Get it or destroy it

"Sister Quan, I didn't lie to you, did I?"

Xu Mu asked calmly.

The expression on Tantai Quan's face returned to calm. She chuckled lightly, "The one I took afterwards was made by a seventh-grade alchemist. Yours is indeed better than his."

After all, she wanted to drive down the price, so she certainly couldn't tell the truth.

The truth was, it wasn't just better; the gap was truly like heaven and earth.

For pills of the same grade, using the same materials, the efficacy of Xu Mu's pills was a full dozen times stronger. What kind of concept was that?

Taking one of Xu Mu's pills was equivalent to taking over a dozen pills made by others.

This also meant that with the same amount of resources, others might only be able to cultivate one Gang Qi expert.

But with Xu Mu's help, Tantai Quan could cultivate a Divine Ability realm expert.

"Just better? Your expression earlier wasn't like that."

Xu Mu handed the bowl to Chen Xuan. "Old Chen, let's go."

"Alright, Brother Mu."

Chen Xuan nodded.

Seeing Xu Mu about to leave, Tantai Quan immediately blocked his path. "Don't go, little brother. Forty percent, big sister agrees!"

"Now I need to reconsider instead. I think Sister Quan understands, there are plenty of people who want to cooperate with me!"

After saying this, Xu Mu turned and left with Chen Xuan.

Fang Kui and the black-robed figure behind her also followed by Xu Mu's side.

They arrived at the entrance of the ruins and found that the collapsed entryway was currently being cleared by some people.

It seemed this was done by Du Yan earlier. He was indeed an expert, blocking the exit upon first entering the ruins.

This was to prevent enemies from possessing teleportation arrays.

Tantai Quan looked at the few pills in her hand, took out her phone, and sent a message.

Then she returned to the room on the second floor of the exchange.

Sitting on the sofa, she gazed at the scenery outside the window and took a few more puffs from her pipe.

Not long after, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Tantai Quan said softly.

The one who entered was the same elderly man from before, wearing a suit and with age spots covering his face.

After closing the door, he bowed slightly. "Princess, you summoned me."

"On the table are the Hongyuan Pills refined by Xu Mu. Try one."

Tantai Quan pointed her pipe at the tray on the table.

The old man nodded slightly, walked over, picked one up, and as soon as he put it in his mouth, the pill instantly dissolved.

His eyes widened in shock. Feeling the increase in power, he said in a deep voice, "Princess, it's comparable to a seventh-grade Qihai Pill!"

"What are your thoughts?"

Tantai Quan asked with a smile.

"This Xu Mu, his future is limitless. We must either obtain him or destroy him!"

The old man lowered his head, his eyes fierce. "I presume the princess also saw earlier, that sanitation worker was desperately trying to recruit him. If he joins the Sanitation Department in the future, it would be an extremely ominous sign for our race."

"I share the same thought. However, for now, I have already reached a cooperation agreement with him. The top-grade pills he refines will all be used to enhance our race."

Tantai Quan tapped out the ash from her pipe. "Tell me, what should we use to attract him over?"

"A man has two hands: one grasps for power and dominion, the other for beauty. There are no exceptions."

The old man said quietly.

"I've seen online that many young men nowadays are very laid-back, playing games every day, seemingly without desires or wants."

Tantai Quan said with a laugh.

"That's because they can't access those two things. If a beautiful woman were to take the initiative, they'd immediately turn into simps."

The old man explained.

"That makes sense. But what if he already has both power and beauty?"

"Then use greater power, greater beauty."

...

Xu Mu, Chen Xuan, and the others had already reached the car.

He first took out the three Hongyuan Pills from earlier and handed one each to Chen Xuan and Fang Kui.

"Take them. One for each of us three."

"This..."

Fang Kui felt a bit embarrassed. These were sixth-grade pills, after all.

[Favorability +10]

Although not as precious as Qihai Pills, the difference wasn't huge. Xu Mu was giving them away just like that.

"Wait for me a moment."

As Xu Mu spoke, he got in the car first, pretending to open the center console but actually taking two Qihai Pills from his storage space.

Then he got out of the car again and handed these two pills to Chen Xuan.

"Old Chen, I'm lending you these two Qihai Pills."

"Brother Mu, thank you!"

Chen Xuan was full of gratitude. He truly felt he owed Xu Mu too many favors.

He passed the two Qihai Pills to Fang Kui.

After receiving the pills, Fang Kui was moved almost to tears. "Thank you, Chen Xuan. And Xu Mu, thank you even more."

[Favorability +10]

Seeing this, Xu Mu couldn't help but frown. He could only see Fang Kui's favorability towards himself.

He wasn't sure if Fang Kui's favorability towards Chen Xuan had also increased.

If not, and she kept increasing her favorability towards him like this, what if she ended up liking him instead in the future?

That wouldn't be a good thing.

However, judging from the glances Fang Kui kept stealing at Chen Xuan, her favorability towards him had probably increased too; he just couldn't see it.

"We're all on the same side."

Xu Mu waved his hand. "What's the plan next? Go straight there?"

"How about we take a plane tomorrow? Our sect is in Xihai Province, it's too far from here."

Fang Kui said to Xu Mu.

"Alright then. Let's head back to Jiang City today and book tomorrow's plane tickets in advance."

Xu Mu motioned for everyone to get in the car.

Chen Xuan sat in the passenger seat, while Fang Kui and the black-robed figure sat in the back.

During the several-hour journey, having nothing better to do, Xu Mu also inquired about the black-robed figure's identity.

The black-robed figure didn't hide anything and took off the hood of his cloak.

It revealed a face covered in scars, looking as if it had been disfigured.

His name was Zhao Shengli. He was once a disciple of a sect. Back then, he accompanied the sect leader to fight against the different race/aliens.

They encountered a powerful enemy, and the entire sect was killed. Because he was young and handsome back then, a woman from a different race complimented him.

Another male from the different race (aliens), jealous, didn't kill him outright. Instead, he took a knife and kept slashing randomly at his face.

But precisely because of this, he was eventually rescued by Fang Kui's grandfather, saving his life.

Hearing this, Xu Mu also sighed. Being handsome did have its uses sometimes.

...

Back in Jiang City.

Xu Mu dropped off Fang Kui and Zhao Shengli together at Chen Xuan's house.

Chen Xuan initially wanted to refuse, but since this small courtyard did have plenty of rooms, he didn't say anything more.

Xu Mu then prepared to drive away. Before leaving, he casually glanced at the neighbor, Zhou Xia.

He immediately widened his eyes in surprise. Unexpectedly, Zhou Xia seemed to be holding a meeting; there were a total of seven people in the living room, including her.

Among them were four women and three men.

Xu Mu didn't drive away. Instead, he sat in the car. Within this range, he could clearly hear what those people were discussing.

...

"I think it's unnecessary!"

Zhou Xia was currently holding a young woman's hand. "The sect leader has already been captured. Why must we still have Xiao Qing go and get close to Ye Chen again?"

"Ye Chen is very powerful. As long as Xiao Qing can capture his heart and make him work for us, our Yin-Yang Sect's resurgence is not a problem!"

An old man said sternly.

Hearing this from the street, Xu Mu immediately understood what was going on.

Last time, with his help, Ren Sangsang had captured a Yin-Yang Sect elder.

That elder must have revealed the hiding place of the Yin-Yang Sect.

The cleaner went to deal with the Yin Yang Sect, and these people happened to escape.

"I've looked into Ye Chen. He's not a good man. Rather than getting close to him, I think it's better to seize Xu Mu. Xu Mu is much easier to control than Ye Chen."

Zhou Xia's voice continued.

"What the hell?"

Xu Mu cursed silently in the car. Why does everyone think I'm an easy target?