"Elder Xu... you must have plenty of resources left, right?"

  Jin Liuxiang leaned close to Xu Xiao's ear, her eyes seductive, her breath fragrant as she spoke.

  Xu Xiao patted her head and said, "Not much, not much... but Liuxiang, don't worry. Even though it's not a lot, it'll surely be enough for you."

  "Even if I were to pass away, I wouldn't let you suffer."

  He chuckled silently to himself.

  Of course, he wouldn't let her suffer. Her bond level with him had already risen to level 2.

  Even her fortune level had recently increased to a B grade.

  In the future, he pnned to give her more gifts to achieve a win-win situation.

  This was naturally Jin Liuxiang's opportunity.

  Through their time together, he found that although Jin Liuxiang was a bit greedy and had her little schemes, overall, she was a woman of character and principles.

  She was straightforward about what she wanted, which made it easy for Xu Xiao to give her things without needing to find excuses.

  Such a Daughter of Destiny seemed tailor-made for him.

  He decided to take care of all her cultivation resources on her path!

  If he was going to support her, he would do it thoroughly.

  "Really?! Liuxiang thanks Elder Xu!"

  Jin Liuxiang's face lit up with joy, a blush appearing on her snow-white cheeks.

  If Elder Xu weren't a bit older and their statuses weren't mismatched, she might have seriously considered becoming his wife, or even his concubine!

  Just as the two were about to begin the tter half of their encounter, Xu Xiao's white eyebrows suddenly furrowed.

  Immediately, he got out of bed and looked in a certain direction outside.

  "What is it, Elder?" Jin Liuxiang's expression changed, and she quickly wrapped herself in the bnket.

  Xu Xiao's eyes showed a serious expression as he said, "There are a few people approaching the courtyard. I suspect they're not up to any good."

  While using his Divine Sense to perceive, he swiftly put on his grey robe.

  Within the range of his Divine Sense, three sneaky figures appeared, probing towards his small courtyard.

  Although his cultivation level had fallen to the Foundation Establishment Stage, his Divine Sense hadn't weakened and remained at the Ninth Level of the Nascent Soul Stage.

  While it wasn't very useful in combat, its detection capabilities far surpassed those of Foundation Establishment cultivators.

  "Someone's coming?"

  Jin Liuxiang's expression changed, and she quickly got out of bed to put on her sect robe.

  Even though her retionship with Elder Xu had been kept under wraps, being caught in the act would still have significant repercussions!

  "Hmph, as expected, three thieves."

  Xu Xiao's old face sneered. From the path the three took to sneak over, he could tell they had no good intentions.

  Most likely, they were here to investigate his and Jin Liuxiang's affairs.

  "Go."

  He whispered, and instantly, a fiery red sword light whistled out, flying out the window.

  The fiery red light illuminated the ground, its contained power astonishing.

  "Elder... Elder?"

  Jin Liuxiang, now dressed, watched in awe.

  The fiery red flying sword Elder Xu had just unleashed was earth-shattering, even causing her heart to tremble.

  "This... this is definitely a high-grade magical artifact... maybe even a supreme-grade one!"

  Jin Liuxiang panted, feeling both thrilled and shocked.

  The old fellow, once a formidable Ninth Level Nascent Soul Stage cultivator, even after falling to the Foundation Establishment Stage, was far beyond what ordinary cultivators could handle!

  Not far outside the courtyard, when Zhou Xiao and his two companions saw the fiery red sword light soaring from the room, they were stunned.

  Feeling the irresistible power within, the three of them were filled with fear, momentarily frozen in shock!

  Zhou Xiao was armed; this... this was not something a Foundation Establishment cultivator could wield!

  And that fiery red sword... it felt like at least a high-grade magical artifact!!

  Elder Xu!

  They had been discovered by Elder Xu!!

  "Quick!"

  "Retreat!!"

  Zhou Xiao shouted in terror. As a sixth-level Core Formation cultivator, facing the incoming fiery sword, his legs trembled, and he dared not resist!

  How could Elder Xu still possess such power?!

  Impossible!!!

  "Master! What do we do?!"

  Beside him, Ma Liu and another were too frightened to move.

  It was over; they were exposed!

  And Elder Xu was terrifyingly strong!!

  As the fiery red flying sword was about to strike, the three hurriedly summoned their swords, using the Sword Control Technique to defend.

  "Bang! Bang! Bang!"

  But as soon as their swords touched the fiery red sword, they were shattered, unable to halt its advance.

  "Impossible!!"

  Zhou Xiao's expression changed dramatically, shouting in terror.

  But it was too te. Under Xu Xiao's Divine Sense control, the Southern Radiance Fme-Severing Sword swiftly sliced through the three's lower bodies.

  In an instant, their thighs were severed by the fiery sword, their upper bodies colpsing to the ground, wailing in agony.

  The flying sword soared back into the sky, emitting a clear sword cry before returning to Xu Xiao's residence.

  Meanwhile, Zhou Xiao and his companions y on the ground in pain, their eyes filled with fear.

  With one sword, they were completely subdued.

  The severed parts of their legs were charred bck by the fmes, and even if they wanted to reattach them ter, they'd have to cut away some of the damaged flesh, making them shorter by a few inches.

  Xu Xiao opened the door, and he and Jin Liuxiang walked out of the courtyard into the forest where the three y.

  "Master?? It's you?!"

  When Jin Liuxiang saw the three lying on the ground, her eyes widened in shock.

  Xu Xiao gnced at the ugly middle-aged man and sneered, "Liuxiang, are these your master and senior brothers?"

  "Yes... Elder Xu, that's Zhou Xiao."

  The astute Jin Liuxiang instantly guessed her master's intentions for coming.

  She now felt nothing but disdain for the three, wishing they would just die!

  Zhou Xiao and his companions, seeing the two before them, were terrified.

  Elder Xu... Jin Liuxiang... it was over...

  "Elder Xu! It's a misunderstanding! It's all a misunderstanding!!"

  Zhou Xiao wailed in pain on the ground, his face pale, his ugly features filled with fear and regret.

  Who would have thought that Elder Xu, who had failed his Lightning Tribution, still possessed such power?!

  They were doomed!

  Completely doomed!

  Xu Xiao smiled warmly, stepping forward, "Zhou Xiao, I've seen you. You're under my nephew, Elder Lu, right?"

  "What brings you here so te at night?"

  "I thought you were some thieves, so I acted first."

  By now, he naturally knew their purpose.

  Wasn't it just to catch them in the act?

  Recently, Jin Liuxiang had told him about this master-disciple trio.

  None of them focused on cultivation, always thinking about Jin Liuxiang. Such people had no hope of reaching the Great Dao.

  The sect needed to manage them better.

  Xu Xiao sighed inwardly.

  At this moment, he naturally shielded himself.

  He wasn't after women; he was just building a good retionship with the Daughter of Destiny to facilitate future gifts and tread the path of immortality.

  "Yes! Elder Xu! I'm indeed under Elder Lu, your nephew!"

  "Elder Xu, please, for Elder Lu's sake, spare me!"

  "It's all a misunderstanding!"

  Zhou Xiao and his companions y on the ground, csping their hands in plea, repeatedly begging.