C30 He Pretended to Be.

Since his master had no desire to accept him as an apprentice, there was nothing he could do about it. Then, an idea struck him.

"Young Master Qin, I have an adversary out there. I hope it won't bring trouble to you," he expressed concern. His own disciple was still on his trail, and the last thing he wanted was to endanger his master.

"Tell me about this disciple of yours," Qin Ming inquired, his curiosity piqued about how Qing Yan's disciple had managed to cause him such distress.

In his past life, Qin Ming had been too weak for his master to share any details about adversaries, only bringing him to the Yuan Continent.

Hearing Qin Ming's request, Qing Yan's face betrayed a mix of emotions. "My enemy is my sole disciple, Jue Xin. He's the reason my Dantian is destroyed and I'm riddled with poison. He coveted the Divine Pill Refining Furnace I accidentally acquired and conspired with others to ambush me. It was his treacherous attack that damaged my Dantian, and he struck me down. Had it not been for an eighth-grade Life and Death Pill, I would have perished by his hand.

Thankfully, I was strong enough, having reached the Martial King Realm, and I had some pills that could temporarily boost my power. I managed to fight off and escape from several assailants."

As he recounted the betrayal, Qing Yan's eyes darkened with loathing.

"He's despicable, a man like that deserves death!" Qin Ming's eyes also flared with a vengeful fire. In his previous life, he lacked the power, but this time around, he was determined to eliminate that monster.

"Don't worry, I'm not one to take things lying down. If he dares to come after me, I'll finish him myself."

"Does the Qin Family possess the might to fend off a Martial King Stage assault?" Qing Yan asked, taken aback.

Liu City was no metropolis; to Martial Cultivators of their caliber, it was barely more than a village. Could such a place harbor a Martial King Stage warrior?

Qin Ming shook his head. "It's not about my power, but yours."

"Me?" Qing Yan exclaimed, incredulous. "My Dantian is ruined. Aside from a minor talent for pill refining, I'm worthless."

The Dantian's purpose was to store Spiritual Energy, yet Qing Yan could still refine pills using the energy from the air, though it was a mentally exhausting process. With his Dantian gone, his strength had vanished, leaving him only his mental prowess. Enemies wouldn't wait for one to draw Spiritual Energy from the ether. Combat was instantaneous, and now, even at full mental capacity, the Azure Flame Pill King could only handle lesser foes from the Martial Sect.

"Just because your Dantian is damaged doesn't mean you're beyond help. The Spiritual Plants needed for your recovery are rare, but they do exist. As long as they're out there, there's hope for you, even if it takes some time," Qin Ming assured him with confidence, aware of a Ninth Grade Pill that could heal the Azure Flame Pill King.

"Still, there are ways to regain your former strength temporarily. Should that vile disciple come after you, take the pill I provide and end him yourself. I know of a pill that can briefly restore your power."

"Excellent," Azure Flame Pill King roared with laughter, relieved. "Now I can rest easy!"

Qin Ming then added, "There's a favor I need to ask of you."

"Just let me know what you need. If it's within my power, I'll spare no effort."

The Azure Flame Pill King stroked his beard, his smile broadening.

With the crisis averted and vengeance within sight, the Pill King's demeanor had undergone a dramatic transformation.

"Well, it's a bit awkward," Qin Ming admitted, "I told my father that my skills come from having a mysterious and powerful master. That's why I need you to pose as my master."

"What?" Qing Yan blanched, hastily gesturing in refusal. "How could I possibly do that? Pretend to be your master? Absolutely not, that's out of the question."

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