C20 Draw a Cigarette!

"Do you have a problem with that?"

Zhang Yide glared at Wu Sheng with an especially fierce look, his tone filled with displeasure as he questioned him.

Wu Sheng shuddered under Zhang Yide's intimidating gaze, frantically waving his hands and hastily stammering, "No, no, of course not."

Meanwhile, Wu Chang, seated on the couch, buried his head even lower upon hearing Zhang Yide's bellow. He desperately wished he could vanish into thin air, avoiding any eye contact with Zhang Yide.

Having intimidated the Wu brothers, Zhang Yide leaped from behind his desk. Though the desk was a good four to five meters from the door, he closed the distance to Mo Fanchen in just two strides.

Upon hearing Wu Sheng mention the peak of the Convergence of Five Energies, Mo Fanchen realized the man before him was someone he dare not provoke.

So, like Wu Chang, he kept his head down, not daring to meet Zhang Yide's gaze for fear of further displeasing him.

Mo Fanchen first noticed Zhang Yide's feet entering his field of vision and was taken aback to see that Zhang Yide was wearing a pair of pink Peppa Pig slippers. The fluffy adornments contrasted starkly with his dark, large feet, creating quite the visual shock.

Peppa Pig, a character beloved by many children, now seemed anything but adorable to Mo Fanchen; it looked downright detestable.

Zhang Yide nudged Mo Fanchen's leg with his foot a few times before demanding in a frosty tone, "Hey, newbie, why so silent? What were you looking at just now?"

"I... When I saw you, I was just wondering if there might be a girl in your family," Mo Fanchen blurted out, his mind racing to appease Zhang Yide's anger.

"Hey, kid! Not bad with the observation and analysis, huh?" Zhang Yide seemed suddenly intrigued by Mo Fanchen's comment, squatting down and giving him a couple of pats on the shoulder.

"Not too shabby," Mo Fanchen replied, lifting his head with a sheepish grin.

"Such impressive observational skills!" Zhang Yide exclaimed, and without warning, he delivered a heavy palm strike to Mo Fanchen's shoulder, sending him sprawling to the ground.

"With such keen observation, how could you fail to keep things tidy?" Zhang Yide demanded of Mo Fanchen with a stern voice.

Caught completely off guard by the sudden blow, Mo Fanchen was inwardly cursing when he realized that the strike had merely floored him without causing any serious harm. There was no sign of internal bleeding or shattered bones, and surprisingly, there wasn't even a hint of pain where he had been struck.

Had Zhang Yide mastered such a terrifying level of precision and power? Was this the prowess of the Convergence of Five Energies?

"I'm terribly sorry, boss! It was my negligence at work. I'll rectify it immediately!" Mo Fanchen stammered as he scrambled to his feet. Zhang Yide had intended to scold Mo Fanchen for standing up without permission, but his reproach was cut short when he saw the item Mo Fanchen was offering. The anger on his face melted away in an instant.

What divine weapon or precious treasure had Mo Fanchen presented that could so quickly quell the rage of a Peak Convergence of Five Energies master?

It turned out to be a pack of Chunghwa cigarettes that Mo Fanchen had inadvertently brought with him to Scourgehold.

Mo Fanchen had initially intended to offer the cigarettes to his homeroom teacher, who had looked after him for three years, but instead, they proved useful within the confines of Scourgehold.

While Zhang Yide was interrogating him, Mo Fanchen had already detected the strong smell of tobacco on him and noticed the yellow-stained fingers on the hand that had delivered the palm strike.

From these clues, Mo Fanchen deduced that the leader must be a seasoned smoker with over a decade of smoking under his belt.

Zhang Yide, a man with a daughter at home, had set aside his rough exterior to don a cartoon-themed shirt and slippers, a clear testament to the deep affection he held for his daughter.

For his daughter's health, Zhang Yide would certainly curb his smoking habit at home. It was only when he stepped outside that he would fully indulge his craving for a cigarette.

"Whoa, still smoking those fancy cigarettes? New guy, must be nice to come from a well-off family!"

Zhang Yide gleefully accepted the cigarette from Mo Fanchen, viciously tearing open the pack and expertly popping one into his mouth. With a swift motion of two fingers, he conjured a red flame, toasting the tobacco as Mo Fanchen watched in awe.

"Ah, that's the stuff!"

Exhaling a perfect smoke ring, Zhang Yide leaned back in his chair behind the desk, a look of pure contentment on his face. He beckoned to Mo Fanchen, "Given your understanding, I'll let the earlier incident slide. Come, take a seat. There's something I need to inform you about."

"In three or four days, next Monday to be exact, Xuan Xiu will return from his meditation retreat to deliver a sermon to all the supervisors here at Scourgehold. Even though we're not followers of Buddhism and our skills are unrelated to their teachings, we can't just skip out on his talk, right?"

Mo Fanchen and his colleagues nodded eagerly, like well-behaved schoolchildren.

"Make sure everything, especially the cleanliness and overall environment, is up to standard on the day. And I expect you all to be mentally prepared too! I'll be in attendance, and if anyone lets me down, they'll have to answer to me afterward."

As Zhang Yide spoke, his presence seemed to intensify, the genuine energy radiating from him noticeably heating up the room.

The three men didn't utter a word, their nods becoming more vigorous. If not for the stability of their necks, it seemed they might nod their heads right off.

Pleased with their response, Zhang Yide continued, addressing Mo Fanchen directly, "And you, the newcomer! Even though you're not officially part of Scourgehold's staff, as a member, your attendance is mandatory! Make sure you do a good job. There will be a reward in it for you!"

With his piece said, Zhang Yide wrapped up with some small talk, then stood and performed a series of hand seals, signaling to the guards in other realms to administer the medicine.

After Zhang Yide departed, Mo Fanchen and his companions felt the oppressive atmosphere in the room lighten considerably. The temperature seemed to drop instantly, prompting them to collectively exhale in relief.

Once he had caught his breath, Mo Fanchen realized he still didn't know the real name of the logistics deacon, also known as Zhang Yide. He promptly inquired about it with Wu Chang and his brother.

The Wu brothers gave Mo Fanchen a nonchalant glance and explained, "The logistics deacon is one of the six deacons of Scourgehold we mentioned earlier. His name is Zhang Hongyan! It's surprising that after such a short time, he's already reached the Peak of the Convergence of Five Energies. It's humbling, really. When you compare, you realize some people's progress is just astounding."

"You think about it, if Old Zhang, who manages logistics, has advanced so swiftly, the other deacons must be progressing even faster, right?"

"Who can say for sure? Without the proper chances and personal insight, I bet he wouldn't have broken through the Convergence of Five Energies bottleneck in twenty years."

While Wu Chang and Wu Sheng continued their conversation, Mo Fanchen felt sidelined and saw no reason to linger. He decided to leave, but as he stood up, Wu Chang grabbed him.

"Wu Chang, did you need something else?" Mo Fanchen asked, puzzled.

Wu Chang sized up Mo Fanchen, then smirked with a hint of mischief, "Mo Fanchen, you've got some deep pockets, don't you? Hiding a pack of cigarettes from us!"

"Really? Do you have any more?" Wu Sheng chimed in eagerly, reaching for Mo Fanchen's pocket. His search turned up empty, much to his disappointment.

"Brothers, as you know, I was in a rush coming here and only brought that one pack. I'm all out now!" Mo Fanchen said, spreading his hands in a helpless gesture. He then assured them with a confident pat on his chest, "Once we're out of Scourgehold, come find me in Zouver. I'll treat you to the full experience – food, drinks, gambling, and smokes. I, Mo Fanchen, will cover it all. You'll have the time of your lives, guaranteed!"

"Hey, I never pegged our buddy Mo as such a high roller. Well then, it's a deal!"

The Wu brothers grinned unabashedly and swapped real-life contact details with Mo Fanchen.

...

The days that followed were tranquil yet eventful.

During this time, Mo Fanchen spent his days not only cultivating and cleaning but also frequently sparring with the Wu brothers.

With Mo Fanchen's promise of all-around service, the Wu brothers' demeanor toward him had significantly softened. They pulled their punches during their bouts and provided him with guidance in his skill development.

In just a couple of days, Mo Fanchen's mastery and combat experience surged dramatically. His level ascended to the pinnacle of the Body Tempering Realm. He achieved considerable proficiency in Raging Bull Force, Dance of a Thousand Raindrops, Titan's Fall, and Grand Forsaken Grapple.

Regarding Mad Bull Fist, Mo Fanchen feigned indifference and refrained from practicing it earnestly, leading the Wu brothers to believe it was merely a rudimentary skill not worth their attention.

However, Mo Fanchen reserved his study of Shadow Waltz for times when the brothers were at rest. Although his skill in this area wasn't as advanced as the other four, it had nonetheless seen some improvement.

On the eve of Xuan Xiu's return.

"Tonight, I'll attempt to break through to the Blood Forging Stage!"

Mo Fanchen, eyeing the twenty Blood Forging Pills before him, declared with unwavering resolve.