Yuan Baobao’s eyes curved into lovely crescents.

“Senior Brother, congratulations on your successful Foundation Establishment!”

Li Meng smiled as he looked at the stunningly beautiful Junior Sister standing beside him. His white hair cascaded down his back, framing a face that was no longer withered, but youthful and radiant with vitality.

“And how will Junior Sister congratulate this Senior Brother?” he asked, his tone teasing.

Yuan Baobao stole a quick glance at Senior Brother Xuan nearby.

Seeing that Senior Brother Xuan wasn’t paying attention to them, her face flushed a delicate shade of pink. She cast a coquettish look at Li Meng.

“Senior Brother… after we return to the sect, this Junior Sister will come find you!”

Li Meng nodded with great satisfaction, stroking his beard.

“Excellent, excellent!”

Yuan Baobao’s face turned even redder.

“What are you and Senior Brother Li talking about?”

Xuan Hao turned back to look at Junior Sister Yuan and Li Meng.

Seeing the two chatting happily, a flicker of curiosity passed through Xuan Hao’s eyes. He assumed his Junior Sister was asking Senior Brother Li why he was in the area. To be honest, he was curious too.

“Senior Brothers! Look! It appears to be a Spirit Vessel from the Joyous Union Sect!”

Tonight’s moon was large and full. Its brilliant light bathed the world in silver, dispelling the darkness of the mountains.

In the distant night sky, a small Spirit Vessel drifted into view.

The vessel was over a hundred meters long. Bathed in moonlight, it emitted a faint, majestic spiritual glow.

This caught the attention of Li Xi, who was flying at the forefront on her sword.

Ning Changyuan frowned slightly.

Only Golden Core Elders used Spirit Vessels for travel. Operating one required a massive amount of spirit stones—a luxury that Inner and Outer Sect disciples simply couldn’t afford.

Could it be a Golden Core Elder from the sect passing through this area?

“Let’s go take a look. Everyone, follow!”

Li Xi and Ning Changyuan adjusted their course, flying on their swords toward the distant Spirit Vessel. The other five disciples closely followed suit.

Li Meng also saw the “Heaven-reaching Spirit Vessel” cruising through the night sky.

Originally, he didn’t want to follow. If a Golden Core Elder from the Joyous Union Sect was active in the Thousand Cloud Mountains, then Junior Sister Yuan and her group would be safe. There was no need for him to get involved further.

But leaving just like that didn’t seem appropriate either.

Reluctantly, Li Meng followed.

The seven of them approached the Spirit Vessel on their swords.

“Mas… Master?”

When they saw the flag fluttering atop the Spirit Vessel, Li Xi and Ning Changyuan wore expressions of genuine surprise.

They never expected the owner of this vessel to be their own Master.

The seven descended from their swords, landing softly on the deck.

Li Xi and Ning Changyuan quickly stepped forward, bowing respectfully toward the upper level of the vessel’s pavilion.

“Disciple Ning Changyuan pays respects to Master!”

“Disciple Li Xi pays respects to Master!”

The four Qi Condensation disciples behind them immediately followed suit, bowing deeply.

Li Meng also bowed, but he remained silent.

Could it be that woman?

Li Meng wondered silently, his head lowered.

Junior Sister Yuan’s Master was Wen Huanhuan. She was the same woman from the couple in the neighboring private room during the last auction—the very woman he had snatched the Longevity Fruit from.

While it wasn’t exactly a deadly feud—after all, auctions were about who could pay more—losing face likely still stung her.

Just then, two figures appeared on the observation deck of the pavilion.

One was a male cultivator in black robes. His face was expressionless, carrying a hint of icy coldness.

The other was a female cultivator in a light-red palace dress. The garment was form-fitting, perfectly outlining her waistline and ample curves. Her every movement exuded an alluring, mature charm.

The female cultivator leaned languidly against the male cultivator’s chest, looking down lazily at the disciples on the deck below.

“Why are you all in such a sorry state?” she asked, her voice dripping with languor.

The disciples’ auras were chaotic, and they had clearly suffered severe injuries.

A flash of killing intent passed through the male cultivator, Han Li’s, eyes. How dare anyone bully his and his wife’s disciples?

Ning Changyuan’s voice rang out clearly.

“It was a trap set by Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators. The Qian Family Fortress had long been destroyed. We were caught off guard and fell into their scheme. If not for Junior Brother Li’s timely rescue, we would have likely perished, our souls scattered and our Dao extinguished!”

Han Li’s gaze shifted to Li Meng.

Among the seven, only Li Meng was an outsider. The other six were all Registered Disciples of the couple—the male disciples under Han Li and the female disciples under Wen Huanhuan.

Wen Huanhuan, still nestled in Han Li’s arms, also looked at Li Meng.

She seemed to notice something. Her eyes lit up, and she pointed at Li Meng with a look of novelty.

“Husband, look! Even a Five Spirit Roots waste can achieve Foundation Establishment!”

Five Spirit Roots waste?

On the deck, apart from Yuan Baobao and Xuan Hao, the other four disciples looked at Li Meng with astonishment.

They hadn’t expected that Li Meng, who had so effortlessly repelled the demonic path cultivators, possessed the aptitude of a Five Spirit Roots waste.

Li Meng, his head lowered slightly, curled his lip internally.

So what if it’s Five Spirit Roots? This silly woman is so ignorant. One day I’ll show you just how powerful a ‘waste’ can be.

Li Meng straightened his posture slightly, revealing his handsome, youthful face and flowing white hair. He took a step forward.

“Nephew Li Meng, disciple of Elder Ruoshui of Moon Gaze Peak, pays respects to both Seniors!”

His voice was calm and measured, neither subservient nor arrogant.

“Senior Sister Ruoshui’s disciple?”

Wen Huanhuan looked Li Meng up and down with confusion. Why would Senior Sister Ruoshui take a Five Spirit Roots waste as a Registered Disciple?

“Husband, I don’t believe it. Do you believe it?”

Wen Huanhuan gave Li Meng an enchanting smile before turning to blink innocently at her husband.

Han Li looked coldly at Li Meng standing on the deck.

“If my wife doesn’t believe it, then naturally her husband doesn’t believe it either.”

Wen Huanhuan smiled faintly. She extended a slender, jade-like finger and pointed it accusingly at Li Meng.

“I know! You must be a demonic path cultivator disguised as a Joyous Union Sect disciple! Otherwise, how could someone with Five Spirit Roots possibly succeed in Foundation Establishment?”

Her eyes danced with malicious amusement.

“Only the demonic path’s blood sacrifice methods offer that one-in-ten-thousand chance for trash like you!”

She looked down at Li Meng, her expression amused, like a cat toying with a mouse.

“Husband, kill him quickly! I hate demonic path cultivators the most!”

Her exquisite, snow-white face wore a beautiful smile, yet her words were filled with chilling killing intent.

The expressions of the six disciples on the deck changed drastically. They sensed the genuine murderous intent in their Master’s words.

Yuan Baobao hurriedly stepped in front of Li Meng, looking up at her Master on the observation deck.

“Master! This disciple has known Senior Brother Li for over ten years since our time in the outer sect! Senior Brother Li cannot possibly be a demonic path cultivator!”

“Master! This disciple can also testify!”

Xuan Hao stepped forward as well, shielding Li Meng.

Li Xi and Ning Changyuan exchanged frantic glances. What was wrong with Master today? It felt like she was deliberately targeting Junior Brother Li.

Ning Changyuan bowed deeply toward his Master again.

“Master! If Junior Brother Li were truly a demonic path cultivator, why would he use precious Soul Return Pills to save us? We implore you to allow Junior Brother Li to return to the sect with us. Once we are back, whether Junior Brother Li is truly Elder Ruoshui’s disciple can be verified easily! Please reconsider!”

Han Li swept his cold gaze over his pleading disciples.

“What? Is your Master mistaken?”

As his voice fell, a powerful spiritual pressure erupted from Han Li.

BOOM!

The pressure enveloped all seven people on the deck.

They felt their souls tremble. It was as if a mountain of ten thousand pounds were pressing down on their shoulders, making it hard to breathe.

“This… this disciple wouldn’t dare!”

Ning Changyuan paled and lowered his head, unable to withstand the pressure.

Beside him, Li Xi gritted her teeth.

Fighting against the suppression, she took a step forward, raising her head to look directly at her Master on the observation deck.

“Master! Junior Brother Li has shown us great kindness today! If you forcibly kill him now, our mental states will be permanently damaged! How can we hope to pursue the Great Dao with such demons in our hearts?”

Her voice trembled but remained firm.

“Please reconsider! If Junior Brother Li truly is Elder Ruoshui’s disciple, your actions will surely incur severe punishment from the Enforcement Hall! We beg you to reconsider!”