Gu He

"Do you know him, my lord?"

Seeing that Xie Tianxiao was no longer releasing his pressure, Lie Xiong wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and looked at Xie Tianxiao nervously as he asked.

"It's not just that. I'm curious who told you to take him back, and how Gu He ended up in this state."

Xie Tianxiao waved a hand and looked with interest at the middle-aged man held by Lie Xiong.

"I do not know either. A man entirely clad in black robes suddenly appeared in Mulan Valley. He was very powerful, a Dou Zong-level expert."

"He ordered the three of us brothers to obey him and help him find a strange ancient jade, as well as some powerful alchemists to take back."

"In exchange, he helped the three of us master a Dou Technique capable of matching a Dou Zong. He also promised that, once the matter was done, he would help all three of us break through to the Dou Zong realm."

"As for Gu He, I had originally planned to bring him back to Mulan Valley properly, but this fellow refused to cooperate. So... I could only make him a little more obedient."

Lie Xiong let out a breath of relief and hurriedly explained.

He had been afraid that Xie Tianxiao had some prior connection with Gu He. If that were the case, then he would truly be finished today.

"I see. You may leave, but Gu He and the storage ring in your hand stay behind."

"You have no objections, do you?"

Xie Tianxiao glanced at the middle-aged man and asked.

"Uh, no objections. None at all."

How could Lie Xiong dare voice even a single objection? He hurriedly shook his head. You're this powerful. If I objected, wouldn't I just be courting death?

Still, he found it rather strange that a Dou Zong-level expert like Xie Tianxiao would be interested in his storage ring. Yet he hurriedly removed it from his finger and handed it over.

The storage ring contained his entire fortune, but compared to wealth, he valued his life more.

"Then I shall take my leave."

After giving the storage ring to Xie Tianxiao, Lie Xiong spoke respectfully and swiftly shot off in the direction of the Mulan Empire.

He was actually moving even faster than when Xie Tianxiao had first appeared.

"This fellow knows his place."

Xie Tianxiao glanced at the departing Lie Xiong and murmured softly.

After putting away Lie Xiong's storage ring, Xie Tianxiao turned to look at Gu He, who was floating nearby. A mocking smile appeared on his lips as he said,

"This is the Jia Ma Empire's foremost alchemist, the Pill King? He nearly got taken away without anyone noticing and handed over to the Soul Hall. What a joke."

Xie Tianxiao had not actually wanted to concern himself with Gu He. Back when he had read novels on Blue-White Star, he had preferred heroines like Xiao Yixian, Yun Yun, and Ya Fei.

Now that he had transmigrated here, he disliked this Gu He, who supposedly liked Yun Yun, even more.

However, when he heard Lie Xiong mention searching for some ancient jade, Xie Tianxiao guessed that the person behind it might be from one of the eight great clans. Coupled with the black robes and the search for alchemists, he became certain that it was someone from the Soul Hall.

And since the Soul Hall was destined to become Xie Tianxiao's enemy sooner or later, he naturally could not allow them to get what they wanted.

Most importantly, Gu He was merely a Dou Wang. So what if he saved him? Xie Tianxiao could destroy him with a lifted finger. There was no need to take him seriously.

Still, although he had indirectly saved Gu He, he had no intention of letting him leave so cheaply.

Xie Tianxiao flashed down to the ground below. With a wave of his hand, the floating Gu He was flung to the ground.

"Ah!"

Gu He suddenly woke with a start. The moment he looked up and saw Xie Tianxiao's cold face, his expression changed drastically. He scrambled to his feet and asked in panic, "Y-you, who are you? Why did you capture me?"

That was it?

Seeing Gu He so bewildered and flustered, Xie Tianxiao chuckled. Then he flicked his sleeve and said disdainfully, "Is that how you intend to treat your savior? Look around and see where you are."

"Capture you? Are you even worth capturing? What use would you be to me?"

Gu He was only a sixth-tier alchemist, and one who had only just entered the sixth tier at that. Xie Tianxiao did not think much of him at all.

"What!"

After hearing Xie Tianxiao's words, Gu He froze. Only after carefully surveying his surroundings did he realize that he was standing in an empty clearing in a border town of the Jia Ma Empire.

This was not Mulan Valley in the Mulan Empire, where Lie Xiong had claimed he was taking him.

"Thank you, my lord, for saving my life. I, Gu He, shall remember this kindness. If there is ever anything you need from me, just say the word. Gu He will surely do everything within his power."

Having come to his senses, Gu He took a deep breath and respectfully bowed to Xie Tianxiao, expressing his gratitude.

He had never imagined that he would be so unlucky. After accidentally obtaining a fifth-tier medicinal formula, he discovered that it lacked one medicinal ingredient. Thus, he had gone to the desert at the Jia Ma Empire's border to search for it.

Yet he had been intercepted by a Dou Huang who claimed to be from the Mulan Empire and ordered him to make a trip to Mulan Valley.

He had refused, offering several sixth-tier pills and the favor of an alchemist instead. Unfortunately, the other party had not been interested and had knocked him unconscious and captured him.

He had thought that he would most likely die at that Dou Huang's hands, only to be rescued by the mysterious expert before him.

"My lord? Who is your lord?"

Xie Tianxiao could not help but sneer at Gu He's words.

Then, stepping through the air, he arrived above Gu He's head and looked down at him as he said coldly, "Call me Lord, understand?"

Gu He was slightly stunned after hearing Xie Tianxiao's words. He did not understand why Xie Tianxiao had suddenly turned hostile and insisted on being called Lord.

Anger began to rise in Gu He's heart, but when he saw Xie Tianxiao standing in the air, he suppressed it again and gritted his teeth. "Yes, Lord!"

"Mm."

Hearing Gu He's respectful voice, Xie Tianxiao nodded in satisfaction. The feeling of trampling on others really is refreshing!

He's actually a Dou Zong expert!

Seeing Xie Tianxiao's pleased expression, Gu He could not help cursing inwardly, Damn it, where did this Dou Zong expert come from? And such an arrogant, ill-mannered Dou Zong at that!

I never even offended him. Damn it!

He had originally thought Xie Tianxiao was a Dou Huang-level expert who had saved him because he had heard of his reputation as a sixth-tier alchemist and wanted to befriend him.

Unfortunately, he had been wrong. This man was actually a Dou Zong expert.

And he did not even regard Gu He as worthy of notice!

"Enough. I have no interest in hearing the tedious story of how you were captured by that Mulan Valley elder."

"Leave your storage ring behind, and you may go."

Xie Tianxiao waved his hand impatiently and spoke coldly.

Xie Tianxiao had saved Gu He's life, yet Gu He was still so ungrateful. Considering the things in his ring, merely cutting off a finger would have been going easy on him.

As for why he wanted the storage ring of a sixth-tier alchemist, it was still the same reason: free things were free for the taking.

Although he had no use for those resources at the moment, he could give them to others or use them in the future if he decided to build a faction. After all, no one would ever complain about having too many cultivation resources.

The more, the better, wasn't that right?