Li Yundong watched Lin Xueqing depart as swiftly and decisively as she had arrived. Her hasty entrance and even hastier exit suited her nature perfectly, and before he could ask even a fraction of the questions he had in mind, she had vanished from sight.

Li Yundong couldn't help but shake his head, lowering his gaze to ponder in place.

When he finally lifted his head after a period of deep contemplation, he found everyone watching him with bated breath, not daring to exhale too loudly lest they interrupt his thoughts.

Ziyuan, standing nearby, asked with a look of genuine concern, "What is it? Have you figured something out?"

Li Yundong shook his head, his brow deeply furrowed, and stated, "I find it incredibly strange. How did Wan Zhenyuan know I had obtained the Thousand Year Snow Lotus? I had barely stepped inside the door, not even settled down, and yet he already knew I had the lotus and that I was home! That... that is truly bizarre!"

Ziyuan considered this for a moment before replying, "You perhaps worry too much. The influence of the Outer Alchemy Sect is far greater than you or I can possibly imagine. Before the outbreak ten years ago, the leader of the Outer Alchemy Sect—the Sect Master of Gezao Sect, Tang Buzhou—had already begun planning the transfer of assets toward the distant western regions of Xinjiang and the coastal provinces in the southeast. By then, Gezao Mountain, the ancestral home of the Gezao Sect, was practically deserted. Especially once the Sect Master relocated to the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang and later took on a Xinjiang native named Xiri Ahom as his disciple, passing on all his cultivation methods to him."

Li Yundong’s heart stirred upon hearing this, and he abruptly asked, "This Xiri Ahom, is he perhaps..."

Ziyuan nodded. "Precisely. He is Wan Zhenyuan! Wan Zhenyuan was profoundly influenced by his master in later years, becoming thoroughly Sinicized. He always considered himself Han Chinese and never identified as a man of Xinjiang. His every thought was focused on how to revitalize the Gezao Sect and re-establish the Outer Alchemy Sect. For over a decade, he has meticulously schemed, even going so far as to completely abandon their ancestral grounds, choosing instead to develop the sect’s influence across the nation in the form of corporate conglomerates. As a result, he has established power bases everywhere, even within the capital. Therefore, him knowing your movements is hardly surprising!"

Li Yundong took a deep breath and shook his head. "I know Wan Zhenyuan is an unparalleled, ruthless genius, but I never imagined the chess game he's playing is this deep and far-reaching! Terrifying, truly terrifying! But why did he send Lin Xueqing? Is Songgu Nunnery part of the Outer Alchemy Sect?"

Ruan Hongling interjected quickly, "Of course, it is! Songgu Nunnery specializes in the tea trade. Lin Xueqing and Zhong Qingsong have their hands in the tea business around Huangshan. And of all the cultivation sects in the world, eighty percent that manage the tea and medicinal herb trade are controlled by the Outer Alchemy Sect, with the Gezao Sect singularly commanding ninety percent of the Outer Alchemy Sect's resources and channels!"

Li Yundong's expression turned serious. "So that's how it is! I underestimated the Outer Alchemy Sect, underestimated the Gezao Sect! When I saw they lacked any top masters at the Lotus Gathering Assembly, I instinctively belittled them a bit, never realizing their economic strength was this immense?"

Ziyuan smiled faintly. "The lack of true masters has always been a persistent sore point for the Outer Alchemy Sect and for Wan Zhenyuan. That is why he is desperately trying, almost pathologically, to refine the Earth Element Spiritual Elixir. With just one Earth Element Spiritual Elixir, the Gezao Sect could produce a Golden Body master. Once they had one Golden Body expert, given the Gezao Sect's near-absolute economic dominance in the cultivation world, they could swiftly overturn the entire structure of the spiritual realm!"

Li Yundong couldn't help but muse, "Dharma, wealth, companions, land, tools—this concept of wealth is not just reflected in personal cultivation, but plays out vividly in the power struggles between sects in the cultivation world!"

Su Chan tugged on Li Yundong's arm and interjected with a cheerful thought, "We're rich now too! We're not poor anymore!"

The innocent, artless remark from the little girl instantly sent Li Yundong into laughter. He affectionately stroked her head and smiled, "Silly girl, the money we have is less than a single hair to them."

Ziyuan offered a slight smile. "There's no need for self-deprecation. Now that the Thousand Year Snow Lotus is in our hands, it's something priceless. If you ever decide to sell it intentionally, you could become a millionaire instantly!"

Li Yundong chuckled heartily. "What kind of joke is that? How could I bear to sell such a treasure?"

Ziyuan laughed. "That’s true! However, the fact that Wan Zhenyuan waited until this precise moment to send someone, neither sooner nor later, suggests he fears you won't cooperate with him after acquiring the Snow Lotus. Sending someone to summon you to Huangshan, I suspect, carries more warning than conspiracy. Judging by the situation with Wan Zhenyuan and the Gezao Sect, their need for the Earth Element Spiritual Elixir should be even greater than yours!"

Li Yundong nodded. "I agree with your assessment. Still, Wan Zhenyuan truly judges a gentleman by his own base standards. Is he afraid I'll run away? Besides him, who else in this world can refine the Earth Element Spiritual Elixir?"

At this point, Zhou Qin, who had been silent until now, suddenly asked, "Master, so you have decided to go to Huangshan?"

Li Yundong nodded. "Yes! And in a matter like this, there should be no delay. I shall leave immediately!"

Zhou Qin quickly said, "Then, Master, I must go with you!"

As soon as she spoke, Su Chan next to her chirped up, "I want to go too!"

When the little girl shouted, the little foxes followed suit with excited clamor: "Sect Leader, we want to see Huangshan too!"

"Yes, Huangshan is the foremost marvelous mountain under heaven! We've never been!"

"Sect Leader, please take us along!"

Suddenly, the living room was filled with a clamor of female voices, an uproar that left Li Yundong both amused and exasperated. He feigned anger, glaring at Zhou Qin and Su Chan, and commanded sharply, "Do you think I'm going sightseeing? Do you have any idea how many people are watching us right now?"

Zhou Qin and Su Chan instinctively glanced at each other, secretly feeling wronged: they weren't the ones trying to play; clearly, the little foxes were the ones wanting to have fun—what did it have to do with them?

But they knew Li Yundong was merely making an example of them, so they both obediently lowered their heads and remained silent.

Seeing Zhou Qin and Su Chan get reprimanded, the little foxes immediately tucked their heads back, ceasing their noise.

Li Yundong, finally feeling he had "tamed" this group of little foxes, turned to Ziyuan and said, "Ziyuan, I’m leaving for Huangshan now. I’ll have to entrust things here to you."

Ziyuan asked with a hint of worry, "You’re going alone? Can’t you rest for a bit? You haven’t been home for ten minutes!"

Li Yundong shook his head. "Forget it. With this priceless treasure on me, I can’t put my mind at ease. To avoid complications arising from delay, it’s better to leave sooner rather than later. Don't any of you follow; it will be easier for me alone."

Seeing Li Yundong’s resolute attitude, Ziyuan did not press further. She said softly, "Then travel safely and return soon. Just take care."

Li Yundong gave her a faint smile and nodded.

Ruan Hongling, watching from the side, noticed the tenderness and concern in Ziyuan’s voice—a warmth she rarely displayed. The atmosphere between her and Li Yundong during their exchange was peculiar, like a husband leaving home being fussed over by his wife who was staying behind, and the wife receiving meticulous reminders for her departing husband—yet neither of them seemed aware of the unusual dynamic!

Ruan Hongling inwardly chuckled. She harbored hopes of helping her senior sister become involved with Li Yundong, and her mind immediately began to churn with plans.

But just as she was strategizing, the moment Li Yundong stepped out the door, he heard loud shouting from outside: "Master! Master!"

Ruan Hongling, curious, joined Su Chan and the others at the doorway to look out. They saw John, Chris, and Alba—who must have somehow discovered their address—showing up on their doorstep. The moment the three foreigners spotted Li Yundong, they immediately lined up and dropped to their knees, shouting loudly.

Li Yundong felt a massive headache brewing upon running into these three persistent pursuers who were determined to become his disciples. He gave a wry smile. "What are you doing here? How did you find out where I live?"

John rushed to speak first. "Master, if we are sincere about taking lessons, of course, we can find out!"

Li Yundong’s mind flickered, and he glanced toward Zhou Qin. Zhou Qin offered an embarrassed smile. "Feng Na called yesterday to ask, and I felt bad not telling her..."

Li Yundong shook his head internally. He bent down and helped John, Chris, and Alba to stand, saying, "No, I cannot accept you as disciples right now."

Although John was nearly a full size larger than Li Yundong, the moment Li Yundong extended his hand, John felt compelled to stand up. He urgently pressed, "Master, why? Are we not sincere enough?"

Chris also earnestly stated, "We have done everything you asked. Why still won't you accept me as a disciple? Is race truly that important?"

Alba, though not understanding the conversation, could read the situation well enough to know her companions were pleading with Li Yundong. She kept nodding vigorously, pointing to herself repeatedly, and shouting her newly adopted Chinese name in very broken Mandarin: "Zhao Jing, me, Zhao Jing!"

Li Yundong was somewhat at a loss, unsure whether to laugh or cry. But he couldn't tell them he was rushing to Huangshan and therefore couldn't take disciples, nor had he fully decided if he should accept these three foreigners as students.

Li Yundong thought for a moment and gave a vague response: "Not now. The time isn't right!"

Chris quickly pressed further. "Then when will the time be right?"

Li Yundong paused, then said, "When I deem it appropriate, that will be the right time!" With that, he offered an apologetic smile to Chris and the others. "I apologize, I have an urgent matter to attend to, I must leave now."

Saying this, he quickly walked away. John, Chris, and Alba, anxious, hurried a few steps after him, but just as they reached a few meters out, Li Yundong turned a corner and instantly disappeared.

Chris, John, and Alba were instantly crestfallen.

Alba couldn't help but grumble, "That damned chauvinist! Who has a gun? I want to shoot him!"

John gasped in alarm. "What did you say?"

Chris also shook her head. "Alba, you can't say things like that. To Chinese people, that’s an act of betraying and abandoning one’s teacher!"

Alba shrugged. "I was just kidding. Who told him to bully us so much?"

The three foreigners exchanged glances, let out a collective sigh, looking completely perplexed. They wondered: what exactly must they do to finally succeed in becoming his disciples?