The scene outside the courtyard made Lai Li’an gasp.

The originally flat mountain path had been blown into a large crater, with gravel and dirt scattered everywhere.

Su Wan’er was half-kneeling by the edge of the crater, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, her left arm hanging limply.

And ten meters ahead of her, a man hovered in the air.

The man had an effeminate face, his narrow eyes carrying a hint of wickedness. He wore a dark red brocade robe embroidered with a golden lotus on the chest.

Lai Li’an’s palms began to sweat.

The system panel popped up:

How could there really be a Late Foundation Establishment cultivator! What a jinx.

Lai Li’an took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

He walked out the door of the ruined courtyard, unhurried and with a leisurely pace.

Yin Wushe had long sensed his presence but had held back from attacking. Seeing Lai Li’an walk out now, his eyes narrowed slightly as he sized up the gray-robed young man from head to toe.

Early Foundation Establishment.

Yin Wushe frowned slightly.

For an Early Foundation Establishment cultivator to sense the spiritual pressure of a Late Foundation Establishment expert and, instead of running away, walk out so openly… This kind of composure meant he was either a fool or had something to rely on.

Yin Wushe’s gaze swept over Lai Li’an again, trying to figure out the other party’s trump card.

But he couldn’t see anything.

There were no Magic Tool fluctuations, no protective spiritual light, and not even a trace of Spiritual Power leaking out. The gray-robed man stood there like a wooden stump, yet he gave off an oppressive feeling.

Yin Wushe was vigilant in his heart, but he didn’t show it on his face at all. He cupped his hands:

“I did not know fellow Daoist was here, pardon my manners. This woman has some grievances with me; this is a private feud. I hope fellow Daoist can do me a favor and not meddle in this business.”

Lai Li’an did not speak.

His brain was working rapidly; in truth, he didn’t want to interfere at all.

But if Su Wan’er died, his Cultivation Base would be reset to zero.

However, he couldn’t defeat the man.

What should he do then?

Lai Li’an’s gaze fell on Su Wan’er. She was half-kneeling on the ground. Seeing Lai Li’an walk out, a flash of surprise crossed her eyes, but it quickly dimmed.

“Senior…” She opened her mouth to say something, but was stopped by a single look from Lai Li’an.

Lai Li’an looked back at Yin Wushe, remained silent for a moment, and finally spoke.

“This woman has a fateful connection with this Venerable.”

Yin Wushe’s frown deepened.

“What does fellow Daoist mean by this?”

“I mean it literally,” Lai Li’an’s tone remained flat. “You want to kill her, and this Venerable will not allow it.”

A flash of killing intent crossed Yin Wushe’s eyes.

He carefully sized up Lai Li’an. Early Foundation Establishment, with spiritual power fluctuations so weak they were almost imperceptible. No magic tools, no armor—he was just standing there bare-handed.

A mere Early Foundation Establishment cultivator, yet he dared to be so arrogant?

“In other words,” Yin Wushe’s voice turned cold, “Fellow Daoist is dead set on interfering?”

Lai Li’an did not answer, merely standing there motionless.

Yin Wushe’s hand quietly grasped the magic tool at his waist. Spiritual power began to circulate within his body, ready to strike at any moment.

But he didn’t attack immediately; he couldn’t see through this person.

This feeling made him very uncomfortable. Facing the killing intent of a Late Foundation Establishment cultivator, an Early Foundation Establishment cultivator should either be terrified or put up a fight. How could he be this calm?

It was as if his, Yin Wushe’s, killing intent was nothing more than a gentle breeze brushing against the other party’s face.

A thought flashed through Yin Wushe’s mind: could he have concealed his cultivation base?

No, he had carefully sensed it; it was definitely Early Foundation Establishment.

“A mere Early Foundation Establishment cultivator, yet you dare to be so arrogant,” Yin Wushe sneered, deciding to strike first to gain the upper hand, refusing to give the other party any chance to react. “You are taking me, Yin, far too lightly!”

Spiritual power erupted.

A short blade, as black as ink, appeared in his hand, thrusting straight toward Lai Li’an’s throat.

This strike was as fast as lightning.

Just as he was about to strike Lai Li’an, he heard a soft chuckle.

It was Su Wan’er.

Yin Wushe’s movements paused slightly.

He instinctively felt that something was wrong. Why would that heavily injured and dying woman be laughing at a time like this?

Yin Wushe suddenly felt a wave of unease, the man hadn’t even blinked. He forcefully held back seventy percent of his strength, stopping the tip of his blade three inches from Lai Li’an’s throat, and then drifted back several dozen feet.

Seeing that Lai Li’an had no reaction whatsoever, he turned his head to look at Su Wan’er, his brows tightly furrowed. “What are you laughing at?”

A trace of blood hung at the corner of Su Wan’er’s mouth, but the light in her eyes was astonishingly bright. She looked at Yin Wushe as if she were looking at a dead man.

“You think Senior is at the Foundation Establishment realm?”

Her words slammed into Yin Wushe’s chest like a heavy hammer.

“I think you are completely blind!”

Yin Wushe’s expression changed.

His gaze sharply returned to Lai Li’an, examining him anew.

Not Foundation Establishment?

Impossible.

His perception couldn’t be wrong. The Spiritual Power fluctuations emanating from the other party clearly belonged to the Early Foundation Establishment realm. But… Su Wan’er’s absolute certainty and confident mockery didn’t seem like she was lying.

Moreover, just now when he was clearly about to strike the other party, the man hadn’t even tried to dodge.

The man just stood there, completely undefended, his entire body full of openings.

Yet it was precisely this state of being “full of openings” that made him feel a sense of unease. Would an ordinary Early Foundation Establishment cultivator expose such openings in front of a Late Foundation Establishment expert?

No.

The only explanation was that the other party disdained defending at all.

Because in his eyes, the attack of a Late Foundation Establishment cultivator was nothing more than a tickle.

Could it be…

Yin Wushe’s pupils shrank slightly.

Could it be that the other party was a Golden Core cultivator using some aura-concealing technique he couldn’t see through?

He carefully probed Lai Li’an’s aura again, inch by inch.

Still nothing.

But the less he found, the more uneasy he became.

True experts who have returned to natural simplicity conceal their auras entirely, wasn’t it exactly like this?

Yin Wushe’s eyes flashed as he suddenly unleashed the full spiritual pressure of his Late Foundation Establishment cultivation, crushing down on Lai Li’an like a mountain. Beside them, Su Wan’er was violently forced to the ground by the spiritual pressure. In stark contrast, the man’s clothes merely fluttered slightly; he remained perfectly still, not even bothering to put up a shield of Spiritual Power.

Instantly, a layer of fine cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

Lai Li’an stood rooted to the spot, completely motionless.

His face held no expression, but his mind was already in absolute turmoil.

Fuck! What just happened? I was almost slashed just now!

In the instant the blade approached, Lai Li’an’s pupils contracted almost instinctively, but he desperately suppressed the urge to step back, not even blinking an eye.

Su Wan’er, do you really think I am at the Golden Core stage?

But the system only gave me an Early Foundation Establishment cultivation base!

Su Wan’er, you liar! You don’t believe I’m a Golden Core at all, do you?!

Yin Wushe’s gloomy face was filled with apprehension, and his killing intent was fading.

Lai Li’an keenly caught this.

He was afraid; he didn’t know what my trump card was.

Lai Li’an took a deep breath.

Since Su Wan’er had already hoisted him into the position of a “Golden Core,” he could only play along with the situation.

Acting as a Golden Core, huh?

Fine.

He had acted as an “expert” in the eyes of mortals for three years, and now he finally had the chance to act as a true “expert” in the eyes of cultivators.