Wait a minute, where is my master?

As soon as these words were said, Little Fan's steps came to an immediate halt.

The surrounding crowd also stirred in commotion.

In the crowd, the Taoist's lips slightly curled upwards, and he continued to observe the occurrence in the circle with the two women.

"Senior, you, you, you..."

The first to react was not Little Fan, but Fan Changnian, who had been in a dazed state.

He broke free from his son's arm, turned around, and approached the pink-robed Confucian Practitioner, his eyes filled with hope.

Little Fan also followed suit, his expression better composed than his father's, though visibly excited.

Meanwhile, Manager Wang, who had retrieved his Golden Needle.

He looked at the Fan family duo and then at the Confucian-clad Cultivator and his colleagues, and silently withdrew into the crowd outside the circle.

Based on his masterful ability to observe and discern, the matters regarding the Hidden Moth were no longer something a shopkeeper could meddle in.

The group consisted of four individuals, all dressed as Confucian scholars, the youngest of whom faintly exhibited Spiritual Power fluctuations of the Void Refinement Realm. Judging by their behavior and posture, they showed great respect to the remaining three middle-aged Confucian Practitioners.

Therefore, although the cultivation levels of those three were inscrutable, they were undoubtedly not below the Refining Void.

Given their appearance on this island in the East Sea, possessing such high cultivation, totaling four, and all dressed as Confucian scholars, it's highly probable they were from one of the Four Great Immortal Sects, Qingmu Academy. Though Sae Island falls under the Shui Clan, facing such a formidable force..."

As Manager Wang pondered, he took small, quick steps toward a three-story tavern a short distance down the street.

Meanwhile, within the crowd.

Noticing Manager Wang's departure, Jin Xu looked towards the distant high building and whispered to Yu Yaoer beside him, "Little Yu, if your grandmother knew that on the islands under the Shui Clan, someone was bullying others by wielding their power, how would she normally handle it?"

"Uh... kill them."

The Little Fish Demon hesitated for a moment, then whispered back three words.

The Taoist blinked in surprise at her response, thinking, are the laws of the Shui Clan so strict?

It seemed almost as harsh as the judgments of netizens from his past life.

Seeing the expression of her young master, Yu Yaoer realized her response might have been too general, so she added an explanation.

"Generally speaking, if a matter escalates to the point where grandma becomes aware of it, then it must have grown very serious.

"She told me that for a clan to thrive, it must have not only strong high-end combat capabilities but also a robust core force and a stable foundation.

"The island masters under the Shui Clan's jurisdiction are screened before taking office to ensure their character and capabilities are reliably good. But, young master, given the size of the Shui Clan, it is inevitable that some island masters might neglect their duties due to excessive focus on cultivation, or become intoxicated with power and show favoritism to their relatives, leading to various troubles on the island.

"To set an example for others who rely on the Shui Clan's towering tree and to provide a warning to the Cultivators, grandma's style... well, can be somewhat strict."

The Taoist nodded, saying nothing more.

In the meantime, within the circle.

Little Fan first stabilized his father, who was impatient for his son's success, then after taking a few deep breaths, he respectfully addressed the pink-robed Confucian Practitioner in front of him.

"Senior, I don't deserve a reward without merit. Since you wish to give me a Golden Core Formation Pill but don't intend to exchange it for the Hidden Moth, I can only offer you this object as a token of my gratitude."

Saying so, he bowed slightly and then raised the empty cover in his hands towards the other.

"Ha, you young man. Keep this object for yourself. My decision to give you a Golden Core Formation Pill is a matter of fate, take this."

The Confucian Practitioner chuckled lightly, flipped his wrist, and produced a jade bottle marked with the largest consortium's insignia on Sae Island, handing it over to the Cultivator Little Fan.

Clearly, he had purchased the Golden Core Formation Pill on the island itself.

Little Fan took the jade bottle, gently prying open the cork to look inside, and immediately felt his heartbeat quicken.

Within the bottle was the very Golden Core Formation Pill he had long dreamed of, and it was of the highest quality available in the consortium, far exceeding the worth of the Hidden Moth he currently possessed.

"Senior..."

With his heart stirred, Little Fan handed the jade bottle to his father, intending to kneel in deep respect.

By his side, Fan Changnian's face flushed with excitement, his forehead's wrinkles smoothing out as he too hastily prepared to kneel alongside his son.

However, just as the father and son were about to slightly bend their knees, they felt an invisible force holding them back.

The two looked up at the Confucian Practitioner in front of them.

The practitioner casually waved his hand, then spoke to the young cultivator.

"There's no rush to thank me, I have a question for you. If I am willing to take you as my disciple, would you be willing?"

Before the other could reply, the Confucian Practitioner continued, "Of course, whether you agree or not, this Golden Core Formation Pill is yours to keep. You don't need to hastily agree because of this pill; it's not too late to think it over."

Upon hearing this, Little Fan stood frozen in place, his father suddenly hearing the senior in Confucian attire express a desire to take his son as a disciple.

He hurriedly wanted to prompt an agreement.

But before he could say anything, a stern voice resounded in his mind.

"Do not interrupt, let him choose for himself."

After a few moments had passed, the surrounding onlookers had already started whispering amongst themselves.

Yet another moment passed by.

Someone bold, noting that they were within the city and with the Confucian Practitioner appearing good-natured, daringly shouted out.

"Senior, if he is unwilling to take you as his master, I am willing.

"Moreover, I have already reached the Golden Core, and I could even save you a Golden Core Formation Pill!"

"Pshh, as if a senior who can casually produce a Golden Core Formation Pill cares about that; Senior, take me in, and I will serve you well."

"Senior, take me, I even have a younger sister!"

"..."

The Confucian Practitioner paid no mind to the shouting people around him, silently watching Little Fan.

Instead, it was his companion who suddenly let out a heavy cold snort.

A surge of spiritual power pressure belonging to the Void Refinement Realm burst forth, which quieted down the noisy crowd.

"Senior, logically speaking, the best choice for me at this moment would be to immediately take you as my master for safety for both me and my father, but since you've given me a choice... I'll take a bold step and ask, senior, from which sect do you hail, what is your name, and why have you set your sights on a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like me to take as a disciple?"

After much thought, Little Fan finally looked into the eyes of the Confucian Practitioner and earnestly spoke.

Hearing his son speak thus, Fan Changnian subconsciously poked him in the flank.

Despite the pain, Little Fan's gaze did not waver.

"Hahahaha, very good."

The Confucian Practitioner was not angered by the questioning, instead, he laughed heartily and then spoke seriously.

"Listen well, young one, I hail from Qingmu Academy, known as one of the Three Cold Friends, named Mei Shouyi! As for why I want to take you as my disciple, it is because I see that you possess the Vast Body, which is highly suitable for my lineage."

As soon as these words were said, the previously quieted voices around them stirred once more.

However, just at that moment.

A group of cultivators clad in armor suddenly appeared on the street.

The one leading, with blue-black scales on his face, shouted out.

"Who dares to release spiritual power in the city without regard, treating the laws of the Shui Clan as nothing!?"