I'm in Yellow Maple Valley, and I have one equipment slot!

Chapter 45 Uncle Lin, things are different now!

"Very good! From this day forward, you two are my disciples, Li Huayuan's disciples—"

Consider these two magical artifacts, the Azure Light Blade and the Golden Yuan Dagger, as my gifts to you both.

Li Huayuan smiled broadly and reached out to help Han Li and Zhou Yuan to their feet.

Afterwards, he handed each of them a green longsword and a golden short dagger.

The blades and daggers gleamed with spiritual light and exuded a subtle aura; they were undoubtedly top-tier magical artifacts.

Han Li took the long sword, and Zhou Yuan took the dagger. After bowing again to show their respect, they stood up, seemingly overjoyed.

Meanwhile, the other Huangfeng Valley disciples, who were watching in stunned silence, were all burning with rage, wishing they could step forward and take the magic weapon themselves.

Little did anyone know, Zhou Yuan was completely unmoved by this magical artifact.

After his trip to the Crimson Forbidden Land, his collection of magical artifacts had reached an astonishing level—he already possessed more than ten top-tier magical artifacts of exceptional quality alone. His wealth was so immense that even a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator would be ashamed of it.

The reason he appeared happy was merely to put on a show for Li Huayuan and to demonstrate respect.

"Alright, it's getting late, let's head back to Yellow Maple Valley!"

Li Huayuan looked at the sky and said loudly.

Next, the group from Huangfeng Valley once again boarded the back of Li Huayuan's spirit beast, the Silver-Armored Horned Python, and after flying for several days, they finally returned to Huangfeng Valley.

Upon entering the valley, Li Huayuan, accompanied by two stewards, went straight to the council hall to report the results of the trial.

The other disciples dispersed and returned to their respective residences to await their rewards in a few days.

Zhou Yuan naturally returned to Xuankun Mountain.

However, as soon as he approached his cave, he sensed a familiar aura.

An elderly man dressed in a gray Taoist robe was sitting cross-legged outside his cave.

This person faintly exuded the spiritual pressure of a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator.

It was none other than Lin Xu, a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Lin family!

It was through this person's connections that Zhou Yuan was able to become a disciple of Huangfeng Valley.

However, the other party had a clear purpose, and not only did they make a ten-year agreement with him to refine pills.

A few months ago, they even sent him the formula for the Condensing Jade Pill, which is used by Foundation Establishment cultivators to enhance their magical power. They were completely exploiting him as a tool for alchemy.

As Zhou Yuan arrived, Lin Xu slowly opened his eyes, seemingly relieved: "I really didn't expect you to still be alive."

It turned out that two days earlier, Lin Xu had come to Xuankun Mountain to find Zhou Yuan, hoping to inquire about the progress of the Ningyu Pill, but he came up empty-handed.

He later learned that Zhou Yuan had actually signed up for the perilous Blood Trial and had already set off with the main force of the sect.

He was filled with trepidation at the time.

I sighed with regret.

Zhou Yuan was practically a free alchemy tool for the Lin family; if he were to die like this, the loss would be considerable.

But he still held onto a sliver of hope for Zhou Yuan: what if he went to the forbidden area and didn't die?

So, keeping track of the time, he waited there for another day.

"Hehe, what are you saying, Uncle Lin?"

"I am still so young, naturally I will not die so soon."

Zhou Yuan spoke in a relaxed tone and with a composed demeanor.

This was completely different from the deliberate respect he had shown when facing Lin Xu in the past.

Upon hearing this, Lin Xu frowned slightly.

He keenly sensed that Zhou Yuan's attitude towards him had undergone a subtle change.

"Zhou Yuan, how's your progress learning the Jade Condensation Pill formula I gave you before?"

Lin Xu's tone became more serious, carrying a hint of questioning.

"That... I haven't started learning it yet."

Zhou Yuan spoke casually, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

"Let's wait a few months. I have more important things to do next."

He didn't even bother to research the Jade Condensation Pill!

In the two months before entering the Crimson Forbidden Land, I devoted all my time to cultivating the "Twelve Assassins of the Divine Court".

It was precisely the breakthrough of the Twelve Divine Thorns that allowed him to repeatedly profit in the Crimson Forbidden Land.

"Joo Won!"

Lin Xu's face darkened, and his tone gradually turned cold, "Do you naively believe that just because you came out of the Crimson Forbidden Land alive, you're guaranteed to successfully establish your foundation with the Foundation Establishment Pill that the sect will reward you with?"

In his view, Zhou Yuan had only survived the forbidden area by sheer luck, yet he dared to neglect the task he had been given; it was simply ungrateful.

They are so arrogant and ignorant!

Zhou Yuan smiled, a smile that carried a hint of composure and a touch of aloofness.

"Uncle Lin, things are different now."

He looked directly at Lin Xu and said clearly, word by word, "Now that I have become a disciple of Grandmaster Li, with Grandmaster Li's help, I think it won't be difficult for me to establish my foundation in the future."

Master Li?

Lin Xu was taken aback at first, then his pupils contracted slightly: "Are you talking about Senior Uncle Li Huayuan, the Core Formation stage cultivator from our sect?"

"Exactly."

Zhou Yuan nodded, "If Uncle Lin doesn't believe me, he can ask the sect leader tomorrow."

"This—how is this possible?!"

Lin Xu was greatly alarmed.

But then he thought, even if Zhou Yuan had a hundred times the courage, he wouldn't dare to make up stories about such a thing.

Moreover, Zhou Yuan's composure and confidence at this moment were by no means feigned.

Lin Xu's expression changed several times before finally settling into a slightly stiff smile.

"Since Junior Brother Zhou has already become a disciple of Martial Uncle Li, you can just call me Senior Brother Lin from now on."

He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, lowering his posture considerably: "I dare not respond to the title 'Uncle-Master' any longer."

"Hehe, then it'll be Senior Brother Yilin."

Zhou Yuan accepted the change in address with ease, and his nonchalant composure made Lin Xu even more convinced that it was true.

Now that things have come to this, Lin Xu naturally dared not mention the ten-year alchemy contract that had previously exploited Zhou Yuan.

After all, many Foundation Establishment cultivators in the sect knew that Uncle Li was extremely protective of his own, and if this matter were to escalate, it would be of no benefit to him or the Lin family.

"Junior Brother Zhou," Lin Xu took out a bulging bag from his storage pouch and handed it over, "I have some spirit stones here as compensation for the pills you refined for my Lin family before. I hope you won't refuse."

Zhou Yuan took it and scanned it with his divine sense—there were about three hundred low-grade spirit stones in the storage bag.

A faint sense of disdain rose in his heart.

With his current wealth, he has already obtained nearly ten thousand spirit stones just from killing Feng Yue, the Twin Beauties of the Moon, and others.

Why would they care about such a small amount?

However, he didn't harbor any hatred towards Lin Xu or the Lin family.

If it weren't for the resources and channels provided by the Lin family, his cultivation level wouldn't have improved so quickly, and he wouldn't have been able to successfully join the Yellow Maple Valley.

Now that the cause and effect are cleared, these connections can be severed.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Lin."

Zhou Yuan calmly accepted it.

"Then I'll take my leave now, and wish you success in your Foundation Establishment!"

Lin Xu forced a smile, cupped his hands in greeting, turned around, and transformed into a streak of light, disappearing from sight.

Watching his departing figure, Zhou Yuan shook his head slightly, then turned around, pushed open the stone door of the cave, and stepped inside.

The stone gate slowly closed behind them, and several restrictions rose up to isolate the inside from the outside.