The Eternal Supreme
One of the Conferred Martial Emperors, Gu Feiyang, passed away in the Tiandang Mountains and was reincarnated 15 years later as Li Yunxiao of the State of Tianshui, embarking on a heaven-defying journey against the innumerable geniuses of the time. The nine levels of the Martial Art; the Divine Realms of the ten quarters. From then on, the whole world fell into chaos!
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Chapter 1: Awaken
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Li Yunxiao had been in a trance all this while. Every now and then, images flashed through his mind as if he had become someone else. He also went into a state of epilepsy from time to time; at times shouting, crying, laughing.
Even stranger was the fact that there was always a voice in his mind which seemed to be reciting a strange scripture. When he listened carefully, it seemed to be a cultivation technique, and his body always swayed involuntarily with the voice. The more epileptic he became, the more fragments appeared in his mind, and the more complete they became.
Finally, he passed out from the torture one day. But when he woke up, all the fragments were joined together in their entirety and appeared in his mind clearly. Li Yunxiao's eyes were as clear as the stars of eternity: he had finally awakened.
"I can't believe I was reborn!" Li Yunxiao's eyes lit up as he turned his head slightly to look out of the window at the tall statue that rose to the top of the cloud. "Year 1033 of the Heavenly Martial Calendar… I, Gu Feiyang, have been dead for fifteen years?"
Fifteen years ago, Gu Feiyang—the Vanquisher Martial Sovereign—one of the top ten Conferred Martial Sovereigns of the Heavenly Martial Realm, accidentally passed away in the Tiandang Mountains, shaking the entire continent! Since then, there had been an undercurrent of tension surging among the major powers, and the conflicts had been intensified. The Heavenly Martial Continent, which had been calm for hundreds of years, was once again in turbulence.
"Heh," Li Yunxiao grinned and sighed softly, "I can't believe I've been born again after fifteen years…I, Gu Feiyang, am back at last."
"Li Yunxiao!" Suddenly a cold shout of rebuke rang out.
Whoosh!
A sharp noise broke through the air as Li Yunxiao looked up and saw a piece of chalk flying toward him, about to hit him in the face.
He casually caught the chalk between his fingers and put it on the table. Then, he looked calmly at Luo Yunshang, the class teacher, whose face was getting cold on the podium.
It was the nth time that Li Yunxiao's mind had wandered in the class, so she'd be surprised if he wasn't distracted. But, Luo Yunshang was obviously in a bad mood today, so she needed someone to vent her depression on.
And Li Yunxiao, the recognized loser, was certainly the best candidate. For a long time, it seemed to be a habit for all the teachers who were in a bad mood to pick on him. Whenever a teacher got upset, everyone knew that Li Yunxiao was going to be in trouble.
Everyone began to snicker and gloat excitedly, all looking forward to watching the show; a few students even started to make noises.
Li Yunxiao squinted at Luo Yunshang and thought, 'She has got a great body, long hair, and a pretty face. If she were to wear a red gown, silver horn boots, a blue cloak, and the Frosty Sorrow, I bet she would look exactly like Red Lotus Martial Sovereign…Hehe, she's got a lot of potential for wearing costumes. I wonder if Red Lotus would kill me if she knew what I was thinking…'
Luo Yunshang's heart gave a jerk. Li Yunxiao's eyes seemed to flicker with a smile, and that made her shudder inexplicably. It was like a tame rabbit had suddenly been spotted by a tiger. A momentary sense of powerlessness made her feel like falling into an ice cellar.
'What was that? The boy's eyes…Was he laughing? No way! I am a great martial master of the Four Quadrants realm! How could I be distracted by the glance of a common boy? It must be because I've been stuck in that problem lately that I'm a bit unsettled.'
The look of horror in her eyes flashed away, and she soon recovered from the momentary loss of composure. Her face darkened, and a sneer flickered around her lips. "Li Yunxiao, we were talking about the crafting of weapons. Can you tell us how many methods common weapons are made with?"
Luo Yunshang was teaching the basic course on crafting weapons. Although only a handful of people could become alchemists, the most basic knowledge of weapon crafting was what every warrior must know.
'The crafting of weapons? Ha! I'm a ninth-tier emperor-grade alchemist of the Heavenly Martial Continent! Who in the world but those few undying old fogies would dare to speak of the methods of weapon crafting in front of me?'
Li Yunxiao said carelessly, "There are forty-eight methods of crafting common weapons."
"Forty-eight?" The classroom suddenly fell silent before bursting into laughter!
"Haha! This fella must be talking in his sleep."
"I told you so! If I had only looked at his composure, I would have thought he really knew the answer!"
"Tsk! If he knew the right answer, I would have been a state guard!"
Li Yunxiao frowned as his glance fell on the textbook in front of him. He flipped open it and immediately saw a sentence: "There are thirty-six methods of crafting common weapons, which are…"
When he closed the book, he saw a row of large words on the cover page: "Basic Artifact Crafting", and beneath it was a clear row of smaller words: "By Yang Di".
'Didn't I tell him there are forty-eight common methods? That brat actually turned a deaf ear to my words? He'll never have to come to my lecture again.'
He had sentenced the author of the textbook to death in an instant. Yang Di would have cried himself to death if he had known this.
Yunxiao paid no mind to all the mockery. "There are thirty-six orthodox crafting methods," he said in a calm tone. "But sixty years ago, Gu Feiyang had invented twelve technical crafting methods, which have been recognized by the Association of Alchemists and listed as basic crafting methods. So, there should be forty-eight."
"Tsk! What nonsense is this brat talking about? Does he know more than Lord Yang Di?"
"Haha! He must be afraid of being punished, so he has started talking nonsense."
"Precisely! How could Lord Yang Di, a student of Lord Gu Feiyang, not know how many basic crafting methods there are?"
The whole classroom was filled with mockery, but a sudden shout silenced everyone.
"Shut up! He's right!"
Yunshang slapped the table, causing a gust of strong wind to spread out in all directions. Everyone felt an overbearing force come pushing at them, and their faces fell in horror. Some of the students near the podium were as pale as paper, as if on the point of coughing blood.
Yunxiao smiled inwardly as he felt the wind. 'Tier two-stars of the Four Quadrants Realm…She sure has a gift! And her soul seems to be very strong. I reckon she's at least a senior apprentice alchemist.' He was a little surprised. He had known Luo Yunshang to be very formidable, but he had never expected her to be at such a high level.
Martial warriors were divided into nine levels: The Origin Realm (Warrior), the Two Forces Realm (Martial Master), the Three Powers Realm (Great Martial Master), the Four Quadrants Realm (Martial Lord), the Five Elements Realm (Martial King), the Six Directions Realm (Martial Grandmaster), the Seven Constellations Realm (Martial Emperor), the Eight Desolation Realm (Martial Supreme), and the Nine Heavens Realm (Martial Sovereign). Each level was divided into nine tiers, from one star to nine stars. As soon as one reached the peak of the Nine Heavens Realm, one would be granted a title by the Holy City, becoming a Conferred Martial Sovereign.
Yunshang stared coldly at Li Yunxiao as a hint of surprise flashed through her mind. Then, she glanced at the crowd and began to explain slowly.
"There have always been thirty-six basic crafting methods. Sixty years ago, Lord Gu Feiyang, with his unparalleled talent, had invented twelve additional methods, which were recognized by the Association of Alchemists. It's just that these twelve methods are completely beyond the grasp of the average person, so Lord Yang Di didn't include them when he wrote this textbook."
All the students were astonished and looked incredulous as they fixed their eyes on Li Yunxiao, who appeared to be perfectly calm. It was like the student at the bottom of the class had suddenly solved a problem that even the top students could not.
Even Yunshang was surprised. It was no secret to the alchemists that there were forty-eight basic crafting methods, but it was very rare for an apprentice martial warrior to know this.
A thought suddenly came to her mind. 'They say this Li Yunxiao is illiterate in martial arts…Could it be that he has a gift in the crafting of weapons, which is why he has gathered a lot of information to learn by himself?' The idea set her heart racing. If she could train an alchemist, it was worth more than a warrior!
'Let me test him again!'
Yunshang looked up and saw that Li Yunxiao was looking at her with a hint of smile in his eyes, which gave her a feeling as if a teacher were looking at his disciple. That made anger rise in her. With a cold grin, she said, "Don't think you can skip class just because you've learned something esoteric. I'll ask you one more question. If you can answer that, you can skip the rest of my class and I'll pass you with a full mark. But if you can't answer that…you will stay in the tenfold gravity chamber for six hours!
"Tell me why we need to add Sky Crystal Sand when making weapons?"
"Stay in the tenfold gravity chamber for six hours? That's too harsh!"
"Haha! Don't you see that Teacher Nalan is in a bad mood today? The brat has brought himself into the storm."
"Well, he deserved it. Look at his face…it looks like it needs some slaps. How I wish I could step on him a few times!"
"Wow, did you hear that? That's a tough question. Everybody knows that Sky Crystal Sand needs to be added when crafting weapons, and there's no reason why!"
"Yeah, it's like asking you why one plus one equals two. Haha! It seems that Teacher Nalan is trying to embarrass Li Yunxiao."
"Stay in the tenfold gravity chamber for six hours?" Li Yunxiao shook his head slightly, feeling a little helpless. If it were before, he would not feel anything even with a thousand-fold gravitational force. But ten times the force of gravity was a bit too much for his current body.
His helpless expression was quickly interpreted by Yunshang as fear, which made her completely erase the admiration she had just expressed for him, and she could not help but look down on him. 'He is indeed illiterate in martial arts. He has not changed at all.'
Moreover, she immediately regretted it as soon as the question left her mouth. She felt a vague sense of guilt and remorse for playing such a trick on her student. After all, he had just answered a basic question very well, at least showing a studious side which was different from the past. Would she hurt his confidence and self-esteem by doing this? Would she strangle a flower that was going to turn over a new leaf?
As her mind wandered, Li Yunxiao answered almost thoughtlessly.
"In fact, the crafting of weapons does not necessarily require Sky Crystal Sand, but it is not easy for the ordinary alchemists to master the degree of fusion between materials during the refining process after quenching. So, they need to use it, which has a neutralization property, to play a moderating role."
There was an eerie silence when he had finished. Everyone looked at each other because they could not understand what he was saying.
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Chapter 2: In The Classroom
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The students looked at each other in astonishment. What Li Yunxiao had said was completely beyond the scope of the textbook.
But, Luo Yunshang heard it all clearly!
Her pupils constricted as she blurted out, "If that is the case, the more sky crystal sand you add in the process of crafting weapons, the better. But, why is it that during the melting of carmot mixed with red copper, the more sky crystal sand is added, the more likely it is to fail?"
This was the problem that had puzzled her for days, and she could not find a solution no matter how hard she racked her brain. That was why she had been depressed these days. Now that she had blurted out the problem in her heart, she did not look like she was testing Yunxiao, but someone who was seeking advice.
The whole class looked at her with their mouths wide open. Why did she look so different from the learned, frosty, proud Teacher Luo they remembered?
Yunxiao answered patiently with the same carefree expression, "Because even though red copper's attribute is metal, it is actually inclined more toward the fire element. So, it has a great melting ability for carmot. As a result, many alchemists prefer carmot when upgrading red copper weapons. But, if it contains sky crystal sand, it's a different story."
He paused for a brief moment, and when he saw the look on Yunshang's face—the thirst for knowledge—he smiled and could not help remembering the disciples who had followed him. "Because the attribute of sky crystal sand is water, it neutralizes red copper's fire attribute. So, the more you add, the worse red copper's ability to melt carmot gets."
"Oh, I see!" Yunshang's eyes gleamed with excitement. "So that's why! No wonder I never succeeded. What should I do?"
"Very simple! Treat sky crystal sand as an impurity and use the refinement essence to remove it," Yunxiao said with a hint of a smile in his eyes.
"Ah!" Yunshang exclaimed again, "How could I be so stupid as to not think of such a simple solution!"
She began to calculate quickly in her mind; the process of crafting flashed through her head and finally came to an end. Her eyes suddenly brightened and her face glowed with a happy smile.
"Huh? Where's Li Yunxiao?"
She felt a surge of gratitude in her heart, but at the same time, she was greatly shocked—how could a wastrel who had been regarded as not having any talent in martial arts be even more knowledgeable in the art of weapon crafting than her, a genuine advanced apprentice alchemist?
With such an amazing weapon-crafting talent, his future was far brighter than practicing martial arts. Could a student like this be even considered a loser?
Li Yunxiao's past flashed through her mind as she blamed herself inwardly for failing to discover such an outstanding talent of her student, even though she was his teacher.
"He…he just left the classroom…" One student said obediently. The way he looked at Luo Yunshang had become unusually strange.
"What?" Yunshang arched her eyebrows and said angrily, "How could he ignore me and sneak away while we are in the middle of class?"
The student hastily withdrew his gaze and said weakly, "Didn't you say that if he can answer your question, he can skip the rest of your class? If I were him, I would go too."
"Bam!"
Yunshang slapped her palm on the lectern made of black iron, leaving a palm print on its surface while shocking the class. Everyone held their breath and dared not to make a sound. "Which one of you heard me say that?"
Her watery eyes swept across the students. Those glanced at by her were trembling and shaking their heads hurriedly, their faces turned pale. "No, you didn't say that! We were wrong! Teacher Luo never said that!"
Yunshang snorted coldly and said, "Class is over! Tell Li Yunxiao that if I don't see him in the next class, I'll send him to the tenfold gravity chamber for three days!"
"Three days!"
Everyone sucked in a cold breath as they watched Luo Yunshang kick open the classroom door and head for the Alchemy Hall like a gust of wind.
"Hey, can someone tell me what is going on?" Du Feng was the first to speak. He rose directly from his seat and went to a tall student. "Boss, what's going on?"
The tall student, Lan Fei, seemed to be the leader of a group of students, as he was soon surrounded by a crowd. "How would I know?" he said with a snort. "It seems that this brat Li Yunxiao knows a lot about weapon crafting."
"No way!" Shangguan Qing's eyes grew wide as he cried out, "Could he, a brat who has no talent in martial arts, actually be a genius in weapon crafting? What shall we do?"
"Pa!"
Lan Fei smacked him on the head with a textbook and said sulkily, "What genius? He has just read a few more books! To become an alchemist requires a lot more talent than a warrior. How can he walk the path of weapon-crafting when he can't even open a single chakra?"
"The boss is right!" The crowd echoed in agreement, their eyes sparkling with different looks.
Lan Fei pushed Shangguan Qing aside with one hand and saw several other people gathering at the other end of the classroom, whispering to each other. He sneered and said aloud, "No one is to tell Li Yunxiao what Teacher Luo said just now. If he attends the next class… hmph!"
His loud snort immediately made the others turn pale with fright, and when they saw him staring at them coldly, they all bowed their heads in anger.
He went on triumphantly, "Skinny Chen, Fatty Han, and you girls including Ruxue, you better not ruin this for me! If Li Yunxiao attends the next class, I'll be the first to settle the score with you!"
These few students were those usually close to Li Yunxiao, and could be said to be the opposite force to Lan Fei and his friends.
Qin Ruxue's face went cold as she clenched her palm into a fist and said angrily, "I'm going to tell him. What can you do to me? I dare you to lay a finger on me right now!"
Whoosh!
Lan Fei flew into a rage. He rose from his seat and strode up to the podium, then struck the black iron with a punch. With that, a shallow fist print appeared on the lectern.
"A mark on the black iron! Could it be that Lan Fei has opened seven chakras and condensed Yuan energy?"
"How is this even possible? If a man's seven chakras are all opened, he can step into the Origin Realm and be called a warrior! He is only fifteen years old!"
"Even if he hasn't opened them all, I reckon he's almost there. A fifteen-year-old warrior…Another genius has appeared in the State of Tianshui!"
The classroom was filled with emotional voices while dozens of gazes thrown over were full of envy, jealousy, and hate. This gave Lan Fei an air of superiority as he proudly pointed at Ruxue and said, "Although you are a princess, given my extraordinary talent, His Majesty would not blame me for bullying you once in a while."
Ruxue's face was pale with anger. She was about to rush up and beat Lan Fei when Chen Zhen and Han Bai held her back. Both of them were Yunxiao's hardcore supporters.
"Princess, we are weak now," Han Bai whispered, "so we better not start a fight with them."
More than sixty students in this class were the children of Tianshui dignitaries or loyal ministers, and they were naturally divided into two groups according to the factions of the ruling and opposition parties. The children of civil ministers, led by Lan Fei and Shangguan Qing, belonged to one group, while the children of military officials, led by Li Yunxiao, Han Bai, and others, belonged to another.
As the princess had always held the arrogance of Lan Fei and his people in detestation, she naturally sided with Li Yunxiao and the others.
While the classroom was in commotion, Li Yunxiao was already walking alone down the street in Tianshui's capital.
After his memories had awakened, his soul had begun to slowly regain its strength. The first to benefit was the strength of his divine sense. He examined his body quickly and carefully.
"This body is a bit troublesome. No wonder I was regarded as not having any talent in martial arts. Many invisible meridians have dried up, so they can't accumulate strength at all. Naturally, I can't open my chakras. I have to fix this body first…It looks like I won't be able to recover my strength anytime soon."
He looked up at the towering building looming ahead and strode toward it. "This is the capital of the state of Tianshui… I remember Yang Di is from here. I wonder if he's at the Association of Alchemists? All would be well if I could find him."
The Association of Alchemists was a presence with its influence spread throughout the Heavenly Martial Continent. Wherever it was, it enjoyed the highest esteem, and the Alchemists Tower was surely the tallest building in the area.
Yunxiao looked up at the Association of Alchemists. Although the tower was far inferior to those he had been in, it gave him a feeling of the utmost familiarity.
A few words were carved on an old stone slab in front of the tower: "Association of Alchemists, Tianshui Branch, The Year 1001 of Tianwu Calendar, Yang Di".
"This stone slab was rebuilt in the year 1001 of Tianwu Calendar? The year 1001? Oh right, it seems that this is the year that Yang Di was promoted to third-tier alchemist and became the president of the Tianshui branch. I wonder if he's still here."
Yunxiao had lived in the state of Tianshui for fifteen years, but the branch president of the Association of Alchemists was not the kind of person he could reach. In fact, the highest level alchemist he knew was called Liang Wenyu, a second-tier alchemist.
There was no guard outside the tower, because no one dared to stir up trouble here, and the hidden power inside was enough to make this secluded Association of Alchemists one of the safest places in Tianshui.
He pushed the door open and walked in. The spacious hall inside was much larger than it looked from the outside. The noisy crowd made the interior of the tower extremely lively, which gave him a feeling as if he had suddenly stepped into a bustling market from a quiet countryside.
"Welcome to the Association of Alchemists!"
A melodious voice came into his ears, and then he saw a beautiful woman in a fashionable dress smiling sweetly at him. "What can I do for you, my dear little sir?"
She was a waitress that every Association of Alchemists had, specializing in receiving guests. In the past, whenever he visited the association, the waitresses always greeted him respectfully with bowed heads. He had not seen such a casual, gentle greeting in years.
Yunxiao smiled faintly and said, "Little sir?"
The waitress, whose name was Lu Yao, smiled sweetly and said, "You are the youngest guest I have ever received! May I help you?" Although she had a beautiful smile on her face, she was paying extra attention to Yunxiao on the inside.
Usually, people who came to the Alchemists Tower for the first time were nervous and excited, while children were even more cautious, hiding beside adults to watch. No one had ever looked around the hall as soon as they stepped inside like Li Yunxiao, with a calm and relaxed air. It was clearly the behavior of someone who was accustomed to major scenes.
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Chapter 3: The Association of Alchemists
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
After working as a waitress at the Alchemists' Association for several years, Lu Yao had not only met a lot of people in the upper classes, but had also trained herself a pair of discerning eyes. She immediately gave Li Yunxiao a high appraisal, but was still surprised by the help he needed next.
"I'm looking for Yang Di. Is he here?" Yunxiao asked faintly, his eyes still wandering about the hall.
"Yang…Lord Yang Di?!"
Lu Yao almost bit her tongue. She stared at the young man for a moment. Although she felt ridiculous, Yunxiao's indifference made her feel that he was indeed sincere.
It made her a little confused. "You mean the former president, Lord Yang Di?" she asked carefully.
Yunxiao frowned slightly and said disappointingly, "Former president? So, he's gone?"
A flash of reverence instantly rose into Lu Yao's eyes. She put her palms in front of her chest, her cheeks flushed as she said with a look of longing, "Lord Yang Di had made a breakthrough and become a fourth-tier Alchemist twenty years ago, so he was transferred to the headquarters of the Alchemists' Association."
"Twenty years ago?"
Yunxiao did some counting in his mind. That should have happened five years before his accident, and Yang Di should be long gone from here. Without Yang Di's help, it would be more difficult for him to open up the dried-up invisible meridians. His present body was fifteen years old, and had missed the best time for cultivation, so he could not afford to delay any longer. Otherwise, even if he did catch up later, it would be impossible for him to regain Gu Feiyang's peak strength, let alone take it one step further.
His previous life, Gu Feiyang, was revered as the genius of both the martial arts and alchemy on the Heavenly Martial Continent! He was not only a ninth-tier sovereign-grade alchemist, one of the seven elders of the Alchemists' Association, his achievements in martial arts also stood at the pinnacle of the Nine Heavens Realm. Because of that, he was conferred the title of 'Vanquisher Martial Sovereign' by the Holy City, and ranked among the top ten experts in the Heavenly Martial Realm.
"I have a list of herbs here. Can you help me find them? I need ten batches of all the herbs."
Yunxiao quickly took a pen and paper and wrote down a list of herbs. Now that Yang Di was gone, he would have to find a way to heal his internal injury. He could not afford to delay practicing martial arts even for a moment!
Lu Yao took the list and went over it, then suddenly burst into laughter. "Little sir, you can't have made a mistake on this list, can you? I've been in the Alchemists' Association for three or four years, but have never heard of anything you've written here."
Her words immediately worried Yunxiao. He was to concoct a potion to cleanse his meridians. Considering that this place was only a small branch after all and many materials might not be available, he had written down alternate materials instead of some rare herbs. But, he was still disappointed.
"Lu Yao, what are you doing?"
At that very moment, a man in a black robe came over. His robe was typical of an alchemist's, and he had a curved badge hung over his shoulder, with a bright, glaring blood-red mark streaked across its surface. Everyone who saw him stopped and saluted him with respect on their faces. His expression was calm as he walked over leisurely. If one looked closely, one would find that people's glances were rested on the badge on his shoulder, full of admiration and envy. As for the man, no one was interested in him.
Yunxiao narrowed his eyes and smiled. It was the badge of a first-tier alchemist, a symbol of status. With this badge, the wearer would be highly regarded wherever he went throughout the Heavenly Martial Continent. The hierarchy of alchemists was the same as that of warriors—they were also divided into nine tiers and shared the same titles. Clearly, the man was a first-tier alchemist.
Li Yunxiao's previous life, Gu Feiyang, was the almighty expert of all time who had stepped into the Sovereign Realm in both martial arts and alchemy!
Lu Yao turned around and glanced over the red alchemist's badge. Then, she said respectfully after a moment of awe, "Lord Jia Rong, this little sir has made a list and asked me to help him collect the materials."
Jia Rong took the list and glanced at it. A moment later, he frowned slightly, then crumpled it up like a scrap of paper and threw it away. Next, he said to Lu Yao, "What nonsense is this! Lord Liang is looking for you."
Lu Yao was startled when she heard that Liang Wenyu was looking for her. Not daring to delay, she said hastily, "I'll go now!"
She hurried away without saying another word, and suddenly was relieved. 'Even Lord Jia Rong doesn't know those things on the list. It looks like this kid is just fooling around. It's ridiculous that I wasted so much time on him!'
Yunxiao's face darkened. In his previous life, the prescriptions he wrote were priceless, and any one of them could be sold for a high price. And yet, it was thrown away like a scrap of paper now. He immediately said in a chilly voice, "You are Jia Rong?"
Jia Rong paused slightly, and an angry look flashed across his face. 'How dare a brat call me by my name! Even the dignitaries of the capital would call me 'my lord' when they see me!'
"It hasn't been seven days since you were promoted to a first-tier alchemist, right?" Yunxiao held his left hand to his chest and touched the bridge of his nose with his right.
'Hmph, whose boy is this?' Jia Rong looked down at him and said proudly, "I just got promoted to a first-tier alchemist five days ago. That's what everybody knows."
"Are you sure you really got promoted to a first-tier alchemist?" Yunxiao said meaningfully.
Jia Rong's body trembled slightly as a hint of shock flickered in his eyes. "What do you mean?" he asked in a deep voice.
Yunxiao glanced at his right hand, which was out of his black robe, and began to explain with a smile in his eyes.
"Your fingers have taken on a dark gray hue and are showing signs of peeling, apparently because you've been exposed to Hell Wind Stone recently. Moreover, you emit a faint smell of Blood Flame Orchid, which I reckon you've used to offset the aftereffect of the stone. Although the Hell Wind Stone has a very strong fusion property, its side effects cannot be ignored. It's something common alchemists wouldn't dare to use."
"Judging from the degree of damage to your fingers and the smell of Blood Flame Orchid, it must have happened in the last seven days. And, you also have a faint odor, which is the unique smell of Tiger Sulfur Stone. That tells me you've been exposed to a lot of it lately. It is clear, then, that your alchemist examination was to forge a weapon with Tiger Sulfur Stone as the main material."
Jia Rong was completely struck dumb as beads of cold sweat trickled down his forehead. Suddenly, he burst into a rage and shouted, "What nonsense!" When he had finished, he turned and left.
Yunxiao smiled and sighed, "Well, if Hell Wind Stone is so useful, then anyone can be an alchemist. Besides, the side effects of Blood Flame Orchid are no less severe than those of the Hell Wind Stone. I'm sure you feel extremely uncomfortable at the acupoints near your forehead, the back of your neck, and your back at noon every day, right?"
Jia Rong's body twitched as if he was electrocuted, and he could no longer take another step as if his feet were filled with a million tons of cement.
Yunxiao shook his head with a sad look on his face. "What a pity for a talented alchemist! If you want to save your life, you'll have to chop off your right hand and destroy your dantian."
"You…Stop scaremongering!" Jia Rong began to shake violently.
"Forget it then. I was going to teach you a solution." Yunxiao threw up his hands helplessly and turned to leave.
"You have a solution!"
Jia Rong sprung to his feet as if he had been electrocuted, then lunged at Yunxiao and stopped him from leaving as he cried out, "Tell me now!"
In the last few days, he had been suffering from the very kind of pain Yunxiao described. That day, he had used the Hell Wind Stone, which was explicitly prohibited, in order to be promoted to an alchemist. But, he did not expect the side effects to come to him that night. He began to lose feeling in his right hand, which scared him out of his wits. He could not find a way to solve it even after reading through a large number of classic texts, and only found the method of neutralizing the toxin with the Blood Flame Orchid in an ancient book.
But, the Blood Flame Orchid had only slightly alleviated the toxicity of the stone, and his right hand was still gradually losing its vitality. Worst of all, the toxin of the Blood Flame Orchid began to break out; every day at noon, his three acupoints burned like fire, washing him with excruciating pain!
If this situation continued, he was about to face the consequence of having his dantian destroyed and all his cultivation base gone! He could still accept the fact of having his dantian destroyed, because that only meant he could no longer practice martial arts. However, if his right hand was crippled, so was his path of an alchemist! It was unacceptable to him in any case, especially so after he was promoted to a first-tier alchemist.
He had enjoyed the honor of the status, as well as the awe and envy of others, which made him cling to his present status of an alchemist even more!
"Please tell me how to solve it! I beg you!" Jia Rong grabbed Yunxiao by the shoulder with his left hand, shivering and almost crying.
There were still a lot of people coming and going in the hall, and they all looked at them in amazement. Although they could not hear their conversation in the distance, Jia Rong's exaggerated behavior and his crying face still managed to attract many glances, causing the crowd to speculate about the young man's identity.
Yunxiao spread his hands and said in a feign surprise, "Hey, where's my list of materials? Where's it? Have you seen it?"
Jia Rong was stunned for a moment and immediately turned his head to the scrap of paper he had crumpled up. Of course, he understood what Yunxiao meant, so he hurriedly said, "There it is! Please wait a moment, I'll get it for you!"
Ignoring the startled glances, he trotted over and bent down to pick up the paper. All kinds of astonishing remarks came drifting into his ears. Jia Rong blushed with shame at once, wishing there was a hole in the ground that he could hide in.
'Let me get the solution first, and then I'll surely pay him back for this humiliation!'
He gritted his teeth with hatred and his eyes flashed with resentment. But, he still pretended to be calm on the surface. He unfolded the paper carefully and handed it to Yunxiao.
Yunxiao took the paper carelessly and blew his nose on it a few times, then crumpled it into a ball and threw it away. "I want ten batches of every item on the list, and when you've gotten them all, come to see me at Jialan Academy. My name is Li Yunxiao."
"You!" Jia Rong felt a cramp in his stomach and a shiver of anger as he looked at the crumpled list on the ground in the distance, with slimy snot on it.
Yunxiao stared at him with a sneer. "Respect is not given by others, you have to earn it yourself. And, you had lost my respect right from the beginning!"
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Chapter 4: Front Gate
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
A killing intent flashed across Yunxiao's face as his soft voice rang in Jia Rong's ears, "You better not hold a grudge against me. Few people who were unkind to me still live in this world. I don't want you to get your life back only to lose it later on."
"By the way, your right hand will probably last only three more days. If you don't find the things I want in three days, it will be completely dead. Unless you can find yourself a ninth-tier Alchemy Sovereign, you will never be able to craft again in your life."
Yunxiao's voice was soft, but it filled Jia Rong with fright, making him shiver violently. He mustered his courage and asked almost hysterically, "Three days? I haven't even heard of most of these ingredients! And how do I know you're not lying to me?"
With a faint smile, Yunxiao said, "You are a clever man, and I'm sure you'll find a way. Concoct a potion with the leaves of White Crescent Bamboos and Grey World Ginseng, and consume it every morning, noon, and evening. It can alleviate the pain of your three acupoints and also allow your right hand to live for two more days…But, only two days. If you still can't gather enough ingredients in five days, you don't have to come to me. Good luck!"
Jia Rong pondered over the two herbs in his mind, and when he looked up, he found that Yunxiao had disappeared. His face darkened instantly, and he felt no pain at all even when his left fingers had pinched into his flesh.
'He is but an ordinary lad, neither a warrior nor an alchemist. Yet, why have I felt a shivering fear before him!' Jia Rong was immediately ashamed and indignant as he growled inwardly. 'I'll let you run wild for a few more days. When I get the solution, I will certainly tear you to pieces! Jialan Academy, Li Yunxiao!'
He made his way toward the snot-stained piece of paper, ashamed and resentful. Under the astonished glances of the others, he picked it up with a flushed face, then wrapped it in a cloth he pulled out from somewhere and put it in his bag of holding.
The surrounding crowd lowered their heads because they all felt the anger and murderous intent emanating from his body. Some were so frightened that they scattered about, not daring to look at him again.
…
Inside a luxurious office on the third floor of the Alchemists' Tower…
"Here are the ten catties of Spirit Crane roots and White Phoenix Dragon Lotus that Prime Minister Lan Hong requested. They are very precious. Take them immediately to the Prime Minister's estate and hand them over to him personally," Liang Wenyu cautiously told Lu Yao.
"Spirit Crane roots? White Phoenix Dragon Lotus?" Lu Yao froze for a moment and murmured, "So these two things do exist?"
"What's the matter? What are you muttering about?" Liang Wenyu asked, frowning.
Lu Yao hurriedly came back to her senses. "I beg your pardon, Lord Liang! I was distracted… Just now, a teenager gave me a list of materials and asked me to find them for him, but I didn't know any of the things. I thought he was just messing around with me. Among them were Spirit Crane roots and White Phoenix Dragon Lotus."
"A teenager?"
Liang Wenyu was lost in thought momentarily. "These two herbs are used to improve the strength of warriors…Where is the list now?"
"I gave it to Lord Jia Rong when he asked me to come up here, and he had returned it to the teenager," Lu Yao replied carefully.
"Oh," Liang Wenyu was slightly disappointed. "Do you remember what else was on the list?"
Lu Yao tried her best to recall. "Ink Feather Ghost Flower, Nether Fruit, Vacuum Nectar, Shiva Flower, Fairy Bud…"
As she read out the materials on the list one by one, Liang Wenyu's expression changed from doubtful to surprised, then shocked, and finally, blank.
"There are a few more, but I can't remember them," Lu Yao's beautiful eyebrows knitted together. After all, she only had a quick glance at the list, and it was amazing that she could remember so many of them.
Liang Wenyu came back to his senses, then hurriedly took out a piece of paper and wrote down all the materials. "Did the teenager leave his name or contact information?"
Lu Yao shook her head, her heart filled with shock. 'Who is this teenager? Why did Lord Liang pay so much attention to him?'
"Lord Liang," she asked cautiously, "I've been working in the Alchemists' Association for more than three years, but why haven't I ever heard of these things?"
Looking at the incomplete list, Liang Wenyu sighed, "There are several herbs in the list that I have never heard of…but when they are put together, they give me the impression that they will make a very powerful potion, which is of great benefit to warriors who want to improve their cultivation base!"
'Even Lord Liang has never heard of them!'
Lu Yao covered her red lips with her hand in surprise, a look of disbelief in her eyes. "Lord Liang, is it possible that this list is full of nonsense?"
Liang Wenyu shook his head and said, "No…The combination of some of the herbs is so mysterious that I can't figure out the relationship between them in a short time. If the teenager comes again next time, make sure you find a way to keep him and let me know as quickly as possible!"
"Yes, Lord Liang!" With shock and uneasiness, Lu Yao took the storage bag and left.
…
'Those materials are relatively difficult for Jia Rong to find. I can't count on him completely. I have to find another way,' Yunxiao thought to himself as he walked down the street alone.
Looking at the storage ring in his hand, he sent a wisp of divine sense into it; the inside was full of all sorts of things.
"What's all this jumble? Even an aphrodisiac? Oh, I remember now…I had secretly bought it last time but never got a chance to use it. " He threw away a small bottle and took out a large black sword, slightly surprised by its weight. "This is the only useful thing…" He said to himself with a bitter smile, "It weighs thirty-two catties and seven taels…I can hardly lift it. How I miss my sword, Stars Slayer. I wonder where it is now? Well, I'll use it before I open up all seven chakras."
Yunxiao carried the heavy sword on his shoulder and started down the street toward Jialan Acadamy. "When I've condensed my Primordial Qi, I will craft a weapon for myself."
By the time he arrived at the academy, he was already panting from exhaustion.
"Hmm? Monkey Chen, Fatty Han, are you greeting me at the gate?"
At the front gate of the academy, Chen Zhen and Han Bai, who were close to him, were pacing anxiously in circles. "Where have you been, Young Master Yun?" Chen Zhen cried out at the sight of Yunxiao. "We looked everywhere for you but couldn't find you!"
"Skinny Chen, what are you trying to do?"
A loud shout rang out suddenly, and then Du Feng dashed out from behind Chen Zhen, staring at him with a grim smile as he said, "Don't tell me that you want to oppose Boss Lan?"
Chen Zhen's face flickered. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Stop intimidating me in the name of your master! I'm just conveying Teacher Luo's message. Young Master Yun, next class…"
"Shut up!"
Du Feng cut the words off with a loud shout while throwing himself at Chen Zhen, his five fingers grabbing toward his throat like an eagle's claw.
Chen Zhen's face fell as he stepped back hastily. Du Feng was already an apprentice warrior who had opened four chakras, with a strength far stronger than his.
"Don't you push us too far, Du Feng!"
Han Bai, who was watching from one side, could not stand it anymore. He strode forward and struck Du Feng's eagle claw with a punch. Both of them were apprentice warriors who had opened four chakras, so they were equal in strength. As a result, their bodies jolted when their attacks collided and backed off at the same time!
"Don't you dare attack again, Fatty Han!"
A man appeared beside Du Feng. With arms folded over his chest, he said proudly, "I, Luo Jie, have just opened five chakras last week, and I was worried that I don't have anyone to practice with! Well Fatty Chen, I'll use you as my target now and see how wide the gap between someone who has opened four and five chakras is!"
"Haha! The gap is that you can knock out all his teeth with just one punch!" Du Feng laughed and pointed at Chen and Han. "I'll give you three minutes to get out of here!"
At the moment, many students had gathered around the gate, all wanting to watch how the scene would play out. They were all gesticulating and discussing among themselves.
The faces of Chen and Han turned livid with rage. Suddenly, from behind them came Qin Ruxue's icy voice, "I'd like to see how you make us get out of here!"
She went on angrily, "I'm going to tell Yunxiao that he must attend Teacher Luo's next class session. What can you do to me?"
Du Feng and Luo Jie's faces flickered as they could not afford to offend the princess. Pointing at the few people, Du Feng snapped, "Skinny Chen, Fatty Han, and you piece of junk, count yourself lucky this time! Let's go!"
He waved a hand and was about to leave with Luo Jie. Although Luo Jie was stronger than Du Feng, the Du Family was more powerful than the Luo Family. Therefore, he was still in a low position within the group of Lan Fei's lackeys.
"I thought it was something big…Why do you have to make it so mysterious?" Yunxiao touched his nose. Even if Teacher Luo did not punish him, he had planned to practice in the gravity chamber himself. "Why, you want to leave just like that after kicking up the fuss?"
Du Feng stopped, his pupils slightly dilated. "What? You piece of sh*t have a problem?"
Yunxiao laid his hand on the hilt of the heavy sword and said, "I don't have a problem, but I just want to see how big a gap there is between someone who has five chakras opened and someone who has none."
Du Feng, Ruxue, and the others were stunned, and then Ruxue blurted out, "Yunxiao, you…"
"Haha! Interesting!" Du Feng interrupted Ruxue with a laugh. "Since you want to die, I don't mind fulfilling your wish!"
As soon as he had finished speaking, he kicked into the ground and launched himself out, laughing and throwing a punch at Yunxiao's head.
'How dare this punk make such a big statement!'
Du Feng's heart was full of scorn and sneer, especially when he thought of Yunxiao's prestigious status—the eldest grandson of the Li Family, which was the strongest family in the State of Tianshui's military! The thought of beating someone so special filled him with an abnormal pleasure, and when his fist was about to land on the target, he was even on the verge of orgasm.
"Watch out!"
Chen Zhen and the other two cried out. It was too late for them to save Yunxiao. Ruxue was so frightened that she covered her mouth with her hands and turned pale!
Yunxiao was just an ordinary man! How could he withstand a punch from an apprentice warrior who had opened four chakras?
Bam!
Everyone heard a dull thump as Du Feng's body suddenly froze in front of Yunxiao; his fist had been thrown out and was pressing against Yunxiao's temple. However, Yunxiao's face was cool as ever, without the slightest hint of pain.
"This can't be!"
Luo Jie's pupils constricted as he discovered in an instant that Du Feng's fist had not struck Yunxiao in the face, but was half a centimeter away!
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Chapter 5: Ruthless Counterattack
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
AWOOOO!
A shrill wail of pain resounded through the air, almost piercing the eardrums of those who heard it. The palpitating scream was enough to make everyone imagine how much pain the owner of the voice had endured.
What caused everyone's expression to change was that the voice came from Du Feng's mouth. As he had his back facing the crowd, no one knew what had happened. All they saw was that his body began to tremble violently and then slowly fell back toward the ground.
"Du Feng!"
As Luo Jie uttered a terrible cry, Du Feng finally fell to the ground, his trembling hands covering his crotch as his body twitched wildly. Meanwhile, he continued to wail and scream like a pig in a slaughterhouse.
It was then that everyone saw Yunxiao slowly lower his right leg. It turned out that he had kicked Du Feng in the most vulnerable spot…
Looking at the shock and fear in everyone's eyes, Yunxiao spread out his hands helplessly and said with an innocent expression, "You all saw him rush up to beat me. I did nothing but just lift my right knee. I didn't expect he would run himself into it. Aye, what bad luck!"
"So, it was a knee kick! What a ruthless guy!"
All the male students present shivered and subconsciously put their hands in front of their crotches.
"NO! PLEASE! NO! I've made a mistake! Please spare me, Young Master Yun!"
Luo Jie cracked his fists in fury. "Li Yunxiao! You are too vicious! How can you use such a sinister tactic against your classmate!"
"You can't be so shameless," Yunxiao said innocently. "As you can see, he ran into me. There are at least a few dozen students here who can testify for me."
"You!"
Luo Jie was so angry that he did not know what to say. What happened did seem as Yunxiao had said, and even he could not see anything wrong with it. But, how could there be such a strange thing?
Everyone present had the same thought in mind. 'Yeah, that guy ran into the knee all by himself. What a weirdo, trying to beat someone but ending up ruining his manhood. It is truly unheard of!'
"Whatever your excuse is, you can't get away with it!" Luo Jie said angrily. "Today, I'm going to destroy your manhood and cripple your limbs! I will avenge Du Feng!"
His figure flashed as he dashed forward. However, he seemed to be somewhat afraid, as he did not attack from the front like Du Feng did, but turned to the side and threw his fist out!
The punch whistled through the air with a force of over a thousand catties!
"What a powerful punch! I can't believe this guy is a senior apprentice warrior! That lad is in trouble!"
"The seven chakras are bottlenecked by the fifth chakra. After breaking through it, one is considered a senior apprentice warrior. I wonder how many chakras this guy has opened!"
"Judging by the fact that his punch comes with a force of over a thousand catties, I think he has just opened the fifth chakra. But, that's enough to give that lad a hard time."
"Yunxiao, get out of the way!" Han Bai cried out in panic, swinging his fists to the rescue. Although he was no match for Luo Jie, the punch would at most break his bone. But, if someone as weak as Yunxiao was struck by it, he would certainly die.
"Clang!
Yunxiao clasped the hilt of the black iron sword sticking in the ground and lifted it in front of him, with the tip pointing straight at Luo Jie. But, the sword was so heavy for him that he looked laborious and unsteady, as if a gust of wind would knock him over.
BAM!
A rumble rang out from the sword as Luo Jie's punch landed straight on the blade, right at the sharp edge!
"NO! PLEASE! NO! I've made a mistake! Please spare me, Young Master Yun!"
A shrill scream echoed through the air, and everyone present saw Luo Jie covering his right fist with his left hand as blood dripped down. An excruciating pain washed him over from his right hand, and what frightened him even more was that his fingers seemed to have snapped under the blow.
Han Bai halted completely in the middle of his attack. He, too, was struck dumb.
"What happened?"
By now, even a fool would know that something was wrong.
"What's going on? Does he think that he can use his flesh against the sword just because he is a warrior with Primordial Qi?"
"How could there be such a fool in the world? I think there's something wrong with that lad with the sword!"
"I also feel something is wrong. But, that lad clearly doesn't have any Primordial Qi on him. You see, just holding a black iron sword is enough to make him look so exhausted. Besides, I saw that it was Luo Jie himself who threw his fist at the tip of the sword!"
"Yeah, it's the same as the previous guy. How weird!"
The onlookers were all discussing in amazement. They were naturally unable to see through the mystery behind the entire scenario with their eyes. Although Yunxiao had lost all his strength, he still had the discerning eyes of a Martial Sovereign who once stood at the pinnacle of the Nine Heavens Realm. He had simply timed Luo Jie's punch early enough to put the sword tip in front of his fist when he could no longer change course.
'Hmph! If I can't even get rid of a few apprentice warriors, I might as well kill myself!' He snorted coldly as he carried the heavy sword on his shoulder and strode toward Luo Jie. "Since you dare to attack my friends, I'll cripple both your fists!" By the time he had finished, he brought the sword down forcefully.
Luo Jie sensed the danger, but was horrified to discover that the sword, although seeming slow, had covered all his weaknesses and escape routes. It was as if he had revealed all his weaknesses and was lying on the chopping board, waiting to be slaughtered. He had never felt so powerless, even in the face of those warriors of the Origin Realm!
"NO! PLEASE! NO! I've made a mistake! Please spare me, Young Master Yun!"
The great sword struck squarely on his left fist, causing a cloud of blood to burst out. Now, both his hands were covered in blood.
"You tried to kill me? Let me destroy your manhood!"
"NO! PLEASE! NO! I've made a mistake! Please spare me, Young Master Yun!"
BAM!
The sword struck Luo Jie in the crotch, producing a loud thump that made all the male students present shudder uncontrollably, their bodies turning cold.
"Br-bro-brother, why did that guy just stand there and let him hack?"
"I, I don't know. I thi-think we should just leave them alone and get out of here. This lad is too ruthless…we better go now, lest we get ourselves into trouble! My crotch is all wet with pee now…Let's go!"
"And you!" Yunxiao walked over to Du Feng, who was rolling on the ground, and again cut the meridians in both of his hands with the sword. Like Luo Jie, Du Feng immediately fainted from the pain.
"Li… Li Yunxiao, are you…are you really Li Yunxiao?" It was only then that Ruxue came to her senses, looking at the scene with disbelief.
"Young Master Yun, could it be that your meridians have been unclogged and your chakras have been opened?" Chen Zhen said, exulted.
Yunxiao shook his head and sighed, "It's not that easy."
Chen Zhen was somewhat confused. He pointed to the two unconscious guys on the ground and asked, "So what's going on?"
Knowing that he could not explain it to them, Yunxiao laughed and said, "Didn't you see that they ran into me all by themselves?"
Chen Zhen was speechless. "They ran into you all by themselves, yes. But…but this is so…"
Yunxiao interrupted him with a wave of his hand. "Well, you'll find out in the future. I'm going back to my dormitory. When the academy investigates this matter, there are many people here who can testify for me." Once he had finished, he carried the great sword on his shoulder and started toward the dormitory.
"This…" Chen Zhen was stunned for a moment and felt as if Yunxiao had suddenly changed too much. Not only in terms of strength, but his temperament was completely different from the past as well.
"Yunxiao, even if we testify for you, the fact that you've crippled them with your sword will probably bring you great trouble!" Ruxue cried out suddenly. "The Du Family and Luo Family have always been at odds with your family, and I'm afraid they'll take advantage of this incident!"
Yunxiao's body gave a slight pause, then he laughed and said without turning his head, "If they try to stir up trouble, I'll destroy their manhoods as well…one by one!"
Ruxue's face flushed as she stamped her feet angrily, "This Li Yunxiao is so vulgar! And why did he suddenly change so much? He has caused so much trouble, and yet he still seems as if nothing has happened…He is ticking me off!"
"Du Feng and Luo Jie are indeed from the Du Family and the Luo Family, but they are not core descendants," Han Bai said thoughtfully. "With Young Master Yun's status, it's no big deal to cripple them. I don't believe their families would dare to seek justice from the Li Family. I just worry that they'll go after Young Master Yun directly. If that is the case, he'll be in great danger."
Chen Zhen snorted, "They wouldn't dare to be so arrogant in the academy! Sending someone to kill a student in the academy would just make them die faster than offending the Li Family!"
"Outsiders certainly wouldn't dare to kill someone in the academy," Han Bai said while frowning. "But, if it is other students, the academy would just turn a blind eye."
Ruxue's face flickered. "You mean Lan Fei?"
Han Bai nodded with a serious expression. "Everybody knows that Du Feng is Lan Fei's man, and Lan Fei has opened his seventh chakra, being on the verge of condensing Primordial Qi and breaking into the Warrior Realm!"
Ruxue and Chen Zhen's faces grew grave. Warriors and apprentice warriors were two completely different concepts, not to mention the fact that Yunxiao was not even an apprentice warrior!
The three of them discussed for a while, but they could not come up with a solution. In the end, they left the place while sighing.
The students of Jialan Academy were either the best teenagers chosen from across the state or the children of the dignitaries like Li Yunxiao, so there were almost as many geniuses as there were idiots.
The Li Family held great power in the military of Tianshui State. Therefore, although Yunxiao had long been abandoned by his family due to his physique, he still had a separate dormitory in the academy, which came with a separate cultivating room.
"Phew!"
Yunxiao casually dropped the black iron sword on the ground, then began to swing his arms and press his legs, performing all kinds of poses to exercise his bones and muscles.
"This body is too weak…I must make it strong as soon as possible. The Tyrant Body Tempering Technique is the strongest body-tempering technique in the world… It was too late in my previous life when I got it, and I died before I had time to cultivate it. Well, now is the perfect time to start cultivating it!"
He let out a deep cry as he squatted down on the spot while his body slowly bent forward. Then, his upper body suddenly arched backward, his hands touching the back of his legs and forming a circle as a strange aura spread from him.
"HA!"
A terrible pain rose into his head from his waist, as if a sharp knife was cutting his body apart. Yunxiao could no longer endure the pain. His face turned pale as his whole body went out of control. His upper body bounced back instantly and he lost his balance, stumbling before he fell back several steps and sat down on the ground.
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Chapter 6: Tyrant Body Tempering Technique
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"Why is this cultivation technique so abnormal? I feel like my whole body is about to be torn apart! No wonder that Tyrant is so strong…It's so painful just to get started!"
The Tyrant Martial Sovereign was recognized as the strongest of the ten Conferred Martial Sovereigns!
Yunxiao had obtained the body-tempering technique from Tyrant by chance. He never dared to let anyone know about it, and had intended to practice it secretly. But who knew that he would die in the Tiandang Mountains before he could even begin.
"With this technique, even if I can't open up any chakras, it will be enough for me to cultivate to the Martial Sovereign level!"
Yunxiao took a deep breath as he let out a deep cry and bent his upper body back once again. Every individual who had cultivated to the peak of the Nine Heavens Realm had an amazing perseverance. Although talent was important, what was more important was the courage and determination to never give up!
"The first style of the Tyrant Body Tempering Technique—Moon and Sun!"
He again bent his body into a circle. The tremendous pulling force made him feel as if his body was being torn apart by horses while every inch of his muscle and bone began to break!
"BAM!"
This time, he held on for five seconds, before being thrown out and slammed straight into the wall. His insides were so shaken that his blood boiled violently, causing him to cough up a mouthful of blood.
"Again!" He gave a loud shout. The two setbacks had made his inner pride soar. "If that Tyrant can cultivate it, I'm going to do it better than him!"
Although Tyrant's strength was recognized as the strongest among the ten Conferred Martial Sovereigns, none of them were willing to admit inferiority to the others. They were all proud individuals who looked down on every being in the world!
"The Moon and Sun style!"
…
A day later, in the Gravity Cultivating Hall of the academy…
Many teleportation arrays were inscribed on the ground paved with bluestone bricks, each leading to a different gravity zone. Students could be transferred directly to their destinations by placing a Primordial Stone in the array. These arrays were scattered across several acres of land, and only the capital of a state had the strength to construct such a cultivating venue. In the center of the dozens of arrays was a tall, thousands of meters squared platform. It was the return point of all the gravity regions.
Yunxiao looked at the students and their youthful faces as they came and went, his thoughts drifting back to decades ago. At that time, he was just an ordinary apprentice warrior. Like all the students here, he listened to the legends of the heroes and worked hard day and night to advance forward on the road of the strongest.
Most of the students who came here voluntarily were the children of poor families. They only hoped that they could become the warriors of the state one day, rise above the crowd, and bring glory to their ancestors!
Everyone was transferred out in high spirits, and then returned like frozen eggplants, dispirited and discouraged. Everyone was self-absorbed, and few people talked. Occasionally, they all looked surprised when they saw Yunxiao dressed in splendid clothes.
Yunxiao stepped into a yellow array marked with the words 'Tenfold' and put a Primordial Stone in it. Immediately, a yellow light rose from the array and wrapped him up. Soon, his figure faded away and disappeared from the hall.
In the next moment, just as he arrived at his destination, he felt a tremendous tearing force coming from the ground. His whole body collapsed in a flash; all his flesh and blood was squeezed together!
"Ha! HA!" Yunxiao gasped for breath. He was mentally prepared, but because of the severe lack of blood in his upper body, he became unusually pale and his whole body was deformed slightly.
He forced himself upright and looked around. The entire tenfold gravity region was even larger than the Gravity Training Hall, divided into many cultivating chambers numbered from 001 to 200. As there were tens of thousands of students in Jialan College, 200 cultivating chambers were not that many. There were a lot of students who did not have a chamber at the moment, and were meditating in the public area while waiting instead.
Yunxiao quickly swept the surroundings with his divine sense and then walked towards chamber 013 while panting. Every step he took required almost all of his strength, and the pores of his entire body opened and closed dramatically under the pull of gravity while he breathed spontaneously.
"I have to master the Moon and Sun style as soon as possible, so that this body can endure the use of the medicine to break through my meridians!"
It took him more than half a minute to move to chamber 013. Just as he was arriving, the door suddenly opened, and a pale, sweaty student came out of the chamber. As soon as he saw Yunxiao, the student was slightly stunned, and immediately lowered his head and walked in the direction of the teleportation array.
"It is not easy to have a vacant chamber. Why was it taken by this guy?"
"We've been waiting for most of the day for one to come out. Why was this new guy so lucky?"
"Yeah, he seemed to know that the student in 013 was coming out."
"Who is this guy? Why can't I feel any Primordial Qi fluctuation emanating from him?"
"Are you kidding me? The absence of Primordial Qi fluctuation means that one has not opened even a single chakra yet. How can a common person withstand tenfold gravity?"
Just as Yunxiao was about to step into chamber 013, a hand suddenly reached over and stopped him. A student, smiling and dressed in a white robe, stood in front of him. "My name is Yu Hezheng, and I am an intermediate student who has opened seven chakras, a peak-level apprentice warrior. You're new here, aren't you little brother? Give me this chamber."
There were four grades of students in the college, namely the junior class, the intermediate class, the advanced class, and the graduate class.
Yunxiao looked up and said coldly, "Give my a*s! Get out of my sight!"
Hezheng's face flickered, but he seemed to have thought of something after a fit of rage. He glanced behind him quietly as he regained his composure and said, "You must be new here. Give me face today. If you need any help in the college, just mention my name."
"Mention my a*s! Are you going to move now or what?"
Hezheng's face finally turned livid, even turning a little black. No one had ever dared to refuse him in such a way. He laughed out of fury and said, "Haha! You have guts! How dare you, a loser who doesn't even have Primordial Qi fluctuation, talk to me like that? Well, I will teach you some rules that a freshman should follow today!" As his voice faded away, the aura of his body suddenly soared, forming a faint pressure that blasted toward Yunxiao!
"Primordial Qi? Has Yu Hezheng condensed Primordial Qi and broken through to the Origin Realm?!" A cry of surprise sounded in the public area and immediately attracted all eyes. Everyone's face was full of wonder.
"What an amazing talent! It is said that he only opened the seventh chakra last week. Usually, it would take months to condense Primordial Qi, and yet, he did it in seven days!"
"I don't think so. He should still be an apprentice warrior. If he broke through to the warrior realm, his body should have the glow of Primordial Qi and not just the pressure."
"Even so, he's simply too awesome. In my opinion, he'll be able to truly step into the Origin Realm in ten days at the most!"
"I'm in a good mood today kid, so I'll just break all your ribs and spare your life." As he listened to the shocked conversation around him, Hezheng felt a surge of pride. He wanted to show off his might, especially now that the goddess he wanted to woo was standing behind him. A force began to build up in his fist.
"Hu!"
He threw his fist out, his arm crackling as if beans were being roasted inside. A mighty gust of wind spread out from the punch as it flew toward Yunxiao like a savage tiger!
"Tiger Punch? Not bad! However, this technique is not only about the momentum of a savage tiger, but also about the timing to land a fatal blow. You have the form but lack the essence." Just as everyone broke into a cold sweat for Yunxiao, he started commenting on Hezheng's attack like a teacher guiding a student.
"Has this kid lost his mind? How could he still have the mood to mock in the face of a punch thrown out by a peak-level apprentice warrior who has opened seven chakras?" A student said as his eyes grew wide.
"I don't think he's mocking. Although he's somewhat arrogant, he's got a point!" said another student thoughtfully.
A student next to them shook his head and said, "Whether he's got a point or not, how can he dodge a punch from a peak-level apprentice warrior? Unless he has the strength of a warrior, he's going to suffer!"
Hezheng was so angry that he could not help adding more strength to his fist. Initially, he only wanted to wound Yunxiao, but he was determined to cripple this posturing brat with the punch now!
"HA!"
Yunxiao cried out as he took a step forward and put his hands with fingers bent into claws before his chest, performing a dragon form that opened its mouth widely to devour everything!
Everyone seemed to turn into an illusion of a dragon roaring in their ears!
Hezheng's pupils constricted suddenly. His Tiger Punch had already covered Yunxiao's whole body and was unavoidable. Yet, he did not expect Yunxiao to give him an impression of swallowing the world by just performing a dragon form. Not only had it destroyed the tiger might of his punch, but it also looked like a huge mouth, waiting for him to throw himself in.
'What is this? Why did I feel like I am a sheep walking into a tiger's mouth?' Hezheng was shocked, but he soon calmed down. 'No matter how weird your move is, I'm a peak-level apprentice warrior, and I can crush you with just my strength alone!'
"AHHH!"
Suddenly a pain came from his arm, and his punch, which he thought could never miss, landed on empty air. At some point, Yunxiao had bent his ten fingers into claws, and instead of retreating, he advanced and clutched the claws on Hezheng's arm.
Then, a sharp pain stabbed into the latter's mind. What made him even angrier was that the burst of strength on his arm vanished as soon as Yunxiao's claws clutched at him, and he could no longer muster any of his strength!
"Hmph!"
After succeeding with the move, Yunxiao threw himself at Hezheng and squatted slightly before slamming his right shoulder into the other's chest.
BAM!
Hezheng felt nothing but numbness in his chest and a rush of blood in his throat. He staggered back from the impact and took a few steps before he could stand firmly.
'Oh well, this body…" Yunxiao sighed in his heart, greatly dissatisfied with his current body. If he had Hezheng's strength, the dragon style would have completely crippled his opponent's arm, and the subsequent slam would have killed him in seconds. But now, he had only caused pain in the latter's arm and numbness in the chest.
"What happened just now? Did anyone see it clearly?"
"Yu Hezheng's punch was powerful enough to crack a boulder, and I even saw a faint light of Primordial Qi. How could it be defended so easily?"
"How strange! There is no fluctuation of Primordial Qi on this kid. Could he be an expert who hides his strength?"
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Chapter 7: The Path of the Strong
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Hezheng's face was blank with shock. He still could not figure out what had happened. He could not feel any Primordial Qi from this brat. Although the move was amazing, it did not come with sufficient strength, or he would have not been simply shaken to the point where his blood started surging.
He might have been cautious during normal times, but there stood beside him his goddess at the moment, so he could not lose face at all. Fuming with rage, he roared as he was about to rush over when the girl in a blue dress beside him said, "Senior Yu, forget it!"
With a look of shame and indignation on his face, Hezheng said, "Landuo, give me five minutes. I'll cripple this kid and take this chamber for you!"
Landuo shook her head and said, "Never mind, he got the chamber first."
Yunxiao's eyelids twitched slightly as he blurted out, "It's you?"
A delicate and beautiful face came into his eyes, causing his thought to flutter slightly.
Looking at Yunxiao in amazement, Landuo said softly, "I can't believe that just because you can't cultivate your strength, you have started cultivating your skills. The resources of the Li Family are abundant indeed. That was an excellent move. However, skills without strength are for mere show."
Yunxiao's expression became a little odd, but he agreed. "You're right."
Meanwhile, Hezheng's face grew darker. He stared at Landuo and asked, "Landuo, do you know him?"
Instead of answering him, she smiled and said to Yunxiao, "So, it's impossible for you to defeat me. The gap between us will only grow larger. In fact, you are the young master of the Li Family. So, even if you can't cultivate, you will still have a bright future. Why are you so persistent?"
"Young master of the Li Family?" Hezheng was astonished. "He is that infamous loser of the Li Family?" His expression suddenly turned odd. He had heard of Yunxiao's reputation, a loser who could never cultivate. Even the grandmasters of the Alchemists' Association could do nothing to help him.
"So, that kid is that infamous loser. No wonder I can't feel any Primordial Qi in him."
"I see. So, he has taken the path of skills. A warrior with amazing skills has a natural advantage in fighting against opponents of the same rank. But, no matter how many skills he has mastered, they are useless in the face of an expert whose strength is ten times greater."
"Hehe! I heard that this good-for-nothing young master of the Li Family had crazily wooed Luo Landuo before, and was willing to give up only after he had suffered a blow."
"Well, it doesn't matter how distinguished he is. Without strength, he is just a piece of trash! Luo Landuo is a famous beauty, so of course she would never fall for him."
Yunxiao knew she had misunderstood, and he had a strange feeling in his heart. Before Gu Feiyang's soul had awakened, he did crazily woo her for a period.
He still remembered the words she had uttered so decisively: "My husband must be a hero of indomitable spirit, and he will be a guardian of the state! In spite of your distinguished status, you are, after all, a loser who cannot practice martial arts. Defeat me one day, and only then will I give some thought to your proposal."
He also remembered what a huge blow those words had brought to him making him abandon himself even more. But now, he was no longer that simple Li Yunxiao…He was Gu Feiyang! He had met so many peerless beauties in his previous life who had knelt and cried and begged him to accept them. If they were holding hands together, they could even encircle the entire Heavenly Martial Realm twice.
For all her delicateness and beauty, Luo Landuo was a far cry from the beauties he had grown tired of seeing in his previous life. As a result, his heart was filled with a weird feeling right now.
"What? A good-for-nothing young master like him tried to woo you? He truly overestimated himself!" Although Hezheng had suffered a minor loss, he was in a good mood as soon as he realized that Yunxiao was a wastrel.
Yunxiao raised his eyes slightly and gave Hezheng a look. The sharp gaze pierced right into Hezheng's heart like a blade, causing him to shudder with fear and shut his mouth immediately as beads of cold sweat broke out of his forehead.
"I think you've misunderstood. Whether I'm a piece of trash or not, I won't fight you. If there's nothing else, I'm going to cultivate." Once he had finished, Yunxiao waved his hand and walked straight into chamber 013 before closing the door.
Landuo was a little taken aback. She narrowed her beautiful eyes as if she was thinking about something.
Hezheng, on the other hand, widened his eyes as a massive storm surged in his heart. 'What happened? He's just a piece of trash who can't even open his chakras, but why did I feel cold all over as if I was falling into an abyss when he just glanced at me? Oh heavens, what a glance!'
He swallowed hard and looked at the closed door of chamber 013, his forehead dripping with cold sweat. Suddenly, he found that he seemed to have developed a sense of fear for Yunxiao, which deprived him of his fighting will when he was facing the other again!
"For your sake, Landuo, I'll spare him this time. Let's go!" Hezheng said, still in shock and trying to save whatever face he still had.
Landuo nodded as she turned and was about to leave when she suddenly gave a slight pause, then looked at Hezheng and said, "Senior Yu, what Li Yunxiao said just now is right. Although your Tiger Punch has great momentum, it's only the form. If you could master its essence, you wouldn't have been caught so easily by him."
Hezheng's face was lividly mixed with red, his eyes full of shame and anger while his heart harbored an intense hatred for Yunxiao.
As soon as Yunxiao entered the cultivating chamber, he glanced about and found it to be a space 100 meters squared in area. It was empty but for the two chunks of black ironstone placed in a corner, each about a meter tall and with the rough shape of a man. They were obviously the targets of martial arts practice, for they were covered in marks from fists and palms, as well as dents and scratches from swords and knives. One of them was badly damaged, having lost its proper shape.
"These two black iron stones must be over a hundred years old!" Yunxiao gave them a glance of admiration and ran his hand across their surfaces for a moment. Regardless of time or place, there were always warriors who were not afraid of hardship, who poured in all their effort in cultivating as they advanced along the path of the strong.
"Ha!" He gave a low cry. "Now is not the time to be emotional about these things. I must regain my strength as soon as possible! As long as I unclog my meridians and condense Primordial Qi, I reckon I will return to the peak of the Nine Heavens Realm in ten years!"
From the condensation of Primordial Qi to the peak of the Nine Heavens Realm, no matter how genius an individual was, it would take at least a hundred years to achieve it. No one but Gu Feiyang would dare to make such a statement even if they were the reincarnations of Martial Sovereigns, because he was not only a Conferred Martial Sovereign, but also a ninth-tier sovereign-grade alchemist!
A rapid crackle rang out from within him as his body bent backward in an incredible pose. His hands and feet joined to form a perfect circle, and then his muscles and bones began to transform subtly. In addition to the great pain, there was a strange force flowing back and forth within him. It was different from the Primordial Qi he used to know; the force that flowed through his muscles and blood vessels was a pure physical force!
"Pa!"
After enduring for the span of seven breaths, he finally lost his grip and was bounced off the wall. He opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood, his head left reeling. However, there was a smile on his sorry-looking face. "Haha! Under ten times the gravity, the effect of the Moon and Sun style really doubled! In less than three days, I will be able to attain the physique of an apprentice warrior, and at that time, I'll have at least sixty percent chances of success in breaking through my meridians!"
Just as Yunxiao was cultivating in seclusion, the news that he had defeated Yu Hezheng with one move had spread through the entire tenfold gravity zone. Everyone was pondering over the matter. Although he had the suspicion of resorting to advanced martial skills, the fact that he had defeated a peak-level apprentice warrior who had opened seven chakras with the physique of an ordinary man still deeply shocked those who heard it, and even overturned the perception of some apprentice warriors. The students who were there at the time all gained something after much reflection, and Li Yunxiao's figure was imprinted on their minds.
Landuo and Hezheng left the gravity zone a day later. However, as Hezheng was leaving, he stared venomously at the door of chamber 013, wishing he could swallow the man inside.
Three days later, the door of chamber 013 finally opened, and a man covered in blood walked out of it.
The students waiting for their chambers in the public area were all horrified. Who was this man? His face was unkempt, but when the other students left here, they were no less messy. The question was that not only did he look miserable, his entire body was covered in blood, making him look extremely terrible!
A thick layer of hardened blood covered the surface of his body like a suit of bloody armor, sticking out like a sore thumb! And from his body came wafting out a pungent smell of sweat and blood, causing all the students to feel their stomachs churning, while some female students even started to vomit as they could not stand it.
Apart from the pair of bright eyes, he did not look like a man at all!
Under the horrified glances of the crowd, Yunxiao walked straight into the teleportation array and disappeared from the tenfold gravity zone. What no one noticed was that when he first arrived here, he had to pause after every step while panting; but when he left, he looked relaxed as if he was walking on flat ground.
"Who was that? I can't believe he tortured himself until he looked like a ghost! Did he have to work so hard?"
"You don't know? If I remember correctly, that was Li Yunxiao, who had defeated Yu Hezheng with one move!"
"What? It's him! Tsk! No wonder he can defeat a peak-level apprentice warrior even though his meridians are all clogged up. So, he has been cultivating so desperately!"
"Hehe! That's the power of love. Luo Landuo promised him that she would give him a chance to woo her if he could defeat her."
"Hmph! Luo Landuo is pretty, but with his status as the Li Family's young master, it shouldn't be a big problem for him to have a few beautiful girls of the same rank, right?"
"Who knows? But, no matter how hard he tries, he can never defeat Luo Landuo. Regardless of how advanced his martial skills are, he is only a clown in the face of absolute power."
"Indeed! Luo Landuo is one of the top five experts among all the freshmen! I heard that she reached the Origin Realm last month and became a real warrior!"
"Stop lamenting and start cultivating hard, young man! A loser and a girl have already surpassed us!"
"AHHH!"
Suddenly a cry of alarm echoed out. Everyone looked up and saw the student who was about to enter chamber 013 standing before the door with a blank face.
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Chapter 8: There's Never A Shortcut
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The puzzled crowd went over to the chamber, and what they saw instantly darkened their faces. A black ironstone target in the cultivation chamber had completely broken into two, with its upper part lying on the ground!
And on the ground was a terrifying mass of blood!
Everyone's heart gave a hard jerk. "Is this guy still a human being?"
Yunxiao's appearance in the Gravity Cultivating Hall at the next moment was no less shocking. But, the uproar soon calmed down, and all the students who saw him smiled bitterly. His cruel cultivation had provoked them, as if someone had given each one of them a shot in the arm, causing them to immediately double their original cultivating program!
Yunxiao finally realized that his current look had attracted too much unwanted attention, so he immediately took a set of clean clothes out of his storage ring and put it on, then walked quickly back to his dormitory.
The effect of the Tyrant Body Tempering Technique was indeed overwhelming, but the pain it brought was unbearable for any average individual. Yunxiao had almost every inch of his skin and muscle torn apart, and every pore seeped with blood. By the time he got to the end of the cultivation, he had almost fainted with pain, and was only holding on with his instincts!
Every expert who had become a Martial Sovereign through cultivation was not ordinary. They had all endured a hundred times more hardships than average people before they achieved a result that was a hundred times greater!
There was never a shortcut to the path of the strong!
Yunxiao took a shower as soon as he got back to his dormitory. His skin, which was scarred and terrifying to look at, turned out to be as smooth as jade, without a trace of a scar. And between his movements, he clearly felt a force he had long lost. Although it was still very weak, he was very satisfied with it.
"It is truly the number one body-tempering technique under the heavens, for it has given me a body that is stronger than the one cleansed with a ninth-grade spirit medicine. Now, with the physique of an apprentice warrior, I can start experimenting with some simple concoctions. As long as I can produce some low-level medicinal pills, my cultivation speed can be further accelerated!"
The strength of an alchemist depended on the strength of the soul, but many basic refinements required some physical strength before they could be carried out.
He was thinking of buying some herbs and refining tools when he suddenly felt a chill in the back of his head—someone was throwing a punch at him! He snorted coldly and reached a hand behind his back without so much as looking, grabbing toward the incoming attack.
"Pa!"
A burst of force slammed him in the palm as he closed his fingers tightly and did a backflip, his right hand turning 360 degrees along with his body!
"Ka! Ka! Ka!"
The air rang with a bone-cracking sound, accompanied by a loud scream, "Young Master Yun, it's me! AHH! My arm!"
Only then did Yunxiao see who the person was, and was stunned. "Fatty Han?"
Han Bai winced in pain as he looked at his arm, which was so twisted that it appeared like a braid dough, and said sadly, "Young Master Yun, my arm is crippled!"
"Serves you right! Who asked you to sneak up on me?" Yunxiao said crossly. "Count yourself lucky that I've merely broken your bone into seven pieces. Go to the infirmary later and get some milkvetch root and flour. Mix them together and apply the mixture on your arm. You'll be alright in a few days."
"I saw you were a little odd last time, so I wanted to test you out." It was then that Han Bai said incredulously, "Young Master Yun, your strength… Could it be that…"
Yunxiao shook his head and said, "I haven't opened my chakras yet. What do you want from me?"
Han Bai's eyes grew wide as he said disappointedly, "You've become so strong, and yet you haven't opened your chakras? Where have you been hiding these days? Teacher Luo is looking for you everywhere."
"What does this little girl want from me? Is she going to send me to the gravity chamber?" Yunxiao said indifferently.
Han Bai broke out in a cold sweat. "Little girl…Young Master Yun, you're not losing your mind, are you? If you want to die, just say it. One more thing, you might be in big trouble! Lan Fei's gone these days too, and I heard that he's cultivating in seclusion to break into the Origin Realm! You've crippled Du Feng and Luo Jie, so he'll be looking for you first when he gets out!"
Yunxiao glanced at Han Bai, who looked worried, and smiled. "Just calm down. It's just the Origin Realm."
"It's just the Origin Realm?" Han Bai said with anger and frustration. "Do you know what the Origin Realm means? It means an individual has condensed Primordial Qi and become a real warrior! There's a big difference between warriors and us, apprentice warriors! Chen Zhen, Princess Ruxue and I have been worrying about you for days, but look at you! 'It's just the Origin Realm', huh?"
"Heh," Yunxiao smiled faintly. So what if Lan Fei became a real warrior? He was not even fit to lick his shoes! Even though he had no cultivation base at the moment, he would not take a mere warrior to heart. Whether it was Yu Hezheng or Lan Fei, they were no different from three-year-old kids in his eyes.
"I'm going to buy something, but I'm short of money. Lend me some." Although Yunxiao was the young master of the Li Family, he had long been excluded from the family, and his pocket money was not much. Therefore, compared with other young masters, he was very poor.
Han Bai widened his eyes as he said in surprise, "Are you really not worried at all? You know, there are over 3,000 freshmen in our intake, but only about 30 have made the breakthrough so far and become warriors. Those who do make it, even in the poverty-stricken classes, are considered the best students!"
The students in their class were all children of dignitaries, so they habitually called other classes poverty-stricken classes. But, the overall strength of their class was also the worst among the rest, so other classes were calling their class trash-stricken class.
"Oh, I'm worried, but it's no use worrying. How much money do you have now? Lend me it all and I'll pay you back some other time."
"Young Master Yun, I can feel that you've changed a lot! I got to hand it to you!"
Han Bai produced his bag of holding and poured out a pile of gold coins. "There are about two or three hundred gold coins here, enough to last you a year!"
Without standing on ceremony, Yunxiao put away all the gold coins. "Although not much, I'll make do with it." He picked up one and threw it to Han Bai. "Go and buy medicine. Your arm must be covered with the medicinal paste within twenty-four hours, or it will really become crippled."
Startled, Han Bai hurriedly turned and ran away with the gold coin. But, he had barely reached the door when a loud bang suddenly rang out, and his fat body was subsequently thrown flying back. He left a trail of blood in the air before falling on the ground next to Yunxiao's feet, where he passed out. There was a distinct footprint on his bulging belly.
"You piece of trash who have no idea of death or danger!"
A cold snort came from outside the door, and then a shadow was thrown over, falling next to Fatty Han. The man was covered in blood, his face swollen like a winter melon as he groaned in pain while being sprawled on the ground, muttering something that could not be understood. Yunxiao stared at him for a while before he recognized the man as Chen Zhen.
"Li Yunxiao, how dare you touch my men! Today, I'm going to cripple you completely!"
More than a dozen people rushed in through the door, led by none other than Lan Fei. He walked proudly ahead, his energy rising with every step. By the time he came up to Yunxiao, a bright light shone out of him, making him look mighty!
It was the light of Primordial Qi, the sign of a warrior!
"Boss, you have really become a warrior! You must avenge me!" Du Feng, who was behind Lan Fei, cried loudly. His crotch was bulging as if he had put a washbasin inside, apparently with too many bandages on it which had not been removed.
Luo Jie, who stood beside him, wore a pale face, his eyes blazing with murderous rage and body trembling with anger.
"Why do you glow all over when you have just stepped into the Origin Realm? Do you think you are a luminous pearl?" Yunxiao leaned over to glance at Han Bai and Chen Zhen's injury. He was relieved when he saw that they were not in danger of dying even though they looked badly wounded. Still, his eyes were already flickering with killing intent. "And the two of you, it's been only three days since I last saw you. How come your voices have changed? Oh, where are your beards?"
The remark hit Du Feng right in his weak spot and made him cough out a mouthful of blood with anger before he roared wildly, "Kill him! Kill him! Boss, you must kill him for me!" There was a shrill note in his voice like that of a woman, which made all who heard it shiver uncontrollably, their foreheads covered with beads of cold sweat.
Lan Fei shivered as well and subconsciously moved aside a little before pointing at Yunxiao and snapping, "Are you going to kneel and kowtow yourself, or you want me to break your limbs and cripple you completely?"
Yunxiao was a loser he could bully at will, but there was a lot more to consider if he were to kill the other. After all, killing him was equal to slapping the Li Family in the face, which would completely tear apart the superficial peace between the two families. The consequences of such an action were unpredictable. So, Lan Fei had come with the thought of crippling and humiliating Yunxiao for what he had done to Du Feng.
"You want to cripple me?" Yunxiao's eyes went cold, and a burst of energy suddenly spread from him. Although it did not have the pressure like that of Primordial Qi, there seemed to be an unspeakable aura condensed in the air that made the group of people, including Lan Fei, feel sick all over as sweat broke out of their palms. "It has been a long, long time since I've heard such an arrogant statement."
'What's going on? Why do I have this shivering feeling?'
Lan Fei was utterly shocked, and a sense of fear began to spread through him. He mustered his courage with a furious roar, and a black iron sword appeared in his hand within the next moment. Without saying another word, he brought the sword down toward Yunxiao!
The sense of fear was so inexplicable that it set his nerves on the edge. He was worried that if he did not act decisively, he would not have the courage to strike again! The feeling was akin to standing on a small boat, facing the stormy waves that could sweep the world!
'How could I have such a feeling? This is absurd!' He immediately cleared his mind of all distractions and put all his strength into his arms!
"Decisive, unambiguous…Not bad, not bad at all!" Yunxiao nodded approvingly. Then, a black iron sword similarly appeared in his hand, and he lightly placed it sideways across his chest. It was a casual move, but it kept Lan Fei's attack at bay!
"You dare to tease me! You're looking for death!"
Upon hearing Yunxiao's comment, Lan Fei flew into a rage, and his face flushed red with fury! At the same time, he added more strength to his hands, and even a trace of Primordial Qi he had used to protect his meridians was poured directly into the iron sword.
Clang!
The two swords clashed together violently and sent out many sparks. A great force came down from the blade and cracked Yunxiao's palms, numbing his arms and knocking him backward. But, he did not lose his balance; he managed to keep his feet on the ground as the force pushed him back for a few steps before he stabilized himself. Meanwhile, a deep cut was left on his black iron sword!
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Chapter 9: The Cost of Posturing
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"You blocked my attack! How is this even possible!"
Lan Fei's eyes widened, and he was distracted momentarily. Even if he were still an apprentice warrior, there was no way that Yunxiao could block the attack he had unleashed with 120% of his strength, let alone the fact that he was a warrior now! Could it be that this piece of trash had opened his chakras? But, why couldn't he feel any Primordial Qi fluctuation from him?
He was not the only one shocked. The dozen or so people standing behind him were all staring at the scene with wide eyes, their feet rooted to the ground!
Swallowing down a mouthful of warm blood that had rushed to his throat, Yunxiao guffawed and said, "Haha! This is so satisfying! It has been a long time since I fought with all my strength. Although my current situation is a little strange, your attack is really satisfying! Come, come…let me give you a few more pointers!"
'Let me give you a few more pointers…'
"How arrogant!" Lan Fei was so mad that his neck turned red. Fuming madly, he suppressed the shock in his head and lifted his sword. A stream of Primordial Qi bloomed across the blade as he leaped forward and brought the sword down. "Passing Cloud Slash!"
A martial technique!
It was the secret martial technique of the Lan Family, the Passing Cloud Sword Technique!
The eyes of those behind him were filled with shock, and Du Feng was so excited that he screamed in a shrill voice, "The sword moves like a passing cloud…it's the Passing Cloud Sword Technique! This kid is dead!"
Unlike those commonly found martial techniques, the Lan Family's Passing Cloud Sword Technique could only be cultivated by warriors. As Lan Fei injected his Primordial Qi, the sword instantly glowed like a sun, so bright that no one could stare at it!
He had been cultivating this technique constantly since he was a peak-level apprentice warrior. Now that he had made the breakthrough and become a warrior, he could finally unleash all its power! His confidence soared as soon as he used it.
'I'm a real one-star warrior now! Let's see how you are going to block my attack!'
"The Passing Cloud Sword Technique emphasizes on moving the sword like passing clouds, unobstructed, so that the strike will land on the target as intended. What are you doing? You're holding a glowing sword like a candle! I couldn't even have told this was the Passing Cloud Sword Technique if you hadn't shouted it out."
Yunxiao's comment infuriated Lan Fei so much that he almost coughed up blood. "I've had enough of your nonsense! Die now!"
The glowing sword slashed down and was about to devour Yunxiao when he lightly lifted his sword and pointed it out casually. "Count yourself lucky to have my advice," he said.
Clang!
A crisp noise rang out, and the blinding glow faded away instantly. Then, a black sword flew whistling through the air and stabbed into the ceiling with a thud!
A faint stream of Primordial Qi rushed through the blade into Yunxiao's body. He snorted coldly in his heart and twisted his body into a strange pose. A great pain washed him over in the next instant, but was soon dissolved under the pose.
The whole room was silent.
Thud!
Lan Fei was rooted to the ground, looking blankly at his palms which had been torn apart, so he did not see Yunxiao's foot coming. All he felt was an intense pain in his chest, and then he was knocked flying backward, coughing blood along the way.
"How… how is this even possible…"
Everyone's mind was frozen as their mouths hung wide open and felt all the muscles in their necks getting stiffened.
Meanwhile, Lan Fei's head was completely blank. It was only until he felt a chill in his crotch that he saw Yunxiao holding a sword in front of him, with the sharp blade less than three inches from his manhood. Realizing that he would be completely finished if Yunxiao slightly twisted the hand, his legs trembled with fear as he growled in both shock and fury, "You…What are you doing? Do you really dare to touch me!"
Yunxiao's eyes flashed with contempt as he said in disdain, "Oh, I dare not! I'm so scared! Your blow has numbed my arms, and I worry that I can't hold the sword still. You see, my hand is shaking now."
As if keeping up with his words, his right hand began to shake. The blade moved back and forth in front of Lan Fei's crotch, causing his legs to tremble violently while a smell of urine filled the air. "No! No! Move the sword away!" he shouted while almost crying.
"Move away?" Yunxiao's eyes turned cold. "I'm too lazy to settle the previous score with you, but you've injured Fatty Han and Skinny Chen this time, and even tried to kill me. Now, tell me, how am I going to swallow the resentment if I don't cut off your manhood?"
"No! No! Please, I beg you! I'll do anything you say! Please be merciful!" Lan Fei cried out, frightened out of his wits. After all, he was only a fifteen-year-old teenager, so his arrogance and courage were instantly gone at the prospect of losing his manhood.
The dozens of students present, too, were all teenagers of apprentice warrior level. Although they had witnessed their boss, who was so lofty and mighty during normal times, lay wailing on the ground like a weakling and even peeing his pants, none of them thought of him a disgrace. Any man would be scared out of his wits in such a situation.
A man without his manhood was better dead than alive!
Especially when they stole glances at Du Feng and Luo Jie, their faces turned extremely pale and they all stood where they were, not daring to make a sound. Since a warrior was no match for Yunxiao, they would be doomed as well, even if they attacked him together.
If Yunxiao were still in his previous life, he would have cut off the manhoods of these people. But, his identity was different now, and his strength was weak. Lan Fei was only a newly promoted warrior and had no experience, which was why he could defeat the latter easily. He would not have the slightest chance of victory if he were facing another experienced warrior, or even a martial master.
"If you want to keep your manhood, just pay me some money."
"Money? Yes, yes! I have money!" Lan Fei felt as if he had grabbed a lifeline. He hurried to remove the storage ring from his finger, but the more anxious he became, the more he could not get it off.
"Don't bother!" Yunxiao said as his sword flashed. Amidst Lan Fei's miserable scream, a trail of blood streaked across the air, and both his finger and the ring flew straight up. Yunxiao caught the ring and swept it with his divine sense; only then did he put it away with satisfaction.
"What are you looking at? And you, if you want to keep your manhoods, you know what you should do." As Yunxiao glanced at the crowd, everyone was taken aback, and they quickly took off their storage rings and handed them to him.
Lan Fei put his hand over his severed finger and calmed down a little. "Can we leave now?"
Just then, Yunxiao's eyes suddenly caught a glimpse of a jade pendant hanging from Lan Fei's waist. His heart skipped a beat, and with a flick of his sword, the pendant flew straight into his hand. His eyes flickered with surprise as he said faintly, "This is a nice jade pendant. It is mine now."
Lan Fei's face fell as he said hurriedly, "I can give you anything, but not this jade pendant!" His heart gave a jerk when he saw Yunxiao glaring coldly at him. "It's the protective jade pendant passed down from generation to generation in my family," he explained in panic. "There are only five of them, each kept by the core member of the Lan Family, nothing but a symbol of status. It's of no use to you, but of great importance to me!"
He was so anxious that beads of cold sweat covered his forehead. If he lost this thing, his family would surely skin him alive!
Yunxiao's face grew cold as he lifted the sword and said, "Their things are too few, not enough to buy their manhoods. I can give you back the pendant, but I'll cut off their manhoods. Or, give me the pendant, and they can leave with their manhoods. It's up to you."
The group of teenagers was frightened, and they all looked anxiously at Lan Fei.
Lan Fei's face turned extremely unsightly. According to his heart, his jade pendant was, of course, more important. But, the dozen of people who followed him here were the children of families attached to the Lan Family, and a few of them were direct descendants. If he chose the jade pendant and caused these people to have their manhoods cut off by Yunxiao, he probably would not be able to lift his head again!
"Boss!" Shangguan Qing could not help shouting when he saw Lan Fei hesitating.
With a livid face, Lan Fei finally said in a deep voice, "Although this jade pendant is of great importance to me, it's nothing compared to my brothers! Let's go!" He waved a hand, trying his best to make himself look carefree. However, both his crotch and pants were wet, and his face flushed purple with shame.
"Still posturing?" A glimmer of killing intent flashed in Yunxiao's eyes as he swung his sword over from sideway. A beam of cold light pierced through the air like lightning, pointing straight at Lan Fei's throat.
To his horror, Lan Fei found that he was locked by an almost tangible murderous air that he could not avoid, and the icy cold air penetrated directly into his body. For the first time in fifteen years, he truly felt death.
He screamed in dread and reached out a hand to his side almost instinctively. Without thinking, he clutched at Shangguan Qing, who was closest to him, and dragged him in front of him.
Startled, Shangguan Qing tried to struggle, but was no match for Lan Fei, who was already a warrior of the Origin Realm. As a result, he was used as a shield.
All of a sudden, the sword stopped in the air, and then Yunxiao made an arc with it before withdrawing it. With a faint smile, he said, "I was only joking with you. You may leave now."
"YOU!"
Lan Fei was so angry that he nearly vomited blood while Shangguan Qing was pale all over with fear, his legs shaking as a smell of urine wafted out of his crotch.
Lan Fei's face darkened as he saw Shangguan Qing looking at him with a gloomy expression, his head bowed and not saying a word. That made his heart almost burst with rage. The Shangguan Family was the largest family attached to his family, and Shangguan Qing was their direct descendant, his biggest help in the future! But, he knew that from this moment on, this help had not only been lost, but very likely become the enemy on his way to the throne of the family head!
Not daring to speak another word, he rushed out of Yunxiao's dormitory, his eyes blazing with rage. He did not want to stay here for another minute! Those who followed him here shut their mouths as they left after him with bowed heads.
Yunxiao took out the jade pendant and examined it for a while before he said happily, "Great, this is indeed the Five-colored Divine Air Stone!" Then, he put away the pendant and looked up at the ceiling as he sneered, "It's about time for you to show yourself after looking for so long!"
After the span of a few breaths, a noise rang out from the ceiling as Jia Rong, dressed in black clothes, descended down. Once he landed on the ground, he stared at Yunxiao with a complicated look, his eyes filled with incredulity.
"Did you enjoy it? Have you gathered everything I wanted?" Yunxiao said lightly.
Jia Rong wore a serious expression. He had witnessed everything just now; however, he could not tell how Yunxiao defeated Lan Fei. He had originally planned to sneak in here and restrain this teenager first, before forcing out the cure. But now, he dared not to do that. Although he was a mid-tier warrior, he did not have the slightest confidence in defeating Yunxiao, let alone capturing him alive.
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Chapter 10: Be My Servant
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"I've only gathered six sets. It's just that some of the herbs are too rare, so I could only found six sets even though I've searched through the entire Alchemists' Association!"
"Six sets? Fine, give them to me now."
Now that Yunxiao had the Five-color Divine Air Stone, his chances of unclogging his meridians were almost at one hundred percent, so he was in a good mood. Pointing to Han Bai and Chen Zhen, who were still lying on the ground, he said, "Heal them both first."
Jia Rong was handing over a storage bag when he heard that, and his face flickered instantly as he growled, "What do you think I am? Do you really think you can order me at will?"
Yunxiao stared coldly at him and said, "If you are not happy, you can scram now!"
Jia Rong was so angry that his scalp went numb. With his prestigious status, how could a kid be slaving him around and telling him what he should do? But, beggars couldn't be choosers, especially when his life and future were at stake. Helplessly, he leaned over and inspected their injuries, then took out two pale yellow pills from his ring and shoved them into their mouths.
"It's done," he said. "Well, it's also about time to tell me the cure! I've done all your bidding, and you will never command me again!"
Yunxiao narrowed his eyes and assumed a harmless look. "You've no idea how many people have wailed and begged to be commanded by me. I bet you'll ask me to do that later."
Jia Rong's face fell as he cried out angrily, "So, you were lying to me?"
Yunxiao snorted coldly, "Who do you think I am? How would I lie to a mere first-tier alchemist like you?" With a wave of his hand, a piece of paper pierced through the air, flying straight out.
Jia Rong was infuriated. 'What did he mean by 'a mere first-tier alchemist? Any alchemist was noble and influential!'
As he caught the paper between his fingers, his face grew serious. The force that came with it was stronger than he had imagined. With a gloomy expression, he glanced at the paper, and what he read immediately put color on his face as he put it away hastily. Although he could not be one hundred percent certain that the contents of the paper were accurate with his knowledge, he could roughly tell that Yunxiao had not lied to him.
"Now that I've gotten what I was promised, we are even!" Jia Rong turned and was about to leave. This young man was too odd; he could not see through him at all. He had originally planned to avenge the humiliation he had suffered last time, but there was a vague sense of dread in his heart now, which made him feel that he should avoid stirring up further trouble. His life and future were of paramount importance after all.
"The prescription can remove the toxin of both the Hell Wind stone and Blood Fame orchid from your body without leaving behind any side effects," Yunxiao said unhurriedly. "But, during this period when you were being corroded by the toxin, did you feel the power of your soul getting weaker every time you crafted, and it seems to be regressing?"
Jia Rong's body froze instantly.
"Hehe! When an alchemist's soul power is exhausted, it recovers at least ten times slower than a warrior's Primordial Qi. But, making up for the regression of soul power is a hundred times slower than cultivating it normally. You haven't been corroded by the toxin for long, but with your talent, it will take at least twenty to thirty years if you want to get back to your original realm, and your chances of making a breakthrough and become a first-tier alchemist are slim. Well, I don't want to deal you too heavy a blow…if you are lucky, you still have hope to achieve that in fifty years."
Jia Rong's face turned horribly pale. He knew all these things. The reason why alchemists enjoyed such a high status was that the cultivation of soul power was extremely difficult, and it was almost impossible to recover after retrogression. He was already within a certain distance of being a first-tier alchemist, and if he were to break through to that level, it would be fifty years later, which required a stroke of good luck as well. If his luck was bad, he might end up as a senior apprentice alchemist for the rest of his life.
"What do you mean by all this?"
"Oh, I don't mean anything. I just happen to know a way of making you a real first-tier alchemist in fifty days."
"Fifty days!"
Jia Rong's body gave a jerk as if he was electrocuted, and his eyes grew wide. "How is that possible! You lie to me!" Even if his soul power did not regress, he was not sure that he could make the breakthrough and become a first-tier alchemist in fifty days. Otherwise, he would not have taken the risk and used the Hell Wind stone!
Yunxiao's face darkened as he scoffed coldly, "Who do you think you are to be worthy of me lying to you?"
Jia Rong was stunned, and he could no longer move anymore. He was very suspicious of Yunxiao's words, but becoming an alchemist was too great of a temptation for him to give up, so he immediately yielded and said, "I beg your pardon, I was too shocked! Are you sure you can help me recover my soul power in fifty days?"
Yunxiao raised his index finger and shook it. "It's not about recovering your soul power," he snorted coldly, "it's about making you a real first-tier alchemist. Actually, I can do it in five days, but you're not worth it."
Jia Rong swallowed hard. "What do you need from me so that you can help me?"
"Be my servant!" Yunxiao said, his eyes gleaming with a cold light.
"Impossible!"
Jia Rong's pupils constricted abruptly as his face fell and he said furiously, "You're just an ignorant kid, and yet you want to make an alchemist your servant! How arrogant!"
Yunxiao sat quietly in a wooden chair, a natural aura emanating from him. With a gleam of scorn in his eyes, he said coldly, "If it wasn't for my lack of strength right now, do you think you are qualified to be my servant? Even so, you are only qualified to be my servant for fifty days. After that, I want you to get out of my sight!"
Jia Rong's mind went blank with shock. Those words had made his head go numb, but he did not look angry at all. The undisguised contempt and condescension in this brat's eyes were not fake at all but natural, as if he really did not deserve to be his servant.
'Oh heavens, what the hell is going on!'
'Who is this brat? A lunatic? But, if he's a lunatic, how is he able to tell my problem with just a glance, and even has a way to solve it? I've searched through the whole Alchemists' Association, but couldn't find a solution!'
"Do you feel aggrieved about being my servant?" Yunxiao's faint voice drifted over.
'What rubbish, of course I feel aggrieved!' Jia Rong was scolding in his heart when a strange golden light suddenly flashed in Yunxiao's eyes.
In that instant, his pupils dilated dramatically, and a tremendous sense of fear washed him over. It was a fear coming directly from the depths of his soul, like the innate awe for the deities one was born with!
Bam!
He could no longer stand still. His knees dropped straight on the floor paved with bluestones, his body drenched in cold sweat, while a pressure on his soul deterred him from lifting his head again!
'What's going on? What the hell is going on? How could a kid have such a mighty soul pressure? Who the hell is he!'
Jia Rong was utterly dumbfounded. In fact, he was not only dumbfounded, but also frightened, his heart filled with a deep sense of dread. The contempt and condescension at the soul level made him feel as if his soul would be torn to pieces with only the slightest thought of Yunxiao. It was like a superior warrior could kill an apprentice warrior with a pinch of his finger.
"I'll give you three breaths to think about it. Are you willing or not?"
Willing or not willing?
If he accepted it, he might rise to the top, and if arduous refused, he might regret it for the rest of his life!
"I…I'm willing!" Jia Rong clenched his teeth as if all his strength had gone into saying these few words. But as soon as he had finished, he felt a sudden release and collapsed in a state of prostration. Even then, his heart became extremely comfortable, as if he had just accomplished a great thing perfectly and splendidly. It shocked him, too.
A glimmer of a smile flashed in Yunxiao's eyes as he said, "Not bad! You are quite decisive! You will know in the future how lucky you were to have made this decision today. Now that you have recognized me as your master, I'll naturally not mistreat you." He flicked his finger and shot out a sheet of paper. "Cultivate according to the method on it. If you can't make the breakthrough and become a first-tier alchemist in five days, that means you have a poor aptitude, and you are not qualified to be my servant. If that is the case, you needn't come to see me again."
Jia Rong's eyes were filled with shock. He took the paper, and as soon as he looked at the contents, he jumped up and screamed as if he was struck by lightning, "A soul cultivation technique!"
"It's nothing but the trashiest soul cultivation technique," Yunxiao gave a light snort and said indifferently, "but it's enough to get you back on your feet in five days and become a first-tier alchemist."
The sheet of paper seemed to be full of magic. Looking at it, Jia Rong began to tremble violently, and his body, which was exhausted of all energy, jumped up again as if he was given a shot in the arm. With extreme excitement in both eyes, he said, "A soul cultivation technique, I can't believe this is a soul cultivation technique! Ma-mas-master, is…is this real?"
He struggled to utter the word 'master', but when he did, the extreme grievance and shame he had felt in his heart were instantly vanished, leaving nothing but excitement.
Yunxiao frowned. "Just call me Young Master Yun. Yes, it's real…but as I said, it's nothing but the trashiest soul cultivation technique. So long as you render good service, I won't be stingy to reward you. You may go now, and I'll look for you in the Alchemists' Association if I need anything."
"Yes, Young Master Yun!"
Jia Rong pulled out an exquisite jade box while trembling and placed the paper in it before carefully putting it in his storage ring. Then, he bowed to Yunxiao and took his leave.
The most important part of the alchemist's cultivation was to nourish the soul power, but the only way for common alchemists to increase it was through constant crafting. Only then could the soul power increase at a very slow rate.
Legends had it that in the field of alchemy there existed ways to refine the soul power directly. However, these methods had only been described sporadically in some classics, and it was a mystery whether they really existed. Jia Rong had never imagined that he could actually get his hands on something like this one day. As soon as he left the academy, he felt the sky was clear and bright, and his heart filled with joy and excitement.
"Just who is this Young Master Yun? He must have used the legendary soul-confusing technique on me just now. I can't believe he has actually mastered such a mystic art!"
Jia Rong was, after all, an alchemist, so he immediately understood why he had a shivering sense just now. An ordinary child could never possess such a terrible soul pressure.
"And the soul cultivating technique…How could he give away such a precious thing as if it were something that could be found on the street? No one in the state of Tianshui, not even the imperial family, would be as generous as him! Anyway, with this technique alone, it's not a loss for me to be his servant for a few years!"
His mind began to balance, and he even felt that he had taken a great advantage. The value of this thing was beyond measure. Even his life would be in danger if others knew about it. So, he took great care to hide himself while he hurried back to the Alchemists' Tower.
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Chapter 11: Unclog The Meridians
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Yunxiao sat in his chair, absorbed in his reflections. If it were not for his lack of strength, he would not have taken Jia Rong as his servant. Moreover, his soul power had suffered great damage after using the soul-confusing technique!
"Unfortunately, my soul power was greatly weakened after my rebirth. Otherwise, I would not have gone to so much trouble to deal with a mere first-tier alchemist!"
After his rebirth, his soul power was not even as strong as an ordinary first-tier alchemist. Just now, he had only used a soul-confusing mystic art to momentarily stun Jia Rong. If the latter came to his senses, he would certainly find that something was wrong, so he took out a soul cultivating technique and gave it to him.
This was called 'hit you with a stick and then give you a bun,'. Otherwise, no matter how trashy a soul cultivating technique was, it was still priceless, and he would never give it to someone so easily.
Yunxiao sat down cross-legged, his eyes slightly closed while a golden script began to appear in his mind. It was all undecipherable text that looked like tadpoles, flickering and vanishing repeatedly in his head.
However, no matter how he contemplated over it, he could not make the complete script appear in his mind!
After his soul had awakened, it was only a matter of time before he became one of the strongest men of the generation. But, Yunxiao's goal was more than that: he wanted to become an existence beyond his previous life. He wanted to make a breakthrough into the legendary realm! His greatest reliance now came not from the memory of his past life or the Tyrant Body Tempering Technique, but from a soul cultivation technique he had discovered in Tiandang Mountains just before his death—the Great Expansion Divine Technique!
He had never heard of this soul cultivating technique, and its contents were beyond his imagination. He believed that the reason why his soul was able to be reborn must have something to do with it. In fact, the voice that rang in his mind as he recovered the memory of his past life was reading the text of this divine technique.
Cultivators on the Heavenly Martial Continent were basically divided into martial cultivators and alchemy cultivators. The former mainly focused on the cultivation of Qi while a small number of them specialized in the cultivation of flesh—the so-called common warriors. The latter focused mainly on the cultivation of the soul, and they were precisely the alchemists. Each of the three corresponded to the spirit, energy, and soul of a human respectively, and no matter which one reached the peak, an individual could become a mighty figure who shook the entire continent.
But, as a martial cultivator who had already cultivated his energy and soul to the level of sovereign, Yunxiao knew the importance of complementarity between the three very well. All of the few strongest Conferred Martial Sovereigns in the world had cultivated two of the three to the peak, which made them far stronger than the other existences.
It was only after he was trapped at the pinnacle of the Nine Heavens Realm that he realized how the strength of his flesh had prevented him from making further breakthroughs, which drove him to get his hands on the Tyrant Body Tempering Technique. Only when the body, Qi, and soul reached the peak at the same time could he make a spurt toward the legendary Ten Worlds Realm!
"Now that I have the Great Expansion Divine Technique, I will definitely be able to cultivate my soul power to the peak of the sovereign realm. Coupled with Tyrant's body tempering technique…when all three are fused as one, I can then make a breakthrough into the Ten Worlds Divine Realm and become invincible!"
A glimmer of bright light flashed in his eyes as he seemed to be looking through layers of space at the end of the boundless void!
"I can craft at least thirteen divine needles with this piece of Five-color Divine Air Stone, which is enough to arouse the potential of my current body and allow me to unclog my meridians!"
He settled down and began to circulate the Great Expansion Divine Technique. His damaged soul power was recovering at a terrifying rate, and it soon reached the peak level of an apprentice alchemist.
"Although a little short from the level of a first-tier alchemist, it's enough for me to craft the divine needles and concoct the potion!"
When he had placed Han Bai and Chen Zhen in a safe place, he made his way toward the training room.
The training room equipped with the single dormitory was constructed with extremely tough diamond rock, which was not only difficult to be destroyed by ordinary warriors, but also had an excellent sound insulating effect.
From the material Jia Rong gave him, Yunxiao took out an ingredient called purple gold sand, slapped it into a powder form with both hands, and used it to draw a pentacle-shaped array on the ground. When he was done, a strange force began to emanate from the array.
After that, he placed the Five-color Divine Air Stone on the ground, then took out the black sword and struck it down with all his might. With a 'boom', the stone shattered into countless tiny pieces.
A trace of golden light flashed across his brows before a stream of invisible soul power rippled out, wrapping all the tiny pieces of stone and bringing them above the array.
As if pulled by the force of the array, those tiny pieces of stone began to slowly quiver, and the frequency became higher and higher over time. Yunxiao carefully controlled their rhythm with his soul power, allowing them to jump in a certain manner.
If anyone had been here to watch the whole process, he would have been left aghast. Yunxiao was so different from the average alchemists in his drawing of the array, refining of the stone, and use of soul power, that it was simply incomprehensible.
His rich experience from the previous life had made up for his lack of strength. Something that only a first-tier alchemist could craft was done with the strength of a senior apprentice alchemist by him.
The tiny fragments of the divine stone started to crackle like fried beans over the array and soon melted into a viscous form before coalescing. As a large amount of white dust drifted out of it, the color of the liquid became brighter and more striking.
He had actually incorporated the step of purification directly into the refining process! If this were to be witnessed by those from the Alchemists' Association, their jaws would surely drop to the ground!
"Condense!"
Yunxiao faintly shouted out a word and lightly pointed his index finger at the void in front of him. At the word and the gesture, the extracted energy essence over the array instantly condensed into thirteen tiny needles, their surfaces reflecting colorful light which made them look extremely gorgeous!
Thirteen glittering needles fell gently into his hand. However, he did not bother to take a look at them, and just put them straight into his ring.
"Next, I'll begin concocting the potion that cleanses the marrow and meridians."
He took out more than a dozen glass vessels of varying sizes and heights, and placed them in a row on the ground. Then, he pulled out a large bottle of a red, pungent liquid from his storage bag and poured it into each vessel. It was the blood of some demon beast.
After all this, Yunxiao took a sharp breath and quickly took various ingredients out of his storage bag as his eyes flashed with a bright gleam, placing them in separate vessels. Soon, different reactions began to appear in each vessel.
Various gases emerged from different vessels, and the liquid inside boiled with colorful bubbles. Yunxiao spread out his soul power, keeping the process of all reactions under the watch of his divine sense. He was constantly adding ingredients to different vessels to counteract the drastic reaction.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The sound of explosions rang without an end. Unable to withstand the violent reactions, the vessels were finally blown apart, sending colorful streams of liquid straight into the air like a fountain!
"Come!"
With a wave of his hand, an exquisite crystal vessel appeared out of nowhere and danced in midair, then a total of nine streams of liquid fell accurately into it. Next, he grabbed the vessel and began to shake it. Nine liquids of different colors quickly fused together to form a dark green solution that swirled quietly in the vessel.
The whole process lasted for about an hour. Because of the excessive consumption of his soul power, Yunxiao's face and forehead were covered with a thick layer of sweat, and his entire body was soaked in sweat as well, with large drops constantly dripping on the ground.
"Phew!"
He exhaled a long breath and began to gasp. "Haha! It seems that I'm still in excellent condition…I finally succeeded!"
The green solution in the crystal vessel looked calm, but Yunxiao could feel a very powerful force welling up within it!
He did not have time to rest, for he was curious to know the effect of the solution. He quickly brought over a large bucket of boiling water and slowly poured the dark green liquid into it.
Blub blurp!
The air was filled with a loud boiling sound as the water temperature seemed to have risen by hundreds of degrees instantaneously. A great deal of water vapor rose from the bucket, turning the whole room pale green in the blink of an eye and obscuring all eyes.
Yunxiao's body began to turn a little hot by just standing in the mist while a tremendous amount of heat was slowly seeping into his skin. He took out the five-color divine air needles and carefully inserted them into his body. Each time he inserted one, he felt a force puncturing through the skin into his meridian. But, not only did he feel no pain, he even felt extremely relieved.
Splash!
After inserting all thirteen needles, he jumped straight into the boiling solution. In addition to the boiling heat that burned his skin, a powerful medicinal force poured madly into his body, heading for his limbs and causing his whole body to turn pale green at a rate visible to the naked eye.
He was in severe pain, but his face was overjoyed, for the medicine was better than he had expected. He closed his eyes tightly and performed an incantation gesture with both hands as he sat still, forming a strange contrast to the boiling liquid around him. At the same time, the ends of the needles that had been inserted into his body began to emit a faint colorful glow, as if a force were swirling restlessly in them.
Most of the ingredients he used to concoct the potion were highly toxic, but when put together, they could reach a delicate balance and have an amazing effect on the cleansing of marrow and meridians. People who did not know much about its prescription and medical details would never dare to use this solution. Even he had to divide it into ten parts; otherwise, a careless mistake might cause it to lose balance and kill him on the spot.
But, after getting the five-color divine air needles, he completely changed his plan, because these needles contained the power of the five elements. When they were used to stimulate acupoints, Yunxiao could not only absorb the power of the five elements through them, but also use them to protect his acupoints. He clearly felt the cool, soothing sensation coming from his thirteen main acupoints. Moreover, these acupoints were breathing on their own, constantly inhaling and exhaling the Primordial Qi.
When the power of the potion had been absorbed into him, it swam along his major meridians, spreading throughout his body as it began to unclog the damaged and dried-up invisible meridians one by one. As he endured the tremendous pain, a delightful smile gradually came over his face.
As the impact of the medicine grew stronger, he began to perform various seals with both hands, guiding the movement of the medicine within his body. Many meridians bulged on the surface of his skin and twisted like the roots of an ancient tree, horrible to look at, while a faint green aura was seeping out of them.
BOOM!
Suddenly, a stuffy boom echoed out from within his body, and all his meridians were blown through in that instant! Guided by his hand seal, the power of the medicine poured into his limbs and bones as it swam a full circle, unobstructed!
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Chapter 12: Five Chakras
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"It worked!"
Yunxiao was delighted, but instead of getting up, he performed another few hand incantation gestures and directed the power of the medicine toward the chakra in his chest.
Now that his meridians were unclogged and unobstructed, the next step was to open the first chakra!
Most people opened their chakras from the top down, starting with the one on the top of their heads. Yunxiao, however, played by different rules and went straight to the hardest heart chakra. On his chest, a mass of dark green light began to gather, which grew stronger over time and then suddenly bloomed like a flower.
In that instant, he felt the power which had been waiting for so long in his heart chakra was finally being released. He flicked open his eyes; an electric-like gleam flashed through his pupils as a strange pose suddenly emerged in his mind, giving him a flash of inspiration. "The second style of the Tyrant Body Tempering Technique—Mountain!"
With palms put together, he sank like a mountain into the medicinal liquid in a flash. The potion boiling around him seemed to be drawn by some force and began to spin while the light of the heart chakra in his chest became the eye of the whirlpool, dragging in streams of power.
"Ha! Open now, all of you!"
The light on his heart chakra bloomed, and two streams of light shot out of it, one going upwards and the other downwards along his body. Soon, under the impact of the heart chakra's power, his solar plexus chakra, sacral chakra, throat chakra, and third eye charka all lit up with their respective colors. The entire room began to reflect the light of the chakras in addition to the pale green color of the mist.
BOOM!
Just as Yunxiao was trying to absorb the potion's power to open the last two chakras, the power his body could withstand was at its peak. Thirteen divine needles were ejected instantaneously from his acupoints, disrupting the balance of his whole body. With that, a huge force exploded in the bucket in a flash!
The marrow and meridians cleaning potion was evaporated into mist at the moment of explosion, making the whole training room wet as if it was washed by water. Yunxiao walked out of the mist and sighed, "It's a pity that I've only opened five chakras."
If his words were heard by other apprentice warriors, they would surely kill him with their teeth in jealousy.
He carefully put away the divine needles. After one use, they were noticeably slimmer.
"The five-color divine air needles' effect of stimulating the body's potential is indeed amazing! I have to find a way to get my hands on the other four pendants from the Lan Family."
After thinking for a while, he changed into a clean suit of clothes and went out of the training room. When he came into the hall, he saw Chen Zhen and Han Bai coming out of another room. Their injuries were almost healed, but Chen Zhen's swollen face had not.
"Young Master Yun!" They both cried out at the same time as they looked at Yunxiao in horror, their eyes bursting with anger.
"That Lan Fei and his lackeys are going too far!" Han Bai snarled. "How could they hurt you with such a powerful poison? Does he really dare to kill us openly?"
Chen Zhen was fuming as well. "I wish I could go back now to gather ten thousand men and kill this gang of unruly brats! Are you all right, Young Master Yun? The poison…"
Only then did Yunxiao realize that his skin was all pale green. It was a symptom of the potion's strength still remaining in his body in large quantities, which would gradually correct itself. He gave them a brief explanation, after hearing which, they both became dumbfounded and froze in place.
"Young Master Yun, you mean you've kicked them all in the asses and even robbed them?"
"Young Master Yun, you mean you've unclogged your meridians and even opened five chakras?"
Chen Zhen burst into laughter. "Haha! I knew it! How could General Feilong's son be a loser! Without saying a word, you've suddenly become stronger than us! Great! When all three of us graduate and inherit our families' title of nobility, we'll assemble a million men to destroy the Lan Family's brats!"
The shocked expression on Han Bai's face gradually faded, and he began to ponder. "It's great that Young Master Yun has opened his chakras, but the trouble has grown bigger as well. Lan Fei and his lackeys will not let this matter drop. I fear Young Master Yun is in greater danger now."
Chen Zhen, who was absorbed in his heroic fantasy, scoffed, "They're just a bunch of rascals. Since they are no match for Young Master Yun now, they won't be anymore! Do you think they have the courage to send someone to cause trouble inside the academy?"
There were only two Martial Kings in the state of Tianshui who had stepped into the Five Elements realm. One of them was the dean of Jialan Academy, Zhong Lishan, who claimed to be the strongest man in the state of Tianshui. Every nation had its own laws and every family had its own rules, and Jialan Academy was no exception. Even the emperor must obey the academy's rules during his visit here.
Once upon a time, the son of an assistant minister of the military suffered a loss in the academy. When he returned to his home, he sent an expert of his family to beat up another student. The next day, all the warriors of his family had their cultivation base destroyed, and from then on, a prominent family completely decayed and disappeared from the political center of the state.
The incident had struck fear into all powerful families in the state of Tianshui. Since then, no one dared to run wild in the academy, even if they were princes and princesses. But, the academy did not prohibit students from fighting with each other, so an individual could only rely on his or her own ability to keep a foothold in the academy!
Han Bai shook his head and said, "Lan Fei is certainly not to be afraid of, but have you forgotten the man who's ranked third on the Minor Power Chart?"
Chen Zhen's pupils constricted abruptly and his face turned unsightly.
The Heaven and Earth Power Chart was a ranking list of the strongest experts on the Heavenly Martial Continent, which included a total of one hundred experts. Yunxiao's previous incarnation, Gu Feiyang, was an almighty expert ranked third on this chart!
And the Minor Power Chart that Han Bai mentioned was a ranking list created by the academy, which was reset once a year through a competition. The person currently ranked third on it was the other direct descendant of the Lan Family, Lan Fei's half brother—Lan Xuan!
"Lan Xuan is a student who will graduate this year," Han Bai said with a bitter smile. "He is very strong, and is said to have begun trying to break through the Two Forces realm. Moreover, he is the leader of the Xuan Gang. So, even if he graduates and left the academy, the gang's experts will still obey his orders."
Chen Zhen started to worry as well. "He's going to become a Martial Master? If he does succeed, he'll be able to join the Guardian of the State as soon as he graduates! He's really something! Lan Xuan is only eighteen, isn't he?"
Han Bai nodded with a solemn expression. "Yes, an eighteen-year-old Martial Master is a rare genius even in the state of Tianshui! At the rate he's progressing, there's a good chance he'll become the deputy commander of the Guardians."
"As a Martial Master, he would not trouble us for such a trifle, would he?" Chen Zhen's face grew even more unsightly.
"He probably won't do it himself. There's still some time to go before the break. Hopefully, we can make it through until he graduates."
The corners of Yunxiao's mouth lifted slightly as he said with a smile in his eyes, "You can rest assured that he will come to me. Even if he doesn't, I'll go to him."
'Because I can't wait to get my hands on the piece of five-color divine air stone carried by him!' he sneered in his heart.
…
Inside a fine building in the academy, Lan Fei was thundering with rage, "Uncle, there's no way I can swallow this one!"
Wang Feng's gaze grew cold as he scolded, "Shut up, you idiot! You almost made a big mistake! Luckily, Lan Xuan is in secluded cultivation, or your mother's years of nurturing would have been ruined!"
Lan Fei was startled, but then he immediately said with disbelief, "It can't be that serious, can it? I just want brother Xuan to help me teach that piece of trash a lesson to help me vent my anger."
"To help you vent your anger? Hmph!" Wang Feng's eyes flashed with jest as he scoffed, "And you still call him brother Xuan? You're as silly as a goose! That piece of trash from the Li Family is nothing. You must understand that your real enemy now is none other than Lan Xuan! Now that you've lost your token of the family's direct descendant, you will be reprimanded by the family and go out of favor if he learns about this, which is actually the lightest punishment. If they take this seriously, you will not only lose your status as a direct descendant, but may even be demoted to the branch!"
Lan Fei's face went pale. "What should I do?" he asked, frightened. "You must help me, uncle!"
Wang Feng narrowed his eyes slightly and said in a serious voice, "Don't you worry. You're my sister's son…If I don't help you, who else would I help? However, as a teacher of the academy, I can't teach a student a lesson without any reason. Otherwise, even I will be punished. The annual assessment of the junior class will be held in seven days, and I remember you told me that this brat hasn't opened any chakras. I'll apply to be the chief examiner of the assessment. As long as he can't show any chakra light, I'll expel him with the academy rules! When he leaves this place and before he reaches home, that will be the time for us to strike! After retrieving the token, you can do what you want with that piece of trash!"
"Seven more days?" Lan Fei said exasperatingly. "Whenever I think of the humiliation I received that day, I wished I could skin him immediately! Oh right, I'm going to break his balls!"
"Hmph, if you can't endure this little setback, what great thing do you expect to do? I'm really worried for my sister. You're so far behind Lan Xuan!" Wang Feng said coldly.
Lan Fei turned pale, and he clenched his hands so tight that his nails dug into his flesh. "Alright, I'll follow what you said, uncle!" He gnashed his teeth and said. "But, he's not going to have an easy time during this period. I have a way to make him lose all standing and reputation, but I need your help, uncle."
There was a flicker of doubt in Wang Feng's eyes. "What do you plan to do?"
With a venomous smile on his face, Lan Fei whispered into his uncle's ear. After hearing his plan, Wang Feng froze for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Excellent! Go ahead and do it! If it works out, we won't have to wait for seven days. You're indeed my sister's son…I've underestimated you earlier."
…
"Hmm? Who's sneaking around?" Yunxiao, who was cultivating the Great Expansion Divine Technique in his room, frowned suddenly. The strength of his divine sense was far greater than that of ordinary people, so he immediately detected two men lurking outside his dormitory.
"It's evening now. Could they be thieves?"
It was nothing new for wealthy students in the academy to have their belongings stolen, especially the children of the dignitaries who had their own independent dormitories.
Yunxiao went straight out, and just as he pushed the door open, a pink envelope suddenly fell down.
To: Yunxiao
It was written on the front of the envelope in beautiful strokes, and a faint fragrance was wafting out of the paper. While frowning, Yunxiao ripped open the envelope and found it to be a love letter with only four lines of a poem:
When the moon rose above the willow tree,
In maple grove he has a tryst with her.
When the moon is round tonight,
She's willing to be with him.
Yours truly, Luo Landuo.
Chapter 13: Maple Grove
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Maple Grove was a dating sanctuary within the academy, a favorite trysting spot for many amorous youths and languishing maidens. Yunxiao narrowed his eyes slightly as a proud figure flashed through his mind. With that, he smiled and started in the direction of Maple Grove.
Moments after he left, two figures appeared in front of his dormitory. One of them quietly took out a key and unlocked the door with it after a few tries. They slipped inside, then came out after only a few minutes and carefully locked the door. Their hands were empty, which made them look less like thieves.
"Hehe! Have you put the things in the right place? We'll make this brat pay for what he had done to us!"
"Yes. Young Master Fei is indeed resourceful to have come up with such a genius trick. I bet this brat must be aroused now, absorbing himself in the fantasy of a delightful date."
"Hmph! He should take a look at himself in the mirror. How would Luo Landuo, who is famous for her pride, be attracted to such a piece of trash like him?"
"Say no more! We'd better get out of here and wait for the grand show tonight!"
They slipped away quietly, but Yunxiao reappeared at the door a moment later. He recognized them at a glance as two of the lackeys who had come with Lan Fei the last time. He wondered why they had sneaked into his dormitory.
With a sneer on his face, he pushed open the door and soon found something under the blanket in his bedroom that rendered him speechless.
A pile of colorful and fragrant women's undergarments and underpants were stuffed into his bed.
"Well, well, Lan Fei…" Looking at these things, Yunxiao naturally understood Lan Fei's plot in an instant. "Since you want to play dirty…" he said coldly, "…I'll play with you!"
His eyes gleamed as he quickly disappeared from the room.
An hour later, Yunxiao's figure could be seen speeding toward Maple Grove.
Covering an area of hundreds of acres, Maple Grove was one of the most beautiful landscapes in Jialan Academy. It was a cultivating venue for many students during the day, but at night, it became a sanctuary for trysts, especially in this moonless, windy, and cool season. Not everyone could afford to live in a single dormitory; in fact, most of the students shared their dormitories with four or even eight students. Therefore, Maple Grove had become their sanctuary.
As soon as Yunxiao stepped inside, he found more than thirty pairs of men and women making barely audible noises in their throats within the area covered by his divine sense. Some of them, who were unable to resist the temptation, were making out under the cover of darkness, filling his ears with all kinds of kinky sounds.
"AHH! Help! Help!"
Just then, a faint cry for help rang out. The voice was not loud, but loud enough to reach into Yunxiao's ear. Under the moonlight, a young girl with a veil over her body rang out of the grove, her face full of terror. Her clothes had been torn, revealing her fair skin which made her look particularly attractive. The terror on her beautiful face could fill one's heart with pity and affection.
"Stop there, you little b*tch! It's your blessing to have been chosen by me!"
A gorgeously dressed man rushed over from behind her with a face full of anger and ferocity, reaching out a hand to grab her.
"Help me, senior!" When the girl saw Yunxiao, she looked as if she had seen a savior, and her face was full of joy. She hurried over, showing an intention of throwing herself at him.
Whoosh!
A sword flashed across the void and fell into Yunxiao's hand, with its tip pointing to the girl's throat. "Stop if you don't want to die!" A cold voice rang out of his mouth.
The girl was stunned, apparently surprised by Yunxiao's reaction. But, she quickly came back to her senses and said anxiously, "Help me, senior! Someone wants…wants…someone wants to molest me!"
Tears the size of pearls rolled down her cheeks, making her look even more pitiable. "Please, if you will just save me once, I…I…I will do whatever you want me to do."
Any young man witnessing such a scene would fall in and want to save her. But, Yunxiao's face wore a look of eternal indifference, emotionless under the moonlight. He closed his eyes slightly while the tip of his sword was still pointing at the girl's throat, his heart as hard as a stone!
"Get out of here, boy, if you don't want to die! This girl's mine already!"
The man caught up with her and grabbed her by the shoulder, giving her a hard yank. A ripping noise echoed out as the veil covering her figure was torn apart and fell away, revealing her half-exposed pink bosom. Meanwhile, her bared shoulder was scratched with a striking red claw mark!
"Senior, please, help me!"
The girl burst into tears as the man dragged her down to the ground. At this moment, the man's eyes flashed with a trace of astonishment as if he was a little confused. But then, he quickly resumed the fierce look and cried out, "Get out of here now, boy! I'm about to do my thing!"
"Help me, help me!" The girl's distressing cry for help continued to come from below, heartbreaking to hear.
Yunxiao opened his eyes slightly with a smile on his face. "Don't worry, my dear, the rescue will come soon."
Upon hearing that, a glimmer of joy flickered in the girl's eyes as she hurriedly struggled to her feet and trotted straight to Yunxiao, without so much as covering her exposed fair skin. The man's eyes also revealed a trace of delight, but he still pretended to be fierce. "Boy, how dare you snatch this girl from me! Do you know who I am? I'm Liu Yitian, the son of Liu Siqi, who is the commander of the Imperial Guard!"
"Oh, so you're Liu Yitian." Yunxiao suddenly turned and smiled at the girl, "The rescue I mention is not me, but them."
"Huh? Them?"
Both the girl and the man were taken aback. All of a sudden, a group of people rushed out of the woods and surrounded the three of them. "Liu Yitian!" roared Chen Zhen, the leader of the group, "How could you do such a terrible thing! Teacher Feng, you saw what happened just now. This brat is simply an animal!"
When the group of a dozen people appeared, Liu Yitian knew that he was going to suffer. Moreover, when he heard Chen Zhen call out 'Teacher Feng', he shuddered with fear and felt strength leave his legs! By the moonlight, he glanced carefully at the crowd and saw the middle-aged man in the lead, whose hair had stood on their ends with rage. He was none other than the academy's dean of students, Feng Buping, nicknamed 'God of Slaughter'!
"Ah!"
He was so frightened that he took a few steps back and sat down on the ground. 'What's going on? How did this happen?'
Not only he, but the girl was completely bewildered as well. Even Lan Fei and his lackeys, who were hiding in the dark and ready to jump out, were dumbfounded. Why was the dean here?
"Liu Yitian, you animal!"
Feng Buping's figure flashed before everyone's eyes, and then they heard a loud slapping sound and saw Liu Yitian being set flying away while screaming miserably.
"We can't spare this animal! Let's beat him to death! Let's beat this rascal who tried to rape his junior to death!"
Han Bai's loud roar startled the whole Maple Grove, and many people started coming this way. Meanwhile, Chen Zhen rushed out with a dozen men, and soon a noise of beating mixed with piercing cries could be heard coming from where Liu Yitian had fallen.
"Are you all right?" Feng Buping asked the girl. "What's your name? Why were you with this animal?"
The girl was completely struck dumb, and she did not know how to answer. "M-my name is Meng Wu. I… I…"
"Don't be afraid, my dear! Look, you are sweating all over with fright." Yunxiao smiled and took Meng Wu into his arms. "With me here, no one is going to bully you!" He held her slender waist tightly with one hand, making it impossible for her to escape no matter how hard she struggled, while wantonly running the other hand across her body. As her clothes were worn, his hand soon slipped in and began to rub and pinch her delicate bosom.
"Y-yo-you!"
Meng Wu freaked out, and her face was flushed with embarrassment. As she was pulled into Yunxiao's arms, her body had blocked Feng Buping's view. Moreover, since she did not dare to shout out, she could only struggle desperately. But, Yunxiao's strength was so great that no matter how hard she tried, she was unable to escape.
She could not bear it any longer and began to sob, but it was real this time, and she was trembling all over.
Feng Buping thought she was suffering from mental trauma, so he comforted her kindly, "Don't be afraid! I'll certainly redress your grievance. Fortunately, Yunxiao sent someone to inform me in time. Otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable. Yunxiao, you take care of Meng Wu here…I'll go and take a look at that animal. Why is there no more sound? He couldn't have been killed by those people, could he?"
Yunxiao, who was enjoying the smooth, tender bosom with one hand, smiled and said, "Go ahead, Teacher Feng! Meng Wu is in good hands now." Meng Wu shuddered as she cried out in her heart, 'Don't leave, Teacher Feng! Don't leave me here!' But strangely enough, she could not make a sound at all and could only keep sobbing.
Feng Buping nodded and walked in the direction of Liu Yitian. Dozens of people had already surrounded the spot, all pointing and whispering.
Meng Wu was still a virgin, after all, so she could not withstand Yunxiao's assault. Her mind was completely blank as she leaned feebly on him, letting him play with her body. Somehow, the shame and indignation that previously filled her heart had gradually transformed into a strange pleasure, which made her begin to moan.
Hiding far away in the grove, Lan Fei and his men were at a loss. "Apparently, Li Yunxiao is behind all this!" Du Feng said angrily. "What now, boss? I suggest we rush out and save Yitian, or he'll be killed!"
"Save my a*s!" Lan Fei slapped him on the head and growled, "You brainless pig! We will be caught in the net if we walk out right now! There's nothing we can do but sacrifice Yitian. Anyway, with Feng Buping here, he's not going to die!" His eyes nearly burst into flames as he turned to the other two men and asked, "Have you put everything in the right place?"
They were the two teenagers who had sneaked into Yunxiao's dormitory to hide those women undergarments and underpants. Nodding together, they said, "Yes, we've put everything under his blanket. You can count on us, boss!"
Lan Fei's eyes gleamed with a grim coldness. "Li Yunxiao, while you might have escaped this, let's see how you're going to deal with the next one!"
Yunxiao looked casually in the direction where Lan Fei had disappeared into as the corners of his mouth curved into a smile.
At this moment, Meng Wu had given up all resistance. Her body was burning from Yunxiao's rubbing and squeezing, and what made her even more embarrassed was that she felt wet beneath her. It made her wish she could kill herself by running her head into a wall!
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Chapter 14: Underwear Thief
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"Stop it!"
From afar came Feng Buping's voice. Soon afterward, the group of people came back, and Han Bai gave Yunxiao a meaningful glance. Seeing that everyone was coming over to him, Yunxiao felt it was not nice for him to continue taking advantage of Meng Wu. So, he reluctantly pulled his hand out and picked her up as he said softly, "Don't be afraid, it's all right now! That rascal has been completely crippled."
Meng Wu was so angry that she was shivering all over, but she did not have any strength to struggle. Besides, there were too many people around them, so she could only bury her head in Yunxiao's chest, feeling ashamed and resentful.
Wearing a livid face, Feng Buping walked over with Liu Yitian in his arms as he said in a serious voice, "He's crippled!"
Yunxiao looked at the feeble Liu Yitian in the dean's arms: his face was barely recognizable from all the beating, and blood and gore could be seen in his crotch, terrifying to look at. He glanced at Han Bai, and in his eyes seemed to be saying 'Savage!'. Han Bai returned the glance with a glare, as if he replied with 'I've learned this from you.'
"Leave this place now, all of you!" Feng Buping said in a deep voice, "I'll report what happened here to the dean. Liu Yitian had brought this to himself, and he can't blame anyone!" He glanced at Meng Wu in Yunxiao's arms as he frowned slightly and said, "It's not appropriate for you to hug her like that. Do any of you know her?"
He turned to look at the dozens of people who had gathered around. Among them, many were girls, and they were all couples who were having outdoor sex in Maple Grove.
Many girls bowed their heads in embarrassment. Suddenly, a girl in a red dress, whose name was Liu Feifei, exclaimed, "She's Meng Wu!" There was a strange look in her eyes as she said, "We are from the same dormitory."
Feng Buping nodded and said, "Great, you'll bring her back. Report to me at any time if there's anything."
Only then did Yunxiao reluctantly hand Meng Wu over to Liu Feifei. When he let go of her, he did not forget to squeeze her hard on the butt. Meng Wu let out a shy moan as her eyes grew wide, and the flame of anger in them was so strong that it seemed enough to burn the whole Maple Grove to ashes!
"Don't be afraid, my darling…you're safe now!" With a concerned look on his face, Yunxiao took off his robe and draped it over Meng Wu's shoulders. But when his fingers brushed past her bosom, he lightly touched her pink nipple. Consequently, her body gave a jerk as she could no longer hold it and burst into tears once again.
Everyone thought that she was frightened because she was bullied by Liu Yitian, and Liu Feifei, too, said gratefully to Yunxiao, "Thank you! You're truly a nice guy." She put her arms around Meng Wu tightly and said, "Meng Wu, I'm Feifei. Don't be afraid!"
Yunxiao smiled gently and said, "You don't have to thank me. It's only right for me to stand out and uphold justice when my junior sister is in trouble. Do come to me when you need any help."
The incident was over, and the couples had also lost their desires. So, the crowd began to leave Maple Grove in groups. Just then, a loud beating of drums and gongs suddenly rang out in front of them.
Then, a large group of students began to pour over, many of whom were girls, and they all looked angry. Surprisingly, they were led by Lan Fei.
Feng Buping frowned and asked in a low voice, "What's going on?"
"Oh, Teacher Feng? So, you're here too? That's great!" Lan Fei said in rage. "We have a thief in the academy, an extremely perverted one! The underwear of many female students were stolen!"
Everyone was shocked. "What? Someone is stealing girls' underwear? Who is this pervert?"
For a moment, an uproar broke out among the crowd as anger filled their hearts—especially those girls—and they began to scold like a flock of magpies. Feng Buping was frowning and glancing at the crowd when his eyes suddenly caught someone. "Princess? You're here too?"
Qin Ruxue's face was burning, her eyes filled with fury. "I've also lost something. Teacher Feng, you must catch that perverted thief for us!"
"Someone saw that thief running in the direction of Maple Grove!" Lan Fei said coldly as a trace of a venomous smile played about the corners of his mouth, and then fixed his eyes on Yunxiao.
'Haha! Li Yunxiao, you piece of trash, you're going to be finished!' His mood was incomparably delightful.
All of a sudden, Yunxiao asked curiously, "Many female students have lost their underwear, but what does this have to do with you, Lan Fei?"
'Hmm? He's right! What does this have to do with you?'
Curiosity jumped over the faces of all female students as they turned to look at Lan Fei. Why did this son of a distinguished family—who was cold, aloof, and arrogant during normal times—suddenly became so helpful and excited, as if he had just been given a shot in the arm?
Lan Fei went blank momentarily, lost for words. "This…this…I…"
A lad standing by his elbow, who was apparently smarter, said hurriedly, "Boss can no longer stand idly by and watch, so he came forth and led everyone to catch the thief!"
"Ye-yes! I brought everyone here to catch the thief! Someone had seen the thief running in the direction of Maple Grove." Lan Fei recovered his imposing manner and said proudly, "As a student of the academy, I have this obligation and responsibility."
Yunxiao made a face of sudden realization. "Oh! I see! Can you please tell us who saw the thief running this way?"
"It was me. Why?" The smart lad stepped forward immediately. He was one of the two men who had sneaked into Yunxiao's room. "I'm Meng Kun, and I saw it with my own eyes. Do you have a problem?"
He held his head up intentionally to give himself some airs. Although he knew that Yunxiao was very strong, with Feng Buping here, no one dared to cause trouble.
Yunxiao smiled faintly and said, "No, I don't have any problem…I'm just curious. What the thief had stolen is girls' underwear, but instead of girls, you, as a man, was the first to find out. Why? And, since you saw the thief, why don't you lead everyone to catch him? Why did you ask your boss to do it in your stead?"
"I…" Meng Kun's mind went blank as well because the questions were not easy to answer. The crowd was also wondering, and everyone stared at him, causing beads of cold sweat to roll off his forehead.
"What are you doing, Li Yunxiao?" Lan Fei suddenly bellowed, "Are you trying to divert everyone's attention? Is it because you are guilty? I think there's a good chance that the thief is you!"
"Right! Now that boss mentions it, it occurs to me that the thief's figure was very much like this guy!" Meng Kun quickly echoed to that.
'Here it comes,' Yunxiao laughed to himself. "Young Master Fei, why are you slandering me?" He asked leisurely.
Lan Fei smiled coldly and said, "To prove your innocence, you should let us search your dorm. If you refuse, you will not be able to escape the suspicion today!"
Yunxiao snorted coldly and said, "Why should I do as you said? Who do you think you are?"
Ruxue's face flickered as if she had realized something, and she said, "I believe Yunxiao won't do something like that. Meng Kun, did you really see the thief clearly?"
The princess's piercing glance frightened Meng Kun so much that he was instantly soaked in cold sweat. Lying to the princess was a serious crime, and he could be beheaded for that, and even cause his entire family to be executed! He was only the descendant of a small power attached to the Lan Family. How would he have the courage to deceive the imperial family?
But in the next instant, he sensed Lan Fei's gloomy gaze, which made him shudder and blurt out the words, "Yes, I saw the thief clearly! He is Li Yunxiao…I have no doubt about it!"
With a soaring mood, Lan Fei said, "Haha! Li Yunxiao, do you have anything else to say?"
Yunxiao nodded slightly to Feng Buping and said, "Teacher Feng, you can search my dorm. But, if my innocent is proven, I want an answer from Lan Fei!"
Since the beginning, Feng Buping had not said a word, because he also found that something was not right. So, he was quietly observing the situation. Now, he turned his glance to Lan Fei, apparently asking for his opinion.
"No problem!" Lan Fei said decisively. "If you can prove your innocence, I'll give you an answer!"
Yunxiao nodded and said, "In that case, I believe in Teacher Feng's fairness."
A worried look appeared in Ruxue's eyes. Yunxiao shook his head lightly and said in a loud voice, "Don't worry, Princess! There is a righteous spirit pervading the heaven and earth! I, Li Yunxiao, am open and above board, and I don't believe evil can prevail over good!"
Upon hearing what he said, all the female students fell into deep thought and began to dismiss their doubts about him. After all, a guilty person would not have such a spirit! Meng Wu, standing behind them, shivered with anger at his righteous face. However, she could not tell them what she had suffered just now.
Ruxue gritted her teeth hard and stamped her foot. 'You are a fool! There's something obviously odd about this, and I'm sure they're trying to frame you!'
Yunxiao acted as if he had not noticed her distress as he said loudly, "Everyone, please follow me to my dorm. I will prove to you that I'm indeed innocent!"
Led by him, the crowd moved toward his dorm. Along the way, many students who had heard the news joined them as well, and in just a short time, over a hundred people had gathered.
"Eh? Teacher Wang, why are you here too?" Yunxiao looked coldly at Wang Feng, who was standing before the door to his dorm with a few other teachers of the academy. They were all from the dean's office.
Wang Feng said lazily as if he had just woken up, "I heard that there is a perverted thief who has caused serious trouble, so I have to come here and have a look. Oh, Director Feng, you are here as well!"
Feng Buping frowned. From his experience, he naturally knew that there must be something wrong.
Yunxiao sneered leisurely, "To have a look at the door of my dorm? I thought Meng Kun said he saw the thief running in the direction of Maple Grove? Teacher Wang, you must be very clever to know that we would come here, saving you the time and energy to travel back and forth."
Everyone could tell that he said that with some tongue in cheek. Feng Buping's face grew cold, and he finally could not help but say in a deep voice, "What is this all about, Wang Feng?"
Wang Feng snorted lightly and sneered, "I come here with the same purpose as you, to catch the thief. This brat is so perverted and unruly. I propose that once we catch him, we should expel him immediately, lest he should harm more students."
Feng Buping's face flickered. He would be a fool if he still could not see the problem by now. "I've no issue with you catching the thief here," he said while fuming, "But, if anyone dares to play tricks and falsely wrong a good student in my face, I will not accept that!" The reason why he was called the 'God of Slaughter' by the students was not only because of his strict law enforcement, but also his selflessness and fairness!
Wang Feng said pointedly, "Of course, we must be fair, so that everyone is sincerely convinced! When the thief is caught together with his loot, I'll report this directly to the dean!" Feng Buping's position was above him, but as long as the thief was caught together with the loot, he could always use the dean's name to shut everyone's mouth!
As if he was eager to get himself caught, Yunxiao said seriously, "Since even Teacher Wang is so fair, I truly feel relieved. Everybody, please be my witnesses." He took out a key and unlocked the door, then gestured and said, "Please help yourself!"
'Is this brat up to something?' Wang Feng thought when he saw the indifferent look on Yunxiao's face. But, when he turned and saw Lan Fei's confident face, he was relieved. "Search the room!"
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Chapter 15: Draw Ruin Upon Oneself
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Several teachers and some students rushed into the dorm immediately. Yunxiao strode after Feng Buping into the living room, sitting in a chair with a cheery look on his face as he looked at Lan Fei coldly.
A few minutes later, Lan Fei seemed to be having a hard time sitting still. He clearly saw a few students go into the bedroom, but they all came out with empty hands.
'What a pig!' He scolded Meng Kun in his heart for hiding the things so deeply. "Meng Kun, why don't you help with the search?"
Meng Kun nodded and walked a few circles in the living room pretentiously before heading to the bedroom. Feng Buping's cold gaze followed the former as he said, "If anyone dares to plant the evidence and frame an innocent student, I'll immediately expel him!"
"I'll go and have a look too!" Ruxue said with an angry face as she followed after Meng Kun. She had concluded that this was a scheme. So, if Meng Kun really found something, she could stop him in time.
Wang Feng smiled coldly and said, "Why don't we all go in and have a look since we don't trust each other?" He stepped out and followed closely behind the princess, immediately killing off her plan.
"Since you all are so interested in my bedroom, let's go in and have a look together." Yunxiao stood up and strode toward his bedroom. Immediately, more than a dozen people rushed over, all heading for the bedroom.
By this time, Meng Kun had already entered the room and turned the blankets a few times. His face instantly turned white as a sheet! He realized in a flash why Yunxiao looked as if he had nothing to fear. The undergarment and underpants he had hidden were all gone!
Just then, Lan Fei came into the room and sneered, "Meng Kun, scour the room and don't miss a spot."
Bathed in a cold sweat and trembling, Meng Kun walked over to Lan Fei and whispered in his ear.
"What!" Lan Fei's face fell, and his furious growl instantly startled everyone. Under his almost cannibal gaze, Meng Kun's legs trembled violently.
"Meng Kun, why are you standing there? I thought your master asked you to scour the room, didn't he?" Yunxiao sneered.
Wang Feng finally found that something was not right. His eyes flashed with a glimmer of disappointment as he said coldly, "This is a small bedroom. I don't think there's anything here. It seems that Li Yunxiao should be innocent. The thief must be someone else."
Feng Buping gave him a cold glance and then stared at Yunxiao thoughtfully.
Ruxue breathed a sigh of relief, but she felt annoyed at the same time. 'Apparently, he knew that it was a scheme long ago, and had been ready for this, and yet he made me worry for the whole time!" she thought angrily.
Seeing that the plan had failed, Wang Feng had no mood to stay any longer. "Since Li Yunxiao is innocent, let's all leave now," he said lightly.
"You're leaving just like that?"
After shouting out loudly, Yunxiao sneered, "Teacher Wang said that the thief must be someone else. Don't you want to catch him?"
Taken aback, Wang Feng said coldly, "The campus is too large, and there are no witnesses or evidence. It will be very difficult to catch the thief now. The academy will handle this matter."
With a cold smile on his face, Yunxiao said, "Who said there is no witness? I thought Meng Kun said he saw the thief? Could he be lying then? In that case, I have the reason to doubt that this dog's master, Lan Fei, is the mastermind behind all this!"
Lan Fei was already fuming. "Li Yunxiao, don't you sling mud at me!"
Yunxiao's face grew stern as he said coldly, "The facts have cleared me of suspicion. Now it's your turn to give me an answer."
"What do you want?" Lan Fei growled.
"Very simple!" Yunxiao sneered, "To prove your innocence, I want to search your dorm as well! Of course, it's not that I suspect you, Young Master Fei who has nothing to hide. But, I just can't swallow this without doing anything."
"Hmph! Since I said I'd give you an answer, I'll naturally honor my word. Search all you want!" Lan Fei said with a righteous air. "But Li Yunxiao, I'm not done with you!"
The single dormitories of the dignitaries' children were all in the same area, so the crowd took almost no time to arrive at Lan Fei's dormitory.
Lan Fei pushed open the door confidently and said in a cold voice, "Search as you like, but don't destroy my things. I am afraid you poor things can't afford them!"
Yunxiao smiled faintly and waved. At the gesture, Chen Zhen and Han Bai immediately rushed into the room. Wang Feng's face gradually grew unsightly as if he had sensed something wrong.
Sure enough, Han Bai and Chen Zhen soon carried a wooden chest out of the room. "Young Master Yun, we can't open this chest!"
Lan Fei frowned and said coldly, "This is a chest I use to store my clothes in. Only my key can open it."
He took out a golden key from his ring and inserted it into the lock. The chest opened with a creak. Everyone was struck dumb as soon as they saw the contents within!
Wang Feng's pupils constricted, and he felt his head go blank. 'There's indeed a plot! He's finished!'
Anyhow, the person who had a completely blank mind right now was Lan Fei. His eyes grew as large as copper bells as he muttered, "How's this possible! No, I didn't do this! This is a slander…Li Yunxiao, you're framing me!" He growled madly.
"Framing you?" Yunxiao smiled faintly. "You said that this is your personal chest just now, and it can't be opened without your key."
"You…" Lan Fei was so angry that his whole body was shaking.
"So, it was you! You animal!" Looking at her pure white underwear half-exposed in the chest, Ruxue kicked Lan Fei in anger and embarrassment. "You sick freak! I'll have the dean expel you!"
"Expel! Expel!"
Almost all the girls cried out in fury, and soon, the boys joined them as well. For a moment, the cries of 'Expel!' rang throughout the whole campus.
Chen Zhen casually rummaged through the contents in the chest and suddenly said in surprise, "Eh? Why is there half a box of soap in the chest besides the girls' underwear?"
"Hehe! You never heard about the rumors?" Han Bai sneered. "It is said that besides being a psychopath, Lan Fei likes to throw soaps in the bathroom when boys are showering, forcing his lackeys to pick them up."
"Eww! This is disgusting!"
Many guys turned pale, and could not help bending down and begin to vomit. Meanwhile, some male students beside Lan Fei hurriedly jumped away in fear, leaving an empty space around him in the blink of an eye.
Lan Fei was so mad that he felt his head reeling. He pointed a trembling finger at Yunxiao, but the pent-up anger in his chest stopped him from uttering a single word.
Yunxiao said in a loud and righteous voice, "Everyone, things have now become clear. Not only did Lan Fei steal girls' undergarments and underpants, but he also forced male students to pick up soaps in the bathroom. He deserves to die! But, every nation has its own laws, and every family has its own rules. Although we are angry and wish we could hack him to pieces, the teachers of the academy are here. Let Teacher Feng and Teacher Wang handle the matter fairly!"
"We want justice!" Chen Zhen shouted immediately, and the whole campus soon rang with the cries of 'We want justice!'.
Feng Buping gave Yunxiao a look of surprise. He did not expect that this kid, who had achieved nothing and could not practice martial arts, would have such a scheming mind. "Rest assured, everybody!" He said in a deep voice, "I'll report this to the dean at once. When we have decided how to handle this matter, I'll give you a satisfactory explanation!"
"Don't worry, sisters!" Ruxue said angrily, "If the academy decides that this perverted animal can stay, we'll go and see the dean ourselves! Otherwise, I'll bring the matter to my father! In any case, I'm irreconcilable with this sick freak!"
"Yes! Irreconcilable!" Some girls who had their undergarments and underpants stolen echoed in shame and fury.
Lan Fei was really in a panic now. He hurriedly grabbed Wang Feng's arm and said, "Save me, uncle! Save me!"
"Hmph!" Wang Feng shook off his hand and said coldly, "To wash a pig is to waste both water and soap!" He parted the crowd and ditched Lan Fei behind as he strode away. Under the current circumstances, he was powerless to do anything. Moreover, if he continued to stay, he might even drag himself into the troubled waters.
"Ah!" Lan Fei collapsed on the ground under all the accusing gazes.
Soon afterward, the academy's decision was out. The evidence of Lan Fei's theft of the girls' underwear was conclusive, and the management of the academy unanimously agreed to expel him and never admit him again!
…
"Young Master Yun! Young Master Yun!"
Early in the morning, Han Bai rushed to Yunxiao's dorm. "I've two news, one good and one bad. Which one do you want to hear?"
Yunxiao looked relaxed. "The good news must be that Lan Fei has been expelled. What about the bad news?"
Han Bai gave him a thumbs-up and praised, "Your foresight is indeed amazing! The bad news is that the chief examiner of this year's annual assessment is Lan Fei's uncle, Wang Feng! We're finished! None of us can pass the assessment!"
Yunxiao sneered, "Finished what? If he's so ignorant, I'll make him scram together with Lan Fei!"
Han Bai was instantly astounded. "You're truly savage, Young Master Yun! But, you better not act recklessly. Wang Feng is, after all, a teacher, not like Lan Fei who was just a student."
"Hmph! I don't care who he is…a five-eyed cock or a three-legged feline. What is Lan Xuan doing recently?" Yunxiao suddenly asked.
"Lan Xuan?" Han Bai's expression changed as he said bleakly, "You have actually reminded me! Lan Xuan has sent word that he will avenge his brother. We're in real trouble now!"
"Oh?" Yunxiao chuckled, his eyes focused slightly. "That's great!"
He had been thinking about Lan Xuan's five-colored divine air stone all the time. After sending Han Bai off, he carried his heavy sword and headed toward the gravity chamber.
…
At the time Lan Fei was expelled from the academy, an intense examination was taking place on the fourth floor of the Alchemists' Tower.
Luo Yunshang stared at a giant tomahawk floating in the air with a serious expression. Under the refinement of the flame, it had been calcined to a red color. Waves of scalding heat emanated from it, spreading out in all directions.
Standing in the middle of the room, Yunshang was soaking wet from the heat, but the few men sitting around her seemed unaffected as they watched the transformation of the weapon intently. The heat waves rippled in the air, but they all stopped when they were several feet from the men, as if blocked by an invisible force.
Suddenly, Yunshang spread her fingers and sprinkled out a cloud of golden dust, which fell around the tomahawk like stars and filled the air with a sizzling noise. The color of the weapon turned brighter as soon as it touched the golden dust, but it seemed unstable, making a series of rumbling sounds.
The temperature of the entire room rose to another level. There was a surprise in the eyes of the men in the surroundings while a few of them began to whisper to each other.
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Chapter 16: Luo Yunshang Advances
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Yunshang's eyes gleamed brilliantly. Although her face looked unusually tired, there was an excitement that could not be concealed from it. Her hands immediately flashed and several seals formed on her fingertips, before transforming into streams of true flame that flew into the tomahawk. The weapon, which was a little violent, suddenly produced a pulling force, devouring all the scattering gold dust.
For a moment, the surface of the bright red tomahawk flickered with golden specks as it emanated a steady, heavy aura, giving those around it a feeling as if a mountain was pressing down on them.
"Condense!"
"Fall!"
With the cries, two beams of light flew from her fingertips into the tomahawk, and its scalding heat and the heaviness vanished immediately. Then, it began shrinking rapidly, and turned into a mini axe in the end, falling into her palm.
After carefully inspecting the mini axe in her palm, Yunshang walked joyously toward the few men and handed it with both hands to the white-bearded old man in the middle as she said respectfully, "Master Xu, please have a look!"
Xu Han's gaze lightly swept over the tomahawk as he smiled and said, "It's not necessary. This Sun Smashing Axe has reached the level of the first tier of the superior weapon. Yunshang, you've passed the assessment."
Pa! Pa! Pa!
The other few men all clapped their hands and looked smilingly at Yunshang, their faces full of praise.
Yunshang was elated, and her excitement was too great to contain. "Thank you, Master Xu, and all of you Masters!"
Xu Han shook his head and said, "This has nothing to do with us…it's all your own effort. I'm just curious, how did you melt carmot into red copper? You had failed at this step in the previous assessments."
The other men fell silent, all looking at her, puzzled.
Yunxiao's youthful face suddenly flashed through Yunshang's mind, and so did his elegant, leisured voice:
"Because even though red copper's attribute is metal, it is actually inclined more toward the fire element. So, it has a great melting ability for carmot. As a result, many alchemists prefer carmot when upgrading red copper weapons. But, if it contains the sky crystal sand, it's a different story."
"Because the attribute of sky crystal sand is water, it neutralizes red copper's fire attribute. So, the more you add, the worse red copper's ability to melt carmot gets."
"The solution is quite simple. Treat sky crystal sand as an impurity and use the refinement essence to remove it."
"I see!" Xu Han was enlightened. "I can't believe it was so simple. Your ability to discover this secret is proof of your superior intelligence. The state of Tianshui now has one more true alchemist. Tomorrow I'll send someone to inform His majesty. I'm sure he'll be thrilled and throw another feast for his subjects to celebrate for you."
Yunshang flushed slightly, but as her cheeks were already covered in sweat from the excessive consumption of her soul power and Primordial Qi, that made her look even more attractive. "Master Xu, please inform His Majesty that I don't need a feast, because I don't like too much publicity."
Yan Lei, who was standing behind Xu Han, laughed and said, "This is a great achievement, so how could we not have a feast? Yunshang, you are the most gifted person among the younger generation of the state of Tianshui. In just three years, you've made His Majesty give you two feasts. For hundreds of years, Lord Yang Di was the only person I can remember who had that honor."
In the state of Tianshui, whenever someone was promoted to a first-tier alchemist or stepped into the Three Powers realm and became a Great Martial Master, the king would host a feast at the palace, inviting all the dignitaries to celebrate.
A feast like this had been held three years ago when Yunshang had broken through the Three Powers realm and become a Great Martial Master.
At Yan Lei's words, Yunshang said hurriedly, "You're flattering me, Master Yan. I'm just a lesser alchemist. How can I ever compare with Lord Yang Di?"
Stroking his beard, Xu Han chuckled and said, "You don't have to be so modest. Lord Yang Di is talented, but he also benefited a lot from being a disciple of Lord Gu Feiyang, who was a ninth-tier alchemist. That's his luck! If you are lucky in the future, your achievements might not be lesser than Lord Yang Di. You just lack a good teacher."
When Yunshang tried to argue, he interrupted her with a slight wave of his hand and said, "Today, the Alchemists' Association needs to celebrate as well. We have two more first-tier alchemists this year alone. Both you and Jia Rong are the rising stars of our branch in the state of Tianshui!"
Another alchemist, Su Yuanqiao, suddenly snorted coldly and said, "President Xu, I agree with you that Yunshang is a rising star. As for Jia Rong…If I'm not mistaken, he's deeply poisoned now!"
Everyone was shocked and looked confused. Xu Han's face flickered as he asked, "What do you mean by that, Yuanqiao?"
A strange glint flashed in Yunshang's eyes. "Master Xu, I'll take my leave now." She was very clever. As soon as she saw Su Yuanqiao's unusual expression, she knew it must be about some classified information, so she took the initiative to avoid it.
Xu Han shook his head and said, "Now that you've passed the assessment, you are officially a first-tier alchemist. That also means you are one of the association's core members. You have the right to know everything about the association, so there's no need to avoid it."
Su Yuanqiao glanced at the crowd as he laughed coldly and said, "I've found out that Jia Rong cheated in his last assessment. He used the prohibited material—Hell Wind stone!"
Everyone's face fell as they glanced at each other. They were all alchemists, so they naturally knew what the Hell Wind stone was. Yan Lei said with a serious expression, "Su Yuanqiao, be careful with your words! I know you don't like Jia Rong, and you've been making things difficult for him since he was an apprentice. But, you can't simply accuse him for nothing!"
"I accuse him for nothing?" Su Yuanqiao sneered. "I fear that the toxin has already gone deep into his marrow by now! I've sent someone to find out the materials he had bought after he was promoted. They are all antidotes. Moreover, he was secretly looking to purchase detoxing pills with high prices everywhere. You all should know what detoxing pills are, right? The legendary fourth-grade alchemy pill that can neutralize all toxins, which is so rare that you can't even purchase one with money! Hehe! Five days ago, he began crazily purchasing various poisonous materials, and since he returned in a hurry, he has been in deep seclusion. I bet he must have been at his wit's end, trying to fight fire with fire. Sadly, the toxicity of Hell Wind stone can't be relieved so easily, not even with detoxing pills. I reckon he must be completely crippled by now!"
Xu Han's face gradually grew unsightly. Su Yuanqiao took out a sheet of paper and handed it to the crowd. "Here's the list of what he had done after he was promoted to a first-tier alchemist. You all can have a look." After a brief glance at the list, everyone had a worried look in their eyes.
In the end, the list was passed to Yunshang. She was slightly shocked, for even the meals Jia Rong took each day were clearly recorded on it. It was obvious that Su Yuanqiao had planned this long ago. Now that he had made the move, he must have had every confidence. Jia Rong was probably not going to escape his doom this time!
"If you still have doubts, we can summon Jia Rong here, and you will know that I'm right just by looking at him. Since he came back five days ago, he has been staying in the tower!" When he saw most of the people believing in what he said, Su Yuanqiao could not help feeling complacent.
"Hmph! How do you know he's not cultivating in seclusion?" Anger flashed in Yan Lei's eyes. He and Su Yuanqiao had never liked each other.
"Since Jia Rong was promoted to an alchemist, he had given up his martial arts training and focused on alchemy," Su Yuanqiao sneered. "An alchemist's cultivation is mainly to nourish the soul power. Only through continuous refinement can one enhance soul power. He is only a first-tier alchemist, so five days are more than enough for him to refine anything. Yan Lei, why are you so protective of him? Are you involved in his use of the Hell Wind stone?"
"Nonsense!" Yan Lei flew into a rage.
"Stop arguing!" Xu Han said in a deep voice. "Jiang Cheng, bring Jia Rong here. Whatever he is doing, he must come at once!"
Xu Han was the president of Tianshui's Alchemists Association, and also one of the only two third-tier Grandmaster Alchemists in Tianshui. He was in a position of great reverence, not inferior to even the emperor. The other third-tier alchemist was the Chief Alchemist of the imperial palace, Zhang Qingfan. Their strength was almost on a par!
The title of the alchemist was not only a symbol of strength, but also a noble status, the pride of all alchemists! As the president of the Alchemists Association, Xu Han would never allow fraud to happen!
The look on everyone's face was grave, as if they all realized that a small storm was coming!
Soon, Jia Rong followed Jiang Cheng to the fourth floor of the Alchemist Tower, the venue that held the qualification assessment. After greeting Xu Han, he nodded to the others. An indiscernible trace of smile emerged on the corners of his mouth when he glanced at Su Yuanqiao. Finally, his eyes rested on Yunshang as he praised, "Jiang Cheng just told me that Lord Yunshang has been promoted to a first-tier alchemist. You're indeed talented! Among the five commanders of the State Guardians, your overall strength is considered the strongest!"
Yunshang nodded and said, "You're flattering me, Lord Jia! The other four commanders' strength is far beyond mine. I just had better luck."
Jia Rong smiled and made no further comment. Instead, he said loudly, "President Xu, I was refining in seclusion. May I know the reason behind the hasty summons? Could it be that we are celebrating Yunshang's promotion?"
There was a flicker of doubt in Su Yuanqiao's eyes. By his inference, Jia Rong's complexion could not have looked this good. He snorted coldly and said, "You're really good at faking, Jia Rong! Even now you can pretend as if you are fine!"
Xu Han took out the list and threw it over as he stared at Jia Rong and said, "Yuanqiao suspects that you used the Hell Wind stone during the last assessment. This is the result of his investigation into you over the past few days. I need an explanation from you right now!"
With a cold snort, Jia Rong took the list and glanced at it. A flame of anger immediately rose from the bottom of his heart. 'This old bastard! I can't believe he actually sent someone to follow me!' At the same time, he had a panicking fear. 'Luckily, Young Master Yun has cured me of the toxin and even taught me a soul cultivation technique. Otherwise, I would have lost my reputation today and been doomed to ruin!'
At this moment, his gratitude toward Yunxiao poured forth like a fountain.
"Su Yuanqiao, you old codger! You should be the one who should give me an explanation!" He threw the list down on the floor and said furiously, "Lord President, if I ever used the Hell Wind stone, you all can easily detect it. But if I didn't, I need an explanation from this old codger Su!"
Xu Han nodded and said, "I will. Now, put out your hands and completely restrain your divine sense. We will conduct a thorough examination of your physical condition."
Su Yuanqiao grinned hideously and said, "You need an answer from me? Let's see how you are going to face your death when we find out your problem!"
Jia Rong smiled suddenly as he lifted his head proudly and said, "I, Jia Rong, have nothing to hide. You can examine all you want. Come on!" He rolled up his sleeves and held out a pair of fair hands.
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Chapter 17: Annual Assessment
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
There was a flicker of doubt in everyone's eyes. The pair of hands was as fair as jade, without a trace of corrosion, and Jia Rong seemed to have no fear. Could it be that Su Yuanqiao had wronged him?
Su Yuanqiao's heart gave a jerk as he stared at the hands with wide eyes and a bad feeling suddenly surged in his heart. "How is this even possible? How could he have cured the toxin of the Hell Wind stone?" He focused his eyes and sent out his divine sense abruptly. "I want to examine your body thoroughly! Even if you could cure the toxin, there is no way your soul power could reach the level of an alchemist! I'm going to expose you, faker!"
Right at that moment, almost everyone sent their divine sense into Jia Rong's body. He still had the same fearless look, and was staring coldly at Su Yuanqiao with a hint of mockery in his eyes, as if watching a clown putting on a show.
A moment later, Xu Han's face grew stern as he said coldly, "Yuanqiao, now I need you to give us an explanation!"
Panicked, Su Yuanqiao said, "How is that possible! He was poisoned by the Hell Wind stone…I'm one hundred percent sure!" He frantically swept Jia Rong's body back and forth with his divine sense, and his face grew more and more unsightly.
"HEY! Have you seen enough?"
Jia Rong suddenly cried out in a deep voice as a tremendous soul power exploded out of his mind, slamming hard into Su Yuanqiao's divine sense. An invisible force instantly distorted the air. The sudden attack made Su Yuanqiao hastily withdraw his divine sense, but his opponent followed him into his mind, causing his soul to shake violently!
Puke!
Su Yuanqiao coughed out a mouthful of his heart's blood as his divine sense was injured. "You…How can your soul power be so strong!" he cried out in horror.
A cold and arrogant smile played about Jia Rong's lips as he scoffed, "I'm a genuine alchemist, so my soul power is naturally stronger than those fakers."
"You!" Su Yuanqiao felt a surge of anger in his heart, which made him cough out another mouthful of blood. "Fine…fine…fine…"
After saying three 'fine' in a row, the gleam in his eyes suddenly faded away, and he looked weary and old for a moment, as if all his spirits had leaked out of him like the air in a balloon.
Xu Han was stunned, and then he breathed a long sigh as he said, "Yuanqiao, why do you have to torture yourself with this…"
There was an abstracted look on Su Yuanqiao's face as he said in a trembling voice, "President, I…I…I'm already old and weak…I beg your leave to retire and return to my birthplace, so I can spend my remaining years in the countryside. Please approve my request, President."
Everyone froze in shock as they realized that Su Yuanqiao's divine sense had scattered under the extreme anger, and his soul power rapidly decreased to the level of an apprentice alchemist. Even Jia Rong was slightly surprised, but his heart was filled with unparalleled excitement and joy.
He had practiced the soul cultivating technique for only five days, and yet his soul power was already strong enough to seriously injure Su Yuanqiao. Even though Su Yuanqiao was just a first-tier alchemist, he had made a name for himself for a long time, and his soul power had been stable in the first tier.
'Young Master Yun, who exactly are you?' Jia Rong was now in complete surrender toward the enigmatic teenager. With such an amazing cultivating technique, he was even willing to be Yunxiao's servant for fifty years, not to mention only fifty days!
Xu Han shook his head helplessly. Su Yuanqiao had lost his strength of a first-tier alchemist, and as he was old, it was impossible for him to recover it. Furthermore, if he were to stay in the Alchemists Association, he would have to always be on guard against the revenge from others, for he had offended many people during his prime. "Just go home and get well!" said the president. "Don't worry, I'll inform His Majesty about everything."
Su Yuanqiao said in a trembling voice, "Thank you, Lord President!" Not daring to meet the glances of anyone, he hung his head low as he waddled away.
Xu Han breathed a long sigh again, then said in a clear loud voice, "Due to illness, Master Su has decided to retire and return to his birthplace. From now on, all the old scores between him and everyone else are written off. No one should disturb him for any reason!" When he had finished, he fixed his eyes on Jia Rong.
Jia Rong smiled faintly as he folded his arms over his chest and said, "I agree with the President."
Only then did Xu Han feel relieved. The soul power Jia Rong revealed just now was already stable in the first tier, and his future achievements would only be greater. Everyone present knew it was he who had injured Su Yuanqiao's mind. Otherwise, the old man would not have his cultivation base dropped due to anger. However, no one would want to offend an alchemist with a bright future at the moment for an old man whose career had reached a dead end.
The crowd greeted Jia Rong one after another, a gesture of currying favor. Meanwhile, he wore a kind smile as he returned the greetings one by one, although sneering in his heart. 'If I hadn't been helped by Young Master Yun, you people would be adding insult to my injury now!'
"Jia Rong, your progress surprised even me," Xu Han said. "I didn't expect your soul power to be so stable even though you've just been promoted not long ago. Help me bring Yunshang to receive her alchemist badge."
Jia Rong received the order with a smile and then took Yunshang through all the formalities.
"Master Jia, I have a bold request," said Yunshang, as a thought suddenly struck her in the mind.
"Oh?" Jia Rong smiled. "Tell me the request, Lord Yunshang!" As one of the five commanders of the State Guardians, Yunshang's strength and authority were superior to his, so he was very polite to her.
"I have a student who cannot practice martial arts due to his physique," Yunshang said. "But, he is very interested in alchemy, and has gained much knowledge in this field through self-learning. I wish to find him a good teacher. I wonder if Master Jia had ever thought of taking in a disciple?"
While frowning, Jia Rong said, "Take in a disciple? Lord Yunshang, you yourself are an alchemist, and your strength is not weaker than mine. So, why do you have to ask me?" Alchemists had very strict requirements when taking in disciples, and they never gave in even for the children of dignitaries. Unless the candidates were extremely talented, they would never take in any disciple.
"His identity is a little special," Yunshang sighed. "As the commander of the State Guardians, it is not appropriate for me to become his teacher. To be honest with you, he is the eldest grandson of Duke Jingguo, the natural son of General Feilong."
"I see," Jia Rong said, enlightened, "I've heard that Duke Jingguo's eldest grandson is a martial arts idiot, and because of that, he was the laughing stock in the capital a few years back. But Lord Yunshang, you should know that a martial arts idiot has a weak physical quality, and that makes it difficult for him to achieve any success in alchemy as well."
Yunshang nodded and said, "Yes, I know that. But, this student does have something special about him. Even if he can't become Lord Jia's personal disciple, I hope you can give him some simple guidance, at least to let him become an apprentice alchemist, which is the only way for us to keep our promise to Duke Jingguo."
Jia Rong's eyes darkened as he said coldly, "In this case, I'll meet this student. But, he has to go through a soul power test. If he reaches the minimum standard of an apprentice alchemist, I'll take him as my personal disciple. It's all for Lord Yunshang's sake."
Elated, Yunshang said, "Thank you, Lord Jia! I'll remember your kindness!"
Jia Rong nodded slightly and said impatiently, "When you are free, bring him to a soul power test. I'll take him as my disciple if he is qualified. But, if he doesn't meet the minimum standards, he won't have to see me."
Looking at Jia Rong's back as he left, Yunshang thought, 'He's the youngest alchemist and has a great future. By letting Yunxiao follow him is a way of me repaying the favor, and at the same time, will ease Duke Jingguo's mind. I just wonder what's the situation with that kid's soul power…I hope he doesn't disappoint me. That's all I can do."
…
Three days later, it was finally time for the academy's annual assessment.
After the assessment was the annual two-month holiday. The students who passed would be promoted to intermediate class in the next semester, while those who failed would have to pack their things and leave the campus. Every year, a large number of students from powerful families were eliminated, while most of the poor students passed. After all once they failed, what awaited them was a fate of being completely reduced to mortals, so every one of them cultivated like madmen.
The assessment was held in the largest martial arts arena of the academy. It was one of the iconic buildings within the campus, and its construction was presided over by the former president of Tianshui's Alchemists Association, Lord Yang Di himself. Built with several kinds of extremely rare ores, the arena covering an area of over a thousand meters squared looked magnificent.
Not far from the arena was the most striking structure in the campus—the giant statue of Gu Feiyang.
With one hand rested on the hilt of the sword, the statue looked out into the distance with a knowing smile at the corners of his mouth. It was forged by Gu Feiyang's student, Yang Di, after he died fifteen years ago.
Yunxiao stood still in a corner, looking up at his own face. His thoughts seemed to have crossed the layers of the void and become one with his past life.
"Well, Yang Di is kind of thoughtful," Yunxiao muttered to himself with a wry smile. He looked a little dispirited though.
Just then, two students walked past him as they gave him a look, then began to discuss with one another.
"I can't believe you've condensed Primordial Qi and become a warrior after only a few months in seclusion!"
"Haha! It's all for the assessment. You should know that warriors can go straight to the elite class in the intermediate grade."
"Yeah, I know that! By the way, I'm screwed, because I've only opened two chakras. Do you think I'll be eliminated?"
"Don't worry! As long as you have opened one chakra, you can be promoted to the next grade. Look at that guy, the legendary young master of the Li Family, the typical loser! He's the one who will be eliminated."
"Are you sure the young master of the Li Family will be eliminated?"
"Of course! What do you think this place is? This is the Jialan Academy! Even His Majesty has to obey the rules if he's here!"
"Damnit!" Yunxiao cursed, but he would naturally not argue with these lesser people. He walked quickly to the arena, where he found a large number of students gathered, many of whom were here to watch. They were pointing at the students who were about to be assessed and talking with one another.
"Young Master Yun, why are you so late?" Han Bai walked over to him.
Yunxiao frowned and asked, "Why are there so many people?"
Han Bai snorted coldly as he glanced at the onlookers. "They are here to watch us. As you know, our class has always been called the trash-stricken class, and these students from the poverty-stricken class are all here to witness how many of us would leave. More than a dozen people have given up this assessment and packed their things to go home."
Yunxiao looked around him. Sure enough, there were a lot fewer people.
All those who could join their privileged class had great backgrounds in the empire. Even if they could not become warriors, they were still well provided for and had bright futures.
So, the students in their class, although few in the academy dared to provoke, were quite unlikable. Many people loved to see them make fools of themselves.
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Chapter 18: A Letter of Challenge
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"Don't squeeze over to my place! I came here first!"
"Aye, don't be so stingy! Let's share the place together. It's rare to have a chance to watch them make fools of themselves. How many students of the trash-stricken class do you think will remain after the assessment?"
"Maybe one in five? There are sixty students in that class, but only some thirty have come. I think half of them will be eliminated."
"Do you guys want to bet? Each of us will give a number, and the closest one wins."
"Sure, twelve."
"So optimistic? I say nine."
"…"
Just as the arena rang with the clamor of the onlooker's excited voices, Wang Feng's voice suddenly echoed out, "Almost all the examinees are here. I'll not wait for those who haven't, they are disqualified! Teacher Luo is in secluded cultivation, so I will be the one who will preside over your assessment."
He glanced coldly at the crowd, then suddenly smiled wickedly and said, "I'm going to slightly change the rules this time. In the past, those who had opened their chakras or could throw out a punch with a force of over a thousand catties were considered to have passed. But this year, you need to be able to do both in order to pass. Otherwise, you are disqualified!"
His cold gaze casually swept across Yunxiao. He knew the latter must already have the strength of over a thousand catties, because he had beaten Lan Fei.
A glimmer of coldness flashed through Yunxiao's eyes as he stood still. Although the new rule had aroused much discussion, there was no objection. This was because all the students in the class were the children of dignitaries, who had either opened their chakras and had the strength of over a thousand catties, or could not open any chakras and lacked the strength to even truss up a chicken. None of them would cultivate the technique of strongmen and become the kind of existences who had great strength but could not open a single chakra.
"Who wants to be the first?" Wang Feng glanced coldly across the crowd, and his eyes finally fell on Yunxiao.
Even Shangguan Qing, Du Feng, and a few others were staring coldly at him. Since Lan Fei was expelled, this group of students had lost their leader, and were now led by Shangguan Qing. But, the strength Yunxiao had shown that day was too amazing, such that none of them dared to provoke him anymore.
"Hmph! What are you looking at? Do you want me to blind you with my finger?" Yunxiao glared back at them and then walked out of the crowd.
Frightened by his threat, Shangguan Qing and the gang bowed their heads immediately, but their eyes were filled with a venomous look as they cursed in their hearts.
Looking at Wang Feng contemptuously, Yunxiao sneered, "You will only pass us if we have opened chakras and show a strength of over a thousand catties? Open your eyes and watch carefully!"
A green light bloomed from his heart chakra as he walked forward with a cold grin.
With every step he took, another chakra opened, emitting bright light like colorful clouds.
Root chakra, sacral chakra, crown chakra…
"…"
Rays of light burst forth from his body, covering him in a myriad of colors and making him look like a god!
"Seven…I can't believe he has opened all seven chakras!"
"How is that possible! I thought he was a piece of trash! You are telling me that a famous loser is now only one step away from the Origin realm!"
Wang Feng was completely dumbfounded. He had originally thought that Yunxiao had relied on some pills or the technique of strongmen to defeat Lan Fei. After all, it was known to the world that he could never cultivate due to damaged meridians.
"How could he have unclogged his meridians? I remember the Li Family had once invited a fourth-tier alchemist to cure him, but to no avail!"
"Now look carefully! A punch with a strength of over one thousand catties is nothing!"
Yunxiao suddenly stepped out, and the ground paved with diamond rocks shattered with a boom into lines that looked like cobwebs. He leaned back slowly, then threw his fist out as fast as lightning, landing it straight on the strength measuring rock!
Boom!
A loud explosive noise rang out in the center of the arena as the force burst toward the strength measuring rock. Amidst the shocked, dull glances of the crowd, Yunxiao slowly withdrew his fist. A deep dent about the size of a watermelon was clearly marked on the rock's surface.
"Impossible!"
"He left a mark on the ground with his foot, and another on the rock with his fist! I thought this was something that only a warrior could achieve!"
"Look at that mark! Even a warrior who has just made a breakthrough cannot do that! He must have used some kind of martial technique!"
Many students found it hard to believe, especially those from the distinguished class. Their eyes all grew wide, as if this was the first time they met Yunxiao.
Although mentally prepared, Han Bai and Chen Zhen were still deeply shocked when they witnessed Yunxiao's body emit the light of the seven chakras before throwing out a punch with a strength of over a thousand catties. Meanwhile, the faces of Shangguan Qing and the gang were deathly pale. In the face of such powerful strength, how could they have the courage to stir up trouble again?
"I can't believe you've hidden your strength so deeply, Li Yunxiao!" Ruxue cried out excitedly.
The person with the most unsightly expression in the arena was none other than Wang Feng. He was cursing Lan Fei in his heart for being unable to perceive Yunxiao's real strength.
"Is everyone satisfied now?" Yunxiao glanced around coldly, and everyone he looked at lowered their heads. Finally, he rested his gaze on Wang Feng and sneered, "Teacher Wang, I'm very busy and will be leaving first."
It was like a slap in the face!
Wang Feng flew into a rage, but there was nothing he could do, so he said mockingly, "Don't think you've achieved something great after opening the chakras. Let me tell you, this is just the rudiment of martial arts!"
Yunxiao gave him a contemptuous look as he laughed and strode away. It made Wang Feng so mad that his Primordial Qi was boiling within him, but he could not do anything to Yunxiao. Instead, he forced the Primordial Qi into his feet, causing the ground to shatter!
Yunxiao's laughter came to an abrupt stop when he reached the arena's edge. Ahead of him stood a man in white clothes, who was looking at him with a smile.
"Let me introduce myself. I'm Lan Xuan, a graduating student and the leader of the Xuan Gang."
As soon as he mentioned his name, all the students in the surroundings had shocked looks on their faces. An air of superiority that could not be concealed played about his face.
He was curious to see how amusing that look of dismay and panic would be when Yunxiao heard his name. But, he was soon disappointed.
Yunxiao had seen all kinds of posturers, so he pointed out his index finger and said in disdain, "Hmph! Good dogs don't block the way!"
"YOU!"
Lan Xuan flew into a rage and almost coughed out a mouthful of blood. No student in the academy had ever dared to talk to him like this, let alone in front of so many people!
His anger shot out of his eyes, but it was quickly suppressed as he managed to regain his composure. However, his body was getting more and more stiff and unnatural. "Well, I won't fuss about that with you. I came here today for my good-for-nothing brother."
"Oh? A big dog has come after I've beaten the small dog."
"You! Are all the members of the Li Family as uncultured as you?"
"Uncultured my a*s! After all these years of fighting between our families and the deaths of so many people, as well as me even crippling your little brother, you come to reason with me? If you're not an idiot, what are you?"
"I've had enough of your nonsense, little b*stard! I'll make you regret coming to this world!" Lan Xuan could no longer maintain his cool and cursed in rage!
"Hehe! That's more like it. A ruffian will always be a ruffian, so why posture?"
"You! I'm not arguing with you. I'm here to give you a letter of challenge."
His face was livid with anger as he pulled out a letter, on the surface of which was written a character of 'Challenge' with golden ink, and flung it over to Yunxiao.
Their confrontation soon drew the attention of everyone present at Wang Feng's assessment. Their eyes lit up as soon as they heard that there was a letter of challenge, and they all pricked up their ears, listening attentively.
Lan Xuan held up his head and sneered, "It wasn't a big deal when my brother and you were fighting. It was nothing but a game between kids. However, my good-for-nothing brother had done something that caused an uproar. Well, he deserved to be expelled for that. But, as his eldest brother, I can't just turn a blind eye to him. I have to teach you a lesson."
In the distance, Wang Feng almost coughed out a mouthful of blood when he heard that, his face flushed red with anger and eyes spewing fire!
To offset the negative impact of Lan Fei's incident, he had been secretly spreading word that Lan Fei was wronged and framed by Yunxiao. But, just as many people began to believe it, Lan Xuan actually came forward and confessed that his brother had indeed done it.
It made all his efforts go to waste, and Lan Fei's chances of coming back to the academy were completely gone! Moreover, his reputation in the capital was ruined, and he could never lift his head again!
Lan Xuan, on the other hand, had earned himself a good reputation by standing up for his brother. Not only would this make his lackeys more loyal and submissive to him, but the members of the Lan Family would also think higher of him. He had killed two birds with one stone!
"So, it was Lan Fei who did it. I thought he was wronged."
"I thought so too at the beginning, but now even his eldest brother has admitted it. Aye, I was taking a shower in the bathhouse with him last time. It makes me shudder to think about it now!"
"I think you better be careful. You are a member of the Xuan Gang."
"Xuan Gang? What's wrong with Xuan Gang? Why should I be careful?"
"Hehe, nothing! I just heard that such a quirk seems to be hereditary."
"…"
The voices of all sorts of comments spread out in the air. Wang Feng was so angry that his chest was about to burst. "Lan Xuan, you're so ruthless!"
Lan Xuan's face was covered in a triumphant smile, and his heart was filled with so much joy that it seemed as if a flower was blooming. Pointing a finger at Yunxiao, he cried out loudly, "You have two choices now—kneel down here and swear you will never touch my family members again, and bow and give way whenever you see my family members in the future. Alternatively, fight me and let me completely cripple you, and then you will kneel down and beg me for forgiveness. Think it over…I suggest you choose the first one, because it was not easy for you to cultivate to your current level."
"Wow! This is so savage! If he chooses the first one, can he still hold his head high and stand tall in the future?"
"That's right! But, if he doesn't choose that, he will be dead meat fighting Lan Xuan."
"Whether face or life is more important, it all depends on Yunxiao's choice."
Ruxue rushed over while fuming. "Lan Xuan, you've gone too far! You're a graduating student, and I heard you've become a nine-star warrior, just one step away from becoming a martial master and joining the State Guardians! And yet, you're challenging an apprentice warrior who is not even a warrior? Do you have no shame?"
Yunxiao sneered, "When the younger brother is gay and has a quirk of stealing girls' underwear, the elder brother is not far from that. The apple never falls far from the tree. And, since when did the Lan Family have any shame?"
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Chapter 19: Pill Refinement
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Lan Xuan blushed, but he immediately roared with laughter. "If you lack the courage to make a choice, say it. Why do you have to hide under a woman's skirt? So, this is the eldest grandson of Duke Jingguo, the firstborn of General Feilong? Haha!"
"Ha my a*s! Pooh!" Yunxiao spat a lump of phlegm straight toward Lan Xuan's face, which flew with such a great force that it even whistled through the air.
Lan Xuan was furious, but since he could not block the phlegm with his hand, he was forced to dodge it by stepping aside. In the eyes of the onlookers, he was making way for Yunxiao.
With a sardonic look on his face, Yunxiao walked over, then raised his middle finger and said, "Although you have no shame, I accept your challenge! Three days later, I'll beat you to your knees in this martial arts arena and make you lick my shoes!"
All the students present were struck dumb, while Han Bai and Chen Zhen were so frightened that their faces turned deathly pale. They ran over hurriedly and stood behind Yunxiao to show their support, urging him not to be impulsive.
Ruxue also said hurriedly, "No, Yunxiao, you can't blow off in a fit of pique…"
Yunxiao felt warm in his heart. Although he had been in a muddle for fifteen years and achieved nothing, he had found himself a few true friends. In his previous life, he had stood at the pinnacle of the continent, but he was all alone.
He smiled at the three of them. That sunny smile on his face immediately influenced Chen Zhen, Han Bai, and Ruxue, soothing their anxiety in a flash and making them believe one hundred percent that he would win the fight.
They were stunned, frozen in place, and could not figure out why they had such a strange, impossible feeling…
Lan Xuan froze as well, and his face was livid with rage. He never expected Yunxiao would take up the challenge so readily. Fearing that the latter might go back on his words, he hurriedly said, "Remember what you've just said. If you don't show up in three days later, there will be no more place for you in Jialan Academy!"
Yunxiao strode away without looking back, his faint laughter filling the air. "Don't worry, I won't wash my feet for three days."
"You!" Lan Xuan gritted his teeth as he watched Yunxiao walk away. "You can only talk! If I don't cripple you completely three days later, I'll eat my hat!"
The smile on Yunxiao's face melted away and a murderous look flashed through his eyes.
'The enmity between the Li Family and the Lan Family has been going on for decades. I will start from you little b*stards, and then uproot the whole Lan Family when the time comes!'
Just like that, he left the campus, heading straight to the Alchemist Association.
The lobby on the first floor was still bustling with activity. Yunxiao glanced around and saw an apprentice alchemist concentrating on concocting some potion. A faint medicinal smell drifted over and he knew it was a powerful potion, one that could temporarily increase a warrior's strength.
It was the annual assessment of the academy now, and these things sold like hotcakes.
The apprentice was fusing his soul power into the vessel to balance the conflicts between various medicinal properties, while adding other things into it from time to time.
Yunxiao smiled, and he could not help but warn the apprentice, "You've added too much cross-refining grass. You need to add a dust flower to neutralize the medicinal properties. Otherwise, it will explode in five breaths."
The apprentice looked up, and when he found that he did not know this guy, he said grumpily, "What do you know? Don't disturb me!"
"Three breaths."
"Two breaths."
Yunxiao counted in a faint voice. Finally, when he said 'one breath', the apprentice's face fell as the calm potion in the vessel suddenly boiled and exploded with a boom.
"This…" The apprentice was utterly struck dumb.
It was not a huge explosion, and he merely got splashed all over with the potion. An incident like this happened dozens of times a day in the lobby, so no one paid him any attention.
"You…How did you know I've added too much cross-refining grass?" The apprentice asked in surprise.
"I smelled it. I am looking for Jia Rong. Can you inform him for me?"
"You smelled it?" The apprentice had an obvious look of disbelief on his face. "Master Jia Rong seems to be in seclusion all the time, and I have no right to go to him."
Just then, a beautiful figure walked over and asked with great concern, "You've failed again, brother? Are you hurt?"
The apprentice shook his head and said, "I'm fine, just wet. It's just that I've wasted these ingredients. Ah…I'm such a failure!"
Looking at the beautiful girl, Yunxiao smiled and said, "Miss Lu Yao."
Lu Yao turned and said in surprise, "Ah! It's you!"
Yunxiao assumed a gentleman's look and said, "It's my pleasure to have a beautiful girl remembering me."
Lu Yao chuckled. "Master Liang spoke highly of you after he read your prescription."
"Master Liang spoke highly of him?" Lu Yao's brother, Lu Yu, exclaimed, "Are you an alchemist?"
"I used to be, but not at the moment. I wish to see Jia Rong, so can you please inform him for me, pretty lady?"
Lu Yao was a little shocked. "Master Jia Rong? He's just come out of seclusion. Come with me." Then she turned to Lu Yu and said, "Don't give up, brother! Try a few more times, and you will have succeed eventually."
"Perhaps I don't have the gift to become an alchemist," Lu Yu said bitterly. "It is only a simple strengthening potion, and yet I can't make it even after I've tried more than a dozen times. The ingredients are very expensive, and we have no more money to waste like this. Besides, I'm not young anymore…I plan to find a family and join them in the next few days."
That startled Lu Yao. "Don't do that, brother! You have to believe in yourself. In my heart, you are the best!"
Lu Yu's eyes lit up, but soon dimmed again. "You've been working hard to earn the money for my studies all these years, and I don't want to be a burden on you anymore. When all these ingredients are exhausted and I still can't produce the strengthening potion, I'll give up."
Suddenly, Yunxiao laughed and said, "Add three less cross-refining grasses, and if the potion's color is too light, add a crossing cloud mushroom. Believe me, you can do it!"
"You…Are you an alchemist?"
"Haven't I told you just now? I used to be, but not at the moment."
"…"
Lu Yao said encouragingly, "Brother, just try what he said. Even Master Liang praised him for the prescription he brought here the last time."
After pondering for a brief moment, Lu Yu said, "Fine, I'll give it a try!"
Yunxiao smiled and then followed Lu Yao to the second floor.
This was the first time Yunxiao came to the second floor, but as all the Alchemist Towers in the continent had the exact layout, he did not find the place strange.
Soon, they came in front of a door, and Lu Yao carefully knocked on it. Jia Rong's impatient voice immediately rang out, as if his cultivation was distracted.
Lu Yao's heart skipped a beat as she said in apprehension, "There's a young man who calls himself Young Master Yun looking for you."
"Young Master Yun!"
A shocked voice echoed out, followed by a series of clanging noises as if many things were being knocked over. In the next instant, the door flung open.
"Young Master Yun!" With a look of reverence on his face, Jia Rong hurriedly stepped aside and made way for Yunxiao.
Lu Yao was stunned, and her face was covered in a look of disbelief. What happened to Master Jia Rong, who was always so proud and lofty? Why was he so polite to a young man? No, this was not politeness, but reverence! His expression was even more reverent than when he met the president!
Yunxiao smiled and told the frozen Lu Yao, "You may leave us now."
After Lu Yao left in a hurry, Yunxiao strode into the room. It was spacious and packed with all kinds of refining equipment and arrays. There was only a small resting area in a corner, where a few fine leather couches and a small bed were placed.
The alchemist's glorious status was acquired through their day-and-night cultivation. Although there was luck behind every alchemist, perseverance and hard work were a must as well.
"Young Master Yun, not only has my soul power fully recovered, but I've also made a breakthrough! A real breakthrough!" Jia Rong said excitedly. Since he made the breakthrough, he had no one to talk to. And now, he had finally found someone who could listen.
"Why are you getting so excited over such a little thing?" Yunxiao glared at him. "I've no time to listen to these trifles. Come talk to me when you've broken through into a sixth-tier alchemist."
It was a piece of great news for the entire state when someone became a real alchemist, and yet it was only a trifle in Yunxiao's eyes. Jia Rong's face turned blue when he heard that, but when he heard the last sentence, his eyeballs almost popped out. "Sixth…sixth-tier? A Grandmaster!" He cried out in astonishment. "How's that possible? I'm not so gifted!"
Yunxiao said indifferently, "Of course you are not so gifted, but with the soul cultivation technique I've taught you, you can still achieve that."
Jia Rong was completely crazy this time as he muttered to himself, "Sixth tier…Sixth tier…I can get to the sixth tier? You didn't lie to me, did you?"
Yunxiao frowned and said coldly, "Don't forget who you are. What makes you think you are worthy of me lying to you? The sixth tier is just a rudiment in my eyes. Anyhow, I need you to help me refine a few pills."
"Yes! Yes!" Beads of cold sweat broke out of Jia Rong's forehead. The sixth tier was just a rudiment? Although this Young Master Yun was mysterious, he must be boasting.
Yunxiao nodded and said, "One is an origin impacting pill, and the other is an origin blasting pill."
"An origin impacting pill and an origin blasting pill!" Shocked, Jia Rong said, "These two pills are infinitely close to the second-tier. I've just been promoted to the first-tier. I am afraid I can't refine them."
Yunxiao sneered, "With me here, what are you afraid of? Prepare the ingredients…I have no time to waste."
Jia Rong froze. 'Is Young Master Yun going to guide me in pill refining? Could he also be an alchemist? But, how's that possible?'
Although he was grumbling in his heart, he did as Yunxiao bid. Soon, he got someone to bring him three sets of ingredients for both pills.
"I only need one for each pill, so why did you prepare three sets of ingredients?" Yunxiao asked.
Jia Rong smiled wryly. 'This Young Master Yun is indeed not an alchemist, for he doesn't know about the success rate of pill refinement.' He explained, "A first-tier alchemist can refine a first-tier pill with a success rate of over sixty percent, and not one hundred percent. The success rate of refining this kind of a pill, which is infinitely close to the second tier, is even lower. In fact, I don't think three sets of ingredients are enough either. But, there are only three sets in stock, and I've asked someone to find more for me."
Yunxiao snorted. Wordless, he went straight to the refining equipment and glanced at them as he said, "Let's begin! You will do the work as I tell you the steps."
Jia Rong found it hard to believe, but he held back the doubts in his heart and began the pill refining process under Yunxiao's guidance.
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Chapter 20: Purification
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The process of refining pills was to blend the properties of various herbs with soul power, and the most important and difficult step was to balance the medicinal strength.
"Purify the herbs first." Jia Rong sent out his soul power. A set of ingredients were sorted immediately, and then placed into different vessels according to Yunxiao's request. With that, the purification process began.
As time went by, Yunxiao scolded with uncountable uses of the terms 'fool' and 'idiot', and Jia Rong lumped them with clenched jaws. He was in a complete muddle throughout the entire refining process. At first, he was memorizing the steps and methods, but at the later stage, all he could do was follow the instructions mechanically, almost completely exhausted.
"That's enough…Retrieve the pills!" Yunxiao's order was like an amnesty granted to Jia Rong, because he could not hold on any longer. Hurriedly, he withdrew his soul power and shot out a stream of Primordial Qi from his hand. With that, two pills spun a few times in the air before falling into his grip.
"An origin impacting pill and an origin blasting pill…I did it? I really did it!" Jia Rong was trembling all over, and he did not feel tired at all even though his soul power was exhausted. "And I refined both at the same time! Oh heavens! What have I done just now? How's this even possible?" he exclaimed excitedly.
The resentment he had from being scolded during the refining process was gone as well, and he actually wished he could be scolded 'idiot' and 'fool' by this Young Master Yun every day, as long as he could receive his guidance.
Yunxiao took the pills from him. After glancing at them, he frowned and said, "Why is the purity so low? You've refined such trash, and yet you still have the nerve to shout?"
Jia Rong's eyeballs almost popped out, and he was about to say 'You're not an alchemist, how would you know the meaning of being able to refine these two pills?' when he suddenly remembered that all his refinement was carried out under Yunxiao's instructions. He would not believe that this Young Master Yun was not an alchemist even if he were beaten to death.
Now, Yunxiao was not only an alchemist in his heart, but also an existence that went beyond his knowledge. He instantly shut his mouth at the thought, and when he recalled what Yunxiao had said previously about him advancing to a sixth-tier alchemist, he could not help but begin to believe in it, and his body was shivering with excitement.
"By the look of you, you're almost totally exhausted. It looks like I've to purify them myself. So troublesome!" Yunxiao grumbled. "But, if it is only purification, my soul power of an advance apprentice level is more than enough."
He wrapped the pills with his soul power and moved them over the array, performing an incantation gesture with both hands. With that, tendrils of Yin flame shot out of the array and began burning at the pills.
"Pur-purification!" Jia Rong was struck dumb instantly. "Finished pills can be further purified? I thought only ingredients can be purified!"
Yunxiao was too lazy to explain to him. Instead, his hands flashed in incantation gestures as he carefully controlled the burning over the array.
Jia Rong widened his eyes and dared not blink at all. He had never seen any of Yunxiao's refining hand seals, but each of them gave him a familiar feeling as if they contained something deep. He felt that it was something very important, but he could not grasp it no matter how hard he tried, which made him scratch his head in panic!
"Done. Phew…"
Yunxiao placed both purified pills in his palm and gave them a look. As if he was still not satisfied, he sighed, "This is the best I can do now…My soul power is too weak."
With the origin impacting pill, he was confident that he could break through into the Origin realm in three days, so that he could defeat Lan Xuan, who was a nine-stars warrior. And to be on the safe side, he also prepared himself an origin blasting pill for later use!
"A total of seventy-two hand seals…" Jia Rong murmured under his breath. He was working hard to memorize the hand seals when he casually glanced at the purified pills in Yunxiao's palm, and what he saw blanked his mind. "Flawless pills!" he blurted out.
In addition to the classification by grade, medicinal pills could also be classified by purity. Generally, when a pill's purity was over ninety percent, it was called a flawless pill. However, besides the alchemist's skill, the formation of a flawless pill depended on some luck as well.
Not only could Yunxiao purify finished pills, but he could also turn them into flawless pills. The shocking fact froze Jia Rong's brain instantly, making him forget to memorize the seventy-two hand seals. He stood dumbfounded in the room. Things that surpassed his common sense had happened one after another on this day, leaving him utterly bewildered.
By the time he finally came back to his senses, he found that Yunxiao had left, leaving him extremely regretful. He hurriedly took pieces of paper and a pen, writing down all his doubts and questions.
As Yunxiao passed the lobby on the first floor, he heard Lu Yu's excited shout, "It worked! I finally did it!" Lu Yao's face bloomed into a happy smile when she saw Yunxiao, giving him a grateful look.
Yunxiao stuck out his thumb and gave her an encouraging look as he left the Alchemist Association, returning to the campus and beginning to cultivate in seclusion.
With his current strength as a peak-level apprentice warrior, he had no fear of Lan Xuan. But, if he had to defeat him, he would have to condense Primordial Qi and step into the Origin realm. Punching above one's weight was not something unusual; however, if the gap between their ranks was too large, no skill or technique could overcome that. The Primordial Qi of a nine-stars level warrior was too strong for an apprentice warrior to defend against.
Over the next few days, both Han Bai and Chen Zhen had looked for him several times, but all in vain. No one expected him to be in the gravity chamber for three days without leaving.
…
In the dean's office of Jialan Academy…
Zhong Lishan's old face bloomed into a smile as he listened to Yunshang's recent performance. "I can't believe you've become an alchemist. Haha! In hundreds of years, you can be considered as the strongest after Yang Di! But…"
He put on a straight face and growled, "Why didn't you inform me right away about something so important? I knew nothing about it until the invitation to His Majesty's feast arrived. Do you still take me as the dean of Jialan Academy?"
Yunshang smiled embarrassingly. "I didn't expect His Majesty's invitation to come so soon. As I've just made the breakthrough, my soul power is still not stable, so I was stabilizing it in seclusion over the past few days. I had planned to inform you once I came out."
Zhong Lishan waved a hand and said, "Leave it at that. Among all the younger generation, you are my favorite. You are twenty-one this year, and yet, you have achieved three-stars of the Four Quadrants realm, as well as become a first-tier alchemist. You have a limitless future! I plan to inform everyone during the feast that I will promote you as the vice-dean of Jialan Academy."
"Vice-dean!" Yunshang said shockingly. "How can that be? I…"
The dean interrupted her, "If not you, I can't think of anyone else. There are indeed some old freaks in the academy whose cultivation base is higher than yours, but they are old, and you are cultivating soul alongside. Moreover, you are one of the five commanders of the State Guardians. Only when you take up this position would the others be convinced."
Yunshang was silent, fearing that Zhong Lishan would be offended if she kept on rejecting. As a result, there was a sudden hush in the office.
Suddenly, a burst of noise came through the window, and she saw many students heading toward the martial arts arena. "What's happening? Why are the students heading to the arena?" she asked in surprise.
"It's a little bit funny," Zhong Lishan said with a smile. "One of the students from your distinguished class, Li Yunxiao, has accepted the challenge of a graduating student, Lan Xuan, who is also the leader of the Xuan Gang. They will be fighting each other in the martial arts arena over Lan Fei's incident."
"Li Yunxiao has accepted Lan Xuan's challenge? Lan Fei's incident?" Yunshang cried out. "What happened during my absence?"
Zhong Lishan gave her a brief account of what happened, and once he had finished, he snorted and said, "These distinguished children are getting out of hand in the academy. It may not be a bad idea to let them fight each other."
"I can't believe Lan Fei was expelled…"
Yunshang was stumped for a moment, and then she hurriedly said, "No, I have to stop them! Li Yunxiao is a loser who couldn't even open his chakra. He can never defeat Lan Xuan. He's looking for abuse!"
Zhong Lishan's eyes flashed with surprise. "A loser who couldn't even open his chakra? Yunshang, both you and I were deceived by this Young Master Yun. Three days ago, he had opened seven chakras and thrown out a punch with a force of over one thousand catties during the assessment in the martial arts arena! Hehe! I didn't expect this brat to have such a scheming mind, hiding his strength so deep. I reckon he must have broken through into the Origin realm by now!"
"Li Yunxiao can throw out a punch with a force of over one thousand catties and may have broken through into the Origin realm?" Yunshang was utterly dumbfounded now. "How's that possible! He couldn't have hidden his strength from me. Could it be that he had made the breakthrough over the last few days? No, it can't be! That would be even more absurd!"
She turned abruptly and went for the door. "I won't allow it to happen!" she said in a deep voice. "Even if he did break through into the Origin realm, he is still no match for Lan Xuan! Lan Xuan ranks third on the Minor Power Chart, and I fear he's only one step away from becoming a martial master!"
Yunxiao's figure in class that day flashed through her mind. She always had a feeling that he was very different from the past, and his bright eyes even made her feel ill at ease. It was because of his guidance that she was able to smoothly become a first-tier alchemist, and for that, she could not let him be crippled by anyone!
Zhong Lishan was a little surprised. "I'll come with you and see what is the level of the students nowadays. Rank third on the Minor Power Chart? Hehe…Interesting!"
…
In the ten-fold gravity chamber, Yu Hezheng could not help saying, "Landuo, that piece of trash is going to fight Lan Xuan today. Are we really not going to watch it?"
Landuo's eyes flashed with disgust. She was getting less and less fond of Yu Hezheng. "You go then! I'm not free. Lan Xuan is only one notch below brother Lin on the Minor Power Chart, so that clown is only making a fool of himself. But, Lan Xuan is no better, for he only picks on the weak. Only brother Lin and Bai Chengfeng are the true experts in my heart!"
Yu Hezheng felt a bad taste in his mouth when he saw the beaming look on her face as she mentioned Lin Yu. "Since you're not going, I'll go myself. I've always wanted to see how that piece of sh*t dies!"
Looking at Yu Hezheng's back as he left, Landuo said disdainfully, "He cannot defeat Li Yunxiao, so he enjoys when someone else is beating him… I can't believe this Yu Hezheng is such a wimp!"
Just as Yu Hezheng was being teleported away from the gravity chamber, her eyes caught a familiar figure who dragged his tired body into the teleportation array as well and vanished.
The figure, in addition to his weariness, gave her a sense of loneliness and pride which startled her. Unable to contain her shock, she murmured, "Li Yunxiao?"
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Chapter 21: The Force of Heaven and Earth
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
There were already a large number of students gathered in the arena. The first row was fully occupied by the members of the Xuan Gang. Each of them crossed their arms over their chests, and their bodies emanated powerful auras that kept anyone from getting close. The tactic they used was to overawe the opponent before the match had even begun, and strike fear into his heart.
But to their disappointment, even though they had emanated their auras for half a day, Yunxiao was nowhere in sight. They were all tired and sweaty, and could not hold on any longer.
"Is that brat coming or not?"
"I won't be surprised if he's not. Losing his honor is better than losing his life!"
The crowd was discussing among themselves, and some were cursing Yunxiao in their hearts for deceiving them. Lan Xuan's face was also a little blue as he sat there in the arena listening to the clamor around him. In the end, he simply closed his eyes and waited.
"Fatty, do you think Yunxiao will come?" Ruxue had butterflies in her stomach. A part of her hoped that he would come, but the other part thought otherwise.
"I don't know. I've not seen him for days. Could it be that he has fled?" Han Bai said as he suddenly thought of this possibility.
Chen Zhen froze for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Absolutely impossible! If so, then he is not worthy of being the heir of the Li Family, much less worthy for us to follow. A man can die on his knees, but not live with shame!"
Those words agitated Ruxue as she said angrily, "What are you talking about? Don't you have anything nicer to say?"
"Look, that piece of trash is here!"
Just as everyone was getting impatient, a voice rang out. The crowd quickly turned their heads and then saw beneath the statue of the Martial Sovereign Gu Feiyang there stood a figure in green clothes, who was completely enveloped in the light of the rising sun. He had a carefree look as if he was going for an outing, and he was even humming a little tune.
"Wow! He did show up! A hero!"
"Ha! What a brainless guy who only acts on impulse. He's dead today."
"Lan Xuan is a peak nine-stars warrior. How many moves do you think this guy can withstand?"
"How many moves? Haha! I'll consider him amazing if he's still alive after the first move!"
The students who packed the arena parted to give Yunxiao way while most of them had a gloating look on their faces.
"Get out of my way!" Ruxue pushed her way out of the crowd in a huff and rushed to Yunxiao. "You are a fool! Why are you here? Go back right now or he will kill you!"
"What are you thinking, Young Master Yun?" Chen Zhen was there too.
Yunxiao felt a slight warmth in his heart. At least he had a few friends who cared about him.
Suddenly, a figure flashed before him: it was Yunshang. "Don't be mischievous! Get out of here right now! The challenge is canceled!" She shouted angrily.
"What? Canceled?" Everyone was shocked and began to swear. "No wonder this brat looked so fearless. Apparently, he has such a trick up his sleeve!"
"Fu*k! He has disgraced the Li Family!"
"He had long disgraced his family for being a piece of trash, so it's not a big deal for him to do it once more!"
All sorts of curses drifted over, causing Chen Zhen and Han Bai's faces to turn blue, their bodies shaking with rage.
"Miss Luo, this is a duel between two students. How could you cancel it on their behalf?" A teacher named Xuan Ping rose to his feet abruptly and said, 'Besides, you are from the State Guardians. It seems inappropriate for you to intervene in this matter."
The duel had attracted many teachers here. It was not because of the disparity in the strength between two students, but their unique background, which just happened to represent the two major powers in the state of Tianshui. The teachers in the academy were not completely neutral, and many were actually affiliated with one of the major powers. As for the State Guardians, they were Tianshui's strongest armed forces, directly under the leadership of His Majesty the King.
Yunshang's eyes sparkled with a bright gleam as she stared at Xuan Ping and said coldly, "I only know that since Li Yunxiao is my student, I have the obligation to protect him. What faction are you from that makes you say that?"
Xuan Ping's face flickered, then simply shook his head and said, "I don't belong to any faction. However, as the teachers of the academy, it is inappropriate for us to intervene in the duel between students. We have to be fair and just, not siding with anyone."
"I'm your student, Teacher Luo. Why are you always defending Lan Xuan?" Yunxiao said before Yunshang could even open her mouth. "Teacher Xuan is right, you have to be fair and just, and not siding with anyone. You may all leave us now. I can cripple him in just minutes."
Yunshang and others were struck dumb. Was there something wrong with this guy's brain? Was he scared out of his wits by the scene?
While they were still stunned, Yunxiao had already stepped onto the arena, walking step by step toward Lan Xuan.
"He is a fool!" Yunshang stamped her foot in anger. There was nothing she could do to stop the duel now, so she began to watch the arena intently, ready to come to his rescue at any moment. She would not let him get crippled in any way!
"I thought you were too afraid to come." Lan Xuan mocked in a cold voice as he stood up.
"Do you think you can prolong your sense of existence by saying a few more words? You're dreaming!" Yunxiao shouted coldly as he took a step forward and a force spread out of his body.
"Warrior? This lad has really made a breakthrough and become a warrior!" Yunshang's heart was violently shaken. Although Zhong Lishan had told her so, witnessing it with her own eyes still gave her a great shock. She was sure that Yunshang was still a loser a few days ago with no chakras opened.
"How's that possible? I can't believe this brat is a warrior of the Origin realm!" The students outside the arena were astounded. Yu Hezheng, who was among the crowd, felt as if he was struck by a hammer, his heart filled with a profound shock.
"No wonder my good-for-nothing brother was no match for you…You really know how to hide your strength!" Lan Xuan sneered. "But, your good luck has come to an end today!" His aura surged in a flash and waves of force poured out of him. The surrounding air seemed to be affected and began to spin rapidly while the students near the arena could feel a faint pressure.
"He is indeed a peak nine-stars warrior. This Lan Xuan is truly amazing! I think he will be able to break through into the Two Force realm in less than two months and become a martial master!" Xuan Ping was full of praise in the audience. "How many moves do you think this Li Yunxiao can hold up?"
"How many moves?" Another teacher said with a laugh, "Look at the contrast between their auras. I think he will be crushed as soon as they clash for the first time. Even Commander Xiao Chen was praising and expressing his intention of recruiting Young Master Lan Xuan when I saw him the last time."
"Oh?" Xuan Ping's eyes lit up as he said happily, "Young Master Xuan is only one step away from becoming a martial master, so for him to become a member of the State Guardians is a done deal. Well, if this Li Yunxiao is still alive after withstanding the first strike, he would be a real marvel."
Wang Feng, who was at the side, was silent with a glum look in his eyes. Although he was also from the fraction of the Lan Family, he was only on his nephew's side. Now that his nephew was expelled, he felt extremely depressed when looking at his competitor stealing the show. He wished that Yunxiao could bring him a big surprise by crippling Lan Xuan completely, but he knew on the inside that it was just a silly dream.
"One move? I don't think so." Zhong Lishan, who had not spoken a word since he arrived, stared at Yunxiao's steps on the arena as he said meaningfully, his eyes gleaming, "You all have underestimated this Li Yunxiao. Perhaps there is something worth looking at in this duel."
The rest of the teachers were all startled; even Yunshang was a little shock and bewildered. She looked up and saw Yunxiao approaching Lan Xuan slowly. His movements were very sluggish, as if he could hardly move a single step under his opponent's pressure, and it cost him a great amount of energy to take each step.
Of all the people present, Zhong Lishan was the only one who had a vague feeling that something was wrong. As a martial king of the Five Elements realm, he had noticed something strange in the air around Yunxiao, and he could feel as if the whole void seemed to vibrate with each step Yunxiao took. For a moment, he seemed to have an illusion that the surrounding rules of heaven and earth appeared to be beating with Yunxiao's pace, as if it were alive!
He sucked in a cold breath at the thought. 'How's that possible! But, this kid's pace is definitely a kind of mystic art. At least, it has set the surrounding auras into motion, making their frequencies the same as his pace. What an advanced martial technique!'
With Zhong Lishan's hint, Yunshang seemed to have noticed something as well, and she was lost in thought.
"Loser, how are you going to fight me when you can hardly take a step under my pressure?" Lan Xuan laughed contemptuously as a large amount of Primordial Qi crazily poured into his right hand. Rings of Qi waves rippled out, spinning like vortexes on the sea.
"Don't worry, I won't kill you! But, I will beat you to your knees and make you apologize. I'll make you and your family never get your heads up again for the rest of your lives!" Lan Xuan planned to win the duel with one move so that he could establish his prestige.
"Passing Cloud Sword Technique, Spinning Star Palm!"
As soon as he pushed his palm forward, the surrounding natural energy frantically rushed over and formed a cyclone that blotted out the sky and land before swooping down toward Yunxiao!
"He uses his palm in place of a sword, and makes it look like a spinning star! Amazing!" Xuan Ping could not help cheering. Some of the other teachers, although unaccustomed to his naked flattery, showed a look of praise in their eyes as well. But Zhong Lishan, who was staring at Yunxiao, had his face growing serious.
With a sneer on his face, Yunxiao suddenly concentrated all his Primordial Qi on his feet and kicked them at the ground. His body blurred into motion in a flash and leaped into the air while the floor paved with hard diamond rocks was crushed to pieces!
"What's happening? He's so fast!"
Lan Xuan's face flickered. He did not expect that Li Yunxiao's speed was fast enough to escape the cover of his palm-strike. "Trying to flee? You're dreaming!" he cried out in both shock and fury while moving his right palm. The cyclone suddenly expanded with that motion and the range of attacks increased by several times. As Yunxiao was in mid-air, there was nothing he could do to dodge the attack!
"Hmph! Moon Walk, Nether Swap!"
Just as everyone's eyes were wide open to see how he would defend against the move, his body suddenly turned into a shadow and moved a few feet across the air in a strange posture.
He had dodged the attack!
"How's that possible! What is this movement technique! Was he walking in the air?" Lan Xuan's pupils constricted and his eyeballs almost popped out!
While all the people were gaping, Yunxiao took a step in the air as if he was walking, and he did not fall down! Moreover, with that step, some kind of force seemed to be triggered in the void, causing everyone's heart to shake slightly.
Zhong Lishan's pupils constricted abruptly as he lurched to his feet in shock. The others might not be aware, but he clearly saw that this step was the continuation of Yunxiao's previous paces. Both the frequency and timing were exactly the same!
In other words, he avoided Lan Xuan's attack not because he could not resist it, but because he wanted to complete the strange set of steps. As he took this last step, the rhythm between heaven and earth began to move with him.
Suddenly, shafts of golden light burst out of him, and as he fell from the sky, the auras between heaven and earth seemed to be drawn over rush madly into his body. It gave everyone the impression that the sky was collapsing and all the auras were converging on him.
"He's borrowing the force of heaven and earth!"
Zhong Lishan gasped with astonishment as his eyes stared straight ahead! He finally understood the purpose of Yunxiao's set of steps—he was using it to muster the force of heaven and earth!
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Chapter 22: Floating Life Seal
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Yunxiao's aura grew stronger and stronger like a meteorite from outer space while his hands flashed in incantation gestures and numerous residual shadows emerged around him. At this moment, three golden hand seals materialized, and then innumerable forces frantically poured into them from the surroundings, making them glow brighter and brighter!
"Life passes like a dream, a mark left by a goose claw in the snow!" He cried out in a faint voice.
The three masses of golden light fused into one, landing on the ground like a meteorite. With that, a huge golden palm seal descended from the sky!
"Floating Life Seal! I can't believe it is the Floating Life Seal!" Zhong Lishan's eyes were filled with undisguised horror. With Yunxiao's current strength, there was no way he could use this technique, so he had to muster the force of heaven and earth to complete it!
"But…to borrow the force of heaven and earth requires not only skill, but one's understanding of it. Even I couldn't find a way of doing it…How did he do it!" Zhong Lishan was somewhat absent-minded as he stared blankly at the golden seal. "Could he be Yang Di's disciple?"
"This…This is Lord Yang Di's Floating Life Seal!" Yunshang was struck dumb instantly as she murmured to herself, "How is this possible! He is only a one-star warrior! How could he have the ability to use the Floating Life Seal! What's his relationship with Lord Yang Di?"
Everyone was thoroughly frozen. The situation in the arena changed so quickly that no one could adapt to it. None of them had ever seen such a grand martial technique with this level of soaring aura. All of them were staring with wide eyes, their minds blank.
While the crowd was utterly thunderstruck, Lan Xuan was completely petrified in the arena. Even though the palm seal had yet to arrive, its heaven-shaking might had already crumbled his fighting will, turned his clothes to ashes in a flash, and caused his skin to crack with bloody lines.
BOOM!
The seal crushed down onto Lan Xuan's body and exploded into a blinding golden light, knocking him flying away like a balloon that suddenly had its air leaked. Streams of blood shot out of his body as he was thrown dozens of meters away and then slammed into the ground, shattering the diamond rocks.
"Phew!"
Yunxiao took a deep breath as he finally landed on the ground. His face was pale and blue, and his body was trembling slightly. The strike had exhausted all his Primordial Qi, and the force of heaven and earth he borrowed had vanished as well.
Total silence reigned over the arena.
The crowd was still chattering noisily when he used the Nether Swap; however, all mouths were shut as soon as he used the Floating Life Seal. At that moment, they had predicted Lan Xuan's defeat. However, when it did happen, it still made everyone gape with wide eyes.
One move…
The young master of the Li Family, who had never shown any talent and was called a loser, had defeated the leader of the Xuan Gang—a peak nine-stars warrior who was ranked the third on the Minor Power Chart—with only one move.
And it was a convincing defeat with no ambiguity. The Floating Life Seal that borrowed the force of the heaven and earth had been deeply imprinted into everyone's mind, unable to be erased.
At this moment, everyone was gaping at the completely unexpected result, including Zhong Lishan, Luo Yunshang, Wang Feng, Qin Ruxue, Chen Zhen, Han Bai, Yu Hezheng, and all the members of the Xuan Gang, their minds totally blank…
Yunxiao's face was extremely pale as he began to breathe heavily to regain the strength he had exhausted. The tactic of borrowing the force of heaven and earth just now could only be used when fighting these lower-level warriors, because it took too long to prepare. The battles between higher-level warriors were fast-paced, and no one would give someone such a long time to borrow the power.
He walked step by step with a grim expression toward Lan Xuan, who was sprawled like mud in the distance.
"How could that be?"
"Defeated…I can't believe Lan Xuan was defeated… and in such a miserable manner, so badly mauled all over!"
"Heavens! He is a nine-stars warrior, and that Li Yunxiao is only a one-star warrior! How could their strength be so different?"
Zhong Lishan was a little confused too, but his pupils suddenly constricted. "STOP IT!"
His voice rang out like a great bell, shaking the minds of all the students present!
Yunxiao's foot was stepping toward Lan Xuan's dantian when he heard Zhong Lishan's loud shout. His eyes flickered with a bright gleam as he sneered, "As I said, no one can save you!"
Even though he was lying on the ground with a serious injury and unable to move, Lan Xuan was conscious. As Yunxiao's foot grew larger and larger in his pupils, his heart swelled with immense fear.'Crazy, this guy is crazy! He even dares to disobey the dean's order! Isn't he afraid of being expelled? Save me, save me! Who will save me!'
Boom!
The foot stamped him in the dantian with a powerful force and a beam of light exploded out from his abdomen. Meanwhile, the force went through him and came out from his lower back, ripping the clothes on his back to pieces!
"Puke!"
A mouthful of heart's blood sprayed out of Lan Xuan's mouth. His body instantly became feeble like a shrunken balloon, and his spirit and consciousness vanished in a flash. He had completely passed out.
"Ah!"
The entire audience was dumbstruck. Lan Xuan was crippled! Li Yunxiao had broken his dantian and thoroughly crippled him!
When a warrior's dantian was broken, he was crippled for life unless he had a legendary holy medicine that was level seven or above!
Zhong Lishan was in a daze. Even at his speed, he wasn't able to save Lan Xuan. He landed a dozen meters away from the two students and watched with a blank look on his face. He felt at a loss for the first time in years.
Yunshang sucked in a cold breath and sprinted up to the arena as well. When she saw Yunxiao walking toward Lan Xuan, she cried out, "What are you doing?"
Everybody was stunned. Yunxiao had already crippled Lan Xuan, so what else did he want?
Pa!
Yunxiao jerked his foot up and brought it down in a flash! Half of the sole was shoved into Lan Xuan's mouth, breaking all his teeth and ripping his mouth. As a result, blood gushed out and covered his face. Lan Xuan was already in a coma, but his nerves started to twitch instinctively.
The scene frightened everyone and sent shivers down their spines.
"You are too cruel, boy!" Zhong Lishan flew into a rage while his figure blinked and sprinted over.
"Hmph! I said I'd beat you to your knees and make you lick my shoes. I haven't washed my foot for three days. How's the taste?"
Narrowing his eyes, Yunxiao reached out a hand and performed a grabbing gesture, pulling the five-colored divine air stone pendant Lan Xuan wore on his waist into his grip. It was what he had his heart set on. After that, he kicked Lan Xuan up like a bag of trash and sent him flying toward Zhong Lishan.
Boom!
Without so much as looking, Zhong Lishan sent Lan Xuan flying again with a slap and then landed in front of Yunxiao like an angry lion. His anger burst out in an instant and formed into a domineering pressure in the air that crushed down onto the other's body!
"He's already crippled. Why are you still so cruel?"
"Hmph! This is a duel of life and death, and it's up to us to decide who lives and who dies. It's none of your business!"
It's none of your business…
Yunxiao's voice echoed in the arena, leaving everybody completely stupefied. No one had ever dared to speak to the dean of Jialan Academy like that, not even His Majesty the King of Tianshui, the president of Alchemist Association, the commander-in-chief of the State Guardians, or any of the most powerful men in the state!
Zhong Lishan froze for a moment and then laughed out in rage, "Haha! It's none of my business? Boy, do you know who I am?"
"You are Zhong Lishan, the dean of Jialan Academy and a martial king," Yunxiao sneered. "At the age of over a hundred years old, you are only a martial king, and yet you still have the nerve to show off? If I were you, I'd would have killed myself long ago!"
Everyone sucked in a cold breath at the same time. This brat was crazy, he was really crazy!
An individual who had stepped into the Five Elements realm was known as a martial king! The number one expert of Tianshui was scolded for having a weak cultivation base!
Zhong Lishan exploded with anger and bellowed, "Die!"
The pressure emanating from him loomed in the void as if it were real, crushing down like a mountain and making Yunxiao's face fall instantly. Under the pressure, his body trembled violently as if it were about to be crushed into a pulp, like a leaf that could be blown away at any moment in the storm. He glared at Zhong Lishan and snarled, "Old codger! You are over a hundred years old and yet you bully me, a fifteen-year-old boy? You are a martial king, and yet you bully me, a mere warrior? If I don't die today, I will make you pay back a hundred times in the future!"
Zhong Lishan's expression changed drastically, and his heart was filled with an immense shock. He could not believe that this little one-star warrior could still hold his head high and not kneel under a martial king's pressure! And what made him even more frightened was the fact that Yunxiao was emanating a fighting will in the face of him, who was a martial king, which even he did not dare to underestimate!
What kind of stubbornness and fighting will was this?
What kind of unyielding soul was in this boy's frail body?
In the distance, Yunshang's panic changed to shock. The unyielding look in Yunxiao's eyes had deeply shaken her heart. "What is this feeling? Why does his stubborn look give me such a familiar feeling?"
Her eyes became a little blurred, and a deep doubt hung between her eyebrows.
Suddenly, a glimmer of gold flashed before her eyes and she turned around in a hurry. One hundred meters away from the arena, the statue of the Martial Sovereign loomed high above the world, shining brilliantly under the sunlight!
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Chapter 23: A Great Wind Comes Forth, The Clouds Rise High
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"Gu Feiyang! I can't believe his expression and demeanor are identical to Lord Gu Feiyang!"
Yunshang looked at Yunxiao in horror. Under the pressure of a martial king, his eyes were still shining like stars and he still wore a smile on his lips. His imperious and lofty demeanor made her heart tremble profoundly. She felt that her eyes had become blurry, as if the figure of this fifteen-year-old teenager had overlapped with that peerless Martial Sovereign who once roamed the world freely and overlooked all lives.
"Puke!"
Yunxiao could not hold on at last and coughed up a mouthful of blood. His eyes blazed with anger as he said, "Old codger, just because you are a Martial King doesn't mean I can't do anything to you! I'm going to hit you hard even if the cost is my life!"
With that, he took out the origin blasting pill which he had prepared as a backup and swallowed it. In an instant, strength poured through his body like a spring and his aura began to soar!
Zhong Lishan was terrified. The pressure he emanated was already at its peak; a Martial Master or even a great martial master would have yielded by now, not to mention a one-star warrior. 'Do I really have to bully the weak by being strong, using the strength of a Martial King to bully a warrior? Even if I do make him yield, my reputation would be gone completely.'
Just as his mind was wandering, he suddenly felt an indescribable aura emanating from Yunxiao. There was no more emotion in his eyes, and his gaze had become indifferent.
"What is this?" He was startled, and he had a feeling that could not be expressed with words surging into his heart.
Yunshang, too, noticed the changes in Yunxiao's aura. Suddenly, she felt a breeze blow past and looked up to see a cloud gathering in the sky, which was cloudless previously. At this moment, Yunxiao lightly lifted his hand. Her eyes flared with astonishment as she cried out, "A great wind comes forth, the clouds rise high! How's that even possible!"
The dean's heart gave a jerk at Yunshang's loud cry, and his eyes were filled with immense shock. As a Martial King of the Five Elements realm, he naturally felt the uncomfortable feeling in the surroundings. Looking up at the sky, he murmured to himself, "The wind and clouds are rising…They are really rising."
In the face of a one-star warrior, the forehead of Zhong Lishan, the number one expert of the state of Tianshui and a Martial King, began to drip with cold sweat. 'Who exactly is this boy? This move…Could it be Lord Gu Feiyang's Great Wind and Cloud Palm?"
When the wind and clouds rose, the world was stirred!
Yunxiao's thin figure was like a mountain that stood towering and unchanging forever between the heaven and earth, and the wind and clouds were rising at his will.
'The wind and clouds rise high all because of me!'
Many years ago, the Vanquisher Martial Sovereign—Gu Feiyang—had suppressed ten nine-stars Martial Sovereigns with the Great Wind and Cloud Palm on top of the sea of clouds over the Snowfall Peak of Shenxiao Temple, and even teased Qu Hongyan—the Lady Master of the temple—three times. Then, he roamed freely in the temple's forbidden places and showed disdain over everyone and everything. Such a feat had been made into a story that would be told for thousands of years.
"Stop it!"
Zhong Lishan shouted and immediately dispersed all his aura. He could already tell the changes in Yunxiao's aura after consuming the origin blasting pill, and he knew such a pill that could boost one's strength in an instant had a serious side effect. He was not afraid that this boy would hurt him; even if that was indeed Gu Feiyang's Great Wind and Cloud Palm, he had no fear of it as it was used by a mere one-star warrior.
However, as Yunxiao knew not only the Floating Life Seal, but also the Great Wind and Cloud Palm, it was very likely that he was connected to Yang Di. If these two techniques were indeed taught to Yunxiao by Yang Di, then he would not be able to explain himself to Yang Di if he hurt this boy.
The number one expert in the state of Tianshui, the Martial King Zhong Lishan who treated everyone, including the King of the state, with contempt, had a glimmer of fear in his eyes when he thought of Yang Di.
"Students fought with one another at their own will. You've injured Lan Xuan, and I've nothing to comment about it. But, you shouldn't be so cruel. I'll let it pass considering this as your first offense, but there won't be a next time!" When he finished, his figure flickered and then instantly vanished from the arena. Since he could not hurt this boy, staying here any longer would only frustrate him further.
"What…!" All the students and teachers were frozen. "Since when has the dean become so affable?" Anyone who had offended him in such a way, even if they were princes or princesses, should have been sent flying away by him with a slap!
Meanwhile, Yunshang came back to her senses at last. Her eyes flashed with a bright gleam as she pretended to be angry and cried out, "Hurry up and disperse the power!"
The power of the origin blasting pill spread out, and Yunxiao was flushed all over like an erupting volcano. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Old codger, you're lucky to run so fast!"
He put his palms together and sat cross-legged down, unmoving like a mountain. The violent aura rushing out of him instantly calmed down and began to wheel around him in a certain pattern while his complexion was returning to normal at a rate visible to the naked eye.
Yunshang blinked in amazement. Yunxiao's pose seemed to contain some sort of rule that made her ponder over, and yet she could not grasp. But, there was a faint feeling in her heart that it was an extremely powerful rule. Knowing that many parts of martial arts require extraordinary insights and that opportunities were rare, she immediately sat cross-legged down and stared at Yunxiao as she began to meditate.
After a series of shocking events, the whole arena was filled with loud discussions while all kinds of expressions appeared on different faces. Han Bai and others were worried about Yunxiao, but they were stopped by Feng Buping. To maintain order, Feng Buping even forced the crowd to disperse, not allowing anyone to stay in the arena.
Soon, all the students were chased away, while Yunxiao and Yunshang were the only two left in the arena. They sat cross-legged face to face, both in meditation with closed eyes.
Suddenly, a light appeared on Yunshang's body, then slowly converged on her eyebrows and bloomed like a lotus flower. The aura around her flickered rapidly with the light and seemed to be absorbed by her. In the distance, Xuan Ping looked shocked as he muttered to himself, "Did she just make a breakthrough? I can't believe she has advanced another level again!"
Yunshang only felt that the bottleneck in her cultivation was gradually dissolved as she contemplated over Yunxiao's strange pose. By the time she discovered it in horror, the bottleneck had been completely broken through and a stream of Primordial Qi gathering from all directions was pouring madly into her body, washing through her meridians.
She knew she had advanced another level, but the way she made it was puzzling. She had not yet grasped much of that strange rule, and yet it had promoted her to a higher level. What was going on with this Li Yunxiao? What heaven-defying cultivation technique was he practicing?
Holding back the shock in her heart, she carefully controlled the Primordial Qi inside her to circulate one full round within her body and eventually converge it into her dantian. She immediately felt her mind turn empty and bright while a sense of strength that she had never felt before surged through her. When her cultivation base got stable, she finally opened her eyes slowly.
"Ah!"
She was startled as soon as she opened her eyes. At some point in time, Yunxiao had woken up and was staring at her with wide eyes and a smile. Her face suddenly blushed as she snapped shyly, "What are you doing?"
Yunxiao was puzzled. "What did I do? Congratulations on Teacher Luo's advancement to a higher level!"
Yunshang calmed her pounding heart and suddenly noticed something unusual. Staring at Yunxiao, she exclaimed in horror, "You…You have become a two-stars warrior!"
"You are a Martial Lord of the Four Quadrants realm, and it's a hundred times harder for you to get to the next level than me. But, even you have broken through, so why are you so surprised when I, a mere warrior, have advanced to the next level?" Yunxiao laughed.
Yunshang felt that talking to this lad would be too much for her heart to take sooner or later. "Don't play games with me," she put on a straight face and said angrily. "How many days have you been a warrior for? I found that the world has changed even though I was in seclusion for only five days! I want an explanation for all this!"
"Aye, my injuries aren't healed enough to stand up to Teacher Luo's interrogation," Yunxiao cried out. "I'll explain to you after I get back to rest for half a month and am fully healed."
Yunshang's eyes flashed with hesitation when she looked at the mess and blood all over him. "Alright, but I'll only give you three days. Meet me at the office in three days!"
'Why is this little girl so domineering and unreasonable?' Yunxiao said to himself as he watched Yunshang leave, his face smiling. 'But, she's got a great gift that deserves to be cultivated.'
Yunxiao did not stall at all. The impact of the battle on him was enormous. Initially, he had already broken through into the Origin realm after he took the origin impacting pill, but there was still a large amount of medicinal strength left in him. Through the impact of the force of heaven and earth on his body, the residual medicinal strength was completely dissolved, which was why he had advanced to the level of two-stars after the battle.
As he had just advanced after the battle, the first thing he should do was stabilize his cultivation base. But, he vaguely felt that the medicinal strength in his body had not been fully digested. Hence, he went straight to the gravity chamber after he left the arena.
He was now able to move freely at ten times the force of gravity, so the gravity chamber was just right for him to temper his body.
As soon as he arrived in the Gravity Cultivating Hall, many students recognized him instantly. They were too frightened to get too close to him, and no one dared to fight with him for a chamber. He teleported to the ten-fold gravity region, found a chamber, and walked right in.
It just happened that Luo Landuo was coming out from another chamber. She was surprised to see Yunxiao, and was immediately stunned. "What's going on? He looks very energetic. Didn't Lan Xuan cripple him? That's not Lan Xuan's style."
While she was puzzled, dozens of students in the public area seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at the same time as Yunxiao entered the chamber, and then a buzz of discussion reached her…
"His aura is so strong! I don't even dare to come within three meters of him!"
"I don't think you want to get too close to him. He defeated Lan Xuan with one move, and if you're within three meters of him, his aura will crush you right away! In my opinion, even Bai Chengfeng and Lin Yu, both of whom are ranked on the Minor Power Chart, are no match for him."
"I've just heard from the infirmary that Lan Xuan's meridians are all broken and his Qi Sea has collapsed. Unless there's a grade-five Nine Nether Qi Condensing Pill, he'll be a cripple all his life!"
"Really? This guy's so cruel?"
"It's not as if you didn't know that Teacher Ku in the infirmary is a first-tier alchemist. How could he be mistaken? And he is my cousin's uncle's second brother-in-law's uncle's neighbor's son's seventh wife's sister-in-law's elder brother. How could he possibly deceive me when he is so closely related to me!"
"…"
"He won't even give the dean face…what a ruthless fellow! Don't provoke this savage guy, my friends, or no one will be able to save you!"
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Chapter 24: First-tier Alchemist
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
While the crowd was still chattering, Landuo's head was abuzz. All she heard was 'defeated Lan Xuan with one move'. She felt like she was in a trance, and the images before her eyes seemed unreal as a thin figure flashed through her mind…
Five days later, in a chamber within the tenfold gravity region…
A faint milky white aura wrapped around Yunxiao while his body was curled up and posed like a baby in his mother's womb. His breath was so weak that it seemed as if he was not breathing at all. However, the pores on his skin were opening and closing, inhaling and exhaling on their own.
It was a very clever way of adjusting the breath, which could let an individual return to the innate realm and enter the fetal state. He appeared to be sleeping on the surface, but the Qi inside his body was surging like a great river, several times more powerful than ordinary meditation. It was unknown how much time had passed when his closed eyes suddenly flicked open, and he exhaled a stream of filthy air while his eyes sparkled.
"I'm now a peak two-stars warrior, and it will take only three more days to make a breakthrough in the fetal technique. But…"
He frowned slightly as golden dots rose in his mind and condensed slowly. A golden script emerged in the void within his mind, comprising of undecipherable text that looked like tadpoles, flickering and vanishing repeatedly and never taking shape.
"This Great Expansion Divine Technique is so mysterious that it is not only impossible to be written down, but also extremely difficult to take shape over my spiritual altar no matter how hard I contemplate over it. Nevertheless, every attempt has increased my soul power by a lot. Although soul cultivation techniques are rare, I've read more than ten of them, and I've never seen anything so mysterious."
He let out a deep breath and said resolutely, "Anyway, martial arts can be practiced at any time, but it's very rare that my soul power has grown to this level. Now, the key is to take this opportunity and become a first-tier alchemist!"
Just now when he was about to reach the peak two-stars warrior stage, his soul power had also condensed to a certain extent. Meanwhile under his contemplation, the Great Expansion Divine Technique appeared more complete than usual. Therefore, he decisively gave up practicing martial arts and began to concentrate on tempering his soul power in his mind.
With the emergence of the Great Expansion Divine Technique, more and more golden dots appeared in his mind, and they cast a golden glow over his entire spiritual altar. In his previous life, Yunxiao was a ninth-tier alchemist, so he naturally knew that the time had come. He instantly flickered his divine sense, and all the golden dots immediately rushed crazily toward the center, as if a black hole had appeared and was devouring everything.
"Condense!"
He opened his eyes abruptly, streaks of golden lightning floating in them before slowly dispersing. A few moments later, his eyes returned to their normal state, bright and clear.
"Ha! I've finally regained the first-tier's soul power! Now, I can craft weapons and all kinds of potions myself!"
Yunxiao's figure flashed out of the chamber and into the teleportation array.
When he returned to his dorm and was about to open the door, a thought struck his mind. He then turned around abruptly and was about to leave.
"Why are you leaving? Come back here!" A voice came from inside his dorm and the door was opened with a squeak.
Yunshang was staring at him coldly, with a hint of anger on her face. "Li Yunxiao, have you really taken my words as a puff of wind? It has been five days. Why haven't you come to see me?"
A trace of cold sweat seeped out of Yunxiao's forehead as he laughed embarrassedly and said, "Ha…I had forgotten about it as soon as I began cultivating…"
"Peak two-stars warrior? You…It has only been five days since you advanced to two-stars…" Yunshang's expression suddenly changed when she felt the faint Primordial Qi wave coming from Yunxiao. "Li Yunxiao," she said in a deep voice, "I know you must have had some strange encounter. But, the discipline of martial arts lies in persistence. You must not, for the sake of speed, risk yourself by taking some pills with serious side effects, or you will harm your future!"
She mistakenly thought that Yunxiao had consumed some strength-boosting pills. Otherwise, he would have never progressed at such a terrifying pace.
Yunxiao felt a slight warmth in his heart. He knew she was saying this for his own good, so he said earnestly, "Teacher, you can rest assured that I've never taken any pills whatsoever."
A look of incredulity flashed across Yunshang's face, but he did not look like he was lying when she saw his clear and bright eyes. Hence, she was relieved and said, "Good! Now, I think you should give me an explanation."
"Explanation? What explanation?" Yunxiao suddenly slapped himself in the head. "Oh, I just remembered that I have something very important to do. I have to go now…See you next time!"
Yunshang's cold, murderous gaze fell upon him in an instant, sending shivers down his spine. Realizing that he could not escape this time, Yunxiao said with a wry smile, "What do you want me to explain, Teacher?"
She fixed her eyes on him and found that this good-for-nothing student, who had never attracted her attention before, had become increasingly difficult to understand, especially after the duel. "How did you learn Lord Yang Di's Floating Life Seal and Lord Gu Feiyang's Great Wind and Cloud Palm? Before I entered the secluded meditation, you were just an ordinary student who hadn't even opened any chakra. But when I came out five days later, you had become a one-star warrior. What happened? The pose you used to suppress the origin blasting pill in your body that day, what cultivation technique is that? And, you've previously told me the secret of leveling up a red copper weapon in the classroom. How did you know it?"
A series of questions shot out of her red lips, giving Yunxiao a headache. "Well…what does the dean think?"
Yunshang glared at him and said, "The dean's analysis is that you were taught by Lord Yang Di. He thinks that Lord Yang Di had taught you all these heaven-defying martial and alchemy techniques."
Yunxiao laughed. "The dean is so clever, getting it right at the first guess! It's just like he said!" It made sense to push everything on Yang Di. After all, Yunxiao was not afraid of confronting him. In fact, he wished they could meet as soon as possible.
"Bullsh*t!"
A rude remark burst out of Yunshang's mouth and startled Yunxiao. Staring coldly at him, she said, "Others might not know this, but I do. First of all, despite being the head of the state military who holds great power, your family has never had any contact with Lord Yang Di. Secondly, as far as I know, Lord Yang Di doesn't know the Great Wind and Cloud Palm!"
"How do you know Yang Di doesn't know it?" Yunxiao asked in surprise.
Yunshang's mind seemed to wander, but then she immediately shook her head and sighed. "Well, since you don't want to say it, I won't force you. Initially, I was worried about you and had thought of a way for you. But now, it seems my worry was unnecessary. Still, you have to come with me. I've found you a master in the Alchemist Association. He said he wants to see the result of your soul power test before deciding whether to accept you as a disciple."
"What? You've found me a master?" Yunxiao's eyes grew wide as he said hurriedly, "No, I can't do it. I know my soul power very well, it's too rubbish."
"It's not up to you to decide whether your soul power is rubbish or not," said Yunshang coldly, "I've agreed with him, and you've no idea how hard it was for me to get him to accept my request. You must go, willing or not!" Giving him no chance to argue, Yunshang dragged him and started off in the direction of the Alchemist Association.
"Who is this expert?" Yunxiao cried out, "You want me to take him as my master? Is he worthy?"
Yunshang went blank for a moment, then she scolded angrily, "He is the most promising alchemist in the association! It had taken me a great effort to get him to accept my request while others didn't even have a chance to ask him. So, you better not mess this up! Listen to me! Even if you specialize in martial arts, it would be of great benefit to your attainments if they were supplemented by cultivating your soul. As for who that man is, you'll know when we get there."
Yunxiao fell silent as he was slightly surprised. Average warriors would not understand the complementary relationship between cultivating Qi and soul. It seemed to him that this Yunshang was not only very gifted, but must have been taught by some expert.
Just like that, he was half dragged to the association.
As soon as they stepped through the door, Yunshang immediately found Jia Rong answering questions of the apprentices in a corner. He was already surrounded by many people.
She pushed her way into the crowd, emanating her Martial Lord's aura. As a result, the people around her stepped back with angry faces.
Paying them no mind, she simply cried out, "Master Jia, I'm looking for you. Do you still remember the student I mentioned to you last time, the young master of the Li Family, Li Yunxiao? I've brought him here."
Yunxiao was dumbfounded. 'She actually asked Jia Rong to be my master…'
"Oh, you're here, Lord Yunshang!" Jia Rong said in an indifferent voice without even looking up. "Go to the lobby and find an apprentice to test his soul power first."
"All right," Yunshang nodded and turned around. "Li Yunxiao, come outside with me."
Yunxiao followed Yunshang with a bitter look on his face and was about to go out when a surprised voice rang out, "It's you!"
The waitress at the front desk, Lu Yao, hurried over and said happily, "I have finally seen you again! After listening to your advice, my brother's success rate in refining the strengthening potion is almost at one hundred percent! Thank you so much!"
Yunxiao gave her a thumbs-up and said with an encouraging smile, "Tell your brother that he's got a pretty good gift, and if he keeps it up, he'll make it one day!"
Lu Yao's face lit up with gratitude. "My brother produced a lot of strengthening potions and made a lot of money. He's now in secluded meditation, preparing to make a breakthrough to the next level. I don't know how to thank you enough."
The little beauty was so emotional that she put her palms together in front of her chest. Her lovely appearance caught the attention of many people around them.
Yunxiao laughed and said, "Hehe! You want to thank me? That's easy! Just marry me!"
Blushing, Lu Yao giggled and said, "Don't be facetious!"
After working as a waitress for several years in the Alchemist Association, she had seen all sorts of people, both good and bad, and flirting was nothing unusual to her. So, she naturally did not take Yunxiao's words seriously. However, at this moment, her heart suddenly gave birth to a glimmer of anticipation, which surprised even herself.
"Li Yunxiao! Do you have any idea where this is? How dare you harbor such an evil intention and flirt with a girl?" Yunshang growled, slapping him on the back of his head.
'So, his name is Li Yunxiao…' Lu Yao repeated the name in her heart.
Yunxiao did not dare to dodge, so the slap landed squarely on his head. With a bitter smile on his face, he said, "When did I do that? Can't you see it was she who was flirting me?"
"Bah!"
Lu Yao blushed with shyness. She was embarrassed to stay here further, however brazen she was, so she quickly turned and walked away.
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Chapter 25: Take A Master
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"Hurry and come out with me for the test," Yunshang said grumpily. "If you don't pass, wait and see how I'll punish you!"
Their conversation immediately drew the attention of many, especially the students who were listening to Jia Rong's lecture. They all frowned with a hint of anger in their eyes.
Lectures by alchemists were a rare opportunity to learn, because they only happened once in a blue moon. However, whenever an alchemist made a breakthrough, there would always be a public lecture.
"Hey, you two! Get out of here if you want to argue!" An apprentice alchemist could not take it anymore. He was already in a fret, as he was standing at the back of the crowd and could not hear the lecture very well.
"Sorry, we're leaving now!" Yunshang said apologetically. She was aware of how rare it was for these students to be given a lecture by an alchemist. She whacked Yunxiao on the shoulder and shouted, "Get out of here!"
Her voice attracted many sidelong glances, while Jia Rong, who was lecturing in the corner, frowned and looked up as he said coldly, "What's the matter?"
The students, who were listening attentively came to their senses and turned their heads together to glare at the two troublemakers.
Jia Rong was slightly displeased as well. He knew it was Yunshang, but he felt that she did not show him any respect. He was about to put on airs and his eyes were shining brightly when he saw Yunxiao, who was following behind her with a drooping head like a frozen eggplant.
'Young Master Yun? Li Yunxiao? Young Master Yun… Li Yunxiao…'
He suddenly seemed to be struck by lightning as he repeatedly cried out these two names in his hearts. He was utterly dumbfounded…
"Master Jia, there are two fools making trouble here. I'll drive them out now!" An apprentice alchemist stood out voluntarily.
"Fools…" Jia Rong repeated the word under his breath. Suddenly he shuddered, then hurried over and sent the apprentice flying away with a slap. "Fools my a*s!" he growled. "Do you know how hard it is for him to come all the way here to study? Do you think you can match his eagerness to learn? Do you think you can match his perseverance?"
Everyone was struck dumb. Many of them had to slap themselves in the face and look at the student who was slapped far away on the ground. Only then could they come to their senses and realize what they just saw was real.
"Yun…Young Master Yun!" Jia Rong rushed up and greeted him carefully.
"Master Jia?" Yunshang was a little surprised, but she immediately smiled and said, "You can just call him Li Yunxiao. You don't have to be so polite to him!"
Pa!
She gave Yunxiao a quick whack on the back of his head and said angrily, "Why are you still standing there? Master Jia has come up here and offered you a greeting! Return the greeting!"
The whacking sound was like a direct blow to Jia Rong's heart, making him almost cough up blood.
Fuming with rage, Yunxiao bowed his head and cried out, "Greeting, Master Jia!"
Jia Rong was taken aback, and he hastily moved to one side. Although Yunxiao only bowed his head, it seemed to him as if he were going to bow low. How dare he accept this bow? So, he jumped to the side like a scared kitten.
Yunshang felt somewhat strange when she saw Jia Rong's movement. "I'm going to bring this kid for the soul power test!"
"No, no need! There's no need for the test!" Jia Rong waved hurriedly and was at a loss of what to do.
"No need?" Yunshang was shocked, then she gave the back of Yunxiao's head another slap and said angrily, "You impolite kid! You've angered Master Jia! Apologize now!" After that, she turned to Jia Rong and explained, "This kid is ignorant of the world, which is why he lacks the manners. I hope Master Jia can forgive him."
Jia Rong's mind was blank and he almost dropped to his knees! As he was soaked all over in cold sweat, and even his cheeks were covered in beads of sweat, he slapped himself in the face and said in a broken voice, "Lord Luo, please don't whack him anymore! I was mistaken! Young Master Yun has a great gift, and he doesn't need any soul power test!"
Now, not only Yunshang, but even Lu Yao in the distance was struck as dumb as a piece of wood, completely baffled. Meanwhile, the apprentice alchemists who were listening to Jia Rong's lecture had their jaws falling to the floor.
Yunshang said blankly, "He has a great gift? Then would you take him…"
In a haste, Jia Rong said, "Yes, yes! I'll take him as my disciple!" But as soon as he had finished, he felt what he said was not proper. And when he looked over, he saw Yunxiao staring coldly at him. Shivering with fear, he said hurriedly, "No, no! I was mistaken again! I won't…I won't take him as my disciple!"
"Master Jia, you are behaving very strangely today. Are you taking him as your disciple or not?"
Jia Rong pulled a long face and said, "I…I…Lord Luo, all I ask is that you stop whacking him on the head, and I'll do whatever you ask. If you whack him again, I'll kneel before you!"
Yunshang was completely confused. Even a fool could see that Jia Rong was in awe of Yunxiao. She said shockingly, "Li Yunxiao, you…"
Just then, a commotion broke out in the lobby as an old man escorted by a large group of people walked in.
All the voices came to an abrupt stop as soon as the old man entered the lobby. Everyone stood quietly in place and slightly lowered their heads, their eyes full of respect. With a pair of bright piercing eyes and an unusually grim expression, the old man glanced around and only looked slightly surprised when he saw Yunshang. But he just nodded and smiled at her, then went straight to the second floor.
Yunxiao narrowed his eyes slightly. The soul power wave emanated from the old man was very strong, which made him at least a third-tier Great Alchemist. It was the first time he had met a third-tier alchemist since his reincarnation. Once the old man had gone up to the second floor, the lobby was bustling again.
Yunshang's face grew grave as she murmured to herself, "Why did Master Zhang Qingfan come to the association himself? Could it be that Ruxue's illness is out of control?"
Yunxiao's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly asked, "Ruxue? What's the matter with her?"
With a slightly unsightly face, Yunshang sighed and said, "Well, it's not a secret. Ruxue was born with the Five Yins terminated meridians, and could not have lived past the age of five. That year, His Majesty managed to pursue a fifth-tier alchemist with all the resources of the state, who later provided a prescription for Ruxue and said that it would keep her alive for ten years. It has been nine years since then."
"Five Yins terminated meridians?" Yunxiao's face fell as he said in a serious voice, "It can't be cured by medicine alone, except with an eighth-grade medicine called the Five Dragons Pure Yang pill."
"Five Dragons Pure Yang pill?" Yunshang froze for a moment as it was the first time she had heard of the name. She was thrilled when she heard that there was a medicinal pill that could cure Ruxue, but her excitement was dampened in the next instant. With a bitter smile, she said, "Only the legendary eighth-tier Supreme Alchemist can refine an eighth-grade pill…"
Jia Rong sighed and said, "An eighth-tier Supreme Alchemist is like a god to us."
Yunxiao's expression was grave. After pondering for a brief moment, he said, "Teacher Luo, you may go back first. I'd like to discuss the matter of taking Master Jia as my master with him."
Yunshang gave them a strange look and seemed worried. Meanwhile, beads of cold sweat broke out of Jia Rong's forehead once again as he hurriedly said, "Rest assured, Lord Luo, whether Young Master Yun wants to take a master or anything else, I will do as he bids. I will never let you down!"
Yunshang suddenly felt her head reeling. What was going on? Why did Jia Rong, who was always so proud of himself, behave like a servant in front of Li Yunxiao?
Yes, his submissive appearance made him look exactly like a servant and not a superior alchemist!
She felt that she was getting a little shaky. Fearing that she would faint in the lobby if she stayed, she made a few polite remarks and hurried off.Jia Rong and Yunxiao both felt relieved once she had left.
Yunxiao said, "Find me a quiet place. I need to think over this."
Jia Rong immediately made an inviting gesture and brought Yunxiao to his room. The way he meekly followed Yunxiao made Lu Yao and the group of apprentice alchemists freeze in place, unable to come to their senses for several minutes. Afterward, they always wondered if they were hallucinating or their eyes had deceived them.
As a first-tier alchemist, Jia Rong had his own lounge, a spacious room lavishly furnished with a variety of fine wine and excellent lighting. Yunxiao sat wordlessly in a chair, standing up from time to time and pacing back and forth, while Jia Rong stood still off to the side, not daring to interrupt.
"I got it!"
Suddenly, Yunxiao jumped out of his chair and slapped the table. "That's it! Jia Rong, tell Zhang Qingfan you can cure the Princess's Five Yins terminated meridians!"
Startled, Jia Rong said incredulously, "Yun…Young Master Yun, you're not joking, are you?"
Yunxiao's face turned cold as he said, "Do I look like I'm joking with you? In addition to the Five Dragons Pure Yang pill, the Princess's terminated meridians can be cured by stimulating her acupoints with golden needles. With my current soul power, I can't cure it with one treatment, but I think she'll be completely healed after a few more tries."
"Stimulating…stimulating acupoints with golden needles!" Jia Rong's eyeballs almost popped out as he said in horror, "Young Master Yun, you know this kind of a legendary method? Do you have the confidence?"
Yunxiao rubbed his temple and said, "Didn't I say I might not be able to cure it with one treatment and have to try a few times? So, to treat the Princess, you have to come forward, and I'll be your assistant. But, when it comes to the actual treatment, I'll be the one who does it. With your pitiful attainment, do you think I'll let you treat her?"
Yunxiao's eyes were full of disdain, but Jia Rong did not feel upset. Instead, he thought it was how the matter should be done. "Then…then…Young Master Yun, can I observe and learn from the side when you treat the Princess with the golden needles?" he asked hesitatingly.
Waving his hand, Yunxiao said, "Do as you like. Remember to tell Zhang Qingfan about this. You must take over this task, or the Princess's life will be in danger once the potion loses its effect!"
"Yes, yes! I'll go right now!" Jia Rong jumped with excitement. He did not care whether the princess was dead or alive. What he cared was that he could witness the legendary technique of stimulating acupoints with golden needles—something that only existed in the legends!
"Oh, right!"
Yunxiao went to the table, then picked up a pen and quickly wrote down a list. "These are the ingredients needed to cure the Princess. Ask Zhang Qingfan to prepare them."
Jia Rong ran over cheerfully, but was stunned as soon as he saw the items on the list. "Why so much? And…Young Master Yun, these things seem to be materials for crafting a weapon?"
"Yes, I happen to be in need of a weapon."
Jia Rong, "…"
Chapter 26: Mystic Weapon
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
After asking Jia Rong to make the arrangements, Yunxiao left the Alchemist Association and went to a nearby market. As he passed through the lobby on the first floor, the eyes of everyone who looked at him had changed completely, showing awe and respect.
In fact, Yunxiao only needed a box of gold needles to treat the princess, but he was very particular about the size, thickness, length, weight, purity, and materials. Therefore, he decided to find some materials and refine them himself, so that he could treat with certainty.
While he was wandering around the market, a familiar figure suddenly appeared in his eyes, and a wonderful memory immediately came back to him. The hint of a smile emerged on the corner of his mouth as he walked toward the figure.
"Boss, I really have only one hundred and seventy gold coins. Just do me a favor and help me once," Meng Wu pleaded at a small stall.
Junliang, an intermediate apprentice alchemist, waved and said, "Go somewhere else then! Three hundred gold coins is the lowest possible price! Alternatively, if you can provide me all the ingredients, I'll help you with thirty gold coins."
Meng Wu took out two herbs and handed them over. "All I have are the bright orchid and the snake-tongue flower," she said.
Junliang glanced at them and said impatiently, "These two things are worth twenty gold coins at most. It's not that I don't want to help you, pretty, but you can't make me lose money, can you? But…" His eyes flashed with lust as he said with a grin, "If you are willing to be my girlfriend, we can discuss everything."
Meng Wu's face fell, and she immediately took back the herbs as she turned to leave.
"Oh, don't go!" Junliang said hastily, "You just have to be my girlfriend for three months! Why, don't you want to treat your younger brother?"
His words were like a spell that made Meng Wu stop and stay where she was.
A triumphant smile emerged on Junliang's face as he stepped forward and said, "That's right, I'm not asking you to marry me. Even if you want to, I wouldn't agree. I'm a man who's going to be an alchemist one day, and I'll only marry the daughters of nobles. You're worthy of being played by me for only three months. How about that? If you agree, I'll give you the resuscitation magic water for free."
Meng Wu was shaking with anger, and her lips were bleeding as she bit them too hard. "Help me concoct the resuscitation magic water, and I will raise enough money to pay you back in three months!"
"Pay me back later? Ha! If your brother is not treated with this magic water, I don't think he'll be able to live that long. Sure you can pay me back later, but your brother's life is priceless, isn't it?" While grinning, Junliang came closer, reaching out a hand to touch Meng Wu. "What do you think, my little pretty? I see you are still a maiden, or else I wouldn't give you such a generous offer."
Pa!
Junliang pulled his hand back as if he got an electric shock, and his forehead went cold from the pain. He hastily rolled up his sleeve and saw a bruise the size of a palm begin to bulge slowly over his arm. Shocked and outraged, he stared at Yunxiao, who had just struck him, and growled, "Who are you, boy? How dare you hit me!"
"Who are you, boy? How dare you touch my girl!" Yunxiao grinned and gave Meng Wu a meaningful glance over his shoulder.
At the sight of Yunxiao, Meng Wu's head was buzzing while what happened that night flashed through her mind. Shame and indignation poured out from the bottom of her heart; her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and her eyes were burning with anger.
Junliang blanked for a moment, and then said in a cold voice, "Your girl? That depends on whether she admits it or not! Do you know who I am?" He pointed to his bruised arm and said, "Boy, you're in big trouble."
Yunxiao was amused when he heard that. "Who are you? I really don't know," he laughed and said.
"I'm going to wipe that smile off your face," Junliang sneered. "I'm an intermediate apprentice alchemist at the Alchemist Association. My master is Master Jia Rong, a first-tier alchemist, and my sworn brother is Long Hao, the eldest son of Lord Long Qing, the commander of the Imperial City Guards! If you know what all that means, get down on your knees and apologize, then give me a few hundred gold coins for my injury. Only then will I let you go."
Yunxiao laughed. "I know Jia Rong, and I also know Long Qing, but I have never heard of his son. Oh, I also have a few hundred gold coins." He pulled out a storage bag and threw it on the ground, his eyes flashing coldly. "But…I dare you to take it."
Junliang was taken aback. He did not expect that Yunxiao would actually take out hundreds of gold coins. Delighted, he bent down and reached for the bag.
Suddenly, a cold chill came from his spine and made him shudder. He went cold from head to toe, and a deep sense of fear rose from the bottom of his heart. He looked up in horror and saw a flicker of indifference in Yunxiao's eyes as they stared at him like he was a dead man.
'Heavens! What kind of a look is that? Even soldiers who have been through many battles do not have such a deadly gaze!' Junliang's outstretched hand stopped in mid-air, and he was instantly drenched in a cold sweat. He was sure that this guy would kill him if he touched the storage bag!
Meng Wu stared blankly at Yunxiao. His indifferent manner had affected and shocked her deeply as well.
To raise money, she had agreed to help Lan Fei in his plan of framing Yunxiao. She did not expect it to end up so badly. Not only was Lan Fei expelled and she did not get a single coin, but she was even groped all over by this guy.
She would never forget what he had done to her. That night, she had secretly wept in her bed, scratched her arms bloody with her own fingernails as she swore over and over again that she would kill this guy. But, when Yunxiao did appear in front of her again, she could do nothing to him but fly into a rage.
Perhaps, the mighty figure that descended from the sky in the arena that day had been deeply imprinted in her heart. Little girls always adored heroes, and a strong man was apt to arouse innumerable reveries.
She had no idea what a real strong man was, but probably not far from that figure.
"Brother Hao!"
Junliang's cry of surprise pulled Meng Wu back from her thoughts. As if seeing a savior, he ran quickly toward a man in armor, then pointed in Yunxiao's direction and said something to him.
With a grim look on his face, Long Hao came over with a group of soldiers. He gave Yunxiao and Meng Wu a cold glance, then looked up at the sky and said, "I don't know who you are, and I don't want to know. Now, I'll give you two choices: you can either kneel and apologize to my brother, leave this girl, as well as the money before getting out of here, or become a cripple and spend the rest of your life in jail. You have only three breaths to make up your mind!"
Long Hao was on duty today, and he was patrolling around with a group of men, which was a boring task. Although Junliang was from a poor family, as he was not weak and his master was Jia Rong, who was known as the most promising alchemist, Long Hao was more than happy to befriend him and do him a favor now.
"Hmph! How dare you touch me! I already told you, my sworn brother is Long Hao. Keep your eyes open when you walk in the capital, boy!" Junliang shouted in a swaggering voice and came in front of the storage bag with two steps before bending down to pick it up.
Boom!
Yunxiao's figure flickered and Junliang's body flew up like a kite with its string cut in the blink of an eye, before falling into the group of men led by Long Hao.
Long Hao's pupils constricted as he and his men quickly scattered, and a loud boom rang out between them in the next instant. Junliang's face was full of blood and a look of incredulity as he said in a trembling voice, "Br-bro-brother, m-mm-my dantian is broken…Cripp-crippled…I'm completely crippled…"
Long Hao looked at Junliang in disbelief, his head reeling. "How dare you hurt my little brother, boy!" he growled. Meanwhile, the soldiers behind him had all drawn their weapons, and were ready to fight at any moment.
Meng Wu was stunned as well. She did not expect Yunxiao to be so resolute in his actions, crippling Junliang without even saying a word. Although she thought it was cruel, her heart was filled with an indescribable warmth, and she felt a stinging sensation in her eyes.
Yunxiao said coldly, "I choose the second option. Please send me to jail to have some fun, brother soldiers!"
"Die!"
Long Hao roared as he came to his senses at last. His cultivation base of a warrior exploded out in a flash and he pulled out a broadsword, putting all his strength into it as he chopped it down!
He was so angry that he had gone berserk. It was rare to have someone from the younger generation in the capital who dared to not give him face. Now that Junliang's dantian was destroyed in front of him, not only did he lose a friend with a promising future, he was certain that he would be badly beaten by his father when Jia Rong found out about this.
A worried look emerged on Meng Wu's face. Although she knew of Yunxiao's background and strength, he was outnumbered, and his opponents were all real imperial guards. These were warriors who licked blood from the edge of their knives, whose actual fighting strength was far stronger than the students who spent all day in academy cultivating.
"What! How's that possible!"
Long Hao's strike was powerful, but as he brought the broadsword all the way down, he only heard a faint thud. To his shock, he found that his broadsword—Bluemoon—was caught by his opponent with just two fingers!
He caught Bluemoon with just two…fingers?
Everyone was shocked!
A trace of a smile played about the corners of Yunxiao's mouth as he held the broadsword gently between his fingers, looking like he was enjoying the moon while holding a flower. It seemed relaxed, but in fact, it was a very advanced finger technique.
Long Hao came to his senses after a brief lapse. 'He's strong! No wonder he's so firm in attitude!'
"Unseal, my Bluemoon!"
A dull noise rang out of the broadsword as if its sleeping soul was waking up. At the same time, its blade began to pulse while a strong murderous aura spread out in a flash, and its appearance began to change.
Yunxiao frowned as he sensed the blade's transformation between his fingers, which were then knocked away.
"A mystic weapon!"
Meng Wu cried out and covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes full of horror.
Mystic weapons were the exclusive fighting tools for warriors, containing infinite power. Only alchemists could refine them, and each one of them was priceless and hard to come by!
"My Bluemoon was made of deep-sea cold iron by Master Liang Wenyu, a second-tier Master Alchemist." Long Hao's eyes flashed with a cold gleam as he gently ran his fingers across the blade. "You are the third person to see it unsealed. It is your great privilege to be killed by Bluemoon today!"
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Chapter 27: Guardians of the State
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Long Hao performed a few circles with the broadsword, spreading a burst of chill through the air. In the next instant, a streak of cold light drew across the void as he brought the blade down toward Yunxiao once again!
"It's nothing but a crappy first-tier mystic weapon! A piece of trash for a good-for-nothing!" Yunxiao sneered as he took a strange step and moved to the side, then quickly tapped the blade with his fingers, causing a crisp clang to ring out.
His feet blurred into motion after that, and his figure could be seen flashing at either side of the broadsword as he continued to tap the blade with his fingers, filling the air with buzzing noises. Long Hao was shocked, and he felt the weapon in his grip seeming to be wailing. Horror-struck, he hastily pulled it back.
"What…What's going on!" Long Hao was utterly baffled. His Bluemoon, which he had just unsealed, had returned to its sealed state, looking exactly like an ordinary weapon! In his astonishment, he hurriedly poured his Primordial Qi into it and cried out, "Unseal, Bluemoon!"
He shouted a few times in a row, but the broadsword did not show signs of unsealing. Beads of cold sweat began to break out on his forehead, and he was on the verge of bursting into tears. 'What happens to my broadsword? Is it destroyed? Heavens! I had spent all my money and begged Master Liang Wenyu to craft it for me!"
Yunxiao folded his arms over his chest and sneered, "What other tricks do you have? Show them all to me."
"AHHH! Kill him! Kill him for me!" Long Hao had gone completely crazy. While roaring, he threw caution to the wind and rushed over with his men as he raised the broadsword and brought it down with all his strength!
"Hmph! A bunch of shrimps! Get out of here!"
Yunxiao cried out coldly, then dashed straight into the group of soldiers, leaving numerous residual shadows along the way. As he moved, his fists punched out in blurry motions, dazzling all eyes while striking in every direction through extremely unreasonable paths.
Bam!
Bam!
Bam!
…
The soldiers could only see a figure flash back and forth around them, and each one of them was punched countless times within the blink of an eye. The round plates that protected their chests were all shattered and a force struck their bodies, knocking them flying backward.
Meng Wu gaped at the scene. Yunxiao was like a butterfly dancing amidst the flowers, with light dots—which were actually Primordial Qi—flickering around him!
"It's…It's clearly a dance! Is he fighting or dancing?"
The martial technique he used was called the Flowery Confused Fist, which was invented by a Martial Sovereign named Yuan Shixiao. A major setback in life had changed this man's temperament, making him a little crazy in everything he did. However, as he was a gifted person with an extraordinary strength, he actually turned away from the norm and invented this fist technique. The secret of this technique lay in the word 'confused', and when used, it would always take the opponent by surprise and be almost impossible to guard against.
Soon, all the soldiers were sprawled on the ground, wailing. The broadsword in Long Hao's grip was snatched by Yunxiao and his arms were broken, hanging feebly from his shoulders. He was completely deprived of his ability to fight.
"Although this broadsword is a little crappy, it's still worth some money. I'll take it. Do you have any other good things that you want to give me?" Yunxiao kicked Long Hao in the leg, breaking his bone with a loud crackle!
Long Hao fell to his knees as he hissed with a venomous look on his face, "My dad is the commander of the Imperial Guards! How dare you rob me of my thing! I'll bring men and destroy your family!"
"Destroy my family?" Yunxiao's eyes grew cold, and he was about to lose his temper when he suddenly smiled and said, "I, too, wish you can bring men to my family. Let's see if you can destroy them."
Suddenly, a faint cry rang out in the distance, "Who's making trouble there?"
The voice was not loud, but filled with a shocking power. As it rolled over through the air, everyone could hear it clearly and feel a sharp pain in their ears.
"That's…" When Long Hao looked over, he seemed like he had instantly found a straw that he could clutch at as he hurriedly shouted at the top of his lungs, "My lord! I'm Long Hao, the captain of the third brigade of the Imperial City Guards! Someone is attacking the Imperial Guards here! Please save us, my lord!"
Two men rode side by side on horses along the not-so-spacious street. When the common people on both sides of the street saw the badges on their left shoulders, they all had a look of fear on their faces as they moved out of the way.
The badge was made of pure gold, with a sword and a shield carved on its surface, which represented the strongest armed force of the state—the Guardians of the State!
"Who is so bold to attack the Imperial Guards? Put down your weapon and surrender now!" Huiming cried out in a deep voice as a superior aura emanated from him. His eyes flashed with surprise; although Yunxiao appeared to have an extraordinary aura, he was only a two-stars warrior. Long Hao, on the other hand, was a three-stars warrior, and had so many men with him. So, why was he defeated?
Huiguang's eyes fell on the broadsword in Yunxiao's hand and he was slightly shocked. "Brother, take him down!" he cried out in a faint voice.
Sitting on the saddle, Huiming stared at Yunxiao coldly and said, "Are you going to surrender yourself or do you want me to take you down? You will suffer if you force me to do it myself."
A look of contempt appeared on Yunxiao's face as he said, "How do you know it's my fault? You didn't even ask!"
"The Imperial Guards are His Majesty's right-hand men, and they would not wrong you," Huiming sneered. "It looks like you will not do as I said. Well, I'll have to do it myself then." He leaped into the air from the saddle, swooping toward Yunxiao like a great bird. As he neared, he reached out his right palm and swung it down like a sharp blade!
Yunxiao was sneering, but he had raised his vigilance deep inside to its highest level. This man was a Martial Master of the Two Forces realm, one full realm higher than him. Although Lan Xuan was a peak nine-stars warrior, which made him just one step away from being a Martial Master, he was no way nearly as strong as a real Martial Master!
However, even when fighting Lan Xuan, Yunxiao had to rely on his insights of the natural rules and borrow the force of heaven and earth, only then could he defeat the other with one move. Otherwise, even if he could still win in the end, he would have to pay a great price.
"Hmph!"
He snorted coldly as he lifted Bluemoon and slashed it out. Shafts of golden light burst out of the blade, dazzling all eyes!
Huiming's face fell as he said shockingly, "You are merely a two-stars warrior, so how could you produce such a bright light with the broadsword? It's…it's a mystic weapon!" After recognizing the weapon, he no longer dared to counter it with his palm. He hurriedly pulled back his hand and threw out both fists instead. A stream of Primordial Qi exploded out at the same time like a surging wave, devouring all of the bright light.
BOOM!
Sensing the counterforce coming from the blade, Yunxiao lightly took a step back with his right foot and deflected the force, then raised the broadsword before him.
Huiming landed some ten meters away with a hint of surprise flashing through his eyes. "No wonder you dare to break the law and commit a crime in the street…It is all because you have a mystic weapon in your hand!" he said coldly. "But, now that you have run into my brother and me, your evil journey will end today!"
"End my a*s!"
Yunxiao bellowed suddenly, and taking the opportunity that Huiming was uttering nonsense, he leaped over and slashed out the broadsword. A sharp whistle pierced into all ears as a streak of golden light flashed across the air!
As the difference in their strength was huge, Yunxiao had long known that he must keep the initiative in his hands. Otherwise, once he fell into a passive position, his opponent could easily crush him with just the strength alone.
Huiming glared furiously at Yunxiao, as he did not expect this boy to be bold enough to attack him. "Fine, fine! You're looking for death!" He laughed out of rage.
All of a sudden, he pulled out a copper longsword and slashed it out. Two golden beams clashed in mid-air, seeming dazzling and splendid.
"Nether Swap, the Windy Feet of the Devils!"
Several residual shadows abruptly emerged around Yunxiao as his true-self bent down and spun half a circle, then kicked out his right foot as fast as lightning in a direction that was hard to guard against. Shockingly, his sole was ablaze, and it even kindled the air!
Huiming was greatly shocked. He was confused by Yunxiao's residual shadows, and by the time he found the foot coming in his direction, he no longer had the time to defend against it. His body shrunk abruptly and drifted backward rapidly for several meters like a falling leaf before he could stabilize himself again.
"Unseal!"
After succeeding with the move, Yunxiao cried out lightly and threw himself out. The Bluemoon in his grip let out a deep, muffled rumble as if a sleeping lion had suddenly woken up while a tremendous force surrounded the blade and spread out in waves. With a bright light and an immense cold air, the broadsword slashed down toward Huiming's head!
All his moves—from leaping up into the air and slashing out the broadsword, from using the Nether Swap to the Windy Feet of the Devils, all the way until he unsealed the mystic weapon—were carried out smoothly, without even a slight pause.
As a peak-level Martial Sovereign of the Nine Heavens realm in his previous life, Yunxiao basically had a certain understanding of all the famous martial techniques in the world, and he could merge them together to his advantage. In addition to that, he knew those lower-level martial techniques like the back of his palm, and could use them at any time he wanted!
He knew very well in his mind that in the face of Huiming, whose strength was far greater than his, he had to rely on his rich combat experience and martial techniques to take him by surprise. Otherwise, if Huiming gained a stable ground, he would be defeated with just one move. And just as he had expected, the consecutive surprises had confused the other!
Long Hao, who was watching from the side, was utterly struck dumb. Only now did he realize how huge the gap between Yunxiao and him was. He was already soaked in cold sweat with fear. But, there was one more thing he could not understand: why could this boy effortlessly unseal the broadsword, which he had failed to, and its power seemed to be stronger than when it was in his hand?
"Unseal!"
Huiming was overwhelmed by the attack, and along with his astonishment, his eyes flashed with a great anger and murderous intent. He could not believe he was driven into such a desperate situation by a mere two-stars warrior. As he let out a furious roar, the copper longsword in his hand radiated a bright light and pierced across the void.
Just as his mystic weapon was unsealed, Yunxiao's broadsword came slashing down.
Clang!
The two mystic weapons clashed violently, and for some unknown reason, the longsword that had just unsealed was forced back to its normal state under the attack.
On the other hand, Yunxiao's broadsword was still shining brilliantly as he brought it up and slashed it down once more!
Danger!
Huiguang's expression changed drastically as he sat in his saddle. As a spectator, he found out at once that the situation was not right!
He could not understand why Huiming was suppressed by this guy, when in fact, the difference between their strength was so great. But, he could tell that the broadsword seemed to be slashed down with a very powerful martial technique. Throwing aside his honor and status, he hurriedly stepped on the saddle as he unsheathed his sword and stabbed it toward Yunxiao!
The blade pierced through Yunxiao's body, but in the next moment, his figure began to distort and vanish into light dots.
"Residual shadow? When did he…" Huiguang was taken aback. But on seeing that Huiming's crisis was resolved, he breathed out a sigh of relief.
"What a fool! My purpose was to lure you down from the horse! Now, die with him!" Yunxiao cried out as his aura surged to its peak in a flash. Like a God of Slaughter descending upon the earth, Bluemoon gradually grew brighter in his grip as it sucked over all the Primordial Qi in the surroundings.
"Moon Slash!"
Chapter 28: Taken Captive
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
'What! He was actually luring me down from the horse and wanted to kill both of us at the same time?'
Huiguang's mind went blank in an instant, and he could not comprehend the situation. When a two-stars warrior saw them, he actually tried to kill them instead of trying to escape? Haha! Was this a joke?
Just when he was feeling absurd, a sense of death came over him.
'He's really trying to kill us!'
A golden glow lit up half the sky, and he instantly believed it as he shouted, "Connected at the heart, two become one!"
Huiguang and Huiming were brothers, and the martial technique practiced by them was a very rare concerted technique that required the users to be connected at the heart. Only brothers could practice more easily than ordinary people. The two of them were always together just to enhance their spiritual connection. In this critical juncture, they exerted their most instinctive power.
The figures of the two seemed to overlap at this moment, and four fists were punched out like two hands, causing a shocking power to explode out, smashing toward the terrible blade!
Yunxiao's pupils constricted. He had originally calculated everything clearly in his mind, but did not expect that his opponents knew a concerted technique. He smiled bitterly in his heart, 'I'm going to lose.'
Bam!
Under the impact of the two forces, Bluemoon let out a sad cry while the light on its blade faded away. In the blink of an eye, it returned to its normal state and fell to the ground. Meanwhile, Yunxiao was knocked flying away by the great force, leaving drops of blood in the air before he was slammed into a corner of the street!
It was all quiet on the street!
Meng Wu, who had witnessed the whole thing, was deeply shocked. What startled her was not only Yunxiao's strength, which had forced two State Guardians to join hands. More importantly, she seemed to see Yunxiao smiling at her when she was in a daze just now, telling her to run while he was being knocked flying away!
Although she did not hear anything, Yunxiao's voice was echoing in her mind. "RUN!"
How did that happen?
Looking at Yunxiao lying in blood in the corner of the street, Meng Wu could not move her legs no matter how she tried. But, she quickly came to her senses after a moment of blankness. 'I must run! I must run back for help!'
The word 'Run!' struck her in her mind once again. Her eyes flashed with a decisive look as she suddenly started to run quickly toward the academy!
"Ah! That girl's gone! Get her!" cried Long Hao, startled.
But, he suddenly realized that no one had responded to his order, because all the soldiers he had brought were wounded and lying on the ground while Huiguang and Huiming were simply beyond his command.
With a complicated look on his face, Huiguang glanced at Yunxiao, who was lying motionlessly in a corner of the street, while a huge wave was surging in his heart. A two-stars warrior had forced him and his brother to join hands and use a concerted technique, which was something that he did not believe could have happened in the past. He still felt like he was in a trance, as if what happened was not real.
He went to Bluemoon, then reached out a hand and performed a grabbing gesture. The broadsword flew into his grip in a flash, and then he looked at it carefully. Despite some minor scratches, the mystic weapon was largely intact.
"Oh…m-my lord, this broadsword…" Long Hao hurried over with beads of sweat trickling off his forehead, trying to get his weapon back.
Huiguang's eyes flashed with a bright gleam as he slid the broadsword straight into his storage ring. "Captain Long, we've taken down the criminal for you, so we won't bother you anymore."
With that, he and his brother jumped back upon their horses and were about to leave. On the other side, Long Hao was in panic. The broadsword had cost him all his money, and was crafted by Master Liang Wenyu through his father. It was too important and precious to him. "My lord, my lords, that…"
"We really have to go now, Captain Long. You don't have to see us off!" Huiguang's loud voice interrupted Long Hao once again and then he rode off on his horse. With a look of contempt in his eyes, Huiming followed behind him as well.
"AHH! Heavens! My mystic weapon!" Long Hao felt the sky suddenly darken.
"Get up, you pigs! Get up right now!" He screamed as he kicked the wounded soldiers. "Bring this boy back! Since he made me lose my precious broadsword, I will make him regret coming into this world!"
…
Meng Wu ran madly down the street. There was only one thought in her mind—'Help! I must quickly find someone to help him!'
She could not get Yunxiao's figure out of her mind, and whenever she thought of him lying on the street covered in blood, her heart ached as if it was stabbed by a sharp knife!
'I must find someone to save him!'
After running wildly for a while, she calmed down a little and found herself in a place she did not know. When she looked up, she saw a huge mansion with soldiers guarding the gates. Startled, she walked cautiously over. Suddenly her eyes lit up and her heart was filled with great joy. 'This is the Li Mansion! He is the eldest grandson and the young master of the Li Family! I can't believe I've come to the Li Mansion! He'll be saved!"
In the mansion, a man in luxury clothes was admiring a sword in the courtyard. "It is indeed a second-tier mystic weapon. Although in a sealed state, it already emits such a strong power. I can't imagine what it will look like when it is unsealed!"
While he was absorbed in complacency, he suddenly saw a servant running toward the inner hall. He frowned slightly and shouted, "Where are you going, 9527?"
9527 was the servant's number. The Li Mansion was so large that all the servants' names were erased and replaced by numbers to make it easier to manage. They would be given names only if they did a good job and were approved by their masters. 9527 was the number of a lower servant.
Upon seeing the man, 9527 quickly bowed and said humbly, "Young Master Yi, there's a girl outside the gate who says Young Master Yunxiao has been caught by the Imperial Guards. She told this one to inform the Master for help."
Clang!
The radiant sword was sheathed, and the whole courtyard seemed to darken. Li Yi had a curious look on his face as he said in a faint voice, "I thought that piece of trash was wasting his time at the academy? How did he get into a fight with the Imperial Guards?"
9527 shook his head in a hurry and said, "This one doesn't know."
Li Yi's eyes flashed with contempt as he snorted coldly and said, "It's no big deal when a piece of trash is caught. Tell the girl that the Master is informed of this matter, and ask her not to worry."
"Yes, my lord!" 9527 nodded hastily and trotted off.
He had faked the Master's reply, and was so indifferent toward the safety of the Li Family's eldest grandson; but, 9527 did not feel that anything was wrong. Instead, he trotted off with the reply as if it was the right thing to do.
Li Yi took out the sword again with an appreciative look on his face, as if nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, Meng Wu paced anxiously up and down the front gate. But, she soon got the reply and was relieved. As if she was still a little worried, she asked carefully, "When are you going to save him?"
9527 shook his head and pointed to the sky. "It's up to the top to decide," he said. "How are we, as the servants, to know when that would happen? In any case, the Master asks you not to worry."
Meng Wu naturally knew that the Master, as the servant called him, was Li Chunyang, the number one veteran of Tianshui's military, who was conferred the Duke of Jingguo.
In today's court, the six most powerful and prestigious men under the King were Xiao Qingwang, the commander-in-chief of the State Guardians; Zhong Lishan, the dean of Jialan Academy; Xu Han, the president of the Alchemist Association; Zhang Qingfan, the chief alchemist of the imperial palace; Li Chunyang, the number one veteran of the military; and Lan Hong, the prime minister of the court.
The first four paid little attention to state affairs, so almost all the nobles were attached to the two major opposing fractions of Li Chunyang and Lan Hong.
Now that Li Chunyang had told her not to worry, Meng Wu should be relieved. But, she could not relax at all. Instead, she felt more and more depressed as she walked silently down the street toward the academy.
…
When Yunxiao woke up, he found himself in a dark cell. The meridians on his arms and legs were all severed, and he could not muster any strength. He was slightly shocked as he found that he was not alone in the cell. More than a dozen pairs of dark eyes were all staring at him.
He jumped up from the ground with a start. Those blank, despairing eyes looked terrible to him. "Where is this place?"
"Oh, you have woken up, boy?" A scrawny old man said in a hoarse voice. "Hehe! This is the Long Family's dungeon. You have guts, boy! I heard the guards said that you have broken the Long Family's young master's arms."
Yunxiao slowly came to his senses as he asked curiously, "The Long Family's dungeon? Am I not in the capital's jail?"
The old man glared at him and said, "The capital's jail? It's a place where the court keeps felons. Who do you think you are? This place is the Long Family's private jail."
"A private jail? Hmph! How dare the Long Family set up their own jail!" Yunxiao said coldly. "When I get out, I'll report this to the court."
"Get out? Report?" The old man burst into laughter such that he began to cough. "You're so funny, boy! You've broken their young master's arms, and you still wish to get out of here? When I was young, about your age, I walked past the Long Family's front gate and spat there. They caught me and put me in here, and I've been locked up ever since. Oh, I have lost count of the years that I've spent here."
"…" Yunxiao gave the old man a glance. Although the cell was dark, he could see clearly. The old man's face was wrinkled like pine bark, and his hair were gray at the temples. He was at least seventy or eighty years old.
The old man stopped laughing and pointed toward a middle-aged man squatting beside him. "When he was eight years old, he followed his father into the city to sell vegetables. He merely glanced at one of the Long Family's maidservants and was arrested. He is now forty-eight years old."
"Forty years…That maidservant must have become an old lady now…" Traces of cold sweat oozed out of Yunxiao's forehead. How could this Long Family be so lawless? "Don't worry, old man," he said. "I'm sure I can get out. And when I do, I'll let all of you out as well."
The old man obviously did not trust Yunxiao as he shook his head and said, "Young man, stop dreaming! Just stay here in peace. However bad this place is, there's a meal every day, even though it's all rotten stuff."
The long-term imprisonment had made this group of people completely hopeless about life.
Yunxiao stopped explaining. Instead, he pressed his right palm against the ground, then bent his left hand and right leg upward to form a circle as he began to meditate with his eyes closed.
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Chapter 29: Zhang Qingfan's Rage
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
He was using the?Young Girl Style?of the Tyrant Body Tempering Technique, which was a pose that could quickly restore body function. As his main meridians were broken, he was barely striking the pose with his flesh. His entire body was trembling violently and his face was ashen, but the gleam that looked like the moon and stars in his eyes remained unchanged.
His strange behavior soon caught everyone's attention. After a moment of consternation, sighs could be heard coming through the darkness, followed by a dead silence.
Yunxiao clenched his teeth. Wisps of power flowed out of his dantian, but they did not circulate along the path where energy usually did. Instead, under the intriguing pose, they all rushed into the broken main meridians in a unique way and began to slowly repair the damage.
The Tyrant Body Tempering Technique was the best body-tempering technique in the world, and its various postures covered all the methods of cultivating the flesh. Even an individual with a broken dantian could step into the Nine Heavens realm and become a Martial Sovereign through cultivating it alone. As soon as Yunxiao started using the posture, the injuries in his body began to repair themselves rapidly, and his trembling body slowly calmed down. Gradually, a unique aura spread from him.
Just when Yunxiao was taken captive, Jia Rong had informed Zhang Qingfan and Xu Han that he knew the method of stimulating acupoints with gold needles, and he could save Princess Ruxue. Both Zhang Qingfan and Xu Han were shocked, but when they saw Jia Rong's confident look, and considering that there was no better option right now, they decided to give it a try.
They were also deeply skeptical about the list of materials provided by Jia Rong, but he insisted that all the things must be prepared, and he did not answer any other questions. They could do nothing to him. In any case, if he could really save the princess, these materials were nothing.
Soon, all the materials were taken straight out of the state treasury and handed over to Jia Rong, but then something frightening happened—Yunxiao went missing!
"Lo-lord Luo, are you sure Li Yunxiao is really missing?" Jia Rong felt nothing but cold, and streams of sweat were trickling down his cheeks.
Yunshang said seriously, "That's right! I've looked all over the campus and asked some of his close friends, but no one knows where he is. Master Jia, I think you'd better get another assistant. The Princess's illness can't be delayed any longer."
Xu Han also said in a deep voice, "The effect of the medicine is weakening. The Princess is taking three times the daily dosage now, but her condition does not improve at all. If we delay further, I'm afraid the Princess will…"
"Yes, we can't delay further!" Zhang Qingfan said. "Don't you just need an assistant? As long as the Princess can be saved, I can be your assistant! How could a young dandy know these things? If you want to teach your disciple, you can always teach him later. We don't have time to wait for him."
Jia Rong collapsed to the ground. He could not believe that the chief alchemist of the imperial palace wanted to be his assistant! He felt an extreme heaviness in his chest which made him barely breathe, and he was drenched in cold sweat. Knowing that he could not drag on any longer, he told them the truth.
The room became eerily silent!
Bam!
Zhang Qingfan slapped the stone table and broke it into pieces, sending debris flying in all directions. "Jia Rong!" he roared with rage, "How dare you make fun with the Princess's life!"
Xu Han's face became extremely gloomy as he growled, "Jia Rong, how could you do such a foolish thing! How could you be fooled around by a famous good-for-nothing? How could you believe a dandy young master knows how to stimulate acupoints with gold needles? You… you really piss me off!"
With a livid face, Zhang Qingfan shouted, "Put Jia Rong in jail and execute him straightaway after this!"
Upon hearing that, Jia Rong's eyes went dark and he almost fainted. Although his status was high, Zhang Qingfan was the chief alchemist of the imperial palace, who could kill him with just a single sentence!
"Master Zhang…Master Zhang, please trust Young Master Yun! He can save the Princess!" Jia Rong hugged Zhang Qingfan's leg and cried out desperately.
"Get away from me!" Zhang Qingfan was so furious that he kicked Jia Rong in the chest and sent him flying away. "Do you have any idea what a sin you have committed? If you hadn't told us that you knew how to stimulate acupoints with gold needles, I would have taken someone to a level-four Alchemist Association for help! Now, the medicine can no longer control the Princess's condition, and it's too late to get help. Don't you think you deserve to die for your sin?"
Jia Rong fell to the ground and spat out a mouthful of blood. He tried to speak, but a few broken pieces of internal organs were stuck in his throat, leaving him unable to utter a word.
"Now, what do you want me to tell His Majesty?!"
In his great rage, Zhang Qingfan was about to leave, but Yunshang suddenly stopped him. "Master Zhang, wait a minute!"
"Anything else?" Zhang Qingfan said grumpily. "That Li Yunxiao is your student, right? You will also be held responsible when I inform His Majesty about this!"
After hearing what Jia Rong had said, apart from being extremely shocked, Yunshang had not said a word. But now, she finally spoke slowly, "It was because of Li Yunxiao's hint, either wittingly or unwittingly, that I was able to be promoted to an alchemist this time."
Zhang Qingfan froze for a moment, then sneered, "It's normal for a person to get inspiration by accident. Don't tell me you also believe that the boy knows how to stimulate acupoints with gold needles?"
Yunshang shook her head and said, "I don't know if he knows it or not, but in a recent fight between students, he had defeated Lan Xuan, the Prime Minister's eldest grandson, with just one move."
"So what?" Zhang Qingfan felt that his patience was running out. If it were not for the fact that Yunshang was the commander of the State Guardians, he would have lost his temper!
"How's that possible!" Xu Han broke in. "I thought it was said that he can't cultivate because all his meridians are clogged! Also, I remember Lan Xuan is one of the strongest students in the academy."
Yunshang kept a straight face and said, "Yes. Not only did he unclog all his meridians, but the martial technique he used to defeat Lan Xuan is also the Floating Life Seal!"
"Floating Life Seal!"
That was when Zhang Qingfan's expression changed. "Floating Life Seal…Could it be…Could it be that he is Lord Yang Di's disciple?" he said in shock.
Yunshang shook her head and said, "I don't know. But, if he really is Lord Yang Di's disciple, it is highly possible that he knows the method of stimulating acupoints with gold needles."
Xu Han glanced at Jia Rong, who was sitting on the ground coughing up blood, and said in a solemn voice, "Liang Wenyu told me about this boy's condition before. He said that many of his invisible meridians are broken and could never be reconnected. Now, not only has he defeated Lan Xuan, but he was using the Floating Life Seal. This…"
Zhang Qingfan's face gradually calmed down. After pondering for a brief moment, his eyes gleamed brilliantly and he shouted, "Use all the power you can muster to find Li Yunxiao in the shortest possible time!"
…
In a bar near the academy, the customers were mostly students. Luo Landuo was savoring a wine called Moonlight Kiss. It was a very magical drink, because its color could reflect the mood of the drinker. It was blue when the drinker was happy, and black when the drinker was unhappy.
She found that the Moonlight Kiss in her glass was slowly turning black.
Yu Hezheng did not notice the change in her mood as he just kept talking. "Landuo, believe me, it's true! Now, the whole campus is talking about the battle. I know you won't believe it because you didn't witness it yourself. I think even Bai Chengfeng is no match of him, not to mention Lin Yu!"
Clang!
A glass of pure black Moonlight Kiss was vigorously placed on the table. Landuo threw out a few silver coins and shouted, "Bill!"
"Senior Yu," she said coldly, looking at the unpleasant tasting glass of wine on the table, "I've told you several times that I don't want to hear what you're saying. Also, don't bother me in the future. I'm stuck in a bottleneck, and I'm going to enter a secluded cultivation for a few days. Goodbye!"
She left the bar without looking back despite Yu Hezheng's obstruction.
"Damnit, what a poser!" Yu Hezheng gulped down the glass of liquor in his hand and then growled, "How dare a wh*re who's been played by Lin Yu so many times pretend to be innocent in front of me! I've been courting her for so long, and yet she hasn't even let me touch her! Damnit!"
"Good evening, sir! Would you like a glass of this purple Love Story?"
A melodious voice rang out. Meng Wu glanced at Yu Hezheng's empty glass and tried to sell her drinks. "Perhaps it will suit you well."
"Hmm?" Yu Hezheng gave Meng Wu a glance. He was stunned for a moment, then a glimmer of lust flashed in his eyes. He laughed and said, "You look familiar to me. Oh right, you're in the junior class, right? I remember all the pretty girls in the junior class. Yes, I remember now, your name is Meng Wu!"
He was overjoyed as soon as he recalled her name. "My name is Yu Hezheng, and you can call me Senior Yu. By the way, why are you selling drinks here? Don't you think it's a waste for a beautiful girl like you to sell drinks here?" He stared at Meng Wu's beautiful face and swallowed loudly.
A hint of disgust flashed through Meng Wu's eyes. Suppressing her disgust, she said with a smile, "Senior Yu, would you like a glass of Love Story? It costs only six silver coins."
Yu Hezheng toyed with the empty glass in his hand and laughed. "Love Story? Six silver coins a glass? Haha! To hell with the love story, it's so damn cheap! Meng Wu, you're so beautiful…you shouldn't be working here. Be my girlfriend, and I'll give you one hundred gold coins every month. What do you think?" He reached out a hand to touch Meng Wu's face.
Pa!
In a fit of rage, Meng Wu slapped him on the arm and said in a cold voice, "Senior Yu, please respect yourself!" While fuming, she turned and was about to leave.
"You want to leave?" Yu Hezheng was already provoked by Luo Landuo, and with all the liquor he had drunk, he immediately lost his temper when even a wine salesperson dared to reject him. "Stop right there!" he bellowed. "I'm going to take you today, regardless you are willing or not!"
His voice was so loud that it immediately attracted the attention of all the people in the bar.
Meng Wu's mind was in a daze. She could not believe there was such a shameless person in this world. Not only did he try to molest a girl in public, but he was so loud and so self-righteous! She was shaking with anger, and did not know what to say!
"Aye, let's go in and have a few drinks. We've been looking for him for most of the day, but we haven't even had any news. I wonder where Young Master Yun is hiding!"
When Han Bai and Chen Zhen walked into the bar, they were both stunned.
"What's going on? Why so quiet? Isn't this a bar? Are we in the wrong place?" Chen Zhen asked questioningly.
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Chapter 30: Visit The Long Family Together
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Han Bai saw Yu Hezheng and Meng Wu at once, immediately crying out, "Hey, look over there! Isn't that Luo Landuo's flatterer? And the girl…Wow, she's the one who framed Young Master Yun that day!"
Chen Zhen strode over and said, "Damnit! I thought Lan Fei was the b*stard who framed Young Master Yun. It turns out to be you, the useless flatterer!"
"Who are you?" Yu Hezheng's face flickered as he snarled, "I don't know any of you!" He sent out his divine sense and found that both of them were extremely weak, becoming relieved immediately. "I'll count to three, get the hell out of here!" he said coldly.
Han Bai sneered, "How arrogant! Yes, you don't know us, but you certainly know who Young Master Yun is, right? Luo Landuo is the girl Young Master Yun has a crush on, so how dare you court her! Are you tired of living?"
Yu Hezheng's heart skipped a beat. They were Li Yunxiao's friends! In the past, he might have looked down upon that piece of trash, but he had no guts to do so now.
Chen Zhen slapped his hand on the table and shouted, "Just because we haven't settled the scores with you doesn't mean we won't! This isn't the campus. Do you believe I'll call a group of men here and kill you right now?"
Yu Hezheng's expression changed drastically. He knew that all the people following Li Yunxiao were the children of important military officials. This was not the campus, and this group of rich sons could do anything they wanted in the capital.
He deliberately put on a look of disdain and said loudly, "I don't have time to mess around with you. I'm going back to cultivate. Oh, by the way, I don't know this girl, so you better don't put any blame on me!" He held his head high and swaggered out of the bar.
"If all my people hadn't gone out to look for Young Master Yun, I would have made this poser leave this bar on his knees." Chen Zhen had a disdainful look on his face.
"Ignore this piece of trash," Han Bai waved and said. "Damnit, do you think something might have happened to Young Master Yun? Both the Alchemist Association and the State Guardians have been out looking for him. Even an ant in the capital should have been found by now."
While frowning, Chen Zhen sighed and said, "Who knows! Young Master Yun has changed so much recently that I'm not used to it." He suddenly saw Meng Wu still standing nearby, and he immediately said in a cold voice, "Why are you still here? Do you want to have some fun with us?"
Meng Wu blushed with shame, but she gritted her teeth and asked, "The Young Master Yun you mentioned just now…Is he Li Yunxiao?"
"Yes, the same Young Master Yun who was framed by you!" Chen Zhen said angrily. "Damnit! You didn't set him up again this time, did you?"
Meng Wu frozen, and then she muttered to herself, "How can it be? It's been three days. Hasn't the Li Family gotten him out yet?"
"What?" Stunned, Han Bai jumped up from his chair and grabbed Meng Wu's arm as he asked, "What did you just say? What do you know?"
"I…" Meng Wu became anxious and stammered out the whole story to them. Han Bai and Chen Zhen looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock and anxiety.
"Why didn't you tell us earlier about such an important matter!" Chen Zhen growled.
Meng Wu almost burst into tears. "I went to the Li Family and informed them about this, and Lord Li even told me not to worry."
Han Bai's face grew dark. "Have you met Duke Jingguo?"
She shook her head and said in tears, "No, their servant told me."
"No wonder!" Chen Zhen stamped his foot. "This is not good. We better hurry up and bring some men to save him!"
Han Bai grabbed him. "Wait a minute! The Imperial Guards controlled by the Long Family are directly under His Majesty. It is a capital crime for us to bring men to rescue Young Master Yun like this!"
"What should we do then?" Chen Zhen said anxiously. "We can't count on Duke Jingguo."
"It's been three days, and I don't think the situation will change even if we act in such a hurry. We should notify Master Zhang and Teacher Luo immediately. With them coming forward, even the Imperial Guards will have to get out of the way!" Han Bai said calmly.
"Right! I was so panicked that I forgot this!" Chen Zhen slapped himself in the head and then rushed out of the bar to deliver the message. Han Bai gave Meng Wu an indifferent look and said, "You can't get away from this matter either. Come with me now."
Everyone in the bar seemed to smell gossip. After they left, the whole place exploded in an uproar as everyone began to gossip with one another.
The Long Family…
Fourteen-year-old Long Ran was practicing the Tiger Knuckle Fist. This set of martial technique was suitable for all apprentice warriors of the violent-type. Although he was young, every punch he threw out was accompanied by a faint tiger roar.
"Dad, you're back!" He suddenly stopped practicing. Looking at a middle-aged man who came in from the front door, he ran over happily.
"Haha! Ran'er, your Tiger Knuckle Fist has improved again!" Long Qing laughed. "You are much more diligent than your unworthy brother. I'm sure you will become someone great in the future!"
Long Ran said modestly, "Brother has long been a three-stars warrior. I still have a long way to go. Dad, why do you look so unhappy? Is there any trouble?"
Long Qing frowned, but then he quickly laughed and said, "You have a pair of sharp eyes. Recently, the whole capital has been looking for a young man, but we haven't found him for three days. As the commander of the Imperial Guards, I am naturally under great pressure."
"Who is it? Why are you looking for him?" Long Ran asked curiously.
Long Qing sighed. "Duke Jingguo's eldest grandson, a good-for-nothing young master. I also don't know why we are looking for him. By the way, where is your brother?"
"He has gone to the dungeon. As soon as his arms recovered, he went to look for that guy who broke his arms in the dungeon. He said he wants to make that guy regret coming into this world!"
"Hmph!" There was a hint of anger on Long Qing's face. "He only knows how to waste time! He is a captain of the Imperial Guards, and yet his arms were broken by someone. What a piece of trash!"
Long Ran suddenly said, "Dad, that guy was taken captive by brother three days ago, and it seems that he is also a young man. Could he be the young master of the Li Family you are looking for?"
Long Qing froze in place and then shouted, "Long Xin! Long Xin!"
A man who looked like a housekeeper trotted up. "My lord, what can I do for you?"
With a gloomy face, Long Qing asked coldly, "What's the name of the young man Hao'er brought back three days ago?"
Long Xin was taken aback. After a moment of careful reflection, he said, "I think his name is… is…Yun something…"
"Phew! That nearly scared me to death!" Long Qing patted his chest as he breathed a heavy sigh of relief, then waved and said, "So his surname is Yun. It's all right, leave us now!"
Long Xin answered and turned to leave, but he suddenly added, "Oh, I remember now! His surname is not Yun…His name is Yunxiao, and his surname is Li."
…
There was dead silence in the courtyard. A cold wind blew by, rustling the leaves on the trees. Long Qing suddenly felt very cold.
Long Ran said in astonishment, "Dad, is this the guy?"
Long Qing was completely frozen, his head buzzing while beads of cold sweat began to roll off his forehead. He thought of His Majesty's sullen face, the furious eyes of Master Zhang Qingfan, and Master Xu Han… Although he was the commander of the Imperial Guards—a position with great power—he was basically a worm-level existence compared to these people.
'Heavens! The guy I was looking for, whom I've dispatched all the city guards to search for three days and three nights without sleep, is actually imprisoned in my own dungeon!'
'And this guy is Duke Jingguo's eldest grandson, General Feilong's son…'
Long Ran suddenly muttered, "It's been three days. Could brother have killed this guy?"
BOOM!
The words thundered through Long Qing's head, shaking his whole body. He only felt a daze in his mind as the strength seemed to leave his legs.
"AHHH!"
Suddenly, a scream came from the door before a noise sounded outside Then, several servants hurriedly ran inside while shouting, "Help! Someone has broken into the mansion! We need guards, quickly!"
Long Qing's heart was filled with dread, and when he heard that someone had broken into his mansion, he immediately flew into a rage, causing all the sullen air in his heart to turn into a stream of Primordial Qi. He opened his mouth and a sound wave spread out of it. The voice let out with the Lion Roar towered into the sky and shook the entire mansion. "Who dares to break into my mansion?"
All the animals were frightened as soon as the great lion roared!
Long Qing's strength was evident at this moment. To be the commander of the Imperial Guards, he was a Great Martial Master of the Three Powers realm! Although all the people in the mansion were shocked by the deafening voice and their eardrums were aching, they all felt relieved at the same time. Since the Master of the family had come forward, they would be safe and the intruders would definitely be killed.
Just when everyone was relieved, a voice louder and stronger than the Lion Roar descended from the sky. The sound wave was forcefully compressed into a line with Primordial Qi as it plunged into the mansion before exploding. The deafening sound spread from the courtyard, causing everyone to lose their hearing instantly. Many servants even had blood flowing out of their ears as they fell to the ground with headache, struggling with pain.
"By the order of Commander Luo Yunshang and Master Zhang Qingfan, we, the Guardians of the State, are taking over the Long Mansion temporarily! Anyone who dares to resist will be executed for treason!"
"The Guardians of the State? They are the Guardians of the State!" Everyone in the mansion was dumbfounded as they glanced around, puzzled. "Why are the Guardians of the State here? Aren't we the Imperial Guards? Aren't we as close as brothers?"
Long Qing's heart skipped a beat, and then he felt shivers run down his spine.?'How could they have arrived so soon?'?he thought bitterly.
In the few blinks, more than a dozen warriors in various outfits appeared in the courtyard. They looked indolent, but they all stared at him with cold eyes. They were from the Fourth Unit under Luo Yunshang!
Long Qing spread out his divine sense and swept through these men. They were all Martial Masters, and the badges on each man's shoulder proved that they were indeed the Guardians of the State!
Just then, a group of people strode directly through the front door. It was Zhang Qingfan at the head, and behind him were Luo Yunshang, Xu Han, Jia Rong, and other people from the Alchemist Association.
Long Qing almost fainted. Suppressing the bitterness in his heart, he hurried forward and asked, "Master Zhang, Master Xu, Lord Luo, why are you doing this to me?"
Zhang Qingfan cupped his fist and said coldly, "Lord Long, please excuse us!"
Chen Zhen jumped out from behind him and said angrily, "Lord Long, Young Master Yun is being locked up in your mansion! No wonder he couldn't be found for three days even though the whole capital was searching for him! It turned out that he was taken captive by you!"
Long Qing's heart turned cold. He was almost certain that his eldest son had captured Yunxiao. He touched the cold sweat on his forehead and tried to struggle with chicanery. "I don't know what you mean." But on the inside, he wished he could beat Long Hao into a cripple now!
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Chapter 31: Torture
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"Meng Wu, tell us what happened that day again," Yunshang said lightly.
Meng Wu stepped timidly out of the crowd and carefully told the story of that day in front of so many important people. She started from how she was molested by Junliang, to when Yunxiao came to her rescue, and finally was wounded by the State Guardians and then taken away by Long Hao. She explained every detail very clearly.
Standing in the crowd, Jia Rong was dripping with cold sweat. He could not believe that this incident was actually caused by one of his disciples. Junliang had claimed himself to be his disciple after attending his classes a few times; as time went by, he did not think so much and took him as his in-name disciple. Of course, he wished he could slap himself in the face right now. He did not expect things to turn out like this!
When Meng Wu finished, Zhang Qingfan said coldly, "Lord Long, did you hear what she had said? We will take over the whole mansion temporarily now. If we have really wronged you, I will take full responsibility alone!" At his gesture, the men they brought dispersed at once and began to search.
Everyone in the mansion was terrified, and no one dared to make a move.
Yunshang said softly, "Lord Long, we would not have dared to seal your residence unless we had concrete evidence. Since matters have reached this stage, you'd better cooperate with us."
Long Qing's imposing manner collapsed instantly.?'I'm really in trouble this time.'?His heart was bitter.
Staring at him, Zhang Qingfan asked in a cold voice, "I only have one question for you now: is Li Yunxiao dead or alive?"
"I don't know either," Long Qing said gloomily. "Come with me. It was all my wicked son's doing. I've just found out about it, and then you got here."
By this time, he knew it was futile to struggle anymore. The wisest choice in front of him was to cooperate with them and admit his mistake voluntarily. As long as Li Yunxiao was safe, he would have the chance to be forgiven. But, if something happened to Li Yunxiao…
At the thought of this, he felt a chill in his heart. Without hesitation, he quickened his pace and headed for the dungeon!
…
After being locked up in the dungeon for three days and three nights, Yunxiao's broken meridians had finally mended with the help of the?Young Girl Style, and his Primordial Qi was able to flow freely within him once again. His face showed a happy look as he quickly stood up straight, then sat on the ground motionlessly like a mountain with both hands locked in an incantation gesture.
Although his meridians had been completely repaired, his body was still very weak, and the Primordial Qi in him was almost indiscernible. He was in a state of just recovering from a serious illness. Strands of Primordial Qi swam out of his dantian and circulated inside his body without any obstruction before returning to his dantian again. With that, he immediately felt that he had regained a small part of his strength.
The others in the cell all stared blankly at him for the past three days. They thought he was very unusual, and what surprised them was his amazing physical strength, because he had stood like a statue for so long without eating anything.
Just then, Yunxiao suddenly flicked open his eyes and sighed softly. "They came several hours early. I'm in trouble this time."
Moments later, a creaking noise came from outside the dungeon, and then the heavy door was flung open with a crash. A group of men walked in with lanterns in hands.
There was no light in the dungeon, so all the prisoners closed their eyes when the lantern light shone on their faces, their eyes tingling. Soon, a dozen large candlesticks were lit; outside the cell was the interrogation room.
With bandages and plaster on his shoulders, Long Hao was sitting in a large chair covered with tiger skin. His face was streaked with blood; he had obviously not fully recovered. Staring straight at the cell, he said fiercely, "Drag that boy out! Today, I will make him regret being born in this world!"
Pa!
The cell door was opened and several armored soldiers came in, dragging Yunxiao out. Meanwhile, he began to quickly calculate in his mind.?'A total of thirty-five men…Twelve of them are warriors, and there is a hunchback old man with dim eyes…He is a Martial Master.'
It was hard for him to get out now as his strength had not yet recovered, and he did not know the situation outside, so he simply played dead. He closed his eyes and allowed the soldiers to drag him out and tie him on the rack, his hands and feet bound with thick soaked cow tendons.
"Wake him up, and be careful not to kill him!"
Several big guys poured bucket after bucket of salted water on Yunxiao, then put on a cold grin on their faces while waiting to see his painful expression. The salted water was added with a special drug which would quickly erode muscles and blood vessels after touching the wound, making the sufferer awash with an intense pain.
But to their surprise, Yunxiao just lightly opened his eyes and smiled at them. The wounds on his body had long been healed. Although he still looked bloody and horrible, there was not a trace of wound on him. So, when the salted water was poured, it was just washing away the bloodstains on his skin.
It was like when a beautiful woman finally stripped naked in front of someone, only to reveal that?she?was actually a man. As their abnormal mentality of wanting to abuse someone was not satisfied, a trace of anger instantly emerged on the few big guys' faces. They snorted coldly a few times, while Yunxiao could read 'Just you wait!' in their eyes.
Long Hao's cold voice rang out, "Boy, open your eyes and see who I am!"
"Who are you?" Yunxiao spat in his direction with disdain. "Do you really think you're somebody?"
"YOU!"
Long Hao was so angry that he leaped out of the chair and rushed over like a gust of wind before punching Yunxiao in the chest. "I dare you to talk like a tough guy again!"
BAM! A burst of force smashed into Yunxiao's chest.
"AH! This is so painful!"
To everyone's surprise, it was Long Hao who let out the scream! He almost dislocated his arm again because he had exerted too much force. A great pain was coming from his shoulder that was wrapped in bandages, making him sweat profusely and fly into a rage!
Puke!
Yunxiao felt a mouthful of warm blood rushing up into his throat. He took a breath and opened his mouth, then spat everything on Long Hao's face. The distance between them was so close that by the time Long Hao found out, it was too late for him to dodge. As a result, he was sprayed with blood and phlegm all over his face, and a pungent smell went straight into his nostrils.
"DAMNIT!"
Long Hao cried out in anger and quickly took off his shirt while his men hurriedly handed him towels. He wiped his face with a towel desperately, but the faint foul smell could not be removed.
Yunxiao burst into laughter and said, "Haha! Now I can see who you are! So, it is you, the loser! Oh, by the way, where is your precious Bluemoon?"
"Argh! Bast*rd! Kill him! Kill him for me!" Long Hao roared frantically. Losing his precious broadsword was the greatest pain in his heart, even more painful than when his arms were broken! That was the mystic weapon he had spent all his money on!
With the broadsword in hand, his strength was doubled! But now, he had nothing! He was completely angered!
"No, brother Hao!" Junliang hurried up and said. "This boy knows he is going to die today, so he has deliberately angered you. He wants to be killed quickly! How could we let him die so easily when the feast we have prepared for him has not yet been served?"
Hearing that, Long Hao instantly calmed down. While staring at Yunxiao, he said ferociously, "What a clever boy, I almost fell for your trick! Now, I'll let you enjoy the feast. Long De, serve him the snack before the main course, a hundred lashes! Don't kill him!"
Yunxiao's eyes were full of puzzles, and he did not seem to have heard their conversation. Just now when Long Hao punched him in the chest, although his internal organs were bleeding from the impact, the force that rushed into his body was absorbed by his flesh, then converted into a faint Primordial Qi that finally returned into his dantian.
The discovery surprised him, and his mind instantly flashed back to when he and Tyrant Martial Sovereign fought each other. In order to compete for the rank on the Heaven and Earth Power Chart, the two of them had fought for several days and nights, shattering the heaven and earth, and even causing the entire Holy City to nearly collapse. In the end, because Tyrant's physique was so strong that he could resist his Primordial Qi, and Tyrant's advantage grew greater as the battle approached the end, Yunxiao was forced to admit defeat.
Looking back now, he instantly understood why he had lost! Tyrant's body could not only resist Primordial Qi, but also absorb the opponent's forces and turn it to his own!
Heavens! How could there be such a freakish cultivation technique in this world!
Traces of cold sweat broke out of his forehead. Judging by this, the awesomeness of the Tyrant Body Tempering Technique was not inferior to that of the Great Expansion Divine Technique!
However, when he went further into thinking, he found a weakness in this technique. Although it could absorb the opponent's force, its practitioner must first bear the opponent's attack and let the force enter the body, before it could be digested and absorbed.
There was a huge risk in this. A few punches of an ordinary warrior were easy to bear, but after stepping into the Nine Heavens realm, no one would dare to stand still and let a Martial Sovereign punch them. Even Tyrant did not dare to let his opponent strike at his body, unless he had no other choice.
'Phew! I thought this technique was invincible. It turns out it also has a flaw.'?Yunxiao breathed a slight sigh of relief. All of a sudden, a loud crackle came to him, and he felt a stab of pain on his skin while a faint wisp of force entered his body, quickly absorbed by his flesh.
The same few big guys, bare-chested by now, were looking at him excitedly, each holding a whip in hand. Their eyes seemed to be saying: 'Aren't you very strong? See what I can do with you now!' The surfaces of the whips were covered with small sharp points that took away a large piece of skin and flesh when they struck Yunxiao, washing him with intense pain!
Pa!
Pa!
Pa!
…
They took turns and started whipping Yunxiao; blood spilled from him and spattered everywhere. A great pain was erupting all over his body. The whips were also stained with the drug that could corrode the wounds, so not only did he feel the pain, but his skin was festering rapidly at a rate visible to the naked eye.
Yunxiao clenched his jaw and simply closed his eyes. Wisps of force came from the whips, weak but continuous, and were soon absorbed into his dantian. Like that, he began to recover his strength in silence.
"This boy's bones are really tough! After being whipped for so many times, he didn't even utter a cry." The hunchback old man's eyes suddenly glowed with surprise. He knew the pain brought by these whips. Even a Martial Master would cry for his mother if he were whipped a few times.
Junliang sneered, "His bones have to be tough so we can have fun! If he begged for mercy or simply died after being whipped a few times, the fun would be spoiled, and all our preparation would have gone to waste!"
The old man nodded slightly and remained silent.
As soon as the few big guys heard the conversation, their eyes flashed with anger. In their minds, Yunxiao was laughing at them for not exerting enough force by not uttering a single cry. Immediately, they put all their strength into the whips and lashed them out desperately, taking away a large piece of skin and flesh with every strike! After more than a hundred lashes, Yunxiao was completely bloody, and did not have a piece of intact skin on his body.
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Chapter 32: The Mad Eunuch
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The few big guys were so tired that they were panting heavily, seeming to have exhausted all of their strength.
'A little bit more!'?Yunxiao was calculating in his mind.?'Just a little more and I'll be returning to the peak of the two-stars realm!'?He flicked open his eyes and laughed sarcastically, "Hey, you wimps! I thought you are very strong with those stout frames. But, it turns out you all can't even last a few seconds! Why, don't tell me you already ejaculated after whipping me a few times? How long did you last? Could it be that you all are the legendary?twelve-seconders?1??"
Anger!
Fury!
No matter how incapable a man was, he could never be accused of being incompetent in this matter!
Their necks turned red with rage and their strength was restored to the peak in an instant. In a fit of pique, they jumped forth and lashed their whips fiercely at Yunxiao's body!
Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!
Not only did their strength increase, but the frequency also augmented. Each of them whipped him as if they had gone crazy.
Meanwhile, Yunxiao was overjoyed as one wisp of force after another was absorbed by his flesh, converted into Primordial Qi, and then deposited into his dantian. After dozens of whips, the Primordial Qi in his dantian was finally full: he had returned to the peak of the two-stars realm! Just as he was about to break free from the shackles and jump up to kill these guys, a glimmer of light suddenly flashed in his mind. At this very moment, his bottleneck became loose and he seemed to be about to make a breakthrough!
'Well, I'll let you whip me for a little longer. To be able to whip me, you have made your short life a worthwhile trip!'?He continued to clench his jaw and close his eyes as he began to absorb the weak wisps of force, preparing to break through the bottleneck.
"Stop!"
But at this critical moment, Long Hao suddenly shouted. The few big guys dared not disobey his order, so they instantly stopped whipping. Yunxiao's eyebrows frowned slightly and his heart was filled with disappointment. He was confident that he could break through the bottleneck and become a three-stars warrior with just a few dozens more lashes. By that time, his chances of escaping from here would be greatly increased.
"I have underestimated you. I didn't expect you to not utter a single cry from all the whipping!" Long Hao said coldly. "Hmph! Since you have performed so well, I'll serve you the main course now and let you have a good time! Haha!"
As he laughed, Junliang clapped his hands with a vicious smile on his face. Immediately, a big guy handed him a bag of powder.
Yunxiao slowly opened his eyes and looked at them coldly. At the moment, he could break free from the shackles and jump up to kill these people at any time. However, his body was too badly damaged, and there was a Martial Master in the dungeon. He was not sure that he could control the overall situation with one swift move. So, he waited patiently for his chance while taking the opportunity to see what they were up to.
With an extremely ferocious expression, Junliang patted the bag of powder in his hand and said, "This powder is carefully concocted by me, called the?Mad Eunuch. When consumed, even a eunuch will have his manhood back and be immersed in boundless lust." He pointed to two big guys with whips and said coldly, "Come here, both of you."
Not knowing what was going to happen to them, both guys exchanged a glance and walked over. Junliang carefully opened the bag, then flicked his index finger and sent a tiny pinch of red powder out, which was inhaled by the two big guys and caused them to cough.
A few seconds later, their eyes began to look dreamy, their healthy bronze skin gradually turned pink, and they began to slur while their hands were running up and down across their own bodies. A strange atmosphere spread in the interrogation room.
"Ah… ah…"
The two soon hugged together, moaning while kissing and licking each other and making all kinds of obscene actions…
"Blargh!"
"Blargh!"
Everyone was so sick that they bent down and began to vomit. Even Long Hao felt nauseous at the sight, and he quickly waved and said, "Stop experimenting! Give it to him at once!"
With a grim smile, Junliang licked his lips and walked step by step toward Yunxiao. "They just took a tiny amount. But, this package is all yours."
"Blargh!"
Yunxiao could not stand it anymore. The two big guys' actions were getting exaggerated, causing him to vomit even his bile juice out while his eyes shone with an intense killing intent!
A feeling that made his goosebumps raise washed through him in a flash and his body trembled violently. All of a sudden, a clear stream of force poured out of his dantian and rushed into his eight extraordinary meridians. All the acupoints across his skin opened and closed in an instant while the Primordial Qi circulated a full round in him before converging in his dantian again. The bottleneck, which was already loosened, finally broke through under this disgusting situation!
"Perverts! Die now!"
Yunxiao roared as the Primordial Qi within him burst out of his limbs, breaking the cow tendons that bound his hands and legs! Then, his figure flickered and he pushed both palms straight out, sending a strong force into the package of powder in Junliang's hand.
Puff!
The force exploded and instantly blasted the powder out of the bag, which turned into a cloud of red dust and, blown by a gust of breeze created by Yunxiao's palm strike, drifted toward Long Hao and his men. As a result, each one of them was stained with bits of powder!
"Ah!" Long Hao turned pale with fright as he quickly grabbed Junliang and said anxiously, "The antidote, give me the antidote!"
Junliang was also sprayed with the powder on his face, and his eyes began to look blurry. He said with a dreamy voice, "Err…err…anti-antidote…No antidote! Brother Hao, come, let's be wild and we will be alright."
"Wild my a*s!" Long Hao's eyes flared as he jumped up and kicked Junliang in the chest with all his strength. As a result, Junliang spat out a mouthful of blood and was knocked flying away, falling onto the ground.
"Uncle Ma, what should we do?" Long Hao felt a chill in his heart as he saw the eyes of more than thirty people in front of him become blurred. "It's all because of him! Uncle Ma, kill him quickly!" he bellowed.
The hunchback old man, Long Ma, was terrified as well. Although he managed to block the powder in time with force, there was still a little bit stuck on him. Feeling a strange sensation seeping into his skin, he hastily suppressed the medicinal strength with Primordial Qi in horror and growled, "Boy, you are going to die!"
Just as he was about to attack, a figure suddenly flashed before his eyes. Yunxiao had already struck out before him, throwing both fists at his face!
"Hmph! You are a mere warrior, and yet you dare to flaunt your prowess before me!" He raised his fists in his fury and the withered muscles on his arms bulged suddenly, turning his arms as thick as tree roots while thrusting toward Yunxiao's punch.
A cold snort rang out. "Universal Soul Suppressor—Demon Moon!"
Yunxiao's eyes suddenly became extremely strange. The black pupils bent and began to rotate in an instant, turning into two blood-red crescent moons which seemed to contain an endless expanse of terror.
"AHHH!"
Long Ma's face turned blank in an instant, but he woke up immediately after his body shuddered, only to feel a sharp pain coming from his arms. Yunxiao had turned his fists into claws and stabbed all ten fingers into the muscles of his shoulders, before pulling them down hard. Immediately, the flesh on his arms was stripped off the bones as if cut by sharp knives!
Yunxiao's pupils instantly returned to normal, but the cold killing intent in them did not reduce at all. His face was slightly pale, and it was evident that the soul attack just now had consumed a great deal of his spirit. With blood and flesh in his palms, he closed his fingers and threw his fists on Long Ma's chest as the latter was momentarily distracted by great pain!
Bam!
Long Ma spurted a mouthful of blood as he was thrown away and fell to the ground, before being smeared all over by the powder! At the moment he landed, more than a dozen big guys, who were already delirious while biting and scratching each other, rushed at him one by one as if he was a piece of delicious meat. Soon, he was drowned in a mountain of flesh.
Yunxiao's stomach tumbled again. He choked back his nausea and looked around, then saw that Long Hao had lost his sense in this short period and joined in this madness of carnality.
"Blargh!"
He could not bear it any longer. After retching a mouthful of bile juice, he leaped into the air and carefully avoided the terrible powder, then jumped to the top of the steps. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief and walk up. From behind him came a burst of beast-like roars and ecstatic cries.
He wiped his face, then threw away his blood-stained clothes and took out a new suit from his ring to wear. Only then did he look better. However, due to the soul attack just now and excessive vomiting, his face was still slightly pale.
Pa!
He destroyed the lock on the door with a slap, and the two iron dungeon gates thundered open, allowing sunlight to shine in.
"Hmm?" He froze in place in an instant.
Outside the door, more than a dozen pairs of equally dull eyes were staring at him.
"Teacher Luo? Skinny Chen? Fatty Han? Why are you here?" Yunxiao said in astonishment.
Chen Zhen was the first to react. He asked shockingly, "You…Are you alright?"
Yunxiao spread out both hands and said calmly, "I'm alright. What could happen to me?"
"This…" Chen Zhen looked him up and down with an incredulous look on his face, and then peered into the dungeon. "How can you be alright? What's the sound inside?" He walked in curiously.
Long Qing breathed a sigh of relief, and his heart was filled with an unspeakable sense of respite. Nothing happened to Li Yunxiao? Although he was surprised, it was the best result for him.
"WAA! Blarghhh!"
Chen Zhen's face instantly turned pale as he ran out quickly, squatting aside and retching violently!
"Chen Zhen, what's the matter with you?" Han Bai also peered inside in curious.
Zhang Qingfan and the others also felt a little strange. They had all prepared for the worst, but to their surprise, Yunxiao looked fine and not ill at all, as if he was merely taking a stroll in the park. Zhang Qingfan gave him a few glances and immediately felt that he had an extraordinary demeanor. "So, you are Li Yunxiao? What's the sound inside?" He, too, was curious, and wanted to walk inside to have a look like Chen Zhen.
"Oh, it's nothing! Young Master Long Hao had invited a group of his men to have some fun inside." Yunxiao shook his head indifferently, but his eyes showed an extremely disgusted look while his face turned pale again. "You'd better not go in and disturb them."
"Oh?" His appearance immediately aroused everyone's suspicion and incredulity as they went in to see what was happening one by one.
"WAAAA! Blarghh!"
Soon, more than a dozen people rushed out crazily, all squared aside to retch. Even Luo Yunshang, despite several attempts of forcing down the things inside her stomach, could not resist as she began to vomit.
Several alchemists, including Zhang Qingfan, shivered and took out various pills and poured them into their mouths like candy before swallowing them. Nevertheless, they soon began to vomit again.
Long Qing also ran out and vomited a few times, but his eyes were full of anxiety! With a hand clutched at his chest, he took a deep breath and ran in again. Yet, he ran out once again to vomit a few seconds later!
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