Wei Ziming

Xue Mingzhao looked up and scanned the newcomer's figure.

He was quite decent-looking, with delicate features, a straight nose, and rather thin lips. When he spoke, the corners of his mouth habitually curled upward, making him look as if he were smiling, but the smile did not reach his eyes at all—it was incredibly fake.

He wore a purple sect robe. Xue Mingzhao pondered for a moment—she had seen this material on Martial Uncle Xie before.

Combined with the fact that he called Su Mingyuan “Master,” oh, this was the former disciple her master had mentioned, the one who had left to join another sect years ago.

Su Mingyuan's gaze lingered on him for a moment, and he smiled. “Ziming, you have come as well.”

“What are you saying, Master? I merely changed my place of cultivation. You will always be my master.”

Wei Ziming spoke with deep sincerity. As he spoke, he took out a carved jade box from his storage bag and presented it with both hands.

“Master, when my Master Xie heard I was coming back to visit you, he specifically had me bring this thousand-year snow lotus. He said it can nourish your vital energy. Please accept it.”

His tone and posture made it seem as if he were still a member of the Grand Primordium Sect, not treating himself as an outsider in the slightest.

Su Mingyuan took the jade box and set it aside casually, smiling. “Senior Brother has indeed gone to some trouble.”

Only when Wei Ziming saw him accept it did his gaze fall upon Xue Mingzhao and Su Ye, adopting the air of a senior brother. “These two must be Master's newly recruited disciples, right? I heard from my master that both of you performed exceptionally well in the mystic realm trial. Your futures are truly limitless.”

At these words, all three of them frowned slightly.

Before Su Mingyuan could speak, Xue Mingzhao smiled and spoke up first. “Senior Brother Wei, one must still be mindful of how they address others. Since you have now joined the Taiyan Sect, my master should rightfully be your martial uncle. Calling him Martial Uncle Su would be the proper etiquette. Alternating between your old and new masters is bound to confuse outsiders.”

Su Ye immediately chimed in, “Besides, you constantly talk about your old master. Does Martial Uncle Xie know about this?”

Their words instantly exposed Wei Ziming's petty scheme of trying to play both sides.

The smile on Wei Ziming's face froze for a split second, but he quickly regained his composure and smiled. “Master was my master in the past. A master for a day is a father for life. In my heart, Master will always be my master.”

Seeing that no one paid him any attention, he forced a twitch of his lips and took a sip of tea to cover his embarrassment.

Remembering the purpose of his visit, Wei Ziming reined in his emotions and got straight to the point. “By the way, last night, my master saw a sudden anomaly in the Eastern Territory, with rosy clouds filling the sky. He specifically sent me over to ask if something happened, and if you need any assistance from our Taiyan Sect.”

Xue Mingzhao rolled her eyes hard in her mind.

Listen to that. It sounded smoother than a song.

What “assistance”? He had clearly caught wind of a treasure and came to pry, yet he spoke with such high-sounding words.

Su Mingyuan said indifferently, “It was your Martial Uncle Xu who refined a supreme-grade Mahayana Pill, which triggered the heavenly anomaly.”

“A supreme-grade Mahayana Pill?!”

Wei Ziming's eyes lit up instantly, the astonishment in his voice completely unhidden.

He quickly suppressed his excitement and put on a show of heartfelt admiration. “Martial Uncle Xu's alchemy has truly reached perfection. To think he could even refine a supreme-grade Mahayana Pill. Incredible.”

He immediately played the emotional card. “Coincidentally, my master is currently at the great perfection of the Soul Transformation realm and urgently needs a pill to break through to the Mahayana realm. I wonder if Martial Uncle Su could prioritize giving the pill to our Taiyan Sect? We will absolutely not mistreat you in terms of price.”

Xue Mingzhao marveled silently in her heart. This man's skin was truly thick.

Before Su Mingyuan could reply, she spoke up first. “Senior Brother Wei, you are a step too late. The pill has already been taken by City Lord Zhao to prepare for auction.”

“An auction?” Wei Ziming was extremely surprised, his brow furrowing deeply.

The anomaly had only occurred yesterday, and they were already auctioning it today?

He did not believe it at all. “How could you put it up for auction?”

Su Ye grew quite impatient listening to this and retorted directly, “Does our Grand Primordium Sect need to report to your Taiyan Sect just to sell something? If you truly cherished your past relationship as master and disciple, you wouldn't use your former status to keep staring at our sect's supreme treasure.”

These words hit the nail right on the head.

The gentle smile Wei Ziming had forced onto his face crumbled instantly. He clenched his fists inside his sleeves, a cold, sharp glint flashing through his eyes.

In his mind, his willingness to come visit was already giving the Grand Primordium Sect plenty of face. What right did a newly recruited junior have to accuse him like this?

Su Mingyuan nodded and said in a flat tone, “Yes, City Lord Zhao left not long ago. Keeping the pill in the sect is useless anyway. Auctioning it off for resources is far more practical.”

Wei Ziming felt a heavy weight settle in his chest.

He had originally thought of using their past relationship to appeal to emotion and reason, persuading Su Mingyuan to sell the pill to the Taiyan Sect.

As long as he accomplished this major task, he would be able to establish a firm foothold in the Taiyan Sect and escape his current embarrassing situation of living under someone else's roof.

But once the pill went to public auction, all the top sects would scramble for it, and the Taiyan Sect would not stand a chance.

His efforts this time had been entirely in vain.

No matter how unwilling Wei Ziming felt, he did not dare to show it on his face.

After exchanging a few more polite pleasantries and some empty words, he made an excuse to return and report back, slinking away dejectedly.

The moment he left, Su Ye could not help but complain, “That guy is so hypocritical. Everything he says sounds so fake.”

Xue Mingzhao nodded in deep agreement. “Exactly. Calling him 'Master' so affectionately, who knows what little schemes he's cooking up in his head.”

Looking at his two clear-minded disciples, Su Mingyuan felt a touch of gratification. He softened his tone and patiently advised them. “In the vast cultivation world, people like Wei Ziming, who seek benefits while avoiding harm, can be found everywhere. When you travel and gain experience in the future, you must never be blinded by sweet words. Do not just listen to surface-level talk; use your heart to see through to their true intentions.”

He gazed at Wei Ziming's departing figure, his eyes gradually darkening.

Su Mingyuan knew this former disciple of his all too well.

In the past, reluctant to sever their bond, he had advised Wei Ziming that even if he did not formally take Xie Huairen as his master, Xie Huairen would still be willing to teach him everything due to their shared sect origins.

Yet, Wei Ziming had been resolute, insisting on cutting off their master-disciple relationship and turning to join the Taiyan Sect.

He respected the other's choice; everyone had their own ambitions, and one could not force these things.

But since he had chosen to go his separate way, he should not turn back and covet the sect's benefits by leveraging their past master-disciple relationship.

Recalling the fierce glint in Wei Ziming's eyes, Su Mingyuan made up his mind: he could let the other pursue his own opportunities.

However, if Wei Ziming ever plotted against or harmed the Grand Primordium Sect for his own gain in the future, he would show absolutely no mercy.