Just as Senior Brother Lu reached out, intending to snatch the Foundation Establishment Pill from Wen Buhuo’s hand, a steady voice rang out and stopped him.

"Senior Brother Lu, you are a dignified Foundation Establishment cultivator; why are you bullying a Junior Brother of the Qi Condensation stage?"

Wen Buhuo looked up and saw Senior Brother Yu approaching. He was also a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and though his strength was not equal to Lu’s, his words carried a sense of righteousness. By now, a crowd of disciples had gathered in front of the Task Hall. Knowing it was unwise to go too far in plain sight, Lu pulled back his hand resentfully, spat out, "Just you wait!" and swept away in a fit of pique.

Wen Buhuo thanked Senior Brother Yu, who simply patted him on the shoulder, signaling him to be extra careful. With alarm bells ringing in his heart, Wen Buhuo took the Foundation Establishment Pill and prepared to return to his cave dwelling on his flying sword.

However, mid-flight, an intense sense of crisis suddenly struck! A flash of multi-colored light appeared ahead as Senior Brother Lu manifested in the air, blocking his path with a cruel grin. What made Wen Buhuo’s skin crawl even more was the middle-aged cultivator standing beside Lu—his aura was as deep as the abyss, clearly marking him as a formidable Core Formation Master!

"Wen Buhuo, today there is no escape for you!" Malice flickered in Lu’s eyes.

Sensing disaster, Wen Buhuo immediately turned to flee, but before a Core Formation cultivator, his Wind-Swaying Art was like a snail’s crawl. The sound of breaking air whistled in his ears as a ball of light appeared before him in an instant—it was the Core Formation Master!

"Young friend, why are you running?" The middle-aged cultivator smiled, but it was a smile that made Wen Buhuo’s blood run cold. "My disciple has business with you; why the rush to leave?"

Before the words had even faded, Senior Brother Lu launched a pre-calculated strike, hitting Wen Buhuo squarely in the back. With a muffled groan, Wen Buhuo plummeted like a broken kite, crashing heavily into the ground as blood welled from his mouth. Lu stepped forward, pinning him down with a foot. Intent on murder and robbery, Lu's eyes brimmed with lethal intent.

At this critical hair’s breadth, a sword light galloped from the distance, accompanied by a furious roar: "Lu Mingfan! Sect rules forbid the slaughter of fellow disciples!"

The newcomer was another Core Formation cultivator, Li Huayuan.

Seeing this, Lu Mingfan’s face darkened. He and Li Huayuan had always been at odds; they were well-known arch-rivals. He said coldly, "Li Huayuan, are you truly willing to stick your neck out for a mere Pseudo-Root disciple?"

Hearing this, a flash of hesitation crossed Li Huayuan’s eyes. He was currently at a critical juncture of breaking through the middle stage of Core Formation. If he fought Lu Mingfan now, regardless of the outcome, it might delay his cultivation. Weighing the pros and cons, his tone softened slightly: "Little Brother Wen, just give them the Foundation Establishment Pill."

Wen Buhuo, still pinned to the ground by Lu’s foot, gripped the life-saving pill tightly, his heart in a state of extreme struggle. Rage, humiliation, and despair intertwined, but he knew that in the face of such an absolute power gap, resistance would only bring a swifter death.

He took a deep breath, enduring the searing pain, and finally loosened his grip. The Foundation Establishment Pill was snatched away by Senior Brother Lu. Wen Buhuo felt a void in his heart, but at the very least, he had kept his life.

Having achieved his goal and unwilling to cause further trouble, Lu Mingfan let out a cold snort and led Senior Brother Lu away.

Wen Buhuo struggled to his feet. He showed no emotion, standing silently on the spot as he watched the two figures vanish into the horizon. Only after they had completely disappeared did he return dejectedly to his cave dwelling.

This encounter filled Wen Buhuo’s heart with fury and despair, but it also gave him a deeper understanding of the cruelty of the cultivation world. In this world where strength is sovereign, even fellow disciples cannot be fully trusted. He could only rely on himself; he had to become stronger to survive in this world of the "weak being prey to the strong."