The Immortal Clan begins with deductive intelligence.

The sound of a ceramic jar being opened and then sealed came from inside the door. Immediately afterwards, the cold sound seemed to carry a hint of pain and urgency.

"These are the remaining spirit stones."

A heavy brocade pouch was tossed out and landed at Xu Xining's feet with a thud.

"Once you've taken the money, keep your mouth shut. Don't wander around Hundred Beasts Peak for the next few days. If I hear any rumors..."

Before the words were finished, a low roar suddenly came from deep within the cave.

"roar--!"

Xu Xining felt a sharp pain in his eardrums and his blood surging throughout his body.

That was the voice of the Netherfire Lion.

"roll!"

With a sharp shout, Xiao Hanyi slammed the stone door shut with a loud bang, completely isolating all sound and breath inside.

Xu Xining was so startled by the sound that he fell to the ground with a thud. However, he did not show any fear or curiosity. Instead, he hurriedly rushed towards the brocade pouch.

He grabbed the brocade pouch, and without caring where it was, he immediately untied the knot, put his fingers in, and began counting the pieces one by one.

"One piece, two pieces, three pieces..."

He counted very slowly and very seriously, his eyes revealing a greedy look that suggested he had never seen the world.

Only after he had counted the number did he breathe a sigh of relief. He carefully stuffed the brocade pouch into his innermost pocket, got up, patted his bottom, and bowed to the tightly closed stone door.

"Thank you for your kindness, Senior Sister! I'll be leaving right away! Don't worry, I'm slow-witted and have a bad memory. Once I'm out of this door, I won't even be able to remember my own name. I absolutely won't say another word!"

After saying that, he didn't dare to linger. He bent over and ran down the mountain path in a flash.

They ran for two miles and then turned a corner.

Xu Xining stopped and leaned against an old pine tree, panting heavily.

"What was that just now?"

The waters of this sect are deeper than the vast swamp.

"We can't stay at Hundred Beasts Peak for now. If we get bossed around by that tigress a few more times, we might become that lion's meal one day."

"I need to find an excuse to go down the mountain and lay low for a while. Maybe I should ask for leave to go back and visit my family, and also get some advice from the clan chief..."

Xu Xining tightened his collar and quickened his pace unconsciously.

"I wonder how Xiwen, that taciturn fellow, and Xiyue, are doing at Danxia Peak."

These two were kind-hearted and honest. They were fine on Cangwu Island, but now that they've come to this treacherous immortal sect, if no one takes care of them, they might be devoured whole.

Ancient trees towered on both sides of the mountain path. The further Xu Xining walked towards Danxia Peak, the fainter the animal smell became, replaced by a refreshing medicinal fragrance.

The white jade square in front of Danxia Peak is usually the place where disciples trade spiritual herbs and exchange goods.

Today was a bit unusual; one place was packed with people, three or four layers deep, making it impossible to move.

Xu Xining frowned slightly and paused in his steps.

Although he loves to join in the fun, it's to snag a bargain or gather information. But if it's a place of trouble, he always avoids it.

Just as they were about to detour to look for the person, they heard several loud shouts from the crowd, mixed with extremely offensive insults. The voices were filled with the arrogance unique to scions of aristocratic families, and they were so offensive that they made one's ears callous.

Xu Xining's heart pounded, and a strange sense of unease welled up inside him.

He casually grabbed a gray-robed disciple on the periphery who was craning his neck to peer inside, and bowed with a smile, saying:

"Excuse me, senior brother, what's going on up there? Why is it so lively?"

The disciple was pulled and became somewhat impatient:

"What else could it be? It's just some old, trivial stuff. I heard there's some clueless new disciple who stole his senior brother's pills. He got caught red-handed and they're forcing him to hand them over."

"Stealing elixirs?"

Xu Xining's eyelids twitched.

In a sect, being dishonest is a major taboo.

"That kid was just unlucky. Of all people to mess with, he had to mess with that young master of the Wei family. I heard that young master Wei also entered this ceremony. His family is very wealthy. This time, they're probably going to make an example of him."

Xu Xining didn't believe it entirely; in the world of cultivation, the word "steal" sometimes doesn't necessarily mean actual theft.

He didn't want to meddle, but the feeling of palpitations grew stronger.

"Thank you for your guidance, senior brother."

Xu Xining apologized, bowing slightly, his body like a slippery eel, managing to squeeze a gap through the impenetrable wall of people.

"Hey! Why are you pushing?"

"That blind fool stepped on my foot!"

Amidst a chorus of curses from all around, Xu Xining ignored them and continued burying his head as he went inside.

He finally managed to squeeze to the innermost circle, but the scene before him made his blood rush to the top of his head.

In the open space, three or four young men dressed in embroidered robes were gathered in a circle, all with a mocking and ruthless expression on their faces.

Among them, Xu Xiwen's once neat gray robe was now stained with a dusty footprint, and half of his hair was disheveled.

He kept his head down, his hands gripping the hem of his clothes tightly, his knuckles white, and his body trembling violently in the warm spring sun.

Xu Xiyue stood beside him, her little face streaked with tears. She opened her arms to protect her brother, but was forced to retreat step by step by the imposing aura of the people opposite her.

The leader was a boy of about fifteen or sixteen years old. He was playing with an empty jade bottle in his hand, a mocking sneer on his lips, and his eyes were like knives, scraping over the two siblings.

"What's wrong? Not saying anything?"

The young man in the brocade robe stepped forward, his boots making a crisp sound on the bluestone slab.

"Weren't you being stubborn just now? This bottle was found by your colleague in the same courtyard. Caught red-handed, what else do you have to say?"

"I...I didn't steal..."

Xu Xiwen's voice was barely audible, and he lowered his head even further.

He could feel the gazes directed at him from all around.

Those gazes held contempt, mockery, and indifference, but no trust whatsoever.

Those gazes weighed heavily on his back, making him feel suffocated, as if he really was that shameless thief.

"You didn't steal it? Then did this pill just grow legs and run to your side?"

The young man in the brocade robe chuckled, turned to look at the crowd of onlookers, and shouted:

"Fellow disciples, please be the judge! Although Danxia Peak is an outer sect, we cannot tolerate such a despicable person with shady hands. If we let him go today, who knows whose treasures he'll steal tomorrow!"

A chorus of agreement immediately arose from the crowd, and the pointing and whispering grew louder.

Xu Xiwen felt a buzzing in his head and his vision blurred.

disgust.

The disgust that surged from all directions made him feel like a rat in a sewer, filthy, lowly, and unworthy to stand in the sunlight.

"It wasn't me...it really wasn't me..."

He muttered to himself, tears streaming down his face.

The young man in the brocade robe felt secretly pleased as he looked at Xu Xiwen's swaying figure.

As expected, he was a naive and easily frightened person. He was scared out of his wits by a simple trick.

How dare such a peasant be ranked among the immortals with him?

"Speak up! Are you mute?"

The young man in the brocade robe took a step closer, his voice suddenly rising in pitch, carrying an aggressive aura.

"If you kneel down now, kowtow, admit your mistake, and crawl between my legs, I might take pity on you and not send you to the Hall of Law Enforcement. Otherwise..."

Xu Xiwen trembled, his knees buckled, and he was actually about to kneel down under that oppressive force.

Xu Xining's eyes were bloodshot as he pushed aside the crowd blocking his way.

At Hundred Beasts Peak, he learned to be humble and subservient, and to speak to people in a way that suited them. But when he saw his own brothers being humiliated like this, his bloodlust instantly overwhelmed his reason.

However, just as he was about to rush out...

A long, strong hand landed firmly on Xu Xiwen's thin shoulder.

The hand was broad and thick, carrying an undeniable strength, forcefully stopping Xu Xiwen's momentum to kneel down and supporting his bent spine.

Xu Xining paused in his steps.

The young man in the brocade robe's sneer froze on his face.

The previously noisy crowd fell eerily silent the moment the hand appeared.

The newcomer was dressed in a snow-white robe, spotless, with a jade pendant engraved with the character "法" hanging from his waist. His face was stern, and his eyebrows were sharp and pointed.

"You didn't steal the elixir, did you?"

Zhao Yichuan's spiritual pressure subtly emanated from his body, causing his robes to flutter even without wind.

Xu Xiwen raised his head, his face streaked with tears, and stared blankly at the young man he had never seen before.

"In that case, lift your head and don't be afraid!"