Chapter 1: When the father suffers humiliation, the son must avenge him

  "Oh, I see." The three of them exchanged a glance, and their eyes all flashed with a hint of skepticism, clearly not believing Kizuki's excuse. However, Kizuki didn't seem to mind, her expression remaining calm as ever.

  "Cough! I've been trying to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill for some time now, and my efforts have finally paid off. Just yesterday, I successfully refined one." Duan Huaming's face flashed with a hint of pride as he took out a Foundation Establishment Pill from his storage bag and placed it in his hand, but his eyes kept darting towards Ji Yuwu.

  "Foundation Establishment Pill! I never thought that Brother would be able to successfully refine the Foundation Establishment Pill on his own, he must be about to advance to a third-grade alchemist soon." Liu Yu Ru's face showed a few shades of surprise, and then was filled with envy.

  Li Yue also congratulated him, but his expression was slightly awkward and his face looked a bit ugly.

  However, what disappointed Duan Huaming was that Ji Yuwu only lightly said a word of congratulations, and her expression didn't change in the slightest. This made Duan Huaming somewhat greatly disappointed. Didn't she know that being able to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill at such a young age was an inconceivable matter?

  At this moment, a figure slowly stepped into the hall, looking at so many people in front of him, seemingly slightly stunned, and then calmly greeted: "Xiao Chen has seen all the brothers and sisters."

  Ji Yue Wu's eyes lit up, and the cold expression on her face slightly eased. She nodded lightly.

  Duan Huaming and Li Yuetou, although they didn't get along with each other, both acknowledged that the other had the qualifications to pursue Ji Yuwu. However, Xiao Chen was just a useless person without any spiritual roots, yet he dared to be so presumptuous, which made the two of them secretly resentful.

  As for Liu Yu Ru, from start to finish, she didn't even spare a glance at this useless and talentless junior brother.

  "Listening to Brother Duan say that Xiao Shidi is now studying the refining of Zhuji Dan, such progress is truly admirable for Brother Duan. Could it be that today's exit from the sect and Brother Duan are also successful in refining it?" Li Yue turned her eyes, smiling with a hint of profundity.

  Ji Yue Wu's eyebrows slightly furrowed upon hearing this, but she didn't say a word. Her eyes fell on Xiao Chen, with a hint of expectation in them.

  Xiao Chen's eyebrows slightly furrowed upon hearing this, as he still needed to think of a way to resolve the bottleneck in his foundation building. He didn't want to draw attention to himself, so he calmly said: "The difficulty of refining the Foundation Establishment Pill is extremely high, and I'm just not talented enough. I was only trying to get a little familiar with it, naturally I didn't succeed. Today, I came here simply to fulfill my promise and return the Foundation Establishment Pill."

  Although she knew it was just a luxury, Ji Yue's eyes dimmed slightly, and she let out a silent sigh in her heart. For some reason, she always had an inexplicable feeling towards this junior brother, especially after their last "encounter", his figure would appear in her mind from time to time.

  "Alas, having fate but no luck, since it's like this, why think more."

  Ji Yuewu's change in gaze did not escape Xiao Chen's eyes. He hesitated for a moment, then turned over his hand and took out a foundation pill from his storage bag, handing it to her. He immediately stepped back and said, "Thank you, Ji Shizhi. The original medicine is returned." After speaking, he ignored the mocking expressions on Duan Huaming's face and others, turning around and leaving directly.

  "Hmph! I've said it before, Junior Sister lending him the Foundation Establishment Pill is just a waste of her own cultivation. He can refine the Foundation Establishment Pill? What a joke!" Duan Huaming's face was full of disdain, with an expression that seemed to say this kid wouldn't be able to catch up to him even if he cultivated for another thousand or eight hundred years.

  Li Yue also had a look of approval on her face. These small shrimps and fish even dared to have evil thoughts about Ji Shizhi, it was simply ignorant of their own mortality.

  Liu Yurou burst out laughing, seemingly finding Xiao Chen's "狼狈退去" extremely amusing.

  "Alright, I'm a bit tired today. Please go back, senior brothers and sisters." Ji Yuwu seemed to be in a bad mood, picked up her teacup, and spoke lightly.

  Duan Huaming and others also understood her temperament, smiled upon hearing this, and stood up one after another to bid farewell.

  After the three people walked far away, Ji Yue Wu opened her palm and looked at the middle-grade foundation-building pill in her hand, which was round and white with a faint glow. A smile appeared on her face, "Middle-grade foundation-building pill, it seems that these three people are indeed blind to the truth, they didn't see through anything. Xiao Chen, how much did you hide, I'm really curious."

  "Alas! I'm not experienced enough, my heart is not calm enough, and I couldn't withstand the test!" Xiao Chen flew away while sighing, with a regretful expression. He had given Ji Yuewu a mid-grade foundation-establishing pill, which undoubtedly revealed too much information. If she were to investigate further, the secret that Xiao Chen was desperately protecting might be discovered. If the news spread out, the consequences would be unbearable.

  "Whatever, it's either good fortune or bad luck. Since I've already done it, regret is useless now. If the news really leaks out, then I'll just pretend I misjudged you and make a run for it at worst. Besides, I don't believe you're that kind of person!" Xiao Chen's eyes were determined as he suddenly sped up, dashing straight towards Yao Gu.

  "Hmm?" Xiao Chen furrowed his brow, intentionally pretending not to sense the rapid approach of the aura behind him, and flew straight forward.

  "Xiao Chen, stop right there!" Two cold voices came from behind him.

  Xiao Chen's expressionless face turned around, and he saw that Ming Hua and Li Yue were coming over with a fierce aura, while Liu Yuju was following behind them with an excited look on her face, occasionally casting pitiful glances at Xiao Chen.

  "Halt!" The three of them simultaneously retracted their lights and blocked the way forward.

  Xiao Chen's eyebrows furrowed again, and he fell to the ground, neither servile nor overbearing, cupping his hands: "I don't know what business Master Brother and Master Sister have?"

  Duan Huaming's eyes flashed with a few points of disgust upon hearing this, he couldn't stand Xiao Chen's calm and composed appearance. A lowly existence without even a spiritual root dared to put on an air of equality in front of them, truly not knowing life from death.

  "Let's get straight to the point, we don't have much time to waste on you. Xiao Chen, from now on, it's best if you keep your distance from Ji Shimei. Ji Shimei has exceptional talents in cultivation and alchemy, even being recognized as a core disciple by the sect leader. How could someone like you, who is destined to be mediocre without any spiritual roots, possibly compare to her? If you want to continue living comfortably in Luoyun Valley, then do as I say. Otherwise... Hmph!"

  Li Yue stood beside him with an icy expression, though she didn't say a word, her eyes looking at Xiao Chen were also filled with coldness.

  Liu Yu Ru's face had a hint of playfulness, with a smile that seemed to suggest she found the situation quite amusing.

  "I may only be a nominal disciple of Master Shi, but I'm also equivalent to you in status, not your servant or slave. What makes you think you can order me around? It's true that someone has been coveting Sister Ji, but I don't think it's me, Xiao Chen?" Xiao Chen sneered coldly, and at this moment, with the help of the Golden Seal, his cultivation skyrocketed to the 15th layer of Qi Refining in a short period of time. With just one hand, he could slap Duan Huaming to death, so naturally, he was full of confidence.