Seeing Li Ming ask, Zhao Li pretended to ponder, then shook his head.
As Li Ming slumped back into the chair again, he forced a smile uglier than crying and let out a couple of dry laughs.
"Brother Zhao Li, then you really shouldn't get involved. It's unwise to needlessly offend a Seventh-Grade Alchemist."
Seeing this, Zhao Li laughed.
"Brother Li, if you can't smile, don't force it, it looks terrible. As for refining Seventh-Grade Pills, it's no big deal, I'll handle it. Such a small matter doesn't require bothering my teacher. Let's go, let's go talk to Uncle first."
Li Ming didn't react immediately, unsure what Zhao Li meant, and was about to open his mouth to stop him.
"Brother Zhao Li, this matter is too important to be careless. Since your teacher isn't here, you should go talk to him first and let him decide. Otherwise..."
Before he could finish, Li Ming seemed to understand what Zhao Li meant. He stared at Zhao Li dumbfounded, his eyes filled with shock. After swallowing a few times to suppress the huge waves in his heart, his speech became stuttered again.
"You... you mean... you yourself can... can refine Seventh... Seventh-Grade Pills?"
Although Li Ming was also startled by the idea he had grasped, Zhao Li's demeanor constantly reminded him that what he understood was exactly what Zhao Li intended to convey.
Zhao Li neither confirmed nor denied. He turned back and saw Li Ming still standing there in a daze. He raised an eyebrow and urged him.
"Brother Li, why are you still standing there in a daze? Don't tell me I have to go talk to Uncle myself?"
Li Ming snapped back to attention, constantly comforting himself inwardly.
He's already a Dou Sect, so it's acceptable for him to also be a hidden Seventh-Grade Alchemist. Acceptable my ass! He's a true monster.
Perhaps it was Zhao Li calling him "Brother Li" just like before that reminded Li Ming of Zhao Li's childlike appearance last night. The turbulent emotions in his heart truly calmed down, and he even thought of other things, looking at Zhao Li with a bit more tenderness.
At such a young age, even with exceptional talent, to achieve so much, he must have endured a lot of hardship.
Unconsciously, Li Ming successfully convinced himself.
"Brother Zhao Li, wait for me! Do you know the way?"
Watching Zhao Li walk ahead, Li Ming hurried to catch up.
...
Li Ming led Zhao Li to the living room and saw that only he and Sun Xiaochuan, his master, were there.
Meeting Li Lei's questioning gaze, he gave Li Lei a reassuring look.
Seeing his son come out with Zhao Li, Li Lei assumed he had already explained the situation to Zhao Li and that Zhao Li had agreed.
Although he was still a little worried, he knew Li Ming wouldn't mess around with something like this, so he relaxed.
As soon as Zhao Li entered the living room, he saw a disheveled, slovenly old man sitting opposite Li Lei, with his legs crossed, his beady eyes half-closed.
Behind him stood a handsome young man with a lecherous expression.
Zhao Li focused his senses and raised an eyebrow. This old man was actually a Dou Sect expert, and his Soul Power wasn't weak. No wonder the Li Family had tolerated him for so long.
Sun Xiaochuan saw Li Ming enter with a young man, glanced at him, and then ignored him, looking at Li Lei and asking,
"We've eaten, and I've stated my conditions. Nephew Li Lei, it's time to make a decision, give me a definite answer. My time is very precious. There isn't even a single girl here, it's incredibly boring."
Hearing this, Li Lei gritted his teeth and his mouth twitched. He had seen Sun Xiaochuan grope a maid as soon as he came in this morning, so how could he dare to let anyone come forward to serve him?
Li Lei was decent to the Li Family members and immediately sent everyone away.
He didn't expect this old guy to have the nerve to say that, and cursed inwardly.
Why aren't there any maids? Isn't it to guard against you, you lustful ghost?
Although he wanted to spit on him a few times, he could only force a smile. Just as he was about to speak, Li Ming spoke first.
"Senior Sun, we really can't agree to the conditions you mentioned. Our Li Family still has so many people to support. Can you lower it a little, considering your past relationship as master and disciple with our Li Family Elder Ji?"
He was thoroughly disgusted by this old man, but he was after all a Seventh-Grade Alchemist, so he didn't dare to turn hostile and offend him. He didn't leave any room for maneuver just because Zhao Li was present.
Sun Xiaochuan frowned when he heard Li Ming speak, then said,
"I remember you. You came begging me to come a few days ago. Why are you acting like this now that I'm here? Eighty percent is all I want, no more, but not a single percent less. If you think it's too high, you can take your time and see if you can invite other Alchemists. Of course, if Li Zhenxuan can still hold out."
Li Lei's face changed drastically upon hearing this. Sun Xiaochuan was practically laying the threat bare. He was about to try and appease him, but Li Ming was much faster.
"In that case, we'll just have to look elsewhere for someone more capable. As for whether we can find one, you don't need to worry about that. Please leave, Senior. It seems you've made a wasted trip."
Sun Xiaochuan was slightly surprised to hear this, not expecting Li Ming to have such guts. He immediately sat up straight, leaned forward slightly, opened his half-closed eyes, and stared at Li Ming sinisterly. His intention to take advantage of the situation was no longer hidden, and his words were very direct.
"Good, good, good! Kid, you have more guts than your old man, quite assertive, aren't you? But young people, after all, don't shed tears until they see the coffin. I'd like to see what ability you have to invite a Seventh-Grade Alchemist. I, Sun Xiaochuan, also have some connections. I just wonder if the Li Family can still stand after Old Man Zhenxuan is gone, tsk~"
With Li Zhenxuan's demise, the Li Family's connections had mostly scattered, and he could easily manipulate them.
Seeing him threaten like this, not even bothering to hide his intentions, Zhao Li quietly asked Li Ming.
"Brother Li, who is this slovenly beggar? Why does he talk so arrogantly? Anyone who doesn't know would think he's some important figure. Does your family even do good deeds like hosting people like them? As expected of a large family."
Zhao Li's innocent voice wasn't loud, but everyone present could hear him clearly.
Sun Xiaochuan was still fantasizing about controlling the Li Family and playing with the female members, his eyes filled with undisguised desire. His face stiffened upon hearing this.
His beggar-like appearance was intentional. He liked to see others treat him with respect, bowing and scraping and accommodating him everywhere, even in his beggar form. That greatly satisfied his inner self.
But now, he was actually being treated as a beggar by a young man. His heart filled with rage, and he immediately exploded.
"You ignorant brat, I'll turn you into a beggar right now! Kneel!"
With a shout of rebuke, a powerful wave of Soul Power surged towards Zhao Li like a tide. Even a Dou King expert would likely have their soul crushed and be turned into an idiot.
Zhao Li sensed this massive Soul Power rushing at him, clearly intended to kill. It was an immediate fatal strike. Understanding this, Zhao Li no longer held back.
With a furious roar from his Yin Spirit, an invisible sound wave swept out, pushing everything before it. It annihilated Sun Xiaochuan's invisible soul attack in the void and continued to assault him.
Sun Xiaochuan let out a muffled groan. He felt as if his head had been struck by a heavy club; it ached intensely, a throbbing pain that was unbearable.
But he didn't dare to hesitate for a moment. As a Seventh-Grade Alchemist, how could he not know that he had just suffered a soul attack?
He was terrified and extremely flustered. Enduring the throbbing pain in his head, he instantly fell to his knees, his tone respectful and cautious as he said,
"This humble one did not know Senior was here and has been quite presumptuous. Please forgive me, Senior. I hope Senior will not lower himself to my level."
The people in the hall were unaware that Sun Xiaochuan had secretly attacked but was instead suppressed by Zhao Li.
They simply saw Sun Xiaochuan suddenly kneeling on the ground, looking cautious and respectful, and were all completely bewildered. They didn't know what was happening.
Only Li Ming seemed to have some inkling. He turned his head to look at Zhao Li, his eyes filled with shock yet again.
The living room fell into a sudden, tense silence, where you could hear a pin drop.
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