Chapter 14: The Poison of Loyalty

The silence that followed Fang Heng's declaration was thick with awe. He had thrown himself on a political grenade to protect my "heroic" reputation. The disciples who had followed the elders here were looking at him with newfound respect. They were witnessing the birth of a legend's First Follower, a man as noble and self-sacrificing as the master he served.

It made me want to vomit.

He's not a shield. He's a sponge. He's absorbing all the potential rage and conflict and turning it into this... syrupy, heroic nonsense! He is actively working against my survival!

First Elder Chen's face was a thundercloud. His righteous fury had been neatly and surgically bypassed. He couldn't punish Fang Heng—a bright, well-regarded disciple—for a crime I had committed, especially not when Fang Heng was framing it as a noble act. And he couldn't punish me without looking like a petty tyrant in the face of such loyalty.

He was politically checkmated. His rage, with no legitimate outlet, turned inward, becoming a sullen, impotent resentment.

[Target's Emotional State: Righteous Fury -> Sullen Resentment.]

[Chaos conversion efficiency has dropped to 30%. Potential reward is now negligible.]

My chance was gone. The golden opportunity to provoke a sect leader into giving me a world-saving reward had been squandered by my own number one fan.

"Get up, Fang Heng," the First Elder ground out, his voice tight with frustration. "Do not be a fool."

"I will not," Fang Heng replied, his voice steady. "Not until you acknowledge the truth of Master Li's position."

This was a standoff. A terrible, Acclaim-generating standoff.

The System, sensing the change in circumstances, updated its command. The 'Yawn' mandate was cancelled, its potential lost. A new one took its place.

[Mandate Updated: The Merciful Master.]

[A Master does not allow his loyal followers to suffer for him.]

[Action: Place a hand on Fang Heng's shoulder and command him to rise.]

[Spoken Line Requirement: "Your loyalty is noted. But this is my path. I walk it alone."]

It was perfect. It was tragic. It would make me look even more heroic and noble, further cementing Fang Heng's dog-like devotion. It was the exact opposite of what I needed.

My body moved, a reluctant actor in a play I despised. I stepped forward and placed my hand on Fang Heng's shoulder. The warmth of the Phoenix Egg in my other arm felt like a mockery.

"Your loyalty is noted," my voice said, filled with a profound, weary sadness. "But this is my path. I walk it alone."

No, I don't! I need help! I need an army! I need someone to help me provoke people, not absolve me! You are the worst sidekick in the history of sidekicks!

Fang Heng looked up at me, his eyes filled with a burning, terrible understanding. "I will not let you," he vowed in a whisper.

The First Elder looked like he was about to burst a blood vessel. He was trapped. He finally threw his hands up in disgust.

"Fine!" he snapped. "The inquiry is postponed. But know this, Li Yao. I am watching you. The moment you step out of line—the moment your 'profound lessons' harm this sect—I will not be so lenient."

He turned on his heel and stormed away, his entourage of elders scrambling to follow. He had given me a warning. A threat. It was a promise of future conflict.

It was the best I was going to get.

The crowd of disciples exhaled, the tension broken. They looked at the scene—me, the lonely hero; Fang Heng, the loyal shield; the First Elder, the stern but ultimately cowed authority figure—and they saw a story worthy of a legend.

[Resolution: Public Standoff.]

[Acclaim Generated: A metric ton.]

[The Chains of Acclaim are now so heavy, you feel a slight gravitational pull towards the nearest statue of a heroic figure.]

[Inherent Cultivation Speed: -55%]

I helped Fang Heng to his feet. He gave me a look of unwavering solidarity.

"Thank you for your… intervention," I said, the words feeling like poison on my tongue.

"I told you. I will be your shield," he replied, his conviction absolute.

This was my new reality. I now had an anti-chaos field generator following me around. My life had just gotten infinitely more complicated. How was I supposed to provoke people for life-saving rewards when this guy was constantly running interference, reframing my every malicious act as a stroke of genius?

The answer was obvious. I couldn't provoke strangers or enemies anymore. It was too risky. Fang Heng would just "explain" it away.

I had to find a target so personal, so irrational, that no amount of heroic reframing could possibly defuse their rage. A target whose hatred for me was a fundamental constant of the universe.

I needed to find Chen Wei.

"Where is the infirmary?" I asked Fang Heng, my voice flat.

Fang Heng blinked, surprised by the sudden change of topic. "It is back near the outer sect courtyard, Master Li. Why?"

"I wish to check on Young Master Chen," I stated. "To see if my 'therapy' has had any lasting effects."

Fang Heng's eyes lit up with understanding. "Of course! A follow-up lesson! To check on the seed of strength you planted in the ruins of his pride. Brilliant! Shall I accompany you?"

Absolutely not. You are banned from my Chaos-generating activities. You will sit in a corner and think about what you've done.

"No," I said, my tone leaving no room for argument. "This is a delicate matter. I must attend to it personally."

"I understand," he said, bowing. "A master must sometimes work alone. I will begin investigating the lore of the Black-Hearted Serpent. We must be prepared for its return."

He was already proving useful, in a way that didn't involve sabotaging my main source of income. Small mercies.

I turned and walked away, the Phoenix Egg a warm weight against my chest. My destination was set.

It was time for another session with my most reliable patient. I had broken his spirit. I had broken his pride. Now, I needed to grind what was left into a fine powder and hope the resulting Chaos energy would be enough to forge a weapon. Because the serpent was coming back. And next time, a single-use amulet and a "profound" look of mercy wouldn't be enough.