Today was the official start of the Yang Mansion's grand banquet.
It was a bustling scene, with people constantly coming and going.
Nearly every servant in the mansion was impossibly busy.
After washing the ingredients, Zou Feng had to immediately go out and serve the dishes.
This gave him a rare chance to enter the inner courtyard.
The tables here in the inner courtyard were for the local gentry and the Martial Artists from the Heart Meeting Martial Arts Hall.
The Heart Meeting Martial Arts Hall was the very one Yang Qianqian had joined.
But the moment Zou Feng stepped into the courtyard, his heart began to pound, and he felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles.
This shouldn't have been happening. After all, no one here would bother targeting a lowly servant boy like him.
'Could it be that because the Heart Meeting Martial Arts Hall is one of the Renowned and Righteous Sects, their Cultivation Skills contain Vast Righteous Qi that clashes with my Five Poison Evil Skill?'
'After all, the righteous and the evil cannot coexist. Evil Cultivators, at least openly, are not tolerated by righteous Martial Artists.'
'It would be normal for some sort of metaphysical reaction to occur when our paths cross.'
'But it's my own fault for being too weak. If I had cultivated a truly formidable evil aura, then the ones suffering this "Overbearing Suppression" would be those Martial Artists right now.'
At this thought, Zou Feng made himself even more inconspicuous, keeping his head down and focusing solely on serving the food.
He was terrified those Martial Artists would notice something was off about him.
He was overthinking it, however. In the eyes of those Martial Artists, a servant boy was little more than a self-moving tool.
Only two of the female Martial Artists, noticing his handsome features and fine appearance, gave him a few extra glances.
As a result, they were promptly teased by their surrounding martial brothers.
"My dear junior sisters, you two must be really hungry..."
"If you really like him, just tell Qianqian. You can take him back with you to 'use' as you please!"
This was followed by a wave of boisterous laughter.
'Uh, was I just... harassed?'
'Sigh. A servant being this handsome really isn't a good thing!'
'Who knows, one day the master might use me to "entertain" guests...'
Zou Feng finished serving the dishes and hastily walked away.
But more vexing than the humiliation of being treated like an object was the fact that Zou Feng... actually felt a little bit expectant?!
'After all, those two female Martial Artists were actually quite good-looking. Their long, powerful legs, sculpted by years of martial arts, looked like they packed quite a kick...'
A moment later, Zou Feng hurriedly shook these improper thoughts from his mind.
'If I don't escape my Lowly Status, even if I was given away, it would just be like escaping a wolf's den only to enter a tiger's lair.'
As Zou Feng was on his way to serve the next table, the door to the inner hall opened with a CREAK.
A young woman in gold-trimmed Martial Attire strode out.
Zou Feng recognized her; it was the Patriarch's youngest daughter, Yang Qianqian.
With her twin ponytails, almond-shaped eyes, and an oval face, her features were harmonious and natural. Yang Qianqian was exquisitely built, and had always been known as a great beauty in the county.
Now that she had achieved Martial Arts Entry, her aura further enhanced her beauty, making it impossible for anyone present to look away.
In the next moment, the air filled with endless shouts of congratulations.
Zou Feng, however, suddenly noticed that Third Young Master Yang Yanpeng, who was sitting at a corner table, was looking at his younger sister with an expression full of resentment and... unconcealed jealousy.
Zou Feng, of course, knew a thing or two about Yang Yanpeng—the very man whose orders had nearly gotten him beaten to death.
The man had also trained in martial arts from a young age, but his Talent was abysmal, and he was both gluttonous and lazy, so he had accomplished nothing.
Achieving Martial Arts Entry was likely a hopeless dream for him in this lifetime.
Seeing his sister in the spotlight now, it was perfectly normal for someone with Yang Yanpeng's temperament to feel jealous.
And though Zou Feng wanted no further contact with Yang Yanpeng, he couldn't avoid having to go over and serve his table.
As he drew near, Yang Yanpeng paid him no mind, but Zou Feng caught a faint, very peculiar scent coming from him.
He was certain he had never smelled this scent before.
Yet for some reason, he found the scent strangely comforting.
'There's no way I could have any sort of positive feeling toward Yang Yanpeng. So this scent... could it be...?'
Zou Feng had a suspicion, but he couldn't be sure yet.
He quickly set down the dishes, then turned and walked swiftly away.
But he had only taken three steps when Yang Yanpeng's sinister voice suddenly sounded from behind.
"Quite the sturdy frame you've got. Out of bed and back to work so soon?"
'Tsk, so he noticed me after all...'
Zou Feng had no choice but to turn, bow his head, and say, "It is all thanks to the young master's great fortune!"
Yang Yanpeng stared at Zou Feng and let out a cold laugh, then ignored him and went back to his drink.
Back in the rear kitchen, Zou Feng's scalp was still tingling.
His suspicion was most likely correct.
The Yang Mansion's Third Young Master, Yang Yanpeng, just like him, was secretly practicing some kind of Evil Skill.
All Evil Skills came with tremendous side effects.
Yang Yanpeng's recent increase in irritability and his ever-worsening personality were most likely the result of practicing an Evil Skill.
The man had clearly realized he had no hope of achieving Martial Arts Entry through conventional means, which was why he had turned to heretical paths.
This might also be the reason why Yang Yanpeng hadn't been selected as a target for transferring the side effects of cultivation.
He was likely also cultivating some kind of poison-related Evil Skill.
Minor poisonous side effects would likely be ineffective against him, which is why he couldn't be chosen.
Of course, this was still just Zou Feng's speculation. The truth of the matter would require further confirmation.
In any case, the situation was urgent. He had to advance his Five Poison Palm to the next stage as soon as possible to gain a greater sense of security.
And to intensify his cultivation, he would have no choice but to leech off Brother Li even more.
Fortunately, the mansion was hosting the banquet for several days, and there would be no shortage of various medicinal dishes served.
At that moment, the rear kitchen's storeroom was piled high with all sorts of medicinal herbs.
Zou Feng, now serving as Luo Yong's apprentice, was given priority in handling these herbs.
So, ever so thoughtfully, he sought out the herbs needed to brew the Detoxification Soup and placed them all in a conspicuous location.
Then, he would periodically use the excuse of needing to relieve himself to step away, leaving Li Rui alone and creating the perfect opportunity for some "five-finger discount" shopping.
Li Rui had been agonizing over how to get his hands on more of the herbs Luo Yong had given them the day before.
And now, the opportunity was served to him on a silver platter, right within his grasp.
Li Rui, of course, did not hesitate.
Of course, on any normal day, he would never have dared to be so audacious.
But with the banquet going on, there were so many herbs piled up that as long as they weren't especially precious, no one would bother counting them carefully to see if any were missing.
Seeing Li Rui happily helping himself, Zou Feng felt quite gratified.
He had been worried that Li Rui would be too timid to take the risk.
'Mm, since Brother Li took so many, I can go all out in my cultivation tonight without any reservations.'
That night, Zou Feng continued his arduous training of the Five Poison Palm in the pitch-black woodshed.
Although Li Rui was the one "suffering" the bitterness, Zou Feng still had to go through the motions of the training process.
Soaking his hands in "cool water" for an hour while holding various poses was, in truth, quite boring.
This time, however, before he could finish his cultivation, Zou Feng heard the distant sound of footsteps approaching the woodshed.
Before he began his martial arts training, he would never have been able to hear something from such a distance.
But now, he had plenty of time to calmly put away the poison-filled chamber pot and quickly wash his hands.