C11 A Strange Person, Zhu Sheng

Dawn broke swiftly.

Time always flew during cultivation.

Chu Lin flipped his hand, and the Broken Copper vanished. He then dashed towards his dwelling.

He had achieved Body Tempering Level Three. His Martial Crystal had doubled in size, and his Spiritual Energy had increased manifold.

In mere seconds, Chu Lin had vanished into the woods.

Abruptly, the air quivered slightly. An elder in a purple robe materialized on the rock where Chu Lin had been training, his sleeve adorned with three golden plum blossoms.

"A person at Body Tempering Level Three exuding Spiritual Energy on par with someone at Level Six? Such a prodigy exists in the Outer Court!" The elder gazed in the direction Chu Lin had departed, expressing his astonishment.

After a brief pause, he smiled expectantly, "To reach such heights in the resource-scarce Outer Court... If he were to enter the Inner Court, he might well have the potential to rival those few. But potential is all it is for now."

His laughter lingered among the trees, even as the elder himself had disappeared.

Unaware of the events that had unfolded after his departure, Chu Lin returned to his quarters, preoccupied with another matter—the courtyard had appointed a new Manager.

The new Manager, as was customary, summoned all the servant disciples under his charge for a meeting.

"Mr. Chu, have you advanced?" Yang Hu walked alongside Chu Lin to the meeting place. His eyes widened in shock upon seeing Chu Lin for the first time that day.

Life had eased for Yang Hu since Lyi Laomu's demise. Gone was his daily exhaustion, replaced by a newfound vitality. More astonishingly, he had progressed to Body Tempering Level Two.

He had once wished to challenge Chu Lin, only to realize he stood little chance against him. Now, sensing Chu Lin's significantly stronger aura, Yang Hu was astounded.

"It was a stroke of luck," Chu Lin said, smiling at Yang Hu's exaggerated look of surprise.

"Mr. Chu, what level have you reached now?" Yang Hu asked, scratching his head with a sheepish grin.

"Body Tempering Level Three," Chu Lin replied, without concealment.

Yang Hu was dumbfounded. Chu Lin had effortlessly bested Lyi Laomu at Level Two. Now at Level Three, his prowess was bound to be even more formidable.

The servant disciples' meeting ground was a plaza paved with green stone slabs. The new Manager, Zhu Sheng, was said to be a former Outer Court disciple demoted for a misstep.

"My name is Zhu Sheng," he announced to the assembled crowd, his gaze leisurely sweeping over them.

The servant disciples struggled to stifle their laughter at his introduction, but respect for their new senior brother's position demanded they suppress their mirth.

"That's a fine name. Whoever chose it has a scholarly touch," Yang Hu whispered, barely containing his amusement.

"I'm straightforward. Keep out of trouble, and I'll keep out of your way," Zhu Sheng continued.

"Your duties will remain the same as before," he added, pausing as if in thought, which made the crowd nervous.

Lyi Laomu had been avaricious, exploiting his authority for personal gain. If Zhu Sheng proved similar, their future looked bleak.

As some braced to offer bribes, Zhu Sheng declared, "Your workload is now halved. No, it's reduced to a quarter. With so many servant disciples, there's no shortage of hands. Furthermore, you'll split into two groups, alternating tasks. Work one month, rest the next. Who works or rests first will be decided by lot."

Silence fell over the crowd.

The servant disciples stared at Zhu Sheng, stunned.

Could the Outer Court really have such an unconventional Manager?

"Is this not to your liking?" Zhu Sheng's eyes narrowed.

"No, we're grateful!"

"Long live Senior Brother!"

"Senior Brother is a saint!"

"Fortune has smiled on us with Senior Brother!"

Tears streamed down the faces of the servant disciples, some even knelt, bowing in gratitude.

"You flatter me," Zhu Sheng said, blushing with a shy smile. Then, as if recalling something, he added, "Oh yes, there's more news. The Outer Court asked me to inform you... But what was it?"

He trailed off, rummaging in his pocket before producing a wrinkled paper.

"That's an Outer Court document!" Yang Hu's keen eyes identified it instantly.

"Zhu Sheng is truly an odd character. The document from the Outer Court is a symbol of absolute authority, and most people handle it as if it were a precious gem. Yet, he just tucked it into his pocket without a second thought," Chu Lin said, a hint of amusement in his smile.

As the crowd anticipated Zhu Sheng's announcement, he suddenly sneezed with a resounding echo. In a reflex, Zhu Sheng grabbed the document and wiped his nose with it. He continued to fold and rub it against his nose until it was completely smeared with his snot. Nonchalantly, he tossed the soiled paper into a fire cage not far away.

At that moment, a collective grimace could be seen as everyone's mouths twitched in disbelief.