42: Red clothes reflect reality? (Down)

Spirit Herb Garden.

Training Room.

Mo Fan was listening intently to Liu Jian explaining Pill Dao knowledge.

In between his thoughts, he would occasionally glance at Lin Yiyi.

Today, Lin Yiyi was clearly a bit absent-minded.

Mo Fan noticed she had zoned out several times.

"Is she really leaving?"

Composing himself, Mo Fan stopped thinking about it.

Soon, two hours passed, and the training session ended.

The clock-out bell rang, and Mo Fan and Xu Jing walked toward the cafeteria.

This time, however, Lin Yiyi did not follow; instead, she slowly walked toward the dormitories.

Seeing this, Mo Fan and Xu Jing suddenly felt a bit unaccustomed to it.

"Uh, with one person missing, it feels strangely quiet—"

At the dining table, Mo Fan scratched his head.

"A... a little."

...Afternoon.

It was time again to tend to the Spirit Medicine, watering, weeding, and fertilizing them.

Mo Fan worked diligently.

Xu Jing worked diligently by his side.

Lin Yiyi—

Was gone.

"Is she in such a hurry? She didn't even finish the last half-day of work?" Mo Fan frowned.

Lin Yiyi, Xu Jing, and he were responsible for the same area.

Now that Lin Yiyi had run off.

The workload for him and Xu Jing naturally increased.

And the Spirit Herb Garden wouldn't be able to transfer anyone over on such short notice.

"What a disaster!"

Mo Fan's face darkened.

He suddenly felt that Lin Yiyi's departure was quite ill-timed.

But soon, he felt relieved again.

"It's fine, it won't be long before I can apply for the Promotion Assessment.

"Once I pass the assessment, I'll be an Outer Sect Disciple.

"Outer Sect Disciples naturally don't have to do manual labor.

"In that case, the heavy burden of work will fall on—"

Mo Fan paused and looked at the hard-working Xu Jing.

"W-what's wrong?" Sensing Mo Fan looking at her, Xu Jing looked up in confusion, gently wiping the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve.

"Nothing, let's get back to work."

"O-okay..." Xu Jing's fair face flushed slightly, and she lowered her head to continue working.

Mo Fan scratched his head and stopped overthinking.

Xu Jing was the same as him.

It wouldn't be long before she was promoted to an Outer Sect Disciple, and then she wouldn't have to do manual labor either.

Of course, once Xu Jing was promoted, she would leave the Spirit Herb Garden and go directly to the Sword Pavilion.

As for Mo Fan, he decided that even after becoming an Outer Sect Disciple, he would continue to study under Liu Jian for a while.

After all, he didn't want to give up on the path of Pill Dao.

Fortunately, even after being promoted, Outer Sect Disciples could enter and leave the Menial Service Yard at any time.

This way, Mo Fan would only need to come over every morning to learn Pill Dao knowledge.

He could spend the rest of his time back in the Outer Sect working hard to earn Spirit Stones... The sun set in the west.

The Crimson Clouds rising from Sunset Glow Peak immediately spread out, covering the entire Yuxu Academy.

Today's Crimson Clouds seemed exceptionally dazzling.

All things in heaven and earth were coated in a layer of red.

Ring ring ring—

The clock-out bell rang.

Everyone put down their work, preparing to finish for the day and rest.

However, at that moment, Liu Jian suddenly appeared. He waved to stop everyone who was about to leave and said slowly:

"We'll be clocking out an hour late today. In a moment, Outer Sect Disciples from the Alchemy Hall will come to collect the mature Spirit Medicine.

"Prepare yourselves. First, harvest the mature Spirit Medicine, and then help with the loading and transport."

Hearing this, everyone's faces immediately fell, looking reluctant.

Working overtime was fine.

But announcing overtime only after clock-out time.

Was a bit disgusting.

Seeing this, Liu Jian frowned and said slowly:

"There's a reason for this. It was indeed a bit inappropriate for this old man not to notify you in advance.

"How about this: I won't let you work for nothing. One Spirit Stone per person, deducted from my own account."

Upon hearing this, the Utility Disciples of the Spirit Herb Yard were stunned, then gasped in surprise, their expressions ecstatic: "We await Steward Liu's orders!"

Mo Fan scratched his head.

He felt that Old Man Liu was quite generous with his wealth.

Once he became his disciple, he probably wouldn't be stingy, right?

"Work hard. This old man has to go out for a bit.

"When the Outer Sect Disciples arrive to collect the Spirit Medicine, Mo Fan, you'll be responsible for receiving them.

"Keep an eye on the harvesting of the Spirit Medicine as well; don't let any mistakes happen."

"No problem," Mo Fan said, patting his chest.

Seeing this, Liu Jian nodded in satisfaction and turned to leave.

"Brothers, for the Spirit Stones, charge!" Without waiting for Mo Fan's orders, everyone excitedly began to work.

Mo Fan smiled and joined their ranks.

Of course, his main task was to identify the Spirit Medicine that had already matured.

Time passed minute by minute.

The red clouds slowly faded.

In the blink of an eye, it was dark.

Mo Fan focused his mind, scanning the Spirit Medicine area by area and marking the mature ones so that others could harvest them.

Just then.

In a corner of the wall where dragon scale trees were planted, in a partitioned area.

A red figure suddenly drifted past, swishing into the partitioned area.

Of course, the red figure's target wasn't the dragon scale trees.

Instead, it went straight into the wooden hut where Liu Jian usually lived.

Watching this, Mo Fan couldn't help but be stunned.

An intruder?!

Why didn't the Magic Array near the dragon scale trees... take effect?!

But before he could recover his senses, an old but powerful roar sounded like a clap of thunder.

"Bold thief! How dare you trespass into the important grounds of the Pill Dao Hall! Die!"

Before the voice had even faded, Mo Fan saw an elderly figure rush into the wooden hut like a ghost.

Then, with a muffled bang, one wall of the wooden hut exploded, and a red figure flew out backward like a kite with a broken string.

However, before the red figure hit the ground, she eerily adjusted her posture.

She stepped twice in mid-air, her figure shifting as she struggled over the wall and disappeared into the night, leaving behind only a pool of bright red blood.

A moment later, Liu Jian walked out of the wooden hut with a grim expression.

He was about to pursue the culprit, but he coughed up a large mouthful of blood, his face turning pale as paper, and he slowly collapsed to the ground.

Mo Fan: "???"

Seeing this, Mo Fan's eyes widened.

He looked at Liu Jian lying on the ground, then at the direction where the red figure had disappeared, standing frozen in place.

That red figure—

So familiar!

It was exactly the same as the Red-Clothed Female Ghost that had invaded his dreams!

Is it a coincidence?

Mo Fan's head buzzed, his mind going blank.

(PS: Triple update. The one update I owed before has been made up. What a disaster, it's almost 4 AM again. I feel like I'm going to drop dead sooner or later. Please give me some votes to save my life—!)