"Phew…"

Fang Yuan slowly released a long breath as the circulation within his body finally came to an end.

The violent pain in his meridians had lessened considerably, though faint traces of exhaustion still lingered deep within him.

He opened his eyes and was immediately greeted by the familiar golden screen.

[Host, recruit Zhu Huan into your clan.]

[Reward: 100,000 System Points.]

Fang Yuan's gaze froze on the number.

"…One hundred thousand?"

His brows slowly furrowed.

The reward was crazy high, which could only meant one thing.

"This mission is definitely troublesome…"

Still, after thinking for a moment, Fang Yuan relaxed slightly.

"At least there's no specific condition attached." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"As long as I can make her a clan member, even if it's for one day, it should count."

The moment he finished speaking, the screen flickered and the content changed.

[Quest Updated.]

[Make Zhu Huan your 2nd wife.]

[As the possessor of the Vermilion Fire Primordial Physique, she is extremely important for your cultivation.]

[Reward: 100,000 System Points.]

Fang Yuan stared at the screen silently then calmly closed it.

"No."

There was not even a second of hesitation.

The system could keep dreaming.

Fang Yuan stood up and walked toward the bed.

By now, Zhu Huan had already regained enough strength to sit upright, though her face was still slightly pale.

"Let's go, kiddo."

The moment those words came out Zhu Huan immediately looked up with an annoyed expression.

"Who are you calling kiddo?!"

She pointed at him indignantly.

"You're not even that much older than me!"

Fang Yuan sighed deeply and shook his head in disappointment.

"Oh boy… Did elder Zhao not tell you anything? I'm only one generation younger than Elder Zhao Lusi."

Zhu Huan froze and then her eyes widened completely.

"…What?"

Her voice rose an octave.

"You're from that generation?!"

Fang Yuan nodded calmly.

Inside, however, his expression became slightly strange.

His lie had kinda worked but uh.... It seems there may have been quite a side effects.

"Uh… yes," he said vaguely. "Anyway, let's get going."

But now Zhu Huan's attitude had completely changed.

Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she hurried after him.

"I didn't know the legends were actually true!"

She leaned closer excitedly.

"So what was the Great War like? Wait—no! I probably shouldn't ask about top-secret matters!"

She quickly slapped both hands over her mouth.

Fang Yuan fell silent as he genuinely didn't know what to say.

In the end, he simply decided to first meet his master and check the current situation of the lower realm.

———

At the peak of the mountain, beneath a massive whirling crack in space—

Thousands of cultivators circled the area from afar as not a single one of them dared approach too closely.

The situation at the center was simply too dangerous.

Because seated right in the middle of the mountain peak…

Was…

Well.

A single woman BUT! Hold your breathe people, she is a devastating beauty, no doubt about that.

But right now?

She was simply a woman who was very, very bored.

Extremely annoyed.

And unbelievably cranky.

"Hah…"

Zhao Lusi rested her chin lazily on one hand while tapping her fingers impatiently against an empty wine gourd.

An empty one.

That fact alone should already explained half the problem.

"I'm really going to kill him when I see him…"

she muttered with terrifying resentment.

For three entire days—

THREE DAYS!

She had been guarding this place without even a single sip of wine.

How could she possibly not be furious?!

This was the Wine Immortal we are talking about!

The WINE IMMORTAL!

The one and only—

ZHAO LUSI!

"SHUT UP!"

Zhao Lusi suddenly snapped her head upward and screamed at absolutely nothing.

The roar exploded across the mountain peak like heavenly thunder.

The surrounding cultivators nearly died from fright on the spot.

Several of them turned pale instantly and fled without hesitation.

The entire mountain peak fell silent.

No one dared to speak or make a move.

Even the wind itself seemed to have stopped out of fear.

The surrounding cultivators quietly lowered their heads, afraid that merely making eye contact with Zhao Lusi right now might somehow get them killed.

Still... after several long seconds passed…

From amidst the tense crowd, four figures finally stepped forward.

The moment they moved, countless gazes immediately turned toward them with confussion and admiration mixed together.

After all—

Approaching Zhao Lusi in her current mood was practically courting death.

The four cultivators landed cautiously several hundred meters away before immediately cupping their fists respectfully.

"Senior Zhao…"

One of them forced out nervously.

Zhao Lusi slowly lifted her eyes toward them.

Her expression looked thoroughly exhausted and irritated.

"What do you want?"

The four instantly felt pressure crash onto their shoulders.

Even breathing became difficult.

The leading elder swallowed hard before speaking again.

"W-we…"

His voice cracked midway.

He hurriedly steadied himself.

"We have disciples inside that realm," he said carefully. "P-perhaps… perhaps we can discuss this matter and arrange a rescue operation?"

Even while speaking, the man's forehead was already covered in cold sweat.

The other three remained silent, clearly just as nervous.

Zhao Lusi listened quietly.

Then answered immediately.

"Not interested."

The four froze.

They clearly hadn't expected such a direct rejection.

The atmosphere instantly stiffened.

One of the elders clenched his jaw slightly before speaking again with forced politeness.

"Senior Zhao… our disciples are core members of our sects. Surely this matter cannot simply be ignored—"

"Then ignore it yourself," Zhao Lusi interrupted lazily.

The elder's expression twitched.

Another elder finally lost patience slightly.

"Senior, our sects are backed by the Heavenly River Alliance!"

"And my disciple is backed by me," Zhao Lusi replied flatly.

The four choked instantly.

But now that their backers had already been mentioned, their courage rose slightly.

"Senior Zhao," another spoke with a firmer tone, "our Patriarch personally instructed us to recover those disciples alive."

"And Elder Sun of the Nine Peak Pavilion is already on his way here."

"We merely wish to cooperate peacefully."

Zhao Lusi stared at them silently for several seconds.

Then, she stood up and the moment she did.

The four elders nearly knelt on the spot.

Zhao Lusi slowly looked at them with bloodshot eyes filled with irritation.

"Did I," she said slowly, "ask who your backers were?"

Cold sweat exploded across their bodies.

Before any of them could answer, Zhao Lusi pointed toward the distant mountain path lazily.

"Go."

"Before I decide to use all four of your souls to brew a wine."