Luo Xiaoxi's Setback

Once One Finger Slaughter had nothing more to ask, Luo Xiaoxi hurriedly urged him to take her to QuFu Mountain.

She could no longer wait to shed this lousy spectator status and become an official student like Jun Ziyi.

She had even planned to make Jun Ziyi her first target and claim three consecutive victories.

Since Lu Feng still wanted to keep an eye on Feng Minglang and the others, he remained on Demonic Ape Mountain for another hour or so.

During that time, Feng Yuan methodically reorganized the sect, focusing on investigating Ge Jiujiu's trusted disciples. Yet after Ge Jiujiu fled, those disciples had also vanished one after another, including the disciple who had guarded the mountain gate and secretly released the signal fireworks.

Lu Feng had not been particularly interested in Ge Jiujiu, nor did he care about Demonic Ape Mountain's internal affairs. But when Xiao Yuanfeng mentioned that Ge Jiujiu had intended to remodel Demonic Ape Mountain and add underground secret chambers, Lu Feng could not help growing wary.

When he examined the blueprints Xiao Yuanfeng brought over for the construction of those underground chambers, Lu Feng's expression immediately turned cold.

What the blueprints depicted was exactly the same as the underground secret chambers at Beast Taming Manor!

The same size, the same blood pools, the same corridors, and so on...

Lu Feng instantly realized that Ge Jiujiu was very likely from the force operating in the shadows, the one that used living people to test the Creation Pill!

And when Xiao Yuanfeng and the others admitted that Ge Jiujiu had left vicious restrictive qi within each of them, forcing them to submit rather than fight him to the death, Lu Feng became even more certain of his suspicions.

That restrictive qi was precisely what the Pao Xi Dragon Control Art left behind!

Lu Feng knew that the Beast Taming Manor Master's Pao Xi Dragon Control Art had come from Midnight Yaksha Luo. Now that Ge Jiujiu could use the same method, Lu Feng instinctively recalled the half of a small golden gourd he had obtained from Midnight Yaksha Luo's storage artifact. He faintly guessed that the remaining half might be in Ge Jiujiu's possession.

Having finally found a lead concerning the Creation Pill, Lu Feng naturally would not let it go. He immediately sought out Xiao Yuanfeng and the others, questioning them about everything related to Ge Jiujiu.

Where he had come from, how they had met, how he had become a Guest Elder of Demonic Ape Mountain, where he lived, what cultivation arts he practiced, how strong he was, and so on...

Unfortunately, the useful information he obtained was pitifully scarce.

Only two points particularly caught Lu Feng's attention.

First, Feng Yuan had first encountered Ge Jiujiu in the core region of the thirteenth branch range of the Profound Extremity Mountain Range, the "Secluded Scarlet Mountain Range," within Rock Secluded Forest. They had met while fighting over an Earth-grade beast core, then grown familiar after joining forces against a Heaven Soul Beast. It was a case of no friendship without a fight, which was why Feng Yuan had not been too guarded against him and had even invited him to become a Guest Elder at Demonic Ape Mountain afterward.

What concerned Lu Feng was not how the two had met, but the words "Secluded Scarlet Mountain Range." This was already the second time he had heard of it lately. Considering Fan Linlin's previous remark that the Gongsun Family's pharmacists harvested Praying Sheep Grass in the Secluded Scarlet Mountain Range year-round, and that Praying Sheep Grass was connected to one of the pill formulas used to test the Creation Pill, Ge Jiujiu's appearance there became far more suspicious.

The second point was that after Ge Jiujiu agreed to Feng Yuan's invitation and came to Demonic Ape Mountain, he would travel to Profound Gold City every half month or so. Though he claimed to the sect that he was merely going there to relax, Lu Feng found it somewhat unusual.

After all, simply relaxing would not follow such a regular schedule!

In Lu Feng's view, Ge Jiujiu was very likely going to meet the force behind him, and that force might well be hidden within Profound Gold City.

Because of the Praying Sheep Grass, Lu Feng's first suspicion fell upon the Gongsun Family. Moreover, he had once found medicine similar to the Creation Pill in Gongsun Zhe's storage artifact, making him all the more suspicious.

Fortunately, he currently had Lin Liyun's identity, so he could rightfully find an opportunity to begin investigating through Gongsun Che.

Judging by how Gongsun Che had harassed and flirted with Lin Xiaowan that day, he certainly would not give up so easily and would surely seek another chance to make a move.

Lu Feng already bore the responsibility of protecting Lin Xiaowan, so he could use this opportunity to lure the gentleman into the urn and test him.

After handling the matters on Demonic Ape Mountain,

By the time Lu Feng returned to QuFu Mountain, it was nearly evening.

At the foot of the mountain, Lu Feng suddenly heard faint sounds of fighting coming from the mountainside, and his expression darkened.

Is there still someone blind enough to come here and provoke us?

Was the warning I gave not enough?

As these thoughts ran through his mind, Lu Feng quickly made his way upward. Only after he drew closer and heard things more clearly did his expression ease.

The people fighting within the Returning to Simplicity Array halfway up the mountain were none other than Luo Xiaoxi and Shao Yang.

More precisely, it was Luo Xiaoxi, her face full of dejection after defeat.

Not far from her, Jun Ziyi, Qian Xin, Ning Xiang, Man Zhongli, and the others had all gathered around. Aside from Jun Ziyi, who looked somewhat unable to bear it, everyone else wore faintly smug expressions.

"What happened?"

As Lu Feng approached and sensed the gloom and fury on One Finger Slaughter's face beside Luo Xiaoxi, he hurriedly asked what had happened.

"It's all because of you!" Luo Xiaoxi's face flushed red with anger. "What kind of rotten rule did you set?!"

Lu Feng froze, then immediately understood. Luo Xiaoxi had most likely challenged Jun Ziyi and the others because of his requirement that she "defeat any three people."

And the outcome was easy enough to imagine.

Jun Ziyi stepped forward to console her. "Alright, don't be angry. Didn't you beat me? There's nothing embarrassing about losing to my eldest brother and second sister. I lose to them all the time too."

Luo Xiaoxi shot Jun Ziyi a resentful glare. "You still have the nerve to say that? I told you not to go easy on me. I don't want a victory like that."

"I didn't," Jun Ziyi said awkwardly, trying to cover it up.

"You absolutely did," Luo Xiaoxi said, puffing out her cheeks. "I could tell when we fought that you were holding back your attacks at every turn and deliberately yielding to me!"

Seeing that she had been exposed, Jun Ziyi smiled helplessly and tried to reassure her. "You're already amazing. Xin Jie nearly got hurt by you. You were only a tiny bit away from winning. As for Brother Yang, first, you aren't familiar with his fighting style, and second, you've only been learning the spear for a short time. Of course you couldn't beat him. So there's nothing to be upset about. One day, you'll become truly powerful."

"What's so amazing about that?" Luo Xiaoxi said gloomily. "Your Xin Jie is an array master. Before she sets up an array, a Martial Master is naturally stronger than an array master at the same realm. Yet I couldn't even stop her from setting up her array. That tiny bit you mentioned is a hundred and eight thousand miles away! If I had stubbornly thrust forward again just now, the Spiritual Qi Vines binding me would have strangled me to death. That gap is something I could never make up for."

"And your Brother Yang—I watched him fight the Six Harmonies Sect before. What he used just now was more or less the same set of moves, but from beginning to end, all I could do was take a beating. I didn't even have the slightest ability to fight back!"

"I can't beat any of you!"

The more Luo Xiaoxi spoke, the more frustrated she became. None of her initial confidence remained. After suffering so many setbacks in a row, she even began to feel somewhat inferior.

The total number of times she had lost in her entire life did not even compare to that brief stretch just now!

Jun Ziyi was at a loss for words and did not know how else to comfort her. Aside from Jun Ziyi's deliberate loss out of consideration for her feelings, the battles truly had been completely one-sided.

Listening from the side, Lu Feng had initially intended to let Luo Xiaoxi fully experience these feelings, so that she might rein in some of her usual pride and arrogance and gain a clearer understanding of herself beyond the Luo Family's protection. But before that could continue for long, One Finger Slaughter cast a threatening look his way.

Lu Feng sighed helplessly. One Finger Slaughter's excessive doting clearly prevented Luo Xiaoxi from having a healthy environment for growth. If she needed others to comfort her at the slightest setback, how could she ever become powerful?

Avoiding One Finger Slaughter's gaze, Lu Feng not only offered no comfort, but instead sternly told Luo Xiaoxi, "You truly can't beat any of them. You've spent all day in an environment where others protect you, where everyone around you yields to you. You don't even know how much you're worth. Who could you possibly defeat?"

"Azure Mountain Sect Master!" A chill flashed through One Finger Slaughter's eyes as he warned, "You've gone too far with your words!"

Feeling the terrifying aura radiating from One Finger Slaughter, Lu Feng's heart trembled. His instincts told him that if he dared say one more bad word about Luo Xiaoxi, One Finger Slaughter would likely poke him to death with a single finger!

Luo Xiaoxi looked sullenly at One Finger Slaughter. "Fat Grandfather, step back. Let him continue!"

Her voice had already taken on a hint of tears.

"There's nothing more to say," Lu Feng said, shaking his head with a sigh. "Cultivation isn't the make-believe games of your childhood. Your family indulged you and let you do as you pleased all these years—learning a sword here, a spear there—until you ended up broad but not refined. If you cannot integrate all that you have learned, you will never become a true powerhouse in this lifetime."

"I..." Luo Xiaoxi's heart sank. Lately, she too had realized the problem Lu Feng described. Whenever she fought with all her strength, she would always find herself somewhat overwhelmed. She would think that sword techniques were best suited for the enemy before her, yet her hands would instinctively unleash the slightly more familiar saber techniques instead.

When using cultivation arts, she would also often miss the best opportunity because she could not decide which type of art from the various sects she ought to use.

Powerful Luo Family elders such as One Finger Slaughter had often warned Luo Xiaoxi that she was broad but not refined. Yet they had always done so in indulgent, joking tones, claiming that as the pearl in the Luo Family's palm, Luo Xiaoxi did not need to be all that powerful. She only needed to follow her heart and learn whatever she liked.

In such a doting environment, Luo Xiaoxi had gradually lost her way, utterly unaware of how serious the problem of being broad but not refined truly was.

Ever since her brush with danger in the Battle Realm, Luo Xiaoxi had wanted to change this flaw. She had even resolved to cultivate only the spear for the rest of her life. Yet she always felt willing but powerless, unable to find the proper path.

"What should I do?!"

Luo Xiaoxi steadied her emotions and looked solemnly at Lu Feng.

She understood that although Lu Feng's harsh words were agonizing to hear, they were undeniably bitter medicine and honest advice. They also struck directly at her current Weak Points.

The masters Luo Xiaoxi had encountered in the past had mostly spoken softly and gently, never daring to utter even half a word of criticism. That was how she had been spoiled into what she was now.

Watching from the side, One Finger Slaughter saw that Lu Feng had hit the nail on the head regarding Luo Xiaoxi's weaknesses in cultivation, and the chill in his eyes faded somewhat. He too wanted to see what kind of method Lu Feng could offer to change and teach her.

If it could truly guide his Young Miss in a better direction, he would naturally be more than willing.

But there was one condition: his Young Miss's feelings could not suffer even the slightest grievance or unhappiness again!