Chapter 702: Idiot

"Ximen Qi, are you so certain that the Alchemy Conference Invitation Jade Pendant in my hand is definitely fake?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qingyu gave Ximen Qi a cold look.

Ximen Qi sneered, "Heh, do you even know how high the price of an Alchemy Conference Invitation Jade Pendant has been bid up to?"

"Even an Inner Sect Disciple with relatively abundant assets might not be able to afford one, even after exhausting all their resources."

"What's more, do you even have the connections for it?"

Zhou Qingyu fell silent for a moment upon hearing this.

If not for Wang Daniu accidentally meeting Yang Yuntian and making a deal with him.

She truly would have had no way to obtain this Alchemy Conference Invitation Jade Pendant.

But in this world, there are no "ifs"...

"Idiot."

She did not offer Ximen Qi a single word of explanation, merely sneering and spitting out those two words, concise and clear.

Ximen Qi's expression stiffened, his face turning unsightly. "Fine, very well, Zhou Qingyu. I hope you can still be this tough when you are forcibly expelled in a moment!"

A moment later.

Two figures walked quickly out of the Square, one after the other.

The person behind was none other than the verification personnel responsible for the entrance here.

In front of them was a middle-aged Cultivator at the Nascent Soul Early Stage.

The middle-aged Cultivator seemed to already know of the relationship between Ximen Qi and Yang Yuntian.

Upon arriving, he was full of humility and courtesy, cupping his hands toward Ximen Qi with a smile.

"I am the Alchemy Conference Order Superintendent for this event; greetings, Daoist Friend."

He was not a Cultivator of the Beast Taming Sect, but merely the Leader of a cultivation force within this Maple City.

He had been hired by Yang Yuntian to maintain order for the Pill Gathering.

Facing this Cultivator of the Beast Taming Sect who had close ties to Yang Yuntian, he dared not be the slightest bit negligent.

He kept his posture very low.

"I heard from my subordinate that you suspect someone is holding a forged Alchemy Conference Invitation Jade Pendant?"

"That's right."

Ximen Qi nodded, pointing his finger at Zhou Qingyu and Wang Jianqiang. "It is these two. I suspect their Alchemy Conference Invitation Jade Pendants are fake."

The middle-aged Cultivator turned to look at Zhou Qingyu and Wang Jianqiang.

Regarding Wang Jianqiang, this piece of trash at the "Qi Refining First Layer," he merely glanced at him casually without paying much attention.

Finally, his attention landed on Zhou Qingyu, his gaze pausing on the Sect Identity Token at her waist.

A flicker of caution flashed through his eyes.

"This Fairy, please take out your Alchemy Conference Identity Token. I need to inspect it once more; please forgive me."

Zhou Qingyu nodded, and with a wave of her hand, a jade pendant appeared before the middle-aged Cultivator.

The middle-aged Cultivator took the jade pendant and inspected it for a moment.

He couldn't help but look at Ximen Qi.

Seeing this, Ximen Qi hurriedly asked, "How is it? Is it fake?"

The middle-aged Cultivator shook his head. "Daoist Friend, this Alchemy Conference Invitation Jade Pendant is genuine."

"Genuine?"

"How is that possible?"

"You must have misread it."

Ximen Qi revealed an expression of disbelief.

Seeing this, the middle-aged Cultivator shook his head again. "I have already inspected it carefully; this jade is indeed genuine."

"If you still have doubts, Daoist Friend, you may go and invite the organizer of this Pill Gathering to confirm it personally."

Ximen Qi's expression faltered.

His family's relationship with Yang Yuntian's family was decent enough, that was true.

But he and Yang Yuntian had almost no interaction.

He had only obtained this spot for the Pill Gathering by using family connections to reach out to Yang Yuntian's family.

He, personally contact Yang Yuntian?

He would need to have the other party's contact information to do that.

Even if he could reach him, Yang Yuntian likely wouldn't necessarily pay him any mind.

While Ximen Qi's expression was unsightly.

The middle-aged Cultivator had already returned the jade pendant to Zhou Qingyu and cupped his hands in a bow to her. "This Fairy, I have offended you."

Zhou Qingyu nodded. "Now, can we go in?"

"Of course you can."

He nodded hurriedly.

Zhou Qingyu gave Ximen Qi a faint look and once again spat out two concise and clear words.

"Idiot."

Having said that, without waiting for Ximen Qi to react, she pulled Wang Jianqiang and walked into the Square.

The failure to target Zhou Qingyu already made Ximen Qi feel incredibly stifled.

The two words Zhou Qingyu left behind before departing made him feel as if he were about to explode.

He looked around.

The gazes of many people all around had already been drawn over.

At this moment.

Everyone's eyes fell upon him, their faces all wearing expressions of mockery.

This made him feel as if he had become a clown.

His face instantly burned with heat.

"Since you, Daoist Friend, have a close relationship with Daoist Friend Yang Yuntian, I assume you must have received a personal invitation from him, right?"

"Please tell me your name."

"I need to register it."

Just at this moment, a voice came over.

Ximen Qi snapped back to his senses, looked at the middle-aged Cultivator who had asked, and nodded.

He said in a deep voice, "My name is Ximen Qi."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged Cultivator checked the records.

He discovered that Ximen Qi was indeed invited by Yang Yuntian.

With a respectful expression, he nodded, "Your identity is correct, Daoist Friend; you may enter."

The surrounding gazes had already made Ximen Qi feel restless.

After hearing the middle-aged Cultivator's words, he pulled the woman beside him and hurried into the Square.

His appearance had a somewhat flustered and wretched air of fleeing.

……

When Wang Jianqiang and Zhou Qingyu walked into the Square.

They discovered that in the huge Square, a circle of tables and chairs was neatly arranged along the perimeter.

At this moment.

Many tables were already filled with people.

"Let's find a place to sit, too."

Zhou Qingyu said to Wang Jianqiang, then pulled him to sit down in an inconspicuous corner.

The table here was not large, just enough to accommodate two people sitting opposite each other.

After Wang Jianqiang and Zhou Qingyu sat down.

Two more figures, a man and a woman, walked in from outside the Square.

It was none other than Ximen Qi and his female companion.

Ximen Qi's gaze swept across the entire venue, and upon seeing Wang Jianqiang and Zhou Qingyu, his expression sank.

A coldness rose on his face.

He let out a cold snort.

He found a spot not far from the two of them and sat down.

This position was behind Wang Jianqiang.

He could clearly feel a gloomy gaze sweeping over him from time to time.

He smiled inwardly.

As if he had not noticed, he chatted casually with Zhou Qingyu.

As time passed.

The stream of people entering from outside the Square gradually disappeared.

The circle of tables in the Square was already completely filled with people.

A moment later.

Three figures suddenly flashed out from the air.

Everyone in the Square sensed it and looked up toward the sky.

Wang Jianqiang's expression stirred.

He recognized the person in the middle of the three.

It was Yang Yuntian.

As for the two people beside Yang Yuntian, he had never seen them before.

"It is Yang Yuntian and the other two top figures of the Inner Sect's alchemy path."

"They are the ones who founded this Maple City Pill Gathering."

Zhou Qingyu's voice reached Wang Jianqiang's ears.

After hearing Zhou Qingyu's explanation, he seemed to yearn for the abilities and deeds of the three, revealing an expression of admiration.

On the other side.

Under the gaze of many eyes.

Yang Yuntian's expression was calm as he stepped forward through the void.

His clear voice carried across the entire venue.

"It is a great honor for me, Yang, that you Daoist Friends could grace this Maple City Pill Gathering with your presence."

"Welcome, everyone."