Old Scoundrel looked at Qin Yi and slowly said, "Perhaps you're right, but I still can't let you leave. Your nature hasn't changed, and something will surely happen in the future."

"Whether something happens to me is none of your damn business. I mean, don't you have anything better to do? Why do you have to bother me?"

"Because you most resemble my disciple."

"But I'm not your disciple."

"Whether you are or not, I can't just stand by and watch something happen to you."

Qin Yi was completely speechless. This old geezer was as stubborn as a mule; no matter what he said, it was useless.

"Forget it, let me ask you, are my friends safe?"

"I don't know."

Qin Yi: "..."

"Hurry and let me out. I need to find my friends. They'll definitely be worried if they find out I've disappeared."

Old Scoundrel thought for a moment and said, "I can help you inquire about your friends' current situation."

Qin Yi really wanted to punch the old bastard to death, "Then hurry up, go quickly."

Old Scoundrel nodded slightly and then vanished in a flicker.

Qin Yi gritted his teeth in hatred. However, he forced himself to calm down; anger was the most useless thing. He needed to find a way to escape. This old man seemed to have some kind of mental issue; nothing he said made sense. Hoping for him to let go was impossible, so now he could only rely on himself.

Qin Yi ate while thinking of a way. Words were words, scolding was scolding, but Qin Yi would never mistreat his stomach.

However, after finishing the dishes and drinking all the wine, he still hadn't thought of a way.

Full and satisfied, he used his Divine Thought to scan the domain again. Although he had explored it countless times over the past few days, he had never found any flaw. But he remained undeterred; if he could discover a weakness, maybe he could escape.

In the end, Qin Yi still gave up. He had no idea how vast this domain was; his Divine Thought couldn't cover it.

"Cloud Mist Domain, Cloud Mist Domain..." Qin Yi sat by the pond, daydreaming, muttering to himself.

Cloud and mist were most afraid of fire. At the time, his Fire Phoenix could indeed refine clouds, but there was too much mist here, and the Fire Phoenix was powerless.

Array?

Qin Yi's eyes lit up. Ning Tian had once taught him a fire attribute array, the Nine Heavens Burning Array.

Whether it worked or not, he had to try.

Qin Yi stood up, forming seals with his hands, emitting streaks of purple light. Not only that, he began charging forward, intending not only to cover the entire domain with a great array but also to refine it.

Qin Yi dashed into the mist, continually forming seals, starting to form the array.

Before long, he saw the pond again.

Success.

Qin Yi quickly formed seals, gently lifting his hands.

"Nine Heavens Burning Array, activate."

Hmm?

Qin Yi's expression changed slightly because the array didn't activate.

Qin Yi increased his sealing speed several times, shouting sharply, "Nine Heavens Burning Array, activate."

Yet, there was still no response.

"Damn it..."

Qin Yi was furious. Where exactly did the issue arise?

Unyielding, he reset the array, once, twice... He tried forming the array five times, but not once did it succeed.

What the heck was going on?

"It's futile, every array point you've set moves, making it impossible to connect, so the array can't activate. In my domain, unless your cultivation far exceeds mine, all your methods are useless. Even if you manage to use them, their power will be greatly reduced."

Old Scoundrel's voice rang eerily around him.

Qin Yi almost exploded with anger. The old bastard had been watching him the whole time. He deliberately watched him fail at setting the array five times before speaking, clearly enjoying his embarrassment.

"Old bastard, you'd better not let me out. If one day my cultivation surpasses yours, I'll make you understand what it means to bloom with peach blossoms all over your face."

Old Scoundrel slowly replied, "I'll be waiting."

Qin Yi: "..."

"Damn..."

Qin Yi cursed incessantly. The past few days had accumulated as many profanities as he had used in his entire life.

It now seemed that to get out, his cultivation must surpass Old Scoundrel's. But the old geezer's cultivation was a mystery. He seemed to be at the Transcendance Tribulation Stage, but Qin Yi couldn't see through his specific level.

Qin Yi sat cross-legged by the pond.

"That's right; cultivating one's mind and body is what you need to do now."

Qin Yi shouted angrily, "Leave me alone."

He wasn't cultivating his body and mind; he was contemplating a way to escape.

But after thinking it over, to leave, his cultivation would have to exceed Old Scoundrel's. But that would require a lot of time, and there were many things he needed to do. If he waited until he surpassed Old Scoundrel, who knew how long that would take? Because Old Scoundrel was also progressing. By the time he got out, hundreds of years might have passed, and the vegetables would be long cold.

...

The following days, Qin Yi seemed to have resigned himself to fate.

Every day he sat cross-legged by the Lotus Pond to cultivate, which could be considered self-cultivation, lacking the domineering aura he once had, becoming gentle as jade, like a modest gentleman.

Qin Yi's appearance was very deceptive. Just a slight attention to his demeanor made him seem quite different.

This day, after lunch.

Qin Yi bent over in a slight bow, "Thank you, senior."

Old Scoundrel was slightly taken aback because it was the first time Qin Yi had thanked him in the past ten days or so.

After speaking, Qin Yi went to the Lotus Pond to cultivate.

This state continued for several days. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

That day, Old Scoundrel brought a meal.

Qin Yi stepped forward to take it, arranged the bowls and chopsticks, poured the wine, and bowed, "Senior, please sit."

Old Scoundrel nodded slightly, a hint of a smile in his eyes, "It seems your heart has finally settled down over these days."

Qin Yi smiled slightly. He was already handsome, and the smile was like a breath of spring, "That's thanks to you, senior. In recent days, I've reflected on the past. I was somewhat accomplished for my age, with talents and cultivation that surpassed others, making me arrogant and overbearing."

"Senior's advice is correct; it is best to maintain a low profile. I have offended too many people in the past, repeatedly experiencing life and death situations. It was totally unnecessary; without the initial hostility, why would trouble come my way? I believe, in dealing with others, one should plant more flowers and fewer thorns."

Old Scoundrel nodded approvingly, "It's great that you've come to realize this."

"It's not enough yet; my temperament hasn't fully settled. I still need time to comprehend." Qin Yi poured Old Scoundrel a cup of wine, casually asking, "Senior, how are my friends?"

Old Scoundrel said, "I sent someone to inquire. Your friends are safe; they've reached the Northern Central State. That place belongs to the Netherworld Hall, and even the Sword Sect can't do anything to them."

"Now I can feel relieved and focus on self-cultivation. Senior, I toast to you. Thank you for your guidance these days."

The two clinked cups and drank it all.

However, just as he put down the cup, Old Scoundrel's actions abruptly halted.

"Boom!"

An Iron Fist struck Old Scoundrel in the face, the terrifying force bursting out, with the sound of bones cracking, and Old Scoundrel's mouth skewed as he was sent flying.

Qin Yi raised his hand, emitting a streak of black light.

"Boom!"

The black light hit Old Scoundrel's waist, the sound of bones breaking clear in the ear, and without a doubt, several ribs were broken.