"Sigh... how will I know where he went? Yan Xi, aren't you being too paranoid?"

Hearing her constant anxious chatter, Zhiran raised his hand, stopping her barrage of questions.

Now that he got what he came for, he didn't need to keep up his amiable expression for this so-called sister-in-law.

Although he held no grudge against her, she was someone who admired Tianyu extremely after all.

They weren't on the same team in the first place.

"Paranoid?"

Yan Xi worried that Tianyu might have left because she didn't gift him the Spirit Nurturing Lotus. That was why she was anxious and wanted to know his whereabouts from Zhiran.

After all, he was the clan brother of Mo Tianyu and quite close to him, right?

Unexpectedly, what she got in return was being called 'paranoid'. For a moment, she lapsed into confusion.

"Otherwise?"

Zhiran didn't care about her expression, nor her realm or background.

He just glanced at Yan Xi from head to toe, tsked, and shook his head slightly.

'Tsk…tsk… such a good figure, beautiful face, impressive background, and she has to lick someone like this… such a waste.'

Zhiran genuinely felt it was a waste.

"Sigh… Look, I've no idea where your lover went, and I'm not someone who keeps track of others. If he left without even seeing you, then perhaps you never mattered much to him in the first place."

Zhiran spoke bluntly, saying everything clearly without caring about Yan Xi's darkening expression.

"In my opinion, being anxious like this does no good. This isn't how you chase someone. In fact, if you want to meet him so much, why not just join the Divine Cauldron Sect?"

He suddenly suggested it as if in passing, but the glint in his eyes gave his thoughts away.

"J-join Divine Cauldron Sect?"

Yan Xi was stunned by his suggestion but quickly shook her head.

"Impossible. I am someone im-, cough… I am from the Mystic Exchange Alliance and have already built my foundation. Divine Cauldron Sect won't believe me or accept me in their ranks."

It wasn't that she never thought about it before. Her situation just didn't allow it.

Although she could hide her true identity from others, it was difficult to do so from a second-rate sect.

Look, this girl immediately forgot his rude words the moment he mentioned something related to Tianyu.

"Stupid girl, who said anything about joining the ranks? Can't you just be an Honorable Disciple?"

Tianyu rolled his eyes at Yan Xi.

"The idea is to be able to enter and exit the Divine Cauldron Sect and participate in its events. That way, you can be close to Tianyu whenever you want. Can't you do that while being an Honorable Disciple?"

Feeling that Yan Xi was completely lost, Zhiran did her a favor and showed her the path.

After all, he was a good person and didn't want to see Tianyu and her separated like this.

"Honorable Disciple? Yeah, why didn't I think of that?"

Yan Xi immediately understood what Zhiran was thinking.

With her identity, although she couldn't be a true disciple of the Divine Cauldron Sect, she could easily become an Honorable Disciple.

In fact, she could even be a link between this sect and her alliance to prosper in business, hitting two birds with one stone.

'Like this, even Tianyu cannot say I followed him into the sect. I can just say I am here for business. Haha… I am so smart.'

Yan Xi was visibly elated when her momentary stun was broken by Zhiran's outstretched hand.

"50 Middle Grade Spirit Stones."

"Hmm?"

"Didn't you hear? I need 50 Middle Grade Spirit Stones."

Seeing Yan Xi confused, Zhiran repeated his words with a faint grin, freezing her smile on the spot.

"Mo Zhiran… are you playing around with me?"

For a moment, Yan Xi felt he was teasing her.

Why did she never realize this guy was so random and somewhat irritating?

Why would she give him so many spirit stones for nothing? Or did he think his idea was worth that much?

"Hmm? Ah… you didn't meet Tianyu, right? It is understandable."

Zhiran seemed surprised by her reaction, but soon a look of realization crossed his face.

So, he looked at Yan Xi awkwardly and explained,

"You misunderstood. In fact, those fifty Middle Grade Spirit Stones I am asking from you are the ones I gave Tianyu at the auction."

Zhiran lied with an innocent expression. If he didn't take advantage of the opportunity at hand, he would be a fool.

"Otherwise, do you think Tianyu could suddenly fork out so many spirit stones?"

He asked, leaving Yan Xi taken aback.

Really, from her impression, although Tianyu had high talent and a rare physique, he was very poor.

That was why she had to gift him occasionally in the first place.

There was no way he had over a hundred Middle Grade Spirit Stones lying around to bid for that lotus. He must have needed help from someone.

Zhiran saw the sudden look of realization on her face and struck while the iron was hot.

"See? Now that I think about it, he might actually be angry at you. After all, he told me to collect the spirit stones I gave him from you. Maybe he left right after that?"

He analyzed seriously, then looked at Yan Xi.

"Anyway, that's what happened. So… are you giving me, or should I ask Tianyu in the sect?"

Zhiran said as if he was really not going to force her into anything. He even turned around, trying to leave.

"Wait… Zhiran, I will give, don't ask Tianyu."

Sure enough, just as he thought, Yan Xi really believed his nonsense.

So much for being a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

So stupid!

For a moment, Zhiran even thought maybe this girl was influenced by heaven, just to give backup resources to its so-called protagonist.

'I really need to be careful.'

Zhiran reminded himself that even though he changed his fate from his previous life, he was still a side character in heaven's plot.

He didn't believe everything was going to go smoothly for him.

"Here. Fifty of them, all Middle Grade Spirit Stones. Happy?"

Yan Xi hurriedly stuffed a mana ring into Zhiran's hand lightly. For her, this many spirit stones were really nothing.

She was more concerned about Zhiran's analysis that Tianyu might be angry at her, so she wanted to inquire further when she saw Zhiran waving at her.

"This much will do. Okay, it is time for me to leave as I have something important to do."

Zhiran wasn't stupid. Of course, he wouldn't stay here after getting the benefit just to listen to her nonsense.

He was simply happy that he got so many spirit stones for nothing.

Now he genuinely wished that Yan Xi would join the Divine Cauldron Sect.

'Maybe I can milk her more?'

Such a rich and stupid girl. He lamented why he wasn't the one she admired.

"As for Tianyu, he might've returned to the sect." Zhiran lightly said at last,

"So, just do as I say and be an honorable disciple. But be quick, I saw him with a new girl earlier and they seemed quite close."

Since Yan Xi had sponsored such a large amount to him, Zhiran felt a bit indebted to her.

So, he dropped a small hint about the existence of Mei Xuan beside Tianyu before disappearing into the crowd.

He didn't even ask for a 'thank you.'

How pure!

Really, Zhiran might just be a saint.

"New girl? Close?"

Sure enough, when Yan Xi caught Zhiran's hint, her face immediately darkened as her aura unconsciously leaked out, sending a shock through the surroundings.

For a brief moment, people nearby thought someone was about to start a fight within Azure Flame City.

'No wonder he was being so distant, so he found someone in the sect. Which vixen dared to set her eyes on him? Does she want to die?'

Seeing how the crowd reacted, Yan Xi quickly contained her power, but the coldness in her eyes only deepened.

For a moment, her murderous intent was so overwhelming that people nearby visibly shuddered in fear.

Really, she was truly angered.

***

"Hmm? Why do I suddenly feel a chill?"

Somewhere between the Divine Cauldron Sect and Azure Flame City, in a dense forest, a tall figure's body shivered as a sudden unease prickled his senses.

'He is here. Be careful!'

Just as Tianyu was feeling uneasy at the sudden chill, he heard a warning from his master echo in his mind.

'Oh? He's already here? Perfect!'

But hearing the warning, he didn't show any caution; instead, he was elated.

After losing to Zhiran yesterday, he'd been feeling rather stuffy. It was good that someone had come at just the right time for him to vent his frustration.

So, he simply turned around, looking into the seemingly empty forest, and shouted aloud,

"Senior, why hide after coming this far? Is it fitting for a Foundation Realm cultivator to hide from a Qi Condensation junior? Don't you have any shame?"

He asked, directly taunting the unknown person lurking in the shadows.

After the skirmishes at the auction, he noticed a sneaky divine sense probing him from Room Five—or rather, his master noticed it.

That was why he immediately left the city and came to this forest, devoid of people.

Not to hide, but to kill. Tianyu intended to kill a Foundation Establishment cultivator while still at the Qi Condensation Realm.

A feat nobody had ever achieved before. At least, in his opinion.

Of course, if something truly dangerous happened, he still had his master as a backup.

"Kid, you really have the guts. What is it that gives you so much confidence?"

As Tianyu shouted, a figure draped in a dark robe suddenly appeared before him, silent as a ghost.

Although his face was hidden beneath the hood, it was clear he was surprised that someone at the Qi Condensation Realm could detect him.

Perhaps that was why he didn't attack immediately and instead scanned the surroundings, searching for any traps.

But no matter how much he looked, he found no one else, only the seemingly weak boy before him, whom he believed he could crush with ease.

He honestly didn't know what gave him such confidence.

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