Winning Over Sect Master Yun?

The elderly man in hemp robes looked kind and benevolent, yet the aura around him was incredibly powerful.

Though she wore an old-fashioned long braid, it could not conceal the air of an expert about her. Like an orchid amid the clouds, she drifted like an immortal.

Gu Fengchen took a deep breath and wailed like a child complaining to his parent, "Grandpa Jia Xingtian, the Serpent Nest Mercenary Group is bullying me!"

Pointing at that leader with a face full of grievance, he continued, "I'm only eleven years old, and he wants to break my legs!"

Xiao Yi Xian could not help but grumble inwardly. Didn't you just turn twelve a couple of days ago...?

The Serpent Nest Mercenary Group's leader, who had been brimming with killing intent moments ago, completely wilted. He forced a stiff smile onto his vicious face and stammered, "Little brother, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want! I am not the leader of the Serpent Nest Mercenary Group. Although I was once a member of the Serpent Nest Mercenary Group, I now solemnly declare that A Bao and the others who once served in the same mercenary group as me are merely ordinary friends. All crimes they have committed, including but not limited to burning, killing, looting, and plundering in Qingshan Town, have nothing to do with me!"

This set of blame-shifting nonsense left even Gu Fengchen thinking, Well, damn. The mercenaries who had come with the leader were equally bewildered. What the hell? You bald bastard look so upright and honest, yet you're full of rotten schemes. You were the one who called us here to make trouble, and now that something's gone wrong, you're washing your hands of us?

Jia Xingtian did not listen to the leader's babbling at all. He glanced at Gu Fengchen and said with a smile, "Little Friend Gu Feng, consider this a favor from the Jia Ma Imperial Family. Remember it in the future."

With that, Jia Xingtian's figure suddenly vanished from where he stood.

The bald leader's expression changed drastically. He tried to force his body backward, but it was already too late.

"If you want to kill me, I'll make sure you leave with a few scars!" the bald leader roared as the aura of a Dou Spirit Expert erupted from him.

Yet in the very next second, a force dozens of times stronger than the bald leader's burst forth from Jia Xingtian's body.

Accompanied by a muffled groan, everyone saw the bald man who had been shouting arrogantly a moment ago lose his ferocious head the next.

His vicious face still bore a twisted expression of despair, while Jia Xingtian had already calmly returned to his original spot, as though he had not just killed a renowned Dou Spirit Expert, but merely slaughtered a pig at a butcher's mercy.

Jia Xingtian did not continue slaughtering the remaining Serpent Nest Mercenary Group members. There was simply no need.

Gu Fengchen had not wanted to owe this favor either, but Jia Xingtian had insisted on acting. Besides, if Jia Xingtian had not been here today, dealing with a Dou Spirit Expert would indeed have been troublesome.

Gu Fengchen bowed slightly to Jia Xingtian and said sincerely, "Thank you for your help, Elder Jia."

"It was nothing, hahaha. Alright, we came to see you this time because we have something to discuss. Let's talk inside." As he spoke, Jia Xingtian did not even glance at the Serpent Nest Mercenary Group members, whose faces had turned green, and walked into the Myriad Medicine Pavilion.

Gu Fengchen did not make things difficult for these mercenaries who had merely come to make up the numbers. He followed Jia Xingtian into the Myriad Medicine Pavilion.

Xue Mei and Xiao Yi Xian did not interrupt Gu Fengchen and Jia Xingtian's conversation.

Jia Xingtian and Yaoye stood before Gu Fengchen. Jia Xingtian smiled and said, "Didn't I tell you before that the reason we came to Qingshan Town was because the Jia Ma Imperial Family holds an annual Autumn Hunt?"

Gu Fengchen thought for a moment and nodded. "Yes, I remember. But hasn't this Autumn Hunt already ended?"

Jia Xingtian shook his head and said seriously, "It was originally supposed to end, but Yun Yun, the Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect, said she wanted to take in disciples. She wanted to use the Autumn Hunt to test the younger generation. But autumn has already passed, so we will hold another Spring Hunt two months from now. If you wish to cultivate at the Misty Cloud Sect, this is your opportunity."

Gu Fengchen nodded, but Yaoye added from the side, "The Misty Cloud Sect's cultivation resources are much more abundant, after all. And if Sect Master Yun Yun takes a liking to you, your future cultivation will soar smoothly. What do you think? If you want to participate, I can give you a spot on behalf of the imperial family."

Gu Fengchen frowned in thought. This was indeed a good opportunity to get close to Yun Yun.

With his current talent, making Yun Yun take notice of him would be effortless.

After becoming Yun Yun's disciple, wouldn't winning over Sect Master Yun be easy?

By then, he would not only have the resources of the Alchemist Guild, but also those of the Misty Cloud Sect and the imperial family.

Hiss, that's certainly tempting. Having the best of both worlds... but Gu Fengchen ultimately shook his head and said seriously, "Thank you for thinking highly of me, Elder Jia, but I'm still young and don't want to be bound by a sect for now. Besides, having Elder Jia backing me is already enough. I don't need any Misty Cloud Sect!"

In truth, Gu Fengchen had already guessed Jia Xingtian and Yaoye's intentions.

The Jia Ma Empire's greatest threat was not external, but the Misty Cloud Sect itself.

The Misty Cloud Sect had been developing far too quickly lately, to the point that even the Jia Ma Imperial Family had become uneasy.

Thus, on one hand, Yaoye and the others were giving Gu Fengchen an opportunity. On the other, they were effectively asking him to become Yun Yun's lackey and keep watch over the Misty Cloud Sect.

Jia Xingtian did not seem particularly surprised by Gu Fengchen's refusal.

Stroking his beard, he laughed. "Hahaha, no matter what Little Friend Gu Feng chooses, the Jia Ma Imperial Family will always be Little Friend Gu Feng's friend."

After seeing Jia Xingtian and Yaoye off, Gu Fengchen finally let out a heavy sigh when he returned to his bedroom.

Before, he had always wondered whether he had unlocked the Protagonist template.

But even with the Three Thousand Burning Flame Body, he could not do whatever he wanted and never die.

Though the aura Jia Xingtian had released lasted only an instant, Gu Fengchen had still felt terrified.

What Flying Dou Skill, what Three Thousand Burning Flame Body, what Indestructible Golden Body—before absolute strength, they were all worthless.

A Protagonist?

Gu Fengchen did not fantasize about being one, nor did he want to test it. He only wanted to work hard and improve his strength.

At the very least, he did not want to end up as cannon fodder in the future. As for causing trouble, he would wait until he reached the Dou Emperor realm or above.

For now, lying low was the way to go.

Just then, a knock sounded from outside.

"Junior Brother, are you there?"

Junior Brother?

Gu Fengchen froze for a moment, then remembered that the person knocking was Frank's eldest disciple—his senior sister, Xue Mei.

The door opened, and Xue Mei stood there in a silver gown, a faint fragrance wafting from her body.

"Senior Sister, please take good care of me in the future!" As she spoke, Xue Mei spotted the Spring Return Powder on Gu Fengchen's table. Her eyes lit up as she walked over, picked it up, and examined it carefully. Then she asked, "Junior Brother, th-this... did you refine this?"