Heavenly Void Sect Trading Market…

“Junior Sister Zhuo, have you had time lately? Recently, deep within sect territory, I discovered what seems to be a several-hundred-year-old Crimson Flame Flower. It’s just that there’s some beast guarding it…”

“I alone am no match for this beast. If we join forces, we can definitely take down this beast and pick that Crimson Flame Flower…”

The speaker was an elegant, gentlemanly, and quite handsome youth named Zhui Ming (Chasing Life), captain of the Law Enforcement Hall’s Azure Dragon Squad.

“Senior Brother remembers me when there’s good fortune—I appreciate it…” Zhuo Hongyi politely declined. “I just fear after we obtain the Crimson Flame Flower, the distribution might become uneven. I wouldn’t want to harm the harmony between us…”

Hearing this, Zhui Ming laughed generously. “Haha, Junior Sister worries too much. The Crimson Flame Flower contains extreme yang energy, which goes against my cultivation method…”

“But for Junior Sister, it would be greatly nourishing. If you use the Crimson Flame Flower for cultivation, surely it would greatly aid Junior Sister’s training, right?”

“At worst, we sell it at Myriad Pill Hall—that’s also considerable Spirit Stones, don’t you think?”

However…

Zhui Ming’s well-intentioned words seemed completely unheard by Zhuo Hongyi.

Zhuo Hongyi’s gaze was fixed directly upon an old Servant Disciple who had just entered the trading market. Her stare was practically glued onto this old Servant Disciple.

This Servant Disciple naturally was none other than Han Lie, who came to the trading market planning to buy an aura-concealing technique.

Beside them, Zhui Ming stood stunned.

What? Me standing before you—young, handsome, top-tier talent, good character and personality, Senior Brother—you don’t look at me but look at some utterly wretched old Servant Disciple?

“Junior Sister Zhuo? Are you listening?” Forcing down his inner jealousy and anger, Zhui Ming spoke again.

“What?” Returning to her senses, Zhuo Hongyi looked blank.

Feeling ignored, Zhui Ming instantly flared up.

His good intentions, even planning to give a rare Crimson Flame Flower discovery over entirely… yet because of some old Servant Disciple, she ignores him?

“Come out with me first…” Taking a deep breath, Zhui Ming forcibly suppressed his inner jealousy and dissatisfaction.

A question mark popped up in Zhuo Hongyi’s beautiful eyes, somewhat puzzled why. But considering Zhui Ming still counted as her Senior Brother, she followed him out anyway.

“What’s wrong, Senior Brother?”

“Who were you looking at just now?” Finally unable to endure any longer, Zhui Ming exploded. “Just some old Servant Disciple, right? Why stare so intently? At what point am I worse than that trash?”

“Have you considered my feelings?”

Hearing this, Zhuo Hongyi understood now.

She didn’t plan to indulge Zhui Ming and counterattacked strongly. “Senior Brother Zhui Ming, whom I look at is my right—you seem to have no authority to interfere, right?”

“And we are in a senior-junior sibling relationship, not dao companions. Do I need to consider your feelings?”

“I know your feelings towards me, Senior Brother Zhui Ming. To avoid misunderstandings, let me make it clear today, here—you are not my type…”

Once these words left her mouth, darkness fell before Zhui Ming’s eyes; he instantly felt the sky collapsing.

So all his efforts until now were worthless in Zhuo Hongyi’s eyes?

Whether due to unwillingness or fear, Zhui Ming trembled all over. “You won’t tell me you like old men, right? Hahaha, don’t joke around, okay!”

Probably gone mad, Zhui Ming—or perhaps unable to accept cruel reality—like anyone else, found it hard to accept the girl they fancy actually likes the old man type.

Thus, Zhuo Hongyi just coldly glared once at Zhui Ming. She no longer paid attention and turned to leave immediately.

Unwilling to let go, Zhui Ming turned and blocked the path ahead.

“Get lost!” No longer considering sectmate sentiment, she issued a final ultimatum. “Within three breaths, if you still block my path, in the future, not even friends remain!”

“Junior Sister, you…!” Fists clenched, eyes reddening on the verge of tearing apart.

A brief inner struggle, and ultimately he stepped aside to let her pass. She didn’t even spare an extra glance and decisively left.

Leaving Zhui Ming alone in the wind, disheveled and bewildered.

Drawing many disciples nearby, pointing, gossiping, and watching the spectacle.

Among the crowd, a graceful figure dressed in cyan-white, with a pretty face carrying a hint of sly playfulness, also witnessed the entire scene between Zhuo Hongyi and Zhui Ming.

Elsewhere…

After browsing around the trading market and spending seven hundred Spirit Stones, Han Lie finally bought an aura-concealing technique named Breath Concealment Art.

The grade was not high, but the advantage lay in its ease of use. Although cultivators at Golden Core Stage perfection and above could see through the disguise, the Breath Concealment Art was still sufficient for Han Lie’s purposes currently.

Exiting the trading market, he immediately sensed a chilling, dangerous aura.

Slightly turning his head, he discovered a death-glare-like gaze cast towards him by Zhui Ming.

“?”

Full confusion on his face, expressionless, he thought inwardly, What? Have I offended the Law Enforcement Hall Azure Dragon Squad captain somehow?

Originally intending to ask and clarify directly, the terrifying bloodshot eyes dissuaded him quickly. He dared not linger and fled the scene swiftly.

“Cultivation… Foundation Establishment Stage? How is Old Man Lin’s situation?”

Among the crowd, Bai Ling’s beautiful eyes blinked repeatedly, filled with confusion and astonishment. Others might be unaware, but she knew too well. She remembered clearly that three months ago, when Han Lie asked to deliver the report letter to Ye Qingxuan, he was still at Qi Refining second layer cultivation, right?

“Impossible right, maybe my perception is mistaken?”

Three months time, Qi Refining second layer straight rush to Foundation Establishment Stage? Even a monstrous talent like herself, with quasi-nine-grade spiritual veins, couldn’t achieve that. How could a mere Servant Disciple accomplish it?

“No, something definitely big story here!”

Watching the direction of his disappearance, her lively, clear eyes gradually transformed into a blood-red color.

After leaving the sect trading market, there was a growing sense of something off.

“That Law Enforcement Hall Azure Dragon Squad captain… why show such a gaze towards This Senior? Like I owe him five million Spirit Stones…”

“No!”

Inner unease made him feel the matter was definitely fishy. It seems he should find time to ask Zhuo Hongyi to clarify; better to avoid misunderstandings arising.