38: Chapter 38 Oh…

In the Sect Main Hall, the atmosphere was stagnant.

Ling Hao sneered inwardly. He only collected a twenty percent tribute from the surrounding forces.

Yet this Liuyun Temple, they opened their mouths and demanded fifty percent? What a greedy demand!

"Oh?"

Ling Hao's tone rose slightly.

"Then, regarding this 'protection' your temple speaks of, what exactly does it entail?"

Abbess Yunqing's tone was flat:

"If any other third-rank Sect dares to make a move against you, my Liuyun Temple will naturally step in to mediate."

Ling Hao pressed further: "And what if it were the Tianhuo Sect or the Earth Flame Sect, those major fourth-rank Sects, who made a move?"

Abbess Yunqing paused, her tone slightly evasive:

"...If it involves them, my Liuyun Temple... will naturally handle it at our discretion."

The evasiveness in these words could not be more obvious.

Ling Hao couldn't help but shake his head.

And they wanted fifty percent for this? Though, Ling Hao had never intended to pay any tribute to begin with.

The air in the Sect Main Hall tightened instantly!

"Sect Master Ling!"

"Are you defying the decree of Liuyun Temple?"

Abbess Yunqing's voice suddenly turned cold, and the pressure of her Golden Core Fifth Layer erupted violently, surging toward Ling Hao like a tidal wave!

Yet, that terrifying momentum slammed into Ling Hao on the main seat, only to disappear like a clay ox into the sea; he remained sitting calmly, not even a single hair moving.

Abbess Yunqing's heart sank abruptly!

She only then realized that they were on the other party's territory, with the protection of the Protective Sect Array!

At the same Realm, she couldn't gain any advantage at all!

Cold sweat instantly soaked her back.

Ling Hao leaned back, his expression indifferent: "Are you done? See them out."

"You...!"

Abbess Yunqing's face turned livid instantly, a surge of anger rushing to her head, her fists clenching inside her sleeves with a cracking sound.

But looking into Ling Hao's bottomless, sharp-edged eyes, she ultimately dared not make a move in this place.

Ling Hao, sitting high on the main seat, snorted inwardly.

If it weren't for the fact that you two came under the banner of a "visit" and still knew a modicum of etiquette, and I feared killing you would tarnish the reputation of my Moonshadow Sect, I would have already wiped you both out, body and soul!

Abbess Yunqing's chest heaved violently, and she changed her angle: "This Daoist has heard that your Moonshadow Sect has formed a mortal feud with the Huoyan Sect!"

"Do you know who is behind the Huoyan Sect? It is the Tianhuo Sect and the Earth Flame Sect! Two great fourth-rank Sects!"

"Oh..."

"You... without the protection of my Liuyun Temple, your Moonshadow Sect will be annihilated in an instant!"

"Oh..."

"You..."

"Then let me ask you, if the Tianhuo Sect and the Earth Flame Sect really do make a move against my Moonshadow Sect, can your Liuyun Temple still provide protection?"

"This..."

It was that fatal question again; Abbess Yunqing was silenced.

"Tch..."

Aaaah!!! Too insulting!!!

Abbess Yunqing swallowed her indignation, took the furious Su Meier, and turned to walk quickly out of the Sect Main Hall.

Just as they exited the hall, they happened to bump into a young woman walking gracefully toward them.

The person who arrived was dressed in a simple and elegant green dress; her figure was graceful, and her temperament was gentle and serene—it was Qin Zhaoxue.

She had just broken through to the seventh level of the Qi Refinement Stage, and her aura was still unstable. Having heard her Revered Master was in the Sect Main Hall, she wanted to share the good news of her Breakthrough to the Late Stage of the Qi Refinement Stage.

Seeing Qin Zhaoxue, Ling Hao's expression, which had been as cold as ice when facing the two from Liuyun Temple, instantly melted like snow in the spring breeze, becoming incomparably gentle:

"Zhaoxue, what is it?"

This instant change in expression was a stark contrast! It was as if Qin Zhaoxue was the only person he truly cared about, while the two from Liuyun Temple were merely two eyesores of dust.

Because of her long hours of Alchemy, a faint, clean fragrance of medicinal herbs, unique to an Alchemist, emanated from Qin Zhaoxue.

Abbess Yunqing, who was herself a third-rank Alchemist, sensed it immediately.

Her heart stirred.

Since she had been thwarted in terms of force, she had to regain some face.

It just so happened that this young girl had the aura of an Alchemist...

Abbess Yunqing's gaze swept over Qin Zhaoxue, her voice regaining its coldness:

"Sect Master Ling, it was my Liuyun Temple that was abrupt just now. However, since your Sect also has a seed for the Dao of Alchemy,"

She looked at Qin Zhaoxue, her eyes filled with scrutiny,

"why not let the juniors exchange pointers on Alchemy? It can be considered an exchange between our two Sects, and it will also allow my Disciple to witness the style of your Sect."

Su Meier was already burning with rage due to the humiliation.

Seeing Ling Hao being so gentle and intimate with Qin Zhaoxue, and then catching a glimpse of Qin Zhaoxue's delicate, gentle, and ethereal temperament, a strong fire of jealousy "whooshed" to life!

She prided herself on her beauty and was the center of attention at Liuyun Temple, but Qin Zhaoxue's gentle, intellectual, and scholarly temperament was something that a spoiled beauty like her lacked.

Su Meier took a step forward, a spoiled smile on her face, and provoked Qin Zhaoxue:

"That's right, this Junior Sister, do you dare to compete with me? Let's see whose Dao of Alchemy is superior?"

How could Ling Hao not understand the other party's intentions?

They couldn't win in a fight, so they wanted to win back some face in Alchemy.

"Oh? A competition in the Dao of Alchemy?"

Ling Hao's gaze swept across the calm-faced Qin Zhaoxue, then looked at the provocative Su Meier, a playful smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Zhaoxue, are you willing to exchange pointers with this talented Disciple of Liuyun Temple?"

"Everything is as Revered Master commands."

"Good!"

Ling Hao clapped his hands and made the decision directly,

"Then let us compete. How about right here on the plaza in front of the hall? Ling Shuang, prepare the venue and the medicinal materials."

The plaza in front of the Sect Main Hall.

Abbess Yunqing's expression had returned to coldness, carrying a hint of condescending scrutiny.

"Sect Master Ling, it is truly rare for this Disciple of your Sect to be able to touch upon the Dao of Alchemy at such a young age. I just don't know what kind of Alchemy Legacy she has inherited?"

"My Liuyun Temple's 'Yao Ben Jing' is a Profound Rank High Grade Alchemy technique. While I dare not claim it is the absolute best, it is quite famous in the Qing State."

"Today's exchange will be a good opportunity for my Disciple to give your Disciple some pointers, to let her broaden her horizons."

The words seemed polite, but in reality, they were a veiled insult, implying that the Moonshadow Sect's Legacy was inferior and needed her Liuyun Temple to "give pointers."

"Begin."

Ling Hao's flat voice rang out.

Su Meier lifted her chin slightly, like a proud peacock, and with a light flick of her sleeve, a red copper Pill Furnace of decent quality landed on the ground.

She glanced sideways at the quiet Qin Zhaoxue, her words filled with disdain:

"Junior Sister, do you need me to wait for you? Try not to be flustered."

Qin Zhaoxue did not respond to the provocation; she simply took out her own slightly ordinary blue stone Pill Furnace and focused her mind.

Seeing this, Ling Hao frowned; he had been careless.

Usually, to prevent Xiao Xue from developing a reliance on tools, he had her practice with an ordinary Pill Furnace.

He had forgotten this time.

Su Meier's expression was arrogant, and her movements were smooth and flowing.

She formed seals with her hands, her spiritual power channeling the furnace fire, and the temperature was precisely controlled. Gathering Spirit Grass, Fire Dragon Fruit, and Yuan-Absorbing Bamboo were tossed into the furnace one by one. Her technique was skilled and smooth—she was refining the peiyuan pill, which was highly difficult among first-rank Medicinal Pills!

The furnace fire blazed, and the fragrance of medicine gradually overflowed, revealing the solid foundation of the Profound Rank High Grade Alchemy technique, the 'Yao Ben Jing.'

On the other side, Qin Zhaoxue's expression was as calm as water.

Her hand seals changed, and a strange rhythm radiated from her body, drawing wisps of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi into the Pill Furnace.

Under her control, the furnace fire was not blazing, but it carried an indescribable spirituality.

Heavenly Spirit Flower, Red Plum Grass, Jade Marrow Fruit... These main ingredients for refining the second-rank foundation establishment pill were tossed into the furnace by her!

"foundation establishment pill?"

Abbess Yunqing's originally indifferent eyes flickered for the first time, and her brows furrowed imperceptibly.

A mere seventh level of the Qi Refinement Stage, and she was refining a foundation establishment pill?

Even the Genius of her Liuyun Temple who practiced both Alchemy and Martial Arts, the number one person of the Foundation Establishment Stage—Liu Sisi—would never attempt this doomed endeavor during the Qi Refinement Stage.

Abbess Yunqing sneered inwardly, believing that Qin Zhaoxue was merely grandstanding; forcing the refinement of this pill would inevitably end in the furnace exploding.

The Moonshadow Sect truly had a shallow foundation; its Disciples were all so ignorant and arrogant.