"Take over the Hundred Medicine Garden at Qingshi Ridge and deliver a specified quantity of rare herbs annually." Upon seeing this golden-painted character on the bamboo scroll, Han Li was overjoyed. He then pointed to the scroll and looked up at Yu, the official, saying, "I'm particularly interested in this assignment—could Yu师兄 introduce me to a few details?" After hearing Han Li's words, Yu smiled and stepped closer. But as soon as he saw the assignment Han Li had chosen, his warm smile quickly turned into a wry, sorrowful expression. "Brother, perhaps you'd better consider a different assignment—this one is quite demanding and not well-suited for you," Yu said sincerely. Noticing Han Li's look of confusion, he added, "Since several years ago, this assignment has been posted here and many disciples have taken it up, yet each one has ultimately failed. Not only have they failed to earn any rewards, but they've actually been fined considerable amounts of spiritual stones. In fact, it's considered one of the most difficult tasks to complete here." By the way, I'm not afraid to be laughed at by Master Han—each year, I have to have my younger brothers and sisters draw lots to assign this task, and only then am I able to push it through!" Hearing this, Master Han found himself both amused and slightly puzzled, yet he didn't intend to give up just yet. So, with great humility, he asked, "Could Master kindly explain just what makes this task so difficult? How come so many senior masters haven't managed to complete it? Isn't it merely about overseeing the medicinal herbs in the garden? Isn't that really that hard?" "Wait—did Master Young choose the medicinal garden task assigned to Master Ma?" The elderly man with a leaf surname, having listened to their conversation, interrupted before the middle-aged steward could respond, frowning slightly. "Indeed! Master Han specifically chose the task assigned to Master Ma, which is widely considered one of the most challenging." The middle-aged steward looked utterly bewildered. Upon hearing this, the elder man smiled faintly, with a mixture of amusement and mild surprise. "Haha! Master Young truly has a keen eye! He's managed to spot the most demanding task right away!" Yet, this task is truly a headache—several people who were forced to take it have already complained to me. But since Master Ma refuses to easily alter the reward and penalty conditions, I'm completely at a loss! If Master Han wishes to know the detailed situation, I can take him to the inner hall to review the relevant records—this is far better than just hearing it from others! Unaccountably, the Director of the Hundred-Machine Hall, Ye, has been remarkably generous and has opened up all the doors for Master Han. Despite this, Han Li privately frowned. Wasn't this a bit too warm and enthusiastic? After all, he had given up his foundational pill to Ye, which seemed like a perfectly balanced exchange—so why was Ye so particularly friendly and attentive? Suppressing his curiosity, Han Li feigned deep appreciation and followed the elder who had handed him the bamboo scroll into a room behind the main hall, where stacks of various records were neatly piled. The elder picked up the bamboo scroll inside the room, gently waved it, and at once a shimmer of green light flashed—then a scroll floated automatically into his hands. He then turned it over and handed it to Han Li. Since things had now reached this point, Han Li didn't hesitate and took the scroll promptly, unfolding it neatly to read it carefully. The content of the scroll was not long—it merely recorded the personal accounts of the previous several disciples who had taken charge of the herb garden, along with their explanations for their eventual failures. Thus, Han Li went through it quickly and within a short while had a clear understanding of both the scope and the challenges of this task. "How do you think? Shall we try another assignment instead? Though the reward is quite generous, this task truly isn't something an ordinary disciple can accomplish," said the elder, clearly showing his concern. After listening to this, Han Li paused thoughtfully before decisively shaking his head. "Thank you, Elder Ye! However, this assignment fits my interests perfectly. I don't need to switch to any other task—I'll take this one!" The elder heard the firm tone in Han Li's words and was somewhat astonished, yet said nothing further, merely nodding in agreement. However, he did not immediately lead Han Li out of the room, but hesitated for a moment before speaking somewhat awkwardly. "Master Nei, regarding the transaction of the Foundation Pills we completed last time—could we possibly delay the delivery of the items involved? I'm currently preparing a batch of Harmonizing Pills and am rather short on resources, so I may not be able to handle the deliveries right now. But please don't worry—within a year or so, I will settle all the outstanding items." Though deeply agitated and profoundly resentful of the other's breach of agreement, he had to maintain a cheerful expression, speaking words that would please the other. This, perhaps, is the very tragedy of being a weak party. He thought bitterly. "What does my junior mean? Does he think I am someone who breaks promises and fails to uphold my word? I have pledged absolutely nothing less than what I have promised to you!" Upon hearing Han Li's words, the elderly man named Ye did not appear pleased at all. Instead, he stiffened his face, adopting the demeanor of a upright, honorable gentleman who would never engage in such petty duplicity. Han Li's smile, which had been strained to begin with, nearly collapsed under the weight of this response! The elder's patience was truly remarkable—though his true intention had been to revoke most of the items, he insisted on presenting himself as steadfast and faithful. A classic example of a hypocrite! Han Li could no longer contain his frustration and began silently cursing under his breath. Yet the smile on his face only lagged slightly before naturally shifting into a sincere expression, and he continued in a manner he himself found somewhat awkward: "Master Ye has mistaken me! In truth, I feel that, as a newcomer to this sect, these things are rather excessive. Therefore, I shall temporarily keep most of them at Master Ye's place—right now, I simply don't have the need to use them." Upon hearing韩立's seemingly insincere words, Master Ye's expression softened, and he nodded slightly, saying, "Indeed, your explanation makes sense! If new disciples become overly dependent on these external possessions, it can certainly hinder their cultivation. Then, as you suggested, let's temporarily store some of these items with me. Should you ever need them again, feel free to come and retrieve them at any time!" "That would be most kind of Master Ye!"韩立 managed a strong smile, though inside he was repeatedly reassuring himself. After all, these were merely material possessions—now was not the time to offend this elder! We'll settle everything—principal and interest—when the opportunity arises. "Ha ha, that's nothing! Let's go out instead!" The elder's mood had clearly improved. From there on, things went smoothly. With the assistance of his esteemed cousin Ye, Han Li managed to complete all the formalities without any hiccups and received the jade plaque signifying his official appointment. Under the warm guidance of the attendant, they then set off toward Jin Fu Ling's Hundred-Medicine Garden. "The elder didn't turn around, yet his words carried a subtle undercurrent of concern. 'He's going to report us?' the person behind coldly laughed. 'Isn't Wu Senior worried at all?' The leaf-named elder finally turned to face Wu, whose face was gloomy. 'What's there to worry about? This young man has been quite conscientious, exactly as we'd planned—he's said he'll temporarily store the items with you. He hasn't explicitly refused to return them; it's just a matter of temporary custody. What could he possibly report?' Wu Senior said with confidence. 'Still, I quite admire this young man. At his age, he already understands the art of knowing when to step forward and when to step back—remarkable! If he weren't simply lacking in potential, or if he weren't a false spiritual root, I'd actually be considering taking him under my wing!' Wu Senior added, his expression tinged with regret. 'Thankfully, he's not a rigid thinker. Otherwise, we'd have to resort to a different approach—and that would have been quite troublesome!' the leaf-named elder said slowly. "Alright, this young man has nothing to worry about! We two can crush him just as easily as we'd squash an ant. As for Ye Shizhong, this time he doesn't need to spend a fortune—don't forget the matter we agreed upon beforehand!" Wu Shangji suddenly changed the subject, hinting at something deeper. "I won't forget. The batch of Héqì Dan produced this time will be split evenly between us. Cough! To be honest, if it weren't for my nephew needing a large quantity of precious pills during his Foundation Stage cultivation, I'd never have the courage to let go of these offerings from the younger generation!" The elder with the surname Ye gently shook his head, appearing as though his principles were slipping. Upon hearing this, Wu Shangji smiled quietly, pleased in his heart: "Since Ye Shizhong has done such a petty thing, he now has a leverage point firmly in my hands. From now on, I won't have to worry about him leaning toward the other side in future discussions."