Chapter 015: Crimson Refining Valley

“Incredible!” Lin Zhan was profoundly shaken by what he witnessed.

In that chaotic melee, there was suddenly a brief pause. Everyone seemed to stop their actions in unison and turned to look toward the house. There, a gray silhouette appeared—not tall, yet exuding a fierce, murderous aura.

At the same time, a thunderous voice rang out: “Anyone who dares harm the people of the Daisy Hall will pay back tenfold!”

“Where did this reckless brat come from?” Wei Qinglong, who had thus far disdained to get involved, finally made his move. Yet before he could react, a figure flashed before him, and sharp pain exploded in his lower body.

Doubling over and clutching himself, Wei Qinglong howled in agony, “You’re ruthless…”

The members of Daisy Hall, seeing this, momentarily forgot their pain and even their urge to cheer. The lightning speed of that assault was an eye-opener.

In the confusion with Plum Blossom Hall, everyone had overlooked the existence of Miscellaneous Ten. Even when the brawl broke out, no one had time to think of this formidable figure. If anyone did, it was a fleeting thought, for they had all been thrashed by this person the previous night.

Now, seeing him appear, everyone was dumbfounded.

So, this fierce fellow was actually one of their own!

In a split second, Miscellaneous Ten raised a large hand and slapped Wei Qinglong to the ground. His movements, swift as flowing light, left afterimages in the heart of the melee, accompanied by a succession of slaps and thuds. Not until Miscellaneous Ten halted before Lin Zhan and extended a hand did the wails of the Plum Blossom Hall’s men erupt in unison.

Too fast! So fast that not even the eye could follow his path.

With the pressure relieved, the Daisy Hall crew supported each other as they retreated to their own ranks.

Though nothing was said, their attitude toward Miscellaneous Ten had clearly shifted. At this critical moment, he had finally stepped forward and dealt the enemy a harsh lesson.

By now, Lin Zhan had already risen. Looking over the Plum Blossom Hall men, he saw each one battered and defeated, their faces swollen and bruised, all bearing bulbous, red, pig-like heads. Some nursed limp arms, others clutched dislocated knees and elbows.

A burst of laughter broke out from within Daisy Hall.

“Weren’t you just calling us pig-heads? And look at you now—what are you?”

That’s how brawls go; sometimes it’s not about who wins or loses, as that’s often hard to judge. What matters is who takes the worst beating. Clearly, thanks to Miscellaneous Ten, Plum Blossom Hall had come off far worse.

“Want more? This time it’s just a dislocation. Next time, I won’t hesitate to break your arms and legs! And listen well—when you see anyone from Daisy Hall, bow your heads and make way, or I’ll thrash you every time!”

Standing before the Daisy Hall disciples, Miscellaneous Ten glared menacingly at the Plum Blossom Hall gang.

Led by Wei Qinglong, those from Plum Blossom Hall could only endure their pain and dared not utter a single word. Their former bravado had long since vanished.

Humiliated, they half-dragged, half-crawled away…

Later, recalling that day, Lin Zhan remained in awe of Miscellaneous Ten’s movements and footwork. Though his cultivation was sealed, his mastery of such techniques could not be suppressed. This profound and mysterious footwork was truly invaluable—even when outnumbered, he could move freely, exploit every opening, and deal devastating blows.

“If only I could learn such footwork!” Lin Zhan silently wished.

After this battle, Miscellaneous Ten earned a certain status in Daisy Hall’s Team C. Though no one said it aloud or sought his company, his actions had won their respect.

The Blazing Ice Mountain region was home to five great peaks. Apart from the main peak where the Servants’ Hall was located, there were also Floating Shadow Peak, Heavenly Star Peak, Sword Burial Peak, and Westward Peak—the five peaks collectively known as the Flaming Five Summits.

Scarlet Refinement Valley lay between the Flaming Peak and Westward Peak, where spiritual energy gathered and exotic flowers and herbs flourished. Deep within the valley stood the Scarlet Refinement Palace, said to be guarded by a master, for it was the sanctuary of the highest-grade spiritual flora. Lin Zhan and the other servant disciples could only tend to the middle and lower-ranked plants around the valley’s outskirts.

Even so, the middle and lower-ranked herbs were extremely rare—such as the century-old Ice Spirit Flower coveted by Wei Qinglong.

The century-old Ice Spirit Flower was among the highest-grade herbs in the valley’s outer region, and it was just about to bloom. Lin Zhan had been assigned by Miscellaneous One to guard it personally.

The Ice Spirit Flower could clear the mind and focus the spirit, playing an irreplaceable role when breaking through bottlenecks in cultivation. A single blossom could double one’s chances of success. This season, the flower bore seven pristine white buds, each the size of a walnut, glowing with a translucent light, swaying gently amid the snowy landscape.

Wei Qinglong and his group had long eyed the flower. Even after Miscellaneous Ten’s lesson, it was uncertain whether they’d give up, so dedicated supervision was essential.

Once the flower bloomed, it had to be harvested and placed into a special storage box for preservation before being delivered to the steward of Scarlet Refinement Palace.

Normally, the palace steward paid little attention to the herbs in the outer valley, which was why Wei Qinglong saw an opportunity.

Nursing his grudge from Miscellaneous Ten’s beating, he certainly hadn’t let go of his desire for the Ice Spirit Flower.

Before he was punished and assigned as a servant, he had already reached the late stage of the Human Rank. He had struggled to advance to the Yellow Rank, and after his demotion, had lost all motivation, resigning himself to servitude and abandoning his cultivation.

But now, hearing of the Ice Spirit Flower’s effect on breakthroughs, his desire for advancement was rekindled. With the flower, he might seize the chance to reach a higher, new realm.

“Daisy Hall—I won’t let you off so easily!” Wei Qinglong snarled, glaring toward Scarlet Refinement Valley.

Tending flowers and herbs was unlike chopping wood or hauling water—dead labor, as it were. This was a task that demanded vigilance day and night.

At night, the surrounding snow peaks reflected the icy light, bathing everything in a silvery glow. Surrounded by spiritual plants, Lin Zhan sat cross-legged on a block of cold stone, gazing at the Ice Spirit Flower not far before him.

At the same time, he used this chance to channel spiritual power from the sigil on his right palm as he kept watch over the flower.