After Xia Li spoke, the Cloud Mountain Sect disciples finally began sizing him up.

  Though they could sense Xia Li's aura was much stronger than ordinary Qi Refining cultivators, they'd brought three inner sect Foundation Establishment senior brothers on this trip. Would they fear a mere Qi Refining cultivator?

  "I don't know where you got this supreme-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, but from now on, it's mine."

  Senior Brother Wang stepped forward and extended his hand directly, his condescending gaze seeming to demand Xia Li hand it over voluntarily.

  Seeing this, Xia Li smiled and simply dropped the pill on the ground, stepping on it.

  "Fine. I don't lack these things anyway. But you should at least make me happy first, right? Come here like a dog and pick it up with your mouth."

  "Not just this one..."

  With a thought, Xia Li produced three more supreme-grade Foundation Establishment Pills from his storage ring.

  "As long as you're willing to come pick them up like dogs, I'll give them to you."

  Xia Li held the pills in his right hand while beckoning with his left. When facing this kind of trouble, the best approach was to make them wary, make them question his identity.

  If he could so easily produce supreme-grade Foundation Establishment Pills, they should carefully consider whether they still wanted to be shameless.

  "You!!"

  Senior Brother Wang wanted to say something but couldn't get the words out.

  "What? Don't you want them? You don't need to steal them—I'll give them freely. Just entertain me, and the path to heaven will open for you."

  "After all... I can refine these casually."

  Xia Li felt the timing was right and directly activated the spiritual energy aura contained within the Foundation Establishment Pills.

  Foundation Establishment Pills were different from other types of pills. Because the refining process was quite complex and involved knowledge of talisman arts and spirit patterns, it consumed large amounts of the refiner's spiritual energy.

  Therefore...

  The refiner's spiritual energy aura inevitably remained in the Foundation Establishment Pills.

  Now that the aura was triggered, everyone present could sense that the spiritual energy in the Foundation Establishment Pills shared the same source as Xia Li's.

  This directly proved the Foundation Establishment Pills were refined by Xia Li himself.

  Cold sweat broke out on the Cloud Mountain Sect disciples who'd come to steal the pills. The person before them was definitely a highly skilled alchemist.

  Foundation Establishment Pills were only second-tier pills, but their refining difficulty was such that even third-tier Golden Core alchemists couldn't guarantee success.

  Yet a Qi Refining cultivator had refined them!

  This could only mean Xia Li's background was extremely terrifying—perhaps a disciple of some major alchemy power.

  "Fellow... Fellow Daoist... we can apologize..."

  Seeing this, Senior Brother Wang immediately knelt to Xia Li. The other disciples also bowed their heads in submission, their earlier arrogance completely gone.

  Though this result satisfied Xia Li, it also slightly disappointed him.

  "I thought you'd take the risk and try to attack me. Capture me and imprison me, force me to refine pills for you."

  "Or report to your sect and have them capture me at any cost."

  This was more in line with what Xia Li had imagined. Of course, if things had developed that way, he had solutions.

  He just hadn't expected them to kneel so quickly.

  "Or inform other sects and use them as a borrowed knife."

  Xia Li scrutinized the Cloud Mountain Sect disciples, gaining new understanding of the cultivation world's ways.

  Come to think of it, they were like the Liu family before.

  Both were the type to surrender and apologize at lightning speed when things went wrong.

  It seemed the phrase "just evil, not stupid" could describe most cultivators in this world.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  The truly crazy ones were only people like Liu Fu, who would go for the kill without any consideration.

  This kind of culture was actually worse.

  "I admit some people would do that, but we don't dare. After all, the slightest mistake risks clan extermination..."

  Senior Brother Wang's attitude was now excellent—completely different from before, like two different people. The other Cloud Mountain Sect disciples were the same.

  "Junior Brother Liu, I admit defeat in this matter. I'll compensate you when we return to the sect. And..."

  Senior Brother Wang suddenly stood up, grabbed Junior Sister He behind him, and lifted her by the throat.

  "This bitch doesn't need to be kept, right?"

  Senior Brother Wang was quite decisive. This scene reminded Xia Li of when Third Uncle Liu had killed Liu Fu—it seemed being a petty person was a high-risk occupation in this world.

  Do it right and you get meat. But if things go wrong, you're immediately used to vent anger.

  To this, Xia Li could only say: serves her right.

  Ultimately, Liu Jingfeng had trusted the wrong person.

  "Senior Brother Liu, save me!! I... I was wrong... I'll demote myself to a menial disciple when we return to the sect, and serve you like an ox or horse from now on!!"

  Junior Sister He pleaded tearfully with Liu Jingfeng, her voice hoarse. She knew she was wrong now—terribly wrong.

  The Liu family had such a high-level figure who could refine supreme-grade Foundation Establishment Pills. Liu Jingfeng's future achievements would be limitless. Following Liu Jingfeng would only bring benefits, not harm.

  But what had she done?

  She'd personally destroyed her own fortune, and now she was about to die!

  One wrong thought—truly just one wrong thought!

  "This... isn't something I can speak on."

  Liu Jingfeng looked toward Xia Li. The Cloud Mountain Sect disciples all looked toward Xia Li as well.

  "Senior... Senior, I was wrong. Give me one chance. I'm willing to give everything. You can do whatever you want to me!"

  Junior Sister He now began pleading with Xia Li. Xia Li merely waved his hand.

  This made Junior Sister He's heart leap with joy, thinking Xia Li meant to spare her.

  Excellent!

  She would definitely make Xia Li, the Liu family, and all these senior brothers suffer fates worse than death!

  "So Fellow Daoist means... let her go?"

  Senior Brother Wang hadn't expected Xia Li to be so merciful.

  "I mean throw her outside and kill her. Don't dirty my home."

  But Xia Li's next words instantly broke Junior Sister He. Being able to speak yet choosing to wave his hand—what was that supposed to mean? Giving her hope only to crush it?

  "Senior... spare me..."

  Junior Sister He still tried to plead, but Xia Li merely waved his hand again.

  This time Senior Brother Wang understood. Gripping Junior Sister He, he walked straight out of the hall and leaped over the courtyard wall.

  Before long...

  He returned to the hall and knelt properly again.

  "Fellow Daoist, I've taken care of it."

  "Mm. In that case, let's consider this matter settled."

  Xia Li nodded. Senior Brother Wang and the others felt as if granted amnesty. They immediately stood, said a bunch of flattering words, left considerable spirit stones as apology, and left without looking back.

  Today had truly been like walking through a dragon's den and tiger's lair.

  They'd thought Liu Jingfeng had just gotten lucky with a low-grade Foundation Establishment Pill. They hadn't expected supreme-grade, and they certainly hadn't expected the one producing supreme-grade Foundation Establishment Pills to be a mysterious alchemist.

  If they'd known even a little more, they wouldn't have come courting death.