As for the Sword Dao Afterimage, because it did not have considerable scriptures like the Humanoid Weapon, it was instead very profound and difficult for people toprehend.


    However, after contemting for nearly a year, he had made some progress and believed that results would soon be achieved.


    In this manner, he practiced alchemy, cultivation, and pondered over Divine Skills.


    A month passed in the blink of an eye.


    It was on this day that a group of uninvited guests arrived outside the ind pir.


    "Ind Master, the Alchemy Master lives in the ind pir ahead. I''ve followed Jin Suanpan and confirmed his whereabouts," one of them said.


    "To be an Alchemy Master and yet live in such a ce? It seems he truly hasn''t joined any faction. Haha, today we will capture him and take him back."


    "Congrattions to the Ind Master on capturing an Alchemy Master. This is a being capable of refining Demon Essence Pills, it looks like our ck Wind Association''s strength will increase once more."


    "Haha, if he truly is an Alchemy Master, then he deserves my personal attention. It''s not toote to offer congrattions after we''ve captured him, let''s go over there."


    A group of eight people rode the wind at a swift pace, and with a loud boom, theynded on the ind pir, causing a greatmotion.


    "Fellow Daoist,e out to meet us, don''t hide. I know you''re inside," a booming voice called out, echoing in the ear like rolling thunder and lingering for a long time.


    Yang Ji''s eardrums buzzed, and his head began to spin. He knew right away that the visitors bore ill intentions.


    What annoyed him was that after the previous visit by Chang Yuan, he had already moved to another ind pir to avoid exposure, so why were there more hostile people arriving now?


    With a slightly grim expression, Yang Ji pushed open the stone door and leapt onto the ind pir.


    He was met by a burly man, with big ears, a broad nose, a square mouth, and side whiskers. The chest hair exposed on his chest was both thick and dark, audaciously formed into a "heart" shape.


    This big man with slightly ntedrge eyes emitted a malicious gleam, clearly not a good sign.


    And yet, incredulously, this man was at the early stages of Golden Core.


    Even more infuriating was that he had Superior Spiritual Root.


    It was simply unjust.


    Yang Ji felt indignant inwardly, thinking to himself, "How can a rough brute like him have Superior Spiritual Root while someone as handsome, suave, lofty, and rare as me only possesses Lower-grade Root Bone? It''s outrageous!"


    In his envy, he shot the man a resentful nce.


    Hmm? This kid, the big man''s eyes,rge as copper bells, shifted, and he subconsciously straightened his loose robe, covering up the ''love'' shaped chest hair.


    Then he frowned slightly and angled his body, whispering to a refined-looking middle-aged man behind him, "This kid doesn''t look old at all. Are you sure he''s an Alchemy Master? Could you have made a mistake?"


    "Absolutely not. Whether he is or not, let''s capture him first and discuss itter," the middle-aged man replied through a concealed message.


    Capture him? Yang Ji frowned slightly.


    "Young man, Jin Suanpan said during our deal that your alchemy skills surpass even those of Master Chang Yuan? Since you are an Alchemy Master with such alchemy techniques, why would you choose to lurk on this solitary ind pir?


    Come with me to ck Wind Ind and enjoy the good life," the big man grinned, opening his mouth so wide it seemed as if he could swallow someone, his eyes revealing naked domineering intent.


    Jin Suanpan? This guy''s causing me trouble. What a pig-headed ally. Since when did I be an Alchemy Master?


    The medicinal pills I refined were never fully exerted, and the quality barely touched the superior grade. He actually inted my reputation with Chang Yuan, a renown Alchemy Master, to add weight to his words? They have wronglybeled me as an Alchemy Master.


    Yang Ji inwardly cursed Jin Suanpan for being thoughtless.


    And now he had attracted a Golden Core True Person, with a group of ill-intentioned Foundation Establishmentte-stagers behind him. This was indeed troublesome.


    As thoughts whirled, Yang Ji steadied himself, smiled faintly, and with a respectful gesture said, "Go to ck Wind Ind to enjoy the good life? I appreciate the senior''s kind offer. However, tomorrow I will be leaving with Jin Suanpan to return to the Jin Family. Heading to ck Wind Ind would be inconvenient now, perhaps another time."


    "Hmph! Trying to be clever in front of me, do you think I''m negotiating with you? We at the ck Wind Association don''t do things based on others'' faces, and you dare bring up the Jin Family to pressure me. The Jin Family only has three Golden Core True Persons, and we''re not afraid of them at all.


    As a Golden Core True Person myself, leading a group of Foundation Establishment to greet you, I gave you, an Alchemy Master, all due respect. If you refuse to leave, then I''ll have to personally capture you. If you get hurt, I''m not going to care," the burly man glowered and bellowed, his ferocious aura apparent.


    "Little brother,e with us. ck Wind Ind is much better than this ce," the people behind therge man chuckled sinisterly, their threat unmistakable.


    The burly man looked rugged, but his thoughts were surprisingly delicate; this was going to beplicated. Yang Ji frowned in secret, nced at therge man, and said with a cupped-hand smile, "I haven''t yet asked for senior''s esteemed name!"


    "I''m Mang Biao, Ind Master of ck Wind Ind, and leader of the ck Wind Association. You can call me Ind Master or Association Leader, as soon you''ll be one of my men anyway," Mang Biao dered, puffing his chest out proudly.


    "So, it''s Senior Mang. You don''t rest and heal your injuries on the ind, but insteade out for a stroll. Why is that?" Yang Ji replied with a faint smile.


    "Heal injuries?" Mang Biao squinted his eyes, filled with doubt, "I''m perfectly fine; what injuries would I need to heal?"


    "I observed that senior''splexion is tinged with ckness and your brows hold a murderous look. There''s a surge of malevolent energy in your pupils. I suppose you often find it hard to meditate during cultivation, frequently bing irritable, and your True Qi is often uncontroble, almost as if it''s about to react violently. Am I right?"


    Seeing that the words [Excessive consumption of low-quality Demon Essence Pills, demonic energy invasion, impure True Qi, risk of cultivation deviation] appeared above Mang Biao''s head, Yang Ji spoke with an affected air.


    "Saying that our leader''s True Qi is uncontroble, what a joke," someone in the back snickered.


    Yet upon hearing this, Mang Biao was shocked, thinking to himself, "I''ve never spoken of these symptoms to anyone, how does this youngster know? Could he also be a medicinal practitioner?"


    Yang Ji saw Mang Biao''s smile and domineering presence gradually recede, reced with a disy of [Solemnity], and knew his words had struck deep within his soul.


    Yang Ji then pressed even further, feigning profound wisdom as he spoke, "Your leader is nearly at the point of cultivation deviation, and you all can stillugh?"


    "Hmph! Stop with your rmist talk, and juste with us," someone from behind said coldly.


    Cultivation deviation? Upon hearing this, Mang Biao grimaced sharply, with [Fear] appearing above his head. He first let out a heartyugh, feigningposure, before casually saying:


    "You make it sound so interesting. I, Mang Biao, am perfectly fine, and yet you''re about to talk me into being a dead man. It''s a pity you aren''t a fortune-teller."


    While he maintained a casual front, in private he transmitted a weak message, "Little brother, how did you see it?"


    In that moment, feeling somewhat steadier, Yang Ji smiled at Mang Biao and replied through a transmitted message, "One nce was all it took!"


    "Is there still hope for me?"


    "There is! However, it''s difficult; no one besides myself can cure you," Yang Ji announced.


    Mang Biao sighed deeply, and as his eyes flickered, he transmitted back, "From the first nce, I felt a kinship with you, young brother. What do you say to forming an unbreakable bond today?"


    "An unbreakable bond?" Yang Ji was taken aback.


    Regardless of Yang Ji''s response, Mang Biao took a step forward, slung an arm around his shoulder, turned to the crowd behind and said with a smile, "This little brother and I hit it off. I like him a lot, so henceforth he will be the Second Master of ck Wind Ind. Go on, call him Second Master!"


    "..." The crowd behind went into a bemused silence, exchanging nces of confusion and wondering to themselves if the Ind Master had lost his mind.


    Mang Biao certainly saw the looks on their faces, but he had his own ns, and barked, "What? Didn''t you hear what I said? Call him Second Master this instant!"


    Though he spoke sternly on the surface, he secretly transmitted to them, "First, stabilize him; I have my ns."


    The crowd exchanged nces, then smilingly sped their hands and eximed, "Greetings to the Second Master!"


    "Mang Biao is being crafty again, thinking that bestowing me with the mere title of Second Master of the Ind, he wants me to treat him?" Yang Ji''s eyes narrowed as he mused, "Well then, I''ll just have to y along for now."


    However, at the moment, he couldn''t think of a better n, so he had to go along with it.


    Mang Biaoughed heartily, "Haha, little brother, I still don''t know your name."


    "Yang Ji!" Yang Ji replied with a salute.


    "Haha, so it''s Young Brother Yang! Come on, let''s return to ck Wind Ind," Mang Biao urged without further ado, taking hold of Yang Ji''s shoulder and flying up into the sky.


    (More exciting content toe, looking forward to your rmendations!)