The Inner Sect senior brother who'd come to visit Xia Li had expected Xia Li to be very displeased.

  But looking at Xia Li's expression now, he seemed completely unconcerned, calm and unperturbed.

  "Junior Brother, may I ask—what are your intentions toward Senior Sister Lin Ge?"

  "What intentions could I have?"

  "Alright then. Anyway, I've delivered the warning. Watch yourself from now on."

  The messenger Inner Sect senior brother left immediately after speaking, having no intention of staying.

  Though he'd followed Zhao Yunji, it was merely to use the other's reputation and connections. There was no need to make himself annoying over such a small matter.

  After the Inner Sect senior brother left, Xia Li directly took out the sect's communication jade slip to contact Lin Ge.

  "You there? Someone named Zhao Yunji is making trouble for me, telling me to stay away from you. I'm scared—I don't dare treat your problem anymore."

  Before long...

  Lin Ge replied immediately.

  "First, I have no relationship with him whatsoever. Second, I'm not even familiar with him. Third, he's just a door-crushed brain idiot. This behavior of pestering someone who's clearly not interested is too awful."

  "Indeed, too awful. So could you please stop fixating on me?"

  "This... this is different..."

  Lin Ge could tell Xia Li was implying her behavior wasn't much better than Zhao Yunji's.

  "How is it different?"

  "If you really disliked me, would we still have continued interaction? This shows you do have some feelings for me. But I have absolutely no feelings for Zhao Yunji."

  "And then?"

  "I'll go deal with him right now. If he dares bother you again, I'll make him regret it!"

  "Fine. Anyway, if he causes me trouble, I'll come to you."

  "Wait... can't you have some masculine pride? Shouldn't you be the one to step up for something like this? You should dominantly defeat him, then declare..." She coughed.

  Lin Ge really hoped Xia Li would do this. Though such a development was cliché, who said cliché things weren't appealing?

  "Not interested. If you don't handle it, I'll go find an Outer Sect junior sister to have a relationship with and put Zhao Yunji at ease."

  "Fine then. So I'll dominantly defeat him, then declare..."

  "No declaring. That's all—I have things to do."

  Xia Li immediately cut off the transmission after speaking, then continued cultivating. Xia Li could sense that his next return to Earth would likely result in a fierce battle.

  He had to improve his strength while he could. His Earth compatriots wouldn't go easy on him.

  Like when he'd just reached Foundation Establishment—damn, Soul Transformation cultivators had come after him. No martial virtue whatsoever.

  This was Earth's problem. Cultivators were everywhere, and with technological assistance, higher-realm cultivators weren't exactly filling the streets but were at least several times more numerous than in this world. Higher encounter probability.

  Once Spirit Core technology achieved a breakthrough, the number of high-realm cultivators would surge rapidly in a short time.

  Therefore...

  After all these years it was still information warfare. Knowing the other party's background was more important than anything.

  Another half month later...

  The mysterious ring could be used again. Xia Li didn't plan to stay long, so he prepared to leave Lingxu Cave Heaven and find a good place for phase transition.

  He definitely didn't dare perform a transition within Lingxu Cave Heaven—being detected by sect higher-ups would be very troublesome.

  Taking the teleportation array to the sect plaza.

  Shortly after Xia Li appeared, he felt several gazes—someone seemed to be watching him.

  At this, Xia Li directly contacted Lin Ge.

  "That Zhao guy probably sent people to watch me. I'm leaving the sect for a while next—help me shake off the tails."

  After a while...

  Lin Ge replied.

  "I don't have the authority to stop other disciples from leaving the sect either!"

  "This trouble you brought me—you can't resolve it?"

  "Then how about I accompany you?"

  "Forget it... I'll figure something out myself."

  Xia Li couldn't possibly let Lin Ge accompany him.

  "By the way, if you're going to make a move, best use a recording stone to document beforehand. Don't strike first—wait for them to make the first move."

  "I'll handle it accordingly."

  With that, Xia Li cut off the transmission and contacted another person.

  Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

  If Lin Ge couldn't resolve it, what about the Third Elder?

  "Third Elder, because of your good granddaughter, someone named Zhao Yunji wants to kill me."

  For people who liked getting jealous, Xia Li's response was to report to the death. He absolutely wouldn't confront them directly.

  This way, if reporting proved ineffective, he could suddenly eliminate the other party. Appearing weak was just to make them let their guard down.

  Soon, the Third Elder replied.

  "You want to return to Zhiyuan Marketplace?"

  "Yes."

  "I'll personally escort you out. Where are you? From now on, contact me in advance whenever you enter or leave. I want to see just how shameless that Zhao family junior can be."

  The Third Elder was willing to directly shield him—at least within the rules, Zhao Yunji would have no opportunity to strike from the shadows.

  If Zhao Yunji wanted to act outside the rules...

  Even better!

  Let's see if his sword was still sharp.

  "I'm at the sect plaza."

  "Wait there."

  Several minutes later.

  The Third Elder arrived, coming directly to Xia Li's side and sweeping his gaze around at the surrounding disciples. Those disciples with ill intentions who'd followed Zhao Yunji all lowered their heads in fear.

  "Hmph, a bunch of rats."

  The Third Elder snorted coldly, then stood behind Xia Li and followed him toward Lingxu Peak.

  Meanwhile.

  True Transmission disciple territory area.

  Zhao Yunji sat atop a valley filled with yellow sand. His hand gripped a communication jade slip, his expression shifting between light and dark.

  "Brother Lin Yu, that old man of your family is being rather unsporting. He's actually interfering in competition between disciples."

  Zhao Yunji looked toward a young man sitting across from him. They were currently playing chess.

  "I'm not clear on why Elder Lin Yan would do this either. But precisely because of this, we must eliminate Xia Li even more."

  "Oh? Why?"

  "First, he's close to that waste from my family. Second, his existence will affect the alliance between our two families. Third... he's wanted by Heaven Alliance."

  Lin Yu raised his head, a shadow in his eyes. The entire Lin Family feared Grand Elder Lin Yan, while also unable to tolerate him.

  Because Lin Yan was completely hands-off, and had even opposed many of the Lin Family's decisions. He'd become the biggest obstacle to the Lin Family's growth.

  "But with that old man personally protecting him, we really can't make a move..."

  "There will always be moments he can't protect. We just need to wait for the right opportunity. Also, has it been confirmed that the person Heaven Alliance wants us to find is Lin Ge?"

  "Confirmed. She has the Savage Bone bloodline."

  "Didn't expect it to appear in our Lin Family. Is that Savage Bone bloodline really that powerful?"

  "Able to slay Soul Transformation while at Golden Core—what do you think? It can definitely rank among the top ten constitutions. Heaven Alliance places great importance on this."

  "So this cousin of mine is actually a little monster. I really look forward to seeing what she'll become when she goes berserk."

  More schemes emerged in Lin Yu's mind.

  "Anyway, let's take it slow. Also, Lin Ge and Xia Li's contact always makes me feel somewhat uneasy."

  "What do you mean, Brother Zhao?"

  "Their progress is too fast—almost like heaven-destined fate. Heaven Alliance acts against the Great Era, so we should pay more attention to such unreasonable matters!"

  "You mean... heaven's will?"

  Lin Yu fell into deep thought. If that were truly the case, it would be troublesome. Heaven Alliance's success rate against heaven-fated individuals wasn't one hundred percent.

  "But I might be overthinking. Our Heaven Alliance isn't defying Heaven's Dao for the first time. Unless there's a second Heaven's Dao in this world, that kid won't escape death."

  Zhao Yunji was very confident in Heaven Alliance's methods. Heaven Alliance also possessed methods similar to Heaven's Mystery Pavilion, so they didn't fear heaven-fated individuals.

  "Even if there were, so what? Heaven's Dao is formless, thoughtless, heartless—how could it possess wisdom like humans and calculate without error?"

  At Lin Yu's words, Zhao Yunji's worries vanished. He was just being too cautious. He wasn't like what outsiders said—merely a domineering brainless person.