Chapter 64: Two Geniuses

The sister was around thirteen years old. Though her clothes were ragged, they couldn't conceal her remarkable charm; it was clear she would grow into a stunning beauty. Her brother, a few years old, also looked miserable, yet his eyes were remarkably clear, shining with unwavering resolve.

Both siblings possessed extraordinary talent; they were natural geniuses in alchemy.

They had a small bowl on the ground and were kneeling, begging for food. It was astonishing that two such talented individuals were reduced to begging, unnoticed by anyone.

Xu Yang felt a pang of disbelief.

Xu Yang walked over, pulled out a handful of red berries, and offered them to the siblings.

"Eat."

"Thank you," the siblings quickly replied, bowing deeply to Xu Yang before eagerly taking the fruit and beginning to eat. Seeing them gobble down the fruit ravenously, it was clear they had been starving for a long time.

Xu Yang smiled patiently as he waited for them to finish.

"What are your names?"

"My name is Liu Qing, and this is Liu Ming!" the elder sister replied. Her voice was soft and quite pleasing to the ear.

Xu Yang nodded. "Alright, Liu Qing. From now on, you'll be with me." Xu Yang said, his face beaming with a smile. He hadn't expected that venturing out today would lead him to such a treasure.

Liu Qing froze, then took a step back, eyeing Xu Yang warily. Her wary gaze made Xu Yang feel incredibly awkward. At that moment, he felt as if he were abducting a young girl.

"Oh, look at you, a mere mortal, so good at finding overlooked treasures." Just then, a mocking voice came from behind.

Xu Yang turned to see Zhou Che sauntering over carelessly. Zhou Che's gaze landed on Liu Qing and immediately fixed there, slowly filling with lecherous intent.

"Get lost," Xu Yang said coldly.

"Oh, a mere mortal, acting so tough," Zhou Che sneered, repeatedly calling Xu Yang a "mortal" and clearly not taking him seriously. He turned his gaze back to Liu Qing and continued:

"Little sister, come with me. I promise you'll live in luxury, wanting for nothing, and no one will ever dare to bully you again. How does that sound?"

Zhou Che's gaze was fixed on Liu Qing, as if it had grown roots. His look was lewd and depraved, making no attempt to hide his disgusting desires.

Liu Qing pulled Liu Ming back a few steps and said, "No, my mother is waiting for me at home." With that, Liu Qing pulled Liu Ming along, trying to leave.

Zhou Che stepped forward, extended a hand, and grabbed Liu Qing, saying with a laugh, "It's your good fortune that I'm offering you a life of luxury with me! How can you be so ungrateful?"

Liu Qing, caught by Zhou Che and unable to move, turned ashen-faced and nearly burst into tears.

"You, release your hand. I'll spare your life. Otherwise, you die!" Xu Yang stepped forward and said coldly.

Xu Yang had already taken the siblings as his disciples, and he certainly wouldn't stand idly by while Zhou Che tried to bully them.

"You, a mere mortal, I'll give you three seconds to get out of my sight. Otherwise, I'll make you die!" Zhou Che retorted fiercely.

The commotion naturally attracted other bystanders. Everyone present was not blind; they had all seen the lecherous glint in Zhou Che's eyes. Nevertheless, they began to whisper among themselves.

"I've seen these siblings here several times," one person murmured. "They're truly miserable; they've almost starved to death on several occasions."

"Heh heh, Zhou Che has his eye on that girl," another scoffed. "She's lucky; at least she won't have to beg for food anymore."

"That mortal is truly courting death, daring to steal Lord Zhou Che's woman," someone else declared. "I bet he won't live to see the end of today."

The siblings listened to the whispers, their faces turning ashen.

"Run!" Liu Qing cried out. Immediately, both Liu Qing and Liu Ming bolted, running desperately to escape.

But how could two mere mortals possibly escape the grasp of Zhou Che, a cultivator? In the next second, Zhou Che appeared behind them, a large hand reaching out to grab them.

"Sigh, why are there always people courting death in this world?" Xu Yang shook his head and sighed. He took a single step and instantly appeared behind Zhou Che.

*Boom...*

Xu Yang threw a punch. The punch was not fast; it looked no different from an ordinary mortal's strike.

As a cultivator, Zhou Che reacted quickly. A cruel smile spread across his lips as he watched Xu Yang's seemingly feeble punch approach.

"Hahaha, you insignificant mortal, daring to fight me! You must be tired of living!" As Zhou Che's words fell, he countered with a punch of his own towards Xu Yang. "Today, I'll show you the true difference between a cultivator and a mortal!"

*Boom!*

Xu Yang's fist and Zhou Che's fist collided.

*Crack!*

At that very moment, a crisp cracking sound rang out. Zhou Che's arm was directly shattered by Xu Yang's powerful punch.

"Heh, is that all?" Xu Yang said with a faint smile. "Is *this* the difference you spoke of between a cultivator and a mortal?" As Xu Yang finished speaking, Zhou Che cried out, spat out a mouthful of blood, and was sent flying backward. With a *thud*, he slammed into a wall, crashing through several walls in succession before finally collapsing heavily onto the ground.

At this moment, everyone around them was stunned. Some cultivators used their spiritual energy to probe Xu Yang's cultivation level.

"He's not a mortal; he has cultivation! He's a Qi Condensation cultivator!"

"Holy crap, I didn't expect his concealment to be so deep! I always thought he was just a mortal." People chattered excitedly, utterly surprised.

"Heh heh, so what if he's a cultivator? He's just a Qi Condensation cultivator," someone else remarked. "Don't forget, the man he just hit is an alchemist from Medicine Mountain Villa, and this is Medicine Mountain Villa."

After this person spoke, the scene fell silent for a few seconds. Then, people gradually realized the implications and many felt there was some truth to what he said.

"Heh heh, that guy's dead for sure."

"Exactly. He hit Zhou Che, and Zhou Che is a disciple of a Foundation Establishment cultivator!"

Xu Yang found the surrounding chatter amusing. A mere Medicine Mountain Villa could be wiped out by Xu Yang with a single finger.

Xu Yang walked over to the two siblings, who were now petrified with fear, and said, "You two are wonders in alchemy. Take me as your master, and I can lead you to the peak of this world."

As Xu Yang spoke, a pang of guilt arose in his heart. He felt like he was essentially luring a young girl. The bystanders, unaware of the full truth, looked at Xu Yang with expressions of disdain. They had thought Xu Yang was a noble person who intervened when injustice was seen. They hadn't expected him to be just like Zhou Che, merely coveting the little girl's beauty.