Chapter 8 A Friendly Gathering

The outer sect was unusually lively the next morning. With only four days left until the assessment, disciples moved with more urgency than usual. Groups clustered around the contribution board, argued over training spots, and whispered about who would rise and who would fall. The air itself felt tighter.

Lin Feng noticed none of this urgency in himself.

He walked out of Dormitory with his hands tucked into his sleeves and expression relaxed. Lu Cang followed two steps behind, looking dejected.

"Today we take another task," Lin Feng said. "But this time something bigger than gathering herbs or delivering."

"That’s exactly what we shouldn’t do," Lu Cang said. "People are already watching you. Zhou Ming is watching you. The Enforcement Hall is watching you. Why would you want more eyes?"

"Because eyes mean reactions. And that means fun." Lin Feng replied.

"I don’t need any fun." Lu Cang muttered.

They were halfway to the contribution board when Lin Feng felt something is off. Too many familiar faces appearing at the edge of his vision.

Zhao Feng was leaning against a stone pillar near the path, arms crossed. Beside him stood Big Brother Xiong, the massive Tiger Claw leader, along with the two thugs he keeps around. At short distance away was the disciple from yesterday. Two other outer disciples Lin Feng only vaguely recognized completed the group.

They weren’t even trying to hide.

Lu Cang went rigid in an instant.

"Oh no. Oh no no no. That’s too many of them."

Lin Feng’s eyes lit up slightly.

"A reunion? How wonderful."

"Wonderful? Lin Feng, they’re clearly planning something against you!!"

Zhao Feng pushed off the pillar and walked forward with a cold smile. The others spread out just enough to make the path feel narrower.

"Lin Feng," Zhao Feng said, voice smooth. "You’ve been enjoying yourself these past few days i heard."

"I have," Lin Feng answered honestly. "The outer sect is very welcoming."

"You used a cheap trick last time. There won’t be a second time."

The disciple added, "Some of us think the outer sect would be cleaner without you in it. The assessment is close. It would be a shame if a troublemaker under observation... caused another incident."

Lin Feng looked over their faces one by one. The system quietly supplied small emotional readings. Anger, resentment,nticipation. A few of them were already close to boiling with rage even.

[Multiple hostile targets detected in close proximity]

[Passive irritation accumulating]

"So this is a group effort," Lin Feng said. "I’m honored. Did you all coordinate this, or did one of you just start walking and the rest followed because you had nothing better to do?"

Zhao Feng’s smile thinned.

"We don’t need to dirty our hands directly. You’re under observation. One more public disturbance and even the Enforcement Hall won’t protect you. All we have to do is give you the opportunity to make a mistake."

One of the Tiger Claw thugs stepped slightly to the side, deliberately shoulder checking a passing disciple and then pointing at Lin Feng.

"He pushed me!"

The passing disciples looked confused, then irritated when he saw who was being blamed.

Lin Feng watched the crude attempt with mild disappointment.

"That’s was lame" he said. "If you’re going to frame someone, at least put effort into it. I don’t think they’re going to kick me out of a shoulder push."

Big Brother Xiong’s face darkened. He took a heavy step forward.

"You really talk too much."

The group began closing in, clearly trying to provoke a reaction out of him. They wanted him to swing first, to shout, to create a scene large enough that the Enforcement Hall would have no choice but to act.

Lu Cang looked ready to bolt. Lin Feng, however, only tilted his head.

"You’re trying to make me cause trouble so I get kicked out," he said, loud enough for the gathering onlookers to hear. "It means I’ve been living rent free in your heads for days."

Zhao Feng’s expression cracked slightly.

"Shut your mouth."

"I mean it," Lin Feng continued. "you’ve assembled a full squad just to deal with one outer disciple who was trash a few days ago. If this isn’t success, what is?"

[Zhao Feng’s rage is rising]

[Big Brother Xiong’s killing intent is leaking]

[That random unnamed disciple’s patience is collapsing]

[Rage Value +95]

One of the Tiger Claw thugs finally lost control and shoved Lin Feng hard in the chest. Lin Feng stepped back with the force, keeping his balance, and raised both hands slightly in a peaceful gesture for the growing crowd to see.

"See? I’m being attacked. I’m under observation. I’m showing remarkable restraint."

The thug’s face flushed with anger and embarrassment. Big Brother Xiong grabbed his subordinate’s shoulder and pulled him back, hissing something under his breath. They couldn’t afford to be the ones who clearly started a full fight. Not with so many witnesses and not with Lin Feng’s current status.

Zhao Feng’s jaw was tight. The plan had been simple. Corner him, provoke him, make him lash out. Instead, Lin Feng was turning the whole thing into a performance.

"You think you’re clever," Zhao Feng said in a low voice. "Enjoy it while it lasts. The assessment will bury you. And if it doesn’t, we will."

Lin Feng smiled. "I’ll remember that "

For a moment it looked like Big Brother Xiong might ignore the consequences and swing anyway. His fists were clenched so hard the knuckles had gone white. Then a familiar cold voice cut through the tension.

"What is going on here?"

Chen Yu from the Enforcement Hall stood at the edge of the path with two other silver token disciples. His gaze swept over the group, lingered on Lin Feng then moved to Zhao Feng and Xiong.

Chen Yu’s eyes narrowed. He looked directly at Zhao Feng. "Explain."

Zhao Feng forced his expression under control.

"We were simply discussing the upcoming assessment, Senior Brother Chen. Nothing more."

Chen Yu clearly did not believe him. His gaze shifted to Lin Feng.

"And you?"

"I was on my way to take a contribution task," Lin Feng said. "These senior brothers were kind enough to offer encouragement."

Chen Yu’s face remained cold.

"Disperse. Now. Any further gathering like this will be treated as intentional disruption."

The group hesitated, then began to break apart with dark expressions. Zhao Feng shot Lin Feng one last look filled with pure hatred before turning away. Big Brother Xiong shouldered past a random disciple hard enough to make him stumble.

[Multiple targets leaving with deepened hostility]

[Rage Value +14]

[Current Rage Points: 1,021]

As the path cleared, Chen Yu stopped in front of Lin Feng.

"You once again attracted trouble."

"Maybe i have a magnetic personality." Lin Feng said.

Chen Yu’s eye twitched.

"Stay out of group conflicts. Next time I find you in the center of something like this, I won’t care who started it."

He left with the other Enforcement disciples.

Lu Cang finally exhaled like he had been holding his breath for several minutes.

"They planned that," he said weakly. "They’re actively trying to get you thrown out."

Lin Feng watched the last of the group disappear down the path, the numbers on his system screen still ticking upward from residual anger.

"I know. They just proved I’m worth organizing against. That means I’m doing something right."

Lu Cang stared at him in pure disbelief.

Lin Feng’s smile widened slightly as he opened the system shop.They wanted to push him into a mistake before the assessment.Which meant the next few days were going to be very profitable.