C4 This Is Not an Illusion
Was this all real?
Killing wild chickens could indeed enhance his strength!
Ning Gao's eagerness to return to the Ning family vanished in an instant as he dove into the Misty Forest to confirm whether his suspicions were true.
...
In Vuiburgh, a man entered through the back door of the Ning family's estate.
Looking up at the dawn's early light, Ning Gao, who hadn't slept all night, felt no trace of tiredness. On the contrary, he was more alert than he had been since his father's disappearance.
Apprentice, two-star superior!
The night's efforts had led to continuous breakthroughs for Ning Gao. He may have only slain feeble creatures like wild chickens, but the spiritual energy within him kept increasing.
He had begun his training at the age of six, and just yesterday, he had been a two-star Apprentice at the lower level. Yet, in the span of one night, he had advanced two minor realms.
He didn't understand the reasons behind it all, but the undeniable fact was that his strength had grown.
"Ning Gao!"
Just as Ning Gao reached his room, a thunderous shout came from behind him before he could step inside.
He scowled, already knowing who it was without needing to look back.
"Look at you, you little scoundrel. You've not only brought shame to our family in the competition, but now you're bold enough to skip out on your duties!"
Ning Hu approached with determined steps, seizing Ning Gao's shoulder.
Ning Hu was roughly the same age as Ning Gao, yet their strengths were worlds apart. With his father as the Ning family's Internal Affairs Manager and his own minor official position, Ning Hu enjoyed ample benefits, which had propelled him to the peak of the three-star Apprentice at nineteen.
Rumors suggested he would soon break through to the four-star Apprentice level, making him a notable talent among the Ning family's youth.
"I completed my work yesterday," Ning Gao stated icily.
He always made sure to finish his tasks before going out to cultivate, to prevent these people from having any pretext to reprimand him.
"There was a lot of work yesterday, and everyone else stayed behind. So why is it that you're the only one missing?" Ning Hu didn't give a damn about Ning Gao's explanation. He was just looking for a scapegoat to take out his frustration, and any excuse would do.
Ning Gao withstood the punches from Ning Hu, gritting his teeth through the assault. Despite the recent improvements in his strength, he was still significantly outmatched by Ning Hu, who stood at the pinnacle of the Three-star Apprentice level.
Once Ning Gao was left battered and bruised, Ning Hu seemed to have released all his pent-up frustration. He shook his hand dismissively and said with a sneer, "Shirking work comes with consequences. You, go help out at the poultry yard for the day."
With those words, he turned and strode away, leaving Ning Gao sprawled on the ground.
"Poultry yard?"
Ning Gao watched Ning Hu's retreating figure, repeating the name of the place where he was destined for a day of grueling labor. After a brief moment of hesitation, he burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"It seems fate hasn't abandoned me after all!"
Struggling to his feet, Ning Gao didn't even bother to wipe the blood from his face before he hurried off to the Ning family's poultry yard.
The poultry yard was a section of the Ning family's kitchen operations, dedicated to the management of poultry. It supplied meat for the thousands of members of the Ning family, and those who worked there were invariably drenched in the smell of blood, much like Ning Gao, they were considered the lowest-ranking servants in the household.
Under normal circumstances, the poultry yard was far from an enviable place to work, a position loathed by all.
But for Ning Gao, who had undergone a transformation, the poultry yard now held an irresistible allure within the Ning household.
Quickly assigned by the steward to the pig slaughtering area, Ning Gao took his position with a dark, hefty cleaver in hand, his gaze fixed on the plump pigs within the enclosure.
