In the Xia residence's main hall.

  After the Cloud Mountain Sect disciples departed, Liu Hong finally looked at Liu Jingfeng with an expression of bitter disappointment.

  "Feng'er, you're truly foolish!"

  "You've brought great trouble to the Liu family, and even implicated Alchemist Xia!"

  As an elder, Liu Hong understood the ways of the world well.

  Though Xia Li had scared off the Cloud Mountain Sect people, the news that he could refine supreme-grade Foundation Establishment Pills probably couldn't be kept secret anymore.

  If Xia Li had chosen to ruthlessly kill all the Cloud Mountain Sect disciples who came, the trouble would only multiply. It was truly a dilemma.

  And all of this was because of Liu Jingfeng's foolishness.

  "Grandfather Hong, I really didn't expect her to do that. I didn't spend anything on her—in fact, she was always the one giving me things..."

  Liu Jingfeng was confused now. That Junior Sister He had clearly been optimistic about him, had already invested in him. Why would she suddenly betray him?

  It made no sense!

  He wasn't some foolish simp!

  "This..."

  Liu Hong couldn't explain it either. It did seem illogical.

  But Xia Li could figure it out.

  "That Junior Sister He was a clever merchant, but unfortunately human relationships aren't a marketplace. She hoped you'd protect her once you became powerful."

  "But after catching the eye of an inner sect senior brother, she naturally chose to switch sides. Her false affection toward you was just to recoup what she'd invested in you."

  "She'd likely already given herself to that inner sect senior brother. Once you grew powerful, you wouldn't want her anymore—she knew this clearly. So she couldn't let you succeed, because you'd inevitably become enemies with that senior brother."

  Xia Li analyzed Junior Sister He's behavior from a merchant's perspective, instantly helping Liu Jingfeng understand what had happened.

  "Actually, that inner sect senior brother was Senior Brother Wang..."

  Liu Jingfeng continued, finding Junior Sister He's fate rather amusing. She'd specifically brought people to deal with him, only to end up dead herself.

  Serves her right!

  "So... what about the information about Alchemist Xia that got out? Those major sect disciples are all petty and narrow-minded. They'll definitely cause you trouble."

  Liu Hong was now more worried about Xia Li's safety than anyone. The Liu family was counting entirely on Xia Li.

  "One more of them doesn't matter, one less doesn't matter either. Do you think Myriad Treasures Pavilion and the Rogue Cultivator Alliance haven't been tempted? It's only a matter of time."

  Xia Li wasn't naive enough to think this could last forever. His need for spirit stones would only grow, since getting stronger meant spending on Earth.

  And as the things he produced became better and better, he was destined to attract others' greed and covetousness.

  "Alright..."

  Liu Hong felt somewhat uncomfortable. The Liu family was a small clan surviving in the cracks, only able to throw their weight around in Fenghe City. They had the luck to encounter opportunity but lacked the strength to seize it.

  "Let's not talk about this anymore. Take the Foundation Establishment Pill."

  Xia Li lifted the pill in his hand with spiritual energy and presented it to Liu Jingfeng.

  "Thank you, Senior Xia. May I ask about the one under your foot..."

  "I plan to sell it, along with these two."

  Xia Li now had four Foundation Establishment Pills in hand. After giving one to Liu Jingfeng, three remained.

  "This junior boldly requests another pill from Senior! I have a sworn brother in the sect—he's exceptionally talented but was sabotaged by others. With a supreme-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, his future achievements will be extraordinary!"

  "Feng'er, hold your tongue!!"

  Liu Hong immediately glared at Liu Jingfeng. Did he think supreme-grade Foundation Establishment Pills grew on trees?

  Supreme-grade Foundation Establishment Pills could be called acquired spirit treasures, naturally commanding spirit treasure prices. Foundation Establishment-level spirit treasures generally cost between three thousand and five thousand spirit stones.

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  And supreme-grade Foundation Establishment Pills started at three thousand spirit stones.

  Often with no supply to meet demand, final transaction prices typically exceeded three thousand.

  Even low-grade Foundation Establishment Pills only cost a few hundred spirit stones, but were equally hard to find. Without connections, you couldn't buy them even with spirit stones, often requiring multiple times the price.

  "It's fine. I'll trust you this once."

  Xia Li gave another pill from his hand, not using the one on the ground.

  Foundation Establishment Pills weren't valuable to him. If he could gain the friendship of another prodigy, it was worth the investment.

  "On behalf of my brother, I thank Senior for this grace. Senior's kindness..."

  "No need to speak on his behalf. I'll do it myself."

  Before Liu Jingfeng could finish, another voice suddenly came from a corner of the room.

  This startled even Xia Li. When had another person appeared in the corner? Was his home somewhere anyone could just walk into?

  And the Heaven Chip hadn't detected them either?

  "Senior, I'm the sworn brother Liu Jingfeng mentioned. My name is Lin Ye. Thank you for the pill, Senior."

  After speaking, Lin Ye bowed deeply.

  "When did you arrive?"

  "I came with Liu Jingfeng and this elder. It's just that neither they nor you noticed me."

  "What technique do you cultivate? It's so miraculous that even my divine thought couldn't detect you."

  Xia Li was genuinely impressed by Liu Jingfeng's sworn brother. Divine thought was far more powerful than divine sense—details that divine sense couldn't capture were as obvious as the sun to divine thought.

  Yet he still hadn't noticed.

  But Xia Li wasn't too discouraged. If he'd activated the Heaven Chip's full detection mode, the other party surely couldn't have hidden!

  "Actually, it's not a technique, but a magical treasure."

  "I see. I won't pry further then. Everyone has their secrets. You followed along because you noticed something, right?"

  "Yes. I naturally noticed Senior Brother Wang and the others' movements and came to help. I didn't expect Senior to resolve it so easily, and I even got to share in the fortune."

  Lin Ye was grateful to both Liu Jingfeng and Xia Li—grateful that Liu Jingfeng had thought of him, and grateful for Xia Li's trust.

  Even if Xia Li had given him the dirty pill from the floor, he wouldn't have complained and would still be grateful. But Xia Li had given him the clean pill from his hand.

  As they say, character shows in the details. This showed Xia Li's character was quite good.

  "You're quite loyal."

  Xia Li nodded approvingly. This was indeed worth investing a supreme-grade Foundation Establishment Pill.

  "Senior, there's something I must say. Senior Brother Wang and the others cannot be left alive."

  "I know. I just couldn't do it myself."

  Xia Li smiled at Lin Ye. Since Lin Ye had brought this up, it meant he would take action.

  "Since I've received Senior's favor, I naturally should help Senior resolve this trouble. I'll make them disappear without a trace—the sect won't find anything unusual."

  "I believe in your abilities."

  After speaking, Xia Li took out several medicine bottles from his storage ring.

  "Take these pills. If anything unexpected happens, they might help."

  "Thank you for the pills, Senior."

  "Why call me Senior? Just call me Fellow Daoist."

  "Then thank you, Fellow Daoist!"

  Lin Ye accepted the pills and left directly. Xia Li now truly felt his luck was quite good—he hadn't expected to meet such a prodigy through the Liu family.

  After all, sending charcoal in snowy weather was rare. He only hoped the other party would remember this favor.