Ning returned to the sect to prioritize the completion of his mission. He wanted to ensure that no unforeseen accidents would disrupt his mission, so he made the prudent decision to postpone his experiment for the time being.

This was particularly important considering that he currently lacked the necessary tools to facilitate the experiment. Without the appropriate equipment, attempting the experiment would be futile and could potentially lead to inaccurate results or even setbacks.

So, Ning made his way back to the sect, the journey itself uneventful. However, upon entering the sect, he stumbled upon an intriguing scene that had captured the attention of a crowd of outer disciples.

In an era without the distractions of the internet or phones, it was no surprise that any interesting event would draw the curiosity of onlookers.

Of course, the reason Ning found it interesting was because one of them was Xiao Fan. This guy just can't catch a break. Each moment he suddenly gets involved in one incident after another.

He seems to be experiencing a life filled with constant turmoil while Ning, in contrast, enjoyed a peaceful and uneventful cultivation journey. It almost seemed as though they were living in completely different worlds within the same sect.

However, Ning's curiosity got the better of him. With lingering doubts about the abnormality surrounding Xiao Fan, he couldn't pass up the opportunity to observe the situation firsthand.

Additionally, he couldn't deny that the prospect of witnessing another episode in Xiao Fan's eventful life was just too high-quality entertainment to ignore.

"You piece of trash! You must have lied. How could trash like you complete such a difficult mission?" The person facing Xiao Fan shouted, his face contorted with rage.

Ning couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the escalating situation. Was this what they called the legendary provoking physique? It seemed that even the completion of a seemingly random mission could enrage someone to such an extent. At this point, he would not be surprised if Xiao Fan got into a fight with a stranger just because he continued to just exist.

However, to Ning's surprise, Xiao Fan didn't back down this time. Instead of just ignoring the provocation as he had done in the past, he stood his ground and issued a challenge in response. "You sure talk a lot of nonsense. Why don't you come and find out for yourself if I cheated?"

He took a fighting stance.

Of course, while such a scene was going on, a random guy didn't forget to give out the details...

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"That's Brother Hua Ming. He had attempted the same mission that Xiao Fan completed, but he ended up failing."

"Is that so?"

The small crowd got busy discussing the details while Ning was confused. Is it common for some random bystander to know such details?

In the end, Ning just gave up and focused on the scene before him.

...

Upon hearing the crowd's taunts, Hua Ming's anger surged even higher. Being regarded as one of the stronger outer sect disciples, it was a blow to his pride to hear that Xiao Fan, the infamous "Trash," had succeeded where he had failed. Especially, he was mocked by his seniors, with comments like, "You can't even complete a mission that a trash can handle? What a weakling!"

Even Xiao Fan seemed to be mocking him, by just not admitting he was a trash who cheated. This only fueled Hua Ming's rage, and he couldn't help but bellow, "You are courting death!" With a murderous glare, he lunged toward Xiao Fan, intent on teaching him a lesson.

Xiao Fan had no intention of running away, as he took a stance that further seemed to aggravate not only Hua Ming but the crowd as well.

People were constantly murmuring shouts like, "This guy is dead." How dare he try to take senior brother Hua's blow" further amusing Ning. While the crowd's comments may have seemed futile, they inadvertently provided him with additional information.

Amidst the chaos, Ning's keen ears caught fragments of conversation and gleaned tidbits of knowledge like how Hua Ming was a seasoned second-stage Qi Condensation cultivator. In light of this information, the skepticism surrounding Xiao Fan's abilities seemed somewhat reasonable. After all, Xiao Fan had embarked on his cultivation journey around the same time as Ning, making him a noob to the world of cultivation.

But Ning did not dare underestimate Xiao Fan, considering the possibility that he might be a protagonist, and his intuition proved to be true. Xiao Fan effortlessly evaded Hua Ming's blow, leaving the crowd even more astonished.

Hua Ming, however, refused to give up and unleashed a relentless flurry of attacks, all of which Xiao Fan skillfully dodged. After the tenth attack, Xiao Fan swiftly closed the distance between them and delivered a lightning-fast strike to Hua Ming's stomach.

The impact sent Hua Ming flying backward, coughing up blood. It seemed like a calculated move on Xiao Fan's part. Despite his injuries, Hua Ming struggled to his feet, pointing a trembling finger at Xiao Fan.

"Y-You trash must have cheated. I-I will not forget this," Hua Ming managed to utter, his provocation still present even in his weakened state. Even Ning couldn't help but be impressed by Hua Ming's audacious behavior, seemingly seeking his own demise.

Truly, there was no lack of death-seeking cultivators in this world.

In the end, Xiao Fan delivered a single punch to Hua Ming's stomach, causing him to faint. As the crowd looked on in awe, Xiao Fan cast a disdainful glance over them before calmly walking away. The spectators parted ways, creating a path for him to pass through.

"The trash defeated Hua Ming..." These words echoed throughout the crowd, but by the time they would have reached Ning's ears, he had already departed from the scene.

Ning swiftly made his way to the Mission Hall, where he presented the poisonous lilies as proof of completing his first mission. The clerk nodded and handed him a small pouch containing sparkling stones that emitted a faint aura of Qi. Clutching the pouch in his hand, Ning walked away, a slight smile playing on his lips.

As he strolled along, thoughts swirled in Ning's mind. Hua Ming, an experienced second-stage cultivator, had been bested by Xiao Fan. That only meant Xiao Fan had advanced as well. Truly, this guy is seeming more and more like a protagonist.