12: Chapter 12 is being targeted again!

Before these six wolf demons could even react, their heads rolled onto the ground, eyes wide with shock, not understanding what had happened until the moment they died.

Their cultivation was only at the Qi Refinement Stage; they were far too weak for Ji Taichang!

With a casual swing of his longsword, Ji Taichang severed the ropes binding the dozen or so villagers.

“Thank you for saving us, Immortal!”

“Thank you, Great Immortal!”

“Waaah... Dad! Mother...”

“These damned demons! Argh—give me back my grandfather!”

The dozen villagers were overcome with emotion; some knelt and kowtowed to Ji Taichang in gratitude, some held the corpses of their loved ones and wailed, while others punched and kicked the wolf demons' corpses, cursing through their tears.

Ji Taichang's expression remained unchanged, letting out only a slight sigh.

He picked up the ropes from the ground, strung the six wolf demon heads together, and dragged them along the ground to bring back and complete his mission.

Over an hour later.

Qingyun Sect, Merit Hall.

When Li Tiao saw Ji Taichang return safely, dragging six wolf demon heads behind him, his expression shifted slightly, filled with a hint of suspicion and uncertainty.

“My mission is complete.”

Ji Taichang tossed the mission documents and the wolf demon heads to Li Tiao.

“Junior Brother Ji, wait a moment!”

Li Tiao quickly blocked Ji Taichang's path. “You... were there only these six wolf demons in Niulan Village?”

“That's right.”

Ji Taichang nodded. “I only encountered these six wolf demons in the Niulan Mountains, which matches what was recorded in the mission documents. Could Senior Brother Li mean to say there are other demons in the Niulan Mountains?”

“No, no.”

Li Tiao gave a forced laugh and quickly shook his head, letting Ji Taichang leave.

Once Ji Taichang stepped out of the Merit Hall, Li Tiao's face instantly darkened.

“This fool actually had such good luck? He didn't run into that wolf demon leader at the third level of the Foundation Establishment Stage?”

“Could those wolf demons have gone elsewhere to forage?”

“Damn it! These local demons have no manners at all!”

“They clearly agreed to wait in the village to ambush Ji Taichang... No, this must be reported to Revered Master!”

...

Ji Taichang returned to the main hall of the Pill Palace.

When Zhang Shan saw Ji Taichang appear, her expression changed instantly, filled with shock and a hint of disbelief.

“Senior Sister Zhang, you seem very surprised to see me back?”

Ji Taichang raised an eyebrow and grinned at her.

“No, I'm not...”

Zhang Shan's lips twitched as she forced a strained smile, lowering her head somewhat guiltily.

Ji Taichang snorted coldly in his heart, a flash of killing intent passing through his eyes!

Since this father and daughter dared to plot against him, they had already found their way to death!

He had to find a way to send their whole family to 'fortune' and 'prosperity'...

“Waste pill.”

While deep in thought, Ji Taichang automatically picked up the pill that had just come out of the Pill Furnace in front of Zhang Shan.

“This is a good pill! How is it waste?”

Zhang Shan suddenly looked up, staring at him huffily.

“As the Deacon, if I say it's a waste pill, it's a waste pill!”

Ji Taichang sneered, showing her no courtesy at all as he took the pill and walked away.

“You are abusing the law for personal gain, abusing your power!”

“I will report this to the Law Enforcement Hall!”

Zhang Shan was so angry her face turned slightly green.

“Suit yourself.”

Ji Taichang shrugged, too lazy to pay her any mind.

In any case, he didn't plan to stay in this Deacon position forever; the current priority was to pursue Yang Yao and increase her favorability.

He leisurely began his inspection of the Pill Palace main hall.

Whenever he encountered a pill of mediocre quality, he would uniformly label it a waste pill and unceremoniously pocket it.

Although he didn't need resources to increase his cultivation, he still needed Spirit Stones to buy equipment; he might as well skim some profit.

A moment later.

Li Tiao, dressed in black, appeared once again and said to Ji Taichang with a smile, “Junior Brother Ji, after discussion by the Elders, there is now another mission to be handed to you...”

“I'm not taking it!”

Before Li Tiao could finish, Ji Taichang refused without a second thought.

The smile vanished from Li Tiao's face, and he said in a heavy voice, “This is a mission assigned by the Elders. As an Inner Sect Disciple of the Qingyun Sect, you should contribute to the Sect. This is not for you to refuse!”

Li Tiao shoved the mission documents into Ji Taichang's hand, turned around, and left.

Ji Taichang narrowed his eyes slightly.

He definitely couldn't go on this mission; who knew what would be waiting for him!

Even though he had a Half-step Golden Core Stage cultivation, he wasn't foolish enough to walk into a trap knowing his enemies were behind it.

Ji Taichang glanced back and, as expected, saw a cold smirk tugging at the corner of Zhang Shan's mouth!

“I have to find a way to push back against this Merit Hall mission.”

“Look for Yang Weile? No! That guy is only my Master in name; he's ignored me for the six years since I joined. There's no way he'd stand up for me.”

“Mistress... that woman's favorability toward me is still negative. It would be a miracle if she helped me.”

Thoughts flashed through Ji Taichang's mind, and he soon had an idea.

He walked straight to Yang Yao's Alchemy room and knocked on the door.

With a 'creak'...

The heavy stone door opened. Before the person even arrived, a pair of towering, majestic peaks appeared before Ji Taichang, swaying slightly and drawing his gaze.

“Xiao Chang.”

Yang Yao reached out with a lily-white finger to brush a strand of hair behind her ear; her appearance was both pure and gorgeous.

Although she had resolved to maintain a normal relationship with Ji Taichang, her heart still inexplicably beat faster upon seeing him again, her mind uncontrollably recalling the time of their intimate contact!

“Sister Yang Yao, the Merit Hall Elders have forcibly assigned me missions twice today without letting me refuse. I suspect I'm being targeted.”

Ji Taichang waved the mission documents in his hand.

“Elder-assigned missions?”

Yang Yao's beautiful willow-leaf brows immediately furrowed.

Missions that required an Elder's personal assignment were often special or urgent, and they would select elite experts from the Sect to carry them out.

But Ji Taichang had just reached Foundation Establishment yesterday; he was unremarkable and had always been a 'nobody' in the inner Sect. Logically, it shouldn't fall to him.

And twice at that!

“You... you must be being targeted!”

Yang Yao was quick-witted and instantly guessed the truth!

“You hit Zhang Shan yesterday. Although she was in the wrong, and Zhang San hasn't openly come to cause trouble for you...”

“...both father and daughter are petty and vindictive. It must be Zhang San using his connections to intentionally mess with you!”

“So that's how it is. Sister Yang Yao, you're so smart!”

Ji Taichang put on a look of sudden realization, then grabbed Yang Yao's soft and delicate little hand, his gaze filled with hope and entreaty. “Please help me refuse the mission, Sister Yang Yao. Master has never cared about me, and I'm an orphan with no relatives or friends. The only one I can rely on in this world is you, Sister Yang Yao...”

Being held by Ji Taichang's warm and strong hand caused Yang Yao's heart to accelerate a few beats more.

His words made her heart tremble even more!

Am I... actually his only reliance in this world?

What an upright and kind child, yet he's an orphan with no family or friends and no one to help him. How unfair, how pitiful!

The maternal instinct in Yang Yao's heart was stirred. Her gaze toward Ji Taichang softened with tenderness as she said softly, “Don't worry, Xiao Chang. I said I would look out for you, and I will never break my word!”

[Ding! Detected that Yang Yao's favorability has increased by 2 points]

[Yang Yao's Favorability: 42 (When favorability reaches 100, a surprise will occur!)]