I gain ten years' worth of cultivation every day, and even geniuses will only see my doorstep!

The Overlord Sect? Xiang Tian?

Chu Wuyue and the other three suddenly looked up, met each other's eyes, and saw disbelief and horror in each other's eyes!

Xiang Tian? The Little Tyrant Xiang Tian?!

That genius, highlighted in bold strokes in their recent frantic gathering of intelligence on the region's top experts—a once-in-a-century talent of the Overlord Sect, hailed as the arrogant and domineering Little Overlord Xiang Tian, ​​possessing early-stage Nascent Soul combat power?!

Just now… that wretched prisoner who was casually tossed into the dungeon by the city lord like trash… was him?!

How is that possible?!

Chu Wuyue felt her thoughts freeze. Junior Brother Qin had only been in the secret realm for three days! In just three days, not only had he broken through to the Nascent Soul stage, but he had also… captured the infamous Little Tyrant alive?!

Yun Qingyao's usually aloof face was filled with shock. Han Bing and Ye Guying, forgetting their pain, gaped open, dumbfounded.

Qin Yuan ignored the four people's petrified expressions and said calmly, "Take them to the side hall. Bring Xiang Tian there too."

"yes!"

The atmosphere in the side hall was subtle.

Qin Yuan sat at the head of the table, with Chu Wuyue and Yun Qingyao standing on either side. He barely managed to suppress the turmoil in his heart, but his eyes still couldn't help but glance outside the hall.

Footsteps sounded. Xiang Long entered with three cultivators from the Overlord Sect.

All four were dressed in dark red outfits, exuding a powerful and imposing aura. Xiang Long, in particular, had a resolute face and a majestic gait. Although he deliberately concealed his early-stage Nascent Soul stage power, it still exerted a sense of pressure on others.

As they entered the hall, their eyes immediately locked onto Qin Yuan.

With just one glance, Xiang Long's heart sank. This City Lord Qin was even younger than he had expected, but the unfathomable spiritual pressure emanating from him, imbued with the divine aura of a newborn, was undeniable!

What alarmed him even more was the sheer depth of the foundation contained within that spiritual pressure, and the profound and subtle nature of the laws that made even a cultivator like him, who had been at the Nascent Soul stage for many years, feel a strange sense of unease.

This kid is definitely not simple!

He quickly suppressed any lingering arrogance that might have remained from his role as an envoy of a superior sect, adopting an extremely humble posture. He stepped forward, cupped his hands, and spoke sincerely: "Xiang Long of the Overlord Sect, carrying out the sect's orders, has come to pay respects to City Lord Qin. My younger brother, Xiang Tian, ​​is reckless and ignorant of his own limitations. He offended the City Lord in the secret realm, a crime deserving of death!"

Upon learning of this, the entire Overlord Sect was deeply shocked and remorseful. The sect elders specifically ordered us to come here, firstly to formally apologize to City Lord Qin on behalf of Xiang Tian, ​​and secondly to do everything in our power to compensate the City Lord for his losses. We only beg the City Lord to show leniency and forgive Xiang Tian's youthful ignorance, allowing our sect to take him back for strict discipline!

These words were incredibly respectful, showing utter humility. The three who had accompanied Xiang Long immediately bowed deeply, their heads bowed low.

Just then, two Lava City guards escorted Xiang Tian in.

Upon seeing Xiang Tian's appearance, Xiang Long's eyes twitched violently, and the three who followed him gasped in shock, almost unable to believe their eyes!

The disheveled young man before them, with tattered robes covered in dust, a deathly pale face, vacant and numb eyes, and an aura so weak it was almost imperceptible… could he really be Xiang Tian, ​​the spirited, arrogant, and hailed as the future pillar of their Overlord Sect?!

When Xiang Tian saw his elder brother Xiang Long, a flicker of emotion finally appeared in his empty eyes—a complex mix of shame, grievance, pain, and a faint glimmer of hope.

His lips moved, but no sound came out. He simply lowered his head deeply, not daring to look anyone in the eye.

His former arrogance was shattered in the face of absolute defeat and the humiliation of imprisonment.

Xiang Long felt a sharp pain in his heart, but his fear of Qin Yuan deepened even further. To be able to inflict such damage on Xiang Tian, ​​this City Lord Qin's strength and methods likely far exceeded their expectations.

He took a deep breath and presented a simple, antique-style storage ring with both hands. The ring had no restrictions on its surface, and his attitude became even more respectful: "This is a small token of our sect's appreciation, and we earnestly hope that City Lord Qin will accept it. It includes 100,000 high-grade spirit stones to slightly compensate for the city's losses; three bottles of Overlord Body Tempering Pills, a secret recipe of our sect, which are quite effective in tempering the body; a high-grade Earth-rank protective inner armor, the Xuan Turtle Spirit Scale Armor, which can withstand three full-force attacks from a Nascent Soul stage cultivator; a piece of Blood Dragon Steel, a top-grade material for forging fire-attribute divine weapons; and... a substitute puppet."

When Xiang Long spoke of the substitute doll, his heart was bleeding, but his tone remained calm. "After being refined with blood, it can withstand a fatal calamity for the wearer and randomly teleport the wearer's body to a place a hundred miles away. This item is extremely difficult to refine, and our sect only has one in stock. I hope you can express your apologies."

Chu Wuyue and the others were utterly shocked. One hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones! Grade 6 pills! High-grade Earth-rank armor! Blood Dragon Steel! And that unheard-of substitute puppet, practically a second life! This was no small token of appreciation; it was a heartfelt apology! The Overlord Sect had truly gone all out this time! This also indirectly confirmed the immense shock and pressure that Qin Yuan's capture of Xiang Tian had brought to the Overlord Sect!

Qin Yuan scanned the ring with his divine sense, confirming its authenticity. The Overlord Sect's sincerity was indeed considerable. He nodded and put away the ring: "I accept the item. Xiang Tian, ​​you can take it."

Upon hearing this, Xiang Long and the others felt as if they had been granted a pardon. Their hearts, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down, and their faces showed genuine joy. They bowed deeply again: "Thank you for your magnanimity, Lord Qin! The Overlord Sect will remember this kindness! In the future, if the Xuan Yuan Sect has any needs, as long as it does not violate morality, our Overlord Sect will definitely do our best to help!" This was almost a clear declaration of alliance.

Qin Yuan remained noncommittal, then casually asked, "Envoy Xiang, your Overlord Sect is well-informed; have you ever heard of a cultivator named 'Li Han'?"

"Li Han?" Xiang Long frowned, recalling carefully, his expression gradually becoming serious. "Is the one Lord Qin is referring to, the one known as the 'Ice Demon,' the one who goes it alone?"

"Ice Demon?"

"It is indeed this person!" Xiang Long's tone was solemn, tinged with obvious apprehension. "This person's origins are mysterious; he is suspected to be a rogue cultivator, but his ice-based demonic arts have reached a state of perfection. His attacks are ruthless, and he has been infamous for decades. According to reliable sources, his current cultivation level is at least at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, and... more than one person has witnessed him fighting for half a day deep in the wasteland against a renowned rogue cultivator at the peak of the Nascent Soul realm, an old man with withered bones. Although he was slightly at a disadvantage, he escaped unscathed! Therefore, many people privately call him... 'The Number One Person in the Lower Sects'!"

The number one person in the lower sect! Mid-stage Nascent Soul Realm! Capable of fighting against peak Nascent Soul Realm cultivators!

These words exploded like thunder in the side hall! Chu Wuyue and Yun Qingyao's faces turned deathly pale instantly, and their bodies swayed involuntarily.

They knew Li Han was strong, but they didn't expect him to be this strong! The number one person in the lower sects! He was an existence standing at the top of all the affiliated sects in Qingzhou, looking down on all living beings!

Han Bing and Ye Guying were even more pale. So they had been facing such a terrifying monster? It was truly a stroke of luck that they had survived!