The next day.
The disciples of Ziyun Sect wore smiles of happiness on their faces.
After emerging from that wondrous state the previous night, they were surprised to find that they had broken through a minor realm!
Just looking from afar had such an effect, if they had been at Xianyu Peak then, wouldn't they have soared?!
Clinging to Senior Brother Bao Ye's leg must be put on the agenda immediately!
In the following days, Ye Fan found that the disciples in the sect were behaving a bit strangely!
In the past, when these disciples saw him, they would simply address him respectfully as Senior Brother Ye and be done with it.
But now, they would often inexplicably invite him for drinks and chats, or to get him to go for "great health care."
There was even one time when he was fishing, and he discovered hundreds of disciples secretly peeking at him from behind obstacles.
Their eyes were shining like perverts…
It wasn't just these male disciples; even the female disciples had started acting abnormally!
In the past, although they had desired him, they would at most just steal glances from afar.
But a couple of nights ago, as he was strolling past a small grove, several female disciples surrounded him with starry eyes!
Their demeanor was as if they were going to forcibly drag him into the grove…
Ye Fan, utterly bewildered, went to ask Ziyun Zhenren to understand the situation.
So it turned out that these "muggles" had seen him push away the Second Elder that day and considered him some kind of cultivation prodigy!
Understanding that these disciples had impure motives, Ye Fan began to decline any invitations for drinks.
The disciples of Ziyun Sect started to fret.
Although Senior Brother Ye still acted as friendly as before, even a blind person could tell that he was refusing them.
It seemed they had been too obvious before, and a more subtle plan was needed!
Now, only one method remained: to gradually build a relationship with Senior Brother Ye through prolonged contact and cling to him.
Step one: find a way to become good friends with Senior Brother Ye.
To become good friends, frequent contact was essential.
Although Ye Fan hadn't explicitly forbidden them from going to Xianyu Peak, directly going there would still seem too deliberate.
So, a thought occurred to everyone.
Senior Brother Ye enjoyed various delicacies, and many vegetables were grown on Xianyu Peak.
However, there was a type of vegetable that Senior Brother Ye particularly liked but could not be grown on Xianyu Peak due to environmental reasons. Therefore, two disciples were designated to deliver these vegetables at fixed intervals.
If they could secure this task of delivering vegetables, wouldn't the opportunity arise?
One day, Li Mingbai, as usual, was carrying two large baskets of vegetables towards the peak of Xianyu Peak.
Due to his poor aptitude, he could only cultivate in the outer sect.
One day, more than a month ago, the sect leader passed by and personally appointed him as Senior Brother Ye's vegetable delivery person.
This had truly excited him for a long time!
After all, under normal circumstances, with his aptitude, the sect leader might never have spoken a word to him…
The work wasn't strenuous; he basically just needed to deliver them once every three to five days.
At first, he was a bit nervous, as Senior Brother Ye was the sect leader's personal disciple.
In his impression, the personal disciples of important figures in the sect were all very arrogant.
There had been an incident where an outer sect disciple was inexplicably beaten and scolded by an elder's personal disciple.
The outer sect disciple was walking along, and the approaching personal disciple claimed that the outer sect disciple was deliberately blocking his path.
Then, he proceeded to scold and beat him.
Although, due to sect rules, it was only a scolding and a few kicks, it was still very unfair to suffer such treatment without cause.
Later, he found out that the personal disciple was in a bad mood at the time and simply took it out on the outer sect disciple…
Disciples like them, in the outer sect, had no choice but to endure such situations.
After all, in the cultivation world, strength reigned supreme, and it was a normal phenomenon for the weak to be bullied.
Li Mingbai didn't know what kind of person Senior Brother Ye was, and whether he would beat him without reason.
However, after more than a month of interaction, he realized he had been worrying too much!
Not only did Senior Brother Ye have a very good temper, but he also often treated him to all sorts of delicious food.
When other disciples privately gossiped about Ye Fan being lazy and wasting his talent, he had defended Ye Fan multiple times.
He firmly believed that Senior Brother Ye must be acting that way for some reason.
Or perhaps, indulging in food and drink was merely a facade.
While everyone thought Senior Brother Ye was simply wasting his days, he was actually cultivating!
Therefore.
A few days ago, when Li Mingbai saw Ye Fan effortlessly send flying the Second Elder, who was at the tenth level of Foundation Establishment, he was ecstatic.
That night, after witnessing the anomaly on Xianyu Peak, Li Mingbai was so thrilled that he couldn't sleep for several nights!
Just as expected!
It was exactly as he had predicted!
He knew Senior Brother Ye would never be as simple as he appeared!
Li Mingbai felt a sense of vindicating his idol.
Of course, what excited him most wasn't just these things.
Now, the entire sect knew that Senior Brother Ye was a monstrous genius, and by clinging to him, they would surely save hundreds of years of effort in the future.
The result was obvious; their attempts over the past few days had all failed.
And with the foundation he had already laid, as long as he diligently continued delivering vegetables, he was halfway to success!
Each time he used the opportunity of delivering vegetables to foster a little friendship with Senior Brother Ye, wouldn't they become true friends after accumulating enough?
Even if they couldn't become friends, being a subordinate would be acceptable!
If he became Senior Brother Ye's subordinate, wouldn't he be guaranteed benefits in the future?
His rise to prominence was within reach, truly!
Thus, Li Mingbai headed towards Xianyu Peak with an excited heart.
As he passed through the翠竹林 (Cui Zhu Lin – Verdant Bamboo Forest), Li Mingbai suddenly felt that something was amiss.
He had a strong feeling that someone was watching him from within the bamboo forest.
Li Mingbai trusted his intuition; he didn't believe his feelings could be wrong.
With this thought, Li Mingbai quickened his pace.
"This kid is trying to run, catch him!" A shout suddenly came from within the Cui Zhu Lin.
The next moment, over two hundred disciples rushed out from the Cui Zhu Lin!
"Fellow Senior Brothers… what… what are you doing?" Li Mingbai was instantly frightened when he saw that these people were all wearing inner sect attire.
He couldn't afford to offend personal disciples, nor could he afford to offend inner sect disciples.
"Just hand over your vegetables obediently, and you can leave," one of the leading Senior Brothers said indifferently.
Previously, they had tried to secure the task of delivering vegetables.
However, this task had been personally assigned by the sect leader, and the supervising steward dared not change people without authorization.
They had also tried to get some vegetables from the steward, but that also failed.
While these vegetables were not exactly spiritual herbs, they still required an environment with spiritual energy.
They couldn't be bought from outside, and it was too late to grow them now.
So, they decided to rob him of the vegetables…
"The sect strictly prohibits private fights among disciples, haven't you all forgotten?!" Li Mingbai questioned them, trying to brace himself.
If he compromised now, it wouldn't just be the vegetables he would lose.
It would be his chance for a bright future!
Although Li Mingbai's talent was not great, having embarked on the path of cultivation, how could he lack ambition and dreams?
"As long as we don't use our true energy when we beat you, it naturally won't be considered a private fight," the inner sect disciple replied with a sly smile.