Starting as a Grandmaster, all of my cultivation techniques are at max level.

Just as Venerable Miaodi and Jian Wuhen set off to search for Xia Jin, Xia Jin himself had just killed another Thunder Beast, but his brows furrowed involuntarily at that moment.

"Is this Thunder Pool targeting me? And this Thunder Beast is never going to stop!?"

He muttered to himself, looking at the silver bead in his palm.

"This is the fourteenth one."

He raised his head, glanced at the still churning thick fog around him, and a hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes.

From the moment he stepped into this area, it was as if he had stirred up a den of thunder beasts.

Every now and then, a thunder beast would charge out; every time he killed one, another would come rushing over, drawn by the scent. It was as if all the thunder beasts in the entire thunder pool were fixated on him alone.

"Could it be that there is something about me that attracts them?"

Xia Jin looked somewhat suspicious, but after carefully checking everything, he still found nothing. He shook his head, too lazy to think about it anymore, and continued walking forward.

However, he had only taken about ten steps when he suddenly stopped and his eyes narrowed slightly.

Dozens of points of light suddenly lit up on the ground beneath his feet.

"Hmm? Someone else is plotting against me?"

Xia Jin glanced down, but showed no panic. Instead, she raised an eyebrow with interest.

Sure enough, dozens of vines suddenly burst out from the ground and frantically wrapped around Xia Jin.

Xia Jin remained motionless.

He stood there, letting the vines entangle him completely.

In the blink of an eye, Xia Jin turned into a green "zongzi" (rice dumpling), with only her head showing.

"interesting."

Xia Jin looked down at the dense vines covering her body, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

"There are actually people who cultivate this kind of technique?"

A somewhat chubby figure slowly emerged from the thick fog.

He was a young man who looked to be in his early twenties, with a plump figure and a harmless smile on his face.

The man walked up to Xia Jin, looked her up and down as she was bound like a dumpling, and his smile widened.

"Brother, I'm sorry to offend you."

He clasped his hands together and said with a smile, "Don't worry, I, Mu Qing, have no grudge against you. I only want your money, not your life."

Xia Jin looked at the fat man in front of her, a hint of amusement flashing in her eyes.

"Seeking wealth?"

"Yes, I want money." Mu Qing nodded, holding up a chubby finger. "Brother, if you hand over a Thunder Pearl, I'll let you go immediately and won't make things difficult for you."

"Thunder Bead?"

Xia Jin was slightly taken aback, then realized that the other party was probably referring to the silver beads obtained after slaying the thunder beasts.

Seeing Xia Jin's blank expression, Mu Qing assumed he didn't understand and patiently explained, "Brother, this is probably the first time you newcomers have entered this Thunder Pool Trial, right? These Thunder Pearls are valuable items; everyone needs one to pass the test. I see you've killed quite a few Thunder Beasts along the way, haven't you? Give me one, and we'll call it even today."

Xia Jin looked at him and suddenly smiled.

"What? What can you do if I refuse?"

Mu Qing's smile froze slightly.

He stared at Xia Jin for a couple of seconds, and after confirming that she wasn't joking, the smile on his face gradually disappeared.

"Brother, let me tell you the truth."

"The Thunder Pool test in this temple requires everyone to obtain a Thunder Pearl to pass. I don't want to be expelled from the temple because of failing the test."

"So, if you won't give it to me, I'll have no choice but to take it by force."

Xia Jin looked at him, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

"I have always been the one to take from others; no one has ever been able to take anything from me."

Xia Jin shook her head, and suddenly a white flame erupted from her body.

As soon as the flames appeared, the vines wrapped around him seemed to have encountered their natural enemy, and within a few breaths they withered and turned black at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"You...you actually..." Mu Qing's smile froze, and she even unconsciously took a few steps back.

escape!

Encountering someone who could so easily destroy his vines, the only option was to flee! This was the only thought left in Mu Qing's mind.

Without thinking twice, he turned and ran.

However, he had only run less than three steps when he suddenly stopped.

Because hundreds of white fireballs had appeared around him without his knowledge.

The fireballs hovered in mid-air, surrounding him and blocking all his escape routes.

Cold sweat poured down Mu Qing's forehead in a flash.

He stiffly turned his head to look at Xia Jin, who was still standing there with her hands behind her back. His expression was worse than crying.

"Um...that..."

Mu Qing rubbed his hands together and said awkwardly, "Brother, I was just joking with you, don't mind me."

Xia Jin looked at him expressionlessly.

Mu Qing's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly added, "Brother, if you mind, I'll apologize immediately!"

After saying that, he bent down and bowed deeply to Xia Jin at a ninety-degree angle.

Xia Jin looked at the flexible and chubby man in front of her, a hint of a smile flashing in her eyes.

This fat guy is kind of interesting.

Just a moment ago, he was all talk and no action, but now that he sees things are not going well, he immediately backs down and apologizes without the slightest hesitation.

"If apologies were enough," Xia Jin said slowly, "what would be the point of having law enforcement officers?"

Mu Qing's body stiffened.

He looked up and met Xia Jin's eyes, which seemed to be smiling but weren't. A sense of foreboding immediately welled up in his heart.

"Brother... what do you mean by that?"

Xia Jin didn't speak, but slowly raised one hand, her five fingers slightly bent, and reached out to grab Mu Qing's head.

The movements were so slow that Mu Qing could clearly see every single one of them.

But Mu Qing discovered that he couldn't move at all.

Although the white fireballs did not get close, their terrifying aura had already locked onto him.

As the hand drew closer and closer, until it was only an inch away from his head, he watched in horror.

"No! Don't kill me!"

Mu Qing finally couldn't hold back any longer, closed her eyes, and cried out in despair.

Xia Jin's hand stopped an inch from his forehead.

Mu Qing waited with his eyes closed for a long time, but no excruciating pain came. He cautiously opened one eye and found the hand hanging in front of him, and the young man looking at him with a half-smile.

Xia Jin withdrew her hand and casually waved it.

The hundreds of white fireballs around them vanished instantly.

Mu Qing was stunned.

"Don't worry, I don't intend to kill you today. You're lucky."

Mu Qing stood there blankly for a long time before realizing that he had been given a second chance at life.

He was panting heavily; just a moment ago, he had truly felt the breath of death.

"Thank you so much, brother, for sparing my life."

Mu Qing regained his senses and quickly bowed to Xia Jin again.

Xia Jin nodded: "You should be glad that I'm new to the temple and there are some things I need to ask an old man like you."

Mu Qing was taken aback again, then quickly patted his chest and said, "Brother, ask whatever you want! I, Mu Qing, guarantee to answer everything I know!"

Xia Jin glanced at him, reached into her pocket, took out a silver bead, and casually tossed it over.

Mu Qing caught it instinctively, looked down, and froze.

"This... Thunder Pearl? Brother, is this really for me?"

"Take it."

Xia Jin chuckled lightly and said calmly, "Didn't you say that everyone needs a Thunder Pearl to pass the test?"

Mu Qing held the thunder pearl, momentarily at a loss for words.

He had just tried to steal someone else's Thunder Pearl, but instead of killing him, the person gave him one.

this......

Mu Qing took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Xia Jin with great solemnity.

"Brother, I, Mu Qing, will remember this kindness."