Chapter 215: The Profound Ice Sect

"Hmph, playing dumb, are we?"

The middle-aged man at the head of the group sneered coldly. Watching how Chen Xiaoming paid them no heed, spiritual energy surged within him.

They were well aware of what had transpired earlier in the tavern with Chen Xiaoming.

Hansha City, being the nearest city to their sect, naturally had many Profound Ice Sect disciples operating in the area.

Upon hearing that a traitor of the sect had surfaced, disciples from all across Hansha City had swiftly gathered.

The whereabouts of the gaunt man were not hard to trace. Coupled with Chen Xiaoming's blatant swagger in bringing the two along, it didn't take much inquiry to track them down.

"If I were you, I'd surrender now and save myself the trouble."

As the man's Foundation Establishment realm cultivation flared outward, a powerful pressure swept through the room. Under that oppressive force, the gaunt man and the young girl were frozen in place, their expressions grim and pale.

"Sigh…"

With a soft sigh, Chen Xiaoming shook his head. He really didn't enjoy having to kill so often.

Was this Huluwa (Calabash Brothers) saving Grandpa? Were they seriously coming at him one by one?

Did no one understand the virtue of cautious bravery anymore? Would it kill fate to throw him a real villain guarding the gate for once?

A faint medicinal fragrance drifted through the air. In the next moment, the spiritual energy within the middle-aged man and the Foundation Establishment cultivators behind him—disciples still at the Qi Condensation realm—abruptly vanished, melting like snow under the scorching sun.

"My spiritual energy! What did you do?!"

The middle-aged man was the first to notice the anomaly. His own cultivation base, firmly in the Foundation Establishment realm, had silently disappeared. The oppressive force he'd projected vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed.

More terrifying still was the realization that he couldn't absorb spiritual energy from the world at all. Though he could sense it, it was completely out of reach.

"Nothing serious. Just a little trinket."

With a casual motion of his right hand, Chen Xiaoming retrieved a green pill. Seven golden lines adorned its surface, emitting a light medicinal aroma.

"Dispersing Spirit Pill. It erases the spiritual energy of cultivators and prevents them from absorbing any for seven days."

Chen Xiaoming explained kindly. The Renegade Immortal universe had a unique alchemical tradition, and with his own status as an Alchemy Emperor (Emperor Grade), pills like these, for sub-Soul Formation cultivators, were practically made on a whim.

"What?!"

Everyone, from the middle-aged man to the gaunt cultivator and the girl, was stunned. A pill that could disable a cultivator's energy and cut them off from spiritual absorption for days? That was basically a nemesis to anyone relying on cultivation!

"No need to look so shocked. That was just the opening act."

As he spoke, Chen Xiaoming produced a second pill, this one violet in color, inscribed with nine golden runes, its medicinal scent even more potent than the first.

"Poison Spirit Pill. Any cultivator below the Soul Formation realm who touches it will die."

His tone was cold. As he lightly squeezed the pill, a wisp of violet smoke drifted out and floated toward the group.

"No, no! You can't kill me! I'm a steward of the Profound Ice Sect. If you kill me, the Sect will never let you go!"

The man shouted in panic, but the smoke continued to drift toward him. He fully believed in the pill's lethality.

He wanted to flee, but for some reason, his body simply wouldn't move.

"No—!"

The violet smoke entered his body, and he collapsed instantly like a punctured balloon. Thick plumes of smoke burst from his body. In mere moments, the gathered Profound Ice Sect members were all engulfed in the haze.

The gaunt man and the girl stood still, watching quietly. When the smoke dispersed, their expressions changed drastically.

The open doorway was empty—completely and eerily silent.

"Mmm, much better now."

Chen Xiaoming nodded to himself, unfazed. To him, ending these people was no different from squashing ants.

"I could use a maid. Would you be willing?"

He turned to the girl behind him. Living a century-long life alone had grown dull, and her stubbornness reminded him of someone.

"Senior, I…"

She hesitated, faltering in her words as her gaze repeatedly drifted toward her father.

After a moment's thought, her eyes gained clarity.

"Senior, I am willing."

Her clear voice was filled with quiet determination. Having witnessed the strength of the Profound Ice Sect firsthand, she understood that even if her father recovered, he would still be powerless.

And Chen Xiaoming had saved their lives. This was a debt that needed repaying.

"What's your name?"

Now that she had agreed, Chen Xiaoming figured it was time to learn more about her.

"Senior, my name is Ouyang Qian."

"Mmm. No need to call me 'Senior' anymore. My name is Chen Xiaoming. From now on, you may call me 'Sir.'"

He nodded, addressing her casually.

"Yes, Sir."

Seeing the joy on her face, Chen Xiaoming smiled slightly and retrieved a pill from his robes.

After a moment's thought, since she was now under his protection, her cultivation couldn't remain low.

"Take this."

He tossed her a milky-white pill without bothering to explain its effects.

Ouyang Qian caught it with both hands. Without hesitation, and after only the briefest glance, she swallowed it whole. The pill dissolved into a warm current that surged into her core.

Chen Xiaoming was pleased by her trust—she hadn't doubted him for a second.

Boom!

A powerful surge erupted from within Ouyang Qian. The surrounding spiritual energy flooded toward her, pouring into her body.

Eyes shut tight, she absorbed the surge. Her cultivation, originally at the fourth level of Qi Condensation, began to soar.

Fifth level… sixth… seventh… all the way to the ninth level.

In just moments, she had reached the peak of Qi Condensation.

Boom!

A thunderous rumble echoed again as her cultivation broke through to Foundation Establishment and kept climbing—straight to its peak.

The gaunt man watched in stunned disbelief. He himself had only just reached early Foundation Establishment. Yet his daughter, in the blink of an eye, had surged past him.

And it wasn't over.

Feeling the vast energy within her, Ouyang Qian found it all surreal. The next instant, her cultivation broke through again. The spiritual lake within her core boiled and condensed into a single golden core.

The Golden Core floated above her dantian, endlessly absorbing and solidifying the surrounding spiritual energy.

Her cultivation had steadily advanced, breaking through stage after stage until she finally halted at the Peak of the Core Formation Realm.

Chen Xiaoming sat at the table, casting a glance at the young girl's cultivation. He gave a faint nod.

Now she finally looks the part of a proper attendant. That measly Qi Condensation Realm before was far too weak.

"Acceptable. It'll do for now."

With that, Chen Xiaoming rose to his feet, his voice calm as he spoke to Ouyang Qian and the gaunt man beside her.

"Let's go."

Still reeling from the shock of her sudden cultivation breakthrough, Ouyang Qian couldn't help but ask in a daze, "Sir, where are we going?"

Chen Xiaoming's gaze turned distant, a flicker of killing intent flashing in his eyes.

That middle-aged man earlier had warned that the Profound Ice Sect wouldn't let this matter rest. But Chen Xiaoming, if there was one thing he hated most, it was trouble.

As the saying goes:

If a problem can't be solved, then solve the one who raised it. No more problem, right?

"We're heading to the Profound Ice Sect."

-------

Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over to my Patreon ——— patreon(.)com/igotneonlight [remove the parenthesis ( )]