The Rich Cultivator
Chapter 78. Trouble Brewing

Chapter 78: 78. Trouble Brewing

"What’s wrong with them?" Supervisor Han asked, his voice carrying a note of genuine curiosity. Despite his supervisory role, Han Fei was an Official Disciple who had been punished and sent to oversee the newcomers. This status made even the other Official Disciples hesitant to show off in front of him.

"Nothing. There’s an Old Kunpeng Ruins about to emerge. We’re looking for promising candidates to enter it," one of the disciples explained.

"These two haven’t even started practising. Especially that White. He looks like someone who practised before and got crippled. His meridians and sea of consciousness are in a mess," Han Fei observed.

"That’s why we need him. You don’t mind if we use them as cannon fodder, right?"

Han Fei shook his head. "Just choose other people. This guy has good observation and decision-making skills. I’ve decided to take them under my wing."

The other disciples nodded, not daring to push further, and left.

"Warn White and Black that some Official Disciples are keeping an eye on them," Han Fei instructed one of his aides. He was sure these disciples had ulterior motives, but since he wasn’t particularly close to Tyler and Silvia, he could only help them a little by warning them.

┉┈ ◈ ◉ ◈ ┈┉

Tyler received the news and was confused. "Why would some Official Disciples be keeping an eye on us?"

As he walked toward their quarters, he noticed a crowd forming.

"How dare you steal things from me?" he heard someone shout.

*Slap*

The loud noise made Tyler frown. He pushed his way through the crowd, and his temper flared when he saw Silvia being slapped.

"What do you think you’re doing?" Tyler asked, his tone low but simmering with anger.

"What? This little slu—" The man started, but before he could finish, Tyler’s fist connected with his cheek. The force of the blow spun him around and sent him sprawling on the ground.

Tyler stepped on his face, silencing the noisy crowd instantly.

"Now tell me, what happened?" Tyler asked calmly, though his eyes burned with fury.

Everyone gulped. They had only seen Tyler’s hand move swiftly, and the man was already on the floor.

Silvia, with tears in her eyes but maintaining her composure, explained, "He accused me of stealing his belongings. But I didn’t do it, Tyler. I swear."

Tyler believed her without hesitation. He knew Silvia well enough to trust her word. "So, you accused her without any proof?" he asked, pressing his foot harder on the man’s face.

"I—I..." the man stammered, clearly in pain and fear.

Tyler looked around at the crowd. "Did anyone see her take anything?"

No one spoke up. The silence confirmed Tyler’s suspicion that the accusation was baseless. He lifted his foot and looked down at the man with disdain. "Don’t ever accuse someone without evidence," he said, then stomped his foot down again, making the man wince in pain.

The crowd dispersed quickly, not wanting to get involved further. Tyler knelt beside Silvia, gently touching her cheek where she had been slapped. "Are you okay?"

Silvia nodded, though she was clearly shaken. "I’m okay now, Uncle Horny. Thank you."

Tyler’s mouth twitched. He was about to hug her but stopped. Silvia who saw that regretted a little for not controlling her mouth.

Tyler didn’t go back to his room. Instead he went to see a disciple who looked malnourished. He whispered something in his ears. The disciple’s eyes glowed, after gritting his teeth, he promised Tyler.

Next day, Tyler took Silvia and went to the Library. Everyone is pointing at Tyler and whispering something. Most of them are afraid.

The guy who slapped Silvia was found dead this morning. He ate some sort of poison and Died. No one thought that this was suicide. Tyler nodded at the malnourished guy who was devouring food with a happy expression.

He bribed this guy with some money and food. Looks like he had done the job well.

┉┈ ◈ ◉ ◈ ┈┉

"Ruthless... This guy was definitely born to be in a Demonic sect," Han Fei laughed when he heard the news.

"Let’s wait for the trial to end. After that, we can capture those two," one of the disciples suggested.

The others nodded in agreement and left. One of the men in the group didn’t return to his place. Instead, he headed to the newbies’ quarters.

---

"Senior Brother," Tyler greeted, already waiting there.

"Where is the thing?"

"I used one of my free chances to get this," Tyler said, handing over a potion.

The man grabbed the potion with excitement but then looked at Tyler with a mocking expression. "You’re smart. You sent that guy to the medical hall by beating him up. When I visited him, another guy who came for treatment approached me and told me about the deal. Yes, you’re smart. But do you think I’ll tell you anything?"

Tyler’s face remained calm, though his mind was racing. "I don’t expect anything for free. I know how things work here," he replied. "That’s why I gave you that potion."

The man’s smirk widened. "You think this will make me talk?"

"Senior Brother, you should be at level of one star Novice Warrior, right? Look at the potion carefully," Tyler simply said.

The man took the potion and inspected it closely. Suddenly, the potion bottle exploded with a sharp crack, releasing a thick cloud of gas. The man’s eyes widened in shock as he inhaled the fumes, and within seconds, he collapsed, unconscious.

Tyler sighed in relief. "It worked."

He quickly lifted the man and carried him to an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the compound. The place was seldom visited, making it the perfect spot for what Tyler had planned. He didn’t care about the poison gas because he already took the antidote.

Once inside, Tyler secured the unconscious man to a chair using some vines he specifically picked up to tie a Novice warrior. He knew he had to work fast; the poison wouldn’t keep the man out for long.

When the man started to stir, Tyler positioned himself in front of him, arms crossed. "Wake up, Senior Brother," he said coldly.

The man’s eyes fluttered open, his gaze groggy and confused. "You... what did you do?" he muttered, his voice weak.

"I had to ensure you’d listen to me," Tyler replied, his tone icy. "Now, you’re going to tell me everything you know. And if you don’t, I have more of that poison. Next time, it won’t just knock you out."

Tyler said and took another flask of potion.

The man struggled against his bindings, but the vines held firm. "Blood-sucking Demonic Vines?"

"Yes, when those vines sucked blood from the newbies who wanted to leave, some of the old vines dropped out. I picked them up. I didn’t expect them to be this strong. You’re just a 1-star Novice Warrior, right?" Tyler said.

"You think you can threaten me?" the man spat, though his voice lacked conviction.

"I don’t need to threaten you," Tyler said calmly. "I just need you to understand that I’m serious. You’re in a demonic sect. Cruelty is a given, and I will do what I must to survive."

The man glared at him but eventually seemed to realise the futility of his situation. "Fine," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "What do you want to know?"

"First, why are the Official Disciples keeping an eye on me and Black?" Tyler demanded.

"There’s an Old Kunpeng Ruins about to emerge," the man explained reluctantly. "They need promising candidates to explore it. But most of those candidates are expected to die. They’re looking at you two because you show potential but also because you’re expendable."

Tyler’s eyes narrowed. He just opened the flask, his expression growing colder.

"Ok, ok... I’ll tell you the truth. Someone from the outside. I don’t know who it is, but they said that a little girl called Black belongs to them and wants her back. They offered a lot. It’s difficult to resist," the senior brother said.

"So the target is her," Tyler nodded, his mind racing. Without another word, he turned to leave.

"Hey, untie me," the man shouted.

"The vines will wither when sunlight shines on them. So wait until tomorrow morning. This is why you should learn more from the books," Tyler said, walking away. As he left, he opened the flask and drank the potion. The man realised then that the threat of more poison was a bluff and it was just juice.

Tyler returned to his quarters, deep in thought. He understood now that the same people who had sent Abel to capture Silvia were behind this. But why didn’t they come in person? Why always send someone else? Silvia seemed to have many secrets.

Tyler sighed, the weight of their situation pressing heavily on his shoulders. He knew he wasn’t strong enough yet. The trial was just the beginning, and he needed to find a way to restore his strength and make money again. Those senior disciples wouldn’t give up, and he had to come up with a plan.

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