Evening found Su Ming walking along the stone path back to Courtyard Ding-Qi.

He could clearly sense the change in the gazes of the outer sect disciples he passed.

Those looks no longer held the indifference reserved for an ordinary menial.

Instead, they carried scrutiny, inquiry, and a faint, elusive trace of apprehension.

The news of him “bringing down” a steward had already spread.

Pushing open the courtyard gate, Su Ming was somewhat surprised.

Two people were actually sitting by the stone table in the yard.

One was the burly, iron-tower-like Zhang Meng.

The other was the long-unseen Manager Zhao, who oversaw the monthly allowance distribution.

It seemed the two had come specifically to wait for him.

“Su Ming! Kid, you’re finally back!”

Zhang Meng was the first to jump up, covering the distance in a few quick strides to stand before him. A hand as large as a cattail-leaf fan landed heavily on his shoulder.

“I heard all about it! Damn it! Some blind fool dared to bully you? Tell me! I’ll go to Spirit Beast Valley and lead a ‘Cloud-Stepper’ over to trample the bastard flat!”

His voice was booming, his expression agitated, his concern genuine from the heart.

A warmth spread in Su Ming’s chest. He patted Zhang Meng’s arm.

“Thank you, Senior Brother Zhang. I’m fine.”

Manager Zhao also stood up from the side, a complicated smile on his face.

“Junior Brother Su, you this time… you truly opened our eyes.”

He looked Su Ming up and down, his gaze carrying lingering fear as well as a deliberate attempt at closeness.

“That Sun Quan always threw his weight around relying on his seniority. This time, he kicked an iron plate. However…”

His tone shifted, becoming earnest and serious.

“Junior Brother, in your future actions, you need to be even more careful. The waters of Formation Peak run deep. The situation behind Sun Quan might not be clean either.”

Su Ming cupped his hands in a polite salute, his attitude gentle yet maintaining a distance.

“Thank you both, Senior Brothers, for your concern. This junior understands. I’m rather tired today and will retire to my room to rest first.”

With that, he nodded to the two and walked straight towards his eastern side room.

He did not engage in deep conversation, maintaining a perfectly appropriate distance.

Watching the door to Su Ming’s room close firmly, Zhang Meng scratched his head, somewhat puzzled.

“This kid, why does he feel a bit distant from us?”

Manager Zhao looked at the door, a gleam flashing in his eyes as he murmured softly.

“It’s not distance.”

“It’s… he’s different now.”

…

Inside the eastern side room, the composite formation silently activated.

All noise from the outside world was completely cut off.

Su Ming let out a long sigh, throwing himself onto the bed.

“Huff—”

Lin Yu’s soul thought popped out immediately, carrying a tone of gleeful schadenfreude.

“Disciple, see that? That’s human nature!”

His illusory figure, one leg crossed over the other, pontificated from within the ring.

“They fear you, yet they want to get close! They want to bask in your reflected glory, or probe your depths.”

“That Zhang Meng is a straightforward fellow, genuinely worried for you. That Manager Zhao is a classic risk investor, thinking you have potential and wanting to place a bet early.”

“And that Wang the fat man from the Accounting Office is purely an information broker, trying to figure out which way the wind blows so he can decide whether to curry favor with you or distance himself.”

Listening to his master’s commentary, Su Ming’s mind was perfectly clear.

That was exactly it.

“We need to be even more low-key from now on. This ‘Way of Survival’ truly cannot be relaxed for a single moment!”

Lin Yu’s tone became serious.

“Before, others only saw you as a math genius with ruined foundations, no threat. It’s different now. Everyone knows you’re not only clever, but also… have a tough wrist and a ruthless heart.”

“Now, you’re a conspicuous nail. Those who want to pull you out will only increase, and their methods will only become more hidden!”

Su Ming was silent.

Feeling the cold token in his bosom, he felt it wasn’t a protective talisman, but a scorching hot brand.

“Master, your disciple understands.”

“Good that you understand.” Lin Yu nodded with satisfaction. “Starting tomorrow, make a few more mistakes when repairing formation plates. When writing optimization proposals, deliberately leave a few inconsequential flaws. We need to tamp down this ‘prodigy’ reputation, preferably make them think your last success was pure dumb luck.”

Master and disciple were urgently discussing their subsequent “hiding one’s abilities” strategy.

Suddenly.

A faint, subtle fluctuation of spiritual energy came from the early-warning node Su Ming had set up at the courtyard gate.

The fluctuation was steady, carrying a hint of the unique cultivation method aura of the External Affairs Hall.

But the person arriving was not anyone familiar to him.

Su Ming’s heart grew slightly tense.

He and Lin Yu exchanged a glance, instantly falling silent.

He swiftly deactivated the formation in the room, messed up the account books on the table, putting on the appearance of someone deep in research.

He had just finished all this.

“Knock, knock, knock.”

A measured, not-too-heavy knocking sound sounded right on time.

A strange, businesslike voice came from outside the door.

“Is Su Ming of Courtyard Ding-Qi present?”

Su Ming straightened his robes, walked over, and pulled open the door.

Outside stood a young man wearing the steward uniform of the External Affairs Hall.

The young man had an ordinary face and sharp eyes. Seeing Su Ming, he merely swept a glance over him before pulling a token from his robes.

“External Affairs Hall steward, Zhou Ning.”

He identified himself, his tone devoid of any fluctuation.

“Su Ming.”

“Elder Ma summons you.”

“Come with me.”

…

External Affairs Hall, meditation room.

Sandalwood incense curled upward, wisps of blue smoke swirling and dispersing in the air, leaving a room filled with tranquility.

Elder Ma sat cross-legged on a prayer mat. His figure appeared even more hunched than during their last meeting, his aura increasingly somber and fading, like an ancient piece of wood on the verge of weathering away.

Only those turbid eyes still held the wisdom to see through worldly affairs.

Zhou Ning led Su Ming to the door, then bowed and retreated, soundlessly.

Su Ming stepped into the meditation room, respectfully saluting the figure with its back to him.

“Disciple Su Ming pays his respects to Elder Ma.”

Elder Ma did not turn around. His voice was hoarse, like two pieces of rotten wood rubbing together.

“Sit.”

Su Ming complied, sitting on the prayer mat opposite, his back ramrod straight.

In the meditation room, only the faint, almost inaudible crackling sound of the burning sandalwood incense remained.

A long while passed.

Elder Ma slowly spoke, each word carrying an undeniable weight.

“The recent matter at Formation Peak, this old man is already aware.”

“You were wronged.”

No questioning, no probing, not even mentioning any details.

He directly, definitively characterized the event.

Su Ming’s heart trembled. The shadow and killing intent brought by Sun Quan seemed to be gently wiped away by these words. He lowered his head, his voice steady.

“This disciple dares not presume.”

“There’s nothing about daring or not.” Elder Ma finally turned around. Those deep-set eyes gazed quietly at Su Ming. “The tree desires stillness, but the wind will not cease.”

“To avoid further trouble, from today onward, you need not go to Formation Peak anymore.”

Upon hearing this, Su Ming’s heart tightened.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep