C37 Chu Le Returned.

He hit the ground, and this time, the mysterious figure unleashed a martial skill with a force several times greater than before. No one there could withstand such a blow, especially not Min Zhenkang and his companions.

As the palm descended, Min Zhenkang and his friends braced themselves for impact, closing their eyes.

Min Zhenkang seethed with anger. He hadn't anticipated the Guo family harboring such a formidable figure. Without this master's intervention, the Guo family would have certainly faced expulsion from Whalespell today!

Bang!

Just as the palm was about to strike Min Zhenkang, it met an unyielding, rough palm. Despite the mysterious man's efforts, he couldn't push forward even a fraction more.

Hearing the noise but feeling no impact, Min Zhenkang initially thought Chu Keke had shielded him. He hurriedly opened his eyes to check on her.

Chu Keke, too, had heard the sound and feared the worst for Min Zhenkang. She opened her beautiful eyes wide.

Their gazes locked for a moment, both relieved to see the other unharmed.

Then they both caught sight of the hand that had stopped the mysterious man's strike.

Joy washed over Chu Keke at the sight of the aged hand, while Min Zhenkang's gaze followed it up to the weathered face.

"Grandfather."

"Grandfather Shangguan."

"Alright, step aside now. I'll take it from here," the elder stated.

"Grandfather, you have to beat that big bully!" Chu Keke cheered, pumping her little fists as she looked at her grandfather.

"Grandfather Shangguan, I need to ask a favor. Keke has ingested Gut Cutting Powder. Could you seal her meridians to slow the poison? I'll prepare the antidote right away."

Min Zhenkang had previously instructed the butler to gather the necessary herbs for the antidote, anticipating Chu Keke's actions and preparing in advance.

By now, the butler should have everything ready.

As expected, just as Min Zhenkang had this thought, he saw the butler from Min's mansion approaching swiftly.

Before setting out for the Guo family's home, Min Zhenkang had made sure the butler would purchase everything needed and deliver it without delay. There was no time to lose!

"Alright."

Upon learning that Chu Keke had ingested poison, Chu Le simply uttered "good" and began to seal her meridians without hesitation.

The mysterious man's demeanor shifted dramatically from composed and haughty to sheer terror at the sight of Chu Le.

He turned to flee.

"Take one more step, and I assure you, your life will be a living hell."

Frozen by Chu Le's threat, the mysterious man didn't dare to move an inch.

Chu Le ignored him and continued to seal Chu Keke's meridians, then channeled his Profound Qi into her to help counteract the poison.

After Chu Le had done all he could, Min Zhenkang swiftly retrieved the Nine Dragons Cauldron from his Bag of Heaven and Earth, along with the medicinal ingredients provided by Yang Bo.

He inspected the herbs carefully, finding them flawless and in line with his needs. With that, Min Zhenkang set to work on the pill refinement.

The crowd realized Min Zhenkang's intentions as soon as he brought out the Nine Dragons Cauldron. What surprised them was not only his formidable combat prowess but also his skill in pill refining. They were curious about his level of mastery.

Elder Zhou alone watched with a knowing smile. He was aware of Min Zhenkang's alchemical talents, considering him the most exceptional pill refiner he had ever encountered.

"Zhenkang, you..." Min Hanshi understood Min Zhenkang's purpose upon seeing the pill furnace and herbs.

He had been puzzled when Min Zhenkang had asked the butler, Yang Bo, to purchase medicinal herbs. Now, it all made sense.

He had never known Min Zhenkang to be a pill refiner, yet there he was, demonstrating the skills of a seasoned expert.

"Zhenkang, are you sure about this? The Detoxification Pill is a second-grade Pill!" Chu Le asked with a hint of concern.

"Grandpa Shangguan, rest assured! I won't let anything happen to Keke today."

"Alright, I'm counting on you now."

"Understood." With that, Min Zhenkang began the pill refinement process.

Igniting the flame, adding the ingredients, purifying... Every movement was executed with the fluid grace of drifting clouds and flowing water, devoid of any hesitation or clumsiness.

"Old timer, you holding up okay?" Chu Le, after noticing Min Zhenkang had commenced the pill-making, turned his attention to Min Hanshi.

"I'm hanging in there, not about to die just yet," Min Hanshi replied.

"Look, once you've recovered from your injuries, take this pill. It should help you achieve a breakthrough!" Chu Le casually produced a shining pill from the Bag of Heaven and Earth.

"This..." Min Hanshi was at a loss for words.

"Go on, take it. I nearly lost my dear granddaughter in the search for this pill for you!"

It was then that Min Hanshi realized why Chu Le had abruptly departed from Whalespell; he had been searching for a breakthrough pill for him.

His heart swelled with unspoken gratitude!

"Who emboldened you to come and stir up trouble with us? Or have we been too modest, leading you to believe we've fallen and become pushovers?" As Min Zhenkang focused on pill refinement, Chu Le spun around to confront the mysterious figure.

Chu Le's words left everyone in a stunned silence, but the mysterious man grasped the underlying message.

"Lord Shangguan, I was foolish and have offended you. Please, I beg for your mercy!" The mysterious man suddenly fell to his knees before Chu Le, fervently bowing his head.

The onlookers' jaws hit the floor. Was this the same haughty stranger they knew?

The one who had threatened Guo Yong?

The one who had effortlessly bested Min Hanshi?

The one who had nonchalantly crushed Min Zhenkang's Martial Spirit, flung a mid-grade Profound Spirit Weapon aside, and nearly killed Min Huiyu with a single slap?

The one whose mere gaze had forced Guo Yong to kneel and beg?

The disparity was too great for the crowd to reconcile. Had it not been for the stranger's formidable reputation, they might have mistaken him for a paper tiger.

Previously, no one had pegged Chu Le as a powerhouse; they assumed he was just another elderly man. But witnessing the stranger's reaction, they came to a startling realization: Chu Le was far from ordinary, likely a personage of such high status and identity, they couldn't even fathom.

Beforehand, everyone had been preoccupied with their own affairs, so it went unnoticed how Chu Le had managed to materialize before Min Zhenkang and effortlessly parried the mysterious assailant's strike.

In hindsight, there was a collective sigh of relief that they hadn't crossed this elder; the consequences could have been dire.

"Tell me, who's behind this?" Chu Le demanded, fixing the man in black with a piercing gaze.

"Sir, I acted alone. No one sent me," the mysterious man insisted, shouldering the blame.

"Acted alone? Without my presence, you wouldn't have the audacity to lay a finger on her, even if no one had sent you," Chu Le said, referring to Chu Keke in a way that only she and the mysterious man would grasp.

"Sir, I'm telling the truth. I had no idea she was the young miss. I wouldn't dare harm her, not for a hundred lives!"

"Hmph, quite the steadfast tongue. There must be a significant force behind you."

"Sir, there truly isn't any force behind me!" the mysterious man pleaded, tears streaming as he accepted full responsibility.

Yet, his vehement denials only served to deepen the suspicions.

"If you're unwilling to talk, then you're of no further use to us," Chu Le concluded, having extracted nothing of value from the man. He had recognized the mysterious man's origins at first glance and had a rough idea of his identity from the questioning.

With a casual lift of his hand, Chu Le's palm descended towards the mysterious man's head.

The man, realizing his fate was sealed, was at least grateful that Chu Le hadn't pressed him further on his backers.

With a resounding thud, the mysterious man met his end, his skull crushed by Chu Le's indifferent slap.

Suanikos was divided into five major regions: Eaglestorm, Scorchwich, the Southern Continent, and the Northern Continent, all encircling a land shrouded in mystery, the Divine Kingdom — the dream of every cultivator.

The Bacia Dynasty was but a remote kingdom in the Western Region, where the Profound Qi was scarce and resources for cultivation were meager. It was a place few outside its borders would choose to visit.

The mysterious individual hailed from a prominent family in Scorchwich, one that was immeasurably more powerful than the Bacia Dynasty.

This family received orders to locate Chu Keke and report back immediately upon finding her, with authorization to execute her if deemed necessary.

Upon discovering Whalespell, the mysterious man also found Chu Keke. However, the town's isolation prevented him from sending out the news promptly.

Unable to act due to Chu Le's far superior cultivation, he had no choice but to bide his time in Whalespell, waiting for the right moment without drawing Chu Le's attention.

Unexpectedly, Chu Le left Whalespell quietly after a few days, leaving only Chu Keke behind.

The mysterious man, considering the vengeful intent of his employer, understood there was a deep-seated hatred towards Chu Keke.

While in Whalespell, he inadvertently learned about the dynamics of the local families. With Chu Keke being the town's unparalleled beauty and possessing exceptional talent, she was a frequent topic of conversation.

The mysterious man devised a plan to first disgrace Chu Keke, then eliminate her, hoping to curry favor with his backer and potentially elevate his family's status, thus becoming a hero within his clan.

He approached Guo Yong, the head of the Guo family, and the subsequent events unfolded.

However, the mysterious man had not anticipated Chu Le's untimely return. Had Chu Le arrived earlier, he would have already fled to relay the information. Had he returned later, the mysterious man's scheme might have succeeded.

After Chu Le dispatched the mysterious man, he turned his attention to Min Zhenkang's pill refining.

Chu Le was astounded by Min Zhenkang's technique. Although aware of Min Zhenkang's ability to refine pills, just a month prior, he was a complete novice. Now, his skills were far from novice—they were that of a master.

Elder Zhou, observing from a distance, witnessed Min Zhenkang's pill refinement and realized that the pills Min Zhenkang had auctioned off might not have been crafted by the enigmatic expert behind him, but were likely the work of Min Zhenkang himself.

It's hard to imagine anyone believing such a tale.

A mere fourteen-year-old boy, with a cultivation talent bordering on the demonic, possessed combat abilities and a Martial Spirit that defied the heavens. Even more astonishing was his exceptional prowess in the art of pill refining!

Could this really be the attributes of a fourteen-year-old?

At this moment, the most flustered were undoubtedly Guo Yong and the Jee family members.

The Jee family had been plotting to sneak away while everyone else was off guard. But Chu Le was having none of it.

"Take one more step, and I assure you, everyone here will witness the spectacle of your heads bursting open."

Chu Le's chilling threat effectively paralyzed the Jee family members attempting to flee. They were left trembling against the wall, some so frightened they had visibly wet themselves.

All eyes were on Min Zhenkang as he focused intently on his pill refining.

With his left hand and arm rendered useless by a mysterious assailant, Min Zhenkang had no choice but to rely on his right hand to both add ingredients and control the flames within the Nine Dragons Cauldron.

Never before had Min Zhenkang approached pill refining with such gravity. The stakes were high; the life of Chu Keke hung in the balance, compelling him to a level of seriousness he had never needed to summon before.

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