

He looked up at her. "Describe the ring. I'll craft a fake, something so precise even she won't know the difference."

Angie gave a slow nod, impressed. "Alright, half-blood. That's smart of you. I'll give you a reward for your hard work."

She raised her palm and, with a casual flick of her claw, cut a clean line across the skin.

Blood welled up, not crimson but molten gold, thick, viscous, and glowing with internal fire.

It shimmered with raw dragon essence.

She drew it into a slender crystal vial and handed it to him.

"Here. Drink it."

Shan Yifeng took it without hesitation. He didn't flinch, didn't even question her.

He simply popped the cork and downed it in one gulp.

The moment it hit his tongue, the world twisted.

A miniature sun erupted in his gut, burning, alive, divine.

His spine arched instinctively as fire stabbed outward through every limb.

His meridians weren't just burning, they were screaming.

"Control the flame," Angie said, her tone even and firm, as if this were all part of a perfectly normal training exercise.

"Feel the essence within it. The memories of the ring are tied to that drop, its shape, weight, presence, all of it lives in there."

She stepped forward, looming over him. "And if you manage to control that fire… your impure bloodline will begin to cleanse itself. It's a small step, but a step nonetheless."

Shan Yifeng gritted his teeth as he dropped into a lotus position, sweat already forming on his brow.

He forced his breathing to steady, pushing past the agony rippling through his limbs.

His meridians screamed as the foreign power surged through them like molten glass.

But he didn't stop.