Chapter 2: Shattered Reputation

"I'm taking this Frost Pill!"

At that moment, a girl of about eight came over, dressed extravagantly, looking nothing like a cultivator.

And since she was only eight and hadn't even matured yet, dressing like this made her even more bizarre.

"Zhao Lili!"

Luo Yao recognized her—the very girl others had been discussing, someone with low talent but who had hooked up with an Inner Sect Disciple, thereby breaking through to Qi Refining Layer 3.

That wasn't the point.

The point was, she held a grudge against Luo Yao.

Zhao Lili took the pill, glanced at Luo Yao's grim face, and smiled happily, waving the pill triumphantly in her hand.

Zhao Lili sneered, "Do you think I'd gamble with you? I'm not an idiot."

"No," Luo Yao refused without hesitation, "That's unfair—you're already Qi Refining Layer 3, far stronger than me. Unless you wager a Marrow Cleansing Pill."

So, several of the tasks Luo Yao submitted were also the ones Zhao Lili wanted, causing Zhao Lili to harbor resentment.

Luo Yao had no choice but to give up and leave with the pill.

The most terrifying part was, she might even shatter her Dao heart and become a waste.

"You wouldn't dare!"

But Zhao Lili escalated further—either blocking Luo Yao at the Task Hall entrance to prevent her from taking tasks, or sending people to sabotage her after she'd taken one.

Yet before Luo Yao could nod, the manager snatched the White Xuan Flower from her hand and handed her a vial instead.

But despite this, Zhao Lili still chose other means to target Luo Yao.

Yet the next second, Luo Yao froze.

The onlookers couldn't help but gasp—this suggestion was too cruel.

She had more than enough cultivation points; ever since gaining the support of that Inner Sect person, she never lacked them.

Zhao Lili snarled, "If I win, you crawl around the mountain gate three times and bark like a dog."

What had she been working so hard on tasks for these past years?

Wasn't it for the Frost Pill in her hand?

But with Qi Refining First Layer against Qi Refining Layer 3, she'd definitely lose.

Luo Yao watched as the Frost Pill she was about to claim was taken by Zhao Lili, her face instantly darkening.

"What kind of gamble?"

If not for Xuanyuan Sect's ban on sect members harming each other, Zhao Lili would have attacked Luo Yao long ago.

After threatening her, Zhao Lili feared Luo Yao would refuse and immediately turned away with her followers.

The Gu Ling Pill didn't multiply—it turned instead, its dark hue becoming pure white as snow, a rich medicinal fragrance spreading through the air.

Luo Yao sighed; Zhao Lili hadn't agreed, which she'd expected. She'd only tried, just to settle this once and for all, so Zhao Lili wouldn't keep bothering her.

"But I have another demand!" Luo Yao added, "Give me the Frost Pill, and I'll agree to your gamble."

Zhao Lili quickly calmed down, then remembered the pill in her hand and sneered.

"Hiss!"

So Luo Yao turned to the manager, "I want to exchange for Ning Shui Pill."

This was a chance to openly target Luo Yao.

"Besides, you've got no chest, no ass, and even less brains—you'll be discarded in a few days."

"I don't care. If you don't face me on the arena in five days, I'll spread everywhere that you're a slut and ruin your reputation."

Luo Yao clenched her fists, her eyes flashing with killing intent, but the manager also unleashed the aura of Qi Refining Late Stage: "What? You want to fight?"

This was her recently awakened Golden Finger—whatever she used this dice on would double according to the roll: not just quantity, but possibly quality, or other attributes.

Many times, the gate guards saw Luo Yao return covered in bruises, and since she worked harder than even the most obsessed, many called her Luo Three Lives.

But clearly, Zhao Lili and others knew this too—they just wanted to humiliate Luo Yao.

"No way, I'm not stupid!" Zhao Lili wasn't an idiot—if she gave away the Frost Pill, how would she break through?

"Dare you accept the gamble?"

"No Ning Shui Pill!" The manager's expression remained cold. "But I do have one Superior Grade Gu Ling Pill."

"You were so arrogant before! Now the pill's in my hands—figure out how to beg me!"

She knew Zhao Lili had recently obtained a Marrow Cleansing Pill; if she got one, even a slight improvement in her talent would be immensely beneficial.

"I'll kill you!"

"Superior Grade Gu Ling Pill!"

Luo Yao hesitated slightly.

Seeing this, Zhao Lili smirked triumphantly, believing Luo Yao's gamble had just been a momentary impulse—but she wouldn't miss such a perfect opportunity.

Zhao Lili, still just a child, was instantly enraged: "Who are you calling petty? Who says I've got no chest or brains…"

Gu Ling Pill—Luo Yao's face darkened. Though Gu Ling Pill was meant for Qi Refining Late Stage, the one the manager gave was inferior, its effect less than half that of the Frost Pill.

In normal circumstances, she'd just ignore it as dog barking.

If the sect elders found out, she might even be expelled.

Luo Yao was disappointed; an extra inferior Gu Ling Pill wouldn't help much—unless it was a lower-grade one.

Ning Shui Pill and Frost Pill were the same type, but Ning Shui Pill was weaker.

Everyone knew Luo Yao's nickname, Luo Three Lives, didn't mean she had three lives—it just described how hard she worked.

For example, sarcastic remarks.

"So, you want it?" Zhao Lili saw Luo Yao's expression and smirked. "Kneel down and beg me!"

"1 point!"

It was precisely an inferior Gu Ling Pill.

"Not enough. I think her name is Luo Sanming, right? Let her stab herself three times and see if she really has three lives."

Zhao Lili was still an eight-year-old child after all; she was instantly provoked, flew into a rage, and charged at Luo Yao, only to be blocked by the lackey.

"Senior Sister Zhao, don't be impulsive. Violence is not allowed here!"

"Whoever gets angry is the one I'm talking about!"

"Hiss!"

"What? Scared? If you're scared, just kneel down and beg for mercy; I might let you off..."

"Tch!"

This was not even the most terrifying part.

She simply didn't believe she couldn't control Luo Yao with the Frost-Condensing Pill.

Now that it was almost within her grasp, how could she possibly give up?

She actually didn't fall for it?

How ruthless!

The people nearby couldn't help but shiver.

"You're lying!"

"You're just scared!" Luo Yao rolled her eyes. "Five days from now, we'll have a martial duel. You, a Qi Refining Layer 3 cultivator, are actually afraid of losing to me, a Qi Refining Layer 1 cultivator. Tsk tsk tsk, so power is indeed just trash piled up by Pills!"

"You're lying!" Zhao Lili lost her composure again. "Who said I dare not? Qi Refining Layer 1 is nothing; I could crush her with a single finger."

"I think it would be better to let her kneel down and lick Senior Sister Zhao's shoes. No, make her crawl around the Sect three times and bark like a dog."

So, when she saw Luo Yao wanting the Frost-Condensing Pill, she couldn't help but step forward to obstruct her.

Although Luo Yao's chance of breaking through was extremely low, and even if she did break through, she would only reach Qi Refining Layer 2, still no match for her, Zhao Lili was not that foolish.

Back in her room, Luo Yao immediately set up the Array, took out the inferior Gu Ling Pill, and then closed her eyes. A Seven-Colored Dice appeared before her.

After all, if she won, the other would be doomed.

She had worked hard for several years, and the thing she was about to obtain was snatched away by someone else; that must be utterly devastating, right?

Seeing it was Zhao Lili, Manager He did not make things difficult; his attitude was completely different from how he treated Luo Yao, and he readily produced the Frost-Condensing Pill.

"Scared?" Luo Yao sneered. "I was just thinking about what reward I should ask for if I win."

Luo Yao threw the Seven-Colored Dice. She saw the Dice hover above the Gu Ling Pill, and soon a number appeared on one face.

Luo Yao snorted coldly. "It's just because I completed the mission before you back then, yet you're so petty. Even if you rely on connections, with such a temper, you'll remain in the Qi Refining Stage for your entire life."

Luo Yao sighed. She indeed needed the Frost-Condensing Pill. "How about this? Let's make a bet!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, isn't this Luo Sanming? So wretched. Did you crawl out of some Beast nest again?"

If she really did that...

"Senior Sister Zhao, if she gets the Frost-Condensing Pill just by kneeling down, isn't that too easy for her?" The lackey behind Zhao Lili jumped out and said.

"Fine!"

Luo Sanming was Luo Yao's nickname.

That was not as simple as ruining one's reputation.

Luo Yao usually treated it as a dog barking and ignored it.

"Just you?" Zhao Lili mocked. "If you win, let's call it even between us, how about that?"

But not today.

"You..."

Previously, Luo Yao had desperately accepted missions to earn points. Missions could be accepted by anyone; a single mission could even be accepted by multiple people; it all depended on who completed the mission first.

Zhao Lili hesitated for a moment, then thought of her own strength, gritted her teeth, and said, "Fine, let's bet. After all, I will never lose."

"Hmph!"

Of course, when Zhao Lili called her that, it was not to praise Luo Yao, but to mock her.

Just thinking of Luo Yao's desperate expression made Zhao Lili unable to hold back her laughter.

Luo Yao shrugged, but her face wore an expression that clearly said, "I'm talking about you."

"A Pill that only Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators possess!"

Luo Yao was too shocked to speak at that moment, but then a look of狂喜 appeared on her face. With this Superior Grade Gu Ling Pill, she had more than enough to break through to Qi Refining Layer 3.

(End of this chapter)