Ji Wuchang went out, following behind Xiao Mei.
Xiao Mei had no cultivation, so naturally, she could not possibly know Ji Wuchang was there.
In his previous life, Ji Wuchang had not known where Xiao Mei had met Xiao Fan. This time, he had followed her out purely out of curiosity!
Moreover, according to the information Ji Wuchang had gathered in his previous life, Xiao Fan would impatiently head to the Bai Family today.
After all, obtaining a pair of lightning-attribute Law Artifacts would indeed increase Xiao Fan's combat strength to some extent!
With Ji Wuchang following her, Xiao Mei turned left and right before finally stopping at a corner, going no farther.
Ji Wuchang glanced around, then could not help chuckling.
If he remembered correctly, the Bai Family residence was not far from that corner.
At this thought, curiosity surfaced on Ji Wuchang's face. His figure flickered, and he immediately vanished.
When he reappeared, he was inside a teahouse over a hundred meters from the Bai Family's main gate!
Ji Wuchang chose a seat by a second-floor window and opened the window a crack, giving him a view directly opposite the Bai Family's main gate.
After serving the tea, the waiter withdrew in delight, carrying the tael of broken silver Ji Wuchang had given him.
A pot of tea cost only a little over a hundred copper coins, yet this customer had given him a tael of broken silver. How could he not be happy?
Ji Wuchang leisurely sipped his tea, then turned his gaze toward the Bai Family's main gate.
Just then, several people emerged from the gate, and one of them was none other than Xiao Fan.
Although he was a young master of the Xiao Family, Xiao Fan wore coarse hemp clothing and looked exceedingly plain.
A faint smile touched Ji Wuchang's lips. This fellow truly was a deep schemer. He wore clothes like these deliberately to make others underestimate him!
When he visited the Bai Family, he suppressed his cultivation to a very low level. Otherwise, he only needed to reveal it, and the Bai Family would surely present him with that pair of lightning-attribute gauntlets!
Ji Wuchang naturally understood why Xiao Fan did this: he feared Ji Wuchang would become wary after learning his strength.
This fellow had been plotting against him from the very beginning, intending to trample him underfoot to rise higher!
Seeing Xiao Fan leave the Bai Family with an ugly expression, Ji Wuchang could not help smiling faintly.
Ji Wuchang then left the teahouse and, sure enough, saw Xiao Fan heading toward where Xiao Mei was.
Ji Wuchang sneered inwardly. Murderous intent surged in his heart, but he suppressed it again.
"Why bother quibbling with someone who's about to die?"
Ji Wuchang gave a self-mocking smile and waited nearby for a moment. Once he confirmed Xiao Fan had left, he headed straight for the Bai Family residence!
Seeing Ji Wuchang dressed in splendid brocade robes, the Bai Family servants guarding the gate dared not slight him and hurried forward.
Before they could speak, Ji Wuchang said calmly, "Go inform the Bai Family head that Ji Wuchang of the Longevity Sect has come to visit!"
The gatekeepers hurriedly nodded upon hearing this. One remained to guard the gate while the other sprinted inside!
At that moment, in the Bai Family's main hall, the family head, Bai Yanshan, sat chatting with his son, Bai Long.
"Father, why didn't you agree to Xiao Fan's request?"
"The Xiao Family is also a second-rate aristocratic clan, just like our Bai Family. If Xiao Fan achieves a good ranking, it'll benefit our Bai Family too!"
Quite puzzled, Bai Long addressed his father, Bai Yanshan.
Bai Yanshan smiled faintly, then said, "You... you're still a little too green. Do you know who will represent the Ji Family in the competition this time?"
Bai Long frowned slightly at this, then said, "Ji Bing, I suppose. His cultivation is currently the highest in the Ji Family!"
Hearing this, Bai Yanshan shook his head, a hint of disdain appearing on his face.
"Ji Bing? A little girl at Qi Refining, First Layer? How could the Ji Family possibly pin their hopes on her!"
"The Ji Family's real competitor this time is Ji Wuchang. He joined the Longevity Sect several years ago and only arrived in Muye City yesterday!"
Bai Long was startled by his father's words, then asked in surprise, "Father, how did you find out about this?"
Bai Yanshan smiled faintly, then said, "I spent a hefty sum to plant a spy in the Ji Family. That person sent word out last night."
"Ji Ping, Ji Cheng, and the others were all at the Ji Family's gate to welcome Ji Wuchang!"
"Think about it. Even if I sold that pair of gauntlets to Xiao Fan, do you think he could defeat Ji Wuchang?"
"There's no need even to think about it. He certainly couldn't."
"Since that's the case, why should we offend the Ji Family and Ji Wuchang, who has the Longevity Sect backing him?"
A wise gleam appeared in Bai Yanshan's eyes, and after hearing him, Bai Long was filled with such admiration that he could have prostrated himself.
Just then, a servant hurried inside and cupped his fist toward Bai Yanshan. "Family head, someone calling himself Ji Wuchang of the Longevity Sect is at the gate, here to visit!"
Bai Yanshan's eyes instantly lit up. He hurriedly rose and rushed outside with Bai Long!
Soon, the three were seated facing one another in the Bai Family's main hall.
Unlike when Xiao Fan had visited earlier, Bai Yanshan did not sit grandly in the seat of honor. Instead, he occupied the first chair on the right.
Ji Wuchang, meanwhile, sat in the first chair on the left!
After the servants served tea and withdrew, Bai Yanshan asked with a smile, "Young Master Ji, what brings you to our Bai Family today?"
Ji Wuchang smiled faintly, then said with a smile, "Family Head Bai, to be frank, I heard the Bai Family possesses a pair of lightning-attribute gauntlets. I'm very interested in them!"
"I wonder if you would be willing to part with them? I'm willing to purchase them with Spirit Stones or pills!"
Bai Yanshan and Bai Long exchanged glances, each seeing the surprise in the other's eyes.
Xiao Fan had barely left before Ji Wuchang arrived, and both had come for the very same thing!
Could there be some secret hidden within that pair of gauntlets?
The thought arose in Bai Yanshan's and Bai Long's minds at the same time!
But Bai Yanshan was a shrewd man. His eyes shifted, and he said with a smile, "Young Master Ji, to be frank, I've already promised that pair of gauntlets to Xiao Fan of the Xiao Family. He'll come to collect them in a few days!"
Bai Yanshan's method was simple: stall for a few days and see what happened.
He would use those days to study the gauntlets and see whether they concealed any secrets.
Xiao Fan had indeed just visited the Bai Family, so he was the perfect person to use as a shield!
Hearing Bai Yanshan's words, Ji Wuchang could not help smiling faintly. This answer was within his expectations!
Ji Wuchang said nothing. His presence rose steadily, reaching the peak of Qi Refining, Fourth Layer in mere moments!
At that instant, both Bai Yanshan's and Bai Long's expressions changed. Qi Refining Fourth Layer cultivation likewise surged from Bai Yanshan.
Although both were at Qi Refining Fourth Layer, there was simply no comparison.
If Ji Wuchang's presence was a torch, then Bai Yanshan's was a mere wisp of flame.
As for Bai Long, he felt as though a mountain had settled upon him, leaving him unable even to speak.
In mere moments, fine beads of sweat began appearing on both Bai Yanshan's and Bai Long's faces!