The two didn’t stop running until they reached an abandoned shed behind the laundry quarters. Inside, with gasping breaths and shining eyes, they sat down and devoured the yams like starving wolves.
"Worth it," Fatty Kui mumbled, his cheeks stuffed like twin dumplings.
Han Yu let the syrupy sweetness lt on his tongue, then sighed with bliss. "If cultivating tasted like this, I’d be a Saint by now."
Fatty Kui paused mid-bite, eyes squinting as inspiration struck. "Hey... what if we opened our own kitchen in the sect? Just imagine it—’Fatty and Han’s Cultivator Cuisine.’ Signature dish: Spirit-Stir-Fried Turnips with Enlightennt Sauce."
"Sounds like a great way to get expelled," Han Yu laughed, nearly choking on a yam chunk.
They clinked yam halves together like wine glasses.
"To chaos," Han Yu grinned.
"To sweet, glorious rebellion," Fatty Kui added, eyes twinkling.
And for one quiet night, the sect’s most troubleso newly reunited duo feasted in triumph—unaware that a very irate kitchen elder would be launching an official investigation at sunrise, complete with wanted posters: "Yam Bandits – Dead or Dealt With."
With their little escapade wrapped up, the two returned to Han Yu’s courtyard.
"Hey, why are you staying here?" Han Yu asked, blinking in confusion as he saw Fatty Kui follow him in like a loyal, oversized puppy.
"Why? Is there a problem?" Fatty Kui looked genuinely surprised.
"I an, don’t you have your own place? Being the disciple of an elder and all?" Han Yu squinted. "My courtyard’s probably held together with spirit glue and regrets compared to yours."
"Ugh, if I go back, Master will put on the training regin again," Fatty Kui groaned dramatically, flopping down like a beached whale.
"So you’re saying... you don’t want to cultivate while being in a cultivation sect?" Han Yu raised a brow.
"I do! I really do!" Fatty Kui held up his hands. "But Master pushes things a bit too much. He wants to learn this special cultivation technique, but to do that, my body needs to be stronger."
"Huh... Is it different? Aren’t you using the sa cultivation technique as ? The Signature Twin Leaf Qi Refining Manual?" Han Yu asked, tilting his head.
"I am, but just temporarily," Fatty Kui explained. "With my Spiritual Gluttony Physique, the sect’s main technique isn’t the best for . Master said the one he has in mind will let cultivate faster."
"Hmm... So he needs you to have a tougher body." Han Yu rubbed his chin. "Just the Body Tempering Realm durability isn’t enough?"
"No. Master said I need to be able to endure a hundred boulders being dropped on to be qualified to learn it," Fatty Kui said with all the seriousness of a man discussing his own funeral arrangents.
Han Yu stared. Then imagined a montage of Fatty Kui being pancaked repeatedly by a rain of cartoonish boulders. The ntal image was both horrifying and hilarious.
"Damn... You really got it hard," Han Yu muttered with a wince.
"Yeah. He trains by putting a boulder on and wants to do squats! Squats! Under a boulder!" Fatty Kui nearly cried, his voice trembling with trauma.
"That’s harsh." Han Yu nodded solemnly. "I too was once crushed by a boulder. And died. So yeah, I get it."
SIGH.
"It might be hard, but you should go back," Han Yu said after a pause, tone serious now. "Avoiding pain right now would just delay your progress."
"Mmm... You really think so, Brother?" Fatty Kui asked, looking up with a wobbly lip.
"Yeah." Han Yu nodded firmly. "Just get stronger. Then you can boulder squat with pride."
"Alright. I’ll go back then," Fatty Kui said, puffing his chest as he stood dramatically.
But just as he was about to step out, he froze.
"AH! I almost forgot!" Fatty Kui’s face lit up with a look of pure horror and realization.
"What now?" Han Yu braced himself.
"My master also told about a mission!" Fatty Kui exclaid. "It was the entire reason he let out in the first place!"
"And you forgot that very thing... You still haven’t changed." Han Yu rolled his eyes so hard it could’ve been a technique.
"Hehe, I got hungry and forgot." Fatty Kui chuckled sheepishly, scratching his head.
"So what’s the mission?" Han Yu asked.
"Well, you know about the missions we have to take as disciples, right?" Fatty Kui asked, getting back on track.
"Yeah." Han Yu nodded.
All disciples of the Twin Leaf Peak Sect had to take on regular missions. These were divided into Minor and Major Missions.
Minor Missions were simple tasks like delivering items, escorting rchants, helping fix formations, doing guard duty, and other low-stakes errands.
Major Missions, on the other hand, were a whole other beast. These involved investigating missing people, hunting down spirit beasts, taking special commissions as alchemists, blacksmiths, or formation masters—or even sothing insane like participating in a sect war.
Outer Court disciples had to complete at least five minor missions or two major ones every year.
Inner Court disciples, being more important (and smug about it), only had to complete one or two major missions annually and were exempt from minor ones. This was both a reward and to allow them more ti to cultivate—or nap in peace.
That said, missions gave rit points and other rewards, so many disciples did more than required anyway.
The mission that had once led to Han Yu’s first death had also been a Major Mission. Though he shouldn’t have been sent on one as a new outer court disciple, it had all been a sche by Murong Xie and his lackeys. A deadly sche.
"Well, Master said I’ll have to take a mission soon and already picked one out for . But since it’s a Major Mission, it needs at least three disciples," Fatty Kui said. "He sent out to find teammates."
"I see... So you want to go with you?" Han Yu guessed easily.
"Yep! Who else is better than my brother?" Fatty Kui said proudly, puffing his chest like a waterlon.
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