Chapter 22: Revealing Intentions

Pondering for a moment, Dang subtly said to Yingran, "By the way, it's almost noon. Let's head back."

"Sure," Yingran replied.

Yingran's legs felt a bit numb from kneeling on the ground for so long. Dang supported her, and the two moved slowly, deep in their thoughts, exchanging few words along the way.

As Dang and Yingran reached the entrance of the courtyard, the cloaked figures had already arrived, accompanied by a collection of various weapons placed at their feet.

The cloaked leader glanced at the two but instructed them to join the others without saying much. Pointing at four individuals, he singled out Dang Lier, Ah Long, Congwen Hu, and Hefei – the last four who returned from the morning run.

Confused, the quartet approached as instructed.

"You four are excused from today's training. Wait outside the gate; someone will assign your tasks for the day," the cloaked figure declared.

The others were puzzled by this exception, wondering if these four were receiving special treatment. Envy began to stir among them.

Ignoring their bewilderment, the cloaked figure focused on carrying out the day's orders, saying, "The rest of you, each take a sword. Today, I'll teach you the basics of swordsmanship."

Without delay, everyone picked up a sword from the ground.

Yingran, having knelt for an extended period, walked over and carefully examined the swords. None had a sharp edge, indicating their use for training rather than combat.

Could it be that they were considered members of the ruthless pavilion already? Yingran couldn't be sure. She randomly selected a sword and returned to her original position.

Once everyone had chosen their weapons, the cloaked figure arranged them in rows, ensuring a two-arm span between each person. After demonstrating the day's sword techniques, he broke them down for the group to practice repeatedly. Once everyone had memorized the moves, he sat back, silently observing their training.

After a full hour of practice, the cloaked figure finally allowed a short break, offering no unnecessary words. Some struggled with the exercises, fatigue setting in, while others began to lose focus, their movements becoming half-hearted.

Ying Huanhuan was among the latter. If not for the cloaked figure watching, she would have thrown the sword in frustration.

Glancing at her sister, Ying Yingran continued practicing diligently, sweat dripping from her forehead. Though exhausted, each movement was executed with precision.

Seeing her sister's determination, Ying Huanhuan dared not slack off and practiced with renewed focus.

After about an hour of continuous practice, the cloaked figure instructed them to rest briefly. He remained silent, leaving the group to catch their breath.

Meanwhile, at the courtyard entrance, Dang Lier and the others stood waiting, guided by a tall servant in grey attire. Leading them through a winding mountain path, they arrived at a building emitting a foul odor before even approaching.

"What is this place?" Dang Lier cautiously inquired.

"Gong Fang. All impurities from the pavilion are transported here daily. Your task is to carry these impurities to the field and use them as fertilizer for crops," the grey-clad servant answered, pointing to a distant vegetable patch.

Dang Lier and the others followed the servant's gaze, barely able to discern the small piece of land in the distance.

"Isn't that a bit far? We also have two injured companions," Dang Lier instinctively tried to negotiate, forgetting the current circumstances.

The servant ignored Dang Lier's question, stating, "When you're done, you can return. That's all."

"But we don't know the way!" Dang Lier shouted after the departing servant.

Hearing this, the servant turned around, gave a meaningful look to Ah Long, and then walked away without a word.

"What do we do now? Lier, do we really have to do this?" Hefei pinched her nose, expressing disdain.

Dang Lier sighed and replied, "Let's do it. You and Congwen Hu can work together, be cautious with your wounds."

Hefei nearly cried. Accustomed to a life of comfort, she had never experienced such dirty work. Now, tasked with moving impurities, Hefei couldn't help but feel thoroughly soiled.

Observing Hefei's distress, Dang Lier patted her head, embraced her, and reassured, "Come on. We are at their mercy now. Regardless of the situation, we must endure and live on. Understand?"

Hefei, with hope in her eyes, nodded involuntarily.

Dang Lier smiled faintly, then turned to Ah Long and Congwen Hu, saying, "Let's go."

Although not explicitly stated, Ah Long knew that Lier had figured out his affiliation with the ruthless pavilion and understood the nature of the menial task assigned to them. Unsure if Lier harbored any disdain, Ah Long dared not dwell on such thoughts and followed her lead.

Pushing the door open, an overwhelming stench hit them. Even Congwen Hu, usually composed, and Hefei couldn't help but hastily move to the side and began vomiting at the instant the door opened.

Dang Lier, who initially managed to hold back, couldn't resist any longer after witnessing the two retch. She joined the queue of vomiters, feeling her stomach growl loudly after emptying it due to the unpleasant smell filling the room. With the foul odor lingering in the air, Dang Lier vowed to include this in the list of punishments once she completed her task. It was simply too torturous!

"Are you all okay?" Ah Long asked, concerned for the three vomiting individuals.

The three looked up and saw Ah Long, seemingly unperturbed by the situation. They couldn't help but give him a thumbs-up in their minds.

"Here, cover your nose with this. It might help a bit."

Dang Lier took off a decorative headband and wrapped it around her nose. Then, she casually broke off a tree branch, used it to tie up her hair into a bun, and looked at the three, wondering why they hadn't reacted to the smell.

Suddenly, Dang Lier figured it out. In etiquette, apart from close relatives, displaying one's hair freely in front of others was considered impolite.

Dang Lier, at this moment, really wanted to peel open the heads of these three and see what was inside. No, why think so much at this point? 

Immediately, she took action, reaching out to remove Ah Long's headband. Although Ah Long tried to dodge, he managed to endure it.

Feeling Dang Lier's hand weaving through his hair, Ah Long sensed a gentle and warm touch. In just a few movements, she had bundled up all his hair, using a tree branch to secure it. Only a small part of the hair fell loosely at the back, distinguishing the gender.

Seeing this, Dang Lier prepared to move on to Congwen Hu for the next transformation. However, Congwen Hu immediately evaded and said, "I'll do it myself, I'll do it myself."

"What about you? Do you need help?" Dang Lier looked at Hefei.

Hefei felt a bit embarrassed. She had never tied her hair into a bun and had casually used a headband to tie a knot on her head today. So, she really needed Dang Lier's help and nodded slightly.

Unlike the gentle touch with Ah Long, Dang Lier handled Hefei's hair with even more caution, afraid of causing her pain.

After bundling everyone's hair, covering their noses, they walked towards the Gong Fang.

As soon as Dang Lier entered, she felt like she was being played. The place had two floors, with an unobstructed view in the middle. The mud walls stacked layers upon layers to create a four-square compartment with numerous dark holes underneath.

The ground floor was filled with various-sized and textured "Gong" buckets. On either side of the entrance were stairs leading up, providing a bird's-eye view of the central compartments. Inside, various dark green liquids floated, with unidentified chunks on the surface.

Even if Dang Lier couldn't smell, she couldn't resist the urge to vomit when she saw this. After enduring for a while, she continued to observe.

Above the four compartments, dozens of thick bamboo pipes were suspended. Dang Lier speculated that the daily waste was indeed carried by servants but not brought here. Instead, it was channeled through another way and discharged into the compartments through these bamboo pipes.

So, the task of moving waste to fertilize crops was just an excuse to harass them.

However, Dang Lier wasn't angry. On the contrary, she thought it was perfect. If she could find the mechanism for the waste channeling to the fields, she could use this time difference to explore.

She spoke, "Let's start. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can go back."

Everyone nodded, and they went downstairs to grab the Gong buckets.

"But how do we reach it? It's too high," Hefei said.

"Bring it here."

Ah Long took the bucket from Hefei, secured it on the hook, and sent it over through a nearby chain mechanism. Once it reached the liquid, the bucket sank, and after a moment, it was lifted back, sent back to its original position.

Ah Long secured the rope, untied it, and placed the bucket on the ground. He repeated these actions smoothly, as if he had done it hundreds of times.

Watching Ah Long, Dang Lier's eyes couldn't help but show a touch of pity. She couldn't help but wonder what Ah Long's previous life was like.

Like this, Ah Long continued working until he filled five buckets before stopping. Then, he took three bamboo poles from the side. Ah Long and Dang Lier each carried two buckets, while Congwen Hu and Hefei carried one together. They began their slow walk towards the farmland downhill.

During the first trip, Dang Lier accompanied the others. By the time they made the next two trips, the sky was already turning dusk. Dang Lier calculated that it was almost time.

"This won't work. Half of the farmland is still untouched. How about this?" Dang Lier suggested, placing the Gong bucket on her shoulders. Seeing this, the others also stopped.

Dang Lier continued, "Congwen Hu, you and Hefei take it slow. Ah Long, stay with them for support. I'll go faster, and we can make more trips."

"But it's getting dark. For safety's sake, let's stick together," Congwen Hu suggested.

Dang Lier shook her head, saying, "It's precisely because it's getting dark that we need to hurry. If we delay too much, not only will we miss dinner tonight, but who knows what excuses they'll find for us tomorrow."

Hearing Dang Lier's explanation, the others couldn't argue any further. If this continued every day, they would likely be worn down physically. They nodded in agreement with Dang Lier's proposal.

"I'll go ahead. Be careful, everyone," Dang Lier instructed.

"You too, take care!" Ah Long expressed his concern.

Dang Lier didn't understand why Ah Long looked at her that way, but she didn't dwell on it. She just smiled at the group and walked away briskly.

Once Dang Lier's figure was no longer visible, Congwen Hu looked at Ah Long, who seemed lost in thought, and said, "If you're worried, why don't you go after her?"

Ah Long immediately snapped out of it, saying, "But Lier told me..."

Congwen Hu chuckled, "It's either to complete today's task faster or help us faster. You go and help; it'll be quicker. Don't worry about us. This is their territory; as long as they want us to work, there's no real danger. Go ahead and help."

It seemed Ah Long found a suitable excuse for himself as well. He replied, "Okay, be careful, then. I'm going."

Congwen Hu and Hefei nodded. They lifted the Gong buckets again and moved forward slowly.

By the time Ah Long caught up with Dang Lier, she was already at the Gong Fang, crouched in a corner, studying the rows of bamboo gates.

"Which one leads to the farmland?" Dang Lier murmured to herself.

Thinking that she needed to figure out the gate first so she could open it upon her return, allowing her to wait with the buckets until Ah Long and the others arrived, Dang Lier was lost in thought.

Listening to Dang Lier's words from outside the door, Ah Long knew she must be planning something. However, in this ruthless place, he couldn't let her take risks.

So, Ah Long pushed the door open, but as soon as he entered, a burst of palm wind came at him. Ah Long immediately raised his hand to block, only to realize that it was Dang Lier attacking.

"Ah Long, why are you back? Didn't I ask you to follow Congwen Hu and the others?" Dang Lier asked.

"I'm worried about you," Ah Long replied hesitantly.

Dang Lier lightly chuckled, preparing to push Ah Long out of the door while saying, "There's nothing for you to worry about. Hurry and go find them."

But as Ah Long was pushed towards the door, he suddenly stopped, turned around, closed the door with a backhand, and took Dang Lier's hand, leading her to the corner where the bamboo gate mechanism was.

"I know," Ah Long said.

Dang Lier couldn't help but tighten her grip. She had never thought of harming Ah Long, but if... she transformed her right hand into a blade, hidden behind her back, and smiled, saying, "You know what?"

Ah Long lowered his head, paused for a moment, then raised it as if determined. He said, "I know that you must have something to do here. But no matter what it is, I'll accompany you, even if it means death."

Dang Lier was surprised. Although her purpose here wasn't entirely pure, during their previous encounter in the forest, Congwen Hu, Ah Long, and she had an unspoken understanding. Now, with Ah Long acting like this, what did he mean?

"You're from the Jueqing Pavilion. Why should I trust you?" Dang Lier said expressionlessly, withdrawing the hand held by Ah Long.

"No, I'm not," Ah Long denied hastily, but after a moment of thought, he continued, "Well, yes, I am from the Jueqing Pavilion."

Hearing Ah Long's admission, Dang Lier didn't hesitate. She immediately used her concealed right palm to strike towards Ah Long, thinking that she would knock him unconscious first.

But as Dang Lier's palm was about to touch Ah Long's skin, he didn't make any move to evade. He just stared at Dang Lier fixedly, making her feel uneasy.

"Why didn't you dodge?" Dang Lier asked.