After My Rebirth, I Ended Up Happily Ever After with the Saintess - Chapter 29

The tranquility of Cloud Pill Peak was like a thin layer of ice covering a deep pool—seemingly smooth, yet with undercurrents surging beneath. Ye Li’s brilliance from ranking first in the assessment was too dazzling. Even though she chose the relatively peripheral Cloud Pill Peak, she still couldn’t completely avoid the attention and… animosity from the sect’s other peaks.

On this day, it was time again for the monthly resource distribution. Outer disciple Zhao Xiaoyi arrived outside the small courtyard on time, but his expression was not as natural as before, carrying a mix of nervousness and indignation.

“Senior Sister Ye…” Zhao Xiaoyi presented the cloth bag containing spirit stones and medicinal pills with both hands, his voice somewhat subdued.

Ye Li took the bag, and immediately felt that the weight was wrong. A quick sweep with her spiritual sense made her eyebrows subtly furrow. The bag contained only thirty low-grade spirit stones, and five each of Qi Gathering Pills and Spirit Concentration Pills—a full forty percent less than the stipulated “best treatment”!

“What happened?” Ye Li’s voice was calm, revealing no sign of emotion.

Zhao Xiaoyi gritted his teeth and said angrily, “It’s the Merit Hall! Deacon Liu, who is in charge of resource distribution, said… he said that since Senior Sister just entered the sect and her cultivation is still shallow, giving too many resources at once might destabilize her foundation and be detrimental to long-term development. Therefore… therefore, they are temporarily distributing resources according to the standard for ordinary Inner Gate disciples! He also said… this is for your own good!”

“For my own good?” Ye Li’s lips curved into a cold arc. Such a clumsy excuse was nothing more than a pretense to deduct her resources. It seemed that some people couldn’t hold back and had already started to make a move. This Deacon Liu, she wondered if he was instructed by someone or if he took the liberty of trying to give her a show of force.

“Senior Sister, why don’t… why don’t we go tell Elder Muyun?” Zhao Xiaoyi whispered, his face filled with injustice.

“No need,” Ye Li said lightly. “It’s just a few spirit stones and pills. There’s no need to trouble Master.” Complaining was the most incompetent display, and would only make her seem weak and easily bullied. She wasn’t too concerned about this small loss. Moreover, the Reclusive Master Muyun might seem gentle, but how could someone who presided over a peak be a simple person? He might not be unaware of this minor disturbance, and perhaps it was a test of her temperament.

“But…” Zhao Xiaoyi wanted to say more.

“It’s alright, you may go.” Ye Li waved her hand.

Zhao Xiaoyi could only bow and retreat, still feeling wronged on her behalf.

Ye Li looked at the bag of confiscated resources, her eyes subtly chilling. It seemed that the existence of the sect’s contribution point system was not merely to encourage disciples; it was likely also to a certain extent to restrict disciples like her, who were “not highly talented” but received preferential treatment due to outstanding performance, thus leaving room for maneuver for those with profound backgrounds.

The small tricks with resources were just an appetizer. The real trouble soon followed.

A few days later, Ye Li decided to go to the Merit Hall to take on some simple tasks to earn contribution points, and at the same time, gain some experience outside the mountain.

The Merit Hall was still bustling with people. She carefully scanned the Mission Jade Wall and quickly locked onto a seemingly suitable task: “Gathering Phantom Grass. Location: Misty Valley north of the sect. Requirement: Fifty stalks. Time limit: Three days. Contribution Points: One hundred and fifty.”

Phantom Grass was a first-grade spiritual herb that thrived in shade and usually grew deep within mist-shrouded valleys. It wasn’t particularly rare, but collecting it required patience and a certain level of movement technique. The task difficulty was moderate, and the contribution points were reasonable.

She walked to the mission reception window and presented her identity token: “Senior Brother, I’ll take the ‘C’ character thirty-seventh Phantom Grass Gathering Mission.”

The deacon disciple behind the window took the token, operated a compass-shaped artifact, and then his brows suddenly furrowed. He looked up at Ye Li, his eyes a little strange: “Junior Sister Ye Li? This mission… was just taken.”

“Taken?” Ye Li’s gaze narrowed. The information on the Mission Jade Wall updated in real time; it was definitely still available when she checked just now.

“Yes, just now.” The deacon disciple’s tone was somewhat perfunctory. “Junior Sister, please look at other missions.”

Ye Li took a deep look at him, said nothing more, and turned to look at the Mission Jade Wall again. She noticed that several gathering and patrolling type missions that were originally hanging there, of moderate difficulty and contribution, had successively changed to the “Taken” status in the short time she was watching!

Clearly, someone was secretly watching her, deliberately snatching the missions she might be interested in a step ahead!

She remained composed and continued to wait. After a while, a new mission appeared: “Clear low-level Corpse Puppets from West Mountain Mine. Location: West Mountain Abandoned Mine. Requirement: Clear twenty Corpse Puppets. Time limit: Five days. Contribution Points: Two hundred.”

West Mountain Abandoned Mine? That place was gloomy, and it was said that an accident had occurred there in earlier years, killing many miners. It was not strange for Corpse Puppets to breed there. The mission offered high contribution points, but the risk was also significant. Although Corpse Puppets were individually not very strong (approximately at the late stage of the Spiritual Enlightenment Realm), they often appeared in groups and carried corpse poison, making them quite troublesome.

After a brief consideration, Ye Li still decided to take it. Risk and reward coexist; she needed contribution points.

However, when she walked back to the window, the deacon disciple didn’t even wait for her to speak and said directly: “Junior Sister Ye, this mission has also just been taken.”

This time, Ye Li clearly saw that as the deacon disciple spoke, his eyes subconsciously glanced towards the rest area in the corner of the Merit Hall.

Ye Li followed his gaze. She saw several young disciples with considerable aura sitting by the tea table in the rest area. They were all wearing Inner Gate attire, and their cultivation was at least at the early stage of the Pulse Condensation Realm. One of them was Shi Feng, who had been defeated by her in the arena battle that day! At this moment, Shi Feng was looking at her with a smug expression, not concealing the provocation and glee in his eyes. The few young men around him were also sizing her up with a teasing and malicious gaze.

Seeing Ye Li look over, Shi Feng even deliberately picked up his identity token and manipulated it as if showing off. Clearly, the missions just now were snatched by him or the people around him!

Next to them, there was also a young man with an arrogant face and cold, sinister eyes, whose cultivation had impressively reached the late stage of the Pulse Condensation Realm! He did not participate in snatching the missions, but merely watched coldly, as if watching a farce. Ye Li had a slight impression of this person. He seemed to be a follower of a well-known True Disciple (Nominal) from the Battle Frenzy Peak, named Gao Sheng.

So it was him! Unwilling to accept defeat at her hands, he resorted to such despicable means to make trouble for her! He even invited his backer to keep watch!

The other disciples in the Merit Hall also noticed the hidden turmoil and cast curious, sympathetic, or schadenfreude-filled glances. Many recognized Shi Feng and Gao Sheng and instantly understood the reason—this was someone from Battle Frenzy Peak deliberately trying to suppress the newly emerged genius!

“The people from Battle Frenzy Peak are going too far…”

“Shh! Lower your voice! Do you want to offend Senior Brother Gao?”

“Alas, what a pity. I’m afraid Junior Sister Ye Li will have trouble accepting missions in the future…”

“Who told her to offend Shi Feng and choose the Cloud Pill Peak, which has no influence…”

The whispers reached her ears.

The deacon disciple behind the window clearly also recognized Gao Sheng and the others. A look of difficulty appeared on his face, but he dared not speak to stop them. He could only whisper to Ye Li, “Junior Sister, why don’t… you come back another day?”

Seeing this, Shi Feng became even more arrogant and burst into harsh laughter: “Ye Li! Weren’t you first in the assessment? Why can’t you even take a mission? Do you want me, your Senior Brother, to spare you a few contribution points? Hahaha!”

The people next to him also joined in the raucous laughter.

Gao Sheng, on the other hand, coldly glanced at Ye Li, his eyes like a poisonous snake, carrying a warning.

Faced with such blatant harassment and humiliation, Ye Li stood her ground, her expression still calm, but the aura around her seemed to drop several degrees instantly, and a cold frost gathered deep in her eyes.

She ignored Shi Feng’s clamor and directed her gaze straight at Gao Sheng, who had been watching with cold eyes. Her voice was clear and cold, yet it clearly overpowered all the noise:

“Senior Brother Gao, as a follower of a True Disciple (Nominal) of Battle Frenzy Peak, you are indulging your Junior Brother from the same peak in abusing the rules of the Merit Hall, maliciously snatching missions, and obstructing a fellow disciple’s normal cultivation. If this matter were to be brought to the Law Enforcement Hall, I wonder if the Law Enforcement Elder would think that my Cloud Pill Peak disciple is incompetent, or that Battle Frenzy Peak is… taking advantage of its power and despising the sect rules?”

Her voice was not loud, but every word was like a knife, directly tearing through the layer of hypocrisy and exposing the core of the problem! Moreover, she intentionally pointed out Gao Sheng’s identity and background, yet elevated the issue to the level of the “Battle Frenzy Peak” as a whole!

The arrogance on Gao Sheng’s face instantly froze! He hadn’t expected Ye Li to be so sharp, ignoring Shi Feng and confronting him directly, instantly slapping a huge label of “despising the sect rules” and “taking advantage of power” on them! If this matter truly escalated, though he was not afraid, it would ultimately bring unnecessary trouble to his master, making their Battle Frenzy Peak appear petty and oppressive towards newcomers.

The atmosphere in the Merit Hall instantly solidified! All the whispers ceased abruptly!

Shi Feng’s laughter also got stuck in his throat, his face becoming extremely unpleasant.

The deacon disciple behind the window was sweating profusely, never having expected things to develop to this point.

Gao Sheng stared at Ye Li with sinister eyes, seemingly trying to discern a hint of fear on her face, but he was disappointed. Those eyes were terrifyingly calm, like a bottomless cold pool.

After a long moment, Gao Sheng finally let out a cold snort, his voice hoarse: “Sharp-tongued! Shi Feng, give up the mission.”

“Senior Brother Gao!” Shi Feng cried out unwillingly.

“Hmm?” Gao Sheng gave him a cold look.

Shi Feng immediately wilted like a strangled chicken, not daring to speak anymore, and reluctantly manipulated his token a few times.

Gao Sheng then looked at Ye Li, forcing a smile that didn’t reach his eyes: “It was just a misunderstanding. Since Junior Sister Ye needs a mission, the mission to clear the Corpse Puppets is yours. I hope Junior Sister… everything goes smoothly. Don’t end up falling in the West Mountain Abandoned Mine.” His words carried an undisguised threat.

Ye Li acted as if she hadn’t heard his threat, and said calmly to the deacon disciple at the window: “Senior Brother, can you process it now?”

The deacon disciple acted as if he had been granted amnesty, and quickly operated the artifact, soon registering the mission information onto Ye Li’s identity token.

Ye Li took the token, didn’t spare Gao Sheng and Shi Feng another glance, turned, and left the Merit Hall directly.

Behind her, Shi Feng’s suppressed roar and Gao Sheng’s icy reprimand could be heard.

The crowd in the Merit Hall watched Ye Li’s retreating back with complex expressions. This new Junior Sister was not only amazingly talented and strong, but her composure in the face of provocation and the sharpness of her counterattack were also far beyond that of ordinary disciples!

After this incident, Ye Li’s name would likely spread throughout the Inner Gate in a different way.

And the mission at the West Mountain Abandoned Mine would clearly not be as simple as it appeared on the surface.

Ye Li walked out of the Merit Hall, looked up at the slightly gloomy sky, and a cold arc formed at the corner of her mouth.

Suppression? Harassment?

They were nothing more than whetstones.

She would see what kind of a den of danger awaited her in the West Mountain Abandoned Mine.