Seven days had passed, and Qin Xiao finally walked out of his room.

"After stacking Spirit Liquid for seven days, I've finally reached Body Refinement First Layer. It's just right to test the power of Body Refinement First Layer."

Qin Xiao stretched and slowly walked up to a stone in the courtyard.

According to the introduction, Body Refinement First Layer granted a strength capable of shattering stone, along with copper skin and iron bones. Qin Xiao decided to test the effect on the stone right in front of him.

Raising his right hand slowly, he casually threw a punch toward the stone without a shred of Spiritual Qi fluctuation.

Bang.

It seemed like an ordinary punch, but the stone took the brunt of a massive impact and instantly shattered, sending fragments flying in all directions.

"My hand doesn't hurt at all? It looks like it worked. Haha, not bad at all. Body Refinement is truly formidable."

Qin Xiao glanced at his right hand, which didn't even have a scratch, and burst out laughing.

"Junior Brother Qin, why are you so happy? Could it be that your inability to cultivate has driven you mad?"

Before Qin Xiao could laugh much longer, the courtyard gate was violently shattered by a group of people. The leader glared at him with an expression filled with malice.

Every disciple in the group wore the attire of the Immortal Sword Peak. Qin Xiao recognized the leader at a glance: it was Yao Kaidong, the son of Great Elder Yao Tiansheng and the Holy Son of the Immortal Sword Peak.

"Senior Brother Yao, what brings you to my Seven Stars Peak today?"

Qin Xiao asked calmly, maintaining his composure.

Although he was the Peak Master of Seven Stars Peak, his standing was only that of a Personal Disciple, meaning he still had to address Yao Kaidong as Senior Brother, especially since he had only entered the sect three years ago.

"Qin Xiao, I've come specifically for you today. I won't beat around the bush. During the Sect Disciple Recruitment, you made my father lose face in public. I was in secluded cultivation at the time, or else I would have taught you a lesson then for being an ignorant fool."

Yao Kaidong said with an angry expression.

"Holy Son, you have it wrong. During the Sect Disciple Recruitment, as the Peak Master of Seven Stars Peak, why couldn't I accept disciples? The Great Elder stepped down of his own accord. How is that me making him lose face?"

Qin Xiao had known the other party would come looking for trouble, but he hadn't expected it to take seven days. It turned out Yao Kaidong had been in secluded cultivation.

"Stop arguing with mere words. Your Seven Stars Peak has declined, and my Immortal Sword Peak has never kicked you while you were down. But you had no right to defy my father. Since he couldn't act against you, I will teach you a lesson myself. If you know what's good for you, let Junior Sister Yun come out right now, have her switch to the Immortal Sword Peak, and come apologize to my father personally. Then I will let this matter go. Otherwise-"

Arrogant as he was, Yao Kaidong had no desire to openly violate sect rules. After all, he was currently standing on someone else's territory. If the other party refused to fight and he attacked by force, he would inevitably face punishment from the sect, saddling himself with the crime of disrupting sect unity.

The sect did not forbid internal strife among disciples, but launching an assault on another peak was an entirely different matter.

"What if I refuse? Does Holy Son Yao intend to take my Seven Stars Peak by force?"

Qin Xiao was well aware of the sect's rules and felt no fear. Even if Yao Kaidong actually attacked, he would only get a beating; no matter how bold the man was, he wouldn't dare take his life.

"A fine Qin Xiao indeed. People always said you were useless, but I never expected you to be a spineless coward as well. You've truly thrown away all the dignity of the Tianyuan Sect."

Yao Kaidong had not anticipated Qin Xiao being so thick-skinned, leaving him with nothing to do but hurl insults since he lacked a valid pretext to strike.

"Who dares to insult my Master?"

Before Qin Xiao could retort, Yun Man emerged from her secluded cultivation, leaping gracefully to land right behind him.

"Master, your disciple lost track of time during cultivation and arrived late. Please punish me."

Yun Man bowed respectfully to Qin Xiao.

"It's fine. They can't do anything to your Master anyway. They can only flap their jaws."

Qin Xiao felt a warm surge of comfort in his heart, surprised that his new disciple would actually step forward to defend him.

"So this is Yun Man? She truly is a beauty, easily matching if not surpassing Junior Sister Liu Xueyue. What a waste for her to join the Immortal Sword Peak-ah, no, how wonderful it would be if she joined us instead!"

At the sight of Yun Man, Yao Kaidong's eyes lit up instantly. Previously, the celebrated beauties of the Tianyuan Sect were limited to Liu Xueyue, the Holy Maiden of the Immortal Sword Peak, and Lin Shimeng, the daughter of the Sect Leader. Now, with the addition of Yun Man, the twin paragons were about to become a trio.

Not only Yao Kaidong, but the accompanying disciples reacted the same way. Though they belonged to the Immortal Sword Peak, they rarely had the chance to see Holy Maiden Liu Xueyue, let alone the Sect Leader's daughter. Seeing Yun Man now, their eyes shone with undisguised greed.

"Junior Sister Yun, you've been deceived. This Seven Stars Peak is a barren wasteland that doesn't suit your standing at all. Why not leave and join my Immortal Sword Peak? From then on, we will be fellow apprentices. Why lower yourself to serve as a disciple to such a good-for-nothing?"

Seeing how respectfully Yun Man treated Qin Xiao, Yao Kaidong's irritation spiked, and he quickly chimed in.

"Indeed, Junior Sister Yun! With your talent, staying at the Seven Stars Peak is a terrible waste."

"Our Immortal Sword Peak not only possesses far richer Spiritual Qi than this place, but also countless pills, cultivation techniques, and spirit weapons."

"If Junior Sister Yun joins us, the Immortal Sword Peak will boast two Holy Maidens. Please reconsider. The Seven Stars Peak is simply no place to stay."

Following Yao Kaidong's lead, the other disciples chimed in with various persuasive remarks.

"How noisy. Since I, Yun Man, have chosen to join the Seven Stars Peak, I am a person of the Seven Stars Peak, and Qin Xiao is my only Master. You frogs at the bottom of a well know nothing of the vastness of the heavens!"

Without waiting for Qin Xiao to speak, Yun Man fired right back.

"Junior Sister Yun, what kind of technique has this fellow cast on you? He is nothing more than a useless mortal without a shred of cultivation. What on earth can he offer you?"

Yao Kaidong could not fathom why Yun Man remained so unyielding.

"Holy Son, we are of the same generation, yet you keep addressing my disciple as Junior Sister. Are you trying to make yourself my grand-disciple? Come on, call me Martial Uncle and let me hear it."

Qin Xiao could no longer stand by. The father hadn't managed to poach her, and now the son was trying the same stunt. It was simply going too far.

"Qin Xiao, you dare humiliate me! You're courting death!"

Yao Kaidong bristled and moved to step forward.

"Senior Brother, don't fall for it! That fellow is deliberately trying to provoke you. Let us handle this."

His follower, Li Cheng, hurriedly stepped in to hold him back. Yao Kaidong was a Holy Son and the Great Elder's son, so he could escape punishment if things went wrong, but ordinary disciples like them would bear the brunt of the consequences.

"Right. I almost walked right into his trap. Do you have a plan?"

Yao Kaidong was merely hot-tempered, not a complete fool. Calming down slightly, he turned to his subordinates for suggestions.

"Senior Brother, we share the same generation as Qin Xiao. If we attack and bully a man with no cultivation, the sect will surely step in and punish us. However, the Immortal Sword Peak has recently taken in new disciples who rank a generation below him. Let them make a move instead. A martial nephew asking a martial uncle for pointers-surely no one can find fault with that."

Li Cheng said with a cunning grin.

"Brilliant! Why didn't I think of that? You are the Peak Master of the Seven Stars Peak, Qin Xiao, and our newest disciples have come to seek your guidance. If you happen to be beaten by newly entered disciples, I doubt even the Sect Leader will have grounds to interfere."

Yao Kaidong looked extremely pleased with the suggestion.

"Qin Xiao, I won't bully you directly. Some new disciples recently joined the Immortal Sword Peak and have long admired the Seven Stars Peak, so they've come to ask for your guidance. You won't refuse, will you?"

Yao Kaidong asked with a mocking smile.

"Very well. Though I lack cultivation, offering a few pointers to newly entered martial nephews is nothing unreasonable."

Qin Xiao accepted on the spot. It wasn't out of blind arrogance; he knew that newly recruited disciples typically possessed Profound Spirit Roots and would not exceed the Qi Condensation realm. Anyone at Foundation Establishment would have been taken directly as a personal disciple. Since he was currently at the Body Refinement First Layer, dealing with someone in the Qi Condensation stage should present no issue.

"Master, don't walk into their trap! Even the newest disciples have reached the Qi Condensation realm. You're no match for them!"

Seeing Qin Xiao agree so readily, Yun Man grew anxious, fearing that he was underestimating the vast gap between mortals and cultivators out of sheer overconfidence.

"Your Master knows what he is doing. There is no need for concern."

Knowing Yun Man acted out of genuine worry, Qin Xiao also welcomed the chance to test the true combat strength of his Body Refinement First Layer.

"Li Lu, you're up."

Li Cheng immediately ordered his cousin forward. Members of the Li Family began cultivating from a young age within their clan, and though his cousin possessed only a Profound Spirit Root, his cultivation had already reached the seventh layer of Qi Condensation-more than enough to teach a mortal a lesson.