Hu Xin coughed a few times, choking on her food after her mother's words.
"Y-You reached the 9th Stage already?!" she asked Apex, who acted as if it wasn't a big deal.
"Yeah. Yesterday when I left you two, I encountered some spiritual beasts and obtained their cores. Also, I made a Low Grade Pill with 67% purity, which helped me a lot," Apex deliberately lied about the pill part, but it wanted to spark their interest in rare materials and strike a deal.
"67%?! That's one of the best pills ever created in the Lower Realm! Only one person managed to achieve slightly above that, reaching 70%, and she was hailed as the goddess of alchemy!" Yu Xin exclaimed in awe at Apex's 67% purity pill. Apex continued eating, seemingly unfazed by the praise.
"But 67% was nothing special; I have made even higher purity pills before," Apex casually replied, taking another bite.
"Zhou Fan! If that's true, could you please make a pill for my daughter? I'll pay you in gold and any items you desire from the Black Pearl," Yu Xin proposed, trying to convince Apex to help her daughter's cultivation.
"Of course, Yu Xin! I'd do anything for you and Hu Xin! You just have to say the word! But you don't have to pay me," Apex responded, knowing Yu Xin's kind nature would fall for such a gesture.
"No, I can't accept that! It would bother me to take advantage of my disciple, especially when I can pay you for your work," Yu Xin declined, wanting to compensate Apex for his effort.
"Alright, but don't overpay me. Just give me the amount in items that are equivalent to my pill's price," Apex set his conditions for the deal.
"Thank you!" Yu Xin sincerely expressed her gratitude, wanting Apex's help to boost her daughter's progress.
"But before I make the pill, do you know anything about the Yang Family?" Apex inquired, hoping they might have additional information that wasn't in his database due to their connections with the Tang Family.
"I know a lot about the Tang Family. What specifically do you want to know?" Yu Xin wondered why Apex suddenly asked about the Tang Family.
"Anything you can tell me," Apex replied, waiting for any useful information.
"They are the 4th strongest family in the Lower Realm. Their head is the 4th strongest individual in the realm, and they have a lot of tension with the 3rd strongest family, the Han Family. Many people suspect a war might break out soon. Why do you ask? Are you interested in the marriage competition they are hosting?" Yu Xin provided some details, unaware of any marriage competition related to the Yang Family.
"Marriage competition?" Apex seemed surprised, not aware of such an event hosted by the Tang Family. However, the idea of joining and winning it appealed to him, as it could serve his plans to destroy both the Han and Tang Families.
"Yes, they announced it two months ago, and it's scheduled to take place at the arena by the end of this week. If you want to participate, you have to register by the end of today. Fortunately, it's open to participants aged 17 to 21," Yu Xin explained, unaware of the storm she just unleashed in Apex's mind.
"In that case, I must go after I make the pill for Hu Xin," Apex stated, his mind already set on joining the competition.
"Zhou Fan, why do you want to participate in this marriage competition? It will attract so much attention, and if you wish to keep a low profile about your talents, this might not be the best idea. Instead, have you considered marrying Hu Xin?" Yu Xin teased, but her daughter's reaction caught her off guard.
"M-Mother, why would you say such a thing! I-I don't have romantic feelings for Zhou Fan. I admire and respect him," Hu Xin blushed, turning away to compose herself. Yu Xin was astonished by her daughter's response since she had never shown such a side, even when other young masters pursued her.
Yu Xin grinned mischievously and spoke again, adding a hint of vulgarity to her words.
"Think about the beautiful and powerful children you two could have. So, what do you say, Zhou Fan?"
Hearing her mother's words, Hu Xin covered her face in embarrassment, sneaking glances to see how Apex would respond.
"I would be honored to marry someone as beautiful as Hu Xin, but it seems she doesn't have romantic feelings for me, so I must decline the offer," Apex said, bowing his head on the table. Hu Xin felt relieved that he declined, but deep down, she couldn't shake the strange emotions she was experiencing.
Yu Xin, on the other hand, was shocked beyond belief. To reject a marriage proposal from one of the most talented and beautiful women in the Lower Realm was unheard of. However, Apex declined because he believed Hu Xin didn't love him.
Yu Xin couldn't understand how Apex failed to notice or understand Hu Xin's expression just now, raising doubts about how he managed to survive until now.
"Well, if you say so, but if you ever change your mind, you have my 100% permission. Now, I'll leave you both alone, and I'll gather the materials for the pill," Yu Xin left the room, leaving Hu Xin and Apex alone. The room fell silent, with the only sound being Apex eating his food.
"How do you do it?" Hu Xin asked Apex, her voice tinged with sadness.
"Do what?" Apex replied, feigning ignorance as usual, although he always understood what she meant.
"How are you so talented? You've only been practicing alchemy for a few weeks, yet you already grasp it to a level where people could consider you the best. And your cultivation abilities seem effortless."
Apex finished his plate of food and took a few moments before responding.
"When I was born, life was good. My family loved me, and despite not being wealthy, we were content. But one day, cultivators attacked our home without reason and took me away. They forced me to compete against other children my age, around 12, and pushed us to comprehend cultivation at an extraordinary level. Failure meant death. I believe it was that life-and-death situation that awakened something within me, something dormant in everyone, but rarely explored unless you search for it with unwavering dedication."
Hu Xin was taken aback by Apex's fabricated backstory. The beginning had hints of his true human life memories, but Apex had distanced himself from them.
"I'm sorry. I had no idea you had such a difficult past," Hu Xin said, her eyes filled with pity for Apex.
"But the lesson from that story is that everyone possesses the potential for cultivation. However, only a few truly seek it out, often swayed by the beliefs and limitations imposed by other cultivators. If there were truly limits, there wouldn't be immortals in this world."
Hu Xin felt a click within her after hearing Apex's words.