"Kid, till we meet again!"

After saying that, Elder Fengshen once again transformed into a breeze and disappeared without a trace. He needed to return to his mountain, as there were still medicines to refine in the Illusionary Spirit Furnace.

Long Wuxian raised his head and glanced at the Qi Palace, resembling a building in the mountains, before pushing the door open and entering directly.

Inside the spacious palace, a middle-aged man stood with hands behind his back, his exceptionally sharp eyes fixed on Long Wuxian as he entered.

Long Wuxian suddenly looked up, meeting the gaze of the middle-aged man.

This man in front of him appeared like a middle-aged person, similar to his father, dressed in a plain gray long shirt, exuding an extraordinary calmness, with sharp angles on his face and a hint of nobility between his brows, giving off an aura of authority without anger.

More importantly, his cultivation had already reached the terrifying peak of the Saint Emperor realm, making him perhaps the highest-level figure in the Southern Domain.

Long Wuxian knew in his heart that the man before him was the Head of the Qi Palace—Master Hengchi!

He was a figure standing at the top of the Qi Palace, someone revered throughout the whole sect.

"Disciple Long Wuxian pays respects to the Head."

Long Wuxian saluted Hengchi respectfully.

Hengchi remained silent, his gaze fixed on Long Wuxian, assessing him continuously.

The young man before him was vibrant and sharp, standing there like a sharp blade, facing the Head of the Qi Palace at the peak of the Saint Emperor realm without a trace of abnormality in his expression, calm and composed. This demeanor alone, not to mention his extraordinary talent, left both Hengchi and the previous Elder Fengshen deeply impressed—truly awe-inspiring.

"With your cultivation at the Immortal Emperor realm, defeating Tianlong Sect's Dust and defeating Bei Luoyu, daring to stay in the back mountain for three days unharmed and even advancing to the late Immortal Emperor stage, Long Wuxian, the miracles you have created, even I must praise you for," Hengchi spoke admiringly without pretense.

As the Head of the sect, Hengchi wasn't one for affectation, immediately praising Long Wuxian without reservation, his eyes and words filled with appreciation.

For Hengchi, the young man before him had not disappointed him. At least, the first impression Long Wuxian gave him exceeded his expectations.

A genius not only needed extraordinary talent but also an extraordinary character, and in Long Wuxian, both were perfectly displayed!

As the Head of the Heavenly One Sect, when a genius destined to appear once in a millennium emerged in the sect, it naturally required his attention, and he had to pay close attention.

After all, the future development of the Qi Palace might be dependent on this individual.

"Head overpraises."

Long Wuxian grinned, even with a thick skin, being praised so openly face to face made him feel slightly embarrassed.

Moreover, Long Wuxian hadn't expected Hengchi to praise him upon their first meeting. The Head seemed approachable, leaving a favorable surface impression on Long Wuxian.

"Long Wuxian, the Head wishes to meet you today merely to get acquainted with you. As a rare talent like yourself, your future achievements are bound to be immeasurable. I am not one to beat around the bush or hide my intentions. As long as you sincerely devote yourself to the Qi Palace in the future, I, Hengchi, will not mistreat you. Any cultivation resources within the sect that you wish for, as long as it's within our means, will be provided to you."

Hengchi stated straightforwardly.

"But since I am putting so much effort into nurturing you, even going as far as trying to win you over, to put it bluntly, it’s also for the sake of the sect's future. Ever since a character like Yu Tianlong appeared in the Southern Domain, the other three major forces have begun to worry. You must have also met Yu Tianlong, a rare talent indeed. His appearance in Tianlong Sect poses a significant pressure to the other three forces. We all know that someone like Yu Tianlong will grow rapidly. Once he truly matures, the Southern Domain's landscape will be completely transformed, and at that time, the Qi Palace might be facing extinction."

"Hmm."

Upon hearing this, Long Wuxian couldn't help but nod silently. Yu Tianlong was indeed not an ordinary figure. As the former Emperor of Tianze, he had witnessed numerous geniuses, and Yu Tianlong's talent rivaled those of the ancient noble families in the deeper parts of the Immortal Realm.

For such a genius to appear in the Southern Domain was nothing short of a miracle, and it was no wonder Hengchi felt the looming pressure of greatness.

"Long Wuxian, your talent surpasses even that of Yu Tianlong, and the fact that you dared to challenge him to a six-month battle shows that you are not afraid of him! Therefore, I boldly predict that in the future of the Southern Domain, perhaps only you can rival Yu Tianlong," Hengchi spoke sincerely, addressing Long Wuxian not with a superior tone but as a friend, laying out his thoughts, intentions, and words openly.

Indeed, it was a display of genuine sincerity.

Hengchi’s attitude left a positive impression on Long Wuxian and increased his fondness for Hengchi. Whatever Hengchi's intentions were in reaching out to him, whether for personal gain or for the sect's survival, his actions, sincerity, and expression didn't repel Long Wuxian but actually made him willing to stay in the Qi Palace.

"Rest assured, Head, with me here, Yu Tianlong won't be able to cause much trouble."

Long Wuxian said calmly, his words exuding a deep sense of self-assurance. To him, Yu Tianlong was merely a short-term pressure, a motivator for his own advancement. Long Wuxian was inherently fearless.

"Very well, Long Wuxian, but now that you are a disciple of the Qi Palace, you must abide by the sect's rules, focus on your cultivation, and handle the sect's affairs yourself. Any conflicts with fellow disciples are to be resolved by you. In matters of cultivation resources you require, feel free to approach me, but as for actual cultivation, it’s up to you," Hengchi concluded.

"Heh, that goes without saying."

Long Wuxian chuckled. In truth, he had no need to seek Hengchi's assistance, as his own Nine Jade Dragon Formula far surpassed the Qi Palace's basic techniques.

"In that case, you may leave. Focus on your cultivation and enhance your strength as soon as possible," Hengchi said.

"Farewell, Head."

Long Wuxian saluted Hengchi and then turned to leave.

Watching Long Wuxian's retreating figure, Hengchi nodded silently, feeling reassured. He trusted his judgment; his ability to size up people was rarely wrong.

Leaving the Qi Palace, Long Wuxian retraced his steps towards the outer gate.

Not long after Long Wuxian had left, a thunderous roar suddenly echoed, shaking the entire Qi Palace.

"You damned cat demon, halt right there!"

The voice resonated with terror-inducing Chi, resembling thunder and carrying unparalleled rage, as if there was an irreconcilable feud.

Long Wuxian found the voice vaguely familiar and saw two figures flying overhead in the Qi Palace.

In front, a small white cat with white wings on its back, darting like lightning.

Behind, an elderly woman in a golden robe, furiously giving chase.

Seeing this, Long Wuxian rolled his eyes, almost feeling dizzy.

"What has this little troublemaker done now? Oh… this little rascal must be a speed type, no wonder Elder Fengshen couldn't catch it."

Long Wuxian felt the urge to vomit blood—it had only been a short while since he left, and the cat simply couldn't stay out of trouble.

Now, the most powerful Illusionary Spirit Master, Elder Fengshen, was chasing her like a madman, looking as if he would skin her alive once caught. Elder Fengshen seemed to harbor immense hatred, wishing to use her hide and fur.

Elder Fengshen gritted his teeth, showing unimaginable enmity, as if he desired to avenge a millennia-old grudge.

However, it couldn't be denied that the cat was incredibly useful; without her, Long Wuxian might never have discovered the whereabouts of the Oceanic Divine Bead.

Long Wuxian knew that the cat was undoubtedly an extraordinary creature, with extremely unique bloodlines running through her.

Soon, Long Wuxian noticed something amiss with the cat; due to the shocking disparity, the cat was no longer in the mid-stage of the Immortal Emperor realm but had advanced to the peak of the Immortal Emperor realm!

He had only been to the Qi Palace in the morning, and in an instant, this creature had undergone such a significant transformation?

Now, even Elder Fengshen was hunting her furiously, and Long Wuxian seemed to have a hunch about what was going on.

"Damned cat, hand over my Chaos Fruit, or I'll catch you and use you to refine alchemical pills in the furnace!"

Elder Fengshen angrily shouted, relentlessly pursuing the creature as if it were his archenemy.

At that moment, the creature, like a streak of light, flashed past, dodging Elder Fengshen's attacks with unmatched speed. Enraged, Elder Fengshen even used mass killing moves, nearly leveling the entire Qi Palace.

Boom!

After the dust settled…

"Feng old man, you're making me worry that our Qi Palace will be annihilated today?"

Hengchi had unexpectedly appeared in the sky at some point, intercepting Elder Fengshen's attack head-on.

"Ah… Please forgive me, Head."

Upon seeing Hengchi, Elder Fengshen hastily retracted his Chi.

"Ah… Feng old man, you've reached a ripe old age. Don't you think you should set a good example for the younger generation?"

Hengchi, seeing Elder Fengshen calm down, narrowed his eyes and spoke.

Honestly, if it weren't for Hengchi's timely intervention, the Qi Palace might have been wiped out!

By then, the disciples would be at a loss for what to do.

"Hehe, Head, rest assured, this old man knows his limits and wouldn't harm the academy. But! I have no idea where that brat came from; she actually took away the Chaos Fruit I painstakingly nurtured… Sigh, the Chaos Fruit is the most critical material for the Chaos Chi Pill, and that Chaos Fruit is even one of a thousand-year grade. I only have the chance to find one every ten years!"

Elder Fengshen glared angrily at the distant figure of the cat, his eyes full of fury.