"There's no chance for an upfront move, but in the first phase of the Lianyun Mountain exam, maybe we can find an opportunity?"

Xu Changgui stroked his chin, pondering for a while. Suddenly, he recalled certain rules of the Lianyun Mountain exam and gave a sinister smile, saying, "Miss Xuan Yin from Xuanyin Hall is invited to observe, but she isn't a Meridian Refining Master. If something unexpected happens during the selection test, they can't blame us, can they?"

"You always know how to handle things, senior brother!"

Lu Zhang raised his right wrist, looking at the silver thread already reaching halfway up his forearm. His face turned a bit resentful, and he asked, "Senior brother, have you contacted Elder Yao yet? There won't be any mishaps, will there?"

"What mishaps could possibly occur? Elder Yao arrived through the formal selection process, although he's quite old, he doesn't violate the rules of Lianyun Mountain disciples' selection!"

Xu Changgui gave a sinister smile, realizing that this time those coming from Sky Thunder Valley for the Lianyun Mountain disciples' selection weren't just the two of them as senior brother and junior brother. At some point, there might emerge a surprise to astonish the young Yun Xiao.

...

Yun Xiao was naturally unaware of the conversation between these two brothers. When he heard Xue Ningxiang's last sentence, he couldn't help but curl his lips, mumbling, "You're backing me? With mere Peak Spirit Vein Realm cultivation?"

"What's wrong with Peak Spirit Vein Realm cultivation? Didn't you see Li Gongnian from the Spirit Fighting Commerce running away with his tail between his legs? Can you do that?"

Xue Ningxiang's beautiful eyes glared, and her words almost made Li Gongnian, who hadn't gone far, stumble and nearly turn around to battle this man and woman for three hundred rounds.

"You little girl, do you think I'm really afraid of you? If it weren't for Xuanyin Hall..."

Li Gongnian ultimately did not turn back, only able to curse vehemently in his heart. As a top genius of Spirit Fighting Commerce, he probably hadn't felt so humiliated in his life.

The dignified top genius of Spirit Fighting Commerce, a genuine Late Stage Seeking Origin Realm expert, had to retreat from a woman at Peak Spirit Vein Realm. Li Gongnian felt hot blood rush to his throat; if he heard any more offensive words, he might just spit it out.

"Fine, you're formidable!"

Yun Xiao felt helpless but knew there was little he could do against someone with a background, so he quickly changed the topic, pointing to Yu Shu beside him, saying, "My teacher, you know him, don't you?"

"Yes!"

Xue Ningxiang showed little interest toward others and responded with a simple "Yes" before turning her head again and asking, "Yun Xiao, you're an Earth Rank Advanced Pulse Refining Master now, right? When are you planning to help me completely resolve the remnants of Innate Pulse Cutting?"

This was Xue Ningxiang's true reason for coming to Yun Xiao. Since initially overcoming Innate Pulse Cutting, her cultivation had progressed rapidly, yet she halted at Peak Spirit Vein Realm, driving her crazy.

Knowing that breaking through that layer would allow her to reach the Earth Rank Third Realm, yet faced with another impenetrable barrier seemingly blocking her, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't break through.

Xue Ningxiang didn't dare be too reckless; Yun Xiao had warned her before that forcefully attempting to break through to the Earth Rank Third Realm might trigger the Innate Pulse Cutting again, leading to tears and regrets.

Even the Heavenly-grade Pulse Refining Master found by Master Xuan Yin lacked absolute confidence because Innate Pulse Cutting had no known cures, meaning there was no reference experience. Perhaps they would have to wait for Yun Xiao, the initiator, to solve it personally.

"Why rush? Let's wait until this Lianyun Mountain disciple selection is over!"

Yun Xiao wasn't as impatient as Xue Ningxiang, but when these words came out, he saw the girl's face turn somewhat resentful, showing evident dissatisfaction.

"Yun Xiao, if you're worried about guys like Li Gongnian, just join our Xuanyin Hall. Why bother going through this selection test?"

Xue Ningxiang's words stirred envy among cultivators who hadn't gone too far. They came to participate in the Lianyun Mountain disciples' selection, aspiring to join this large power.

Now, the young Yun Xiao unexpectedly had the chance to join Xuanyin Hall without a test, making the onlookers think he was foolish to pass up the shortcut and instead compete with them, like abandoning a vast forest for a single tree.

"Lady Ningxiang, do you really think overcoming Innate Pulse Cutting is that easy? I joined the Meridian Refining Master Association with my own goals; all that matters is fulfilling my promise after."

Yun Xiao naturally wouldn't share his thoughts with Lady Xue from Xuanyin Hall, whom he was not deeply acquainted with. After finishing his words, he turned his head and handed the Xuanmeng Grass in his hand to Yu Shu, suddenly recalling something.

"By the way, teacher, have you paid for this Xuanmeng Grass?"

Though Yun Xiao was asking this question, his gaze was fixed on the stall owner, causing the latter's body to tremble slightly, seemingly just returning to his senses at that moment.

"It's paid, it's paid!"

The stall owner pointed to one of the money bags on the stall. In fact, there were two money bags, and the other one belonged to Li Gongnian. As for the one he pointed at, naturally, it was Yu Shu's.

Just as Yu Shu was about to complete the transaction, Li Gongnian suddenly appeared, and many things happened afterwards. This money bag had not been taken back yet.

The previous events left the stall owner dumbfounded. If he was intimidated by Li Gongnian earlier, now he was only praying that this young boy in plain clothes wouldn't come looking for trouble because of his teacher.

Even Li Gongnian was forced to leave reluctantly, making the stall owner believe that if this young boy used the influence of the Miss from Xuanyin Hall, he might get into serious trouble.

"In that case, let's go!"

How could Yun Xiao bother to argue with this guy? Businessmen are often opportunistic. For instance, the previous owner who sold the Fake Heavenly Vine Flower, if not for some of his tactics, might have been tricked by the two geniuses from Sky Thunder Valley. Everything depends on strength and skill.

"Eh? Isn't this Chi Yan? Long time no see!"

Xue Ningxiang, following Yun Xiao, caught sight of the fiery red mouse perched on Yun Xiao's shoulder. She had some impression of this Vein Demon she had seen at the Countries Hidden Dragon Conference. After speaking, she reached out to gently stroke Chi Yan's back.

"Squeak!"

Just as Xue Ningxiang extended her finger, Chi Yan suddenly opened its beady eyes and squeaked at her, making her hand freeze. Even though she didn't understand mouse language, she could tell the warning.

"This guy is always like that. Unless he's very familiar with someone, he won't allow them to touch him freely!"

Yun Xiao's few words seemed to stab Xue Ningxiang in the heart again. Since she couldn't vent her anger on a demon pet, she directed her words towards Yun Xiao instead.

"What kind of master breeds what kind of demon pet. Look, Chi Yan is completely corrupted by you!"

Awkwardly retrieving her finger, Xue Ningxiang said these words, only to see Chi Yan suddenly stand up on Yun Xiao's shoulder, baring its teeth and waving its little claws at her, clearly dissatisfied.

"Uh..."

Seeing this, Xue Ningxiang was speechless, secretly wondering what Yun Xiao had that made the demon pet so protective of him that no harsh words could be spoken.

"Oh right, Lady Xue, I have some herbs here. If possible, please gather them quickly. It will help in treating your Innate Pulse Cutting!"

After walking dozens of meters, Yun Xiao suddenly remembered something, took out a piece of paper from his Waist Storage, and handed it to Xue Ningxiang. It looked as if he had prepared it long ago.

"Is this... a pill recipe for Earth Rank Advanced Elixir?"

Although Xue Ningxiang was not a Meridian Refining Master, it's said that a long illness makes a good doctor. During her bedridden years, she had studied medical books extensively and seen many high-level Meridian Refining Master methods.

So, upon seeing the names of some herbs, she knew these herbs were at least Earth Rank Advanced. Clearly, the refined elixir would also be at least Earth Rank Advanced.

"Yes, quickly gather them. Once you have them all, you can completely solve your Innate Pulse Cutting!"

Yun Xiao nodded, speaking lightly. Of course, to truly cure Innate Pulse Cutting was no simple task; it still required the methods of his previous life as the Long Xiao Battle God as a complement.

As for those Earth Rank Advanced herbs, Yun Xiao didn't have much time to collect them. He believed that with Xuanyin Hall's background, finding these Heavenly-grade heavenly materials and earthly treasures shouldn't be difficult.

Moreover, Xue Ningxiang was currently in Refining Cloud Mountain. Spending a fortune at the Meridian Refining Master Guild to buy a batch wasn't a big deal. However, for some rare herbs, Yun Xiao wasn't sure if the Meridian Refining Master Association even had them. All these would be Xue Ningxiang's headache.

At present, the three of them chatted while strolling, spending most of the day in the Refining Cloud Mountain trade fair, collecting some useful heavenly materials and earthly treasures before finally heading towards the location of the Meridian Refining Master Association.

It's worth mentioning that with Xue Ningxiang by their side, indeed, no unruly folks came to cause trouble again. The likes of Li Gongnian or those two brothers from Sky Thunder Valley were nowhere to be seen, clearly having scruples.

Days later, they could finally see the location of the Meridian Refining Master headquarters. From a distance, the entire Meridian Refining Master Association was filled with towering buildings, seemingly divided into two parts. To Yun Xiao, a former disciple of the Jade Pot Sect, it looked slightly familiar, likely the clear division between the medical pulse and poison pulse factions.

Yun Xiao had long known that in Tenglong Continent's Meridian Refining Master Association, there was a division between the medical pulse and poison pulse factions, which was quite different from the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud. In such circumstances, perhaps this time's Refining Cloud Mountain disciple selection will also undergo some changes.