Although he saw it, Li Xingtian didn't immediately take it. Instead, he turned around and cupped his hands in gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Senior."

Chu Xingchen waved his hand dismissively, his expression indifferent.

Li Xingtian slowly stood up and walked straight to the piece of millennia-old bone jade he had been yearning for since his rebirth. Lifting the corner of the table, he picked up the stone-like bone jade and felt as if a heavy burden had finally been lifted from his heart.

After thanking Chu Xingchen once more, Li Xingtian hurriedly left the dilapidated temple with the bone jade.

Li Yingling watched Li Xingtian leave, then stepped into the temple with a somewhat peculiar tone, "Master, you just let him go like that?"

Her master, who wouldn't move without some benefit, was surprisingly generous this time, letting someone take something and leave.

Hearing Li Yingling's words, Chu Xingchen quickly dropped his high-and-mighty demeanor, "You practice at home for now. I need to go out for a while."

Li Yingling showed an expression that said her master was acting as expected, but before Chu Xingchen left, she curiously asked, "Master, is our sect really called the Heavenly Dao Alliance?"

After all, not everything her master said was true; he might have been deceiving that foolish boy.

"Sure." Chu Xingchen replied, leaving behind a single word before transforming into a streak of rainbow radiance and departing.

Li Yingling pondered something while stroking her chin. Then, with a surge of spiritual power, her wooden sword flew to her hand, which she caught with a reverse grip.

Better practice first; she was close to mastering the Sword of Three Thousand Weak Waters. Li Yingling felt that once she got the hang of this difficult technique, there would be a qualitative leap.

Having been called a genius since childhood, this was the first time Li Yingling had been so frustrated by a divine ability. It had been five whole days, and she was still just on the verge of entry.

No wonder her master was eager to take on new disciples; her talent probably didn't seem impressive in his eyes anymore. Li Yingling sighed and resolved to try harder.

***

Li Xingtian had a clear goal and headed straight for the nearest small town. Refining the millennia-old bone jade required a quiet and safe space and a day's time.

Returning to the Qingfeng Sect would be idiotic, not to mention impossible, as he had sneaked out. By now, he was probably marked as a runaway by the sect.

He planned to rent a room at an inn in the nearby town, pay the staff extra to ensure he wasn't disturbed, and then head to Central State after refining the bone jade, where opportunities awaited him.

However, one thing still weighed on his mind: the words of that senior, which continued to echo in his head. Had he truly missed a genuine opportunity?

He sighed, but his previous sect had already disappointed him. In his past life, he had gained fame in Central State without relying on a sect. He could do it again in this life; why depend on a so-called sect?

Resolving his thoughts, he cleared his mind of distractions. If he was going to act, he wouldn't regret it.

After a day of traveling over mountains and rivers, Li Xingtian finally reached his destination—a sizable town. Upon arriving at the inn, he didn't rush to the second-floor room to refine the bone jade. Instead, he ordered a table of food.

After all, he was only at Qi Refining Stage Two, and the journey had left him famished, with his dry rations long gone. It had been a while since he felt this kind of hunger, and Li Xingtian chuckled, finding it strangely real.

But his laughter soon faded because he encountered disciples from his former sect, the Qingfeng Sect.

On the second floor, several outer disciples of the Qingfeng Sect, dressed in white with green-trimmed robes, descended the stairs. Noticing them from the corner of his eye, Li Xingtian quickly lowered his head to avoid being seen, cursing his bad luck internally.

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Unfortunately, the more you fear something, the more likely it is to happen. One of the Qingfeng Sect disciples scanned the first floor and spotted Li Xingtian, finding him familiar. Suddenly recalling something, he quickly tugged at the sleeve of the senior brother leading the group.

Seeing the puzzled look from his senior brother, the disciple signaled with his eyes toward Li Xingtian. Following the gaze, the senior brother squinted and led the four disciples to Li Xingtian's table.

The senior brother sat down boldly at Li Xingtian's table, his sharp gaze fixed on him. "Kid, are you the Li Xingtian listed on the runaway board?"

Knowing he couldn't hide, Li Xingtian abruptly looked up, scanning the five brothers. None were at the Foundation Establishment Stage; based on their auras, three were at Qi Refining Stage Three, one at Stage Four, and the leading senior brother at Stage Five.

Though he was only at Qi Refining Stage Two, the skills from his past life were enough to defeat these novices. Better to strike first than be pursued endlessly!

Li Xingtian decided to act first, grabbing a pair of chopsticks and unleashing his spiritual power. Targeting the leader, he aimed to take him down first.

But the senior brother was prepared! As the chopsticks flew toward him, he smirked, unleashing his Qi Refining Stage Five power. His palm, ready for action, struck toward Li Xingtian's head.

How could a mere Qi Refining Stage Two understand the realm of Stage Five? Chopsticks and palm clashed, but the outcome was unexpected!

Li Xingtian's chopsticks pierced through the palm, their weak spiritual energy possessing strong penetration. Continuing unabated, they aimed for the senior brother's head.

Just as he was about to succeed, a fierce Golden Core aura erupted. With a casual strike, it blasted open the second-floor room, and immense spiritual power surged toward Li Xingtian like a flood dragon.

Alarmed, Li Xingtian glanced over to see an elderly white-haired man watching him indifferently. He recognized him as the Qingfeng Sect's second elder, at the Mid Core Formation Stage!

He was doomed! As this thought arose, the crimson flood dragon of spiritual power struck him, shattering his organs and causing him to spit blood.

The second elder rose slightly, his expression neutral. "For deserting the sect and attacking its disciples, according to Qingfeng Sect rules, you must light the Heaven Lamp."(Heaven Lamp is a criminal law)

Li Xingtian had no room to struggle, his meager spiritual power scattered, and his meridians severely damaged. The senior's words echoed in his mind again. The river of time was a force, a law; defying everything he did in his past life was swimming against the current.

He had been too arrogant, forgetting that disrupting karma would alter the course of events! Perhaps the senior had warned him that changing history came at a price. That offer to take him as a disciple might have been to save his life.

After all, someone who could see through the river of time could surely foresee this moment. Li Xingtian felt no regret, only... deep unwillingness!

"Stop, would you grant me a favor?" A familiar voice called out, and Li Xingtian turned to see Chu Xingchen, looking regretful, sipping a cup of tea.

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Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan