I run a casino in the immortal realm.

Outside the Xuantian Sect's mountain gate, at the White Jade Square.

The three-day recruitment event is coming to an end.

In the center of the square stands a ten-zhang-tall Xuan Guang Water Mirror, on which five hundred names are densely arranged.

The Grand Elder Qin Cang sat upright on a cloud platform in mid-air, his gray robe billowing in the wind.

He did not exude any pressure, but tens of thousands of cultivators from various sects below all lowered their heads, not daring to look directly at him.

"Recruitment is over. Those who leave their names on the Water Mirror will enter the outer sect of the Xuantian Sect. The rest will be sent back to their respective sects."

Qin Cang's voice, carried by his true energy, resounded throughout the entire arena.

Xu Zhengkun stood at the forefront of the Qingyun Sect's camp, staring intently at the water mirror.

The twenty elite disciples of the Qingyun Sect behind him held their breath, searching for their own names among the densely packed names.

"No... how could there be no one?"

A member of the Xu family was pale and his voice trembled.

He reached the early stage of Foundation Establishment at the young age of twenty-five, and was rated as superior in the bone age and cultivation test on the first day.

Xu Zhengkun's gaze swept from the top of the water mirror all the way to the very bottom.

Of the five hundred names, only three belonged to the Qingyun Sect.

Su Wanqing, Xu Muyao, Zhao Ling.

In addition, the ten elite members of the Xu family he brought were all wiped out.

Xu Zhengkun took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the raging anger churning in his chest.

He had long anticipated that the Grand Elder would interfere, but he hadn't expected the other party to be so ruthless, not even bothering to pretend, and completely blocking the Xu family's path.

They only accept three female cultivators, one of whom is a Qi Refining stage disciple specializing in alchemy. This isn't recruiting disciples at all; it's blatant exclusion of the Qingyun Sect and the Xu family.

"Young Sect Master, I refuse to accept this!"

The Xu family member suddenly took a step forward, his eyes bloodshot: "That Wang Hu from the Iron Sword Sect is only at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining. Why is he on the list while I'm not? I'm going to the Hall of Affairs to demand an explanation!"

"Shut up!"

Xu Zhengkun shouted sternly and grabbed the disciple's shoulder.

The powerful spiritual energy of the Golden Core Realm cultivator instantly poured into the opponent's body, pinning him firmly to the spot.

"If you're tired of living, don't drag the entire Qingyun Sect down with you!"

Xu Zhengkun lowered his voice, his tone cold and stern: "This is the Xuantian Sect. The Sect Master is in seclusion, and the Grand Elder is the absolute authority. What right do you have to demand an explanation?"

The Xu family members gritted their teeth, tears welling in their eyes, and finally lowered their heads in despair.

On the cloud platform, Qin Cang's gaze swept casually in the direction of the Qingyun Sect.

Seeing Xu Zhengkun suppress his subordinates, Qin Cang's lips curled into a mocking smile, and then he vanished into thin air in a flash.

The elders of the Deacon Hall began arranging for the new disciples to join the sect.

Xu Muyao, Su Wanqing, and Zhao Ling were called out of the line individually.

"elder brother……"

Xu Muyao walked up to Xu Zhengkun, her eyes reddening.

Although she was usually spoiled, she wasn't stupid, and the situation before her made her feel a sudden, inexplicable panic.

Xu Zhengkun patted his sister's head and softened his tone: "Once you enter the sect, restrain your temper. Wanqing is calm and opinionated, so listen to her opinions and don't try to stand out."

Zhao Ling, once you go to the Pill Pavilion, focus on refining pills and don't meddle in anything outside.

The three female cultivators nodded in agreement and followed the people from the Hall of Affairs into the towering mountain gate.

Xu Zhengkun turned around and looked at the remaining seventeen dejected disciples.

"Pack your things and immediately take the flying boat back to Qingyun Sect."

Xu Zhengkun gave the order: "Tell the sect leader that I have some personal matters to attend to in Xuantian City, and I will return in a few days."

After dismissing everyone, Xu Zhengkun left Baiyu Square alone and mingled into the bustling crowd of Xuantian City.

He wandered around the city for two hours, making sure there were no tails following him, before finally entering an inconspicuous teahouse in the south of the city.

In the backyard of the teahouse, there is a secret room with a three-tiered soundproof array.

Xu Zhengkun pushed open the door and entered.

Inside the secret room sat a young man dressed in the inner robes of the Xuantian Sect. The young man's face bore a seven-tenths resemblance to Xu Zhengkun, but his eyes were sunken, and his brows exuded a heavy weariness and melancholy.

It was Xu Zhengkun's younger brother, Xu Zhenghai, an inner disciple of the Xuantian Sect.

"Big brother."

Xu Zhenghai stood up, his voice hoarse.

Xu Zhengkun strode over, scrutinizing his younger brother from head to toe, his brow furrowed: "Why is your aura so weak? Your spiritual energy is running rampant in your meridians; this is a sign of qi deviation!"

Xu Zhenghai gave a wry smile and slumped back into his chair: "It's just forcibly suppressing the backlash from my cultivation level."

Xu Zhengkun sat down opposite him and got straight to the point: "You've heard about the recruitment, haven't you? Qin Cang rejected all the elites brought by our Xu family."

"Your master is an inner sect elder. Could you perhaps ask him to intervene at the Hall of Affairs? Even just two slots would be helpful."

Xu Zhenghai shook his head, picked up the cold tea on the table, and took a sip.

"Brother, you overestimate my master."

Xu Zhenghai put down his teacup, his eyes full of helplessness: "Although my master is a Nascent Soul expert, he ranks low among the thirty-six inner sect elders."

Qin Cang is in the late Nascent Soul stage and holds great power. The sect leader has been in seclusion for many years trying to break through to the Divine Transformation stage. Now, the entire Xuantian Sect is Qin Cang's personal fiefdom.

My master is trying to avoid him like the plague, how could he possibly risk offending him for the sake of two disciples from affiliated sects?

Xu Zhengkun clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms.

"Besides, I'm barely able to take care of myself right now, so I can't even bring myself to ask."

Xu Zhenghai covered his face with his hands, his voice filled with despair.

"What happened?"

Xu Zhengkun realized the seriousness of the situation.

Xu Zhenghai lowered his hand, his eyes bloodshot: "Hu Xiaotian has reached the Core Formation stage."

Xu Zhengkun's pupils contracted.

"When he came out of seclusion, he became an inner sect steward. Not only that, he also stole my things."

Xu Zhenghai gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead: "I've been stuck at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment for three years. The sect was supposed to distribute a top-grade Breakthrough Pill this month to help me form my Core. That was the reward I risked my life to win in the Inner Sect Competition!"

"And what was the result? With just one sentence from Hu Xiaotian, the Hall of Affairs transferred that top-grade Breakthrough Pill to his name, saying that he had just formed his core and needed a top-grade pill to stabilize his realm."

Xu Zhenghai slammed his fist on the table, shattering the teacup.

"The top-grade Breakthrough Pill has very few impurities, can protect the heart meridian, and increases the success rate of Core Formation by 30%. Now that the pills have been stolen, the Hall of Affairs has only given me one high-grade Core Formation Pill and one high-grade Breakthrough Pill as replacements."

Xu Zhenghai let out a bitter laugh: "The cultivation technique I practice is inherently powerful. Without a top-grade breakthrough pill to protect my meridians, forcibly attempting to break through to the Golden Core stage is a near-certain death. Hu Xiaotian is trying to cut off my path to cultivation and take my life!"

The sealed room fell into a deathly silence.

Xu Zhengkun felt a tightness in his chest.

Qin Cang cut off the Xu family's fresh blood from the outside, while Hu Xiaotian suppressed the Xu family's pillars from the inside.

This is going to completely drive the Xu family to their doom.

"Big brother, you shouldn't have kept Xu Muyao in the sect."

Xu Zhenghai lowered his voice: "The way Hu Xiaotian looks at Mu Yao is strange. He is now a Golden Core Steward. If he really wants to force himself on an outer disciple, no one can stop him."

Xu Zhengkun suddenly stood up, his eyes flashing with murderous intent.

"I'm going to find him!"

"Are you sending him to his death?!"

Xu Zhenghai grabbed Xu Zhengkun's arm: "Although you are also a Golden Core cultivator, he has the Grand Elder behind him! Moreover, this is Xuantian City. If you dare to make a move, the Enforcement Hall can immediately execute you on the spot for treason!"

Xu Zhengkun stood frozen in place.

The cruelty of the cultivation world was on full display at this moment. Without strength, all anger is nothing but impotent rage.

"Don't rush into attempting to reach the Golden Core stage."

Xu Zhengkun grabbed his younger brother's wrist and forced himself to calm down: "I'll figure out a way to get the top-grade Breakthrough Pill."

"What can we do?"

Xu Zhenghai smiled bitterly: "Only a handful of top-grade Breakthrough Pills are produced in the entire Southern Wilderness Region each year. Unless there's a miracle."

"A miracle will happen."

Xu Zhengkun released his grip and turned to walk towards the secret chamber door: "Our Qingyun Sect is developing rapidly, and the Xu family's income is also growing rapidly. In another year or two, we will have enough spirit stones to help you buy top-grade Breakthrough Pills."

Pushing open the door, Xu Zhengkun stepped into the night of Xuantian City.

The cold wind blowing on his face made him much more awake.

Instead of returning to the post station, he went straight out of the city and came to a desolate mountain outside the city.

After confirming that no one was around, Xu Zhengkun took out the dark gold top-grade communication talisman from the depths of his storage ring.

The path of Xuantian Sect is blocked. The younger brother is cornered, and the younger sister is taken hostage. The Xu family is too fragile to withstand absolute power.

Now, his only bargaining chip, his only variable to rely on, is that "dead man" hiding in the shadows.

Xu Zhengkun infused his true essence into the talisman and probed it with his divine sense.

"One flight."

Xu Zhengkun transmitted his voice, his exhaustion barely concealed: "Recruitment is over. Qin Cang only accepted Wanqing, Muyao, and Zhao Ling. All the Xu family members were rejected."

He paused, then continued, "Zheng Hai is in trouble too. Hu Xiaotian, having reached the Core Formation stage, stole Zheng Hai's top-grade Breakthrough Pill. Zheng Hai is now forced to use a high-grade pill to break through his barrier, facing a near-death experience. Is there any way to help him?"

The message was sent, and the light on the talisman dimmed.

Xu Zhengkun leaned against an ancient tree, looking up at the night sky.

He didn't know what Zheng Yifei could do.

No matter how much money Zheng Yifei can make, he's only at the Qi Refining stage. Strategic resources like the Top-Grade Breakthrough Pill are impossible to buy even with money.