“Captain Hongyi, what sort of words are those? Please do not mock this old man.”

” rather, Captain Hongyi, do you have business with this old man?” Han Lie inquired, smiling casually.

Zhuo Hongyi did not reply immediately. Instead, she used her eyes to gesture towards their surroundings.

Following her line of sight, Han Lie immediately felt a chill run down his spine.

He discovered that there were actually no fewer than five Inner Disciples secretly watching him with covetous gazes! And he had been completely unaware!

“They… want to rob this old man of his Spirit Stones?” Han Lie said with lingering fear.

“Haha, you aren’t entirely stupid then,” Zhuo Hongyi said. “Of course, bullies always pick the softest persimmons to pinch. Moreover, robbing a mere Servant Disciple of Spirit Stones… what does it matter? As long as they aren’t caught red-handed by the Law Enforcement Hall, no one will pursue them afterwards.”

“It is a business with zero capital and huge profit. If it were me, I would do it too.”

“If I hadn’t arrived in a timely manner, I think your current outcome wouldn’t be much better. You should thank me.”

If she weren’t considering that she still wanted to use Han Lie to improve her cultivation base, she wouldn’t have bothered to meddle in such idle matters. After all, robbery incidents within the sect were truly not uncommon. The personnel of the Law Enforcement Hall were limited; they simply couldn’t manage everything.

“Thank you, Captain Hongyi. I owe you a favor. My gratitude is sincere,” Han Lie said, clasping his hands heartfeltly.

Just thinking about it made Han Lie feel a wave of fear.

If Zhuo Hongyi hadn’t come, even if he had detected them earlier, it would have been impossible to defend against them. His strength simply could not match those Inner Disciples.

Not only would his Spirit Stones have been robbed, but he probably would have perished on the spot!

In the eyes of these Inner Disciples, a Servant Disciple’s life was simply not a life. As long as they weren’t discovered red-handed, a dead servant was just a dead servant. Afterwards, the Law Enforcement Hall would not overly investigate.

“Verbal thanks are meaningless. Ten days later, at the old place… I’ll await your repayment.” The corner of Zhuo Hongyi’s mouth lifted, revealing a hint of a thirsty gaze.

“Alright… I will remember,” Han Lie agreed, feigning reluctance.

But in his heart, joy was already blooming.

Earlier, he had still been brooding over how to make Zhuo Hongyi seek him out. Now, the perfect pillow had arrived just as he was feeling sleepy.

Perhaps, truly within this short half-month, he could break through from the fourth level of the Qi Refining Stage to the eighth level!

“You’ve taken all the advantages, yet you still act unhappy?”

“Do you know how many fellow disciples in the sect want to chase me but can’t even get a sniff of me? For one elderly Servant Disciple to catch my eye… that is your good fortune.”

Zhuo Hongyi teased him confidently.

It sounded as if she was quite confident in her own appearance and figure. But it had to be said, her appearance and figure indeed ranked in the top tier among the entire Heavenly Void Sect’s tens of thousands of female disciples.

Plus, with her identity as the Law Enforcement Hall’s Vermilion Bird Squad Captain, her pursuers certainly numbered no less than four digits.

“Captain Hongyi’s words are extremely correct,” Han Lie pretended to flatter her. “To have a connection with you is perhaps a blessing cultivated over three lifetimes.”

If he hadn’t had a deep, friendly exchange relationship with Ye Qingxuan, then he would indeed feel quite fortunate. Not to mention, he also possessed the Pure Yang Sacred Body.

Wait until he cultivated to the Foundation Establishment Stage and his body rejuvenated with a second spring—would he worry about a lack of women then?

“Enough. Go busy yourself with your matters. With me watching, temporarily no one will dare target the Spirit Stones in your hand.” Squinting her eyes, Zhuo Hongyi smiled.

The flattery seemed to hit the right spot; her heart was apparently greatly pleased.

……

Once again, Han Lie arrived at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

He spent six hundred Spirit Stones and successively selected two Qi Refining Stage female cultivators who matched his expectations.

Only after roughly absorbing the Yin energy of these two Qi Refining Stage female cultivators dry did he barely break through to the sixth level of the Qi Refining Stage.

“The Yin energy of a Qi Refining Stage female cultivator is already starting to fail to satisfy me. I cannot continue like this…”

After breaking through to the sixth level, he could clearly feel the distance to the seventh level. Compared to breaking through to the sixth, the required spiritual energy and Yin energy had multiplied several times over!

The nine levels of the Qi Refining Stage can actually be roughly divided into four stages. Levels one to three are the early stage; four to six are the middle stage; seven to nine are the late stage.

After reaching the ninth level, a further step is considered Qi Refining Stage perfection. Only when one reaches perfection can they prepare to break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage.

And for each stage breakthrough, the required spiritual energy accumulation multiplies exponentially!

The last time he was able to smoothly break through from the early stage third level to the middle stage fourth level, he probably benefited from Zhuo Hongyi’s abundant Yin energy. Therefore, trying to imagine selecting two Qi Refining Stage female cultivators to break through to the seventh level was probably going to be slightly difficult now.

“Then… let’s try one at the Foundation Establishment early stage!”

He checked his pockets; he had exactly a little over a thousand Spirit Stones in hand. It was just enough to select one Foundation Establishment early stage female cultivator.

Thus, he rested in the room for two days, adjusted his state, circulated the Yin Yang Demonic Art, and consolidated his cultivation base. Afterwards, he called the working Drunken Immortal Pavilion female disciple and selected a Foundation Establishment early stage female cultivator.

Outside the door.

Listening to the blush-inducing sounds transmitting from the room, the female disciple secretly clicked her tongue. “Strange… where did that old Servant Disciple get so many Spirit Stones?”

“Moreover, he looks almost half-buried in the earth, yet his vigor is actually still so vigorous!”

Even those young, vigorous Inner Disciples did not come as frequently as him.

“Never mind. Anyway, the old guy provided a considerable commission, hehe.”

“Save a bit more, and I can buy that magical artifact!”

……

Nearly ten hours later.

The battle finally ended.

A Foundation Establishment Stage female cultivator was indeed different. Under his fierce assault, her state had only declined somewhat. Unlike the previous Qi Refining Stage female cultivators, who afterwards clearly had a drained appearance.

“Tsk… actually still short a bit.”

Somewhat puzzled, Han Lie scratched his head. He did not smoothly break through to the seventh level as expected; instead, he was stuck.

Then, he glanced at the Foundation Establishment Stage female cultivator resting on the bed.

“Looks like her state is still quite good. I probably can squeeze a bit more out of her.”

If he couldn’t break through to the seventh level, the thousand Spirit Stones would be wasted, right?

“Again?!”

Thinking it had already ended, the Foundation Establishment Stage female cultivator was startled.

Is this truly an elderly man half-buried in the earth?