Chapter 12 Rumors

The next morning, Lin Feng woke up to the sound of Lu Cang muttering under his breath. The scrawny boy was already sitting on his bed, holding a jade slip and scrolling through messages with a deeply troubled expression. His hair was messy, and he looked like he had slept for less than two hours.

Lin Feng sat up and rubbed his eyes. For once, his hair was mostly behaving, though a few strands still refused to lie completely flat.

"You’re up early" Lin Feng said.

Lu Cang turned to him with wide, stressed eyes.

"Do you know how many versions of yesterday’s incident are already going around? I counted at least six. Six! One of them says you tried to push those two disciples off the cliff. Another says you secretly practice a demonic art. Someone even claimed you made the jar explode with your eyes."

Lin Feng blinked, then let out a short laugh.

"That last one sounds impressive. I should try it next time."

"This is not funny!" Lu Cang’s voice cracked. "You’re under observation. Every time your name appears in gossip, Zhou Ming and the Enforcement Hall pay more attention. Can you please, for once, try to be boring?"

Lin Feng stood up and started stretching.

"Boring doesn’t earn points," he said. "Come on. We’re going out."

Lu Cang looked like he wanted to argue, but in the end he just groaned and followed. The outer sect was already busy by the time they left Block C.

Disciples moved along the stone paths in small groups, some were carrying training weapons, others arguing over contribution tasks. With the assessment approaching, the usual laziness of the outer sect had been replaced by a competitive energy.

As Lin Feng walked, he paid attention to the reactions around him. A pair of disciples from another dormitory block saw him and immediately turned their heads away.

A taller disciple glared openly before scoffing and walking faster.

Near the training field, two younger outer disciples whispered to each other while glancing in his direction. One of them looked more amused than hostile. Lin Feng smiled slightly.

"See that? Not everyone is mad. "Progress."

"I’m pretty sure you’ll make them mad soon enough as well." Lu cand muttered.

They passed the contribution board, where a larger crowd had gathered. Lin Feng slowed his steps, listening.

"I’m telling you, he kicked the brick on purpose..."

"No, those two were already standing there before he came back up. My senior brother saw it."

"Doesn’t matter. Every time something happens in the outer sect lately, his name is in the middle of it."

"At least he doesn’t just kneel and take it like before. Remember how Zhao Feng used to step on him?"

Lin Feng’s eyes flickered with interest at the last comment. Not everyone was repeating the same story. Some versions painted him as the problem. Others focused on the fact that the two disciples had been caught. A few even sounded faintly satisfied that the usual bullies weren’t getting things entirely their way. It matched what Gao Ren had said. The outer sect was not completely united against him.

They were still near the board when a familiar voice called out.

"Lin Feng."

Gao Ren stood a few steps away, holding a task slip in one hand. His expression was the same as before and hard to read.

Lu Cang immediately tensed. Lin Feng gave a small nod. "Gao Ren. Fancy meeting you here."

"You’re becoming hard to avoid," Gao Ren replied. "Yesterday’s incident is already everywhere."

"I’ve heard," Lin Feng said. "Apparently I can now explode jars with my eyes."

Gao Ren’s mouth twitched, though it wasn’t quite a smile. He glanced at the contribution board, then back at Lin Feng.

"The assessment is close. Let’s work hard and contribute as much points as we can." With that, he turned and left.

Lu Cang stared after him, confused.

"Why does he keep talking to you? Does he like trouble?"

"Maybe he’s not boring." Lin Feng said.

Lin Feng once again ended up taking a simple task sorting low grade spirit herbs at one of the side pavilions. He sat at a long wooden table with several other outer disciples, separating dried leaves and roots into different baskets. Lu Cang worked quietly beside him, clearly hoping the task would end without incident. And dor a while, it did.

Then a disciple across the table clicked his tongue.

"Some people really know how to stay famous," the disciple said, not quite looking at Lin Feng. "Cause problems one day, show up and act normal the next. Must be nice."

Lin Feng didn’t look up from the herbs.

"Jealous?"

The disciple’s hands paused.

"What did you say?"

"I asked if you’re jealous," Lin Feng repeated calmly. "If you want people talking about you, I can give you advice. Step one, stop being a coward."

A few disciples nearby stiffened. The one who had spoken flushed.

"You—!"

He stopped himself, glancing around. There were too many people, and everyone knew Lin Feng was under observation. Starting a real fight here would be stupid.

In the end, the disciple only glared, shoved a few herbs into the wrong basket on purpose, and stood up to leave.

[Minor hostility detected]

[Rage Value +42]

[Current Rage Points: 758]

Lin Feng watched him go, then returned to sorting. Not many points, but better than nothing.

By the time they finished the task and returned to the dormitory, the sky was beginning to darken. Lin Feng sat on his cot and opened the system shop, scrolling through the items without any real intention of buying.

The Echo Mockery Bell and Thin Face Amulet were still useful. Everything else could wait. He needed something bigger. As if answering the thought, a loud voice echoed from outside the dormitory block. Someone was running down the corridor, shouting.

"Official notice! The outer sect assessment details have been released! Gathering point and rules are up on the main board!"

The hallway immediately filled with noise as disciples rushed out of their rooms. Lu Cang’s face went pale.

"It’s starting..."

Lin Feng stood up, a slow smile spreading across his face.Many of the people who already hated him would be there. And with the assessment gathering so many outer disciples in one place, the opportunities for profitable anger would multiply.

He looked at Lu Cang. "Lets go Little Lu"