"Zhou Hong, how did you do it? How did you think of using liquefied gas to refine pills?" Qiao Zhenhua asked Zhou Hong with great admiration after leaving the family hall.
"Heh, I just fiddled around with it in my spare time," Zhou Hong replied.
"You're too amazing. I never thought my long-lost biological son would be so capable." Qiao Zhenhua wiped away tears of joy.
Zhou Hong was speechless. It was a pity he couldn't say, "I'm not your biological son. Your biological son is a useless person, worse than an ordinary person." If Qiao Zhenhua knew the truth, he probably wouldn't be able to bear it.
Soon, Zhou Hong returned to their courtyard.
"How was it? What did the clan elders say?" Zhou Hong's biological mother, Liang Hongqin, asked anxiously.
"Hongqin, I have a huge piece of good news for you. Zhou Hong is a pill refiner!" Qiao Zhenhua said excitedly.
"How is that possible?" Liang Hongqin rolled her eyes at Qiao Zhenhua.
"Why would I lie to you? He's a pill refining genius. He tinkered with liquefied gas and actually refined a spiritual pill. He just refined one in front of the clan elders."
"Zhou Hong, is this true?" Liang Hongqin looked at Zhou Hong and asked.
"Yes, it's true."
Liang Hongqin immediately let out a cry of excitement. The couple hugged each other, their emotions overwhelming them. Zhou Hong felt speechless.
Just then, a voice called from outside the door, "Dad, Mom, I'm back."
Zhou Hong looked outside and saw that it was none other than his sister, Qiao Ying'er. However, behind Qiao Ying'er was another girl, who was extremely beautiful and had a natural air of defiance about her.
When Zhou Hong saw the girl, he was greatly surprised. He had had a brief encounter with this girl before. That's right, this girl was Huo Ling'er, the granddaughter of the Huo family patriarch. When Zhou Hong first came to the capital, he had been grandly hosted by the Huo family, and the patriarch had offered his granddaughter to Zhou Hong. However, Zhou Hong hadn't slept with her; instead, he had made her serve him.
Huo Ling'er was also surprised to see Zhou Hong at this moment, but she quickly regained her composure.
"Ying'er, you're back. This must be your classmate, Huo Ling'er." Zhou Hong's parents also quickly collected themselves and greeted Huo Ling'er.
"Hello, Uncle and Auntie." Huo Ling'er bowed respectfully to Qiao Zhenhua and Liang Hongqin.
"You're too kind. Ying'er has told us so much about you. It's wonderful to finally meet you. You truly are the most beautiful woman at the Kyoto Martial Cultivation Academy," Liang Hongqin said, holding Huo Ling'er's hand.
"Auntie, you flatter me. Ying'er is the truly beautiful one."
At this moment, Qiao Ying'er looked at Zhou Hong and said faintly, "Brother, welcome home."
"Thank you!" Zhou Hong nodded faintly in return.
"Ying'er, your brother came home today, why are you so indifferent?" Qiao Zhenhua seemed a little displeased.
"Dad, this is just my personality. How can I be enthusiastic?" Qiao Ying'er pouted. In reality, she didn't dislike Zhou Hong, but the sudden arrival of a biological brother meant that she, an adopted daughter, was naturally receiving less attention. She had already felt this before Zhou Hong returned, and it was even more apparent now. This slight imbalance in her feelings made her tone less warm.
"Ying'er, do you think because you are a top-ten genius on the Earth Ranking, you look down on your brother? Let me tell you, your brother has also stepped into the first stage of Martial Master. He can also enter the Earth Ranking, though just at the tail end."
"Oh, okay!" Qiao Ying'er nodded, a little surprised in her heart.
Huo Ling'er, standing beside them, was filled with confusion. No one knew Zhou Hong's strength better than she did. Months ago, he had killed an elder of her family when he first visited. Even her family patriarch was no match for Zhou Hong. How could his biological father now say that he had only reached the first stage of Martial Master? Zhou Hong's strength was likely far beyond Martial King, so how could he be just Martial Master?
However, Huo Ling'er didn't say anything. She was inwardly shocked. When she first met Zhou Hong, she thought he was an old man with excellent preservation techniques. She never expected him to be so young. To reach at least Martial King at such a young age, Zhou Hong's true talent would be enough to enter the Heaven Ranking. Thinking of this, Huo Ling'er couldn't help but tremble. The Heaven Ranking – only geniuses from the top five influential families had a chance to enter it. Huo Ling'er couldn't help but look up at Zhou Hong and found that Zhou Hong was also looking at her. Huo Ling'er quickly lowered her head, a blush creeping onto her face, recalling the time she had served Zhou Hong, and how he had eventually made her his.
"Ying'er, although you are a top-ten genius on the Earth Ranking and the most valued genius in the family right now, Zhou Hong's status in the family is not something you can compare to," Qiao Zhenhua said at this moment.
"What do you mean?" Qiao Ying'er looked confused.
"Your brother is a pill refiner," Qiao Zhenhua couldn't help but blurt it out. He had intended to keep it a secret, but he was a big talker.
"Impossible, how could that be?"
"That's enough. The clan elders have personally verified it. In short, Zhou Hong's current status in the family is such that not only you, but even the clan elders have to treat him with caution."
"Oh, okay!" Qiao Ying'er felt a sense of loss. She had thought that as an adopted daughter, she could at least surpass her biological brother in martial cultivation and have some standing. To her surprise, her parents' biological son turned out to be an extraordinary pill refiner.
Huo Ling'er beside them also changed her expression drastically. The meaning of a pill refiner to a family was self-evident.
"Don't spread this news around. After all, Zhou Hong's current strength is weak. If someone with ill intentions tries to harm him, it would be disastrous," Qiao Zhenhua quickly cautioned.
"Okay." Qiao Ying'er nodded. At this moment, she finally lowered her proud head.
Huo Ling'er also said, "Uncle and Auntie, don't worry. I won't say anything either. Congratulations on finding such a powerful biological son."
"Ling'er, you're too kind. Make yourself at home."
"Yes, yes!" Huo Ling'er nodded. She was thinking about something at this moment. If she hadn't been particularly interested in Zhou Hong the last time she met him, this time was entirely different. She had thought he was an old man with excellent preservation techniques or perhaps a middle-aged man. In that case, reaching such a level of cultivation wouldn't be as impressive. But this time, discovering that Zhou Hong was truly so young, and so powerful, and moreover, a pill refiner, made Huo Ling'er, a woman of great pride, look at Zhou Hong with a hint of admiration. There weren't many men in the capital who could inspire her admiration.
"Ying'er, from now on, I'm assigning you a task: to properly guide your brother's cultivation." Liang Hongqin suddenly said, perhaps wanting to help Zhou Hong and Qiao Ying'er build a better relationship. She seemed to have noticed that Zhou Hong and Ying'er's relationship wasn't very good.
However, Zhou Hong directly refused, "No need. I don't need anyone's guidance." Zhou Hong didn't have any bad feelings towards his sister, Qiao Ying'er, but he didn't have much fondness either. Furthermore, Zhou Hong truly didn't need her guidance.