Chu Feng: This Rotten Old Man Is Devious!

The night had grown late.

The night breeze swept gently across the land, bringing a trace of chill.

Inside the Miscellaneous Dao Institute.

Cao Youqian could neither sit nor stand still, and every so often he glanced at the Profound Fire Pill King beside him.

"Ancestor, didn't you say you were bringing me to the Miscellaneous Dao Institute to settle that matter?"

"Why isn't anyone here? Could they have gotten wind of it beforehand and run away?"

Hearing this, the Profound Fire Pill King slowly opened his eyes and shot his junior an exasperated glare.

"Do you even know what you're saying, brat?"

"You're the one who owes money. Why would Little Feng and the others leave?"

Cao Youqian: "..."

For a time, the Miscellaneous Dao Institute fell silent again.

After quite a while, the soft rustle of footsteps finally came from outside.

Chu Feng and Xiao Chen walked in beneath the moonlight.

"Senior Profound Fire, why are you here?"

Chu Feng had been very happy today and had a few extra cups, but he wasn't drunk. He saw that the people sitting in the courtyard were the Profound Fire Pill King and Cao Youqian.

A thought surfaced in his mind: Could the Profound Fire Pill King have come to skip out on the debt?

The Profound Fire Pill King glanced at the two of them and said, "To tell you the truth, I came here tonight for two reasons."

"Please go ahead, Senior."

Chu Feng stepped forward and sat down across from the Profound Fire Pill King.

Xiao Chen, meanwhile, stood quietly behind Chu Feng.

"The first matter concerns Xiao Chen and this good-for-nothing junior of mine. I hear Xiao Chen placed a hefty bet with Little Qian?"

The Profound Fire Pill King spoke unhurriedly.

Hearing this, Chu Feng rubbed his chin and narrowed his eyes slightly. "Senior, are you trying to skip out on the debt?"

"How could that be?"

The Profound Fire Pill King said, "Am I that kind of person?"

With that, he turned his gaze to Cao Youqian. "Little Qian, hand over all the spirit stones you have."

Cao Youqian hadn't expected his ancestor to make him hand over everything he owned.

"A-Ancestor, I don't have that much money!"

"How much do you have?"

The Profound Fire Pill King asked.

"I only have five million. Even if you sold me, it wouldn't cover the rest!"

Cao Youqian looked thoroughly aggrieved. Before coming here today, he had been overjoyed to learn that his ancestor was going to help him solve his problem. He hadn't even hidden his spirit stones, but had packed them all in his storage ring and storage bags.

"Take it all out."

There was a note of authority in the Profound Fire Pill King's voice that left no room for negotiation.

"Yes."

Cao Youqian could only take out all the storage bags and storage rings he had on him and place them on the table one by one.

The Profound Fire Pill King said, "Little Feng, count them first."

Chu Feng nodded slightly. "Disciple, take a look for me."

"Yes."

Xiao Chen began examining the storage bags and storage rings on the table.

A short while later, he said, "Master, there are indeed five million low-grade spirit stones in these storage bags and storage rings. Besides those, there are also some pills, dharma artifacts, and other things, but even all of it together doesn't amount to ten million low-grade spirit stones."

After listening, Chu Feng said, "How does Senior intend to settle this matter?"

The Profound Fire Pill King said with a smile, "That brings me to the second matter I wanted to discuss. You remember the wager we made before the competition, don't you?"

"Naturally. If Chen'er took first place in the outer institute competition, your Pill Dao Institute would send a disciple to cultivate at our Miscellaneous Dao Institute."

Chu Feng recounted it calmly.

"That's right. Besides the matter of the spirit stones, I came to bring you a disciple today."

The Profound Fire Pill King abruptly changed tack. "Qian'er, why aren't you kneeling and acknowledging your master?"

Those words shocked everyone present.

Even Chu Feng, a transmigrator, was stunned for a moment.

Cao Youqian was rooted to the spot in a daze.

He had already begun to question his life.

Who am I?

Where am I?

What the Gods and Devils am I doing?

Xiao Chen lost his composure too. He wanted to say something, but couldn't get a single word out.

Bang!

Seeing that his junior was still standing there in a daze, the Profound Fire Pill King kicked the brat straight to his knees.

"What, didn't you hear what your ancestor said?"

Only then did Cao Youqian come to his senses. He turned to look at his ancestor with a complicated expression.

Weren't you going to help me solve my problem?

How come you've sold me off instead?

"Hmm?"

A flash of anger crossed the Profound Fire Pill King's eyes, scaring Cao Youqian into a shudder.

He had been at his ancestor's side for so many years. How could he not see that his ancestor was truly angry this time?

Without his ancestor's favor, he would be finished for the rest of his life.

Forget it, forget it. I'll acknowledge him as my master.

"This disciple, Cao Youqian, greets Master."

As soon as he finished, the Profound Fire Pill King took a tea set from his storage ring, placed it on the table, and poured a cup of tea.

Chu Feng also came to his senses at this point. Watching the Profound Fire Pill King go through those motions as smoothly as flowing water, he thought, This rotten old man is devious!

He reached out and helped Cao Youqian up.

"Get up."

"Qian'er, offer the tea."

The Profound Fire Pill King handed the teacup to Cao Youqian.

"Yes."

Cao Youqian didn't dare resist in the slightest. He took the cup and held it out to Chu Feng with both hands.

"Master, please have some tea."

Chu Feng took the cup and sipped the tea.

"The ceremony is complete."

As the Profound Fire Pill King said those words, a crafty smile appeared on his face.

With this move, I've killed two birds with one stone, solving both the Pill Dao Institute's problem and Qian'er's at the same time.

In any case, Qian'er is Little Feng's disciple. As his master, you can take your time collecting the money from him yourself, and that'll be the end of it.

Chu Feng's expression was utterly calm, showing not a trace of joy or sorrow, because the system's familiar mechanical voice had sounded in his mind.

"Congratulations, host. You have successfully accepted a disciple and gained ten years of cultivation."

Thirty years of cultivation now. I wonder what realm I'm in?

Although that old fox, the Profound Fire Pill King, pulled a fast one on me this time, I didn't come out at a loss.

Seeing that Chu Feng was still lost in thought, the Profound Fire Pill King smiled and said, "Little Feng, I have important business tomorrow morning, so I won't linger here any longer."

Chu Feng stood up and said, "Senior, I'll see you out."

"All right."

The Profound Fire Pill King strode toward the entrance. When he reached it, he stopped, seemingly having remembered something.

"Little Feng, from this day forth, Qian'er is your disciple. Teach him however you see fit. As long as the brat doesn't die or end up crippled, I won't have a word of complaint."

Chu Feng said, "With those words from Senior, I can rest easy. Rest assured, I'll be sure to guide Little Qianqian conscientiously."

Not far away, Cao Youqian involuntarily shuddered when he heard this.

He wasn't a fool. Now that his ancestor had pulled this stunt, his days at the Miscellaneous Dao Institute would be hard.

"Farewell."

"Take care."

Chu Feng saw the Profound Fire Pill King off, then turned and walked toward Xiao Chen and Cao Youqian.

Watching Chu Feng approach him step by step, Cao Youqian instinctively took half a step back.

Seeing how cowardly he looked, Chu Feng said exasperatedly, "Little Qianqian, were you serious when you took that half step back?"

Hearing this, Xiao Chen immediately stepped sideways to block Cao Youqian's path.

I'm finished!!!

Cao Youqian cried out in his heart, then hurriedly said, "Master, your disciple was wrong! Spare me, Master!"