Loyalty

"Take it, Once again you have managed to surprise me. You have proven yourself time and time again, I am truly impressed by your performance. You have inherited your grandfather's talent." The academy elder spoke in a tone filled with admiration.

"It is all due to the elder's teachings and the village's nurturing, without these two factors I would be an insignificant character." Bai Ming expressed his heartfelt gratitude as he received the heavy bag of spirit stones.

"Sigh...I clearly understand how you feel. Both of your parents died while protecting the village when you were young, But you must remember you are also a part of the village, they didn't die just because of their wish to protect the village, they sacrificed their lives because you were also a part of the village. Their parents also did the same thing, It's all for the next generation. I know you are angry at the village, but don't forget your parents were alive because someone else sacrificed their lives to protect them. Always remember this, our Ye village is one big family, A family that will always be there for you." The elder spoke slowly.

Bai Ming was silent, he slowly lowered his head and gazed at his toes absentmindedly. The elder also watched him quietly with his eagle eye. After a period of silence, Bai Ming slowly raised his head and looked at the elder.

"I guess you are probably right after all" Bai Ming looked slightly sad, but his lips revealed a relieved smile, as if all the pain, suffering, and hate in his heart had vanished like thin smoke. It looked like he had finally understood something very deep, something very profound.

The academy elder noticed this change and was delighted. Even though he knew Bai Ming was a little fox, But if someone told him that Bai Ming was putting on an act now he would definitely not believe it, he refused to believe that this 14-year-old youth in front of him can act so flawlessly.

"I am glad you understand, And don't worry about your grandfather. I know he was sent out on a mission. Be positive, he will definitely return, like he always did. Now go home, I also have something to do." Academy elder spoke as he slowly walked away.

Bai Ming gave a deep bow before departing. He still had a warm smile on his face, But internally he felt disgusted. Even he didn't know why, but for some reason when he heard the academy elder's words earlier, it made him extremely disgusted.

He clearly understood the academy elder's concern, the clan requires loyal people. Loyalty is the value that is most sought after in a clan. What is the first thing a man needs from a woman he loves, it was loyalty. What is the foundation of a friendship, loyalty. Why is the dog a man's best friend, loyalty and loyalty only.

What is the use of nurturing an ingrate, what use would there be for the clan? Individuals like that were just a bad influence on others, nothing more than a plague.

And what made the academy elder think of Bai Ming as such a person? there were a couple of things. Firstly, his actions at the scripture hall where he unrighteously made someone else suffer, he didn't care about his reputation. This showed that he didn't care what others thought of him, this might seem like an insignificant thing. But it isn't, these actions show that he is slowly getting out of the clan's grasp, would other students do something like this, definitely not.

That is because their minds have been engraved with these mortal binds like reputation, loyalty, friendship, and whatnot since a very small age. Hence, when Bai Ming displayed his vicious side those children who had never seen such a thing felt it was extremely wrong, why was it Wrong? because they were told it was wrong. But when asked those same children, Going out of our way to kill animals isn't that wrong? they would respond by saying, it's the survival of the fittest.

And as for why Bai Ming was not punished for his barbaric actions in the scripture hall, it was because Academy Elder understood that Bai Ming had secretly held anger towards the clan, he didn't want to forcefully suppress Bai Ming as it would only have a negative impact on his psyche, instead, the Academy Elder from time to time would converse with Bai Ming and use subtle psychological manipulation tricks to create a change in his personality. And after conversing with Bai Ming today his efforts seemed to have paid off, at least that's what the Academy elder thought.

Secondly, it was because Bai Ming was too anti-social. He was always cold and indifferent. In the academy, there were already five major factions. One was the future clan head Su Ming and gang, the other four fractions belonged to the high-grade talents.

But Bai Ming was aloof, he was always alone. When the hunting exam was held, even though many people approached him to form a group he ruthlessly rejected them all. And during the hunting exam, he even wanted to take advantage of his own classmates. Nothing was hidden from the academy elder's experienced eyes.

Bai Ming's actions made him look like a person with no attachment. Once a person like that appears they had to be suppressed, why? because the stronger they get, the more they would be out of the clan's grasp and the more of a danger factor they become.

"Looks like my actions have caused some trouble, it's not too bad right now. To cultivate as fast as possible, I would have to borrow resources from the clan. But the academy elder is wrong about one thing, I don't hate the village, I used to hate it but not anymore."

"The village is not deserving of my hate, but the heavens are deserving."

"Why did it create us if it wanted us to suffer? why did it create us if it wanted us to die in the end?"

"I truly don't understand why it created us to be failures. Is it because it wished for us to become perfect by ourselves or are we merely playthings for its sick pleasure?" Bai Ming thought silently.

Bai Ming was headed toward the Ji pharmacy, In the entire Ye village this was only one place that sold pills.

He walked quickly, and after only ten minutes, Bai Ming reached his destination.

Bai Ming entered the pavilion and approached a counter. Behind it sat a beautiful young girl. Seeing Bai Ming walk over, she immediately stood up with a smile, and said, "Hello, junior my name is Xiao Tao. I'm honored to be of service."

Bai Ming quietly assessed her, he was not able to see through her cultivation base. But he guessed her to be at the peak of the bone formation realm.

Bai Ming nodded, saying "give me 3 tier 1 high-grade healing pills, and what are the prices of 2nd-tier healing pills"

"Very cheap, low-grade tier 2 pill costs 70 spirit stones, as for a mid-grade pill costs 230 spirit stones and a high-grade pill costs 570 spirit stones. Would you like to buy one? " Xiao Tao spoke rapidly.

"No need, just 3 high-grade tier one pills." Bai Ming spoke in a plain voice.

After paying a total of 60 spirit stones he headed home.

"Even though just a single high-grade pill is enough to heal my injury. But who knows when I might encounter some unknown danger. After adding up all of my spirit stones I had 486 but now it has reduced to 426, Sigh. It is more than enough to reach the elemental realm, but the problem is that this village is too poor."

"Grany Yin is the only alchemist in this village but she is only proficient in refining medicinal pills, she doesn't know any other pills to refine except for healing pills, her alchemy inheritance is quite lacking. I have no power or ability to travel back and forth across the dangerous mountains. If I can reach the cultivation of the peak of core formation realm, I'd have the means to protect myself and leave this poor mountain. This really goes to show how one's environment plays a huge role in one's cultivation."

In Bai Ming's eyes the Xuan mountain was just a tiny step, the true behemoths were waiting in the outside world. He had to increase the level of his foundation as fast as possible because the aspirations in his heart were too big.