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Han Yunzhi opened the bottle of elixir and took in its pure fragrance. Her round eyes shimmered like the night, reflecting the soft glow of the pills inside. She carefully counted them—eight high-quality foundation-building pills. Her heart swelled with emotion.
Brother Qi had gone to such lengths to find these for her.
She lifted her head slightly, her gaze filled with tenderness as she looked at the man before her. Overcome with emotion, she tried to hold back her tears, but they slipped down her cheeks despite her efforts.
"Brother Qi, do I look ugly when I cry?"
Qi Yuan gently wiped away her tears, his fingers brushing against her cheeks with warmth. He pinched her nose playfully, his voice soft.
"Not at all. My Yunzhi could never be ugly. I just wish I could love you more."
Her cheeks flushed a deep red. She placed her hands on his shoulders, her clear eyes flickering beneath delicate brows. Lowering her head, she murmured, "Brother Qi always knows how to make me happy. But just now, I was crying with a runny nose… wasn't that ugly?"
Qi Yuan chuckled. "Yunzhi, when you succeed in building your foundation, I'll take you into Yellow Maple Valley. That way, I'll feel more at ease with you by my side."
She hesitated. "I was once a disciple of Lingshou Mountain. Can I really join Yellow Maple Valley? If it will bring trouble to you, I don't want to go." Her body trembled slightly as she leaned against him for support.
Qi Yuan held her close and reassured her. "Don't worry. Many disciples from Lingshou Mountain have been accepted into the six great sects. I'll handle everything."
Rather than letting her remain a wandering cultivator, it was better to give her the status of a sect disciple. That way, he could guide her properly in cultivation and ensure her safety when war broke out.
Yunzhi narrowed her eyes, a small sigh escaping her lips as she nodded in agreement.
At the border between Yuanwu Kingdom and Yue Kingdom, the landscape was rugged and desolate. Steep mountains loomed, shrouded in thick mists where monsters and venomous creatures lurked. Few mortals dared to enter, and those who tried were reduced to mere bones, forgotten by time.
Qi Yuan left the Yellow Maple Valley market and flew toward Yuanwu Kingdom, keeping his aura hidden to avoid drawing attention. He wore a wide-brimmed hat and simple brown linen robes, blending into his surroundings.
His journey had two purposes—finding Xin Ruyin and refining the monster materials from the blood-colored forbidden land into magic weapons. He also planned to sell the Green Dragon Flag and Han Tianya's magic weapon. Staying in Yue Kingdom for a while meant he couldn't openly use weapons from his enemies, or he would risk being targeted.
As he traveled through remote areas, he carefully avoided groups of cultivators. But after several hours of flight, just as he was about to leave the mountain range, he sensed fluctuations of magic power nearby.
A battle was taking place.
Qi Yuan observed from a distance and saw a Foundation Establishment cultivator using two humanoid puppets to toy with a stout young man in the Qi Condensation Stage. Scenes like this were common in the world of cultivation, where the strong preyed on the weak.
He had no intention of intervening and planned to take a detour. However, he kept several high-level talismans ready in his sleeve, just in case.
Despite his efforts to avoid trouble, the Foundation Establishment cultivator noticed him and suddenly launched a flurry of attacks in his direction.
Qi Yuan dodged, his expression darkening. He hadn't sought trouble, yet danger still found him. Without hesitation, he released three condensed bead talismans. Water vapor gathered, compressing into droplets that shot forward at high speed.
At the same time, a pair of red flying knives streaked through the air, closing in on the old cultivator from both sides.
The sudden counterattack shocked the old man. He had assumed Qi Yuan was an ordinary passerby, but in an instant, he realized he was facing another Foundation Establishment cultivator—one who wielded high-level talismans and top-tier magic weapons with practiced ease.
Panicked, he recalled his puppets to defend himself, abandoning his fight with the Qi Condensation cultivator.
The water droplets struck the humanoid puppets, rendering them motionless. Frustration flashed in the old man's eyes as he summoned a pair of golden bracelets. They radiated golden light as they shot forward, colliding with the red flying knives and forcing them back.
Seeing this, the old man smirked, believing that Qi Yuan was not as formidable as he first appeared. If he played his cards right, he might even seize Qi Yuan's treasures.
But just as he was lost in thought, a streak of white light shot out of nowhere, binding him completely. His body stiffened as he realized his magic power had been sealed.
A sharp green light pierced through his forehead before he could even react.
His last thought before dying was astonishment—so many top-tier magic weapons…
The young Qi Condensation cultivator, who had been struggling moments ago, stood frozen in disbelief. The battle had ended too quickly.
In just the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the enemy was gone.
Qi Yuan calmly retrieved his weapons and descended to the ground, searching the corpse. He collected the old man's storage bag, as well as the golden bracelets—another set of high-tier magic tools.
As for the humanoid puppets, they were useless after being damaged. He didn't bother picking them up.
After securing what he needed, he conjured three fireballs and burned the corpse to ash.
As he turned to leave, the young cultivator below called out.
"Please wait, senior. I am Qi Yunxiao. I wish to invite you to my home and properly thank you for saving my life."
Qi Yuan paused mid-air. He turned back, his gaze sharp.
What a coincidence.
"You're Qi Yunxiao?"
The young man hesitated at the recognition in Qi Yuan's voice. Bowing respectfully, he asked, "Senior, do you know me?"
(End Of Chapter)