After the winter hunt ended, the bustling Bear Tiger Mountain was completely deserted.

The ground was covered with wild beasts, naturally handled by the servants from the Servant Room.

Luo Fang swung his whip, cracking it loudly in the air. The servants quickened their steps, not daring to slack off for fear of the whip landing on them.

The uncle and nephew walked side by side at ease, without any heavy burdens, whispering about the incident just now.

"You worthless thing, look at Li Xian, and then look at yourself. Just seeing you makes me angry."

"Uncle, I've figured it out. Master Li is someone we can't compete with. Losing to him wasn't because I'm useless, but because he's too fierce."

"You worthless thing, how dare you bring this up? If it weren't for you, would he have what he has today?"

"Uncle, even if you replaced me with a young you at that time, you might not have won either."

"What nonsense are you talking? Do you think your uncle is someone who would lose to that little punk?"

"Before long, Master Li will become a B-class Nursing Home. I remember, uncle, you only ever reached C-class Nursing Home at best. Besides, the best beast you caught during the winter hunt was just a spotted deer. What comparison is there to that freak?"

"Moreover, some people are born with the fate of a master. We should kneel and bow, trying to curry favor. People of such caliber won't bother with small ants like us."

However, Luo Fang had lost his former confidence, with worry written all over his face.

He had secretly been fearing that if he could set aside old grudges, he would gladly kneel, beg, and offer treasures.

But then...

There was the incident with Li Xiaofan.

Trying to laugh off past grievances had now become difficult. For now, perhaps there were still some peaceful days to come.

Once Li Xian gains a firm foothold, he could be disastrous for Luo Fang.

"Damn it, who knew this kid would progress so quickly?"

...

...

Meanwhile.

In the Vegetarian Restaurant, Pang Long and Li Xian sat at the same table. Because the promotion matter was not yet finalized, the Vegetarian Restaurant only provided C-class meals.

But there was no shortage of meat and vegetable dishes, glistening with oil and emitting a tantalizing aroma, looking very appetizing.

"You kid, you really opened my eyes."

Pang Long thought his achievements were good, but compared to Li Xian, they seemed insignificant.

"Just lucky," Li Xian said with a smile.

"Don't be modest; to achieve such results is your skill." Pang Long cheerfully said, "In no time, you'll be a B-class Nursing Home. You're considered my competent assistant."

"Probably by tomorrow morning during training, you'll become a B-class Nursing Home."

"As for the perks and patrol regulations, understand them yourself, I won't delve into them."

Pang Long ordered a bowl of egg drop soup. He dipped the food into the soup, and in a gulp, more than half was gone.

"Does it taste better eating that way?" Li Xian asked, perplexed by the question that had been on his mind.

"It's quicker," Pang Long downed it in one go, put down his bowl and chopsticks, and left.

It's heard that he recently made further progress… getting closer to a state of Rebirth.

Plenty of meat from Bear Tiger Mountain, but their taste was mediocre. The chefs at the Vegetarian Restaurant had genuinely good skills.

The dishes suited his palate well, the seasoning was just right.

Li Xian focused on his meal, and the roaming Nursing Homes discussed fervently. Currently, Li Xian was unmatched in popularity within the manor.

Zhao Han and two others saw his back from afar and didn't even dare to greet him.

After eating and drinking to his fill, with today's matters settled, Li Xian rarely had leisure and strolled around the outer courtyard.

Remembering the wild beast fights, life's risks, and survivor tactics, he couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

"Now successfully becoming a B-class Nursing Home is naturally very good."

"But my Martial Arts Cultivation hasn't kept pace. Among the B-class Nursing Homes, I'm definitely at the bottom."

"It's best to improve quickly."

In any place, personal strength is always the top priority. Without strength, it would be difficult to hold onto the position of B-class Nursing Home.

Throughout Yihetang Manor, there are fifteen B-class Nursing Homes.

He strolled to a pleasant scenic spot.

Li Xian sat down on the ground, hands propping him up, letting the cool breeze blow his long hair, tickling his nose a little.

Reflected in the lake, his face looked handsome, eyebrows like peaks, eyes like stars, his hair had grown long. Yet it didn't appear messy, instead, it added a touch of unconventional grace.

"That lady surely loves the winter hunt."

"On usual days, it's hard to even see her, let alone hear her speak so much."

Li Xian thought leisurely.

In fact, out of the entire year, the Nursing Homes could only see the lady on the winter hunt settlement day.

At other times, even the A-class Nursing Homes rarely heard her voice.

...

...

The next day.

After morning training, Pang Long came over with a smile, announcing Li Xian's promotion from [C-class Nursing Home] to [B-class Nursing Home].

This elicited numerous envious glances; few were unconvinced, as yesterday's achievements were truly impeccable.

"You shouldn't be envious, nor have other thoughts."

"Every year there is a winter hunt, but to achieve such results, only Li Xian has."

"No wonder the lady looks at him with new eyes."

Pang Long stood with hands behind his back, using Li Xian as a benchmark to inspire passion among the Nursing Homes.

After the group dispersed, many B-class and C-class Nursing Homes immediately gathered around, asking him for archery tips. As for the A-class Nursing Homes, thinking themselves a cut above, they wanted to learn archery but found it beneath them to ask.

Such thinking was truly amusing.

Those who came to ask, Li Xian didn't directly refuse; he shot two arrows, teaching part of the technique.

How much they could comprehend depended on their individual perception.

...

The token for the B-class Nursing Home is orange-red.

Each day only requires two hours of patrol, roughly one night patrol per week. But without application and special reasons, leaving the manor is still forbidden.

In the end,

all four classes of Nursing Homes, no matter how high-ranking, are still just Nursing Homes, bonded servants.

If this isn't understood, it could easily displease the lady; just a frown from her could revert everything to the beginning.

"Li Xian, isn't it."

"A wild rabbit, bounty ten coins, three deer, bounty one tael each, four Tiger Beasts, bounty four taels each, three Bear Beasts, bounty four taels each."

"A total of eleven taels and four hundred ten coins."

"Additionally, one Deer Blood Pill, one Tiger Blood Pill, one Bear Gall Pill."

"You may enter the Leisure Martial Pavilion once."

The Accountant stopped what he was doing, carefully observing Li Xian, "I remember you seemed to be..."

"A servant? Sold yourself as a servant for just over five hundred coins a couple of months ago?"

The tone was hesitant, very uncertain, thinking perhaps he remembered wrongly?

"That's me." Li Xian nodded cheerfully.

"Impressive, impressive." The Accountant clapped in admiration, "In all my years at the manor, you are the first of your kind I've seen."

Li Xian humbly replied, "Just lucky, and fortunate to have the support of Commander Pang."

The Accountant said, "Eleven taels of silver and the corresponding elixirs are all in this brocade bag, take it."

"Thank you, Uncle Xiang." Li Xian bowed, taking it with cheer. The Accountant's surname was Xiang, and everyone called him Uncle Xiang. What his full name was, no one really knew anymore.

But it was said that Uncle Xiang was one of the earliest housekeepers following the lady. Even before Pang Long and Qiuyue.

Thinking about it, it made sense, as managing the accounts was equivalent to controlling the lifeblood of the manor. Naturally, it needed to be handled by someone trustworthy.

"Yes..." Uncle Xiang continued calculating the accounts while speaking, "The lady mentioned to me in passing."

"Your hunt of the Ghost Pattern Tiger and the Mother and Child Long-Tongued Bear achieved merit. Besides the money rewards, there's an additional reward."

"Oh? What's the reward?" Li Xian hadn't heard any rumors about it.

Uncle Xiang was quite willing to say a few more words, "What do you think the lady conducts the winter hunt for? It's to collect the blood of a hundred beasts for the medicated bath."

"The surplus is then rewarded to others."

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