I Was Robbed of My Chance to Show Off

Half an hour earlier.

Ning Muqin chewed on her thumbnail anxiously as she stood across the hospital room, watching her son's heartbeat on the monitor fluctuate. She was waiting-- waiting for any single one of her commissions to come through today.

Since she borrowed the Body Reconstruction Pill recipe from Xie Dali, aside from Xie Wan, she had made a total of 5 commissions to the most esteemed pill refiners other than the Xie family.

Unfortunately, not one had reached out back to her yet. That meant that they failed to refine the pill in the meager amount of time she allowed. She couldn't blame them. After all, she knew she was making an unreasonable request, and they still took it.

Breathing heavily, she closed her eyes. At this point, she had already accepted that her son would die this day. The room was filled with nothing but the beeping of the monitor.

All of a sudden, her assistant barged in, looking as tired as she was.

"Ma'am, ma'am!" The assistant caught his breath as he leaned against the door.

"Y, you scared me. What is it?" Ning Muqin covered her lack of composure with a facade. "It better be important for you to bother me at such a time."

"There's a rumor floating around. In the Wuji Street marketplace, there's a master pill refiner that refines pills in a matter of hours!"

"...Wuji Street?" Ning Muqin got a little hopeful in her heart when she heard the assistant's first words, but when she heard 'Wuji Street', most of her hopes were dashed. "If it's from that street, then it's nothing more than a rumor."

"But, ma'am! This is a chance!" The assistant looked desperate, like an agent selling insurance.

Ning Muqin bit her lip. Truthfully, she had already made up her mind to go and visit this so-called miracle worker. Even though this trip had an almost 100 percent chance of being fruitless, she still reserved a minuscule amount of hope. If, and this was a massive if, this pill refiner turned out to be the solution for her problem, but she decided not to go, she would surely regret it for the rest of her life.

"...Okay, let's go."

.....

Miss X walked towards the two "bosses", the hood of his cloak covering most of his face.

The vendors widened their eyes. "B- boss Xu! There, right there, it's the girl!"

"Ah..." Xu Tianping looked at the approaching figure wearing a black cloak. He grinned as he cracked his knuckles.

He stood straight as he turned his gaze towards the cloaked girl. "Hey, you, stop right there!"

Lan Xiang halted his footsteps.

"So, you're called Miss X, eh?" Xu Tianping observed the girl. 'Small figure, at least a foot shorter than me (LOL). Can't sense any cultivation... Hah, stupid bitch. Must be an old hag to be hiding her face like this, yeah?'

"Hm, yes."

"Then, Miss X, do you know what you've done wrong?"

"...? No, not really."

Xu Tianping sneered. "You have made an illegal profit on my property! Not to mention rent, you didn't even ask for my permission! Haiz..."

Lan Xiang didn't respond. 'Bro, I don't even make money...'

"Do you understand me, old hag?? That means you have wronged me, ah!" Xu Tianping had a pained look on his face.

"..."

"Haah... well, seeing as you're an old woman, I can turn a blind eye towards your wrongdoings. I need to respect the elders after all. On one condition though, you just need to refine pills for me forever." Xu Tianping grinned.

The people that were a fair distance away from Xu Tianping and Lan Xiang could still hear their conversation. They had disappointed looks on their faces. 'Ah, now there'll be no free pills. This hoodlum Xu Tianping's gonna jack up her prices while keeping everything for himself! Poor Miss X...'

Lan Xiang sighed before removing his hood, revealing his appearance—at least, while wearing the Disguise Ring for females.

"--!"

Everyone drew sharp breaths as they saw Miss X's real appearance. Apparently, she was not a wrinkly old hag, but rather, she was an otherworldly beauty! As such, they all admired her face.

It was especially so for Wen Kang who gulped as he fantasized over Miss X. 'Such a pretty young girl! I won't miss this chance!'

Just as his bulge was rising, Wen Kang saw Xu Tianping stride forward beside him. He bit his lip. 'This damn Xu Tianping, stealing my girl! Just wait till I get stronger, I'll f*cking steal her back!'

"Haizz, Miss X, what are you doing?" Xu Tianping sighed. "You dared to deceive me about your appearance, making me think you're an old hag! Hai... you've wronged me once more. But I'll forgive you this time, just give me your body! What say you, eh?"

'Aiya, this Xu Tianping, so shameless!' The spectators couldn't stand hearing Xu Tianping's shamelessness as they showed a disgusted expression. Simultaneously, they also felt pity for Miss X, who was about to become Xu Tianping's plaything.

Lan Xiang scratched his head. He also got disgusted by Xu Tianping's declarations, especially since it was directed towards him.

"What if I say I'd rather not do it?" He raised his eyebrow.

Xu Tianping was irked by Miss X's defiant tone. "Heh, then you'll be forcing my hand."

He released his cultivation once more-- Level 9, Quaint Development Realm! Everyone retreated a few more steps, while the vendors had no choice but to get out of their stalls and run away.

Xu Tianping was confident in his cultivation level, as he had cultivated for more than 40 years to gain this strength. The greenhorn in front of him most likely hadn't the same cultivation as him. As such, it would be easy to threaten the girl with just the pressure from his aura.

'Heh, Miss X should be kneeling on the floor right about now...! What!'

Miss X stood still, showing an indifferent expression.

"You...!" Xu Tianping reassured himself. 'Ah, she must have some sort of artifact that allows her to resist cultivation aura pressure. That's right, she's a pill refiner after all. She's bluffing.'

"Heh! In that case, don't blame me for beating you up!" Xu Tianping charged up his attack, directing his qi towards his fist. 'Hmm, I'll be sure not to touch her face. That way, I can still play with it later while she's unconscious, haha!'

Lan Xiang grinned after sensing Xu Tianping's cultivation again. It exerted a bit more pressure than earlier, but it was undoubtedly still lower than his Level 10 cultivation. He readied himself for whatever attack Xu Tianping might launch at him.

"...You bitch, take this!"

The spectators widened their eyes as they saw Xu Tianping's fist. "Fast!"

It was quickly getting nearer Miss X's stomach. They turned their gaze away, not wanting to see Miss X being brutalized.

Just as Xu Tianping was about to hit Lan Xiang, a bluish flame enveloped his fist. Xu Tianping widened his eyes as he hurriedly ran back. "F*ck! What the f*ck! My hand is getting burned! Sh*t!"

The spectators all raised their eyebrows in confusion. "This flame... it's the signature Ning family blue flame!"

As Xu Tianping flailed his fist wildly, the flames disappeared into nothing but smoke. His hand was scorched black, but he restrained himself from shouting anymore. He recognized the flame as well, and Ning family... was something he could not afford to offend.