"So that's how it is…"
Xiao Feng listened quietly as understanding surfaced in his mind.
He knew that in the Heavenly Dao Sect, even the lowest-ranking elders are at least in the Saint realms. For a family to consistently produce such figures, they strength would be not low.
No wonder that Zhou Li was so arrogant and occupied a training room for just his own use.
Lin Yue's face gradually turned ugly as he spoke.
"And his family is not so good. They were quite arrogant and overbearing, bullying the weak is their family motto.
Xiao Feng remained silent for a moment.
Compared to ordinary cultivators, such a family was like a towering mountain.
But for Xiao Feng, it was only acceptable. Not something he needed to fear.
Seeing his calm reaction, Lin Yue was slightly surprised—but he didn't say anything further.
Instead, he smiled lightly. "Anyway, just be cautious. With your own backing, they would not dare to create problems for you."
Xiao Feng nodded once. "I understand."
After exchanging a few more casual words, the two parted ways.
Without hesitation, Xiao Feng walked toward the exit of the Earth Flame Cave without lingering.
The scorching aura that clung to his robes gradually faded as he walked farther away, replaced by the cool, steady flow of external spiritual energy. The tension in his body loosened slightly, yet his mind remained calm and alert.
After advancing some distance, just as the entrance of the cave had nearly disappeared behind him.
Two figure suddenly stepped into his path.
Xiao Feng's footsteps slowed. Looking at the young man dressed in the robes of a inner disciple in front of him, he was surprised.
His expression carried an unmistakable trace of arrogance, his chin slightly raised as if looking down on others by habit.
He was no other than Zhou Li. And beside him, that core disciple was also stood there.
'This arrogant idiot really came back!'
Xiao Feng raised an eyebrow slightly.
Trouble?
He didn't speak immediately, but a faint trace of surprise passed through his mind.
Zhou Li's eyes were cold, a faint sneer tugging at his lips as he stared directly at Xiao Feng, as if he had been waiting for this exact moment.
The core disciple beside him glanced Xiao Feng up and down, his brows slightly furrowed.
"What do you want?" Xiao Feng asked plainly.
The core disciple let out a faint chuckle, stepping forward slightly.
"Not much," he said, his tone casual but carrying an undercurrent of pressure. "I couldn't take your arrogant look anymore, so I came back o teach you a proper lesson as a senior."
Zhou Li crossed his arms, his gaze filled with hostility.
"You caused quite a scene earlier," he added coldly. "Do you think the Earth Flame Cave is your personal territory?"
Xiao Feng looked at them, his eyes steady. However, he was screaming inside his heart.
'They really didn't recognized me? Didn't Lin Yue said that I'm very famous now?'
His thoughts moved quickly.
As Lin Yue told him, his name had already begun spreading within the sect just after he joined. But clearly, these two didn't recognized him.
Otherwise they wouldn't be so arrogant now.
However, thinking for a while, he realized the situation. These two may not even know his name, let alone recognize him with his face.
On top of that, his cultivation had just breakthrough to the Spirit Condensing realm. It was different from what others might have remembered.
No wonder they failed to recognize him.
Understanding this, Xiao Feng felt a hint of amusement.
But he didn't show it. Instead, he simply stood there calmly, his expression indifferent.
"I followed the rules," he replied calmly. "If you have an issue, take it up with the elders."
His tone wasn't loud.
But it carried an undeniable firmness.
That calm indifference only made Zhou Li's expression darker.
Around them, a few passing disciples had already begun to slow down. Sensing their conflict, more people gradually gathered around them with some interest.
Whispers spread quickly among the crowd.
"What's going on?"
"Someone seems to challenge Zhou Li…"
"Who's the other guy?"
The atmosphere subtly shifted.
Zhou Li took a step forward, his aura faintly rising.
"Don't act so righteous," he sneered. "You think just because you have some backing, you can ignore others?"
Xiao Feng's eyes narrowed slightly.
"So that's what this is about…"
Before he could respond, a voice suddenly rang out from the crowd.
"Zhou Li."
The crowd parted slightly, showing the person who had just spoke. Lin Yue walked forward, his expression no longer calm as before.
He stopped beside Xiao Feng without hesitation.
Seeing him, Zhou Li's expression changed slightly.
"Lin Yue, this doesn't concern you. Don't meddle between us." he said, his tone turning colder.
Clearly, he recognized him.
After all, Lin Yue had long been working around the Earth Flame Cave and was not someone unfamiliar.
However, Lin Yue didn't move slightest and replied evenly.
"You should think twice about this matter before continuing."
This made Zhou Li frowned.
"Oh?" he said with a faint sneer. "Since when did you start protecting people?"
Lin Yue's gaze flickered briefly toward Xiao Feng before he turned back to Zhou Li.
This time, there was no hesitation in his voice, and a faint trace of seriousness appeared on his face as he spoke.
"Zhou Li, you should stop here. He is also a personal disciple."
The moment these words were spoken, the surrounding atmosphere changed instantly.
The murmurs that had been spreading among the crowd paused for a brief second before erupting into even louder whispers.
Many disciples looked at Xiao Feng again, their expressions now carrying surprise and scrutiny instead of simple curiosity.
The identity of a personal disciple was not something ordinary; even among inner and core disciples, it represented status, backing, and potential that could not be easily provoked.
Zhou Li himself was momentarily stunned.
His brows furrowed slightly as he carefully examined Xiao Feng once more, as if trying to find something he had overlooked earlier.
The arrogance on his face did not disappear, but it was now mixed with a trace of caution.
"So… you're also a personal disciple," Zhou Li said slowly, his tone lowering as he spoke.
However, after that brief pause, a faint sneer once again appeared on his lips.
In his mind, the conclusion had already formed—since Xiao Feng was a personal disciple, then at most he was similar to himself, a disciple under a Saint Elder.
That thought immediately restored his confidence, and the last bit of hesitation in his heart vanished completely.
"No wonder you dare to act so arrogantly," Zhou Li continued, his voice carrying a faint mockery. "Turns out you have some backing as well."
The surrounding disciples could clearly sense that Zhou Li had no intention of backing down. Even after learning Xiao Feng's identity, he still stood firm, which only made the situation more tense.
After all, everyone present knew that Zhou Li himself was also a personal disciple, and his background within the sect was not weak.
Ordinary elders would not easily interfere in conflicts involving him.
Zhou Li took a step forward, but this time he did not release his aura recklessly like before. Instead, he restrained it slightly, maintaining a controlled pressure as he spoke in a calmer tone.
"Since we are both personal disciples, directly attacking you here would not be appropriate," he said. "However, that does not mean this matter ends here."
As he spoke, his eyes sharpened, and the faint hostility within them became even more obvious.
"If you have the ability you claim, then come with me to the Flame Spirit Arena."
The moment the words "Flame Spirit Arena" were mentioned, the crowd instantly became excited.
Many disciples' eyes lit up, and the noise in the surroundings grew louder as people began whispering among themselves. Clearly, everyone understood what that place represented.
For alchemists, conflicts were rarely resolved through brute force.
Most of the time, they would compete through pill refinement, but such methods required preparation and time.
The Flame Spirit Arena, on the other hand, was a much more direct method—one that tested pure flame control, mastery, and strength.
It was a place specifically established near the Earth Flame Cave so that disciples could resolve disputes quickly without causing chaos elsewhere.
Before Xiao Feng could respond, Lin Yue's expression changed noticeably.
He immediately stepped forward, his tone carrying a hint of urgency that had not been present before.
"Zhou Li, you should think carefully. This is not something you can handle—"
He clearly intended to reveal more, to stop this situation from escalating further. However, before he could finish speaking, Xiao Feng slightly raised his hand.
The movement was small, but it was enough.
Lin Yue's words stopped abruptly.
He turned to look at Xiao Feng, only to see him give a faint, almost imperceptible shake of his head.
In that instant, Lin Yue understood everything Xiao Feng was trying to convey.
He was about to reveal Xiao Feng's true identity—that he was not merely a personal disciple under a Saint Elder, but the disciple of a Supreme Elder.
Moreover, not just any Supreme Elder, but the Fifth Elder, a peak existence among alchemists within the sect. If that identity were exposed, Zhou Li would not dare continue this confrontation, no matter how bold he was.
But Xiao Feng chose not to reveal it.