Chapter 16: A Friend We Lost

"Laborers!" Disciple Fanpin's bellow echoed across the huts, putting an end to many sweet dreams.Falling out of their beds, the laborers hurriedly left their huts to gather before the fire pit. Fanpin waited for five of the six laborers to show up before he pulled something from behind him and tossed it forward.It was a human head.Lanhua and Zhuge screamed as they jumped away, while the men tried their best to stomach their unease."This is why it makes no sense to give a warm welcome to new laborers," Fanpin said as he spat in front of him and silenced the screams. "Perhaps you guys felt that I'd be someone you could mess around with. This idiot certainly thought so, sneaking up the mountain last night. He got caught in a killing formation and accidentally died before I could save him."It was Pengzi who mustered his courage first, "Disciple Fan, I'm sorry. We all exchanged notes on the Sky Thunder Scripture last night and then went to bed. I didn't think that someone would be so foolhardy as to disobey your words.""Oh, so you're the leader of the laborers?" Fanpin turned his attention and his anger to Pengzi, who paled under the combined weight of both."No, I wouldn't dare call myself that. I simply believe that rules must be obeyed and seniority must be respected," Pengzi said, bowing his head down so that he could hide the red fluster creeping up his face."So who is this?" Fanpin asked.Pengzi took one more look at the head before responding, "I believe it's Brother Liu. His full name is Liubo. His hut is right behind you if you'd like to examine it.""It's fine. I don't need to. I'll overlook this breach from you all this once. Thank Liu for that, since he paid for that mercy with his own life. What was your name again?""Pengzi.""Good. Pengzi, you said that you liked rules, right? Then, make sure the other laborers don't make trouble. If something like this happens again, I'll hold you accountable. And trust me when I say that you all won't get off this easily if something like this happens again."Pengzi tried his best to hide his smile as he bowed his head low again. "Of course, Disciple Fan, I promise I won't disappoint you.""Good," Fanpin said. He reached behind and brought out a bag. "Now, I can understand accidents, but that doesn't change the fact that we have seventy-two terraces that need tending. His slack will have to be picked up by the others. I've brought five pounds of spirit rice. It should be enough to push you all further into the Earth Flesh Stage. It's an investment I'm making in you. Just know that I expect to see that investment repaid. If you haven't opened your aperture by the end of the month, I'll personally kick you out of the sect.""Thank you, Disciple Fan," Pengzi said as he took the bag with both hands.Five pounds of rice was enough to feed a family of four for an entire week. But that was a mortal estimation, made for mortal hunger. Cultivators, even those as low as the laborers, no longer needed to eat in the traditional sense of the word.If they were hungry, they could run a single cycle of cultivation and feel satiated. Most of the laborers would probably save the spirit rice, to be used only when absolutely necessary."And remember. Do not try to go up the mountain, or you'll end up like this idiot."That's weird, Xun thought. The disciple had made such a large fuss in front of the other laborers, but didn't even do something as basic as check Liubo's hut for other evidence.When Fanpin was gone, everyone thawed. Before anyone could say anything, Pengzi lowered his new bag of rice to the ground and walked over to the head. "I think we should bury Liubo first.""I agree," Lanhua said. "He might have just been curious. How could he know that Disciple Fan had placed a killing formation in the forest?"Xun joined Pengzi and took a more careful look at the head. A look of fear and confusion was etched on Liubo's face, his eyes still open. He crouched down to close the eyes."How about we bury him in the small hill to the right?" Xun suggested."Sure." Pengzi took a deep breath and apologized to the head before picking it up. "Wangpan, Xun, get the shovels from your huts. Zhuge, can you find something for the grave marker? Lanhua, can you find some flowers?"Together, the laborers dug a small grave for Liubo and placed a couple of wildflowers next to a wood stake that read, "Liubo. A friend we lost when starting the path to eternity."Once all of that was done, the group returned to the center fire pit in low spirits. Pengzi, though, snapped out of his depression and stepped forward to claim the bag of spirit rice. "How do you guys want to split this?"The laborers looked at each other. The meaning behind Pengzi's question was obvious: he wanted more rice than the others. But at the same time, no one wanted to make an enemy on their second day as a laborer."Perhaps Sister Lan should decide. She was one of the most responsible people during our studies," Xun suggested.He had seen the looks Pengzi gave her during the hike to the farm; Disciple Fanpin had the exact same expression. While Lanhua wasn't as beautiful as Yifan, she was still one of the prettiest Xun had seen in his new life. Unlike Pengzi, Lanhua didn't have the social capital to try anything nefarious with the rice distribution."How about an equal split into five portions?" she offered."That makes sense to me," Xun said.The other laborers easily agreed. Lanhua gave Xun a look of gratitude. In asking her to divide the rice, he gave her the opportunity to take charge of rice distributions in the future. It was a small but important privilege, especially when the spirit rice was probably going to be the main cultivation resource they had.But Xun had bigger problems than the division of the rice. He smelled something fishy about Liubo's death, something that he was sure would eventually be a problem. The sooner he could see to learning more about that, the better.