[Acquired Fate's Gift: Cultivation increased!]
[Acquired Fate's Gift: Comprehended Sword Intent!]
The second entry, Realm Comprehension Feedback, displayed its wonders as Lu Xuan experienced one enlightenment after another.
During a life or death crisis, while contemplating the Dao, while comprehending his own cultivation technique, and while refining alchemy.
The guy was seriously working hard.
As for Mingyuan, other than when accompanying Lu Xuan on tasks outside the sect, most of his time was spent in the servant quarters.
Like now, he was resting on his custom-made comfortable recliner while sunbathing.
"Followers like you have it easy," a hand rested on Mingyuan's shoulder as a sigh accompanied the voice. "I wish my master were in the top 10 of the outer court."
"They're only top 10 among the new recruits," another voice interjected in the conversation. "None of them made it to the Foundation Establishment realm yet, so they don't even qualify as top 200 in the outer court."
Just like that, more and more people joined in on the conversation, each glorifying their own backing.
"Boss Lu is nothing special really," Mingyuan joined the conversation, belittling Lu Xuan.
He added, "He's a prince, and as an ordinary young man, how can I refuse a prince when he wants to play? That's terrifying. I could only tag along. Now, my only way to retaliate is by being lazy and useless…"
The other servants looked over.
Scorn, contempt, sympathy, and mostly pity filled their eyes.
"Sigh, Brother Yuan had it tough all along, even though you're a good person with a deep understanding of life. If not for you, I wouldn't know how I'd have advanced in my relationship with Meng'er."
"Right, right! Brother Yuan is a true sage of hearts and relationships. It's a pity, mortals like us can only survive by clinging to a sufficiently thick thigh."
"I know right?" Mingyuan couldn't agree more. "This world is too terrifying. Unfortunately, Boss Lu keeps giving me cultivation resources, and I can't stop from advancing my cultivation even if I wanted to."
Looking at Mingyuan's helpless expression while sunbathing, the other servants suddenly felt that he didn't need their pity after all.
Right—his backer was still a prodigy with unlimited potential, regardless of the current outer court rankings.
It was only natural to have a surplus of resources allocated to his lackeys.
"Hey, Brother Yuan, you can follow Boss Xiang if you're interested, I don't mind following Boss Lu around."
"Are you sure?" Mingyuan raised an eyebrow with interest. "Knowing Boss Lu with his unyielding, uncompromising, rather breaking than bending temperament, he's probably on his way to offend someone with backing in the inner court.
"With his luck, that guy would also have connections with a core disciple if not a Legacy Disciple. Even if I were to take ten steps back, the guys he's about to offend are probably with some connections to the Deacons, Elders, and Hall Masters…
"In short, if your Boss Xiang is as chill as you claim, I'll switch sides with you right now."
The listening servant-disciples felt their backs drenched in cold sweat. With a boss like that, no matter how thick the thigh was, their little lives can't possibly handle it.
Before the young servant could say anything, rushed footsteps burst into the servant's courtyard.
It was an outer court disciple who was in a rather sorry state.
He questioned anxiously, "Who is Ming Yuan?!"
Mingyuan raised a hand and pointed his finger at the previous servant. "This guy is Ming Yuan from now on."
The servant disciple freaked out. "No I'm not! You're Ming Yuan! Brother, Buddah Yuan, don't kill me like that!"
"I don't have time for jokes!" The outer court disciple quickly identified Mingyuan from the small clues. "The Enforcement Hall apprehended Brother Lu Xuan! He said to pass on the word to his servant disciple as soon as possible!"
"Already offended someone with connections in the Enforcement Hall?" Mingyuan's reaction and words stunned the crowd.
What do you mean already?! They screamed internally.
Mingyuan ignored their reactions, stood up from his recliner, and rubbed his chin as he walked outside.
He was lost in thought for a moment.
He didn't remember the plot to a dot, but he recalled that this whole small arc was meant to reveal some of the first heroine's connections.
However, this would prove to be a detriment in the future because once her true background was revealed, it would kickstart a useless chasing-the-beauty arc.
The whole return to the family and the protagonist growing stronger to reclaim the beauty bullshit.
Honestly, Mingyuan didn't want Lu Xuan's first motivation for strength to be being a woman.
Even if the actual reason was repaying the kindness and not some misplaced love and passion.
"Where are you going?"
Confused, the outer court disciple followed Mingyuan and grabbed his arm. "If Brother Lu has any arrangements, let me know immediately!"
Mingyuan spared the guy a glance, smiled faintly, and brushed him off. "I am the arrangements."
Seriously, and here I thought being a Dao Lord's lackey translates to a good life.
…
There is little Mingyuan could do with his identity as a servant disciple, but moving around in the outer court and the city outside was more than enough.
People at the bottom are like ants and insects to cultivators, barely garnering any attention, respect, or regard.
However, exactly because of this disregard, those inconspicuous disciples are often exposed to many rumors, gossip, and secrets.
One such gossip is that one of the Mystery Holders liked to remain in the red coils of the mortal dust, rarely returning to the sect.
Another gossip is that one of the courtesans working in the Spring Requiem is the granddaughter of that Mystery Holder.
Presumably, she once complained about it to her maid when tipsy, and that maid opened up to a sister, who spoke to a friend, and word spread.
However, only mortals and low-level cultivators enjoyed such gossip at face value because when slightly more powerful cultivators heard about it, their first up to eleventh reaction was denial.
Of course, if Mingyuan hadn't read the novel beforehand, his reaction would have been the same.
However, exactly because he did read the novel, he was now standing by the Spring Requiem's side gate watching the old man pacing about right outside.
After a tired sigh, he approached the old man with his hands in his pockets. "Hey, you're too old to be hunkering down in a place like this, old man…"
"What do you know?!" The old man huffed in anger, casting Mingyuan a dismissive glance.
Then, he glanced twice more. He had to admit, this young man befuddled his old and practiced gaze, but he couldn't be bothered.
All smoke and mirrors without substance.
"Are you really that fairy's grandpa? You look nothing alike," Mingyuan ignored him and squatted down by the side gate.
Tilting his head, he appeared as though he was evaluating the validity of some rumor he heard somewhere.
The old man's figure blurred in Mingyuan's vision, appearing by his side the next moment.
Mingyuan blinked, and a moment later, he feigned a scared expression before raising his hands in mock surrender. "Alright! Alright, you got me… Just don't hit my face, old men these days are so terrifying…"
"Brat, I can tell you're not scared one bit, even though I can't see through you," said the old man before squatting next to Mingyuan.
"What do you want?" He pulled an old smoking pipe from somewhere, already prepared and lit, and started inhaling.
Mingyuan smiled and lowered his hands.
"Well…"