The towering peak of the Zidian Mountain stood a thousand feet high, with verdant pines and cascading waterfalls decorating the slopes. Majestic palaces stood atop the mountainside, while at the summit, a serene celestial pond shimmered under the sky, surrounded by a grand palace even more splendid than the others.
Spirit beasts and creatures roamed freely across the mountain—immortal cranes, iron-winged roc, golden-crowned eagles, white tigers, white deer, jade rabbits, peacocks... The ethereal creatures roamed the land, creating an air of mysticism.
Numerous medicinal fields, growing ginseng and other spiritual herbs, stretched across the land, producing countless valuable elixirs.
"Zidian Palace."
The three characters were carved into the stone at the mountain's peak, marking the entrance to the palace that Fang Qingxue had received as a reward after being promoted to a true disciple of the Feather Immortal Sect. This palace, located on Zidian Peak, symbolized her newly elevated status.
Inside the palace, Fang Qingxue sat on a throne, her brows furrowed as she looked at the hundred or so servants gathered below. "Though Zidian Peak is my domain, I devote myself to cultivation. Once I enter seclusion, it will be months, even half a year before I can handle household matters. I'll select a few reliable ones to manage it. Fang Han, I heard you take good care of horses. You'll manage two hundred and fifty people to look after the spirit beasts, cranes, and white tigers. This is the Spirit Beast Token! Take it, and when you drip your blood on it, the spirit beasts will obey your command. Choose your men."
A red light flew toward Fang Han. He caught it, only to find a jade token the size of a palm in his hand. The token was carved with various animals, intricately detailed, almost as if the souls of the creatures were sealed within it.
"Seems like I've caught the lady's attention. From a mere horse keeper to the head of two hundred and fifty people. My status is skyrocketing," Fang Han thought to himself.
Back in the Fang family, it was unthinkable for someone like him, a lowly servant, to rise to such a position. The rules were strict, and the family hierarchy was complex. Even if he had earned merit, it would have been impossible to reach such a high rank. But here, at the Feather Immortal Sect, Fang Qingxue, focused solely on her cultivation, did not concern herself with household matters and easily promoted him.
However, this decision caused a stir among the other servants.
"How is this possible?"
"How could a lowly servant like him be promoted above us?"
"The young mistress has actually chosen him as the head of spirit beast care?"
The whispers among the servants grew louder, especially from a few of the more experienced ones. Their eyes narrowed with hostility, like predators eyeing their prey.
These seasoned servants were formerly high-ranking in the Fang family, managing affairs like rent collection and commanding over a thousand people each year. They had hoped to gain favor with Fang Qingxue and secure lucrative positions at the Feather Immortal Sect. But now, someone like Fang Han, who had only been a horse keeper, had taken what they believed was their prize. The jealousy and resentment in their hearts were palpable.
But they did not dare make a scene. In the Fang family, they could plot behind the scenes and slander Fang Han. But here, at the Feather Immortal Sect, Fang Qingxue's word was law. They had witnessed her mercilessly kill eight people and their cranes at the mountain's entrance, and no one dared challenge her.
Fang Qingxue was unmoved by the murmurs around her. In her eyes, cultivation was everything. Household matters, the petty concerns of mortals, were beneath her. She had a vague impression of Fang Han, and that was why she promoted him. As a true disciple of the Feather Immortal Sect, she had no time to deal with such trivialities.
"Fang Qiang, you're in charge of the food and cleaning for Zidian Peak. Choose three hundred servants for the task. When I enter seclusion, just follow the food schedule and bring it to my meditation chamber," she instructed.
"Yes, Mistress." A woman named Fang Qiang, who had been the head maid in the Fang family, stepped forward and bowed.
"Fang Man, you're responsible for the planting and harvesting of the eighty medicinal fields on Zidian Peak—Crystal Fragrant Rice, Zidian Flowers, and other rare crops," she continued.
"Yes!" Fang Man, a sharp-eyed man who had been one of the servants with hostile looks toward Fang Han earlier, stood tall.
"Fang Rui, you're in charge of managing the clothing, finances, and purchasing of everything needed for Zidian Peak. That's settled for now. You all may go about your duties."
With the essentials taken care of, Fang Qingxue's figure flickered and disappeared, retreating into seclusion. The massive door to Zidian Palace slowly closed behind her, leaving the hundred servants standing in the courtyard, waiting for their instructions.
Among them, Fang Qingxue's second sister, Fang Qingwei, was absent, as she was an outer disciple, already deep in the mountains focusing on her cultivation.
The disciples of the Feather Immortal Sect were divided into outer disciples, inner disciples, and true disciples. Then, there were the elders who oversaw law and cultivation, followed by vice sect masters and the sect leader at the top.
Fang Han and the other servants were not considered true disciples. Among the outer disciples, there was fierce competition to rise to the inner disciples' ranks, and similarly, inner disciples vied to become true disciples. True disciples, on the other hand, fought to be appointed as elders. Even among the elders, there was constant competition for the position of sect leader.
Fang Qingxue had just become a true disciple, and to establish her authority, she killed the eight riders from the nearby Bi Yan Peak, where the true disciple Jin Shi Tai came from. She did this to deter anyone from challenging her—her power and reputation now firmly in place.
After receiving the Spirit Beast Token, Fang Han eagerly planned to test it. He was already considering riding one of the immortal cranes and soaring into the skies. However, before he could do so, a voice rang out behind him.
"Kid! Hand over the Spirit Beast Token."
Fang Han turned around in surprise to find a middle-aged man dressed in fine silk robes, his face long and menacing. The man was walking toward him, his body crackling with power like a tiger stalking its prey.
Alongside him were Fang Man, Fang Rui, and a few other servants, watching with a cruel amusement in their eyes.
"Fang Lie, what do you want?" Fang Han asked, recognizing the man. Fang Lie was the head of security in the Fang family, a powerful figure who was now disgruntled that he had been overlooked for the coveted position of managing the spirit beasts.
"Naturally, I want you to hand over the Spirit Beast Token and become my subordinate. What's the matter? Don't want to?" Fang Lie's tone was cold, his eyes filled with malice.
"This was the young mistress's command," Fang Han replied calmly, unwilling to back down.
"Haha! Even if it was the young mistress's command, do you think you, a lowly servant, can command anyone here? Look around you—who here isn't higher than you in the Fang family? Try giving an order and see if they obey." Fang Man added mockingly.
A servant named Fang Dafu, an oily middle-aged man who was an old hand at this kind of scheming, laughed, "A horse keeper giving orders? What a joke. Go home and suck on your mother's milk, kid."
"You have no authority here. Don't you get it?" another servant sneered.
The atmosphere grew tense as the others jeered. Fang Lie smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Let me teach you a lesson. I used to be called 'Bone-Crushing Hand.' It's been a while since I've broken someone's bones."
"Is that so?" Fang Han smirked, his eyes sharp. "Let me use you as an example then."
With that, Fang Han swiftly took a step forward, activating his "Seven Star Step," and in an instant, he was standing right in front of Fang Lie. Without warning, his leg shot out in a devastating "Grand Star Kick."
The ground shook as Fang Han's kick shattered the air, aiming directly at Fang Lie's chest. The force was so intense that the air around it vibrated with the power of his kick.
Before Fang Lie could react, Fang Han struck with relentless speed, overpowering his opponent at every turn.
Fang Lie tried to counter with his "Bone-Crushing Thirteen Hands," a vicious grappling technique, but Fang Han's strength surpassed his. With every move, Fang Han broke through Fang Lie's defenses, landing blow after blow, each more powerful than the last.
"Ah!" Fang Lie was sent flying, blood pouring from his mouth, as his body collided with the ground with a sickening thud.
The servants watched in stunned silence as the powerful Fang Lie was humiliated by the lowly horse keeper.
"You think you can boss me around? Pathetic!" Fang Han sneered, his voice full of contempt.
Before anyone could react, Fang Han turned toward Fang Dafu, who had mocked him earlier, and grabbed him by the head, pulling him forward.
The once arrogant servant screamed in terror as Fang Han crushed his head under his foot, breaking bones and sending waves of pain through his body. "Dare to mock me again?