After Zhao Yougen and the others left, Su Chan glared at the retreating figure of Zhao Yougen and spat, muttering, "What an annoying fly!"

Ziyuan let out a soft sigh toward Li Yundong, saying, "Honestly, you could just ignore people like that. There’s no need to get into verbal spats with him."

Li Yundong snorted coldly, "Who is sparring with him? This fellow clearly intends to bankrupt my shop. If he won't let me earn a living, why should I show him any courtesy? I let him off lightly last time, but I didn't expect the brute to be so oblivious to danger that he’d dare come here provoking me again. If I could swallow that insult, wouldn't that mean anyone could walk all over me? If a cultivator lives like a cowering turtle, what's the point of cultivating?"

Ziyuan smiled faintly, "I’ve never seen a cultivator like you in the entire cultivation world. Forget it, let's drop it. As the saying goes, what’s destined to be yours won't escape you, and what’s not won't happen anyway. Since this Manager Zhao wants to cross us, let him come."

Li Yundong laughed heartily, "That's more like it!"

Ziyuan shook her head, chuckling, "Why don't you solve the renovation issue for our shop first?"

Li Yundong dismissed it with a wave, "Do I have to eat hairy pork just because there’s no butcher Zhang around? What a joke! I have a plan; relax!"

Su Chan’s eyes widened, and she asked excitedly, "Yundong, what plan do you have?"

Li Yundong gave a mysterious look, "Heaven's secrets must not be revealed!" With a grand gesture, he announced loudly, "Let's go, home! I need to convene an emergency meeting."

With that, Li Yundong turned and walked out of the shop door.

Ziyuan and Su Chan exchanged a look, both shaking their heads and smiling as they hurried after him.

Upon returning home, Li Yundong immediately spotted Ruan Hongling and asked with concern, "How is Zhou Qin doing?"

Ruan Hongling pursed her lips, "Someone used the Golden Core power to assault her meridians, and two master-level experts are carefully looking after her. What else could happen to her?"

Seeing Ruan Hongling’s jealousy, Li Yundong laughed and said, "Come on, don't be jealous. I won't forget you when the good things come later."

Ruan Hongling jumped up like a rabbit whose tail had been stepped on, "Who’s jealous? As a direct disciple of the Ling Gong Sect, I’ve consumed countless miraculous elixirs since I was small. Why would I bother being jealous of some novice who hasn't even started cultivating?"

Li Yundong deliberately sighed, "Alas, after consuming countless miraculous elixirs since childhood, you've only reached this level of cultivation?"

Ruan Hongling instantly flew into a rage, leaping three feet high, hands on hips, and shouting furiously, "Li Yundong, what did you just say! If you don't explain yourself clearly today, I’m not done with you! What do you mean, only this level of cultivation? Do you think everyone is a pervert like you?"

Seeing Ruan Hongling angry, Li Yundong laughed, "Just teasing you a bit, don't take it seriously!"

Ziyuan also interjected soothingly, "Hongling, why don't you just tell us how Zhou Qin is?"

Ruan Hongling shot Li Yundong a glare, "She’s not dead! Are you satisfied now!"

Li Yundong gave a wry smile, "What a gunpowder-laden atmosphere!"

Su Chan's eyes darted around, smoothly easing the tension, and offered voluntarily, "I'll go take a look!" With that, she nimbly darted upstairs, poked her head in, cautiously pushed the door open just enough to peek inside, then signaled to Li Yundong with a small gesture, whispering, "She’s sleeping soundly!"

Li Yundong nodded, lowering his voice, "Good. Then call everyone else; we’ll meet over at Ziyuan’s place. I have something important to discuss."

Su Chan nodded in acknowledgment, going into the room to call the others out one by one. Ruan Hongling rolled her eyes dramatically and grumbled unhappily, "A meeting again? Do you think you’re the student union president?"

Li Yundong wasn't angered, smiling amiably, "You don't have to come..."

Ruan Hongling exclaimed with exaggerated drama, "That would be wonderful! Thank heavens!"

Li Yundong slowly added, "...In that case, any tasks or work I assign you, I will consider your absence as tacit approval of my arrangements."

Ruan Hongling fumed, "What tasks and work? Do you think you’re some unscrupulous boss who can freely exploit the surplus labor value of his employees?"

Li Yundong chuckled, forcing a smile, "Studying political theory well! I’m heading over now. You absolutely must not attend the meeting later!"

Saying that, he walked to the apartment directly opposite Ziyuan's. Since Li Yundong and Ziyuan had exchanged keys when they first moved in, Li Yundong pulled out his key and walked right in.

Ruan Hongling watched Li Yundong’s retreating back, stamping her foot in anger. She grabbed Ziyuan’s hand and complained petulantly, "Sister Ziyuan, look! Look at him! This brute is bullying me again! You’re not even going to help me!"

Ziyuan rubbed her temples with a headache, "Can't you two stop arguing?"

Ruan Hongling complained, "It’s not like I want to argue! He’s the one picking fights with me!"

Ziyuan said helplessly, "Why didn't you just answer him straightforwardly from the start? Why did you have to be so evasive?"

Ruan Hongling sniffed, "I just don't want to speak nicely whenever I see him!"

Ziyuan sighed and shook her head, "Then there’s nothing I can do."

Ruan Hongling saw the little fox spirits from Hu Chan Sect emerging from their room, curious and eager, running toward the living room in Ziyuan's apartment. Her eyes suddenly gleamed, and she pulled Ziyuan aside, whispering conspiratorially, "Sister Ziyuan, maybe you shouldn't attend that cursed meeting either?"

Ziyuan looked at Ruan Hongling as if she were watching a willful three-year-old, remaining silent.

Ruan Hongling began to feel uneasy under Ziyuan's gaze, stamping her foot, "Fine! Just tell me whose side you are on! Are you with your fellow sect sister who grew up with you, or are you with this scoundrel?"

Ziyuan remained silent, her gaze growing increasingly sympathetic, like someone watching an immature two-year-old.

Ruan Hongling couldn't help but become frantic, "I know! You've always been on his side! Ever since you heard he was the inheritor of the Golden Core! I’m the biggest fool in the world for even asking you that question!"

With that, she stormed into the living room of her own apartment and angrily flopped onto the sofa.

The little fox spirits were currently whispering excitedly amongst themselves, speculating what astonishing news Li Yundong was about to announce. However, they were suddenly startled by Ruan Hongling rushing in with such force, and they whispered quietly, "What happened to her?"

Su Chan also tugged at Li Yundong’s sleeve and whispered, "Yundong, did you fight with her again?"

Li Yundong looked wronged, "I did not!"

Su Chan blinked, "Then why is she so angry?"

Li Yundong made a face, "Women, you know, they have those days once a month. You understand, right?"

Su Chan burst into laughter, "Naughty! But she's a cultivator! Female cultivators after reaching Foundation Establishment don't have menstrual cycles!"

Ruan Hongling saw Li Yundong and Su Chan looking at her and laughing, and she immediately shot up, brows arched fiercely, shouting loudly, "What are you two whispering about furtively! If you have something to say, say it out loud!"

Li Yundong chuckled, "We were discussing whether female cultivators still have their periods after reaching Foundation Establishment."

Ruan Hongling finally seized an opportunity to mock him thoroughly, "If you still get your period, it means the female cultivator is leaking essence, and she must cultivate to an Impervious Body before successfully establishing her Foundation. You don't even understand this basic principle; how did you cultivate?"

Li Yundong suppressed a laugh and asked, "Then have you successfully established your Foundation?"

Ruan Hongling roared, "Nonsense! If I hadn't succeeded in establishing my Foundation, where would my spiritual power come from?"

Li Yundong finally couldn't hold back and burst into loud laughter, "But seeing how furious you were just now, it was just like the first few days of a woman's monthly cycle! I thought maybe you hadn't succeeded in establishing your Foundation, or perhaps you were one of those special cultivators who still bleed after achieving Foundation Establishment!"

At this remark, everyone from Hu Chan Sect burst into loud laughter.

Ruan Hongling was overcome with shame and anger, yelling, "Li Yundong, say that again if you dare!"

Li Yundong, however, was clutching his stomach, doubled over with laughter. Ruan Hongling was furious. She spotted Ziyuan, who was the last to enter the living room, and immediately pointed at Li Yundong, shouting, "Sister Ziyuan, look! Your beloved only knows how to bully me!"

In an instant, the laughter in the living room abruptly stopped. Everyone stared at Ruan Hongling in stunned silence, then followed her pointing finger toward Ziyuan.

All the members of Hu Chan Sect looked at Ziyuan with peculiar expressions, thinking unanimously: They had always wondered why True Person Ziyuan of the Ling Gong Sect was so supportive of the Sect Leader. Now they finally understood! True Person Ziyuan must be fond of the Sect Leader! The Sect Leader’s charm is truly immense—amazing!

Ziyuan had not expected Ruan Hongling to blurt out such a thing. Her face instantly flushed crimson, and she glared at Ruan Hongling, a mixture of shame and anger, sharply reprimanding, "Have you taken leave of your senses?"

That sharp glare made Ruan Hongling’s heart tremble. She knew she had said the wrong thing, immediately dropping her head and sitting down. Her lips moved, muttering silently, "I didn't say anything wrong! She just knows how to shout at me!"

Li Yundong saw Ziyuan standing frozen at the entrance, uncharacteristically flustered and uncertain of where to step. If there had been a crack in the floor, Ziyuan would have instantly dived into it. He quickly cleared his throat and announced loudly, "Everyone, please take your seats. Today, the First Representative Congress of Hu Chan Sect is hereby officially convened!"

Silence. A deathly silence.

Li Yundong looked around awkwardly, then glared at Su Chan, who was staring at him with wide, unresponsive eyes, "Applaud! Why are you spacing out!"

The little girl finally snapped back to reality, clapping her hands vigorously. The little fox spirits of Hu Chan Sect also joined in, applauding noisily.

A scattered round of applause managed to dissipate some of the awkwardness. Li Yundong managed a strained smile and said to the stiffly posed Ziyuan, "True Person Ziyuan, why don't you sit next to me?"

Ziyuan finally found an out, glared at Li Yundong, and snapped, "Who wants to sit next to you!"

With that, she turned and sat down on the sofa next to Ruan Hongling.

Ruan Hongling’s face lit up when Ziyuan sat beside her, but when she looked up, she saw Ziyuan staring at her with murderous intent. Ruan Hongling shuddered all over, lowered her head again, her head almost buried in her chest.

The little fox spirits secretly observed Ziyuan, whispering amongst themselves. The sound of rustling and movement filled the living room.

Li Yundong finally understood what it felt like to be a teacher. There were only about a dozen people in the room. Only Su Chan was looking at him expectantly, while the three seniors from Hu Chan Sect—Cao Yi, Liu Yuehong, and Zhuang Yating—remained sitting formally. Everyone else was absorbed in their own thoughts.

Li Yundong cleared his throat and said with solemnity, "In light of certain recent events, I have decided to convene a meeting. Furthermore, since this is the first meeting I have presided over since taking charge of the work at Hu Chan Sect, I have decided we should maintain a degree of solemnity."

He then turned to Su Chan and said, "Chan'er, you will serve as the secretary and be responsible for recording the meeting minutes."

Su Chan chirped in excitement, scurried back to her room, grabbed a pen from Li Yundong’s room, and then zipped back. But upon returning, she realized she hadn't brought paper, so she stuck out her tongue, swiftly dashed back again, grabbed a notebook, and then returned like a gust of wind.

Li Yundong watched Su Chan make two trips just to get things sorted, shook his head, and said to Cao Yi and the others, "Senior Uncle Cao Yi, you are responsible for maintaining order during the meeting."

Cao Yi and the others, unsure of Li Yundong’s game, could only smile wryly and nod.

The little fox spirits loved excitement the most, and their attention was finally diverted from Ziyuan to Li Yundong. They looked at him eagerly, as if Li Yundong were about to announce some earth-shattering news the very next second.

Seeing that everyone’s attention was finally focused, Li Yundong stopped beating around the bush. He coughed dryly and stated, "Several things happened today; the other minor ones I won't mention. The most crucial one is that our shop can no longer proceed with renovations because the construction workers have been poached by our rivals..."

Before Li Yundong could finish, the little fox spirits erupted in angry chatter: "Who?"

"How dare someone be so bold as to steal our people!"

"Curse him!"

"What's the use of cursing? I say we curse his entire family!"

"Yes! And his entire ancestry, eighteen generations back!"

"Pah! What good is cursing! I say, if we're going to do anything, let's get serious!"

"Whoa, Fourth Sister, are you threatening murder? Cultivators who kill suffer heavenly retribution!"

"Damn it, who said anything about killing? I'm so beautiful and clever; why would I do something as terrifying as murder?"

"Then, Fourth Sister, what—what do you want to do?"

"Hmph! I say, find out this person’s birth date and hair sample, make a paper effigy, then a straw man, and nail it, curse him!"

"Yes, yes! Curse him for life!"

"You bunch of useless things! Do you dare lay a hand on a True Person? I say, we find a dark and windy night, put a sack over his head, and beat him until his mother’s mother’s mother doesn't recognize him!"

"His mother's mother's mother? Wouldn't that be his grandmother? What if his grandmother never met him in the first place?"

"Idiot! That 'mother's' in my first phrase was a curse word; don't you get it! I mean, beat him until his mother’s grandmother doesn't recognize him!"

"Oh! Second Sister is indeed clever and brilliant! Impressive, truly impressive!"

"Wait, no, that phrase sounds like two curses combined—look, there's both 'mother' and 'grandmother'..."

"Rubbish! Just get the meaning! Why be so literal!"

The meeting had barely begun, and Li Yundong had said only one sentence before the little fox spirits began to buzz in a chaotic, excited discussion, plunging the meeting into an uncontrollable abyss.

Li Yundong felt a massive headache coming on, his temples throbbing. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly heard the little girl excitedly add on, "In my opinion, we should kick his balls!"

Damn it!

Li Yundong instantly went ballistic, turning his head sharply to glare at Su Chan.

The little fox spirits immediately quieted down, looking at Su Chan with puzzled eyes.

The little girl, who had been looking quite pleased and excited, retracted her head the moment she saw everyone staring at her oddly, meekly saying, "I... I was just making a suggestion..."

Before she could finish, the little fox spirits collectively roared, "Yes! Kick his balls!"

Li Yundong was on the verge of tears, thinking to himself: Damn it all, is even holding a meeting this difficult?