The bells rang out, reverberating both in Meng Hao’s heart and throughout the Reliance Sect. Soon, Meng Hao could see countless disciples hurrying forward.
Before long, the square was packed. As the disciples entered, they looked at Meng Hao in shock, then saluted.
Fatty stood in the crowd, looking pleased, filing away at his teeth with his flying sword. He was surrounded by a group of fawning disciples.
“So Elder Brother Meng is distributing the Medicinal Pill today… ai, I remember back when he was an Outer Sect disciple like us, but now he’s a member of the Inner Sect.”
“Elder Brother Meng is scholarly and refined. I heard that he used to be a scholar of high rank, but he cared more about Cultivation, so he quit and joined the Reliance Sect.”
“Now that you mention it, I remember the first time I saw Elder Brother Meng those years ago. I could tell that he wasn’t ordinary. During his whole fight with Wang Tengfei, I knew that Elder Brother Meng would achieve victory.” The buzz of conversation filled the air, eventually reaching Meng Hao’s ears. He let out a dry cough.
Even though it was a relatively quiet cough, it caused all the disciples in the square to suddenly go silent. They looked up at him respectfully. The morning sun shone down onto his silver robe, and he truly looked like a celestial being.
Meng Hao caught sight of Zhou Kai in the crowd; his face looked conflicted. Then Meng Hao caught sight of somber Yin Tianlong, who gave him a forced smile. He also saw the other Qi Condensation fourth level disciples whom he recognized from that day. When his gaze fell upon them, their faces filled with ingratiating looks.
He even saw Cao Yang, standing there trembling.
“Today, I shall preside over Pill Distribution,” said Meng Hao. He was a scholar, so he had no need to prepare words; he just spoke naturally. When he spoke, his words carried force, piercing into the hearts of the onlookers. “Fellow disciples, please devote yourself to Cultivation, and eventually you will pass the sixth level. I look forward to that day, when the Reliance Inner Sect has one more member.”
The force of his words came not from his Cultivation base, but rather his status as an Inner Sect disciple.
“We will remember Elder Brother Meng’s admonitions.” Several people below spoke out, faces filled with emotion, as if they had just heard the voice of Heaven. One after another, they saluted Meng Hao.
Soon everyone was repeating the words, until the whole square spoke together in harmony.
Meng Hao took the bag of holding from the young servant at his side, opened it, and waved his sleeve. Medicinal pills and Spirit Stones shot out to everyone.
After that, his right hand flashed over the bag of holding, then held up a milky white Medicinal pill. It emanated white aura and a fragrant aroma. It seemed as if it contained the glow of dawn.
“It’s… it’s a White Spirit Pill!”
“That pill is extraordinarily effective for anyone of the fourth level of Qi Condensation or lower. They haven’t distributed one for a long time. Finally one appears!” Soon, everyone in the square below was breathing heavily, staring at the Medicinal pill in Meng Hao’s hand.
His eyes scanned the crowd. Fatty was smiling. This pill wasn’t anything rare as far as he was concerned. He already had a few in his bag of holding, which Meng Hao had given him.
“This pill is extraordinary. All of you must surely know that I planned to give this only to a suitable disciple. And yet, I, Meng Hao, keep old friendships in mind. I just caught sight of an old friend, so I shall bestow the pill to him.” His gaze fell onto Cao Yang, who suddenly began to tremble. Meng Hao flicked his right hand, and the pill shot forth.
“I’m finished!” thought Cao Yang, looking like he was about to cry. “I’ll be recuperating from the injuries for months…” He wailed inside, and now he knew that Meng Hao could hold a grudge. Even though he had become an Inner Sect disciple, he had not forgotten about all the things that had happened before.
As the lights in the square faded, Meng Hao flicked his sleeve and left, not staying behind to watch the fighting break out.
Fatty ran over to follow him, his face flushed. He glared at the young servant Zhao Hai, motioning for him to step back a distance. It seemed he was worried the boy might replace him. He walked next to Meng Hao.
“Elder Brother Meng,” he said with anticipation, “why don’t we take a stroll around the Outer Sect?”
Thinking back to how he had done the same thing with Elder Sister Xu so many years ago, Meng Hao nodded his head with a smile.
The two of them walked forward, with Zhao Hai following in the rear, looking irritated. Not long after leaving the square, they saw Zhou Kai hurrying to catch up with them.
“Greetings, Elder Brother Meng,” he said, his expression somewhat perturbed. He had offended Meng Hao more than once, and had assumed that upon joining the Inner Sect, he would show more restraint. But upon seeing Cao Yang’