Mortal: I'm in Tianxing City, intelligence updates daily.

Upon hearing this, Zhuo Ruting's expression suddenly changed. The good mood she had gained from selling the elixirs vanished instantly, replaced by hatred, and tears gradually welled up in her eyes.

Li Shizhou tenderly pulled her into his arms and gently stroked Zhuo Ruting's back.

......

Seven days later.

Fairy Ziling, Wang Ning, sat in a sedan chair-style flying artifact and took off from outside the formation of Li Shizhou's cave.

Her brows furrowed slightly, her beautiful eyes filled with doubt, resentment, and even a hint of frustration.

Because the Miaoyin Sect runs shops, organizes auctions, and collects intelligence, it naturally needs to deal with all sorts of cultivators on a daily basis, including many with eccentric personalities.

As the only daughter of the leader of the Miaoyin Sect, she was influenced by her surroundings from a young age.

His ability to read people's expressions and moods was already superb.

She is also very skilled in dealing with people; it would not be an exaggeration to say that she is adept at social interaction.

But why is Zhuo Ruting, who was chatting happily with her just a few days ago and calling each other sisters, ignoring her today?

She waited outside the door for half an hour without even going inside.

Originally, she wanted to first become close friends with Zhuo Ruting, and then win over her husband to protect the Miaoyin Sect.

Given the current situation, the original plan is likely to be stillborn.

"What exactly happened? It's only been a few days. Could it be that Sister Zhuo's husband saw through my thoughts and is deliberately trying to stop me?"

After pondering all the way, Wang Ning couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. She pressed the throbbing acupoints with her slender fingers.

"Miss, could it be that one of our Miaoyin Sect cultivators offended Senior Zhuo Ruting, or perhaps her husband?" Inside the sedan chair, a maid with two buns in her hair asked cautiously.

Upon hearing this, Wang Ning's eyes flickered, and she finally regained some of her former radiance.

She chuckled softly, pinched the cheek of the maid with the bun hairstyle, and said, "Pearl is so clever. I was just being too fixated on appearances, only knowing how to find the cause within myself."

Upon receiving praise from her young mistress, the maid named Zhu'er beamed with joy: "Miss is simply too close to the situation to see clearly. With more time, she will eventually realize it herself."

"Okay, don't tell anyone about this when you get back. I'll investigate it secretly."

"Don't worry, Miss, Pearl is very discreet."

......

Meanwhile, Li Shizhou was leisurely lying on a deck chair on the open-air observation deck.

He used his divine sense to examine a colorful stone tablet, while his Daoist companion occasionally offered him peeled spiritual fruits.

A few days later, Zhuo Ruting's mood had almost recovered.

Now that Li Shizhou has successfully formed her golden core, she naturally has to fulfill her previous promise and avenge her grandmother.

The culprit has already been identified: a female cultivator from the Miaoyin Sect named "Yun Zhiyao," who is at the early stage of Foundation Establishment.

However, this woman has been staying at the Miaoyin Sect recently and hasn't even left the gate, so he can't openly take action against her in Tianxing City.

Li Shizhou planned to wait for a while. If there was no opportunity, he would go directly to the sect leader. He thought that Sect Master Wang would hand over the person out of consideration for him, a Core Formation cultivator from the Star Palace. It would just be a matter of paying a price.

Moreover, judging from the words and actions of that Fairy Ziling, the Miaoyin Sect intends to befriend him.

The choice between the life of a Foundation Establishment cultivator and the friendship of a Core Formation cultivator is not difficult.

After examining the colorful stone tablet for a while, Li Shizhou withdrew his divine sense.

"The Qiankun Pearl, that's it. I'll use it to practice first."

The magical artifact he chose, named "Qiankun Pearl," belongs to the category of spatial storage.

This treasure cannot contain living creatures; Li Shizhou intended to use it to store the refined Hidden Dragon Miasma.

Then he won't need to take out the copper bottle every time he casts it, which is not only convenient, but also reduces the mental burden when controlling the Hidden Dragon Miasma.

However, this is just an ordinary magic weapon. Li Shizhou hasn't decided what to refine for his natal magic weapon yet; he's just practicing for now.

Having made up his mind, he got up and went to the market to collect materials to refine the "Qiankun Pearl".

......

Three days later.

The Gate of Wonderful Sounds.

Wang Ning walked quickly forward and pushed open the door to enter an elegantly decorated secret room.

Inside the secret room sat a dignified yet alluring woman in palace attire, leisurely savoring a magical tea.

This beautiful woman in palace attire was at the early stage of Core Formation cultivation, with several maids serving her beside her.

Upon seeing Wang Ning enter, several maids quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Young Master Zi Ling."

"You may leave now. My mother and I have some things to discuss."

"Yes, young master."

Several maids put down their tea sets and tiptoed outside.

After everyone had gone far away, Wang Ning checked the formation once and then sat down on the futon opposite the beautiful woman in palace attire.

"My dear daughter, what's wrong? You look so flustered."

"Mother, it seems our Miaoyin Sect has offended someone this time."

"No rush, speak slowly. It's not like my Miaoyin Sect hasn't offended people in the past, yet we've managed to get by all these years."

As she spoke, the beautiful woman in palace attire took a new teacup and poured herself a cup of tea.

Wang Ning removed the veil-like ritual object from her face, revealing an exquisite and beautiful face.

She picked up the teacup, parted her red lips slightly, and took a sip of tea.

He continued, "Recently, a cultivator named Li Shizhou from the Star Palace has successfully formed his core. I originally intended to win him over through his Daoist partner, but years ago, Sister Yun Zhiyao from our sect had a blood feud with his Daoist partner. That's why I came to Mother to discuss countermeasures."

The beautiful woman in palace attire said unhurriedly, "Tell me in detail how you offended me."

"This senior's Daoist partner is named Zhuo Ruting. More than sixty years ago, she and her grandmother depended on each other for survival. A Foundation Establishment cultivator named Yu Bochen took a liking to her and sought help from Sister Yun Zhiyao. However, the matter was not accomplished, and it even led to the tragic death of Zhuo Ruting's grandmother. That's how the grudge came about. As for that cultivator named Yu Bochen, he has long since passed away."

The beautiful woman in palace attire said dismissively, "So this is Yun Zhiyao's personal grudge. What does it have to do with my Miaoyin Sect? Just hand the person over."

"But... but if we do that, I'm afraid it will discourage the disciples, and Sister Yun also knows many secrets within the sect," Wang Ning said hesitantly.

"You don't need to worry about that. Yun Zhiyao has done a lot of dirty things for me over the years, and I have intentionally indulged her. Now she can be said to be the target of everyone in the sect, and I have suppressed her. Just now, Fan Jingmei came to complain to me. If she were to die, the disciples of the sect would be overjoyed."

After listening, Wang Ning nodded: "Then let's do as Mother says."

The matter had been agreed upon. The beautiful woman in palace attire took out a magical artifact from her storage bag, said a few words to it, and then picked up her teacup to continue sipping her tea.

A moment later, a woman's voice rang out from outside the door: "Sect Master, Zhiyao requests an audience."

"Come in."

After a scraping sound as the stone door scraped against the ground, a glamorous woman dressed in a warm green dress walked in with a calm expression.

After entering and bowing, he said, "Sect Master, is there something you wish to instruct Zhiyao to do?"