The entire sect is obsessed with love, but I'm the only one who's truly insane.

Du Shao naturally saw that the person who made the oath was Li Dong, but after just one glance, she looked away and turned to walk towards Lin Du.

"I think I've reached some of the barriers to advancement. After I go back this time, I'll go into seclusion to build my foundation. Lin Du, wait for me to master acupuncture so I can heal your heart."

Lin Du waved his hand upon hearing this, "I'm fine. I still have my senior brother. You should have heard of his name. His name is Jiang Liang."

Du Shao had indeed heard of him. It was said that Jiang Liang only saved those who were about to die, and would not accept anyone who was even slightly alive. He was nicknamed the "Living Judge".

If Jiang Liang says someone is beyond saving, then that person is definitely beyond saving.

"I've heard that Jiang Liang is most skilled in alchemy and has never used acupuncture or other techniques. I'll learn from him. You should take good care of yourself. Perhaps one day I can help you cure those difficult and complicated diseases."

Du Shao looked just as she had when they first met, her eyes filled with hope for the future. But what was once like a jade stone hidden in a brocade pouch was now like a crystal hairpin in the sunlight, its shimmering light clearly visible.

Lin Du tilted his head and thought for a moment, then said, "Okay, I'll wait until you've finished your studies."

She didn't actually care whether they could save her or not, because she knew she could save herself.

But people always need to have something to strive for.

Xia Tianwu, standing next to Lin Du, blinked slightly but remained silent.

"Fellow Daoist Lin."

A muffled, hoarse shout made the five people standing in a row turn their heads toward the direction of the sound, and the three streaks of white mist also turned a corner in the air.

"Wow, fellow Daoist, you've really gone too far." Yuan Ye's eyes widened.

The reason is simple: the person in front of me looks really pitiful.

Half of his face was bruised and swollen, and there were clear finger marks on his neck. If you didn't look at his face and only looked at his figure, he would have been a handsome young man. But once you looked at his face, he looked like... a pig demon in human form.

Upon hearing this, the young man's eyes slowly moved and his gaze fell on Lin Du. Even though his facial muscles couldn't move, he still looked like he had suffered a great injustice.

Lin Du suddenly reached out and grabbed Xia Tianwu's wrist. "Second nephew, do me a favor. Do you have any medicine to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis? I accidentally injured this fellow Daoist Wu Xi from the Guiyuan Sect in the secret realm."

She paused, trying to adjust her facial expression to make herself look more sincere. "I just didn't expect that a single punch would cause such great harm to this fellow Daoist. It was truly beyond my expectations. After all... I could tell that his cultivation level was higher than mine, and he should recover quickly."

Wu Xi sensed something was off about what he was saying, and her chest heaved more.

Although his soul was suppressed at the time, he could still hear Lin Du's words.

Lin Du clearly intended to kill him, so how come she only described it as a punch?

Xia Tianwu's gaze shifted to Wu Xi. "My junior uncle has only been a practitioner for less than a year. He is young and weak and does not know how to control himself. Please forgive him, fellow Daoist. It seems that your nose is also a bit crooked and needs to be straightened."

As she spoke, she apologized and walked up to the man with a bruised and swollen face. Her expression was cold and aloof, and her gaze was as if she were looking at a dead object.

The young man took a step back in fright and mumbled, "No...no need. Guiyuan Sect also has medical practitioners."

Xia Tian expressionlessly reached out and pinched it. With a snap, she took a step back, examined it carefully, and after confirming that it was correct, she solemnly cast a cleansing spell on herself and took out two jade bottles and a small ointment.

"These are pills to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis, medicine for facial wounds, and a liquid to treat the throat. Do not drink water after taking them."

Wu Xi thought she would suffer a lot, but before she could even cry out, the Cold Fairy had already withdrawn her hand.

"I... I'm not here to settle scores with Fellow Daoist Lin."

Lin Du stepped forward, appearing extremely obedient. She was completely unlike the cold and eerie woman who had gripped his throat earlier, as if the overwhelming aura she exuded at that moment was merely a hallucination in his delirium. Only the lingering pain in his throat proved it all.

"Fellow Daoist Wu, I feel bad that I had my second nephew give you medicine. Although I was forced by circumstances at the time, you were still injured. I, Lin Du, never want to owe anyone anything."

As she spoke, a purple-gold crane-shaped hand warmer with burning charcoal appeared in her hand, which she casually handed to Xia Tianwu, saying, "Warm your hands."

This person had been possessed by a vengeful spirit, and his body was tainted with the resentment of a corpse. Xia Tianwu's face must have been tainted by it as well.

She didn't want Wu Xi to realize that Xia Tian had no strange fire yet.

Xia Tianwu accepted it, somewhat surprised, but did not ask Lin Du what he meant, his face remaining as cold and indifferent as ever.

According to the original plot, Wu Xi noticed Xia Tianwu, who possessed a strange fire, at a competition in Zhongzhou.

At this point, Wu Xi has not yet formed her core, so the first plot point is still a long way off.

But Lin Du wanted Xia Tianwu to picture this pig-headed face every time he mentioned Wu Xi.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, I have come to issue you a challenge."

"I wasn't the one controlling the body in the secret realm. I want to have a real fight with you again. Nine years from now, at the Central Plains Heroes Gathering, we'll settle this once and for all."

Because she had been choked half to death, her vocal cords were damaged, and her face was swollen, Wu Xi's speech was particularly slurred.

Lin Du squinted, turned his head to look at the three still steaming kettles behind him, and asked, "What did he say?"

"It seems he wants to fight you," Yuan Ye said.

Lin Du responded with an "Oh," and then added, "But I cultivate formations, Fellow Daoist Wu, are you mistaken?"

Formation masters rarely participate in arena battles; this has been a long-standing rule in the cultivation world.

Over the years, the only ones who have participated in the arena competitions are half-baked formation masters and Lin Du's master, Yan Ye. Naturally, they don't use formations in their battles.

Wu Xi ignored him, took out a challenge letter, and immediately used his spiritual power to carve his mark on it, and wrote Lin Du's name on it. His movements were extremely skillful, as if he had done it countless times.

Lin Du: ...What kind of good person would carry around a challenge letter that's already written down and only missing the name? You've done this a lot, haven't you?

The young man held the challenge letter in both hands, then bowed, "Please accept the challenge, Fellow Daoist Lin."

Before Lin Du could react, the challenge flew swiftly toward his face.

Lin Du subconsciously leaned back, reached out, and pinched the challenge letter between his middle and index fingers. Then, the challenge letter quickly absorbed Lin Du's aura.

Wu Xi straightened up. "Since you've accepted, then we'll meet again then."

"I hope that you will have formed your core in nine years, otherwise I will feel guilty for winning."

After saying all this, he turned and left, his back view looking exceptionally dashing.

Lin Du, still holding the challenge letter, turned to look at the small kettle. "What did he say?"

"He looks down on you." Yuan Ye translated dutifully, "He said you might not be able to form your core in nine years, and he's afraid that his victory would be unfair."

"It means you should spend nine years trying to catch up with him," Yan Qing added fuel to the fire.

Lin Du looked utterly bewildered. "Wu Xi is a sword cultivator, ten years older than me. He took advantage of me and yet looks down on me?"

"Junior Uncle! Let's beat him up again next time!" Ni Jinxuan was the first to respond.

Lin Du turned to Xia Tianwu, "Second Junior Nephew, how long does it typically take for someone in our sect to form their Core after entering the Dao?"

"It could take as little as five years or as long as twenty years."

The transition from the first to the second stage is transcending the mortal realm, and from the second to the third stage is attaining the Dao. Once the elixir is formed, the Dao of alchemy is initially established, allowing for free flight and extending lifespan by a thousand years. Therefore, the transition from the Qin Xin Realm to the Teng Yun Realm is a major hurdle for all cultivators.

Lin Du said "Oh", "Alright, I understand. He'll form his core next year. Wu Xi had better go back and form his core immediately, otherwise my victory will be unfair."

Before Lin Du could utter any more threats, another person walked up to her, holding a challenge letter in his hand.

Lin Du raised his hand to his forehead and gave the person next to him a look.

Yuan Ye understood and said, "You want to issue a challenge to my junior uncle? Wait a minute, the line of people who want to fight her stretches from here all the way to Dingjiu City."