《Mystical Dominator of the Nine Heavens》


 Chapter 1

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The autumn breeze blew drearily.


    Beasts and poisonous insects lingered everywhere thousands of miles around the uninhabited Python Mountains.


    According to the rumors, there were ferocious beasts that devoured people at the Python Mountains. Therefore, no one would go into the deeper areas of the mountains even if one were the strongest of youth. There were only those Mystical Warriors who had cultivated the Mystical Way who were brave to go to these mountains where danger and opportunities co-existed.


    A group of twelve people moved forward slowly at the heart of the Python Mountains.


    These people were lightly dressed¡ªat most clothed with a bamboo hat which could protect them from wind and rain. They seemed to not feel anything when the slightly cold autumn breeze blew on their bodies.


    2¡°It¡¯s getting dark!¡± One of the two boys in front of the team took off his bamboo hat, looked up at the sky and said.


    His face still had child-like features. His skin was slightly tan, yet taut¡ªmaking him look like a teenager.


    ¡°Yup, it¡¯s time to take a break. According to the map, there is a small valley in front. Let¡¯s stay overnight there.¡± The first man in front of the team also took off his bamboo hat as he said so, showing the face of an experienced middle-aged man.


    The other ten people followed the middle-aged man in silence as they headed toward the valley. They took off their bamboo hats, put down their leather pouches and sat on the ground.


    With the removal of their hats, what was unusual about this group was brought to light as all of them looked rather young except for the first who was a middle-aged man. The eleven people looked like they were fourteen or fifteen years old, just like the boy with tanned skin.


    ¡°Hey numbskull, come and massage my leg!¡± The tanned boy yelled as soon as he sat down.


    1¡°Hey, Lu Song. You sure know how to enjoy yourself seeing that you grabbed hold of him for yourself. I can¡¯t even be the first to have a go.¡±Another boy sneered. ¡°Numbskull, come and massage my leg after you¡¯ve massaged his. Mine are sore too.¡±


    2The last boy looked paler than the others. He seemed to be malnourished. It was a tough task for him to reach this point after carrying the heavy leather pouch.


    ¡°Forget it,¡± the middle-aged man waved his hand and said. ¡°We still need someone to make a fire and search for water. Stop ordering him around. Although he¡¯s of no use, he is still a young master¡ªthe prestige of Lin Yuan¡¯s Xu family is no joke.¡±


    ¡°Pfft, young master? How can a young master come to the Ascetic Road to toil with solo cultivators like us?¡± Lu Song snorted in disdain. ¡°Even if this Xu Yang is one of the members of the Xu family, he must be an outcast¡ªlike those who are distant from the main household.¡±


    The pale boy was Xu Yang. Nobody could see his facial expression as he was always looking down.


    5¡°What are you waiting for? Aren¡¯t you gonna go look for water?¡± Lu Song demanded impatiently.


    Xu Yang turned around and left without saying a word.


    ¡°I have no idea why that Xu Yang somehow became dumb and foolish after he fainted yesterday. He looks even more annoying now.¡± Lu Song said as he took some rice balls out from his pouch and started to wolf them down.¡±


    2¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who beat him up using your ten Jun fists until he fainted? It was really a miracle that he could survive from the beating with that frail body of his.¡± Another boy who looked delicate with lighter skin tone laughed and said.


    ¡°Liu Zishan, stop putting on an act. It¡¯s not like you didn¡¯t have your fair share in beating him up.¡± Lu Song retorted.


    The pale boy gradually straightened his body as he walked out of the valley.


    ¡°The Ascetic Road¡­ Lin Yuan¡¯s Xu family of Dong Lai Kingdom?¡± The boy named Xu Yang¡¯s fingers rubbed between his brows as he mumbled, ¡°It turned out to be like this¡­¡±


    The boy named Xu Yang was no longer the previous Xu Yang from Lin Yuan¡¯s Xu family. The original Xu Yang had been beaten up so badly that his soul had dispersed.


    4The soul that possessed Xu Yang¡¯s body was a soul from ten thousand years in the future. And his name was also Xu Yang!


    After his successful possession yesterday, Xu Yang had been internalizing the soul memories of the previous Xu Yang. He looked entirely out of it, and was slow and unresponsive the whole day.


    It was not until that very moment when he disappeared from their sight, when he finally pieced all the pieces of the memories together, that he was able to shake off that dazed consciousness of his.


    ¡°How did I get here?¡± Xu Yang asked himself. He had no idea what had happened. Soon after, he thought of something else instead.


    ¡°Compared to the last question¡­ Mystical Qi is the main point here! That fascinating rich Mystical Qi! Is this the Mystical Continent ten thousand years ago? Sure enough, according to the ancient texts, Mystical Energy ten thousand years ago was rich and in abundance. Apart from that, some precious cultivation energies like Jade Mystical Qi and Supreme-Purity Mystical Qi even existed in some of the sacred lands!¡±


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s time to find out the identity of this person.¡±


    ¡°This kingdom is called Dong Lai. It should be a small kingdom but if according to the ancient texts, their ruler is a master at the Mystical King stage! It is truly the golden age¡ªthe pinnacle of the Mystical Civilization.¡±


    Ten thousand years from this point in time, natural Mystical Energy had been exhausted to the point where masters at the Mystical King stage could not be produced. During that era, no one was bothered with those magical techniques or secret scrolls as they all required rich Mystical Qi which had nearly disappeared after ten thousand years.


    The basic Qi-Attraction Technique was modified by many genius Mystical Warriors from age to age. They were forced to improve efficiency when absorbing the natural Mystical Qi. It was a tough task to squeeze a little Mystical Energy from nature as it was exhausting.


    ¡°Lin Yuan¡¯s Xu family¡ªone of the three big families of Lin Yuan City! The head, Old Xu, is at the Mystical Grandmaster stage. He is one of the Grandmaster level characters of the region. This Xu Yang I have possessed is Old Xu¡¯s grandson. However, it seems like he¡¯s not accepted by the Xu family?¡±


    After all, he had reincarnated by taking over another person¡¯s body, the memories he had were most probably incomplete. Xu Yang could not figure out why this grandson of the family did not get the same excellent treatment the others did. He assumed that it might have something to do with this parents.


    ¡°More importantly, this body¡¯s constitution is awful.¡±


    Xu Yang frowned. This body was only one of a Primary Mystical Learner. It seemed that his Star Ocean had been opened without any physical training. It would be considered lucky if he were to have even two or three Jun of strength.


    It was very tough to cultivate Mystical Qi in the future era. Mystical Warriors would require stronger body strengths, and ways to temper their bodies would emerge endlessly. They had been restricted by the lack of Mystical Energy, and natural herbs and treasures which made it difficult to unleash most of the techniques.


    One must have seven Jun body strength at the lower-tier of a Mystical Learner. One must have thirty Jun body strength to be called good if one were to reach the pinnacle of a Mystical Learner.


    Jun was the standard to measure one¡¯s body strength in the Mystical Continent. One Jun was equal to fifteen kilograms.


    This also meant that, Xu Yang¡¯s body now only possessed strength of not more than fifty kilograms. He was much weaker even when compared with some stronger common people.


    ¡°Nevertheless, it was ten thousand years ago when physical training was less concerning¡­ Those arrogant solo cultivator boys are at most at the superior stage of a Mystical Learner, yet they only have ten Jun of body strength.¡±


    Xu Yang went deep into his thoughts. In his life ten thousand years later, he had no worries nor regrets. His daily routine was to clean and tidy up the decaying clan¡¯s scripture pavilion¡ªhis life was relatively carefree. The only thing he was interested in was the golden age ten thousand years from before! He could only sigh when looking at those magical techniques and secret scrolls as he was limited by the lack of natural Mystical Energy.


    Once, when Xu Yang was cleaning, he climbed up the ladder to clear the dust on the statue of the clan founder. He accidentally broke the statue and found a small pagoda that was not made of either gold or jade. When he was in a state of panic, the pagoda shone with endless rays of golden light. He then lost consciousness.


    When Xu Yang woke up, he found out that he had arrived at a time that backdated ten thousand years, possessing the body of a boy also called ¡®Xu Yang¡¯.


    ¡®Since God has granted my wish, I, Xu Yang, will not let down the heavens!¡¯ Xu Yang thought to himself excitedly. ¡°In this life, I must reach the pinnacle of a Mystical Warrior. I must become a legend. I must hold the sun and moon, and pluck the stars from the sky. I must shine magnificently!¡±


    Xu Yang slowly closed his eyes to explore his internal physique. He realized that there were a lot of bruises on the body. He knew that they were inflicted by the solo cultivator boys.


    The solo cultivators were those who were talented in training the Mystical Way. They were usually born in families that did not hold much power, as such they did not have adequate resources to cultivate their abilities. They were all from households that did not have to worry about clothes and food but could not afford the expenses to raise a Mystical Warrior.


    Raising a Mystical Warrior was the same as raising a gold eater. They needed money to buy those skill books, herbs, weapons, and mystical stones. Not only that, they even had to have money to enter a dojo¡­


    Only these solo cultivators would go to the Ascetic Road. They were there to build the foundation for advancing as Mystical Warriors. On the other hand, members from big families could just stay at home to advance as Mystical Warriors with their elixirs, food supplements, mystical stones, and weapons. The path toward becoming a Mystical Warrior was much easier for them than the solo cultivators who had to go to the Ascetic Road.


    Hence, Xu Yang, who came from a big family, was discriminated against by this group. Moreover, he was very weak, as such he was picked on and beaten up by the rest.


    ¡°The Xu Yang now is no longer the Xu Yang in the past. I must get revenge for the pain and afflictions that I have suffered from before.¡± The memories he had digested recently were mostly the parts where he was being beaten up into a pulp. This made him fume with anger and utter dissatisfaction!


    1¡°Oh? What is this?¡± Xu Yang looked at his Star Ocean and saw something unusual. He was taken aback by what he saw.


    The Star Ocean¡ªalso known as the Inner Ocean or Qi Ocean, was located three inches below the belly button of every Mystical Cultivator. It was the foundation of every Mystical Warrior. Basically, there was nothing in the Star Ocean of a Mystical Learner. However, when he looked at the Star Ocean on the body, there was a pagoda which was not made of either gold or jade floating on the Star Ocean.


    ¡°This¡­ is this the pagoda that was stained by my blood hidden in the statue of the clan founder?¡± Xu Yang¡¯s mind flashed through his memories. ¡°Perhaps it was this that brought me here to a time that is ten thousand years ago?¡±


    Xu Yang put his entire attention on the pagoda. The plaque on the lowest layer of the pagoda seemed to be engraved with words. Xu Yang could not clearly see what was written on the plaque. When he wanted to take a closer look, he felt the sky and ground spinning. He was then sucked into the pagoda by an extremely strong force!


    In the valley.


    ¡°Why has the numbskull young master not come back, or does he want to be beaten up again?¡±


    ¡°He has probably been eaten by ferocious beasts. This area is the center of the Python Mountains. It is not surprising to see the appearance of these beasts.¡± Liu Zishan laughed darkly and answered.


    ¡°Du Ming! You go and check whether that numbskull has been eaten by those beasts or not.¡± Lu Song sounded like he was giving an order to a servant.


    The boy named Du Ming stood up, though slightly unwilling. He acknowledged the order, then walked out of the valley. He muttered while walking away, ¡°That lazy and sly numbskull! I¡¯m gonna beat him up once I find him.¡±


    ¡°Be careful, don¡¯t kill him.¡± Lu Song merely pursed his lips and said.

 Chapter 2

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The surroundings were boundless.


    That was a plot of mysterious land without any plants. There were stone pillars as high as the sky everywhere.


    ¡°Is this the interior of the pagoda¡­ Self-contained space, such Mystical Instruments are at least of a Divine tier.¡± Xu Yang exclaimed, amazed at what he was seeing.


    Mystical Instruments were the weapons and accessories made by craftsmen. It could magnify the strength of Mystical Warriors to the utmost of its abilities.


    Mystical Instruments were categorized into tiers. They were the Sacred, Divine, Earth, and Mortal tiers.


    Xu Yang¡¯s mind ran through his thoughts over and over again. Since the pagoda could be hidden in the clan founder¡¯s statue, it should not be a low-tier Mystical Instrument. It would not be surprising if it were a Divine-tier Mystical Instrument.


    2¡°It could even be a Sacred-tier Mystical Instrument. I¡¯m going to be rich.¡± the thought that struck Xu Yang vanished as abruptly as it came. He started to explore the space that he was in.


    3Xu Yang walked in front of one of the stone pillars. It was as tall as the sky, its thickness could be hundreds in feet.


    After Xu Yang went one round around the pillar, he found a corpse with its shoulder bone that was penetrated by a blackgold chain, there was a line of words on the top of its head:


    ¡°Suppressed Li Junbi of the Divine Wrath Kingdom!¡±


    ¡°The Divine Wrath Kingdom¡­ This great kingdom has been recorded in historical books. The country ruled dozens of small countries. The country possessed billions of miles of land and populations of hundreds of billions. The country was very powerful! Li Junbi, as the last emperor of the kingdom, was a Mystical Emperor!¡±


    Xu Yang was utterly amazed. A master who had been standing on the peak of the land could be killed in this tiny pagoda?


    He paced toward another pillar and saw another corpse which was penetrated by a blackgold chain. There was also a line of words on the top of its head:


    ¡°Suppressed Xu Haitao of the Dark Sky Kingdom!¡±


    The Dark Sky Kingdom was recorded in the historical books as well. It was a nation which was as strong as Divine Wrath Kingdom. Xu Haitao was the last emperor of the kingdom too.


    Xu Yang then continued his exploration in panic.


    ¡°Suppressed Gao Cangming of River Surge Kingdom!¡±


    ¡°Suppressed Ren Jixing of Dong Heng Kingdom!¡±


    ¡°Suppressed Hua Miaoyu of Fragrant Lotus Kingdom!¡±


    ***


    ¡°Seventy nine, eighty, eighty one¡­¡± Xu Yang was more and more surprised as he continued counting the number of pillars. There were a total of eighty one pillars in this tiny pagoda. This meant that it had suppressed eighty one emperors from the great kingdoms. There were eighty one Mystical Emperors!¡±


    2Xu Yang was utterly shocked.


    After a long while, Xu Yang finally reacted.


    ¡°It seems that the word I saw on the pagoda at first¡­ was Mystical Suppressing Pagoda?¡± Xu Yang mumbled. ¡°It is truly a Mystical Cultivator suppressor. Those people who were suppressed here were all terrific people who stood at the pinnacle of Mystical Cultivators. If they were still alive, the earth might tremble when they walk. The wind and clouds may merge together thunderously when they reach out their hands!¡±


    2¡°Sh*t, how do I get out from here?¡± Xu Yang said out loud in exasperation, the clog wheels in his head working furiously. As he was thinking of a way out, he suddenly felt the world spinning once more and was moments later ejected from the Inner Realm. He was once again sitting cross-legged as he was before. However, the eighty-one pillars in the endless land had disappeared without any trace.


    ¡°So I am able to leave if I think about leaving.¡± Xu Yang muttered, after a sudden realization of what had happened.


    ¡°What are you doing, Xu Yang?¡± A voice came behind.


    Xu Yang turned his head and saw one of the members of the Solo Cultivators, Du Ming. His cultivation stage was at that of an Intermediate Mystical Learner.


    Du Ming was Lu Song¡¯s faithful subordinate. Taking advantage of Lu Song¡¯s authority, he would always order the previous Xu Yang to do everything for him and scold him when he was slightly displeased.


    ¡°The guys are waiting for you to look for water. How dare you hide here and rest as you please?¡± Du Ming walked toward him, sneering widely. ¡°Is your skin itching because you haven¡¯t been hit today? Do you need me to help you loosen your bones?¡±


    Xu Yang looked coldly at Du Ming. Although his cultivation and body strength were stronger than Xu Yang¡¯s, Xu Yang was not afraid to fight him!


    Xu Yang was from the future, ten thousand years from now¡ªthe era where Mystical Qi was so scarce. The Mystical Cultivators had, through time, refined their melee combat skills to an astonishing level. As long as their gap in strength fell within a certain range, they could make that up with skills.


    1Du Ming was surprised, and his face soon turned dark. He had expected Xu Yang to look terrified and beg for mercy after his threats. However, Xu Yang did nothing of that sort. Xu Yang stared at him coldly, as if he was looking at some kind of inferior creature with low intelligence.


    ¡°Very well, Brother Song was right. It seems that you have really become so stupid to the point where you¡¯ve forgotten the lessons that you have gone through!¡± Du Ming folded his sleeves and said. ¡°Let this little master of yours refresh your memory, kneel!¡±


    Du Ming rushed forward with large steps, before raising his palm high up in the air in front of him as his arms crackled loudly with a burst of power. In the next moment, his aura burst out into the atmosphere around him, and it was as if he had even grown taller and bulkier.


    Du Ming¡¯s palm came down with a whistle. He did not intend to hit Xu Yang hard. The landing point he had chosen was Xu Yang¡¯s left shoulder. He thought that Xu Yang would fall to his knees immediately, at least breaking a few of his bones.


    ¡°You are looking for death.¡± Xu Yang¡¯s eyes were cold. He turned his body swiftly¡ªjust like a slippery boa. He bypassed Du Ming¡¯s palm and gave him a jab at his ribs.


    That was one of the melee-combat skills of Mystical Cultivators ten thousand years later. It was called the Tibetan Snake Stance. There were a total of eight moves for the Tibetan Snake Stance. Each stance would focus one¡¯s strength, avoid the enemy¡¯s attacks, and launch a life-threatening attack where the enemy least expected. It was similar to the swift and violent flutter of a viper.


    Du Ming shouted in pain. He was pushed more than ten feet away and rolled about on the ground twice. This punch made him feel pain in his heart and lungs, and his intestines were almost ruptured.


    Du Ming looked at Xu Yang with great suspicion, and he got up and ran hurriedly toward the valley.


    ¡°Coward.¡±


    1Xu Yang sneered. Such a minor character like Du Ming was simply not worth his attention. Xu Yang felt that his body was very sore and his waist felt like it had almost been broken into two sections from suddenly using a difficult melee-combat technique like the Tibetan Snake Stance on this untrained body. Xu Yang might not be able to sustain if Du Ming was brave enough to attack again.


    ¡°Although the punch just now has driven off Du Ming, two major problems have been revealed. First, this body is really stiff and inflexible, so it is difficult to use any of the sophisticated fighting skills. Second, the body is too weak. It can¡¯t kill anyone with the body strength of only two or three Juns.¡±


    ¡°If I had the seven Jun body strength like other Early Mystical Learners, that punch would definitely be enough to smash Du Ming¡¯s intestines into pieces. I could even kill him!¡± Xu Yang shook his head. ¡°My objective now is to strengthen this body.¡±


    2There were many ways to temper one¡¯s body with Mystical Qi in the future. Xu Yang would have to utilize the Mystical Energy in his Star Ocean to strengthen his body as the foundation of this body was terrible.


    Doing this would be something that was unheard of in this era. Which Mystical Learner did not want to fill his Star Ocean as soon as possible? Who would not want to turn illusions into reality, condense the turbine of Mystical Qi, and escalate to the realm of Mystical Warrior? By taking Mystical Energy from one¡¯s Star Ocean to temper one¡¯s body, was treated as a heresy by Mystical Learners as it was a way to sacrifice one¡¯s foundation to reach the end.


    Only Xu Yang who came from the future with endless magic skills and secret scrolls in his mind could understand what foundation meant, and what the end entailed!


    Xu Yang climbed up a slightly higher mound and looked around. He found a hidden place in the forest and started the first step of tempering his body.


    The faint mist of Mystical Energy was rapidly absorbed by each of the Mystical Veins in his Star Ocean, as the energy flowed rapidly throughout his body.


    Xu Yang made a low sound as his body made a crackling and popping sound. He extended his fist flatly and turned it halfway through. It was like hugging a ball, as he then turned and moved his feet accordingly¡­ he began to practice the eight moves of the Tibetan Snake Stance.


    That was the method used by the future Mystical Cultivators to drain the natural Mystical Energy. They were used to refine their body by introducing Mystical Energy into their body while using it.


    Mystical Energy was so scarce in the future. It was way too hard to communicate with the natural Mystical Qi by using the old Qi-Introducing Technique¡ªLotus Position. After ten thousand years of accumulation, finally there was a genius Mystical Cultivator who had created the Dynamic-Static Combined Qi-Introducing Technique. It multiplied the introduction of Qi and drew Mystical Energy of various attributes directly corresponding to the Mystical Cultivator¡¯s physical strength.


    The Dynamic-Static Combined Qi-Introducing Technique was composed of eight animal stances including the Tibetan Snake Stance. It was definitely the masterpiece of wisdom of uncountable Mystical Cultivators for ten thousand years. It was not only performed well on Qi-Introduction, but also tempered body strength and improved body flexibility greatly. Their reflexes and flexibility would be greatly improved after long-term cultivation.


    ¡°The Tibetan Snake Stance, Running Horse Stance, Dragonfish Stance¡­¡± Xu Yang¡¯s fists gave birth to the wind. He did all sixty-four moves of the eight stances in an instant. He was slow at first, but he soon became faster and faster.¡±


    1With Xu Yang as the center, the natural Mystical Qi gathered toward him at a terrifying speed, forming a vortex of Mystical Qi.


    ¡°What a fascinatingly rich Mystical Qi!¡± Xu Yang sighed. While introducing natural Mystical Qi, he violently absorbed the mist of Mystical Energy in the Star Ocean. Soon after, the faint mist became thinner and thinner.


    Mystical Energy flowed through the mystical veins, slowly infiltrating every corner of his body. This process was accompanied by severe pain, it seemed like every inch of skin was being pierced by a knife. Xu Yang felt a sheen of sweat forming on his forehead. His face was pale but his pair of black eyes shone brightly.


    His effort was not for naught. Every bone in his body, and every inch of muscle fiber were caroling and slowly drawing Mystical Energy emitted from the mystical vein, making the body even stronger.


    After operating a round of Dynamic-Static Combined Qi-Introducing Technique, Xu Yang felt his body becoming lighter. It seemed like the chains on his body had suddenly been broken. His pores were wide open, and a thick black gelatinous substance was discharged.


    ¡°There are so many impurities in the body. That¡¯s why this body is so weak.¡±


    Xu Yang inspected his physical condition again. His Star Ocean had been reduced by half at the moment. The original mist of Mystical Energy was even thinner and harder to see.


    ¡°My cultivation has dropped from that of an Early Mystical Learner to that of Beginner tier¡ªlike I have just opened up my Star Ocean.¡± Xu Yang smiled slightly, not feeling any sadness whatsoever. ¡°However, my physical strength¡­ has greatly improved!¡±


    Xu Yang shouted loudly, and stepped forward like a huge dragon, punching forward as he did so. His fist whistled and created a wind vortex, his punch landed on a big tree with a thickness of that of an adult¡¯s hug. The trunk shook and a few yellow leaves fell.


    ¡°This punch weighed six Juns!¡± Xu Yang was still a little dissatisfied, but recalling that the foundation of this body was weak, this would do for now.


    One must know that someone like Du Ming, with a cultivation of an Intermediate Mystical Learner, had only five Juns of body strength.


    Xu Yang could beat Du Ming easily with purely his body strength without any other tricks up his sleeves if he were to be confronted once again.


    In the valley, Du Ming ran back all the way with a nervous expression on his face. He turned his head from time to time, worried that Xu Yang was behind him.


    ¡°Why are you the only one back? Where is that sh*tty young master?¡± Lu Song frowned and shouted at him.

 Chapter 3

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Du Ming was in a panic. He massaged his painful ribs¡ªwhere he had been punched by Xu Yang.


    ¡°Brother Song, that rascal was¡­ kind of weird. How dare he resist today!¡± Du Ming rushed to Lu Song¡¯s side as he reported back to Lu Song, but tumbled and fell halfway. This made Lu Song frown in response.


    ¡°Resist?¡± Lu Song harrumphed. ¡°You could just beat him up and drag him back here. Why are you making such a big fuss?¡±


    Du Ming was stammering. His face was red and he was at a loss for words. First, he felt that something was off, and second, he was so ashamed that he was beaten by that numbskull.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Why are you frozen there?¡± Liu Zishan laughed at him. ¡°You couldn¡¯t beat that trash?¡±


    At first, Liu Zishan could not believe that Du Ming who was an Intermediate Mystical Learner was no match for Xu Yang, an Early-tier Mystical Learner. Not only that, Xu Yang¡¯s trashy image of being willing to be humiliated along the way here had been imprinted in their minds.


    Seeing Du Ming who was in despair, Lu Song¡¯s frown deepened.


    ¡°If that is the case, you sure are doing well.¡± Lu Song said coldly. ¡°You were beaten up by trash like him, doesn¡¯t that make you worse than trash?¡±


    Du Ming exclaimed, ¡°No. Brother Song, I¡­¡±


    Lu Song rose from where he sat and gave him a tight slap. Slap! Du Ming was smacked senseless by the slap, as he staggered and stumbled backward before falling to the ground.


    Lu Song¡¯s slap was so heavy that his fury was evident.


    ¡°The boy has got to come back sooner or later. By that time, I really need to teach him a lesson!¡± Lu Song clenched his fist and said with a grim face.


    ¡°Be careful, don¡¯t kill him.¡± The only middle-aged man in this group who was merely watching on the sidelines said lightly.


    ¡°Be rest assured, Instructor Song. I know what to do.¡± Lu Song answered with a smirk.


    The middle-aged man sighed. It seemed like the young master known as the numbskull Xu Yang was in deep trouble. However, as a guide to the Ascetic Road, he did not care about the disputes between these Mystical Learners. All he needed to ensure was that the survival of these teenagers was at an above average rate.


    The sky darkened gradually. The slightly cool autumn breeze blew gently, giving life to the dead leaves that danced along with the wind.


    ¡°It¡¯s been half an hour, and the boy hasn¡¯t returned yet?¡± Lu Song was getting impatient. ¡°Is he afraid of coming back?¡±


    ¡°It is good if he dares not to come back,¡± Liu Zishan said coldly. ¡°There are plenty of ferocious beasts at the Python Mountains at night. He is outside the valley without fire and shelter. He must be in danger.¡±


    ¡°Calm down and drink some water, Brother Song.¡± Du Ming said, sporting a now swollen face as he handed over the water bottle to Lu Song. ¡°It will surely be better for him to get eaten by beasts. If he dares to appear in front of me¡­¡±


    Lu Song refused to take the water bottle but instead his stare was fixated outside the valley. That was when a boy who looked thin but stood tall walked toward the valley.


    ¡°What will you do if I appear in front of you?¡± As soon as Xu Yang stopped speaking, he came in slowly from the valley entrance.


    His shoulder-length black hair was disheveled as the wind was blowing against him, his hair fluttering about behind his neck. A pair of black eyes under the bangs on his forehead shot out a dazzling cold light. He sneered at Lu Song.


    ¡°Brother Song¡­¡± Du Ming looked at Lu Song beside him. His palms were sweating profusely.


    ¡°Go, Du Ming.¡± Lu Song said coldly. ¡°Your power is a tier higher than his. You shouldn¡¯t lose to him. This is a chance to prove yourself, cherish your opportunity.¡±


    The water bottle fell to the ground as Du Ming¡¯s hands trembled. A flood of water gushed out and slowly permeated into the ground.


    Seeing his response, Xu Yang was filled with even more disdain. He taunted, ¡°You really are a coward. You have no hope in this life to advance your Mystical Learner tier with this kind of mindset.¡±


    1As soon as these words were uttered, everyone looked as if they had just seen a ghost.


    Xu Yang was usually timid. He used to be a punching bag for everyone. However, he was standing on a higher position at that moment, taking upon himself to reprimand others.


    Du Ming¡¯s face was burning with rage. He yelled, ¡°I am not afraid of you!¡±


    Lunge Punch!


    A simple basic move was used by the enraged Du Ming. He used his entire strength of five juns. If the punch were to land on a cow, it would have been propelled backward in a somersault.


    ¡°Good try!¡± With the sound of cracking bones, Xu Yang stepped forward as well. He punched Du Ming¡¯s fist casually.


    ¡°He must be crazy!¡± That was what everyone was thinking. Xu Yang was merely an Early Mystical Learner with two or three juns of strength. How was it possible for him to challenge Du Ming who had five juns of body strength?


    The result was out of everyone¡¯s expectations. Du Ming groaned in pain and took several steps back. He could feel numbness spreading throughout one side of his body and severe pain in his fingers¡ªlike they had almost been broken.


    Xu Yang showed no mercy as he had been constantly humiliated by this loyal subordinate of Lu Song¡¯s in the past, the images of which flashed through his head vividly. A flash of fierce light shone in Xu Yang¡¯s eyes as he stepped forward and elbowed Du Ming¡¯s chest.


    Du Ming spat out a mouthful of blood as his body was pushed a few meters backward like a disconnected kite before he finally landed and rolled several times on the floor.


    All of them were shocked by his punch. The teenagers who were sitting around watching stood up at the same time. Several people even took a step back involuntarily and looked at Xu Yang with a hint of uncertainty in their eyes.


    Clap! Clap! Two abrupt claps attracted everyone¡¯s attention and they all looked at the direction where the sound came from. It turned out to be Lu Song.


    ¡°Well done. Your physical strength has at least doubled as you can beat Du Ming with such force.¡± Lu Song applauded with a smile, but his eyes reflected envy. ¡°It seems that you have had a good adventure where you have consumed some kind of spirit herb that can strengthen your body! How lucky you are.¡±


    The teenagers had a sudden realization with his words. That was how Xu Yang was able to defeat Du Ming. He must have consumed a spirit herb. Otherwise, it was impossible to win someone with more power than him as he was merely an Early Mystical Learner.


    Xu Yang looked at Lu Song with no facial expression and said lightly, ¡°If I hit a dog, its master will come at me. Are you going to avenge Du Ming? Well, I do want to settle an old score with you too. Do it right now.¡±


    ¡°Tsk tsk,¡± Lu Song shook his head and said disdainfully, ¡°It seems that your brain has been damaged after eating that spirit herb. What is the foundation of a Mystical Warrior? It is cultivation and realms! I am now in the Advanced-tier as a Mystical Learner whereby my physical strength has reached ten juns! I am far stronger than you be it on the aspect of cultivation or physical strength. You are still trash in my eyes now as you were before. However, it¡¯s more interesting to abuse you right now.¡±


    Xu Yang lifted his finger and made a taunting gesture at Lu Song. That nonchalant attitude of his made Lu Song go completely ballistic.


    ¡°Go to hell!¡± Lu Song shouted, kicking his feet suddenly like he was shooting a rifle gun. The crackling sound was twice as loud as that of Du Ming¡¯s and his figure was even more imposing. His fist was aimed at Xu Yang¡¯s chest, like it was the tip of a rifle gun.


    Xu Yang sneered. He swiftly let his body fall backward like a bamboo pole. He avoided the fierce punch easily. He then bent his body and kicked Lu Song¡¯s lower abdomen.


    That was the Dragonfish Stance in the Dynamic-Static Combined Qi-Introducing Technique¡ªwhich was a short move used in battles on land.


    Xu Yang¡¯s current physical strength was not enough to beat Lu Song. However, he knew the melee-combat skill of ten thousand years later which made him totally different from those who could only throw their fists wildly.


    Xu Yang had the strength of six juns but he could exert eight to ten juns of strength whereas Lu Song could not even exert half of his ten juns of strength. His defeat was expected.


    The main reason was that they were all Mystical Learners that could not perform Mystical Skills. Hence, the importance of having the skill of melee combat was apparent. If both of them were at the stage of a Mystical Warrior who could perform Mystical Skills, the outcome of the battle would depend on whose Mystical Skills and cultivation were stronger. At that point, being able to perform melee-combat skills would not suffice to determine the outcome of the battle.


    Lu Song was kicked backward with such force that he was thrown off his feet. He roared in agony as he felt as if his lower abdomen was being ground by a blade, and his intestines were being slashed apart.


    Xu Yang used the rebounding strength of his legs to complete the next move of the Dragonfish Stance, Carp¡¯s Rebound. It was then followed by the Running Horse Stance¡ªwhere he used his shoulder to wham into Lu Song¡¯s chest.


    The second strike made Lu Song¡¯s eyes roll back, and he almost fainted, losing the ability to fight.


    The round of battle was as fast as lightning as the teenagers could not see clearly what Xu Yang had done. They only saw Lu Song fall heavily onto the ground like a sack. He coughed violently and droplets of blood spurted from his mouth.


    ¡®What a savage combat skill! This Lu Song has been badly hit. He would have suffered hidden injuries even if he were to recover¡ªunless an alchemist can make an elixir for him to regulate his injuries.¡¯ The middle-aged man, Instructor Song, was the only person who saw what had happened clearly. He was shocked.


    ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Instructor Song was terrified when he saw Xu Yang approaching Lu Song who was slumped on the ground. Why did Xu Yang become so cold-blooded and cruel¡ªlike he was not the same person? He looked like he was not satisfied with the heavily injured Lu Song. Did he intend to take Lu Song¡¯s life?


    1What Mr. Song did not know was that Xu Yang came from thousands of years in the future where there was a scarce availability of Mystical Energy, natural herbs and treasures. They had to be merciless to others as they had to fight for life just for a single elixir. The era was full of conspiracies and deceit. They used extreme methods to achieve their purpose and felt no remorse in betraying others. Xu Yang¡¯s ruthless actions were visible as he grew up being influenced by that kind of society.


    ¡°Xu Yang, you are allowed to hurt Lu Song but you must not kill him.¡± Instructor Song stopped him.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I kill him?¡± Xu Yang asked and looked up at Mr. Song. This person in front of him was surrounded by Mystical Qi. That meant that he was at least at the stage of a Mystical Warrior¡ªwhich was known as a true Mystical Cultivator.


    There was only one level difference between Mystical Learners and Mystical Warriors, yet their difference in strength was phenomenal. Mystical Learners¡¯ realm mainly depended on physical combat while the Mystical Warriors¡¯ realm could perform Mystical Skills. Being able to do so improved their combat abilities by leaps and bounds.


    ¡°It is my duty as a guide.¡± Instructor Song explained. ¡°The guide has to ensure the safety of the ascetics on the Ascetic Road.¡±


    ¡°So, why didn¡¯t you care when I was almost beaten to death by them?¡± Xu Yang asked.

 Chapter 4

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Instructor Song replied, ¡°I will not intervene until one¡¯s life is in danger. This is the principle of being a guide. This is related to your true intentions of going on the Ascetic Road¡ªto hone yourself and break through in difficult situations. This is crucial for you to set the foundation for your advancement to the stage of a Mystical Warrior. Although you have been beaten repeatedly by them, it has become one of the reasons that made you stronger¡­ How could you have become stronger, with your physical strength skyrocketing, without the experience of being bullied by others the past few days?¡±


    1Xu Yang was dumbfounded. Did he just say that one could become stronger by being beaten up? The original Xu Yang¡¯s soul had already disappeared! If it were not for his existence, the useless Xu family¡¯s Young Master would have really turned up dead and become one of the corpses on the Ascetic Road.


    Xu Yang connected the scattered pieces of memories in his head. He knew that Instructor Song was telling the truth. There were a total of fifteen teenagers in this team at the beginning. Four of them had died from being eaten by ferocious beasts and stung by poisonous insects, now only eleven remained. The passing line for an instructor was that at least ten ascetics survived the journey. Instructor Song was now close to the margin of disqualification. He would definitely not stand idly by if that were to happen due to internal fighting.


    ¡°I will not hold back if anyone dares to provoke me again.¡± Xu Yang looked around with his chilling eyes and warned the rest. The teenagers whose gazes met his lowered their heads, including Liu Zishan¡ªwho was the most delighted when the fight ensued.


    2It was not even funny anymore. Even Lu Song was injured heavily, who would dare to provoke Xu Yang again?


    Xu Yang went to the deepest parts of the valley by himself. He sat quietly and breathed slowly. He converted the natural Mystical Qi into his own Mystical Qi. Returning to this time in the past ten thousand years ago with rich Mystical Qi made him feel that everything was surreal. All he wanted to do was to seize every minute and every second to extract Mystical Qi.


    Xu Yang chose not to use the Dynamic-Static Combined Qi-Introducing Technique because he did not want anyone else to know about its existence. This was the fruit of the wisdom of Mystical Cultivators all through the next ten thousand years. Xu Yang would not reveal it easily as its value was inestimable.


    5During practice, Xu Yang was extremely conscious of his surroundings and was wary of other people¡¯s presence. He did think of leaving the ascetic team but he was not familiar with the route they were on. Besides, it was known that there was existence of some ferocious beasts in dangerous areas of the Python Mountains. He would die easily if he were to meet any of them with the current strength he possessed. He would not even be able to run from danger. Therefore, he decided to stay with the team before returning to Lin Yuan City.


    When Xu Yang had calmed down and absorbed some Mystical Energy, he was surprised.


    The mystical veins of various attributes in this body were extremely balanced and there was not even the slightest difference¡ªas if they were measured using a ruler!


    There were a total of eight extremes in the Mystical Continent. They represented the eight attributes of Mystical Qi¡ªLight, Dark, Thunder, Ice, Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind respectively. The first four were stronger ones called Four Upper Extremes while the last four were called Four Lower Extremes.


    Most people had these eight attributes in their bodies but they were not suitable for cultivating Mystical Qi as they were so uniformly balanced out. There were only those with physiques in which one extreme Mystical Vein was much stronger than the others who were qualified to cultivate Mystical Qi. Some geniuses were even born with only one extreme Mystical Vein without any impurities. It would be sensational news on the land once someone was born with this physique. It was not an exaggeration to call it a divine body or a holy body.


    However, there was an influential force called the Celestials. All of them were Mystical Cultivators and many of them were proficient in various extremes.


    This secret was finally revealed thousands of years after the Mystical Energy had dried up and the Celestials had waned.


    It turned out that there was a sacred scripture, Zhenwu¡¯s Eight Sceneries Scripture. The s was inherited from the ancient times within the Celestials. According to the scripture, ordinary people with eight uniform attributes could also practice Mystical Qi with the said method. They could cultivate the eight extremes together all at once.


    In the era when Mystical Energy was rich and many great people were born, this scripture was treated as the clan¡¯s treasure. There was absolutely no possibility of the contents being leaked. However, the Celestial waned after Mystical Qi had dried up. At that time, the clan that Xu Yang was in used the price of half a piece of a graded elixir to buy the scripture.


    ¡°Eight balanced extremes, it is definitely the most suitable physique to practice Zhenwu¡¯s Eight Sceneries Scripture!¡± No wonder the previous Xu Yang¡¯s cultivation was so low. It was not suitable for this body of his to practice common techniques. This might be one of the reasons why he was treated in such a way by Lin Yuan¡¯s Xu family.


    ¡°I have already used the Mystical Qi in my Star Ocean to refine my body, and now I have reverted the level of the Star Ocean to the stage where it had just been opened. It will be good for me to cultivate Zhenwu¡¯s Eight Sceneries Scripture from the very beginning.¡± Xu Yang began to recall the essentials of the scripture and the context of cultivating it. Then, he opened his mouth and inhaled.


    Eight extremes of Mystical Qi flowed in through the eight Mystical Veins in Xu Yang when he inhaled. They were refined along the way and finally became pure Mystical Energy at the Star Ocean. They were divided into eight colours, representing eight attributes.


    Xu Yang slowly exhaled a turbid gas, and then opened his mouth again to inhale Mystical Energy.


    Inhale¡ªexhale¡ª


    Looking at Xu Yang who was in cultivation mode, Liu Zishan¡¯s face turned pale. He looked at Lu Song, whose body was curled up like a prawn and was coughing from time to time, feeling anxious.


    The originally useless young master that everyone bullied for pleasure had changed completely. The master and slave roles had been reversed! Was the unfortunate Lu Song the future image of Liu Zishan?


    Instructor Song had lit a bonfire. The teenagers were sitting around the blazing flames. They took out the solid food in their leather pouch, applied some oil and baked them on the fire.


    Someone wanted to send a piece to Xu Yang who was cultivating not far away as an act of kindness. But when he glanced at Lu Song who was still lying on the ground, his heart skipped a beat and was too afraid to approach Xu Yang.


    After eating their food, the teenagers did not play around as usual but took the initiative to look for their own spots. They sat on the ground and practised improving their cultivation.


    The strength shown by Xu Yang that day had deeply shaken them. Everyone had the desire to improve their strength and abilities.


    The night soon passed, and the sun shone softly in the early morning.


    Xu Yang stood up slowly and released turbid gas that came from his Star Ocean after going through the Mystical Veins.


    ¡°Zhenwu¡¯s Eight Sceneries Scripture is absolutely superb. The speed of Qi-cultivation is amazing! I¡¯ve restored my cultivation to that of an Early Mystical Learner before I tempered my body with just a night of cultivation. My physical strength should be close to ten juns now.¡±


    ¡°Now I have eight kinds of Mystical Energy in my Star Ocean. Each of them are separated and do not interfere with each other.¡± Xu Yang looked into his Star Ocean. He saw the eight-color mist of the Mystical Energy that had been separated distinctly and clearly.


    One of the advantages of Zhenwu¡¯s Eight Sceneries Scripture was that it could cultivate the eight extremes at the same time. It improved the introduction rate of Mystical Qi. This made the one who cultivated to have the richest Mystical Qi in the same realm. However, there were a lot of barriers to overcome when cultivating it.


    The first barrier was when one were to advance from a Mystical Learner to a Mystical Warrior. One would have to convert his Star Ocean from being virtual to reality and form a core of Mystical Power. Plenty of the old Celestials were forced to stop at this stage and was not able to advance to higher stages.


    Xu Yang withdrew his turbulent thoughts. As a Mystical Learner, it would be faster and easier for him to improve his cultivation. The deeper the accumulation, the greater the potential.


    ¡°Instructor Song, how many days are we away from Lin Yuan City?¡±


    Instructor Song answered, ¡°We generally need two months on the Ascetic Road, and so is our route. For now, we have walked for more than half the journey. The time needed to return to Lin Yuan City could be as short as ten days or as long as twenty days.¡±


    Xu Yang nodded in response. The starting point and the final point of the Ascetic Road were the same, Lin Yuan City. The journey that they were on was based on circling the Python Mountains as they underwent training.


    Some lucky people on the Ascetic Road could find some elixirs at the halfway point which helped to set up the foundation for the advancement as a Mystical Warrior. It would increase the chances of success when forming a Mystical Core. This would be seen as a blessing or an opportunity.


    The team led by Instructor Song was unlucky as no one had found any herbs or elixirs. Certainly, the other teenagers were jealous as they thought that Xu Yang had obtained the blessing. They believed that the improvement Xu Yang displayed was credited to spirit herbs.


    The group continued to move forward. The unlucky Lu Song had not healed from his injuries and could barely walk. His follower, Du Ming, seeing that Lu Song had been humiliated, refused to help Lu Song. His actions made Xu Yang feel slightly scornful. If Du Ming could take the risk of offending Xu Yang to help Lu Song, Xu Yang might still give him some respect. Such was the cruel reality, where only the strong ones would be respected. The moment you were seen as weak, you would be left behind to fend for yourself.


    Everyone on the road kept their eyes peeled along the way, full of energy, in hopes of finding either one or two graded elixirs like Xu Yang who was lucky enough to find one. However, even at the richest times of Mystical Qi, an elixir was still not something that could be easily found by the roadside. The teenagers walked all morning but did not find a single herb.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good camping ground, but it¡¯s noon right now. It¡¯s not worth wasting an afternoon here.¡± Instructor Song who had quite a lot of experience on the Ascetic Road said to Xu Yang.


    Xu Yang nodded. He had obtained a lot of information about Lin Yuan City that was not in his memory along the way.


    Lin Yuan City was a seaside city of Dong Lai Kingdom. The Python Mountains were situated behind the city which was facing the Eastern Sea. Aside from the Lin Yuan¡¯s Jun Li family, which had been given honor by the emperor of Dong Lai Kingdom, the three other strongest families were the Xu family, the Yu family, and the Ge family. Xu Yang was from the Xu family.


    In addition to the three major families, there were small and medium-sized forces. The disciples of the team were from a Mystical Cultivation Dojo called the Vast-Gate Dojo in Lin Yuan City. Instructor Song was also a member of the dojo. He was an experienced guide who guided teenagers on the Ascetic Road three times a year.


    ¡°How much is your wage as a guide at the Vast-Gate Dojo?¡± Xu Yang asked. He was interested in the currency in this era.


    Instructor Song took Xu Yang¡¯s questions as attempts at small talk. He replied indifferently, ¡°Ten Wolf Coins per month, just enough to cover my daily expenses¡­ oh, if I can advance as a Mystical Master, I can be a Dojo Master. I would then be able to get ten Leopard Coins, but sadly¡­ I¡¯ll most probably live my whole life as a Mystical Warrior.¡±


    Wolf Coins and Leopard Coins were the currency of the mainland. Ten Wolf Coins could be exchanged for one Leopard Coin.


    Xu Yang spoke softly, ¡°Mystical Warrior is already a stage that can¡¯t be reached by a lot of people¡­ Hmm, it seems like there¡¯s something there?¡±

 Chapter 5

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Instructor Song had better eyesight. He had already seen it clearly and he whispered, ¡°Embers of a campfire? Someone has camped here!¡± As he talked, his feet surged with Mystical Energy and he dashed to the ashes of the campfire as fast as wind.


    ¡°The realm of the Mystical Warrior is really much stronger than that of the Mystical Learner.¡± Xu Yang and the teenagers sprinted along with Instructor Song. He sighed when he realized that Master Song¡¯s speed was almost double of his.


    The Python Mountains were scarcely visited. Normally, there would be no other people except for the ascetic teams.


    ¡°This bonfire was big enough for more than a dozen people to sit around in a circle. It seems that there is another team in front of us.¡± Instructor Song said with a pale complexion. ¡°There were no other teams from Vast Gate Dojo. I am afraid that the team may be people from Fire-Cloud Dojo.¡±


    Xu Yang understood that Vast Gate Dojo, Water Dojo, and Fire-Cloud Dojo were all historical dojos in Lin Yuan City. Although they were not as good as those of the three major families, they were not bad either. There were definitely a lot of fights between the dojos.


    After all, there were so many young Mystical Learners who cultivated the Mystical Way. The more members entered one dojo, the fewer members there were in the others. Since ancient times, people who worked in the same field naturally became enemies.


    ¡°That¡¯s why we didn¡¯t find any elixirs along the way. Someone was ahead of us all this time.¡± Some teenagers were dissatisfied, and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t we, of Vast Gate Dojo, possess our own ascetic route?¡±


    ¡°This route was originally owned by Vast Gate Dojo. The Fire-Cloud Dojo has gone too far this time. They have stolen our hard work!¡± Instructor Song spat spitefully, but could not do anything about it.


    The Ascetic Road would usually be tread three times a year with at least one month between each time. In this way, the herbs and spirits on both sides of the Ascetic Road would have enough time for growth and reproduction, thus giving the teams a chance of getting resources.


    Now the team from Fire-Cloud Dojo had been running ahead and had dug up all the spirit herbs. The Vast-Gate Dojo team who came after them was left with nothing.


    There were complaints everywhere in the team all at once. Instructor Song felt slightly powerless. Suddenly, Liu Zishan stood up and said loudly, ¡°You guys, listen to me! Since we have seen their bonfire ash they must not have gone far. They are at most one day¡¯s distance ahead of us! Let¡¯s fight for justice!¡±


    ¡°Yes, fight for justice!¡±


    With the rumblings of the group of teenagers, Instructor Song finally made a decision. He nodded and said, ¡°Let¡¯s move forward quickly. We must find Fire-Cloud Dojo¡¯s members and confront them about it.¡±


    Xu Yang did not say a word. After asking Instructor Song about the current situation of Lin Yuan City, he merely kept silent. He was like a character who was independent of the team. He did not communicate with the others whereas the others dared not approach him.


    After all, all of them in the team had oppressed the old Xu Yang before. They were afraid Xu Yang would want to get revenge.


    Xu Yang was not feeling optimistic about Vast-Gate Dojo¡¯s action of seeking justice. He began to think about how he should return to Lin Yuan City if the team were to split up.


    ¡®The two teams will surely fight head-on and that would be the time for me to grab the map!¡¯ Xu Yang glanced at the leather pouch on Instructor Song¡¯s back, and thought to himself. ¡®The Fire-Cloud Dojo is prepared. They might have more than one guide. It¡¯s hard to tell whether they are Mystical Masters or not. And the truth of the matter is? Whoever held the most power would win. What can you do if they steal your route? If a battle were to ensue, the deaths of Vast Gate Dojo¡¯s members would be buried right here in the mountains.¡±


    Instructor Song was gullible. With the uproar of the group of unsophisticated youth, he seemed to be completely unsure of what to do next.


    What made Xu Yang somewhat puzzled was why Vast Gate Dojo¡¯s team only managed to find the traces of Fire-Cloud Dojo¡¯s team after having walked for more than a month. If both teams shared the same route, they should have been discovered earlier.


    It was not the time to contemplate this question. Xu Yang had made up his mind. He had decided to snatch the map and run for it once things go south!


    For the whole day, the team was in a hurry. While setting up camp, Instructor Song¡¯s face turned gloomy when he found fire embers and even a section of a burnt belt with the sign of Fire-Cloud Dojo in a sunken valley by the road.


    ¡°They are really too much!¡± Instructor Song said as he gritted his teeth.


    Liu Zishan and the others said, ¡°Instructor, we don¡¯t need to rest at night. Let¡¯s move on and find those rascals of Fire-Cloud Dojo and beat them to a pulp!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Instructor Song went ahead with their suggestion. Although it was more dangerous at night as the beasts would be out prowling everywhere, his mind was clouded by anger. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Those Solo Cultivators like Liu Zishan treated Vast-Gate Dojo as their enlightened place of Mystical Cultivation. They had a strong sense of belonging in the dojo.


    Xu Yang was not a disciple of Vast Gate Dojo. He had his own reasons for joining the ascetic team of Vast Gate Dojo. He was naturally unwilling to stay on the same boat with them. Moreover, these people had humiliated him in every way.


    After a night of traveling without any rest, the group finally made new discoveries when the morning light shone to the east again.


    ¡°Look at that cliff!¡± Liu Zishan exclaimed excitedly. ¡°There are several clumps of Ash Grass!¡±


    The team looked at where he was pointing. There were indeed a few humble gray-black blades of grass that swayed in the wind, diffusing a medicinal fragrance on the cliff.


    The team was excited for a while. Although Ash Grass was not a graded elixir, it was a good body refining herb for Mystical Learners. It contained rich fire energy which can improve the sensitivity of whoever consumed it on the fire extreme¡¯s Mystical Qi. It could also improve the efficiency of Qi-Introduction.


    Not only that, the appearance of the clumps of Ash Grass were often accompanied by Flame Flowers, which was an actual graded elixir of high value.


    Xu Yang¡¯s eyes flickered, and he secretly thought to himself, ¡®It is indeed a golden age rich with Mystical Qi. Elixirs appear in a bunch even in this mountain range that is not extremely dangerous.¡¯


    The team quickly rushed to the cliff while chatting with each other cheerfully.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t those people at Fire-Cloud Dojo fools? They missed such an obvious opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we have surpassed those rascals from Fire-Cloud Dojo. They are probably eating ashes behind our butts!¡±


    Xu Yang suddenly felt that something was off and stepped aside.


    ¡°Xu Yang, what are you doing?¡± Instructor Song asked, puzzled by his actions.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go pee. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Xu Yang replied.


    Instructor Song did not think much of his response. He led the group of Vast Gate Dojo¡¯s disciples toward the direction of the cliff.


    After the team had disappeared from his sight, instead of relieving himself, he rushed toward the opposite direction. There was a high post facing the cliff. He could see everything that was going on on the cliff at one glance.


    ¡°Even though the Ash Grass is good, one needs to be alive to enjoy it!¡± Xu Yang¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°There are two doubtful points regarding this Ash Grass! First, the cliff stands on three sides like a pot. Once its entrance is blocked by someone, no one can escape except by breaking through from the front! Second, if the people of Fire-Cloud Dojo had truly gone through here, there is no way they would have missed the clump of Ash Grass!¡±


    Thus, it had to be a trap! A trap made by Fire-Cloud Dojo to take advantage of Vast Gate Dojo!


    Xu Yang ran all the way and climbed up the high post. He lay down and overlooked the ground as he was covered by waist-high wormwood.


    He could see the valley from here.


    Instructor Song and the other team members had gone to the bottom of the valley. The area where the clumps of Ash Grass were located was four or five meters above the ground. It was difficult for a common person to climb up the cliff but it was much easier for a Mystical Cultivator to do this.


    Liu Zishan volunteered to pick the herbs. He took a small shovel from his leather pouch and clamped it in his mouth. He put on a pair of leather gloves with steel claws, and climbed up the cliff.


    After finally reaching the sunken area where the Ash Grass was located, Liu Zishan found a tint of red in the clumps of Ash Grass. He was excited. Could that be the graded elixir accompanying the Ash Grass, the Flame Flower?


    Regardless of whether it was the Flame Flower or not, the warmth emitting from the red flowers made Liu Zishan breathe faster. He knew that it had to be a treasure. He immediately dug out the roots of the red flower with a small shovel and put it in a small pouch around his waist. Finally, he stuffed some Ash Grass into the leather pouch behind him.


    His actions were extremely stealthy as the rest did not notice what he was doing. Xu Yang from a distance could barely see his petty actions as well.


    ¡®This should be the Flame Flower. Haha! I am a cultivator of the Fire Extreme Mystical Vein. Consuming the Flame Flower will help me a lot in forming the Fire Extreme Mystical Core. It can at least improve my success rate by ten percent.¡¯


    Liu Zishan thought to himself merrily. He did not dare to show his true feelings, but merely thought to himself gleefully, ¡®After I advance as a Mystical Warrior, Xu Yang will no longer stand a chance against me! Huh, useless trash. Don¡¯t think that you can change your destiny just by consuming one spirit herb.¡¯


    ¡°Haha¡­¡±


    Liu Zishan was not laughing but the sound of laughter came from beyond the valley.


    ¡°Good idea, Hong Xi. A good bait catches a big fish.¡± A rough voice boomed.


    ¡°No. It was only a small trick but these Vast-Gate Dojo members are way too stupid.¡± Another slightly sharp voice responded.


    1¡°Stop gossiping. Kill these guys immediately. Don¡¯t let any of them escape.¡± The third voice was ear-piercing.


    ¡°Lu Zhuo, Hong Xi, and Wei Haoshan. The three guides of Fire-Cloud Dojo?¡± Instructor Song turned pale when he heard the three laughing, he knew something bad was about to happen.


    They had fallen into the trap of Fire-Cloud Dojo¡¯s ambush!


    ¡°Lu Zhuo, Hong Xi, Wei Haoshan, it really is the three of you,¡± Instructor Song tried to speak calmly. ¡°How dare you steal Vast-Gate Dojo¡¯s route of the Ascetic Road? Aren¡¯t you afraid that the Vast-Gate¡¯s master will hold Fire-Cloud Dojo accountable? ¡±


    ¡°Haha, I was just wondering who would be so stupid. It turns out to be you, Song Ren.¡± Lu Zhuo, with a thick voice, laughed out loud. ¡°You are really naive. The Mystical Continent only respects the strong. Do you think that the route belongs to you Vast-Gate? Besides, as long as you all die here, no one will know it was Fire-Cloud Dojo¡¯s doing.¡±


    Hong Xi, the one with a sharp voice, was a pale and thin man. He spoke spookily with a gloomy face, ¡°The reputation of the Vast-Gate and their ascetic team will be completely destroyed in the Python Mountains. This is called killing two birds with one stone.¡±


    Wei Haoshan, as the last, had a scar cut across his face. The scar had nearly slashed the bridge of his nose into two sections. It made him look even more revolting. He said impatiently, ¡°What are you all waiting for? Attack!¡±

 Chapter 6

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Xu Yang suppressed his shock at the sight of the three Mystical Warriors from the Fire-Cloud Dojo, the Vast-Gate¡¯s ascetic team was destined to die here.


    1Even Xu Yang who was watching from a distance was shocked, not to mention the vigilant Song Ren and the other members of the ascetic team.


    ¡°I¡¯m just an unofficial disciple of the Vast-Gate Dojo. I¡¯m not a member!¡± Liu Zishan yelled. ¡°I¡¯m willing to leave the Vast-Gate Dojo and join the Fire-Cloud Dojo! Please accept my application!¡±


    1¡°Interesting.¡± the pale and thin Hong Xi smiled. ¡°It seems that the Vast-Gate Dojo is not doing well. Your disciples are begging to join my Fire-Cloud Dojo.¡±


    Wei Haoshan, with a scar on his face, said impatiently, ¡°Kill ¡¯em all, don¡¯t leave any of them alive.¡± His action spoke louder than words as he then swung his fist at Song Ren.


    His fist came with a roaring sound, and a fiery Mystical Power spurted out. Not only Song Ren who was at the front, but even the Vast-Gate Dojo¡¯s disciples behind him were terrified feeling the rich Mystical Fire Power.


    1¡°Inner strength released, this is the realm of a Mystical Warrior¡­¡± Xu Yang was amazed seeing Wei Haoshan¡¯s fist screaming like the tiger¡¯s roar. The Mystical Fire Power released projected the shape of a tiger. ¡°The scar-faced Mystical Warrior surnamed Wei¡¯s cultivation has reached the pinnacle of a Mystical Warrior, it is close to that of a Mystical Master!¡±


    3Song Ren¡¯s face darkened. He was not even able to go up against Wei Haoshan, what was he going to do with the other two Mystical Warriors¡ªHong Xi and Lu Zhuo? They were both at the Advanced-tier Mystical Warrior. He could not just stand there and wait for death. He had to gather his Mystical Power to fight back.


    Song Ren started moving his body. His bones made a cracking sound as he accumulated Mystical Earth Power on both of his fists. He punched the ground with a clanging sound. A pair of rocky gloves that extended up to his elbow appeared when he pulled his fist out from the ground.


    1¡°Ha!¡± Song Ren¡¯s dark-yellow fist met Wei Haoshan¡¯s. The blasting sounds roared deafeningly, and gravel and sand were flying everywhere with force.


    ¡°Okay. It is the Earth-Extreme Mystical Power which is good for defenses. Again!¡± Wei Haoshan¡¯s eyes brightened and his bones exploded like a string of beads. His momentum suddenly increased by a grade and he yelled, ¡°Mist-Flame Spear!¡±


    Wei Haoshan¡¯s Mystical Fire Power suddenly condensed into a huge flaming spear, as he angrily pummeled toward Song Ren.


    Song Ren felt the scorching flames. His hair and eyebrows had a faint burnt smell. He was shocked. He clamped his hands together, and Earth Mystical Power poured out, condensing into a thick shield like the mountains.


    ¡°Mist-Flame Spear is an Intermediate-Mortal-tier Mystical Technique while Song Ren¡¯s Black Tortoise Shield is an Early-Mortal-tier Mystical Technique. Wei Haoshan¡¯s strength is stronger than that of Song Ren¡¯s. The result of their battle using Mystical Techniques is as clear as day.¡± Xu Yang¡¯s eyes flickered as he analyzed the battle secretly.


    At the same time, Hong Xi and Lu Zhuo rushed toward the Vast-Gate Dojo¡¯s disciples with weird smiles on their faces.


    This was what was known as a massacre. A group of Mystical Learners who had yet to form their Mystical Cores were useless when facing two masters at Advanced-tier Mystical Warrior.


    It was not that no one tried resisting, but Hong Xi and Lu Zhuo did not even need to use Mystical Techniques. By relying on their physical strength alone, they lifted and smashed the disciples who resisted in an instant. The sounds of bones breaking reverberated endlessly across the cliff.


    1Wei Haoshan¡¯s Mist-Flame Spear shot through Song Ren¡¯s Black Tortoise Shield, scattering the dark yellow Mystical Qi all around them.


    Blood spurted out from Song Ren¡¯s mouth. His body was smashed by the force of the Mist-Flame Spear, and his sternum was broken. He coughed painfully and small pieces of internal organs were spat out as he was thrown into the air.


    ¡°Hmm. Where did he get the guts to even fight with me with his cultivation that is one stage lower than mine?¡± Wei Haoshan said proudly. One of the disciples from the Vast-Gate Dojo who tried to escape was easily caught by him. He raised his hand and crushed him into a meatloaf.


    The strength of Mystical Warriors was much stronger than that of Mystical Learners. Mystical Qi would spontaneously improve one¡¯s physique and body strength. Wei Haoshan had over fifty juns of body strength, which was ten times more than that of a common Mystical Learner, and that was without using any Mystical Power.


    Dozens of Mystical Learners did not pose any threat to them at all. They were all killed by the three Mystical Warriors mercilessly.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t kill me. I beg of you. I am willing to join the Fire-Cloud Dojo¡­¡± Liu Zishan did not even dare to resist. He was kneeling on the ground, kowtowing and begging for mercy.


    The three instructors of the Fire-Cloud Dojo stared at each other, smirking at this sight.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who dug up the Ash Grass? Interesting. However, the things that had happened today can¡¯t be known by others.¡± Hong Xi whispered softly.


    ¡°I will be tight-lipped!¡± Liu Zishan exclaimed, overjoyed by the prospect of being able to stay alive. He took out his leather pouch and presented it to them, ¡°This is the Ash Grass that I have collected. Please accept it, instructors.¡±


    Hong Xi took the leather pouch, snorted and put the Ash Grass away. In the realm of a Mystical Warrior, this kind of ungraded herb was insignificant to them.


    ¡°How can I trust you?¡± Hong Xi sneered. ¡°The three of us didn¡¯t even bring our disciples along for this. How can we trust an opponent¡¯s disciple when we can¡¯t even trust our own disciples?¡±


    Liu Zishan¡¯s face turned pale once again.


    1¡°Moreover, there are not only clumps of Ash Grass growing here, but also¡­ Flame Flowers.¡± Hong Xi whispered. ¡°Do you think that the people at the Fire-Cloud Dojo are fools that won¡¯t investigate after having found Ash Grass? It seems that you are not only spineless but also greedy.¡±


    Liu Zishan¡¯s face was as white as a sheet. He trembled and took a small pouch out from his waist, handed it in, and wept, ¡°It is all my fault, I forgot all about it. Please forgive me, instructor!¡±


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s end this game of cats and mice,¡± Wei Haoshan stepped forward, snatched the Flame Flower from him and hummed coldly, ¡°Boy, you¡¯re going to die. Today is the day you meet the grim reaper.¡±


    Looking at the palm of Wei Haoshan¡¯s raised hand, all color drained from Liu Zishan¡¯s face. He suddenly shouted, ¡°No, there is still one¡­ there is still one person in our team who is alive!¡±


    Wei Haoshan dropped his hand. He seemed to be curious.


    ¡°Who is that?¡±


    ¡°Will you let me go if I tell you?¡± Liu Zishan asked hopefully.


    ¡°Hmm. I will let you go if you are telling the truth.¡± Hong Xi said, as he chuckled. There was a thick layer of mockery in his eyes.


    ¡°The person¡¯s name is Xu Yang. He is not a Vast-Gate Dojo¡¯s disciple. He said that he wanted to go relieve himself when we discovered the clumps of Ash Grass but he hasn¡¯t returned since then.¡± Liu Zishan said as he trembled.


    ¡°Oh, interesting.¡± Hong Xi asked about Xu Yang¡¯s appearance and his outfit. Then, he patted Liu Zishan¡¯s on the head.


    Liu Zishan still had a smile on his face, thinking that he would be spared, but the smile was soon frozen in place. A look of utter disbelief flashed across his face as he fell backward onto the ground.


    ¡°Gather their corpses and burn them with a fire,¡± Hong Xi wiped his hands and said slowly. ¡°We have to destroy the evidence so that nothing can be found by the Vast-Gate Dojo if someone were to come to investigate.¡±


    ¡°Why bother? The bloody smell of this place will attract beasts. Not even a finger will remain after today. It will increase the suspicion of the Vast-Gate Dojo if you burn the corpses and leave the remains.¡± Wei Haoshan said in disapproval.


    Lu Zhuo had been checking among the bodies for a while now. He did not pay much attention to the pouch of the Mystical Learners but walked to Song Ren¡¯s body.


    ¡°What? As a superior Mystical Warrior, he only had two sets of clothes, a few pieces of dry food, and a map.¡± Lu Zhuo hummed dismissively after examining Song Ren¡¯s bag. He then threw the leather pouch back to the ground.


    ¡°We must not forget the person that the boy talked about just now.¡± Hong Xi said with a dignified look. ¡°This was the reason the Chief told us to come together. He didn¡¯t want anyone to know about our actions.¡±


    ¡°Check around the mountain area. If you discover anything unusual, kill him on the spot.¡± Wei Haoshan said nonchalantly, just like his swift actions. He left the valley in two or three quick vertical jumps.


    1Hong Xi and Lu Zhuo left after him.


    Xu Yang was not angry about Liu Zishan¡¯s betrayal. It was meaningless to hold a grudge against a dead person as things had already happened.


    1Xu Yang climbed down from the post secretly, and he was soon near the cliff.


    ¡°The three Mystical Warriors must have thought that I left the scene, distancing myself from the cliff. Hence, the place where the incident happened is the safest place right now. It will be dangerous once they finish their search as they will surely meet here.¡±


    2Xu Yang ventured closer to get the map of the Python Mountains. There were beasts prowling there. It was too dangerous for him as a Mystical Learner so it was not wise for him to stay on longer.


    Xu Yang descended the cliff by hanging onto a vine. He quietly approached Song Ren and opened his leather pouch. He took out a piece of cloth with a sketch of the mountains and rivers.


    ¡°This is the map of the Python Mountains¡­¡± Xu Yang felt glad. There was a path of the Ascetic Road marked on the map. The path was twisted and winded, which would then lead back to Lin Yuan City after a big arc.


    Suddenly, a hand grabbed hold of Xu Yang¡¯s ankle.


    Xu Yang was terrified. Although he was bold, his forehead was still sweating. He turned his head hurriedly.


    As he looked back, Xu Yang breathed a sigh of relief. It turned out to be Song Ren. He had not died, at least not yet. However, his life was coming to an end.


    ¡°Xu Yang¡­¡± Instructor Song Ren said, ¡°I, I am dying¡­¡±


    Xu Yang nodded and looked into Song Ren¡¯s eyes. He said, ¡°I know, but I can¡¯t save you.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ you don¡¯t need to save me¡­¡± Song Ren coughed, dark red blood dripped from his mouth. ¡°I have a request, please¡­¡±


    ¡°Tell me what it is,¡± Xu Yang said lightly. ¡°I can help you as long as it¡¯s not too troublesome. I¡¯ll treat it as our friendship over the talks we had before.¡±


    1Song Ren smiled bitterly. ¡°I¡­ I know, you have complaints about me, you may blame me¡­ as I have been lax with Lu Song and the others, allowing them to humiliate you¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    1Xu Yang said nothing. Song Ren was telling the truth. He was not a disciple of the Vast-Gate Dojo but he joined this ascetic team coincidentally. Although Xu Yang had been humiliated by Lu Song and the others who were disciples of the Vast-Gate Dojo, Song Ren¡¯s negligence was reasonable because he was not one of them.


    ¡°I¡­ I beg of you, take care of my daughter¡­ She is only eight years old¡­ She can¡¯t live without me¡­¡± Song Ren¡¯s face displayed warmth upon the mention of his daughter, ¡°I beg of you, keep her¡­ either as a maid or a servant, please¡­ treat her well¡­¡±


    4

 Chapter 7

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Xu Yang frowned. He thought that Song Ren wanted to ask him to report the Fire-Cloud Dojo for their crime and ask the Vast-Gate¡¯s Chief to hold the Fire-Cloud Dojo accountable for their actions. Yet, at the brink of death, all he could think of was his daughter.


    1Raising a daughter was too troublesome so Xu Yang hesitated upon hearing his request. He saw Song Ren¡¯s face turn red as he coughed violently. ¡°Xu, Xu Yang¡­ I beg of you, there is a reward¡­ on the beam of my house¡­ please, please¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, violent coughs shook his whole body. Song Ren spat out dark red blood foam along with small pieces of his internal organs.


    ¡°Okay, I promise you.¡± Xu Yang frowned, stood up and walked out of the valley without looking back.


    Song Ren¡¯s eyes were fading, it was extremely difficult for him to persist until that moment. If he did not have any reason to stay alive, he would have already succumbed to his injuries. However, he had a serene look on his face when he finally passed on.


    Xu Yang left the valley along with the map. He hurried forward after identifying the direction.


    After about an hour, the three figures were back to the valley from different directions.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t find him,¡± Lu Zhuo said with a rough voice.


    ¡°Me too,¡± Wei Haoshan said with an ear-piercing sound. ¡°Was the kid lying to us? Think about it, how can members of Lin Yuan¡¯s Xu family join the ascetic team?¡±


    ¡°Well, he doesn¡¯t seem to be lying to us¡­¡± Hong Xi was the think tank among the three. He observed the scene on the ground and whispered softly, ¡°Look, Song Ren¡¯s leather pouch was moved¡­ and the map inside is gone.¡±


    The other two were shocked and rushed to Hong Xi¡¯s side. After seeing it for themselves, their faces turned gloomy.


    ¡°It really looks like the kid was not lying,¡± Wei Haoshan hummed. ¡°What should we do now?¡±


    Hong Xi said calmly, ¡°What can you do to avoid being punished by the chief? Follow the tracks of the boy named Xu Yang and hunt him down!¡±


    ¡°Hunt? We don¡¯t even know where he has gone to. The Python Mountains are so spread out. It is like looking for a needle in a haystack.¡± Wei Haoshan retorted.


    Hong Xi shook his head, ¡°We can get the group of outer disciples to look around¡­ Didn¡¯t the dead boy say that Xu Yang only has the cultivation of an Early Mystical Learner? Any disciple of ours would be able to kill him.¡±


    Wei Haoshan and Lu Zhuo¡¯s faces suddenly brightened up with the suggestion.


    It was noontime. Hong Xi, Wei Haoshan and Lu Zhuo had gathered fifteen ascetic disciples. Hong Xi said slowly and deliberately, ¡°A young thief from the Vast-Gate Dojo has stolen a Flame Flower from us and shown much disrespect to the Fire-Cloud Dojo! I am now giving you a task to split up and look for the kid. He is only an Early Mystical Learner. Any one of you can kill him! The Flame Flower belongs to the one who finds him!¡±


    The ascetic teenagers looked at each other for a long while. One of them stood up and asked, ¡°Master Hong, there are beasts in the Python Mountains. It is very dangerous. We are worried that we will be eaten by a beast before we even find the thief.¡±


    Hong Xi smiled broadly and said, ¡°Simple. I will give you each a Fire-Cloud Dojo flare rocket. If you are in danger, light up the rocket immediately and we will go to where you are.¡±


    1The disciples accepted the task under the temptation of the Flame Flower. Low-grade elixirs such as the Flame Flower could be sold for at least ten Wolf Coins at the market in Lin Yuan City, which was the monthly income of an instructor.


    The fifteen ascetic disciples and three Mystical Warrior instructors spread out sparsely, like a large net casted onto a pond, to the nearby mountains and forests.


    The sun was setting soon. Xu Yang who was walking in the dense forest suddenly felt a sense of incoming danger.


    Was it his imagination? Did that bush just move? Was it a beast or a human?


    Xu Yang secretly took note of what had happened and he continued to move forward calmly.


    ¡°Here he is!¡± The voice of a young boy sounded gleefully. Xu Yang turned around immediately and saw two boys rushing toward him one after the other.


    1¡°Take out the Flame Flower!¡± A hint of greed flashed in the eyes of the boy in front of him.


    Xu Yang¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, he immediately figured out what was happening. The three Mystical Warriors had gathered all the ascetic disciples and had them come after him!


    ¡°Do we need to light up the flares?¡± The disciple at the back asked.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to. He is only an Early Mystical Learner but the two of us are at the Intermediate and Advanced stage respectively! Let¡¯s get the Flame Flower first!¡± The first ascetic disciple pounced on Xu Yang, ¡°Little thief, don¡¯t run!¡±


    A hint of cruelty flashed in Xu Yang¡¯s eyes and he sneered. ¡°Very well, since the Fire-Cloud Dojo is chasing after me¡­ don¡¯t blame me for not holding back!¡±


    Tibetan Snake Stance!


    Xu Yang did not dodge at all. When his opponent¡¯s punch was about to exert force on his body, his chest suddenly sank inward greatly, causing the punch to miss its target! Immediately after that, with the cracking of Xu Yang¡¯s right arm came a punch that was launched on the opponent¡¯s waist. The Mystical Learner wrapped his arms around his stomach and rolled up like a prawn. Xu Yang¡¯s eyes glinted fiercely as he slashed his opponent¡¯s neck with his palm.


    Crack! His neck was broken.


    Xu Yang kicked the Mystical Learner away and ran to the other one.


    The other Mystical Learner¡¯s cultivation was at Intermediate tier. He was horrified when he saw his partner heavily injured in a round of battle with Xu Yang. He jumped up and decided to escape!


    Xu Yang used the Running Horse Stance. His feet were surrounded by a mist of Mystical Energy and his body was as light as wind. He caught up to the Mystical Learner in several breaths.


    ¡°D*mn, I¡¯ll fight with you!¡± The Mystical Learner yelled, and he raised his leg for an attack.


    ¡°Six juns of strength, how weak.¡± Xu Yang evaluated coldly and met the opponent¡¯s foot with his fist. The Mystical Learner was knocked down to the ground like he was knocked by a heavy hammer.


    ¡°You¡­ how are you so strong!¡± The Mystical Learner took something out of his sleeves and infused Mystical Energy into it. Trembling visibly, he flung the item into the air.


    For a moment, Xu Yang did not realize what he had done. He looked up at the sky and saw a big cloud of fire exploding in the air.


    ¡°It¡¯s a flare signal¡­¡± Xu Yang knew that he was in trouble. He hummed angrily and kicked the Mystical Learner, who was still on the ground, on his forehead. His skull cracked and three lines of blood flowed from his forehead.


    ¡°I have to leave!¡± Xu Yang had killed two of them successively. He knew that he could not stay there any longer. He quickly used the Running Horse Stance and disappeared into the forest in several vertical jumps.


    1Just one moment later, two people arrived at the scene. It was Hong Xi and Wei Haoshan.


    When they saw the two bodies on the ground, Hong Xi and Wei Haoshan¡¯s faces darkened. They did not expect a rookie of an Early-tier Mystical Learner to be able to kill two Mystical Learners of Intermediate and Advanced tiers.


    ¡°What should we do now?¡± Wei Haoshan looked at Hong Xi.


    Hong Xi groaned and dabbed on a trace of blood from one of the corpses on the ground, ¡°The blood is still fresh. I can use the Blood-Binding Technique, and I will definitely find the little thief!


    The Blood-Binding Technique was an assistive Mystical Technique which could use the blood of the victim as a guide to find the trace of the killer within a certain range.


    2Hong Xi flipped both his palms, formed an imprint and converted the blood on the ground into a mist of blood.


    Wei Haoshan thought that he was seeing the soul of the dead boy, guiding the blood mist straight into a direction. It then turned into a faint bloodline that led into the forest.


    ¡°It¡¯s done. Let¡¯s go!¡± Wei Haoshan was getting impatient. He rushed forward hurriedly as his Mystical Energy flashed. Hong Xi followed after him.


    ¡°Hurry up, these blood mist guides have a limited distance. We must catch up to him before the blood mist dries up!¡± Hong Xi said hastily. His calmness from before had disappeared.


    The blood mist which seemed to have a spirit, faded away gradually after crossing the distance of a hundred feet.


    ¡°Sh*t. That kid is fast.¡± Wei Haoshan said in exasperation.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. The blood mist has shown us the direction. We are in the southern area of the Python Mountains. If you go southeast for ten days, you will reach Lin Yuan City!¡± Hong Xi frowned and analyzed the direction in which it was leading to. ¡°The kid must be in a hurry to return to Lin Yuan City. We can send disciples and form investigating teams of four to five people each. Once they have found him, they have to alert us immediately!¡±


    Xu Yang did not realize that he had managed to avoid the confrontation. He was cautious and he knew that he was not far from the road marked on the map.


    He might walk into some unknown dangerous area if he were to stray too far from the path of the Ascetic Road. It would be extremely unfortunate if he were to meet any beasts.


    Night had fallen. Xu Yang found a concealed valley to cultivate the Dynamic-Static Combined Qi-Introducing Technique.


    He practiced Zhenwu¡¯s Eight Sceneries Scripture, which could take in any kind of Mystical Qi. Various Mystical Qis were drawn into Xu Yang¡¯s body similar to how the rivers converged at sea. After extracting Mystical Energy, the Mystical Qi was turned into turbid gas and released.


    Xu Yang¡¯s strength was rapidly improving. He was becoming stronger, not only his cultivation, but also his physical strength.


    With enough Mystic Energy, Xu Yang strived to temper his body to the extreme. Hence, every inch of muscle and each piece of bone were repeatedly tempered by Mystical energy to achieve the strongest stage possible within his current realm.


    The body was a container that carried water if one were to compare Mystical Qi to water. The stronger the body, the greater the ability to store cultivation.


    This tempering process was accompanied by intense pain. As Xu Yang cultivated, cold sweat was dripping from his forehead. His face was pale, but his eyes showed glints of persistence.


    ¡°Since I am now in this era filled with Mystical Energy, I must set foot on the pinnacle!¡± This was Xu Yang¡¯s dream from thousands of years in the future. It was finally possible to achieve his dream. No matter how difficult it was, he would keep going on valiantly.


    Time passed day by day with Xu Yang¡¯s stealth and practice. Seven days had passed in an instant.


    In the early morning of the eighth day, Xu Yang ended his Qi-Introducing Technique and body refining practice as per usual. He exhaled lightly and punched a big tree with a trunk as big as an adult¡¯s hug.


    With a cracking sound coming from the inside of the trunk, its branches and leaves shook tremendously, as if a gigantic bear was shaking the tree.


    ¡°My cultivation is still at the Early Mystical Learner stage but it is infinitely close to that of Intermediate tier. The Mystical Energy in my Star Ocean is full and I can advance at any time.¡± Xu Yang inspected his own state. ¡°My physical strength has reached seventeen juns, it is even stronger than the future era¡¯s Mystical Cultivators in the same realm!¡±


    The most important thing was that Xu Yang had diligently cultivated the eight stances of the Dynamic-Static Combined Qi-Introducing Technique. Notably, the Running Horse Stance which represented speed. His speed was now fifty percent faster than it was before. He was almost on par with a normal Mystical Warrior¡¯s speed.


    ¡°Lin Yuan City is right in front of me,¡± Xu Yang thought to himself. ¡°But the group of fools from the Fire-Cloud Dojo is really annoying¡­ One of their instructor teachers, Hong Xi, even knows the Blood-BindingTechnique. He is truly not an easy opponent to deal with.¡±


    In the past seven days, Xu Yang had seen the investigating teams of the Fire-Cloud Dojo twice. Xu Yang did not take any action because he was afraid of the three Mystical Warriors behind them.


    The days spent in hiding would not be able to last long. Xu Yang was determined to fight his way through although he knew that there were strong Mystical Warriors in the front blocking his way. However, as bloody as the path might be, he would still have to return to Lin Yuan City.

 Chapter 8

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The White Rock Valley in the Python Mountains was named after the white rocks everywhere in the valley.


    A bonfire was burning. Three Mystical Warriors sat facing each other around the fire with dark expressions on their faces.


    They were all dressed in Mystical Warrior outfits with a burning flame pattern on their belts. They were the three guides of the Fire-Cloud Dojo¡ªHong Xi, Lu Zhuo, and Wei Haoshan!


    The flickering firelight reflected on their faces, revealing their gloomy expressions.


    After a while, Lu Zhuo said, ¡°What should we do now? The rascal is as slippery as an eel. We are always one step behind when we arrive at the spot where our disciples ignited the flare.¡±


    Hong Xi said indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The three teams of disciples we sent have blocked his way out of the Python Mountains. Now he is a fish in the barrel and he will be caught by us sooner or later.¡±


    Wei Haoshan coughed and asked, ¡°What if the kid is not willing to come out? He may also do exactly the opposite by returning to the same route he came from, and our plan will be useless.¡±


    Hong Xi shook his head and said, ¡°No, he only has a limited amount of food with him. He can¡¯t sustain that long. He would need many days¡¯ worth of time whether he chooses to hide or return to the same route.¡±


    Although Hong Xi was not the strongest, he seemed to be the leader among the three. He was cunning and smart and his words were well-founded and convincing. Hence, even Wei Haoshan who was unruly and fierce trusted Hong Xi¡¯s analysis unconsciously.


    Just as the three were sitting around the bonfire, a flare rocket was shot not far from the west. It suddenly burst into the night sky and turned into a blaze of burning flames!


    ¡°There it is!¡± Hong Xi said excitedly, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    1Wei Haoshan was an impetuous person. He quickly stimulated his Mystical Power and rose from the ground, dashing toward the direction of the flare rocket, with Hong Xi and Lu Zhuo following closely on his heels.


    The three were masters with cultivations from Advanced Mystical Warrior onward. Their speed was extremely fast and they arrived at the spot within half an hour.


    ¡°Where is that kid?¡± Lu Zhuo asked in a deep voice.


    Hong Xi¡¯s thoughts were more meticulous. His face was pale when he realized that there were only three disciples present. He asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on, where is the other person in your team?¡±


    The three disciples were huddled together. They were finally relieved when they saw the three instructors approaching. They said, ¡°Instructor, Liu Can¡­ was killed by that person!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Hong Xi frowned and asked for details.


    The three disciples were shocked and there was only one of them who said boldly, ¡°We were patrolling in a party and the distance between each of us was only ten steps apart. Three of us turned back quickly after hearing a scream but only saw a dark shadow flashing into the woods on the side. Everything happened so quickly, we couldn¡¯t see a thing¡­ When we stepped forward to investigate, Liu Can was already dead. That¡¯s when we quickly released a rocket to get help.¡±


    ¡°Did you see which direction he went into?¡± Wei Haoshan snorted, ¡°You guys are hopeless!¡± He really wanted to slap these useless guys.


    Hong Xi¡¯s face darkened. He formed an imprint with both hands. A trace of Liu Can¡¯s blood was captured and then turned into a mist of blood.


    The Blood-Binding Technique was used once again.


    Wei Haoshan, Hong Xi and Lu Zhuo followed immediately, watching the faint bloodline spread forward.


    The bloodline soon faded after less than a hundred feet. Wei Haoshan identified the direction and said, ¡°The kid didn¡¯t take the opportunity to break through the line of defense and return to Lin Yuan City, but instead he is fleeing into the deeper areas of the Python Mountains?¡±


    The direction that this blood line was pointing to was the deeper areas of the Python Mountains from where they came.


    The three Mystical Warriors looked at each other with frustration. All of a sudden, a flare rocket lit up again not far away and the shadow of the flame illuminated the sky.


    ¡°Sh*t, hurry up!¡± The three of them had a tacit understanding. They immediately shot toward the direction of the rocket using their maximum speed. It was as fast as wind and lightning.


    ¡°That area is where Zhu Fan¡¯s party is located. They are far away from Liu Can¡¯s party!¡± Hong Xi said with his breathing well-controlled despite their haste.


    ¡°What is going on? Does he want to kill all of our disciples and avoid confronting us?¡± Wei Haoshan¡¯s cultivation was higher than Hong Xi¡¯s. His breathing was even more stable, thus he was able to speak with much ease. ¡°Such a daring one! Once I get a hold of him, I must make him feel that it is better to die than to live!¡±


    Lu Zhuo did not say a word, but from his worried expression, the whole situation was bothering him as well.


    The three Mystical Warriors once again rushed to the area where Zhu Fan¡¯s team was located. They found out that the situation was even more serious as Xu Yang had killed two disciples!


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Wei Haoshan growled. ¡°You have four people in your team, all of you have cultivations of Intermediate to Advanced Mystical Learner. You can¡¯t even handle a kid whose cultivation is only at the Early tier of a Mystical Learner. Moreover, two of you were killed!¡±


    The disciple named Zhu Fan was slightly plump, and he was panting continuously, ¡°Instructor, does that guy really have the cultivation of an Early-tier Mystical Learner? I saw with my own eyes that he crushed Fei Long¡¯s sternum with a punch and cut Ma Heng¡¯s throat with his palm¡­ the whole process didn¡¯t take more than ten breaths¡­ It was horrible!¡±


    Hong Xi slapped Zhu Fan. The force caused him to spin and stagger, falling onto the ground dizzily.


    ¡°The situation is serious now,¡± Hong Xi said with a grim look. ¡°The boy is making a fool out of us. The three of us being together has caused the situation to escalate as he is aiming for the disciples. We should not stay together.¡±


    ¡°How did your Blood-Binding Technique fail?¡± Lu Zhuo asked, ¡°The direction we saw was clearly going toward the deeper areas of the Python Mountains but now the enemy has appeared in the outer region, and killing our disciples!¡±


    Hong Xi was slightly puzzled as he said, ¡°I¡¯m sure that the boy has found a way to avoid the Blood-Binding Technique but I¡¯m not sure how. However, now is not the time to play the blame game! We must divide and conquer, and guard the disciples secretly. Kill the kid once he appears!¡±


    Out of helplessness, they had no choice but to wait in hiding for an ambush.


    Neither Lu Zhuo nor Wei Haoshan had any objections. In their opinion, any Mystical Warrior could easily kill Xu Yang regardless of whether they were together or apart. This was not arrogance. It was because there was a huge gap between a Mystical Warrior and a Mystical Learner.


    Mystical Learners could only fight with their body strength but not able to cultivate Mystical Skills. Their strengths were not much stronger compared to ordinary people. Mystical Warriors were strong as they had turned virtual into reality and formed the Mystical Turbine. They were not only much stronger in terms of body strength but they also have the ability to control rich Mystical Qi and cast Mystical Skills. That was why there was a huge strength gap between both realms.


    ¡°Now, I¡¯ll play your game!¡± Hong Xi had lost his calmness and reasoning abilities. ¡°As long as you dare to show up, I will hang you and peel off your skin!¡±


    At the same moment, Xu Yang was already on his way to Lin Yuan City in the darksome night.


    ¡°The speed of the three Mystical Warriors is faster than mine but definitely not by much,¡± Xu Yang thought while dashing using the Running Horse Stance of the Dynamic-Static Combined Qi-Introducing Technique. ¡°When they realize what has happened, I would already be half a day¡¯s journey ahead of them. It will be difficult for them to catch up to me since they have to bring along the group of Mystical Learner disciples.¡±


    The Mystical Energy in the surroundings flowed into Xu Yang¡¯s body as he was using the Running Horse Stance constantly, working their magic with every breath he took.


    The Dynamic-Static Combined Qi-Introducing Technique was the fruit of the wisdom of Mystical Cultivators in ten thousand years¡¯ time. Its effect could be compared with those divine scriptures. Xu Yang¡¯s stamina had been highly improved as he was utilizing the Mystical Qi as he ran for his life. If an average Mystical Learner were to run at full speed like Xu Yang, his Mystical Energy would be drained within twenty miles.


    57There was some light blue grass juice on Xu Yang¡¯s body. He had actually used this herb called Spicy Grass to interfere with the Blood-Binding Technique.


    Spicy Grass had a pungent smell that causes disturbance to dead souls. Xu Yang read about this from a medicine book in the Scripture Pavilion, and it actually came in handy today.


    ¡°Although rushing at night can attract beasts easily, I have no other choice. I can only hope that no Mutants will be attracted!¡±


    Mutants were beasts that had consumed certain divine herbs. They were much stronger than ordinary beasts. Some of the Mutants could even cultivate Mystical Energy and evolve into higher leveled Savages.


    The current Xu Yang could not even fight with the weakest of Mutants.


    With half the night gone, Hong Xi still had not seen any rocket signals. Zhu Fan and the other disciples he was protecting secretly had no signs of being attacked. His anxiety was gradually lowered and his reasoning abilities were back in place.


    ¡°Xu Yang is a ruthless character. He can kill Mystical Learners of the Intermediate and Advanced tiers with his strength of an Early Mystical Learner, the likes of slaughtering chickens and dogs. It is difficult to deal with him because of his cunning mind and intelligence.¡± Hong Xi analyzed. ¡°Will he continue to assassinate our disciples with what we have set up?¡±


    Hong Xi¡¯s thin eyebrows furrowed slowly and he murmured, ¡°D*mn, I¡¯m afraid my analysis is off. The kid is not an impulsive person. He will definitely take the opportunity to escape. Our plan has given him time to run away.¡±


    With this thought, Hong Xi was no longer hesitant. He jumped down from the tree. The disciples were shocked when they saw someone there and straightened their faces with respect.


    Hong Xi was not bothered to tell them much. He said, ¡°Launch your flare rocket!¡±


    A rocket was shot and burst into the night sky. It turned into a cloud of flames and slowly dissipated.


    Wei Haoshan and Lu Zhuo arrived with expectant faces after half an hour.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the rascal?¡±


    Hong Xi waved his hand and expressed his thoughts solemnly. He said, ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up and chase after him! The closer we get to Linyuan City, the fewer trees there are, and the flatter the terrain. We will definitely be able to capture him as he has nowhere to hide. After all, we can run much faster than him as we are in the realm of a Mystical Warrior.¡±


    ¡°This is just your speculation,¡± Wei Haoshan hummed. ¡°Why did you ignite the flare if you didn¡¯t catch the kid? Don¡¯t you know what will happen to the disciples I¡¯m taking care of if he misdirects us again?¡±


    ¡°I agree with Brother Wei,¡± Lu Zhuo, who had always been silent said, ¡°No one knows where the kid is hiding. Maybe it is another deception strategy he has planned. Five disciples have died in our team. We will be disqualified if one more turns up dead! What will the Chief think of us if we return disqualified?¡±

 Chapter 9

    1


    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Hong Xi¡¯s face was grim. He had lost the trust of Wei Haoshan and Lu Zhuo after his series of wrong judgments.


    After taking a deep breath, Hong Xi said, ¡°This is what we should do. You two group the disciples into two teams and take care of them. I will go hunting alone! The kid is just an Early Mystical Learner. There¡¯s no way he can do something shocking to me.¡±


    Lu Zhuo and Wei Haoshan looked at each other and agreed with him. Since the idea was suggested by Hong Xi, there was a scapegoat for them if they were to answer to the chief. How could they not be happy about that?


    Hong Xi looked at the two people. He knew what they were thinking. However, his dissatisfaction with Xu Yang overwhelmed everything else.


    Hong Xi had been proud of his ingenuity all this while, he would not allow himself to be played by a Mystical Learner.


    A faint cyan Mystical Power burst out from Hong Xi¡¯s body. He flashed toward the direction of Lin Yuan City.


    Xu Yang did not know that Hong Xi had started to chase after him. Even if he knew, he would continue fleeing as he had no other option. He would be safe only if he was in Lin Yuan City.


    3¡°If I were given three months, I will definitely not be escaping like I am right now. I will have the ability to fight against a Mystical Warrior!¡± Xu Yang knew many temporary strengthening techniques. However, it was difficult to cultivate or exert strength now due to his limits.


    If Xu Yang were given three months, he could advance to an Advanced-tier Mystical Learner. He could temper his physical strength to thirty juns and cultivate several temporary strengthening techniques. At that time, he would not be afraid of just one or two Mystical Warriors.


    After having run the entire night, a pale halo appeared in the east.


    Xu Yang was a little tired as he had been running all night long. There was no other Mystical Learner that could do that without that kind of stamina.


    ¡°Ha¡­ ha,¡± Xu Yang slowed down and his legs were numb. He ran forward dozens of steps even though his brain issued a signal for him to stop, after which he finally surrendered to the exhaustion.


    Gulp¡­ Gulp¡­ Gulp¡­


    Xu Yang took out his water bottle, unscrewed the cork and downed more than half of the remaining water in the water bottle. He then wiped the droplets on his lips and exhaled in satisfaction.


    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Xu Yang recalled last night¡¯s thrilling experience and could not help laughing. The three Mystical Warriors had mocked him as a Mystical Learner. They were powerful but it did not help them in any way.


    ¡°I can take a break first. The three Mystical Warriors may have just started to chase after me.¡± Xu Yang chuckled and looked for a mountainside. He went through it and started adjusting his breaths in the Lotus Position.


    Time passed by second after second. A middle-aged man with a grim face was chasing after him. There were drops of sweat rolling down his pale face.


    ¡®D*mn b*stard. I am gonna turn you into ashes once I find you!¡¯ The man was Hong Xi. He had found traces of snapped twigs and leaves that Xu Yang had stepped on along his way but he had yet to see him. He was amazed by Xu Yang¡¯s stamina but his impatience and intention to kill Xu Yang merely increased with time.


    A Mystical Cultivator at a Mystical Learner stage was not able to run overnight. They had not formed a Mystical Core. The Mystical Energy in their Star Ocean was not enough.


    Even Hong Xi with the cultivation of an Advanced-tier of a Mystical Warrior was feeling exhausted. His Mystical Core was continuously rotating and distributing Mystical Power to his Mystical Veins. He had persisted for a lengthy period of time only supported by his anger. His Mystical Power was almost drained out at that moment.


    On the mountain side.


    Fuuu¡­ shuu¡­ fuuu¡­


    Xu Yang breathed uniformly. His mind was refreshed after taking some food. He could feel that his cultivation had improved along the way as he was fleeing for his life. He sensed that he was soon going to advance to an Advanced-tier Mystical Learner.


    ¡°I should focus on accumulating Mystical Energy and train my body. If the accumulation is enough, the advancement of the stage is only a matter of course.¡± Xu Yang stood up and dusted his body. He breathed out slowly. ¡°I must continue my journey back to Lin Yuan City now.¡±


    ¡°Rascal, you won¡¯t be going back!¡± A sharp voice came from not far away. Then, he felt a rush of strong wind gushing in his direction.


    Xu Yang reacted fast. He avoided the strong wind with a leap. Then, he saw a black light flashing. It turned out to be a branch thrown by someone.


    The branch did not hit Xu Yang but hit the tree in front of him. It was broken into two pieces with a crack.


    Xu Yang looked at the direction from where the sound came from. A pale and thin middle-aged man was looking at him furiously.


    ¡®He¡¯s fast!¡¯ Xu Yang was terrified and forced himself to calm down.


    ¡°You¡¯re good! It took me so long to find you.¡± Hong Xi¡¯s eyes flashed viciously. ¡°Finally I have caught up to you. Soon, you will be begging for me to kill you instead!¡±


    Xu Yang squinted. His messy black hair swayed with the breeze. His pair of eyes were shining like the stars at night.


    As Xu Yang¡¯s feet exerted Mystical Energy, he rushed toward Hong Xi without saying a word.


    Hong Xi¡¯s Mystical Power had been depleted, and he was weakened. He was going to say something to allow some time for his Mystical Qi¡¯s recovery as his Mystical Core was almost drained from the run to catch up with Xu Yang. He wanted to kill this rascal after his recovery. However, Xu Yang, ignoring the difference in their level of cultivation, was headed toward him.


    ¡°Ha!¡± Xu Yang yelled. He dashed in front of Hong Xi using the Running Horse Stance. His fist punched out with crackling power on Hong Xi¡¯s chest.


    Hong Xi defended with his arm but he took one step back as he felt his arm vibrate. He was shocked and yelled at Xu Yang, ¡°Stop, kid¡­ As long as you can keep the secret that Song Ren was killed by us that day, I will let you go.¡± He thought to himself, ¡®The kid¡¯s strength is powerful. That¡¯s why the outer disciples were slaughtered like animals.¡¯


    1Xu Yang took two steps back when his punch was defended. He was not feeling any better than Hong Xi. A Mystical Warrior was truly different from a Mystical Learner. Hong Xi¡¯s physical strength was stronger than Xu Yang¡¯s even though his Mystical Power had been exhausted.


    4Hong Xi¡¯s physical strength was fifty juns. It was three or four times stronger than Xu Yang¡¯s! Xu Yang¡¯s only advantage was that he had the eight battle stances of the Dynamic-Static Combined Qi-Introducing Technique which could magnify his physical strength to the maximum.


    ¡°Your Mystical Energy has been drained. If not, the branch just now would have directly penetrated the trunk instead of breaking into two.¡± Xu Yang sneered. ¡°I will die here if you were to recover your power!¡±


    A Mystical Warrior was indeed stronger than a Mystical Learner. By releasing the inner power, a hundred juns of strength was added to every punch and every kick. None of the Mystical Learners would be able to resist. Not only that, Mystical Warriors could perform graded Mystical Techniques which could cause much more damage than ordinary punches.


    Hong Xi was enraged that the branch had revealed his weakness. He knew that the good-looking teenager in front of him was not a person who would be affected by his words.


    ¡°Although my Mystical Power has been drained, my body strength is still three times of yours. I can kill you without using Mystical Power.¡± Hong Xi said and punched Xu Yang.


    His fist was like a heavy hammer. Its strength was forty or fifty juns and this displayed the physical strength of Hong Xi as a Mystical Warrior.


    Xu Yang finally regulated his breath. He did not feel well after Hong Xi¡¯s defense. It was clear that the difference between their physical strength was apparent. Seeing that Hong Xi was coming in for an attack, Xu Yang¡¯s eyes flashed fiercely but he did not try to escape!


    Hong Xi thought that his boxing speed was so amazing to the point that the kid could not react. He sneered and exerted even more strength, punching in the direction of Xu Yang¡¯s chest.


    Hong Xi was thinking of many ways to deal with Xu Yang after defeating the kid. His eyes gleamed with joy at this prospect.


    However, when his punch approached Xu Yang, Xu Yang took a deep breath and the muscles on his chest sank inward. Hong Xi¡¯s punch missed its target and he heard Xu Yang roaring. Xu Yang bent his waist and rushed forward with a dagger that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.


    Hong Xi knew that a section of the dagger had pierced his body when he felt a coldness at his lower abdomen. He was frightened and angry but realized that Xu Yang was not satisfied with a stab. Xu Yang twisted the blade, hard, causing even more damage! Hong Xi used his palm to hit Xu Yang¡¯s shoulder angrily and Xu Yang flew backward like a broken kite.


    1The attack was launched in a hurry. Although the strength exerted was not powerful, Xu Yang rolled several times on the ground. His right shoulder bone was cracked, and half of his body was numb.


    Xu Yang forced himself to stand up. He still had the dagger in his hand and a piece of intestine was hanging on the blade! A ruthless smile appeared on his face.


    2Hong Xi was shaking as he covered his abdominal wound with his hand. His intestines had been ruptured and it was extremely painful. He was bleeding profusely and his strength was dissipating continuously.


    1¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± Hong Xi¡¯s other hand shakily pointed at Xu Yang. ¡°Kid¡­ you are really ruthless.¡±


    ¡°Since you want to kill me, you have to be prepared as you may be killed by me like a dog!¡± Xu Yang did not waste any time waiting for Hong Xi to recover. He rushed to him as he spoke.


    The attack just now was just his luck. If Hong Xi had reserved thirty percent of his power, he would have avoided it. If Hong Xi had a full bar of Mystical Power, the ordinary dagger would not even be able to penetrate the protective layer formed by his Mystical Power.


    However there were no ¡®ifs¡¯ in duels. There was only victory or death!


    In the following battle, Xu Yang revealed his ruthlessness to Hong Xi. He did not care about the punches by Hong Xi. Xu Yang avoided his punches as much as he could. He just wanted to create more and more injuries on Hong Xi¡¯s body.


    The battle soon ended with a total of no more than a hundred breaths, but this battle had determined his life or death predicament.


    Hong Xi opened his eyes wide and stared at the morning sky. He had stopped breathing. His body was covered in wounds of all sizes and his body was drained of all the blood he had.


    Xu Yang struggled to stand up. His body had seven or eight broken bones and his body was almost at its breaking point. There was still a line of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.


    Xu Yang¡¯s dagger fell to the ground. In addition to bloodstains, there were large and small cracks. After this battle, this ordinary dagger was no longer usable.


    ¡®A Mystical Warrior¡¯s physical strength is comparable to that of a rhinoceros or elephant. It is not easy to kill one even if there was no protection from the Mystical Power,¡¯ Xu Yang thought. Exerting great force, he squatted and picked up Hong Xi¡¯s leather pouch.

 Chapter 10

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Xu Yang did not open Hong Xi¡¯s leather pouch. The most important thing was to clean up the mess on the battlefield and tend to his wounds.


    There were two other Mystical Warriors whose cultivations were higher than Hong Xi¡¯s. He must not let them see the traces of battle. Furthermore, Hong Xi¡¯s dead body must not be seen.


    Xu Yang dragged Hong Xi¡¯s body to the mountainside where he was resting. His cracked bones were creaking in pain.


    Xu Yang wanted to burn Hong Xi¡¯s corpse. However, he was severely injured and burning the corpse would take a long time. Instead, he sat cross-legged and began examining his injuries.


    ¡°That was the most thrilling battle since I have come to this era. There would be more and more battles on the way to reaching the pinnacle of a Mystical Cultivator¡­ but I have no fear whatsoever! My mind has been tempered since the battle. It will be beneficial on the path as a Mystical Cultivator.¡±


    One would have to cultivate his mind when cultivating Mystical Power. The strength of the mind was not crucial at low realms but its importance skyrocketed vertically at higher realms.


    The next realm after Mystical Warriors was that of a Mystical Master. If one wanted to advance as a Mystical Grandmaster, one must have strong mental cultivation to become a notable Grandmaster.


    ¡°Mystical Grandmaster¡­ I must reach this realm one day!¡± Based on his memory, the head of Lin Yuan¡¯s Xu family, Xu Changling was a Mystical Grandmaster.


    Xu Yang put aside his thoughts and laughed bitterly as he checked on his injuries.


    His body had been torn to shreds. His bones had been broken in several places and the Mystical Veins were also injured. If he did not take good care of his body, it was likely that he would have hidden injuries that would affect his future advancement.


    ¡°This kind of injury is not difficult to recover if there is a Healing Elixir made by an alchemist¡­¡± Xu Yang shook his head. Although he had plenty of knowledge in medicine and alchemy, he was not proficient. Besides, he had no ingredients nor a furnace. It was all empty talk.


    ¡°There is a healing technique in Zhenwu¡¯s Eight Sceneries Scripture. It can speed up the introduction of Mystical Energy to heal the ruptures of one¡¯s body. However, I will need at least three days to recover using the skill. The situation now is dire. I have no time for that¡­ Forget it. I have to do it as I have no other choice.¡±


    Xu Yang ended up using the healing skill in the Mystical Divine Eight Sceneries Scripture. He had to recover his ability to move.


    Xu Yang took a deep breath. The Mystical Energy in his Star Ocean was activated and flowed to the Mystical Veins.


    The Mystical Qi around him was introduced into his body as he breathed. His cracked bones and wounds were slowly healed by the waves of Mystical Energy.


    Suddenly, there was a tremor in his Star Ocean. A huge and pure Mystical Energy flowed into his body when he inhaled once. The energy was flowing rapidly into his body and healing the wounds that it flowed through. Its effect was comparable to a Healing Elixir.


    Xu Yang was frightened. He looked inside his Star Ocean. He saw the Mystical Suppressing Pagoda shaking, and it had stimulated the activation of his Star Ocean.


    ¡°Does the Mystical Suppressing Pagoda have a healing effect?¡± Xu Yang felt both surprised and delighted. He had gained the tiny pagoda from the statue of the founder and it had remained a mystery ever since he traveled through time. All he knew was that it was definitely an immortal object from the eighty-one emperors suppressed by it.


    Xu Yang¡¯s body made a cracking sound. His body had become stronger and firmer as his bones had absorbed sufficient Mystical Energy.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡± Xu Yang exhaled some turbid gas. His severe injuries were all gone in just three breaths. His physical condition was even better than before.


    ¡°Nope, not only have my injuries been healed¡­ I have also advanced as an Intermediate Mystical Learner.¡± Xu Yang murmured while sensing his physical strength and looking at his Star Ocean which had doubled in size.


    A thunderous rumble sounded as Xu Yang launched a punch. A thick tree trunk was broken by his fist and it came crashing onto the ground.


    1¡°My physical strength has increased to thirty juns¡­¡± Xu Yang clenched his fists. He really wanted to yell facing the sky as he was extremely pleased, feeling the power that was gushing out continuously from his body.


    1¡°I have very limited time. Although I have advanced as an Intermediate Mystical Learner, I¡¯m still no match for the two Mystical Warriors. Any of the Mystical Warriors can kill me easily if their Mystical Powers were sufficient.¡± Xu Yang was not carried away by his sudden increase in power. He picked up the leather pouch on the floor to continue on with his journey.


    ¡°D*mn. This is¡­¡±


    Xu Yang unintentionally gazed at the ground and saw a shocking scene.


    There was only a skeleton left in the Fire-Cloud Dojo¡¯s outfit. Hong Xi¡¯s bodily flesh had disappeared. It was really strange.


    Xu Yang¡¯s fingers trembled as he looked at it. He could not believe his eyes. He squatted down and tried to feel the changes that had happened on the corpse with his hands.


    When Xu Yang¡¯s finger touched the skeleton, it crumbled into ashes.


    ¡°The energy in the corpse¡­ even those in the bones were drained thoroughly¡­¡± Xu Yang¡¯s heart thumped once and he thought of the tiny pagoda in his Star Ocean.


    Mystical Suppressing Pagoda!


    ¡°Is it really the Mystical Suppressing Pagoda that had sucked the energy from Hong Xi¡¯s body to heal my injuries?¡± Xu Yang wondered out loud. ¡°There is no other possibility except this. I am pretty sure that it was the power of the Mystical Suppressing Pagoda.¡±


    ¡°This kind of thing should be studied in the future,¡± Xu Yang exhaled, as if he had let go of the shock and fear in his heart. ¡°Anyway, the Mystical Suppressing Pagoda has saved my life. It hasn¡¯t shown any disadvantages yet. ¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time to go full speed ahead and return to Lin Yuan City now!¡± Xu Yang clenched his fists looking in the direction of Lin Yuan City. His eyes lit up with eagerness.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming for you, Lin Yuan City¡ªthe center of the golden ages.¡±


    Mystical Energy was activated as Xu Yang started sprinting again using the Running Horse Stance.


    The ascetic teams of the Fire-Cloud Dojo were moving forward two hundred miles behind Xu Yang.


    Wei Haoshan and Lu Zhuo were protecting the disciples at the front and back of the team, waiting for Xu Yang¡¯s appearance. They were afraid that Xu Yang would appear suddenly and kill the disciples which would disqualify them.


    However, Xu Yang did not appear the whole morning. The two people gradually put aside their alertness and started chatting.


    ¡°Brother Wei, do you think the kid really ran away last night like what Hong Xi said?¡± Lu Zhuo asked.


    ¡°I think so¡­¡± Wei Haoshan said. ¡°The kid has been making a fool out of the three of us. It seems like Hong Xi has taken the opportunity ahead of us to chase after him.¡±


    ¡°It is impossible for an Early Mystical Learner to run faster than Hong Xi.¡± Lu Zhuo was somehow puzzled. ¡°Hong Xi is a Wind-Extreme Mystical Warrior, he has the fastest speed among us. He should have returned by now.¡±


    Wei Haoshan frowned and said, ¡°You should understand by now what kind of person Hong Xi is, he must¡¯ve caught the kid but he doesn¡¯t want to share the credit with us. He must have gone back to Lin Yuan City with the head of Xu Yang and has complained about us to the Chief.¡±


    ¡°Complain?¡± Lu Zhuo was shocked. ¡°Why? There are no grudges between us.¡±


    Wei Haoshan hummed, ¡°I think Hong Xi held a grudge in his heart when we refused to chase after the kid last night. He is full of schemes and so petty¡­ Let it go! Let¡¯s carry out our responsibility as a guide and admit our mistakes to the Chief. Hopefully, he won¡¯t cut our pay.¡±


    The group of people moved forward steadily. The gap between them and Xu Yang, who was moving forward swiftly, was getting bigger and bigger.

 Chapter 11

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Lin Yuan City was an urban area in Dong Lai Kingdom which was located at a place facing the sea and surrounded by mountains.


    The strength of Mystical Cultivators could decide the result of everything in that golden age. One could get anything including status, wealth and women if one had strong cultivation. The governor of the city was surnamed Li. He was sent to the city by the emperor of Dong Lai Kingdom as he had a cultivation of a Mystical Lord.


    There were three established families in Lin Yuan City under the rule of the governor, Lord Lin Yuan. They were the Xu family, Yu family and Ge family. The heads of the three families were masters at the Mystical Grandmaster stage.


    Xu Yang stopped his thoughts and looked at the towering city gate.


    The guard of the city gate stopped him and checked his identity. He gave up his intentions of requesting for incentives from Xu Yang, and grudgingly let him in after seeing Xu Yang¡¯s Ascetic Certificate.


    ¡°What rotten luck! He¡¯s an ascetic, can¡¯t get even a dime from them lot.¡± The guard mumbled. To the city gate officers, the ascetics were the poorest of them all. They were solo cultivators who would go into the wild for three months. They would not be able to bring in money. Even if they were to find any herbs, they would just consume them on the spot.


    Xu Yang was not in the mood for such things. He followed the route in his memory and trotted to the southwest direction of Lin Yuan City. That was his place of residence.


    The three families had been residing in Lin Yuan City for centuries. It could be said that they were deeply-rooted in the city. The Xu family occupied the southern region while the Yu family and Ge family occupied the eastern and western areas respectively. The three families had been going against each other for the other regions in the city except for the northern area managed by Lord Lin Yuan.


    Certainly, there were co-operations when competitions occurred. The other two families would secretly collaborate to go against the strongest family when a genius had been produced in one of the three families. This had made the statuses of the three families equal over the centuries.


    For example, there was a genius called Xu Qingyuan from the Xu family fifteen years ago. His cultivation had advanced to the pinnacle of a Mystical Master during his twenties, and he had no opponents below the stage of a Mystical Grandmaster. The Xu family had gained the most advantages at that time when the three heads were of equal strength. This had made it difficult for the Yu family and Ge family to survive.


    After that, the Yu family and Ge family finally regained their statuses as they collaborated to resist the Xu family at the markets and dojos.The Xu family was not bold enough to go against them as they knew that the Xu family could be massacred if both of the families were to work hand in hand to deal with them.


    After all, Xu Qingyuan was only a Pinnacle Mystical Master and not a Mystical Grandmaster. The Xu family could not deal with the heads of the other two families whose cultivations were at Pinnacle-tier Mystical Grandmaster as only one person in their family had such power, the head¡ªXu Changling.


    The Xu family had gone through a misfortune after Xu Qingyuan provoked a huge faction. The faction was a hundred times more powerful than the three families in Lin Yuan City. All of the elders from the faction had a cultivation of a Mystical Grandmaster. The faction did not set out to annihilate the whole Xu family but merely sent people to warn them.


    Xu Qingyuan went missing after the incident.


    The huge faction had obviously shown their dissatisfaction toward the Xu family. Plenty of families and factions had stopped their collaborations with the Xu family after the incident. This had caused the status of the Xu family to fall dramatically.


    The reason that Xu Yang had these memories was because his father was Xu Qingyuan. He had a younger sister called Xu Yu.


    2Xu Yang and his younger sister were ostracized by the Xu family because most of the members believed that it was Xu Qingyuan who caused the huge loss in power in the Xu family. Their current power was not able to deal with the Yu family or Ge family.


    ¡°Ha¡­ a group of family members who have never thought of strengthening themselves but only want to rely on the power of the younger members. How can they place the blame for the weakening of the family¡¯s standing solely on my father?¡± Xu Yang exhaled and stopped thinking about those family members.


    ¡°I have to make arrangements for my younger sister after my return. This is the way to cut off the last of this body¡¯s relationship with the rest.¡± Xu Yang was in deep contemplation. ¡°I would then have no worries as I focus on advancing into higher realms and climb onto the pinnacle of Mystical Cultivators in the future.¡±


    3Xu Yang followed the route in his memory and it brought him to a ruined mansion. The door and the tower of the mansion were high. The mural on the spirit screen with blurry intricate patterns told of its prosperity once upon a time.


    The mansion was ruined. The walls were collapsing in bits and pieces, every corner, every edge. Vines of green bristlegrass were growing lushly on the walls and the rooftop. The colors of the blurry mural on the spirit screen were faded, washed away by rainwater.


    It was one of the side courtyards of the Xu family, and the main courtyard of the Xu family was one street away from it. The door was tall and well-renovated. It showed a big difference between the main courtyard and the one where Xu Yang lived.


    Xu Yang opened the door gently and found that the rusty door was not locked.


    ¡®The little girl is only ten years old. She doesn¡¯t know to take care of herself. She doesn¡¯t even lock the door when she is at home alone.¡¯ Xu Yang thought to himself. He could not describe his feelings for the younger sister of the dead Xu Yang, Xu Yu. He was somehow concerned about the girl he had not even seen before. The possible reason for it might be the merged memories in his mind.


    After going around the spirit screen, there was an overgrown yard. Xu Yang, who had good eyesight, immediately found a small figure weeding in the yard.


    ¡°Sis¡­ Xu Yu, I¡¯m back.¡± Xu Yang said.


    The small figure stood up and her shovel dropped to the ground. She squeaked in surprise.


    ¡°Brother¡ª¡±


    Having said so, the small figure fell onto the ground.


    Xu Yang was shocked and used the Running Horse Position. He dashed to the girl¡¯s side with a gush of wind. Seeing her pale face and weak breaths, he quickly squatted down to check on her.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, brother.¡± Xu Yu did not lose consciousness. She stared at Xu Yang with her big eyes with deep joy. ¡°You¡¯re finally back¡­ These days, I have been having nightmares. I dreamed that you were in danger¡­ I thought that you would never come back¡­¡±


    2Xu Yu¡¯s dirty little hands held onto Xu Yang¡¯s arm tightly as if afraid that he would disappear with the wind if she were to let go.


    Xu Yang felt a touch of warmth in his heart as he could feel Xu Yu¡¯s strong dependence on him. He took a close look at Xu Yu¡¯s condition.


    One could easily black out due to the sudden lack of oxygen when one stood up suddenly after squatting for a long time. Xu Yu¡¯s physical condition was weaker than others would normally be. Thus, her condition was much more serious. She was so happy that Xu Yang had returned to the point where she had collapsed, it was not any sort of illness she had.


    Xu Yang slightly berated Xu Yu after he helped her up, ¡°Why don¡¯t you eat more? Your body has become so much thinner.¡±


    Xu Yu smiled but did not explain the reason why. She held onto Xu Yang¡¯s hand and said, ¡°You must be hungry. Let me cook for you¡­¡±


    Xu Yang felt a lump in his throat. He pretended to look at the sky and sniffed. He then lowered his head and smiled, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Xu Yu said suddenly. ¡°Come with me, brother.¡±


    Xu Yu pranced like a happy deer back into the house. She had been living in fear for the past two months. She was finally relieved seeing her brother¡¯s return.


    Xu Yang was touched looking at Xu Yu¡¯s back. He shook his head and quickly followed her.


    The room was a little dim.There were only two beds, a tiny table and two broken stools in the mansion. It was not an understatement to say that they had nothing but the bare walls in their house.


    Xu Yu ran to the side of the bed and took out an item wrapped in a red cloth from the bedside table carefully. She handed it to Xu Yang, ¡°Look!¡±


    Xu Yang was a little curious. What treasure could Xu Yu have?


    Xu Yang saw a yellow pill after he opened the red cloth.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Xu Yang was a little dazed. He had browsed through a lot of books in the future and he knew of many elixirs of this golden age in his era. However, this elixir had him confused.


    It was not about how precious the elixir was. After observing it for a while, Xu Yang realized that it was a Body Refining Elixir that was not usable. The elixir was made by at least three kinds of herbs conflicting with each other, and the heat control was terrible. It was impossible for it to succeed.


    Xu Yu did not notice Xu Yang¡¯s expression. She said happily, ¡°Brother, this is the Fire Wheel Elixir. It can help you to remove impurities from your body. It can increase your success rate when forming a Fire Turbine by thirty percent.¡±


    Xu Yang smiled bitterly and did not say anything. It was a useless elixir and not the Fire Wheel Elixir. He would have been sick if he were to consume that elixir.


    ¡°Where did you get this elixir?¡± Xu Yang asked. He speculated that Xu Yu had been cheated by someone.


    ¡°It is from Shopkeeper Ma of Ji Min Drugstore. He is a good man. This Fire Wheel Elixir is sold for at least one hundred Leopard Coins at the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion in the northern city. However, it was sold to me for fifty Leopard Coins by Shopkeeper Ma. He even allowed me to pay by installments.¡± Xu Yu was getting more and more excited. Her pale face showed a sickly redness.


    Xu Yang shook his head and slightly berated her, ¡°Fifty Leopard Coins is not a small amount. How could you think of buying this expensive thing at your age?¡±


    ¡°The Grand Family Tournament is in one month¡¯s time.¡± Xu Yu looked at her brother timidly. ¡°Haven¡¯t you been taking the Grand Family Tournament seriously?¡±


    2Xu Yang realized that there was a strong strand of memory about the Grand Family Tournament in the imperfect memories of the dead Xu Yang.


    For the members of the family, the family was their root. They could only cultivate in good condition when relying on the family.


    Putting all things aside, there was a sense of belonging that was in their very blood.


    For Xu Yang in the past, the motivation for his efforts was to be recognized again by his family and return to the family without being alienated by the other members.


    Xu Yu said softly, ¡°I can¡¯t help you much but I can create cultivating conditions for you¡­ Therefore, I used our ancestral house as a guarantee and bought this Fire Wheel Elixir¡­ As long as you can advance to the realm of Mystical Warriors, I would be happy even if that means that we have no house to live in¡­¡±


    Waves of warmth rolled through Xu Yang¡¯s heart. He no longer berated his younger sister but sighed in his heart.


    Originally, Xu Yang was thinking about giving up this relationship and leaving after he had made arrangements for Xu Yu¡¯s future. However, Xu Yu¡¯s dependence on him had changed his mind.


    2¡°What happened to you, brother?¡± Xu Yu asked anxiously, looking at the dazed Xu Yang.


    Xu Yang smiled and answered, ¡°Nothing. Let¡¯s go back, I¡¯ll cook some porridge for you.¡±


    Xu Yu felt that her brother was acting kind of weird after returning from the Python Mountains but she still smiled and said, ¡°Okay¡­ Let me cook for you. You have to cultivate and your time shouldn¡¯t be wasted on such things.¡±


    Xu Yang of the past worked hard in cultivation. He cultivated whenever he had the time. He had never thought of what he had to do to earn money. He had nearly depleted all of their valuable items and resources, and this had resulted in the deplorable conditions of their house.


    ¡®Cultivation, cultivation. He has cultivated to the point where he has nothing but the bare walls in his house. He was not eating well. How could he temper his body and improve his body strength when he was lacking nutrients?¡¯ Xu Yang sighed. No wonder he only had two or three juns of physical strength when he was at Early-tier Mystical Learner. He was not even comparable with a normal healthy man.


    It was time to think about ways to earn money. The members of a huge family would eat the meat of Ferocious Beasts, even Mutant Beasts.The meat contained rich energy that could temper one¡¯s body and set up the foundation for the way of a Mystical Cultivator.


    Xu Yang was rather confident about being able to earn money. He came from the future so he possessed inestimable knowledge in alchemy, smithing and runes. If he were not able to make money with the knowledge that he had accumulated, it would be better off if he did not exist.


    1When the two siblings entered their house, a voice difficult to distinguish between that of a man and a woman came from the spirit screen.


    ¡°Has Xu Yang returned? It¡¯s time for you to pay your debts.¡±

 Chapter 12

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°Debts?¡± Xu Yang turned his head upon hearing the voice, and saw several people walking into the courtyard quickly.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Xu Yang asked coldly. He felt uncomfortable about their action of intruding into other people¡¯s houses without permission.


    The first person was a middle-aged man. A pair of triangular eyes were glittering under the thin eyebrows. His mustache was fluttering, and he twisted the corners with his fingers from time to time. He actually looked like a weasel. He was dressed as an apothecary, but the plain white apothecary¡¯s robe did not seem to suit him.


    ¡°He¡­ he is the owner of Ji Min Apothecary, Mister Ma,¡± Xu Yu whispered and she grabbed onto Xu Yang¡¯s clothes. She greeted the middle-aged man. ¡°Mister Ma¡­ how are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m very good, but I¡¯m not fine if someone were to owe me money but not return what I¡¯m owed.¡± Mr. Ma twisted his mustache and sneered.


    Xu Yu lowered her head, with her voice as soft as a mosquito humming, she said, ¡°Mr. Ma¡­ My brother has just returned¡­ Can you please give me some more time? We need a month. We will be able to pay the debts when my brother returns to the family after the Xu family¡¯s Grand Family Tournament¡­¡±


    Xu Yang felt slightly bitter looking at her. The dead Xu Yang was so cowardly that this ten-year-old girl had to solve his problems for him. How much had she suffered all these while?


    Mr. Ma snorted and said, ¡°The Grand Family Tournament? Hmm. How do you know your useless brother can be approved by the Xu family and return the family? Furthermore, you have promised to add on a compound interest when you bought that Fire Wheel Elixir. After one month, it will not be merely fifty Leopard Coins.¡±


    The few men behind said, ¡°That¡¯s right. You have to pay what you owe!''¡±


    ¡°Mortgage the mansion if you can¡¯t pay up!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right!¡±


    The three men spoke provokingly. Xu Yang could not bear to see Xu Yu tremble helplessly, as he said frigidly, ¡°Do you think it is reasonable for four men to bully a child? Mr. Ma, come at me if you have any problem.¡±


    Mr. Ma was surprised as his triangular eyes flashed when he saw how the useless Xu Yang dared to resist. However, he would surely not hesitate. He smiled and said, ¡°Young Master Xu, it is surely good if you are able to bear this responsibility. Your sister has bought a Grade-2 Spirit Elixir, the Fire Wheel Elixir, from me with a discounted price of fifty Leopard Coins half a month ago. She had no money that time. I was kind enough to sell it to her using your mansion as a mortgage. Now, I¡¯m going to collect the debt that she owes. Are you going to pay by cash or by deed?¡±


    Xu Yang smiled coldly. He flipped open his palm and on it was the yellowish elixir. ¡°This is what you call a Fire Wheel Elixir? Hilarious! This is a piece of crap that you have made by adding some spices for the aroma of the elixir. Mr. Ma, this Ji Min Apothecary of yours is really one of a kind. How dare you scam your customers using fake elixirs!¡±


    Mr. Ma¡¯s eyes flashed, he was evidently taken aback. It was impossible for Xu Yang to identify the fake Fire Wheel Elixir in just one glance. However, he would assuredly not admit what he had done. He said, ¡°Do you think you can fool me using a useless elixir by saying that it is the Fire Wheel Elixir that I sold to you half a month ago? You must have already swallowed the elixir and you want to ruin my reputation using this useless elixir! I, Ma Fuquan, swear right here, right now, if you can¡¯t give me back one Fire Wheel Elixir, you have to pay me fifty Leopard Coins. Otherwise, I will kill you!¡±


    Xu Yang looked at the men behind Mr. Ma. The men were in their thirties and forties. Their cultivations were mostly in the Intermediate and Advanced Mystical Learner.


    1In the lower realms of Mystical Cultivation, the foundation of matter was the most important thing. It was hard to advance without adequate food therapy and elixirs. However, there were also some geniuses with excellent qualifications who could advance without those matters.


    Obviously, the men were not those who had good qualifications. They had no hope of advancing into Mystical Warriors since they were already in their middle-ages.


    There were a lot of people like them who never achieved the realm of a Mystical Warrior. Most of them were humble and lived on by doing physical hard work. There were also many of them who became gangsters and bullied others.


    ¡°You and what army? The useless trash behind you?¡± Xu Yang leered at the men and said, ¡°You can give it a try if you want to.¡±


    The stronger ones were more powerful in this world. If Xu Yang had the cultivation of a Mystical Warrior, Mr. Ma would not even dare take advantage of them, so it was not worth mentioning the gangsters he had brought along with him.


    Mr. Ma snorted, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to become so arrogant after your short adventure! Okay then, let¡¯s see how long you can resist us.¡±


    Under his command, the gangsters took out their weapons such as iron rods and machetes. They rushed toward Xu Yang with thundering yells.


    Xu Yu¡¯s face turned even paler than before and she shouted, ¡°Stop¡­¡± However she was too young and weak, and she could not stop this group of gangsters.


    ¡°We¡¯re screwed¡­¡± Xu Yu closed her eyes desperately. The image of Xu Yang being beaten up badly emerged in her head. She was relieved as they were in Lin Yuan City and Ji Min Apothecary was not strong enough to kill a person. The most that they could do was injure Xu Yang.


    Bang, bang, bang! Several sounds of violent collisions came, followed by the sound of a rod meeting its target. Finally, there were thumping sounds of what seemed like sacks being dropped onto the ground.


    Xu Yu opened her eyes courageously. She rushed in front and yelled, ¡°Stop fighting¡­ stop¡­¡±


    Xu Yu halted mid-run and rubbed her eyes in disbelief.


    What she had imagined did not happen. In contrast, the three gangsters had fallen to the ground. Their faces were deformed and the arms of two of them had been twisted into unnatural angles. Their arms had obviously been fractured badly.


    Xu Yang was pushing the tip of the iron rod against Mr. Ma¡¯s throat. He was standing and his eyes flashed frostily.


    ¡°Please¡­ please don¡¯t kill me!¡± Mr. Ma¡¯s voice was shaky. His face had turned pale and his legs were trembling.


    1He could not believe his eyes when he saw those gangsters being defeated by Xu Yang with their iron rod snatched in just two breaths. His moves were so smooth and he was not like the useless young master from before.


    ¡®I must not kill him.¡¯ Xu Yang knew that the golden age was dominated by the stronger ones. If one wanted to live in a city dominated by the stronger ones, one had to abide by the rules they had set up.


    1Who was the strongest person in Lin Yuan City? It would definitely be Lord Lin Yuan¡ªLi Zhouping. He had the cultivation of a Mystical Lord. One of the rules he had set up was that no one could kill others freely.


    1If he were as strong as the head of the three families, nothing would happen if some people were killed by him. However, Xu Yang¡¯s cultivation and status were too weak. It would only trouble Xu Yu and him if he killed Mr. Ma hastily.


    He would not kill him but he would not just let him go.


    1¡°Do you admit scamming my sister with a fake elixir?¡± The strength projected onto the iron rod was getting stronger and stronger as Xu Yang enunciated each word. He pushed the rod against Mr. Ma¡¯s throat to the point where he could barely breathe. He could only nod his head vigorously as his face had turned into a darker shade.


    Xu Yang loosened the iron rod and commanded that Mr. Ma tear the agreement himself.


    ¡°You should enjoy this Fire Wheel Elixir yourself.¡± Xu Yang sneered. He looked like a demon in the eyes of Mr. Ma. He pinched Mr. Ma¡¯s jaw with his left hand and flicked the elixir into his mouth with his right hand. Soon after, the elixir entered Mr. Ma¡¯s throat.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Mr. Ma¡¯s face turned pale and his body was bent like a prawn after escaping from Xu Yang¡¯s grip. He tried hard to cough up the elixir but it had already melted in his mouth. Mr. Ma felt bitterness spread all over his mouth and throat, and his chest and abdomen were extremely painful.


    Xu Yang did not let the three gangsters go. He crushed their Star Oceans with the iron rod one by one.


    ¡°You have done many inhumane acts that hurt a lot of people in the neighborhood. Take this as a lesson that I¡¯m giving you.¡± Xu Yang said stonily. He was not bothered by things like this as there were many people out there doing the same, but these people had the audacity to mess with him and his family.


    The three people were desperate. Their cultivation and physical strength were completely destroyed as their Star Oceans had been rendered useless. They were even weaker than a common person.


    ¡°Scram!¡± Xu Yang yelled coldly. Mr. Ma was the first to flee and the other three scrambled to their feet and ran away.


    ¡°Brother¡­¡± Xu Yu ran to Xu Yang and grabbed his arm. She examined his body carefully and said, ¡°How do you feel? Are you hurt?¡±


    Xu Yang smiled and caressed Xu Yu¡¯s unkempt hair. ¡°I¡¯m alright. Those useless things can¡¯t hurt me.¡±


    Xu Yu was finally able to relax. She held onto Xu Yang¡¯s firm arm and said, ¡°How did you become so strong? They were all bad guys in the Intermediate and Advanced Mystical Learners. You defeated them all at once.¡±


    Xu Yang rubbed his head as it was hard to explain. He merely said, ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know. My strength has increased after I consumed a spirit herb at the Python Mountains.¡± He could only conceal the true reason with this kind of story.


    Xu Yu was surprised as she said, ¡°You met a good opportunity, brother.¡±


    Xu Yu was still a child after all, after the danger had passed, she went on her merry way to cook porridge for them. Xu Yang was lost in his thoughts as he looked at the three iron rods on the floor.


    He was the only guardian of his younger sister. He must take responsibility and think hard about his current condition.


    Xu Yang wrote slowly on the ground using an iron rod. First, he wrote the Fire-Cloud Dojo, then he wrote Xu family beside it. He added the Vast-Gate Dojo after thinking for a while.


    These were three difficult problems that could not be bypassed on his way to survive in Lin Yuan City.


    Needless to say the Fire-Cloud Dojo would not forgive him as one of their guides at the realm of a Mystical Warrior had been killed. Lu Zhuo and Wei Haoshan would surely give him problems as they would put all the blame on him when reporting to their chief.


    The Vast-Gate Dojo was also a big problem for Xu Yang.


    The complete annihilation of the entire ascetic team was a huge blow to the reputation of the Vast-Gate Dojo. As the only outsider in the ascetic team who had escaped death, Xu Yang would definitely be noticed by the chief of the dojo as he was the only person who knew what had happened. He would inevitably be involved in the battle between the two dojos. Xu Yang would easily be crushed with his weak cultivation.


    The Xu family was not only worthless to rely on, but also another problem he would face.


    Xu Yang¡¯s thoughts kept going back to the reason Mr. Ma had dared to bring those gangsters at the realm of a Mystical Learner to the mansion as he was still one of the members of the Xu family after all. Even if he had been overlooked by the Xu family, a shopkeeper of an ordinary apothecary would not have the guts to pick on him.


    The only explanation would be that someone had told Mr. Ma to do that. The person behind this was likely the Xu family members.


    Xu Yang scratched his head, and smiled bitterly.


    ¡®My cultivation is still too weak. I must fully utilize my time to increase my strength through the special techniques in my memory.¡¯ Xu Yang clenched his fists. His mind was set in stone.

 Chapter 13

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    A feeling of tenderness spread through Xu Yang as he looked at Xu Yu who was busy preparing their food. She was as happy as a deer prancing about in the forest.


    He sat in front of the only table in the mansion, put down the leather pouch on his back and opened it.


    ¡°The things inside this pouch will be my cornerstone for turning over the previously miserable life.¡±


    The owner of the leather pouch was Hong Xi of Fire-Cloud Dojo who had been killed by Xu Yang. Xu Yang had checked the items inside on his way back to the city. There were several kinds of herbs, three of them were ungraded herbs which were not valuable.


    The last herb was a flower with nine petals and three colors. It was a graded spirit herb named the Nine-Petals Orchid. Its medicinal property was mild and it could regulate the strength of an elixir. It was an essential assistive herb used in producing many graded elixirs.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that it only has three colors. It can only be used to produce Grade-3 elixirs. It will be of a higher value after several years when it becomes four colors.¡± Xu Yang found a wooden box and wiped it clean. Xu Yang then wrapped the Nine-Petals Orchid with a yellow cloth and put it into the box carefully.


    Hong Xi did not recognize the herb so he had thrown it in his pouch when he obtained it, and it had ultimately gone to Xu Yang.


    ¡®I have to look for a suitable place to sell this herb.¡¯ Xu Yang started to recollect his memory.


    The largest trading centre of Lin Yuan City was the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion in the northern area. It had a strong background and the Appraisal Conference was regularly held there. It was one of the highest assembly points in Lin Yuan City.


    However, Xu Yang did not include it as a choice. He was too weak and he was at a risk in everything that he did. He did not have a lot of background information on the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion. He might be scammed easily if he were to go there for trading.


    ¡®There is a market in the southern area with a complicated background.¡¯ Xu Yang¡¯s eyes glinted as he suddenly had an idea.


    1It was a silent night.


    ***


    The morning after.


    The southern area of Lin Yuan City was always occupied by the Xu family. Although the Xu family was going through a hard time, it was still a huge family with a strong background. There were only a few insensible Mystical Cultivators who would come looking for trouble.


    Liberty Street in the southern area was a low-grade trading center that had been managed by the Xu family for centuries. There were plenty of people who came in the early mornings to occupy the stalls. They arranged their goods and waited for buyers.


    Although they had to pay a monthly rental fee to the Xu family for selling things at the stalls, their safety was ensured. The Xu family would come forward and maintain order if there were thieves or robbers.


    Xu Yang put on a bamboo hat and went to the famous Liberty Street. He paid money for a stall number to the Xu family¡¯s servant-in-charge at the street entrance.


    ¡°Number 97, ten Tiny Coins.¡± The servant said drowsily as he could not see the face under the bamboo hat. Tiny Coins was a weak form of currency. One hundred Tiny Coins could be exchanged for one Wolf Coin.


    Xu Yang could identify the cultivation of the servant. The servant was in the Intermediate tier of a Mystical Learner. It was a normal tier to have but no one was that stupid to bully him as he had a strong Xu family background.


    1The numbers on the stalls indicated whether they were good or bad stalls, but Xu Yang was not going to fight for stalls. He was not selling many items and the only valuable item was the Nine-Petals Orchid. He did not care about the volume of potential buyers as the buyers would come to him if they really needed an item.


    After some time, Xu Yang finally found stall No.97. It was located between a tea house and a chest house. It was quite remote. He wiped off the dust on the bluestone slab and placed the wooden box on it. He then sat down and closed his eyes silently.


    The boss of stall No.96 was a middle-aged man with a fiery face. He looked like a butcher. He stared at Xu Yang in surprise and laughed at him. ¡°No shouting and no signboard¡­ Do you think you are selling treasures? Hmm, you¡¯re another fool who has cultivated Mystical Qi until it has fried your brain.¡±


    The middle-aged man was selling beast meat. The stall was bloody and smelly. There was a signboard on top of his stall, on it it was written, ¡®Beast Meat, Perfect Supplement¡¯.


    Xu Yang heard the butcher¡¯s ridicule but he was not angry. He opened his eyes and stared at the stall. He said, ¡°We are both selling things. Why are you being ironic?¡±


    Spit! The middle-aged butcher spat and shook his head. He said, ¡°I, Tiger Li, have seen a lot of dumb people who cultivate Mystical Qi like you. Your cultivation is only in the Intermediate tier of a Mystical Learner but you¡¯re acting so arrogantly. Do you think you are qualified to be a businessman?¡±


    Xu Yang shook his head. It was meaningless to waste energy on this kind of dumb city resident.


    Tiger Li thought that Xu Yang had acknowledged his words. He was feeling delightful and he continued to lecture the ¡®Mystical Qi cultivating dummy¡¯.


    After speaking for a while, Tiger Li started to feel thirsty. He looked at Xu Yang who had his eyes closed, and he felt frustrated as he seemed to be wasting his energy on Xu Yang.


    ¡°Fresh beast meat selling at a good price! Just transported from the Python Mountains. Tasty and good for the body!¡±


    Amidst the crowd, there was soon someone approaching his stall.


    ¡°What meat do you have?¡± A good-looking teenager with fair skin asked with interest.


    Xu Yang opened his eyes slightly and stared at the teenager. The teenager was dressed luxuriously and his outfit was exquisitely decorated. He could feel a dignified aura being exuded from the teenager.


    ¡®The noble teenager has cultivation as strong as the Mystical Warriors at Advanced-tier such as Hong Xi and Lu Zhuo.¡¯ Xu Yang was secretly on alert. ¡°He looks to be fourteen of fifteen years old¡­ His background must not be ordinary. He is likely to be the grandson of the head from the three major families.¡¯


    Tiger Li was energetic seeing that there was a customer. He introduced his products, ¡°As you can see, this is the leg meat of a Mountain Fox. It can improve your body¡¯s coordination. This is the meat of a Five-Patterned Python. It has excellent taste. Please look at this Ground Dragon meat. It is chewy and it can enhance your physical strength¡­¡±


    ¡°The meat here is quite fresh,¡± the teenager looked at the blood and smiled. ¡°However, the quality is very bad. The meat eaten by the guard at my house is even better than these.¡±


    ¡°Young Master, this is a low-level stall. Do you think there would be anything good?¡± There were two guard-like followers behind the teenager. One of them said dismissively, ¡°Young Master, you should not be fooled by him. The meat here is not as fresh as the butcher¡¯s as he will regularly pour fresh blood to mask its quality.¡±


    The guard stretched out a finger and shot a tiny green snake forward. It penetrated a piece of mink meat in front of him.


    No fresh blood came out from the penetrated mink meat and its color was slightly black. It was not as fresh as Tiger Li had claimed.


    ¡®Mystical Master!¡¯ Xu Yang was stunned. The cultivation that the guard showed had shocked him. He started to have a deeper understanding of the golden age.


    The green tiny snake bounced back to the palm of the guard as fast as lightning. It was moving like a living creature. Xu Yang knew that it was just a Spirit Snake formed by the Wind-Extreme Mystical Qi and it was not truly a living creature.


    It was a technique of the Mystical Masters to form items using Mystical Qi.


    Tiger Li was terrified and quickly apologized with a bow, ¡°It¡¯s my fault for cheating you, Young Master. I beg for your forgiveness!¡±


    Although the Xu family would help the merchants on Liberty Street, they would not intervene if the merchants tried to scam others and were beaten up as it was their own fault.


    Xu Yang was sure that the teenager came from a powerful faction that was not weaker than the Xu family as he was guarded by two bodyguards in the realm of a Mystical Master. Even if it was not Tiger Li¡¯s fault, the Xu family would not fight for him due to such considerations.


    ¡°Such a lowly act,¡± the Young Master scolded casually, but he did not continue to hold it against Tiger Li as his words of apology seemed sincere enough. He shrugged, waved and laughed, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Xu Yang could tell that the teenager was only here to spend leisure time. He closed his eyes and ignored him.


    He did not think that the teenager would look around and set his eyes on Xu Yang at his stall. He was curious seeing Xu Yang¡¯s silence compared to the others and he walked forward.


    ¡°What are you selling at your stall?¡± The Young Master asked.


    Xu Yang opened his eyes and glanced at the teenager. He answered, ¡°Herbs.¡±


    ¡°Herbs?¡± The young man frowned when he saw the herbs placed on the stand except for the one inside the wooden box. ¡°Is he another scammer? He says that he is selling herbs, but why are there no traces of Mystical Energy in these plants?¡±


    The guard who used the Wind-Mystical Spirit Snake stepped forward and said, ¡°Young Master, it is a low-grade stall without any graded elixirs.¡±


    The young master finally realized his mistake and said, ¡°I¡¯ve blamed you wrongly. You are not a scammer.¡±


    He was not an arrogant young master as he apologized when he made a mistake. When the teenager was about to leave, Xu Yang said, ¡°I do have a spirit herb but I¡¯m not sure whether you will recognize it.¡±


    ¡°You really do have an elixir?¡± The young master turned around and his eyes glinted. ¡°Let me have a look. How valuable can a spirit herb be?¡±


    Xu Yang opened the wooden box slowly and unwrapped the yellow cloth. ¡°Here it is.¡±


    ¡°The flower is quite beautiful.¡± The teenager¡¯s eyes shone brightly when he saw the Nine-Petals Orchid. He said casually, ¡°How much is it? I¡¯m buying it for my elder sister.¡±


    1He did not know that Xu Yang was looking at him, and had seen his facial expression change at the sight of the Nine-Petals Orchid. Xu Yang knew that he had recognized the Nine-Petals Orchid. Xu Yang smiled and wrapped the flower in the yellow cloth once again. He then placed the flower back into the wooden box.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± The teenagers stopped Xu Yang. ¡°I¡¯m going to buy it.¡±


    Xu Yang said calmly, ¡°Since you have recognized the tricolor Nine-Petals Orchid, you must know how precious it is. It can regulate the strength of elixirs and increase the success rate of producing elixirs below Grade 3. Please don¡¯t bargain with me as I know its value.¡±


    His attempt at purchasing the item at an amount lower than its value was seen through by Xu Yang. The teenager laughed and was not angry. In fact, he was bargaining for fun as money was not an issue for him. He then said, ¡°It¡¯s interesting. You know a lot. The Nine-Petals Orchid is a scarce spirit herb, and I read about it in an ancient book. How did you recognize it? ¡±


    ¡°Are you¡­ an alchemist?¡± The teenager stared at Xu Yang as he was trying to look at his face under the bamboo hat.


    Alchemist Masters, Blacksmith Masters, and Rune Masters were respected occupations.


    Alchemist Masters could produce Spirit Elixirs to help Mystical Cultivators in tier advancement, cultivation and healing.


    Blacksmith Masters could forge Mystical Armors that could improve Mystical Cultivators¡¯ use of Mystical Energy.


    Runes Masters was the most mysterious occupation in the Mystical Continent. Most people were not sure what their abilities were but they were well-known via word of mouth. It was easy for them to challenge opponents that had larger numbers of people and those who were in higher realms.


    Xu Yang shook his head and answered, ¡°Young Master, you must be kidding. I¡¯ll not be here selling herbs if I were an Alchemist Master.¡±

 Chapter 14

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The young master laughed as he knew that it was impossible too. Alchemist Masters were a respected occupation. They would never sell herbs at Liberty Street even if they were beginner Alchemists who could only yield Grade-1 elixirs. Moreover, he could tell that the person donning the bamboo-hat was at a young age based on his voice. There must be factions willing to hire and cultivate him If he had become an Alchemist at his age.


    ¡°You must not be an ordinary person even if you are not an Alchemist.¡± The young master smiled and said. ¡°I¡¯ll have this Nine-Petals Orchid as a symbol of the start of a new friendship. Li Feng, pay for it.¡±


    The guard who casted the Wind-Mystical-Spirit Snake nodded and took out a small purse. He took out a gold coin piece and placed it onto the bluestone slab.


    ¡°Winged-Tiger Coin!¡± The merchant of Stall Number 96, Tiger Li, exclaimed at the sight of the coin. He opened his eyes wide and displayed a somewhat terrified face.


    A Winged-Tiger Coin could be exchanged for ten Leopard Coins. It was the same value as one hundred Wolf Coins.


    Xu Yang was surprised. A Winged-Tiger Coin could support a family with one child to live comfortably for one year. The price that the young master paid for the Nine-Petals Orchid was way too high.


    The Nine-Petals Orchid was good but the one he bought from Xu Yang only had three colours. Its grade was too low. If it had one more color, its price would increase by ten to a hundred times.


    ¡°This Nine-Petals Orchid is only valued at fifty Wolf Coins.¡± Xu Yang looked at him and said placidly. ¡°It is a huge loss for you if you use a Winged-Tiger Coin to buy it.¡±


    The young master laughed and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I just want to be friends with you. My name is Li Wang and I live in the northern city. You don¡¯t have to feel that you owe me anything. It is a fair trade.¡±


    The young master took his leave as he said so, and the two guards followed close behind.


    Tiger Li, the butcher, had his eyes wide open all this while, as he looked at half of Xu Yang¡¯s face shown under the bamboo hat. He was envious and jealous.


    Xu Yang put away the Winged-Tiger Coin and started to tidy up his stall.


    ¡°Sh*t. What kind of sh*t luck is that.¡± Tiger Li cursed. He could not even earn a Leopard Coin after having worked hard for one month. This made him feel frustrated.


    That teenager with the bamboo hat had just told him not to be ironic and had stopped acknowledging his presence. He was ashamed as he had been ignored from the beginning up till the end.


    Xu Yang went to the bank and exchanged the Winged-Tiger Coin to one hundred Wolf Coins. The coins made clanging sounds in his purse. This made him feel steady and more assured.


    Xu Yang returned to Liberty Street again and purchased several items that he had decided to buy earlier on. He went home after spending dozens of Wolf Coins.


    ¡°Brother, you¡¯re back.¡± It was already noon. Xu Yu exclaimed, ¡°It¡¯s time to prepare lunch.¡±


    ¡°I bought some grains, rice and several kilograms of beast meat.¡± Xu Yang hummed and answered, ¡°Xu Yu, here are fifty Wolf Coins. You can spend it as you please.¡± He threw a leather pouch to Xu Yu.


    Xu Yu took the pouch without thinking much about it. When she finally realized that it was not a small amount, after a short silence, she said, ¡°Wha¡­ what? Fifty Wolf Coins?¡±


    Xu Yu opened the pouch hurriedly and found that there really were fifty coins with a wolf¡¯s head inside. She was surprised. ¡°Where did you get such a large amount of money, Brother?¡±


    Xu Yang chortled seeing Xu Yu¡¯s frightened facial expression like he had done something bad. However, he was touched by the concern shown by his sister.


    Xu Yang rubbed his nose and turned his back on Xu Yu and said, ¡°What are you thinking of? I got the money after I sold the herbs I brought back from the Python Mountains.¡±


    Xu Yu believed in his words, but instead of taking the money, she returned the pouch to him. ¡°You need to spend a lot of money on your Mystical Cultivation. You should take the money.¡±


    Xu Yang sighed hearing the sensible words of his ten-year-old sister. He turned around and held onto Xu Yu¡¯s thin hand. ¡°Take it. I promise to make more money in the future and we will never have to worry about money.¡±


    Xu Yu stared at Xu Yang with her shiny eyes. She kept the leather pouch under Xu Yang¡¯s insistence.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Xu Yu took the pouch and hid it in the nightstand. She sat on her bed and mumbled, ¡°I have to go to the Luo Cang Rice Shop to buy a pack of rice. They will give me an adequate amount. Then, I¡¯m going to the fabric shop to make some clothes for my brother¡­¡±


    Looking at the ten-year-old Xu Yu planning for the expenses of their small family, Xu Yang¡¯s eyes were moist. He took a long breath and walked out of the room quietly.


    ¡°All of the required materials have been prepared. It¡¯s time to start working¡­ The Fire-Cloud Dojo¡¯s Ascetic Team will return to Lin Yuan City within ten days. The people of Vast-Guard Dojo will find out about the elimination of their ascetic team soon. I must have the ability to protect myself before that.¡±


    Xu Yang looked somber. He measured the length and width of the ruined mansion with his feet. Next, he calculated the bearings and dug a one-foot deep hole in eight locations respectively.


    ¡°What are you doing, Brother?¡± Xu Yu walked out of the door and asked when she saw Xu Yang digging holes.


    After putting down the last shovel of dirt, Xu Yang stood up and said, ¡°Xu Yu, please bring me the carving knife.¡±


    The obedient Xu Yu had no more questions but trotted into the house and brought him the carving knife.


    Xu Yang squatted down and placed eight half-foot long, square, light-yellow peach wood boards on the ground. He used a red pen to draw several fine red lines on them.


    Mysterious patterns were drawn on the eight light-yellow wooden boards within half an hour. Xu Yang breathed a sigh of relief. He took the carving knife and started sculpting according to these marks.


    This was one of the self-protection methods prepared by Xu Yang. It was called the Mystical-Restrictive Array.


    The young master named Li Wang had guessed wrongly about Xu Yang¡¯s identity. Xu Yang not only knew how to produce elixirs but had also acquired deeper knowledge in smithing and rune writing that exceeded that of this era¡¯s.


    Besides the acquisition of knowledge, producing elixirs, smithing and rune writing required an excellent control of Mystical Energy and a strong Mind Power. Xu Yang was used to absorbing Mystical Energy from nature in the era when Mystical Energy was scarce. Thus, he might have the best controlling ability of Mystical Energy among the Mystical Learners, and he might even be better than some of the Mystical Warriors.


    1Mind Power was a kind of mysterious power that Xu Yang did not know much about. However, his Mind Power had become stronger after he had travelled through time to come to this era. This might be credited to the fusion of the souls of the two Xu Yangs.


    Xu Yang was capable of creating the layout for the Mortal-tier array with these conditions although he was only a Mystical Learner.


    The Mystical-Restrictive Array he produced could restrict the use of Mystical Power of Mystical Warriors in the area. Even Mystical Masters could be influenced too.


    Xu Yang remembered the first Mystical Warrior he had killed, Hong Xi. He was killed because he had no Mystical Power at that time.


    Xu Yang launched his Star Ocean and infused Mystical Energy into the tracks of the runes when he was done carving.


    A touch of luster lit up on the eight peach wood boards one by one. It was as if they had been infused by the breath of life. They vibrated and resonated with each other.


    ¡°It is so beautiful.¡± Xu Yu said in amazement.


    Xu Yang smiled and buried the activated runes into the holes he had dug.


    After the last peach wood board was buried, Xu Yang took out a piece of wood chip carved with the word ¡°Restrict¡± and infused it with Mystical Energy.


    Suddenly, the entire yard was covered by a faint restriction force. Xu Yang and Xu Yu could not feel the force as they had no Mystical Power. However, if a Mystical Warrior were to come in, he would be shocked to find that he had lost connection with the Mystical Power he was proud of.


    Xu Yang withdrew the Mystical Energy on the wood chip and the restriction force disappeared in a flash. The wood chip was the switch to launch the Mystical-Restrictive Array.


    Xu Yu ate the rice, as well as the fragrant beast meat, with a ravenous appetite during lunch. Her small mouth was greasy, and she rambled on about how delicious the food was.


    ¡°Eat slowly, I will not snatch your food.¡± Xu Yang was becoming more and more like an older brother. He advised with a smile, ¡°There will be more delicious food in the future. I must feed you till you are fat and round.¡±


    Xu Yan¡¯s little mouth was full of rice and shredded meat. She mumbled slurrily and then began to clean out her bowl.


    Xu Yang stood up after he was full.


    ¡®Although there is a Mystical-Restrictive Array, it is not enough for me to defeat a Mystical Warrior. I could kill Hong Xi last time because he underestimated his opponent.¡¯ Xu Yang¡¯s eyes gleamed, ¡®Hence, I must cultivate a body strengthening technique to improve my melee-combating strength.¡¯


    Divine Roc¡¯s Incarnation could boost his speed. Bull¡¯s Vigor could enhance his strength. Elephant Emperor¡¯s Dominance not only further enhances strength but also increases vitality¡­ Xu Yang examined the techniques in his mind. He found that although the techniques were good, they also needed stronger cultivation to cultivate. It was tough for him to cultivate these techniques even for the Bull¡¯s Vigor that required the lowest level of cultivation as his cultivation was at the Intermediate-Tier of a Mystical Learner.


    1Moreover, cultivating Bull¡¯s Vigor could intensify the strength of his fist but it did not help in increasing the defense ability of one¡¯s body. It was not the best choice for Xu Yang who needed to increase his resistance ability.


    Finally, Xu Yang¡¯s mind was focused on a defensive Mystical Technique.


    Rock Body!


    It was a defensive Mystical Technique focused on strengthening one¡¯s body. It required Earth-Extreme Mystical Cultivators to cultivate but it was not a problem for Xu Yang who had Mystical Veins that had eight balanced extremes.


    Although the Rock Body technique was a low-tier Mortal Mystical Technique, it was the opening chapter to a high-tier Divine Mystical Technique¡ªIndestructible Body.


    1However, he would need some herbs as an aid of cultivating the skill. The most important spirit herb was the Red Dragon Root. Although it was not as rare as the Nine-Petals Orchid, it was still a graded spirit herb. It cost at least twenty Wolf Coins.


    Furthermore, it was hard to buy a real graded spirit herb from Liberty Street which had a lot of counterfeit goods. Xu Yang decided to go to the northern city.


    The largest trading centre in Lin Yuan City, Thousand-Treasures Pavilion, was located there.

 Chapter 15

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°Young Master, I have found out who the teenager in the bamboo hat is. His name is Xu Yang, from the Xu family.¡± The guard, Li Feng, bowed his head and reported in a wide and luxurious hall.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to come from the Xu family. It¡¯s strange. Why does a member of the Xu family have to go to Liberty Street to sell herbs?¡± Li Wang was sitting on a carved wooden chair, sniffing the scent of the tricolored Nine-Petals Orchid and said curiously.


    ¡°Young Master.¡± Li Feng said respectfully. ¡°Xu Yang was not treated well in the Xu family. He lives in a ruined courtyard that is not a part of the main courtyard of the Xu family.¡±


    ¡°Young Master, do we need to continue observing him?¡± Li Feng asked Li Wang, seeing that he was silent.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t need to.¡± Li Wang smiled, displaying a level of maturity that was rare at his age. ¡°Sincerity is the base for making friends. I have already gone too far for investigating him secretly.¡±


    Li Feng bowed and accepted the order. As he straightened his body, he could not help himself and said, ¡°The teenager named Xu Yang was not valued by the family. His identity doesn¡¯t suit you. It is his honour to know your name. You don¡¯t have to put so much consideration into this relationship.¡±


    Li Wang laughed and placed the Nine-Petals Orchid into the wooden box. ¡°Enough is enough. That is why you will never know what being a friend means. I¡¯m giving this box to Elder Sister. She is crazed about producing elixirs. She may need it.¡±


    A melodious voice came from outside the walls. ¡°Oh? What was that?¡±


    A noble girl in luxurious clothing entered the room suddenly and said, ¡°You have grown more sensible. You even know to buy gifts for your sister. Good.¡±


    The young girl was about seventeen or eighteen years old. She was wearing a beige dress and a white halter, showing her seductive figure perfectly. Her black hair was held up by a bright gold hairpin donned with jewellery, and three golden spikes hanging at the end of it. The girl¡¯s delicate face was as charming as a flower.


    Li Wang promptly stood up and bowed at her, ¡°Hello, Elder Sister.¡± He laughed after greeting her and said, ¡°Elder Sister, if Father had seen you rushing in such a hurry, he would have asked you to copy the Female Rites a hundred times.¡±


    The girl pouted and said, ¡°Those things such as Female Rites and Daughter Classic are for those incapable eye candies. I, Li Yuanzhi, will never have to use them.¡±


    1Li Wang said helplessly, ¡°Yes, you are right. You don¡¯t need to adhere to the Female Rites as you are a female Alchemist.¡±


    LI Yuanzhi said proudly, ¡°Of course! I¡¯ve been preparing to produce the Life-Extension Elixir. It is a real Grade-4 elixir. Father won¡¯t be able to control me after I have succeeded.¡±


    Li Wang was excited and said, ¡°Is that for Grandpa?¡±


    Li Yuanzhi nodded and answered, ¡°Hmm. I will bring the Life-Extension Elixir to Father after I have produced it. Let¡¯s see if he¡¯ll still ask me to copy the scriptures again!¡±


    The siblings laughed for a while and their solemnity returned.


    Li Yuanzhi was a rare genius in alchemy. She had reached the level of a Tier-3 Alchemist at her young age and could be called a top-notch alchemist in Lin Yuan City.


    ¡°Life-Extension Elixir is a Grade-4 elixir that can extend the lifespan of an ordinary person.¡± Li Wang recited the function of a Life-Extension Elixir. ¡°Grandpa is not an ordinary person but a Mystical Lord. The vitality of an ordinary person is like a stream but the Mystical Lord¡¯s is like a long river! Life-Extension Elixirs can fill a stream but it is hard to fill a river¡­ Are you sure you can do that?¡±


    Li Yuanzhi sighed and said, ¡°No matter what it takes I¡¯m not going to see Grandpa becoming older and older. The status of the Li family is supported by Grandpa. If Grandpa is no longer alive, the emperor would probably remove the position of the governor and it would be a calamity for the Li family.¡±


    Li Wang nodded and took the wooden box. ¡°Elder Sister, I know nothing about alchemy and can¡¯t help you much. However, I found a Nine-Petals Orchid when I was strolling outside. It could maybe help you.¡±


    Li Yuanzhi was suddenly energized and opened the wooden box. She said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? Nine-Petals Orchids can increase the success rate in producing elixirs. Now I¡¯m even more sure that I¡¯ll succeed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too bad it only has only three colors.¡± Li Wang sighed and said slowly when his sister opened the box. I¡¯ll pay a thousand times the price if it has one more color.¡±


    Li Yuanzhi¡¯s excitement soon de-escalated. It would not help her much as it only had three colors.


    ¡°Well. It is better than nothing.¡± Li Yuanzhi sighed. ¡°Father has gone to Dong Lai City to hire a higher tier alchemist. Hopefully there will be good news soon.¡±


    Li Wang nodded and exhaled once. ¡°Stop thinking about that, Elder Sister. Li Feng, tell her what we saw when we went to Liberty Street.¡±


    1***


    ¡°The Thousand-Treasures Pavilion is indeed the largest trading center in Lin Yuan City.¡± Xu Yang sighed at the magnificent gates of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion.


    As he entered through the gates, the guards at the gates had cultivation at the realm of Mystical Warrior and their eyes flashed with surprise when they saw Xu Yang¡¯s worn-out clothes, but they did not stop him.


    The guards at places such as the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion were more open and all-embracing. They knew that they should not judge a book by its cover. A lot of masters with high realms of cultivation appeared poor and unkempt. One who was dressed like a beggar could also possess valuable treasures.


    There was a wide hall behind the gates. There were more than a dozen rows of shelves covered with glass panels which made it easy for the customers to view the goods.


    There were four doors at the innermost area. It was the inner pavilion for entertaining important clients.


    There were plenty of people looking at the items on the shelves. Four guards with cultivations of Advanced Mystical Warriors were standing at the four corners of the hall, protecting the goods.


    Xu Yang directly walked to the shelf marked with herbs and started to look for the Red Dragon Root.


    ¡°Specter-Face Flower, Salivation Leaf, Withered Spirit Vine¡­¡± Xu Yang looked at the herbs one by one. Most of them were Grade-1 spirit herbs and a few of them were Grade-2 ones.


    Red Dragon Root was not a rare spirit herb. Xu Yang soon found it. Its appearance looked like a small red root. Most people would not be able to tell that it was a graded spirit herb if there were no signboards.


    Xu Yang rang the bell on the side and a woman in a splendid attire walked toward him. ¡°How can I help you, Sir?¡±


    The service of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion was indeed refreshing and it really lived up to its reputation as Lin Yuan City¡¯s top trading center. The woman in front of him was pretty with a good temperament which made him feel good.


    ¡°I want to buy this one¡­¡± Xu Yang said calmly. He then heard a disdainful voice when he pointed his finger at the Red Dragon Root.


    ¡°Oh? Is that my useless Younger Brother? Aren¡¯t you embarrassed coming to the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion? Don¡¯t you know what kind of place this is? You can¡¯t buy anything here even if you sell your ruined mansion!¡±


    A slightly familiar voice came from behind. Xu Yang turned around and saw two teenagers about fifteen or sixteen years old. The person on the left was tall and had a slightly yellowish complexion, while the person on the right was thin and had a fair complexion. Both of them wore the Xu family¡¯s uniforms which had a small seven-colored emblem on the left chest.


    The seven-colored emblem was the emblem of the Xu family.


    Xu Yang recognized the two of them. The taller one was Xu Zhengzha while the thinner one was Xu Zhengfei.


    Xu Zhengzha and Xu Zhengfei had been bullying Xu Yang before he moved out of the main courtyard. Many of the hidden injuries on his body were created by the two ¡®brothers¡¯.


    1¡®Cultivation in the pinnacle of a Mystical Learner? It is not worth paying attention to those with cultivation below that of a Mystical Warrior.¡¯


    He could sense the cultivation of the two siblings. He glanced at them coldly and said to the woman of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion. ¡°I want to buy this Red Dragon Root.¡±


    Xu Zhengzha and Xu Zhengfei were furious. How dare the useless Xu Yang ignore them. The two brothers were in disbelief. In the past, Xu Yang would be trembling whenever he saw them but he was so relaxed at the moment.


    ¡°You have good eyes, sir. This Red Dragon Root has a century-old medicinal ability. It is a rare body-refining herb.¡± The woman in the splendid attire smiled and said. ¡°It cost only twenty-five Wolf Coins.¡±


    Xu Yang nodded. It cost slightly higher than the normal price as the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion had to earn a profit. That was still reasonable. The two flies started to hum before he could say another word.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Xu Zhengfei with his fair complexion walked two steps forward between Xu Yang and the woman. He first stared at the woman¡¯s chest several times with ill intentions and laughed. ¡°You must not know that although Xu Yang is a member of the Xu family, he has been expelled from the Xu family as he has been behaving badly. He doesn¡¯t even get monthly payment. You must not be fooled by him.¡±


    The woman frowned as Xu Zhengfei¡¯s wicked eyes made her slightly uncomfortable. However, she could only take it as it was as a salesperson in the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion hall. ¡°Thank you for reminding me. The Thousand-Treasures Pavilion is open for business. Anyone can be our customer as long as the trade is fair.¡± After that, she looked at Xu Yang again.


    Xu Zhengfei smiled complacently and turned his head to look at Xu Yang. ¡°Take out the money! Even if you were to starve for a year, you can¡¯t possibly get twenty-five Wolf Coins.¡±


    Xu Yang was not bothered by the noisy guy. He took out his purse and laid twenty-five Wolf Coins in a row on the cabinet. ¡°Please help me to wrap this Red Dragon Root.¡±


    Xu Zhengfei¡¯s eyes were wide open as he was clearly surprised. Xu Yang did not say a word to him from the beginning up till the end as if Xu Zhengfei was a contemptible scoundrel who was not worthy of his anger.


    The smile on the woman¡¯s face widened. She took out a sandalwood box and put the Red Dragon Roots inside.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Xu Zhengfei could not sustain his wrath. ¡°I¡¯m buying this Red Dragon Root. I¡¯ll pay thirty Wolf Coins for it.¡±


    Xu Zhengfei looked at Xu Yang tauntingly and said, ¡°Once trash, always trash. Do you dare to fight with me? If we¡¯re not at the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion, you would have been knocked to the ground by me!¡±


    Xu Yang ignored him. Words were useless. Strength was the only truth in this world.


    The woman in the splendid attire was a little embarrassed and said softly, ¡°Please don¡¯t make things difficult, sir. Mr. Xu Yang came first, our items are sold based on a first-come-first-serve basis. I can¡¯t break the rules of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion.¡±


    1

 Chapter 16

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°Hey¡­ who would refuse more money when doing business?¡± Xu Zhengfei tapped on the counter and asked. ¡°Get me your boss. I want to know what he is going to say. Do you not recognize Lin Yuan¡¯s Xu family?¡± Xu Zhengfei said, showing off the emblem on his left chest.


    The woman frowned. She felt uneasy facing the powerful Lin Yuan¡¯s Xu family. ¡°Mr. Xu Yang¡­¡±


    Xu Yang said lightly, ¡°You don¡¯t need to be bothered by such annoying flies. Your words and deeds represent the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion¡¯s reputation.¡±


    The woman then made up her mind and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Mr. Xu Yang was the first to show interest in this Red Dragon Root. I have to sell it to him. Sir, I can take another one from the warehouse if you need it.¡±


    1Xu Zhengfei was furious. He grabbed Xu Yang by the collar of his clothes and shouted, ¡°You sure have the guts, you trash. You have become bolder in the three months that I haven¡¯t seen you. How dare you snatch things from me and say I am a fly?¡±


    Xu Yang said coldly, ¡°My apologies, I did not put it in the right way.¡±


    Xu Zhengfei, who did not dare to create problems here, hummed. ¡°It¡¯s good that you admit it.¡± Then, he let go of Xu Yang.


    ¡°What I mean was, you are not even comparable to a fly. Saying that you are a fly is an insult to it.¡± Xu Yang said slowly.


    The woman could not help laughing. She did not think that Xu Yang, who seemed so quiet, could make somebody so mad.


    ¡°You!¡± Xu Zhengfei was angry. ¡°Trash, when we leave this place, let¡¯s see if you will still have that guts of yours!¡±


    ¡°You too, what are you laughing about? I¡¯m getting this Red Dragon Root today. Wrap it up for me quickly. Don¡¯t give me nonsense about the warehouse. I don¡¯t have such patience to wait!¡± Xu Zhengfei growled at the female salesperson.


    A lot of people were watching on the sidelines. Seeing that they were the members of the Xu family, no one was willing to step forward and give themselves trouble.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Qing Yun?¡± An elegant female voice sounded. ¡°I¡¯m entertaining important guests. Why is it so noisy outside?¡±


    Afterwards, the inner pavilion door opened with a squeak and a man and a woman slowly walked out.


    ¡°Sis Yu Rong¡­¡± The woman named Qing Yun quickly stepped forward. ¡°This Mr. Xu has been very insistent. I can¡¯t do anything about it.¡±


    After listening to Qing Yun¡¯s explanation, the woman named Yu Rong frowned and stepped forward. ¡°Mr. Xu, don¡¯t you think that you might ruin Lin Yuan¡¯s Xu family¡¯s reputation by quarreling here?¡±


    As the woman approached them, she attracted everyone¡¯s attention. The saleswoman named Qing Yun was pretty, but she was hardly noticeable when standing beside the ¡®Sis Yu Rong¡¯.


    The woman was wearing a long lake green dress. She had no makeup on but her natural beauty exuded itself vibrantly. Her well-endowed breasts shook as she moved forward, making it hard for people to look away. However, she had a dignified temperament which made people feel that looking at her breasts was blasphemy.


    Xu Zhengfei was attracted by this woman¡¯s appearance, and his anger dissipated considerably. However, he refused to let go of Xu Yang, who had always been underestimated by him. ¡°I¡¯m fighting for the reputation of the family. I must buy this Red Dragon Root. Of course, I¡¯m not that unreasonable. I will leave immediately if this useless Xu Yang is able to bid a higher price.¡±


    Yu Rong frowned. She did not manage to say another word as the young man next to her laughed. ¡°Xu Yang? What a coincidence, we meet again but this time you are not wearing a bamboo hat.¡±


    1Xu Yang recognized the teenager but he did not take the initiative to talk to him. Seeing that this teenager had taken the initiative to acknowledge him, he saluted and said, ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Li Wang.¡±


    Yu Rong exhaled and looked at Li Wang. ¡°Young master, do you know this Mr. Xu Yang?¡±


    This teenager was Li Wang who had seen Xu Yang once. He laughed and said, ¡°I have seen him once before but we do not know each other well.¡±


    Li Wang!


    The audience was shocked. Li Wang was known as the number one young master of Lin Yuan City as he was the grandson of Lord Lin Yuan, Li Zhou Ping. Li Wang was also known as the ¡®little official¡¯.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you are Little Official. It¡¯s nice to meet you,¡± Xu Zhengfei was shocked when he found out that Li Wang and Xu Yang knew each other. However, after listening to Li Wang saying that the two were not close, he regained his composure, ¡°The Xu family presented a gift to congratulate you on your coming-of-age ceremony. It was not my luck to meet you back then. I¡¯m sorry for being rude.¡±


    Li Wang smiled slightly and said, ¡°This manager in the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion is named Li Yurong. She is my friend.¡±


    ¡®Both of them have the same surname. What is their relationship? Is it true that there are rumors that the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion has the government backing it?¡¯ Xu Yang thought to himself, as he bowed and apologized quickly.


    Li Yurong said, ¡°Since this is the case, then this Red Dragon Root¡­¡±


    Before she could finish talking, Xu Zhengfei said, ¡°The Red Dragon Root is a matter between me and Xu Yang. You don¡¯t need to worry about it. I will let him choose to give up.¡± After ensuring that Li Wang was not close to Xu Yang, he was composed and decided not to let it go.


    He believed that Little Official would know how to choose between trash who was almost disowned from the family and another direct descendant of the Xu family.


    ¡°Hey trash, even if you insist on buying the Red Dragon Root, I guarantee that you won¡¯t be able to walk out of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion alive.¡± Xu Zhengfei threatened as he inched closer to Xu Yang.


    On the other side, the tall Xu Zhengzha also came over with his cold and frightening facial expression. It was obvious what they were about to do.


    Li Wang¡¯s expression turned cold as he said, ¡°Xu Zhengfei, do you think that my prestige is not enough?¡±


    Xu Zhengfei was surprised. Realizing that there was something off about Li Wang¡¯s tone, he quickly turned around and said, ¡°Little Official¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense. I¡¯ll give you ten breaths to get out of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion.¡± Li Wang glanced at him in disgust. To be honest, Xu Zhengfei was not even a useful chip in his eyes.


    ¡°This,¡± Xu Zhengfei was stunned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you barely know Xu Yang as you have only met him once?¡±


    ¡°This matter has no relation to Xu Yang. Your actions have damaged the reputation of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion,¡± Li Wang said coldly. ¡°You chose not to listen to my kind advice, but instead it seems that you prefer that I use unkind ones.¡±


    Four Mystical Warriors in four corners came forward to grab hold of Xu Zhengfei, who was still confused. They blocked his ability to move with Mystical Power, and threw him out of the gate.


    Xu Zhengfei rolled on the ground several times before the Mystical Power of the Mystical Warriors gradually disappeared. After recovering his ability to move, he got up and looked at Xu Yang in the hall resentfully.


    ¡°I promise you, Xu Yang, you¡¯re dead!¡±


    He did not dare to touch Li Wang, so he put all his anger on Xu Yang.


    Li Wang kept looking at Xu Yang¡¯s expression. Xu Yang¡¯s expression did not change at all facing this threat. Li Wang could not help but nod his head slightly.


    ¡°So, I will take this Red Dragon Root,¡± Xu Yang said calmly, ¡°Please help me get a clay ding1and some ordinary herbs.¡± Then, he took out a list full of herbs.


    Li Wang¡¯s eyes lit up and said quickly, ¡°Xu Yang, are you going to produce elixirs by buying a clay ding and medicinal herbs?¡±


    Xu Yang had a good impression of the little official. He nodded his head and said, ¡°Yes, I am going to produce some low-grade elixirs and sell them at the stall on Liberty Street.¡±


    ¡°Ha, you said that you are not an alchemist!¡± Li Wang laughed. ¡°Which tier of alchemist are you?¡± His eyes flashed with hope.


    ¡°You really are funny, Little Official.¡± Xu Yang said calmly, ¡°What I am buying are just ordinary herbs.¡±


    One who only used ordinary herbs to produce alchemy was not a real alchemist. They were at most apprentices or ordinary pharmacists.


    Li Wang looked at Xu Yang with much contemplation, and he could feel that Xu Yang was certainly not an ordinary person.


    2¡°The quality of a clay ding is pretty bad. I can give you a real medicine ding.¡± Li Wang smiled. ¡°I¡¯m interested in you. Sis Yu Rong, please bring me the bronze ding from Warehouse 6.¡±


    3Li Yurong looked at Li Wang in surprise but immediately ordered two Mystical Warriors to fetch it without any questions asked.


    ¡°I reap what I sow.¡± Xu Yang then said, ¡°Little Official, I have no reason to accept your gift.¡±


    Li Wang smiled slightly. ¡°It¡¯s not too late to reject it after the medicine ding has been fetched.¡±


    The Mystical Warriors were very fast and a black bronze ding was soon transported over.


    The ding was originally made of bronze but it had been blackened by internal and external burns of fire as it had been used for years. The bronze ding was six feet tall and had an inner diameter of four feet. It should weigh twenty to thirty juns.


    ¡°Open the cover of the ding.¡± Li Wang ordered.


    A faint aroma of elixir wafted out from the ding. It was a pleasant scent.


    ¡°Elixir Charm!¡± Someone exclaimed. An Elixir Charm was a peculiar thing that only existed after a medicine ding had been used for a long time. It contained a lot of residual medicine powers. Compared with a new ding, an old ding with an Elixir Charm could play a role in buffering the medicine. This ding had been producing elixirs for at least thirty to fifty years. It could help to increase the success rate of producing medicine.


    Xu Yang could no longer refuse. There were no alchemists who would reject such a fabulous ding.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Li Wang smiled.


    Xu Yang bowed and said, ¡°Thank you for your precious gift, Little Official. What should Xu Yang do for you?¡±


    He knew that he would not get something for nothing in return. This Little Official was not the God of Wealth. He would not even be able to buy such a medicine ding with ten Winged-Tiger Coins. If he did not want something in return, how could Li Wang give it so generously?


    ¡°Please don¡¯t regard me as an outsider.¡± Li Wang chuckled. ¡°I hope that you can give priority to the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion when you have produced any elixirs in the future. Please rest assured as the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion will pay you a fair price.¡±


    Xu Yang could finally relax, and he nodded in agreement.


    The crowd around them was muttering under their breaths, as Xu Yang had gotten extremely lucky. He not only obtained a precious medicine ding but also would not need to worry about selling his elixirs in the future.


    Li Yurong said softly, ¡°Lao Liu, carry the medicine ding for Mr. Xu Yang.¡± She was thoughtful. Xu Yang, with the cultivation of an Intermediate-Tier Mystical Learner, certainly could not move this medicine ding of twenty or thirty juns. Furthermore, Xu Zhengfei, who had resentment in his heart might stop Xu Yang halfway.


    A strong Mystical Warrior bowed and accepted the order. He lifted the medicine ding easily and carried it on his shoulder.


    ¡°Thank you so much.¡± Xu Yang bowed and retrieved the sandalwood box containing the Red Dragon Root and other ordinary medicine. Then, he followed the Mystical Warrior, Lao Liu, out of the gate. He was able to move this ding, and he was not afraid of Xu Zhengfei¡¯s people troubling him. It was just too shocking for a rookie in the Intermediate tier of a Mystical Learner to carry a medicine ding of twenty or thirty juns. Thus, he did not reject the offer.


    Li Wang laughed and returned to the inner pavilion.


    Li Yurong slowly followed, and asked softly, ¡°Why do you pay so much attention to a mere Mystical Learner? Do you really think that he can help you in some way?¡±


    Li Wang shook his head and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that he is unusual?¡±


    1Li Yurong nodded and agreed when recalling Xu Yang who had been calm with no change of expression on his face. The teenager in shabby clothes seemed to have a temperament that was always calm and somber. It was normal for this temperament to appear on a Mystical Grandmaster but it was unusual for it to appear on a Mystical Learner.


    1

 Chapter 17

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Xu Yang followed the lead of the Mystical Warrior called Lao Liu back to his home.


    Many people¡¯s attention had been attracted along the way. Among them was Xu Zhengfei who gritted his teeth, thinking of getting revenge on Xu Yang. He was dumbfounded when he saw Xu Yang coming back with a Mystical Warrior at his side.


    Although the Xu family had guards of those in the stage of Mystical Warriors and even Mystical Masters, Xu Zhengfei had no right to command them. After all, Xu Yang was still a member of Lin Yuan¡¯s Xu family. These guards would not help Xu Zhengfei bully Xu Yang. That would break the rules.


    ¡®Hmph. Consider yourself lucky! I will go directly to your residence and humiliate you after the Mystical Warrior is gone.¡¯ Xu Zhengfei stared angrily at Xu Yang who disappeared around the street corner.


    ¡°Where should I place it, Mr. Xu?¡± Lao Liu had carried the bronze ding all the way but his face did not turn red and he was not panting. He had shown the strong physical strength of a Mystical Warrior.


    ¡°Thank you. Just place it in the house.¡± Xu Yang pointed to a position and said.


    The Mystical Warrior named Lao Liu nodded his head and put the medicine ding down carefully. He asked, ¡°Mr. Xu, what else can I help you with?¡± He knew that the Young Officer favored Xu Yang. Therefore, he spoke to Xu Yang quite politely without any arrogance as a Mystical Warrior.


    ¡°No, thank you.¡± Xu Yang took out two Wolf Coins from his purse and gave them to him. ¡°Here is a token of my appreciation. Kindly accept it.¡±


    It was an unexpected gain to get two Wolf Coins with such little effort. Lao Liu¡¯s salary as a guardian of the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion was only twenty Wolf Coins.


    Lao Liu accepted it and chuckled with a smile. ¡°Please let me know if you have any missions in the future, Mr. Xu.¡± Then, he walked out of the courtyard.


    Of course, Xu Yang knew that this was merely Lao Liu¡¯s way of being polite. He would not take it seriously.


    Everything was finally ready. Xu Yang was going to start cultivating Rock Body.


    Cultivating Rock Body did not require an elixir but it used the medicinal bath method which absorbs the medicinal power from the outer to the inner body. This would reduce the trouble Xu Yang had to go through. He prepared a lot of firewood which he then piled under the ding. Then, he poured a few buckets of clean water and put a part of the required herbs into the water. Lastly, he closed the lid and cooked it on the burning fire.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m still not a Mystical Warrior. I¡¯m unable to control the fire freely without the Fire-Extreme Mystical Power, and many exquisite alchemy techniques of later generations can¡¯t be used¡­¡± It truly was a shame, but he then came to and recovered his spirits, ¡°However, I know many low-grade ordinary elixirs with excellent medicinal power that I can produce. I can use them to make some money.¡±


    Just when he was thinking about that, steam came out of the airhole of the ding¡¯s cover and a spicy pungent smell spread around it. Xu Yang opened the cover and found that the original clear water had turned into a light black liquid.


    Xu Yu had gone to the fabric shop so there was no one else at home. Xu Yang jumped into the ding after taking off his clothes. He took a deep breath and sank into the black medicinal liquid.


    The mist of Mystical Energy in his Star Ocean billowed quickly. The black liquid in the ding permeated into Xu Yang¡¯s body as he initiated the technique.


    Every cell in Xu Yang¡¯s body was vigorously absorbing the medicinal power. They condensed, compressed, and continued absorbing¡­ and his bones became sturdier, while his flesh became firmer and his skin more flexible.


    This process was undoubtedly painful, it was like scraping his bones with a blunt knife, but Xu Yang gritted his teeth and endured the pain. The pores on his skin were constantly releasing impurities, making his body stronger.


    No pain no gain. This ancient proverb was also quite reasonable on the road of cultivating Mystical Power.


    This medicinal bath lasted fifteen minutes. The original pure black medicinal liquid had become turbid when Xu Yang stood up in the ding. Xu Yang knew that it was because he had absorbed the medicinal power while discharging the impurities of the body.


    Xu Yang immediately began to cultivate Rock Body after drying his body hastily.


    After absorbing the medicinal power, the cultivation of Rock Body required one to treat his body as a weapon as it could be accomplished only after thousands of times of refining.


    There was a huge bluestone in Xu Yang¡¯s courtyard that was leaning against the wall. It was about the height of two people and weighed about a hundred juns. The shirtless Xu Yang huffed once, hit his shoulder on the bluestone and started rubbing vigorously against it.


    Xu Yang¡¯s skin was much tougher than ordinary people¡¯s. It did not break when rubbed on the uneven bluestone surface. However, the skin that started off pale white slowly started to scrape and redden after dozens and hundreds of times of rubbing against the surface.


    There were bursts of pain but Xu Yang ignored it. He continued to rub other parts of his body against the surface. Every inch of his skin was damaged but soon a refreshing medicinal power came out of his body to quickly repair the damage and make the new skin stronger.


    2It would be better to have an assistant when cultivating Rock Body. Beating the cultivator with a rod could help him to absorb the medicinal power deposited in the body as soon as possible to strengthen the flesh. However, Xu Yang did not have such assistance. Xu Yu¡¯s strength was too weak and she would not be able to beat him with much strength. The effect would definitely not be as good.


    Xu Yang had blood all over his body, and finally he went back into the house utterly exhausted. The ebbing pain came when he cleaned his body. Xu Yang could not help but take a deep breath.


    ¡®My physical strength has increased. Now I have thirty juns of strength when I punch out which is comparable to those who had just entered the realm of a Mystical Warrior. Of course, it is when they do not use Mystical Power.¡¯ He felt a bit surprised because of the strength in his body. The Rock Body was indeed the beginning chapter of a Divine-tier Mystical Technique. The effect of body refining was amazing as this was only the first step. He had to take five more times of medicinal bath before the technique would be completed. Xu Yang would be able to fight against a Mystical Warrior with the attained Rock Body and the aid of the Mystical-Restrictive Array.


    ¡°Xu Yu should be back by now.¡± Xu Yang walked toward the courtyard¡¯s door.


    As soon as he walked outside the door, he heard a noise. There was a familiar voice, which sounded like Xu Zhengfei!


    ¡°Your brother is trash so you are also trash. I¡¯m going to settle with your brother as well as you!¡± Xu Zhengfei¡¯s proud voice was clearly heard hundreds of steps away.


    ¡°My brother¡­ is not trash. He will prove to you in the Grand Family Tournament in a month¡¯s time.¡± Xu Yu said in a trembling voice, but she did not cry. Instead, she stubbornly held back her tears and stared at the ¡®brother¡¯ Xu Zhengfei who was also a member of the Xu family.


    Xu Zhengfei sneered. He raised his hand and wanted to slap Xu Yu to vent his anger. Xu Zhengzha pulled him aside and said, ¡°The family will inevitably blame you in case this ten-year-old girl is killed by you. Forget it.¡±


    Xu Zhengfei snorted. His sleeves waved in the air and it created a strong gust of wind. Xu Yu screamed as her thin body was wrapped in the strong gust of wind and she stumbled backwards.


    1Suddenly, a figure flashed forward. A teenager in worn clothes appeared in front of them to support Xu Yu who nearly fell before Xu Zhengfei and Xu Zhengzha could even decipher what had happened. It was Xu Yang with a somber and angry face!


    ¡°Xu Yu, how are you feeling? Are you injured?¡± Xu Yang supported Xu Yu by her shoulders and said softly.


    Xu Yu, with tears in her eyes, said, ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ The cloth I bought for you was torn by these two brothers.¡± The little girl ultimately failed to hold back her tears and started to cry.


    Xu Yang looked up and it turned out that there were a lot of blue cloth strips floating in the wind. He stared at the two siblings coldly.


    Xu Zhengfei came with ill intentions. He was somehow terrified when he looked into Xu Yang¡¯s eyes. He immediately withheld his fear and shouted, ¡°Stop looking at me, trash! Today, I will teach you a lesson and make sure you will never forget this!¡±


    Xu Zhengfei¡¯s cultivation was in the pinnacle of a Mystical Learner and recently he was making preparations to condense his Mystical Core. His cultivation was much higher than that of Lu Song, Liu Zishan and others encountered by Xu Yang in the ascetic team. He snorted once and strode forward. He was going to slap Xu Yang.


    ¡®He has underestimated his enemy.¡¯ Xu Yang could clearly analyze his opponent¡¯s thoughts from the way Xu Zhengfei held himself. He then rushed toward Xu Zhengfei with a sneer. He slammed into Xu Zhengfei¡¯s chest when his slap had not even reached him.


    The collision was like a human-shaped bluestone crashing into his body, and Xu Zhengfei felt pain and numbness instantly. Xu Zhengfei felt a shock and he knew that something bad was going to happen. He immediately used all of his effort, with intention to avoid and counter the attack. He shifted his body slightly and lowered his waist.


    However, Xu Yang¡¯s melee-combat skills were much stronger than Xu Zhengfei¡¯s. He made a swift attack using the Dragon Sailing technique of the Dragonfish Stance. He hit his elbows heavily on Xu Zhengfei¡¯s back.


    Thirty juns of strength poured out and Xu Zhengfei¡¯s body was instantly bent into an exaggerated bow shape. Xu Zhengfei spewed a mouthful of blood and fell forward.


    The match was extremely quick. The victor and the defeated had been clearly determined before Xu Zhengzha was even able to respond! He stepped back in a panic. He did not expect that this trash who was well-known as a useless person in the family had become shockingly stronger.


    When he was hesitant in whether to charge or escape, Xu Yang was already rushing over with a roar of wind. He struck out the Eagle Strike Stance with the techniques Eagle Sky Strike and Eagle-Snake Fight. Xu Yang was able to restrain Xu Zhengzha¡¯s movements in just several moves.


    ¡°Seeing that you attempted to stop Xu Zhengfei just now, I will spare you this time. If you dare to find trouble with us again, I will not hold back!¡± A cold voice sounded in Xu Zhengzha¡¯s ear and a force pushed his body seven or eight steps away.


    Xu Zhengzha was lost. When he was about to leave, he was stopped by Xu Yang. He thought that Xu Yang had changed his mind but he heard Xu Yang say lightly, ¡°Bring this piece of waste back to the Xu family.¡±


    1Xu Zhengfei¡¯s situation was much more miserable. Xu Yang¡¯s elbow with full strength had caused his spine to be misaligned and his Mystical Veins to suffer severe damage. If there were no outstanding Alchemists to produce elixirs for his recovery, Xu Zhengfei could only stay in his bed for a year. His plan to turn virtual into reality and condense the Mystical Core would be but a distant dream.


    Xu Yang had carefully thought it through in regards to whether he should kill the two people. The first was that the place was not somewhere out of the public¡¯s sight. It would violate the rules of Lin Yuan City. More importantly, Xu Yang and Xu Yu were still members of the Xu family. The family reputation might be ruined if he had beaten them up badly. To be honest, Xu Yang was already acting ruthlessly. Xu Zhengfei might have hidden injuries and not be able to reach the realm of Mystical Warrior in this life.


    1

 Chapter 18

    1


    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Xu Yu?¡± Xu Yang asked his sister, puzzled by her actions. ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired of staring at me for half an hour?¡±


    Xu Yu kept her hands on her cheeks and stared at Xu Yang carefully. This made Xu Yang feel a little creeped out.


    ¡°I¡¯m wondering why my brother has become so powerful¡­¡± Xu Yu finally spoke. She stood up and skipped lightly to Xu Yang¡¯s side. ¡°I¡¯m so happy. You will definitely shock the audience at the Grand Family Tournament one month later. We are so close to returning to the Xu family.¡±


    Xu Yang smiled slightly. He shook his head and said nothing. He felt a strong resistance against the Xu family that had no human touch and had alienated him. He did not want to return to the Xu family at all.


    He had decided to participate in the Grand Family Tournament one month later for Xu Yu¡¯s earnest anticipation and the obsession of the dead Xu Yang. He regarded this as fulfilling the last wish of the dead Xu Yang.


    1Moreover, Xu Yang would also like to see the expressions on the faces of everyone in the Xu family when he were to turn his back on them and announce his disengagement with the Xu family in the Grand Family Tournament, after he had won the tournament with his amazing techniques.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that the cloth I bought have turned to rags.¡± Xu Yu was angry when she thought of this. ¡°I cannot make clothes for you now. I can only wait till tomorrow¡­¡±


    ¡°Xu Yu, the clothes I am wearing now are good enough.¡± Xu Yang stroke his slightly worn out clothes. It was sewn by the petite hands of his sister. There was warmth in his heart wearing the clothes.


    ¡°You have worn this for two years. It doesn¡¯t fit you well anymore,¡± Xu Yu muttered. ¡°It¡¯s dirty and torn now¡­ Please take it off, brother. I¡¯ll wash and repair it for you.¡±


    Xu Yang hummed in acknowledgement, and feelings of tenderness enveloped his heart.


    ¡°Brother, what are you going to do with so much firewood?¡± Xu Yu asked curiously when she saw the pile of firewood in the courtyard that was like a hill.


    ¡°Produce elixirs.¡± Xu Yang answered simply while he was busy stacking firewood under the base of the medicine ding.


    ¡°Producing elixirs! Are you an Alchemist Master, brother?¡± Xu Yu said in surprise. In her mind, an Alchemist Master was a respectable person who would never have anything to do with her.


    1¡°I can only produce some ordinary elixirs now. I¡¯m going to sell them. It¡¯s a way of making money,¡± Xu Yang explained. ¡°I must at least advance into Mystical Warrior stage to be able to produce a real spirit elixir. ¡±


    Xu Yu hurried over to help after she was done digesting this surprising information.


    Xu Yang quickly set up the fire and opened the cover of the ding.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I still don¡¯t have the Fire-Extreme Mystical Power. It is difficult to control the fire power of an ordinary fire. I can only use it to produce ordinary elixirs.¡± Xu Yang felt a sense of regret but it did not slow down his actions. When the ding¡¯s body was warm enough, he gently put a medicinal herb with withered white flowers into the ding and increased the amount of firewood. Finally, he closed the cover of the ding to refine the medicinal power.


    White Dandelion, Spicy Grass, Gastrodia¡­ These medicinal materials were poured into the fabric medicine port in the ding for refining.


    ¡°Brother, what kind of elixir are you producing?¡± Xu Yu, whose face was slightly blackened by the soot, asked.


    1¡°Blood-Clotting Powder. It¡¯s a kind of powdered elixir which can quickly stop wounds from bleeding.¡± Xu Yang, who was counting silently in his heart, replied distractedly. Xu Yang once observed that ordinary elixir for hemostasis in this golden age was rare and had weak effects. The development of ordinary elixir in later generations was much more complete than it was in this golden age. This kind of Blood-Clotting Powder could stop the wound from bleeding in two breaths and form scabs in half an hour. It could be called a magical effect. Its hemostasis and healing effect could even be compared with those graded spirit elixirs.


    Xu Yang silently counted to a thousand and reduced the heat. Then, he started to temper the elixir with slow fire.


    ¡°Is it done?¡± Xu Yu could not hide her curiosity. She wanted to see how the elixir produced by her brother looked like.


    Xu Yang smiled slightly and opened the ding¡¯s cover. A slightly spicy smell came out along with the steam. Xu Yu who was peeking around the body of the ding body was engulfed in smoke and sneezed several times.


    ¡°It¡¯s so spicy. Is it the Blood-Clotting Powder?¡± Xu Yu barely stopped sneezing and questioned.


    Xu Yang looked down as there was a layer of fine sand-like red medicine powder on the bottom of the medicine ding with a few stems of residue herb. He could tell that the Blood-Clotting Powder had been successfully produced.


    ¡°Spicy Grass was added in order to kill germs to prevent inflammation and ulceration of the wound.¡± Xu Yang explained regardless of whether Xu Yu understood it or not. He opened the fabric medicine port on the side of the ding and used a small spoon to take out the freshly made Blood-Clotting Powder.


    Xu Yu cut pieces of yellow paper into smaller pieces and handed them over one by one to Xu Yang. Xu Yang took the pieces of paper and packed the Blood-Clotting Powder into small packets.


    Ordinary elixirs were not as rare as spirit elixirs in which there were only a few pills produced at a time. The Blood-Clotting Powder that Xu Yang produced this time was packed into more than a hundred packets. With the price of one Wolf Coin for each packet of medicine powder, the medicine powder he produced could be sold for more than a hundred Wolf Coins. However, the cost was only some ordinary herbs which did not even amount to one Wolf Coin.


    ¡°It really is a good way to make money. I¡¯m going to the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion again.¡± Xu Yang exhaled. He wrapped the more than one hundred packets of medicine powder with a piece of cloth and caressed Xu Yu¡¯s head.


    ¡°It¡¯s late. It¡¯s time to sleep, Xu Yu.''¡±


    In one of the houses in the Xu family main courtyard next to the street where Xu Yang resided.


    Xu Zhengfei was lying on the bed with a dejected expression. There were three other people in the house, Xu Zhengzha, a man and a woman in their middle ages.


    1The middle-aged man stared angrily at Xu Zhengzha, ¡°Zhengzha, you said that Zhengfei¡¯s injury was caused by that rascal?¡±


    Xu Zhengzha nodded his head quickly and said, ¡°It¡¯s true. You can ask Elder Brother, Father.¡±


    The middle-aged woman had a bitter and harsh face. After listening to his explanation, she questioned, ¡°We all know that bastard¡¯s true strength. You and Zhengfei taught him a lesson three months ago. At that time, he couldn¡¯t even beat an ordinary person.¡±


    Xu Zhengzha said, ¡°Mother, I also find it very strange. What kind of spirit elixir has Xu Yang taken? He could easily defeat Elder Brother in just three months¡¯ time¡­ I am not his opponent at all as he subdued me in just three moves.¡±


    The middle-aged man took a deep breath and slowly said, ¡°No matter what adventure he has had. I will make him feel that he is better off dead as he dared to hurt the sons of Xu Qinghe!¡±


    1Xu Zhengzha was frightened and quickly said, ¡°Please don¡¯t be angry, Father. If Xu Yang is dead, the family will track us down and we definitely won¡¯t be let off the hook. Although the family doesn¡¯t care about him, he is still a descendant of the Xu family. Grandpa will definitely be dissatisfied with you if Xu Yang died in the hands of the Xu family¡¯s members.¡±


    The middle-aged woman was Xu Zhengzha and Xu Zhengfei¡¯s mother. She snorted and said, ¡°Why should we care about that? The family has given up on that kind of trash! As I said, kill him! I don¡¯t want to see that bastard alive!¡±


    1Xu Qinghe shook his head and said, ¡°The two of you, one who is too conservative and the other who is too extreme. I have to find a way to deal with the little bastard. We can¡¯t kill him but we¡¯ll not let him live in peace.¡±


    Xu Zhengzha¡¯s mother was puzzled. ¡°Do you really think that Father has not given up on that little bastard?¡±


    Xu Qinghe said, ¡°He is Xu Qingyuan¡¯s son. Although the head of the family has announced that Xu Qingyuan will be expelled from the family and will never be accepted again, no one can guess what his true thoughts are. Perhaps his choices were just because he was forced under the pressure of Desert Castle.¡±


    ¡°So, what are you going to do?¡±


    Xu Qinghe grinned and replied, ¡°The Grand Family Tournament will be held in a month¡¯s time. According to the family rules, the little bastard must come to participate in the tournament. We can secretly notify Ming¡¯er and arrange for him and Ming¡¯er to be in the same match. He won¡¯t let that little bastard off that easily.¡±


    Xu Zhengzha¡¯s eyes lit up and complimented his father, ¡°You really have a great plan, Father.¡±


    At this moment, a boy servant came in a hurry and reported, ¡°The physician has arrived and he is waiting for you in the hall.¡±


    Xu Qinghe waved. ¡°Bring him here quickly!¡±


    An old physician with gray hair with the cultivation of Advanced-tier Mystical Learner slowly came to Xu Zhengfei¡¯s bed carrying a medicine chest. He placed two fingers on Xu Zhengfei¡¯s wrist and began to input Mystical Energy to sense his injuries.


    Xu Qinghe had already checked his son¡¯s injuries. His spine was misaligned and his veins were damaged. However, medical treatment was not perfect in that era. He could not find suitable medicine to help his son heal his wounds.


    ¡°How is it, Sir?¡± After seeing that the old physician¡¯s fingers had left Xu Zhengfei¡¯s wrist, Xu Qinghe quickly stepped forward and asked, ¡°Is there any cure for him?¡±


    The old physician pondered for a moment before sighing, and slowly shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s difficult!¡±


    ¡°Your son¡¯s spine is misaligned and his Mystical Veins have also been severely damaged. It is easy to adjust his bone and I believe that you can do that for him. However, restoring his Mystical Veins is not an overnight effort. Unless you are able to purchase or produce the required spirit elixir used to recondition the Mystical Veins, I am afraid your son may be¡­ ¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Xu Zhengfei¡¯s mother asked anxiously.


    ¡°He won¡¯t be able to cultivate Mystical Power ever again.¡± The old physician slowly and sighed.


    ¡°What grade of spirit elixir is it?¡± Xu Qinghe asked as he did not want to give up.


    The old physician slowly extended three fingers which made Xu Qinghe¡¯s heart turn cold.


    Grade-3 spirit elixir! Those Alchemist Masters who could refine the Grade-3 spirit elixirs were all prominent figures. Even a Mystical Grandmaster had to treat them with courtesy. He only knew two Third-Rank Alchemist Masters in Lin Yuan City. One of them was Old Meng, an alchemy enthusiast who lived in the east of the city. He had a strange character and an unpredictable mood. The other was the granddaughter of Lord Lin Yuan, Miss Li Yuanzhi who was known as the genius female Alchemist Master.


    Xu Qinghe was ranked at the lower tier in the middle generation of the Xu family. It was difficult for him to invite either of the two to help him.


    ¡°There is nothing else I can do to help you. I shall take my leave now.¡± The old physician apologized and turned away.


    ¡°What should we do?¡± Xu Zhengzha¡¯s mother asked.


    Xu Qinghe sighed. ¡°What else can we do? There are only two Alchemist Masters in Lin Yuan City who can produce Grade-3 spirit elixirs. Miss Li Yuanzhi is out of the question. I will prepare a gift to get help from Old Meng. Hopefully he will give me¡­ give the Xu family some acknowledgement.¡±

 Chapter 19

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The Thousand-Treasures Pavilion.


    Xu Yang walked into the hall. A woman in a splendid attire¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw him. She excused herself and left the guest whom she was servicing and walked straight to him.


    ¡°What do you need today, Mr. Xu?¡±


    Xu Yang recognized the woman, Qing Yun, as she was the one in charge of selling the Red Dragon Root the day before. He said, ¡°I have refined some ordinary elixirs and want to sell them here.¡±


    Qing Yun smiled and said, ¡°No problem. Sis Yurong has informed us about purchasing Mr. Xu¡¯s medicine as per market price whenever you come.¡±


    It was a quite good treatment to purchase as per market price. Xu Yang was prepared for the price reduction knowing that the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion had to earn money after all.


    Xu Yang shook his head. Qing Yun saw his reaction and thought that he wanted to raise the price, relying on the preference that the Young Officer had given him. She felt slightly disgruntled.


    ¡°The medicine that I have brought with me is a new type of medicine. As far as I know, the medicine hasn¡¯t appeared in the market before.¡± Xu Yang said lightly. ¡°I need your pavilion to identify its value for me.¡±


    1¡°A new medicine?¡± Qing Yun gasped. An Alchemist Master who could create a new medicine formula had to be an Alchemist Grandmaster, even if he was only creating an ordinary elixir.


    It was important to know that there were differences in the medicinal properties of medicine. A slight change in firepower, time, and weight would cause the refining process to fail. Therefore, most of the Alchemist Masters would follow the recipe step by step to prevent mistakes and loss of precious herbs in producing elixirs. However, an Alchemist Grandmaster was able to take the opportunity to configure new medicine based on pharmacology and plenty of experiments.


    ¡°What is the function of the new medicine you have made, Mr. Xu?¡± asked Qing Yun.


    ¡°It is a kind of medicinal powder. Its function is hemostasis and it can form scabs to prevent ulcers on wounds.¡± Xu Yang said placidly. ¡°I call it the Blood-Clotting Powder.¡±


    Qing Yun¡¯s eyes brightened. Medicine that had the ability to heal wounds had a good market. She bowed and said, ¡°Please follow me, Mr. Xu.¡±


    Following the pretty Qing Yun, Xu Yang¡¯s eyes inadvertently swept over her wide hips. It was swaying to and fro as she walked slowly. There were indeed a lot of beauties at the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion.


    Qing Yun opened the second inner door and led Xu Yang into the inner pavilion.


    There was a huge difference inside compared to the narrow indoor environment that Xu Yang expected. The inner pavilion was actually built in an open environment. In the shade of the peach pink and green willow trees, a curved cobblestone path extended far into a distance. The center was a large pond with a diameter of more than twenty feet where a man-made mountain was erected. From time to time, a small stream of water fell from the top of the mountain, splashing onto the rocks at the bottom, forming water droplets like thousands of pearls.


    ¡®What a beautiful view. It¡¯s not like a trading center at all. It¡¯s like a manor.¡¯ Xu Yang took a deep breath and felt a sense of relaxation in his chest.


    ¡°Mr. Xu, we meet again,¡± a gentle female voice sounded softly. ¡°I heard that you have brought a new medicine this time which is called the Blood-Clotting Powder. May I know how powerful it is?¡±


    Xu Yang regained his senses and looked at the beauty in front of him.


    It was a woman who was dressed in a lake green long dress and had a slim and charming figure. However, she had a noble temperament that made people behave appropriately. This woman was Li Yurong, the manager of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion whom Xu Yang had met the day before.


    Xu Yang had always been direct when at work. He directly reported the medicinal power and the functions seeing Li Yurong¡¯s straightforward attitude.


    ¡°Slight injuries will coagulate within one breath and scabs will be formed in three breaths. Moderate injuries will coagulate within two breaths and scabs will be formed in ten breaths. As for severe injuries, it depends on the situation.¡±


    ¡°What!¡± Qingyun exclaimed. She knew that she had let her surprise slip and she covered her mouth. Her eyes were wide open as she was very surprised.


    There were no ordinary hemostasis medicines on the market. Some elixirs had hemostasis effects but the price was high. For example, the Grade-2 spirit elixir Flesh-Growing Blood-Living Elixir was sold at several Leopard Coins each. However, its hemostasis function was not even as effective as what Xu Yang had described for his Blood-Clotting Powder.


    Li Yurong was obviously shocked by the medicinal properties but she quickly regained her composure as she was the manager of the Thousand-Treasure Pavilion. She said with a smile. ¡°Mr. Xu, I still need to do some tests before it can be acquired. It is a rule that I can¡¯t bypass.¡±


    Xu Yang nodded and asked, ¡°If the medicine has passed the test, what price will the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion pay for it?¡±


    Li Yurong said, ¡°As long as the medicine has the eight effects that Mr. Xu has mentioned, the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion is willing to buy it at the price of two packets for three Wolf Coins.¡±


    Xu Yang was satisfied as the price they quoted was fifty percent more than his expectations. He placed the medicinal packets wrapped in the piece of clothing down, and went to the hall of the outer pavilion to purchase herbs used in producing the Blood-Clotting Powder.


    The efficiency of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion was extremely high. Qing Yun walked out with a smile and handed a purse to Xu Yang after a few moments. ¡°You may check the amount, Mr. Xu.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Xu Yang shook his head, and started moving around, casually waltzing about in the hall.


    The outer hall took up a large area and was divided into several large areas such as the Elixir area and the Mystical Armor area. What surprised Xu Yang was that there were Mystical Scriptures and Mystical Techniques on the shelves.


    The scriptures for cultivating Mystical Power could be divided into six levels: Scripture, Classic, Collection, Set, Scroll, and Secret according to their power. Xu Yang¡¯s Zhenwu¡¯s Eight Sceneries Scripture was considered a divine scripture which could help the Mystical Cultivator to cultivate until the realm of a Mystical Emperor and to even higher levels. The Xu family¡¯s main practice was the Seven Radiant Secret, which could only cultivate up to the realm of a Mystical Grandmaster.


    1Mystical Techniques were different from Mystical Scriptures. Mystical Scriptures were the foundation and Mystical Techniques were the branches and leaves. Mystical Scriptures were used to absorb Mystical Energy to temper the body while Mystical Techniques were mainly used for combat.


    Mystical Techniques could be divided into four ranks. They were Sacred, Divine, Earth, and Mortal. The Mystical Techniques placed here were all of the lower tier of the Mortal rank. As for the Mystical Scriptures here, there were only those at the lowest level, Tips. Moreover, they were incomplete pages. Xu Yang soon lost interest after having seen a few of them.


    Qing Yun followed him silently. She could guess the reason when she saw Xu Yang showing disappointment. She smiled slightly. ¡°You can go to the inner pavilion if you need any Mystical Scriptures or Mystical Techniques, Mr. Xu. Those placed at the outer pavilion are all the lowest level Mystical Scriptures and they would surely not suit your preference.¡± At this point, Qing Yun lowered her voice and said, ¡°There are Earth-rank Mystical Techniques in the inner pavilion.¡±


    Her sweet fragrance wafted around him. He was not affected and moved aside. He said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    There were uncountable incredible techniques and secret scrolls of the later generations in his mind. He was not attracted by those Earth-rank Mystical Techniques. However, he knew the preciousness of Mystical Techniques in this golden age. The Thousand-Treasure Pavilion had shown their strength as they could offer Earth-rank Mystical Techniques.


    Xu Yang walked through the Mystical Stones area, the Elixirs area, and the Mystical Armor area, and finally stopped in a remote area.


    Looking around, there were no signboards on the items placed here. Several items were slightly broken.


    Qing Yun who had just taken the initiative to approach Xu Yang but was rejected, not only did not feel angry but had improved her perception toward Xu Yang. She smiled and said, ¡°This is the Hidden Treasure area. Many unidentifiable and undefined objects will be placed in this area. Buyers can probably find something good here.¡±


    Xu Yang nodded and looked at the area with interest. This was equivalent to buying the goods on the street stalls in Liberty Street. If you had keen eyesight, you would be able to identify the treasures. This was commonly known as the act of finding a good bargain.


    It was ten times harder to find a good bargain at the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion than at Liberty Street.


    Broken pieces of Mystical Armor, engraved with patterns which were hard to decipher, wooden boards that looked like runes, hollow and peculiar stones¡­ Even for Xu Yang who had the keen eyesight of one who came from ten thousand years later, it was still hard to understand the mystery inside.


    Suddenly, something caught Xu Yang¡¯s eyes. He leaned down and picked up a peculiar stone in front of him.


    The peculiar stone was about one square foot. It had been cut open and the incision was smooth and flat. In the middle of the stone, there was a faint red trace as if it came from a part of a picture.


    Stroking the bumps on the back of the strange stone and feeling its rough body, Xu Yang gently asked, ¡°Where did this stone come from?¡±


    Qing Yun was a little curious as to why Xu Yang was interested in this drab-looking stone, and she replied, ¡°This was obtained from a Mystical Stone mine. It was still a whole stone at that time. Someone bought it at a high price and cut it open. The result was the stone hollow and the appearance of this red trace.¡±


    Looking at Xu Yang¡¯s expression, Qing Yun said in surprise, ¡°Mr. Xu, are you going to buy it?¡± She lowered her voice and said, ¡°This stone has been verified by many appraisers and there is no Mystical Energy so it is not valuable.¡±


    Xu Yang smiled slightly, ¡°Thank you for your reminder.¡± He handed the stone over and said, ¡°Please help me to wrap it up.¡±


    Qing Yun frowned as her kind reminder was ignored. She felt a little annoyed and she stopped talking. She proceeded to wrap the stone and said lightly, ¡°This peculiar stone is priced at twenty Wolf Coins.¡±


    Xu Yang was not bothered by her attitude and paid without blinking his eyes. Suddenly, a voice came from his side, ¡°I¡¯m buying this stone.¡±


    1The two of them turned back and saw a tall teenager wearing a green robe and a seven-color emblem on his chest, showing his identity as a member of the Xu family.


    The situation was rather hilarious. He had only bought things twice from the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion and the members of the Xu family were here to bother him each time. Could it be that the Xu family and Xu Yang were born to repel each other?


    ¡°My apologies, this stone has already been sold to Mr. Xu Yang.¡± Qing Yun bowed and saluted.


    The tall teenager smiled and said with certainty, ¡°I was rude for not introducing myself, my name is Xu Zhengming. Now, can this stone be sold to me?¡±


    Xu Yang knew who he was. Xu Zhengming was a talented teenager of the Xu family. He had already entered Mystical Warrior stage at a young age. His cultivation was totally different from that of Xu Zhengfei and Xu Zhengzha¡¯s. Their differences in cultivation was like heaven and earth. Moreover, Xu Zhengming¡¯s father, Xu Qingliu, played a decisive role in the Xu family. He often participated in the Appraisal Conference of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion. Qing Yun had seen him no less than ten times.


    After Xu Zhengming introduced himself, he looked at Xu Yang. He thought that Xu Yang who had been cast out by the family would definitely give him the peculiar stone to please him as he was a direct descendant of the Xu family.


    Qing Yun looked at Xu Yang for his opinion. She thought that Xu Yang would hand over the peculiar stone as a token of peace. After all, Xu Zhengming was famous and he was an outstanding person in the third generation of the Xu family.


    ¡°I know your name,¡± Xu Yang said calmly, ¡°However, this peculiar stone belongs to me. First come, first serve. This is the rule of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion.¡±


    Xu Zhengming¡¯s complexion changed little by little. The face that once had a smile turned pale. ¡°Do you know who I am? Do you know what you are talking about?¡±


    2

 Chapter 20

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Xu Yang¡¯s facial expression did not falter, instead, his words gradually became sharper.


    ¡°I know that your name is Xu Zhengming. So what?¡± Xu Yang said lightly. ¡°Do you think that I will cry and give you the stone just because of your name to win your favor? You are wrong. You are no different from Xu Zhengzha and Xu Zhengfei in my eyes.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye, Mr. Zhengming who thinks so highly of himself. The world does not revolve around you.¡± Xu Yang said frostily and walked away with the herbs and the stone he bought.


    ¡°You will regret this!¡± Xu Zhengming¡¯s eyes flashed coldly. ¡°I swear that you will kneel and beg for mercy once you leave the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion!¡±


    Xu Yang merely shrugged and walked straight out of the gate of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion.


    Qing Yun could not explain why she felt uneasy watching Xu Zhengming rush out of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion. She hurried back to the inner pavilion as she wanted to inform Li Yurong about what had happened. After all, Mr. Xu Yang was the person who was valued by Little Official.


    There was a kiosk under the sparse peach branches in the inner pavilion. A teenager in a luxurious white attire and a woman in a lake green dress sat opposite each other. It was Li Wang and Li Yurong.


    ¡°It¡¯s really hard to imagine if you don¡¯t try it yourself. This kind of ordinary medicine can actually be compared with the healing effects of those healing elixirs,¡± Li Yurong¡¯s eyes flashed in amazement. She pinched some reddish medicine powder and sniffed its slightly spicy aroma. ¡°I understand why you value Xu Yang so much now. He really is an unusual person.¡±


    Li Wang was a little disappointed and said, ¡°Did he only bring ordinary medicine?¡±


    Li Yurong smiled slightly. ¡°What are you thinking about? It is already quite good for a Mystical Learner to produce such high-quality ordinary medicine. After all, he has not yet been promoted to a Mystical Warrior. It is difficult for him to produce graded elixir as he is unable to transform Mystical Power into fire.¡±


    Li Wang sighed softly and said, ¡°I have been too greedy. However, Xu Yang is indeed a talented person. I can be friends with him on the condition that the Li family¡¯s reputation will not be damaged.¡±


    Hearing the rapid knocking on the door, Li Yurong frowned and said, ¡°Is it Qing Yun again? What else does she have to tell?¡±


    The door opened and Qing Yun hurriedly ran over. ¡°Young Master, Sister Yurong, something is going to happen! Mr. Xu Zhengming and Mr. Xu Yang are most likely going to fight!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Li Wang stood up, ¡°How dare Xu Zhengming commit murder In the territory of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion?¡±


    Qing Yun explained, ¡°It¡¯s not in the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion. Despite the threat that Mr.Xu Zhengming gave, Mr. Xu Yang has stepped directly out of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion. Then, I saw Mr.Xu Zhengming chase after him.¡± She narrated the details of the incident between the two people.


    Li Yurong asked, ¡°What should we do? Xu Zhengming is a real Mystical Warrior and he is outstanding in the third generation of the Xu family. Xu Yang will suffer a big loss provoking him.¡± She meant to ask whether they needed to take the risk of offending Xu Zhengming and help Xu Yang or not.


    Xu Zhengming was totally different from members like Xu Zhengfei and Xu Zhengzha. He was superb and had a great future. He was likely to be one of the decision-makers of the Xu family in the future. It was not a good idea to offend him now.


    Li Wang breathed a sigh of relief. Xu Yang¡¯s always calm expression appeared in his mind. He asked carefully, ¡°Is Xu Yang walking out of the range of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion by himself?¡±


    Qing Yun nodded in response. ¡°Yes, he is. He went out without any hesitation.¡±


    Li Wang laughed, ¡°Okay, don¡¯t panic. Let¡¯s go out and take a look. Maybe we will have something interesting to see.¡±


    Li Wang walked ahead first, and Qing Yun followed with some confusion. Li Yurong seemed to understand something. She gently lifted up her long skirt and followed.


    Outside the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion, Xu Yang held the medicine box in his left hand and carried the bag with the peculiar stone in his right hand. He walked forward slowly and steadily. The livid Xu Zhengming ran out of the gate and quickly found Xu Yang.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think of leaving!¡± Xu Zhengming shouted and exerted force under his feet. His speed increased sharply with the stimulation of Mystical Power. He soon surpassed Xu Yang and blocked his way. As a Mystical Warrior, he loathed attacking a Mystical Learner from the back. He wanted to beat Xu Yang from the front openly. He wanted to let this jerk who dared to offend him bow down and beg for mercy.


    ¡°It is too late for you to kneel down and beg for mercy!¡± Xu Zhengming¡¯s face looked terrifying, ¡°I want to break your bones one by one, let everyone see the humiliating state you are in when you roll and writhe on the ground!¡±


    Xu Yang gently put down the herbs and the peculiar stone as he knew that it was a big battle for him. Although he was invincible at the realm of Mystical Learner, his opponent was a stage higher than him. The gap between a Mystical Warrior and Mystical Learner was not so easy to fill. Not only that, Xu Zhengming had a high status in the Xu family and had received strict training since childhood. The tactics and Mystical Techniques he had learned must be much stronger than Xu Zhengfei¡¯s.


    ¡°Good dogs don¡¯t stand in the way.¡± Xu Yang said stonily.


    The blue veins on Xu Zhengming¡¯s forehead were throbbing visibly and he yelled angrily, ¡°You are dead!¡± His Mystical Energy was stimulated and his palm suddenly doubled in size, wrapped in black iron.


    Before the palm was launched into an attack, a gust of wind roared. Xu Yang had a stuffy feeling on his chest, and his arms were quickly wrapped around himself into a ball. He continued to step backward, while he extended his palms downward. Eighteen defending strengths were quickly constructed before Xu Zhengming¡¯s palm had even reached his body.


    Pop! With a soft sound, Xu Zhengming¡¯s palm and Xu Yang¡¯s forearm met each other and the two people each took a step back.


    A group of people was spectating the fight. There were plenty of exclamations among them as they looked at the scene unfold. Xu Zhengming who was a Mystical Warrior had launched a middle-tier Mortal-rank Mystical Technique called the Mystical Iron. The strength of the palm was close to a hundred juns but it was blocked by Xu Yang with a strange technique. The first move from both sides was tied.


    Xu Yang¡¯s arms were sore but his heart was firm. Xu Zhengming had most probably just entered Early-tier Mystical Warrior. Xu Yang was fully capable of coping with him.


    2Xu Zhengming, on the other hand, had a horrified look on his face. In his expectations, Xu Yang would be half-dead after receiving his palm and most of the bones in his body would have ruptured! However, Xu Yang seemed to have sustained no injury after receiving his palm which made him really surprised, and he was in utter disbelief.


    ¡®Is he also a Mystical Warrior but using some secret method to conceal his own cultivation, making me judge wrongly?¡¯ Xu Zhengming suddenly thought of a possibility but he soon gave up on the idea. ¡®Impossible, absolutely impossible! Three months ago, his cultivation was only at the Early tier of a Mystical Learner. Even if he had taken any incredible Spirit Elixir, he wouldn¡¯t be able to advance so quickly. So how is it that he was able to sustain my Mystical Iron Palm?¡¯


    Seeing Xu Zhengming¡¯s hesitant look, Xu Yang smiled disdainfully. He rushed forward and punched out! Xu Yang had developed a firm conviction in the battle with Hong Xi. That was, as long as the battle could not be avoided, he must abandon all fear and rush forward no matter how powerful the enemy was!


    Xu Zhengming was hesitant, even when facing weak opponents. If that was the case, his future achievements would assuredly be limited, and he would have no hope of reaching the realm of a Mystical Grandmaster in this life.


    Xu Zhengming¡¯s mind was blank seeing Xu Yang take the initiative to attack. He dodged with exquisite footwork while forcing himself to calm down and observe Xu Yang¡¯s strength.


    Xu Yang hit three punches in a row but did not even touch Zhengming¡¯s clothes. Xu Zhengming was delighted and forgot the embarrassment that Xu Yang had received his Mystical Iron Palm. He laughed loudly, ¡°Well. Even if your strength has improved by a lot, so what? You still can¡¯t touch me!¡±


    Xu Yang smiled coldly without answering him. He knew that the footwork Xu Zhengming performed was called the Centipede Dragon. Xu Yang, who knew the footwork very well, calculated the next four directions that his opponent would go to.


    Xu Yang did a fake action to punch out and it was easily avoided by Xu Zhengming. Xu Zhengming suddenly felt a pain on his waist when he was about to speak ironically. He had received a heavy punch! Before he could respond, he felt a series of pains in his chest, waist and lower abdomen. He was hit successively and he staggered backwards at the force.


    Xu Zhengming stepped back seven or eight steps before standing firmly on the ground. He looked at Xu Yang with terror etched all over his face! He had only entered the beginning stage of the Centipede Dragon footwork after three months of hard work. How was it that Xu Yang, who was only an Intermediate-tier Mystical Learner, could find his weakness in just one move!


    ¡®He must have hidden his real strength!¡¯ Xu Zhengming was aghast. Xu Yang could not possibly be a Mystical Learner as he could detect his Earth-rank footwork.


    A clear voice sounded at that moment. ¡°The two of you truly have much spirit seeing that you are fighting at the entrance of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion. This is a place for business. Can you please move your fight to some other place?¡±


    A teenager in luxurious white attire was standing at the side with a smile on his face. He was the little official, Li Wang.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Little Official.¡± Xu Zhengming and Xu Yang both bowed to him.


    Xu Zhengming gave himself a way out and said, ¡°Since the little official has spoken, I will spare him this time. I will settle this next time.¡± He did not want to continue the fight as he was not sure about Xu Yang¡¯s strength. Would it not be embarrassing if he were defeated by a useless trash of the Xu family?


    ¡°Xu Yang, I will settle this with you during the Grand Family Tournament a month later.¡± Xu Zhengming spoke ruthlessly and apologized to Li Wang. His sleeves fluttered with a swing of his arms and he left.


    Xu Yang said gratefully. ¡°Thanks for helping me, Little Official.¡±


    Li Wang glanced at him and smiled. ¡°Even if I didn¡¯t show up, you are not afraid of him. Right?¡±


    1Xu Yang did not answer. He was able to protect himself but it was hard to badly injure Xu Zhengming who was an Early-tier Mystical Warrior.


    Xu Yang hit Xu Zhengming with six punches in a row after analyzing the flaw of his footwork. However, the six punches were not able to inflict serious injuries on him. Although Xu Zhengming was only at the Early-tier of a Mystical Warrior, he already had a protective layer of Mystical Power. His ability to resist damage was not something that a Mystical Learner could easily bypass.


    ¡®I must improve my strength as soon as possible!¡¯ Xu Yang had prepared the second medicinal bath. He had to accomplish the cultivation of Rock Body in a shorter period of time.


    Xu Zhengming returned to his house. He was fuming angrily as he broke cups and bowls, he felt dissatisfied thinking of the battle between him and Xu Yang.


    ¡°What has made you so angry, Zhengming?¡± A familiar voice sounded from outside. Xu Zhengming knew that it was his uncle, Xu Qinghe. He quickly calmed down and opened the door to greet him.

 Chapter 21

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Xu Qinghe had a low status in the Xu family. He was in charge of trivial matters. His status in the Xu family was totally different from that of Xu Qingliu, Xu Zhengming¡¯s father, who was the family steward.


    ¡°Please tell me if you have something to say, Uncle.¡± Xu Zhengming said. ¡°I haven¡¯t finished my homework today.¡±


    ¡°You are indeed hardworking.¡± Xu Qinghe said carefully. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have to worry so much if my two mischievous sons had half of your efforts.¡±


    Xu Zhengming usually loved this kind of compliments. However, he treated Xu Qinghe¡¯s words as ridicule as he had gone through a setback that day. He felt slightly annoyed and said coldly, ¡°Thank you, Uncle.¡±


    Xu Qinghe noticed that Xu Zhengming¡¯s tone had changed. He said cautiously, ¡°I am here to ask for your help for my two mischievous sons.¡±


    Xu Zhengming answered casually, ¡°Is it Zhengfei? Or Zhengzha? What happened?¡± Xu Zhengfei and Xu Zhengzha had always been Xu Zhengming¡¯s followers. They had helped him with plenty of issues. They had done hard work even if they did not take any credit. As their leader, Xu Zhengming would have to lend a helping hand to solve their problem.


    ¡°Ay! It¡¯s all Xu Qingyuan¡¯s fault.¡± Xu Qinghe said furiously. ¡°That bastard Xu Yang beat your brother, Zhengfei, up indiscriminately until he was seriously injured. He is now bedridden and he can only recover if there is a Spirit Elixir that is at least of Grade-3. How is it possible that a member who has been evicted by the family would dare to bully our Xu family¡¯s direct descendant?¡±


    Xu Zhengming hardly paid attention to the words coming out of Xu Qinghe¡¯s mouth after hearing him say the shocking name, Xu Yang!


    It was him again!


    Xu Qinghe continued on, ¡°If I were to solve the problem by myself, I would be seen as bullying a kid. I would not be able to explain myself to the head. That¡¯s the reason why I am here to ask for your help.¡±


    Xu Zhengming said, ¡°What do you want me to do, Uncle?¡±


    ¡°The Grand Family Tournament will be held in a month¡¯s time. I want to arrange a match between Xu Yang and you.¡± Xu Qinghe looked at his face and said, ¡°The family would not say much if you were to beat him up heavily during the tournament.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Xu Zhengming shouted loudly. His facial expression was one that seemed undecipherable.


    Xu Qinghe was stunned as he looked at Xu Zhengming. He knew that Xu Zhengming was arrogant but he still had to show some respect as he was his uncle.


    Xu Yang¡¯s name had become a thorn in Xu Zhengming¡¯s side. He could not care less about who Xu Qinghe was at that point in time. He groaned, pointed at the door and said, ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m not in a good mood today. Please forgive me for my rudeness.¡± It was clear that Xu Zhengming wanted Xu Qinghe to leave.


    Xu Qinghe walked out of the door dejectedly. Xu Zhengzha, who had been waiting for quite some time outside, came forward and asked, ¡°How did it go, Father?¡±


    Xu Qinghe waved his hand and said angrily, ¡°Pfft. The two of you really put me to shame, why do I need to do this kind of thing for your sake?!¡±


    Xu Zhengfei¡¯s mother greeted them with a worried look when they returned to their house. ¡°The gift we sent to Old Meng has been returned and he told someone to send us his reply.¡±


    ¡°What did he say?¡± Xu Qinghe asked.


    ¡°He will never produce elixirs for the Xu family for as long as he lived.¡±


    The words were like a thunderbolt out of the blue. Xu Qinghe sighed, and he appeared to have aged overnight. ¡°It was all caused by Xu Qingyuan!¡±


    ¡°Why does Alchemist Meng have such a strong prejudice against the Xu family, Father?¡± Xu Zhengzha asked cautiously.


    Xu Qinghe answered, ¡°This all started fifteen years ago. Xu Qingyuan¡­ Hmph, I don¡¯t even want to mention the name of that troublemaker. Xu Qingyuan got extremely lucky as he did a huge favor for Old Meng. As a result, he obtained a precious Grade-4 Spirit Elixir and they formed an eternal bond.¡±


    Xu Zhengzha was puzzled and asked, ¡°That is a good thing, so why does he have such a strong hatred toward us now?¡±


    Xu Qinghe sighed. ¡°Do you know why our generation calls Xu Qingyuan a troublemaker? He was so full of himself that he ended up wooing a direct descendant of the Sea-Cloud Kingdom¡¯s Mo family. It drove the Mo family mad and they almost destroyed our Xu family. Thank heavens my father made a splendid decision to evict Xu Qingyuan out of the family. He saved the family from being massacred.¡±


    Xu Qinghe sipped some tea and said with dissatisfaction. ¡°Old Meng then started to hate our family due to Xu Qingyuan¡¯s eviction, and has cut off the relationship between us since that¡±


    ¡°Mo family?¡± Xu Zhengzha curiously asked, ¡°Is Mo family that strong?¡± He thought that the Xu family was already an incredible family that could last for hundreds of years.¡±


    Xu Qinghe sighed. ¡°You are so short-sighted. The Mo family is a family with thousands of years of history. Every single one of their guards is in the Mystical Grandmaster stage. The members of the Mo family have spread around the Sea-Cloud Kingdom and they are all in prominent positions. We pale in comparison with them.¡±


    Xu Zhengzha was astonished and he could not bring himself to speak anymore.


    Xu Qinghe stood up and said, ¡°This won¡¯t do. I must go to see Father. I can¡¯t let Zhengfei become a handicap.¡±


    Xu Zhengzha nodded and said with relief, ¡°Old Meng should still have some kind of respect for Grandfather.¡±


    Meanwhile, in the house next to them where Xu Zhengming lived. A middle-aged man with an air of dignity opened the door. He was frightened when he saw the mess.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Zhengming?¡± The man was Xu Zhengming¡¯s father, Xu Qingliu. He was the steward of the Xu family who was in charge of purchasing goods for the family, and his cultivation was at the Advanced tier of a Mystical Master.


    Xu Zhengming was sitting in the Lotus Position. He exhaled a mouthful of turbid gas and airily stood up. ¡°Something strange happened today, Father.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Tell me the details.¡± A trace of shrewdness appeared in his eyes. He knew that the things that could make his son so angry was no small issue.


    Xu Zhengming narrated what happened to him, including how he had met Xu Yang and failed to snatch the peculiar stone from him. He described their battle in detail.


    ¡°You think that the peculiar stone bought by Xu Yang contains Carmine?¡± Xu Qingliu¡¯s eyes brightened up as he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that, but I have seen the description about it from an old scripture given by Father. It says that Carmine will appear in a stone. It has a blood-red colour and comes in various shapes. It is hard to identify purely from its appearance, but one can find out if it is a Carmine when it is absorbed by one¡¯s body. I was somehow certain when I saw it but Xu Yang made the first move to purchase it.¡±


    Xu Zhengming continued to say, ¡°Father, do you think Xu Yang has really gotten lucky and has advanced into the realm of Mystical Warrior just like that? I refuse to believe that!¡±


    Xu Qinghe smiled and said, ¡°You have been fooled by Xu Yang, my son. You said that Xu Yang was able to see the flaw in your Centipede Dragon Footwork, and hit you six times in a row. Am I right? ¡±


    Xu Zhengming nodded and said, ¡°Yes. I was hesitant as I thought that a Mystical Learner would assuredly not be able to see through the flaws of an Earth rank footwork.¡±


    Xu Qingliu asked, ¡°Do you think you will still be alive and well if you were really hit six times in a row by a Mystical Warrior?¡±


    His words served as a reminder to Xu Zhengming as reality finally set in. ¡°F*ck, the bastard is surely not a Mystical Warrior. I must find him and humiliate him tomorrow to vent my wrath!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be impatient.¡± Xu Qingliu stopped Xu Zhengming. ¡°You are already a Mystical Warrior. It is inappropriate for you to do that. Although your grandfather has cast out Xu Qingyuan and his children from the Xu family, he was actually forced to do that. Your grandfather doesn¡¯t care much if it were squabbles between Mystical Learners. However, he might interfere if there is a Mystical Warrior involved in bullying Xu Yang.¡±


    Xu Qingliu continued on to say, ¡°Moreover, Xu Qingyuan was the most celebrated genius in Lin Yuan City fifteen years ago. He has made friends with plenty of famous people such as Old Meng in the eastern city and Li Zhongxuan in the northern city. Do you know why they are not bothered about Xu Yang? It is for the same reason as your grandfather¡¯s as they really could care less about fights between Mystical Learners.¡±


    Xu Zhengming opened his eyes wide and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t there any other solution?¡±


    Xu Qingliu smiled. ¡°Of course there is a way. I remember that the triennial Grand Family Tournament will be in a month¡¯s time. I will use some methods to arrange a match between Xu Yang and you. You can pretend that you accidentally hurt Xu Yang badly at that time. Your grandfather and his people won¡¯t have any reason to interfere.¡±


    2Xu Zhengming exhaled and said, ¡°Okay¡­ but it is really weird as Xu Yang could see through my footwork and receive my attack directly.¡±


    Xu Qingliu smiled and said, ¡°There is no fire without smoke. The strength of your Mystical Iron Palm could reach a hundred juns. Xu Yang must have used the power of a Mystical Armor. You can be rest assured as the Grand Family Tournament doesn¡¯t allow participants to rely on any external factors. As for that footwork, you should not use it again. Perhaps Xu Yang has studied this kind of footwork before. Why are you afraid of Xu Yang when you have the speed of a Mystical Warrior?¡±


    Xu Zhengming was finally relaxed. He rubbed himself on the head and said, ¡°If I had known this earlier, I would have accepted uncle¡¯s request. It was a good chance to earn a favor from him.¡± He immediately told him that Xu Qinghe had come to find him.


    1Xu Qingliu waved his hand and said, ¡°Nevermind that. Xu Qinghe is weak and has a low status in the Xu family. It is useless to earn a favor from him. You can pay him a visit if you want to see things through.¡±


    In Xu Yang¡¯s house a street away from the main courtyard.


    Xu Yang caressed the peculiar stone. He was still in disbelief.


    He used an extremely low price of twenty Wolf Coins to buy the Carmine that would cost an arm and a leg the era from whence he came. It was even cheaper than a graded spirit herb.


    The Carmine¡¯s appearance was peaceful but it contained violent Fire-Extreme Mystical Energy which was the best item to use to set the foundation for Mystical Cultivation.


    ¡®It seems that I should form the Fire Mystical Core first.¡¯ Xu Yang thought.


    The Zhenwu¡¯s Eight Sceneries Scripture focused on uniform cultivation of all the eight extremes. It could help one to advance quickly but there were some hardships to overcome when one had to break through the barrier.


    1The first hardship was to set up the foundation of Mystical Cultivation when forming the Mystical Cores. One who cultivated eight extremes at the same time had to form eight Mystical Cores and fuse them into one. That was a tough step. A lot of members of the Celestials in the future era failed in this step, and ended up becoming a commoner.


    The members of the Celestials in the future era did not have a physique as wonderful as Xu Yang¡¯s. They had at most three to four extremes so they only had to form a few Mystical Cores. However, Xu Yang who had uniform eight extremes had to form eight Mystical Cores of different attributes. Its difficulty level was incomparable to anyone else¡¯s¡¯.


    1

 Chapter 22

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°Are you going to cultivate outside today, Brother?¡± Xu Yu said pitifully while hugging a pillow.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Xu Yang lifted his head to gaze at the sparse spread of glittering stars in the sky, and said lightly.


    Xu Yu pouted and went back into the house. She used her blanket to cover her head.


    ¡®My brother seems to have changed into another person. He is speaking less and does things in a more orderly fashion. He seems to have learned a lot and has become stronger. However, there are also bad changes. My brother no longer hugs me when he sleeps like he did when I was a child.¡¯ Xu Yu thought to herself, and soon fell asleep with such thoughts.


    Xu Yang felt that every second was precious after he had stepped into this golden age with rich Mystical Qi. He could not control his impulse to absorb Mystical Qi from nature as if he could only feel the reality of the world through the rich Mystical Qi.


    Xu Yang launched the Dynamic-Static Combined Qi-Introducing Technique. He took a deep breath and let the Mystical Qi travel in his Mystical Veins. He exhaled and allowed the eight Mystical Qi extremes to flow into his Star Ocean. This could help to expand and strengthen his Star Ocean. At the same time, the rich Mystical Energy infused into his limbs and bones was able to strengthen his body.


    The eight Mystical Energy extremes were clearly distributed into eight sections in Xu Yang¡¯s Star Ocean.


    Early morning the next day.


    Xu Yang slowly exhaled the last mouthful of turbid gas and lightly stood up. He started to inspect his conditions. He was surprised to find that his Star Ocean had expanded into twice its original size, and he had successfully advanced into the Advanced tier of a Mystical Learner.


    2Xu Yang tried to punch out. A gust of wind blasted when he punched. He found that his strength had increased a lot and it had reached forty juns.


    Forty Juns of strength! It could be compared with the physical power of an Intermediate Mystical Warrior.


    Xu Yang could not predict how strong his physical strength would be when he advanced into a Mystical Warrior with his deep accumulation.


    ¡®The huge improvement in my physical strength was not only because I have advanced into a new tier but also credited to the Rock Body that I have cultivated.¡¯ Xu Yang¡¯s mind was soon refreshed. He brought the medicine ding out of the house and filled it with water. Then, he started to cultivate Rock Body, and temper his body.


    With each passing day, Xu Yang¡¯s daily routine was to travel to the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion to buy medicinal herbs and refine medicine. During this period, he had also refined a kind of ordinary medicine called Refreshing Powder which could help relieve a part of the body¡¯s exhaustion.


    This kind of miracle medicine that had never appeared before was even more popular than the Blood-Clotting Powder. Those adventurers who were always in a dangerous situation could consume the Refreshing Powder when they meet a ferocious beast with their strengths that were well-matched. It could help them to prolong their time in fights to the point where the beast became exhausted. To put it bluntly, the Refreshing Powder could help an adventurer run faster and further than their teammates in bad situations.


    1Fire-Cloud Dojo, Northern Lin Yuan City.


    A group of people were walking to the Dojo¡¯s gate. A bearded man in the front passed a map to the guard.


    The guard in duty was a thin middle-aged Mystical Warrior. He was highly sensitive to the number of people present. Looking at the group of people, he immediately asked. ¡°Brother Wei, what¡¯s going on? Quite a few disciples have gone missing!¡±


    The bearded Wei Haoshan snorted and said, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t Hong Xi tell you? He should have been back already.¡±


    The thin and tall Mystical Warrior said in surprise. ¡°Hong Xi? Isn¡¯t he with you? Why would he return first?¡±


    ¡°What? Hong Xi isn¡¯t back?¡± Not only Wei Haoshan, but also Lu Zhuo, soon realized the severity of the matter.


    Hong Xi did not return after he had volunteered to chase after Xu Yang. Wei Haoshan and Lu Zhuo thought that Hong Xi had returned to Lin Yuan City as he wanted to claim the credit for himself. Neither of them expected Hong Xi to fail.


    ¡°I must see Master!¡± Drops of cold sweat appeared on Wei Haoshan¡¯s forehead. He bypassed the guard and rushed into the dojo.


    Fire-Cloud Dojo was divided into three parts. They were the Cultivation Zone, Combat Zone, and Rest Zone. The Cultivation Zone had many rooms while the Combat Zone was an open space. The biggest area was the Rest Zone. It included the room of the head and the instructors. It also included some functional spaces such as the bathrooms.


    Wei Haoshan rushed toward the centre of the Rest Zone which was the courtyard where the head resided.


    The head of the Fire-Cloud Dojo was a fat man. He always had a smiley face on as if he was a Maitreya. However, there were only a few people who really knew the dirty tricks up his sleeves and could understand his treachery and malice.


    After hearing Wei Haoshan¡¯s narration, the smile on the head¡¯s chubby face did not falter, and he said, ¡°You mean that three Mystical Warriors including you, Lu Zhuo and Hong Xi walked on the Ascetic Road of the Vast-Gate Dojo but five disciples were sacrificed, and Hong Xi is missing?¡±


    Wei Haoshan lowered his head and answered, ¡°Yes. Please punish us, Master.¡±


    The Fire-Cloud Dojo¡¯s master asked, ¡°Is the boy named Xu Yang back?¡±


    Wei Haoshan had no idea, but a person standing by the side then answered, ¡°Master, someone saw Xu Yang return to Lin Yuan City five days ago.¡±


    ¡°Look at what you have done! Three Mystical Warriors who couldn¡¯t even protect fifteen disciples, and five disciples were even killed by a Mystical Learner. Hong Xi is missing because he is afraid that he will be punished. Spread my orders! Catch Hong Xi if you ever see him in Lin Yuan City. For Wei Haoshan and Lu Zhuo, one month¡¯s salary will be deducted and your qualifications as guides will be suspended for six months.¡± Although the head was serious, his smiley face remained as if it was permanently set there.


    Wei Haoshan felt a sense of bitterness. It was not a big deal that his monthly salary of ten Wolf Coins were gone but losing his qualification as a guide was more serious.


    It was quite a tough task to lead an ascetic team for guides like them but they could find treasures using the safe route provided by the dojo. According to the rules set for the ascetic teams in regards to finding treasures, the guides also enjoyed the same benefits if they were to find any treasures themselves.


    Losing the qualification of being a guide meant that they would lose some authority on cultivating such as learning the Mystical Scriptures and Mystical Techniques of the dojo, as well as the ability to seek for answers for questions that they had.


    ¡°Master, how about Xu Yang? What should we do?¡± An instructor of the Fire-Cloud Dojo asked.


    The smile on the master¡¯s face suddenly turned creepy. ¡°I must not let him go. Lu Zhuo, Wei Haoshan, I¡¯m giving you a chance to make amends for your mistakes. Go and bring Xu Yang to me!¡±


    Wei Haoshan and Lu Zhuo were excited hearing that and agreed quickly.


    After the two of them had left, the instructor who spoke before said with a smile, ¡°Master, you gave them a heavy punishment but mention Xu Yang after that. You want to give them a chance. You actually don¡¯t intend to punish them heavily, right?¡±


    The head smiled widely and said, ¡°You know me, Lian Ting. Although the two of them have made mistakes, they have shown their loyalty to me. They are much stronger than Hong Xi who has absconded to avoid punishment. Furthermore, they excelled in accomplishing their task as the ascetic team of the Vast-Gate Dojo has been completely destroyed. Old Qi of Vast-Gate Dojo must be like a cat on hot bricks these days. Haha!¡±

 Chapter 23

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    The head of Fire-Cloud Dojo was right. The head of Vast-Gate Dojo was really anxious at that point in time.


    The return date of an ascetic team was always fixed. There was only at most one to two days of delay. However, there was no news about the ascetic team and it had been three days past the expected date of return.


    The family members of the fifteen disciples had come to ask about the condition of their children. Although they were all solo cultivators with weaker backgrounds, it could strongly affect their reputation.


    A thin elderly man looked at the guards at the gate below and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the situation like, is there still no news from Song Ren¡¯s team?¡±


    The guard at the gate answered, ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    The head of Vast-Gate Dojo could not bear it anymore. He slammed his palm on the table, and said, ¡°Song Ren is always stable and steady in doing things. What in the world has happened to them?¡±


    A middle-aged man beside him said quickly, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Father. Song Ren may have met some minor problems so the time for their return has been delayed. We can wait for two more days.¡±


    The head of Vast-Gate Dojo sighed. ¡°Qi Hong, we can¡¯t be so optimistic. As I see it, we should be ready just in case. Go and bring me the information about the team members in the ascetic team¡­ Hopefully there is no member from an influential family.¡±


    Qi Hong laughed and said, ¡°You worry too much, Father. Why would those influential families send their children to the Ascetic Road? They were just some solo cultivators. We can just give them some money as compensation.¡± As he was talking, he quickly stepped toward a book rack. He rapidly retrieved a scroll from the book rack and opened it on the table.


    The master¡¯s finger moved from the first line to the others down the list, and mumbled, ¡°Lu Song, Number 4, Eight Miles Street, Southern City¡­ Liu Zishan, Number 9, Xu Street, Southern City¡­¡±


    The head of Vast-Gate Dojo had spent almost his entire life in Lin Yuan City. He knew all the streets in the city. He could clearly remember which street huge families resided in and where small families lived.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± The master pointed at the last name. ¡°Xu Yang, Number 1, Xu Street, Southern City? He is from the Xu family?¡±


    Qi Hong went closer to him and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, Father. I know Xu Yang. Although he is a member from the Xu family, he has been cast out from the family for years. He was alienated by members of the same generation as well. If not, the Xu family will never let him join our ascetic team. He even paid three more Wolf Coins for the ascetic team as he is not one of us.¡±


    The master coughed once and yelled, ¡°How could you be so careless! It is hard to tell whether the Xu family will come at us because of this issue. The whole dojo might be implicated for that small profit you have earned.¡±


    Qi Hong was terrified and quickly said, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. It is said that the children of the Xu family did not want to mix with Xu Yang. They even wanted to see him dead. As I see it, the Xu family would not care even if Xu Yang was really dead.¡±


    The guard kneeling on the floor suddenly raised his head and said, ¡°Master, I have seen Xu Yang before.¡±


    The master asked, ¡°You saw him before? When?¡±


    The guard, with a slightly confused expression, said, ¡°It was four or five days ago. I saw a fight between a direct descendant of the Xu family and a teenager at the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion. The name mentioned by the direct descendant was Xu Yang.¡±


    The guard continued on and said, ¡°Xu Yang¡¯s name is well-known among the lower stages of Mystical Cultivators recently. He has refined two kinds of ordinary medicine with incredible medicinal effects, the Blood-Clotting Powder and Refreshing Powder. The medicines were sold at a reasonable price. Most of the Mystical Learners want to buy some of them.¡±


    The father and son of Vast-Gate Dojo did not care about the ordinary medicine. They were surprised that Xu Yang was back in Lin Yuan City.


    The ascetic team should have reached the city earlier on since Xu Yang had returned. Why was there no news?


    The master glanced at Qi Hong. Qi Hong knew that it was a serious issue and he immediately said, ¡°Please be rest assured, Father. I¡¯ll send people to Xu Street and bring Xu Yang back here.¡±


    The master nodded and said worriedly, ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid. He is from the Xu family. It is always better to use violence only after courteousness has failed.¡±


    ¡°I know what to do, Father.¡± Qi Hong bowed and left.¡¡¡¡¡±


    Xu Street, Southern City.


    Xu Yang was shirtless. He exhaled once and hit his shoulder on the big bluestone. As a grey light flashed, Xu Yang¡¯s fair skin turned into a greyish colour as if it was a stone.


    A low collision sound came as the bluestone vibrated. Several cracks appeared on the spot which Xu Yang hit. However, Xu Yang did not feel much pain.


    ¡®I have finally completed Rock Body after five medicinal baths and five times of skin shedding.¡¯ Xu Yang smiled in satisfaction. ¡®My physical strength has increased to fifty juns. I¡¯m able to fight with all opponents at the Mystical Learner stage. My fist would really hurt Xu Zhengming if I were to fight with him again.¡¯


    The cultivating resources in the future era were scarce. Although there were miraculous techniques such as the Dynamic-Static Combined Qi-Introducing Technique, it was still tough for a Mystical Learner to increase their physical strength to over forty juns. Xu Yang could only get the amazing result because he possessed fabulous body-tempering techniques from the future era and the rich Mystical Energy in the golden ages.


    ¡°I have sewn your clothes, Brother.¡± Xu Yu was holding Xu Yang¡¯s shirt. She glanced at his brother¡¯s muscular body and said timidly.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Yang took the shirt and put it on.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there? Don¡¯t hide.¡± Xu Yang buttoned up his clothes and yelled.


    Lu Zhuo and Wei Haoshan, who were hiding on the roof, were surprised. It was ridiculous for them to continue hiding as Xu Yang had already discovered them. The two Mystical Warriors laughed and jumped down from the roof.


    ¡°You little bastard! You have brought us so much trouble.¡±


    Lu Zhuo first scolded, ¡°You killed five disciples from our dojo and tricked us. Now, I want to see where you can hide!¡±


    Wei Haoshan felt pressured when Xu Yang looked at them. He had a horrible sense as if a sharp blade was being pointed at his throat.


    He shook his head and put aside the absurd feeling. No matter how weird the kid was, he was only a Mystical Learner. There was always a large difference between Mystical Learners and Mystical Warriors.


    ¡°Brother Lu, the bastard is advancing extremely fast. I remember that he was only an Early Mystical Learner when we¡¯re at the Python Mountains. He is now at Advanced tier and is still showing signs of higher level of advancement.¡±Wei Haoshan said.


    Lu Zhuo was terrified. He checked Xu Yang¡¯s cultivation and said, ¡°Damn it. We can¡¯t just let him go. He has advanced into the Advanced tier of a Mystical Learner just within ten days! He may be able to fight with us within a year¡¯s time!¡±


    Xu Yang said coldly, ¡°You have overestimated yourself. I don¡¯t need a year to challenge you two. I can do it right now!¡±


    ¡°Good. You have the gall, kid.¡± Wei Haoshan was irritated. He pushed out his palm and gathered Fire Mystical Power on his palm, a huge image of a flame claw was formed.


    Lu Zhuo was also amazed by it. Wei Haoshan¡¯s cultivation was extremely close to that of a Mystical Master¡¯s. He could advance into the Mystical Master stage if he could master the method to turn imagination into reality.


    ¡°Mystical-Restrictive Array!¡± Xu Yang immediately launched the array, and an invisible power formed in the yard.


    Wei Haoshan¡¯s huge flame palm suddenly disappeared. He was frightened, and remained in his original position. Lu Zhuo beside him was terrified after he tried to induce the exertion of Mystical Power. ¡°Sh*t. Brother Wei, I lost my connection with Mystical Power.¡±


    Wei Haoshan was not much better than Lu Zhuo. Their faces turned pale in a flash. Mystical Power was the pride and reliance of a Mystical Warrior. Without Mystical Power, one could not be called as a Mystical Warrior. They were only slightly stronger than Mystical Learners without it.


    ¡°Mist-Flame Spear!¡± Wei Haoshan was unwilling to give up. He yelled loudly and wanted to launch his strongest Mystical Technique.


    ¡°It¡¯s useless.¡± Xu Yang said lightly. ¡°Mystical Power can¡¯t be used within the range of the Mystical-Restrictive Array.¡±


    ¡°Brother Lu, it should be a type of array.¡± Wei Haoshan was more experienced. He calmed himself down and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, the key to disrupting the array must be on this bastard! We can defeat him easily with our physical strength even without Mystical Power.¡±


    Lu Zhuo agreed and quickly stood beside Wei Haoshan. They had to bring Xu Yang back even if they had to give up their dignity.


    However, the two of them were one step too late. They were immediately identified by Xu Yang the moment they landed on the roof. They would not be able to laugh any longer if they had seen the situation where Xu Yang was hitting the bluestone using Rock Body.


    ¡°Come at me.¡± Xu Yang clenched his fist, and his bones made a clicking sound. He dashed forward and punched in the direction of Wei Haoshan.


    He wanted to try out the result of cultivating Rock Body on the two Mystical Warriors.


    Wei Haoshan sneered and said, ¡°Good!¡± He punched as well as he did not want to waste time.


    The two punches met and the sneer on his face turned into a horrified expression. A severe pain spread from his knuckle to his whole arm.


    It felt as if he was not hitting a human body but an enormous mountain.


    Lu Zhuo was surprised when Wei Haoshan took three steps back. At the same time, he immediately used his arm to block the second punch from Xu Yang.


    Lu Zhuo¡¯s forearm bone cracked as he screeched in pain, and his body was hit backward.


    ¡®Although my speed is decreased by a little when I launch Rock Body, my physical strength is increased, and my defensive ability is raised by a lot.¡¯ Xu Yang rubbed his hands together and walked closer to the terrified Lu Zhuo and Wei Haoshan.


    Xu Yu who was peeping by the door was also amazed. Her brother¡¯s strength was beyond her imagination. Two arrogant Mystical Warriors were defeated by her brother even though they were working together to go up against him.

 Chapter 24

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Xu Yang lifted the two seriously injured Mystical Warriors by their legs and threw them out of the gate.


    Lu Zhuo and Wei Haoshan¡¯s limbs were all broken. Their Star Oceans were severely damaged by Xu Yang. Although Xu Yang did not destroy their Mystical Cores, their lives were ruined as they were seriously injured. It was difficult to mend their bones. However, it would be even more difficult to recover their damaged Star Oceans even with an Alchemist Master¡¯s assistance.


    ¡°Oh? Why is there a mess outside the door?¡±


    Xu Yang was surprised seeing what was going on outside as he was about to close the gates. Originally, there were piles of neatly arranged firewood chopped by Xu Yang but they were scattered all around, and many of them had been broken into several pieces.


    ¡°Zhengyang?¡± A tentative voice came from the side. Xu Yang turned and saw a handsome middle-aged man. The man was lifting a thin man in grey clothes upside down.


    His cultivation was strong and Xu Yang could not identify what stage he was in. The middle-aged man was at least a Mystical Master.


    Xu Yang analyzed the man the moment he saw him.


    ¡°May I know who you are, Sir?¡± Xu Yang did a fist-and-palm salute and asked.


    ¡°Li Zhongxuan.¡± The handsome man dropped the man in grey on the ground in front of Xu Yang. ¡°This person¡¯s behavior is suspicious. His has walked around your house three times. So I captured him.¡±


    Xu Yang did not have memories of a person called Li Zhongxuan. He then realized what was going on when he saw the mark of Vast-Gate Dojo on the belt of the man in grey. He bowed deeply and said, ¡°Thank you so much, Mr. Li.¡±


    ¡°You can call me Uncle Li.¡± Li Zhongxuan looked at the two Mystical Warriors from Fire-Cloud Dojo. His eyes flashed in amazement. ¡°I have underestimated you. You can defeat two Mystical Warriors with the cultivation of a Mystical Learner. You can actually settle the problem by yourself without me.¡±


    ¡°Uncle¡­ Li.¡± Xu Yang addressed the man as such, but it felt awkward somehow. ¡°Why are you here to protect me?¡±


    ¡°I knew your father well.¡± Li Zhongxuan seemed to be reminiscing about something, and he soon came to his senses. ¡°Hence, I¡¯ll come to assist you if there is someone threatening your life.¡±


    ¡°The two groups of people come from Fire-Cloud Dojo and Vast-Gate Dojo respectively. Li Zhongxuan said. ¡°How is it that you have made an enemy of both factions on your journey on the ascetic road?¡±


    Xu Yang was silent for a while. He could tell Li Zhongxuan what had happened on the Ascetic Road except for the fact that he had killed Hong Xi. He analyzed the situation and said, ¡°The guide of Fire-Cloud Dojo¡¯s ascetic team must have told their master about their experiences on the way. This is the reason they came for me. As for Vast-Gate Dojo, they came to investigate the reason why their whole ascetic team has gone missing as I¡¯m the only survivor.¡±


    Li Zhongxuan seemed to be thinking about something. ¡°I see. Then, this is easy to deal with.¡± He waved his hand and three long blue whips were wrapped around the three Mystical Warriors. He moved his arm and the three of them were thrown tens of meters away. ¡°You should have clearly heard what I said just now. Go and tell your masters that you should have a battle at the Northern Arena to deal with this matter. You must not involve those who have no relation to this issue. I will exterminate every faction who dares to trouble Xu Yang.¡±


    ¡°Remember, I¡¯m Li Zhongxuan!¡±


    At Fire-Cloud Dojo.


    ¡°The man said he is Li Zhongxuan?¡±


    The fat head was surprised to see Wei Haoshan and Lu Zhuo who were sent back on stretchers. However, the smile on his face had suddenly disappeared after hearing their explanation.


    ¡°Who is Li Zhongxuan, Master? His surname is Li, and he even dared to speak in such a manner¡­ Is he from the Northern City?¡± The instructor named Lian Ting asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. He is the second son of Lord Lin Yuan, and the younger brother of the governor, Li Boyan.¡± The master took a deep breath and announced solemnly, ¡°Spread my order! No one is allowed to trouble Xu Yang from now on, and the issue should not be brought up ever again.¡±


    The same scene was repeated in Vast-Gate Dojo. Li Zhongxuan rescued Xu Yang from the resentment that the two dojos had toward him all by himself, and this allowed Xu Yang to not be dragged into the problematic mess.


    Meanwhile, at the governor¡¯s residence.


    ¡°Zhongxuan, you ended up intervening in the matter.¡±


    A man in noble attire who was sitting on the throne said. He had a dignified aura. He was Lord Lin Yuan¡¯s eldest son, and the governor of Lin Yuan City, Li Boyan.


    ¡°Yes, Elder Brother.¡± Facing the pressure that came from the nobleman, Li Zhongxuan stood straight and stiff like a sharp spear.


    ¡°Hmph¡­¡± Li Boyan seemed to have guessed that his brother would reply as such, and he said, ¡°Do you know that it is likely to cause a misunderstanding with the Mo family?¡±


    ¡°It has been more than ten years. When will the Mo family finally forget about the two young ones?¡±


    2¡°Don¡¯t you remember how serious the incident was?¡± Li Boyan said. ¡°I can understand where you are coming from, but as the head of the family, I have to tell you that we cannot pick a fight with the Mo family.¡±


    ¡°I will bear all the responsibilities if the Mo family were to come at us.¡± Li Zhongxuan said, and left with an air of indignance


    In the Xu family¡¯s main courtyard.


    ¡°Qinggang, how did things go?¡± An old voice sounded from a figure behind layers of curtains.


    ¡°Father, I didn¡¯t have to do anything.¡± A man with hard-set facial lines who was in his thirties bowed and answered.


    ¡°Oh? You were able to hold back? Are the people from Fire-Cloud Dojo and Vast-Gate Dojo so easy to communicate with?¡± The old voice sounded monotonous.


    ¡°What actually happened was, Li Zhongxuan was there, and caught a Mystical Warrior from Vast-Gate Dojo after blocking his Star Ocean. As for the other two Mystical Warriors¡­¡±


    ¡°The other two people? They should be from Fire-Cloud Dojo. What¡¯s going on? Li Zhongxuan would not have let them go as he has gotten himself involved in this matter.¡± The elderly man seemed to know Li Zhongxuan well. ¡°The fact that he has taken the initiative to interfere means that he no longer has anything holding him back¡­ Hmph! I can¡¯t believe that I, Xu Changling, would have to rely on outsiders to protect my grandson. I¡¯m filled with regret with the thought of that.¡±


    ¡°All your efforts are for the Xu family, Father.¡± Xu Qinggang said immediately. ¡°The other two Mystical Warriors were thrown out by Zhengyang.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The news was indeed unexpected. Even the calm Xu Changling had changed his tone. ¡°Yang is not that strong.¡±


    Xu Qinggang nodded and said, ¡°I was also terrified at that time. I could be sure that the two Mystical Warriors are from Fire-Cloud Dojo. The two people are Lu Zhuo and Wei Haoshan. They are in the Advanced and Pinnacle tiers of Mystical Warrior respectively.¡±


    ¡°It seems that Zhengyang possesses powerful self-protecting methods.¡± Xu Changling was knowledgeable. He could readily accept the fact although he was terrified. ¡°He is Qingyuan¡¯s son after all.¡±


    ¡°Although Zhengyang¡¯s strength is not that strong, his senses are highly sensitive. I was nearly noticed by him several times when I was in hiding. Father, should we find an opportunity to explain to him to prevent further misunderstanding?¡±


    2Xu Changling shook his head slowly and said, ¡°The Grand Family Tournament is around the corner. We don¡¯t have to worry. We can remove the protection on Zhengyang as Li Zhongxuan¡¯s words are more powerful in keeping him safe. We don¡¯t have to be worried unless he goes to the Python Mountains suddenly like he did last time.¡±


    Xu Qinggang was deeply touched. In fact, he had always been instructed to secretly ensure Xu Yang¡¯s safety, but he could only do so in hiding because of the Mo family¡¯s existence. He could not show himself unless Xu Yang were to encounter a life-threatening situation. He had actually taken Xu Yang home and had healed him when Xu Yang was bullied and fallen unconscious several times in the past.


    Xu Qinggang was punished by Xu Changling as he was not aware when Xu Yang had joined Vast-Gate Dojo¡¯s ascetic team.


    There were only a few people, including Xu Qinggang, who knew that the head had never really wanted to give up Xu Qingyuan and his descendants.


    As for the situation in which Xu Yang was bullied by the members of the younger generation, Xu Qinggang wanted to stop them but ended up not doing so. Xu Changling¡¯s intentions were clear. He did not care about the squabbles between the young ones as it would merely make people believe that they have truly abandoned Xu Qingyuan¡¯s family.


    Xu Changling had three sons, the eldest was Xu Qinglu, the second was Xu Qingyuan and the youngest was Xu Qinggang. Their children had never participated in bullying Xu Yang like the other members of the family branches.

 Chapter 25

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Fire was blazing vigorously under the medicine ding. A thin layer of blood-red stone powder was spread at the bottom of the ding. It emitted steam as the temperature in the ding increased.


    ¡®I can only use the basic method, distillation, to extract the essence from the Carmine as I don¡¯t have Mystical Power nor the perfect condition to do so.¡¯ Xu Yang was somewhat distressed looking at the red stone powder in the bronze ding. It was the powder of Carmine he had scrapped from the peculiar stone.


    It was unthinkable to extract the essence of Carmine using the distillation method as most of the fire energy would be wasted. However, Xu Yang could not do anything about it as he had to quickly form the Fire Mystical Core.


    His combat ability would have a huge improvement after he advanced as a Mystical Warrior. He would be able to cultivate Mystical Techniques at that time. His current stage as a Mystical Learner could only cultivate a few techniques. There were too many limitations and it would be difficult to even cultivate one percent of those incredible techniques in his mind.


    Seeing that the steam had gradually turned red, Xu Yang picked up a round iron plate with bumps on one side and covered the opening of the ding.


    ¡®I must use as much firepower as possible!¡¯ Xu Yang stacked even more firewood at the bottom of the ding while powerfully fanning the fire with a huge fan that was as tall as a person at the same time.


    He bought the huge fan from a blacksmith shop. Only those who possessed at least thirty Juns of strength could use it easily as it could create strong gusts of wind when it was used. In fact, only when casting iron would one require such a strong firepower, it was not necessary at all in refining ordinary medicine.


    Xu Yang was not producing ordinary medicine, he was extracting Carmine. The greater the firepower, the more energy he could extract from the red stone powder..


    The flame rose three feet high. Xu Yu, who was by his side, said while she was wiping her sweat, ¡°Brother, the firepower is so strong. Our home is like a furnace now.¡±


    Xu Yang shook his head. He knew that the firepower was not strong enough. There were thirty percent of residual essences that could not be extracted but he was already at his limit.


    ¡°Xu Yu, pour some water on the iron plate.¡± Xu Yang fanned the fire with great strength.


    Xu Yu was already prepared. She tiptoed and poured water on the iron plate with a wooden spoon.


    The iron plate that had been steamed by the red hot mist cooled rapidly with the use of water. Xu Yang could imagine that the red hot mist on the iron plate was rapidly sublimating into small red crystals that were attached to the plate.


    This was the principle of the distillation method but it could only yield very little. If Xu Yang had Mystical Power, he could transform the fire from it and directly refine the stone powder. The efficiency would be doubled and less energy from the Carmine would be wasted.


    After the fire had been burning vigorously for an hour, Xu Yang finally put the fan down and wiped his sweat. After that, he removed the iron plate.


    The iron plate was extremely hot. Xu Yang¡¯s right hand suddenly turned grey as if it was crafted from a rock. He had activated the Rock Body ability and was able to easily remove the boiling hot iron plate.


    After turning over the iron plate and blowing away the steaming hot mist, Xu Yang saw plenty of blood-red prismatic crystals on the bumps of the iron plate.


    Xu Yang was delighted. The Carmine could be extracted by using the distillation method. It was a treasure with rich Fire Mystical Power. It was best used in setting up the foundation of Mystical Cultivation.


    Xu Yang carefully put the crystals into a pre-prepared sandalwood box, and put it away. On top of the ding, bursts of blood-colored mist continued to float in the air, making the Fire-Extreme Mystical Energy in the area extremely active.


    ¡°I can¡¯t waste this energy. This is a good opportunity to cultivate.¡± Xu Yang was very distressed. After instructing his younger sister, he began to practice the Dynamic-Static Combined Qi-Introducing Technique in the house. A plume of red mist was introduced into his body as Xu Yang breathed in and out.


    Fire-Extreme was the most abundant among them all. The eight Mystical Energy extremes in his Star Ocean had become unstable for the first time. The Fire-Extreme Mystical Energy was growing stronger and stronger.


    The Fire-Extreme Mystical Energy mist formed from the Carmine was too much for Xu Yang who was in the Mystical Learner stage. He could feel that the Mystical Energy in his Star Ocean was beginning to saturate after a while.


    ¡®I can seize the chance to expand my Star Ocean and advance again.¡¯ Xu Yang made his decision without any hesitation. The two dojos have sent people to capture him. They might send a Mystical Master who Xu Yang would be unable to go up against the next time as the Mystical Warriors have failed.


    Despite Li Zhongxuan having shown his intention to protect Xu Yang, he was still not the kind of character who would place his own safety in other people¡¯s hands. He knew that his own strength was the only foundation for him to survive. Placing reliance on others was not something that he could ever be sure of.


    His Star Ocean was flooded by endless Mystical Energy as if a wooden barrel was being filled by a huge amount of water. His Star Ocean seemed to be groaning because it was overwhelmed and it was likely to explode at any time. The consequences would undoubtedly be extremely serious if Xu Yang¡¯s Star Ocean were to really burst open. The best outcome from such an ending would be that he would have to start cultivating from the beginning once more.


    Sweat was flowing profusely from Xu Yang¡¯s forehead. Xu Yu was anxious like a cat on hot bricks. Xu Yang had already told her not to disturb him beforehand, otherwise the consequences would be terrible.


    Furthermore, Xu Yang was not idle when he introduced Mystical Qi as he was using the Dynamic-Static Combined Qi-Introducing Technique and the sixty-four moves of the eight positions repeatedly. All Xu Yu could see was Xu Yang moving rapidly in fixed positions in the house like a strong gust of wind. It was difficult for her to even see his shadows.


    Suddenly, Xu Yang stood still and the sounds of blowing wind stopped. He sat on the ground and started to strike the inner wall of his Star Ocean with waves of Mystical Energy to expand it! After introducing Mystical Energy for so long, he had reserved adequate amounts of it to advance into a higher tier.


    Xu Yu stared blankly at Xu Yang. Her brother¡¯s face was no longer fair but had turned red. Large beads of sweat were dripping and leaving trails on his face.


    ¡°Brother, you have to get better soon¡­¡± Xu Yu murmured as Xu Yang¡¯s condition when advancing really scared her. Although she knew that he was cultivating Mystical Qi, and she had also learned some techniques of Mystical Cultivation from Xu Yang, she could not judge whether Xu Yang¡¯s current condition was safe as she was just a beginner.


    The blood-red colour on Xu Yang¡¯s face suddenly disappeared, and he opened his eyes in a flash. As he opened his eyes, a gush of aura was exuded, and his black hair fluttered behind his neck.


    ¡°It worked¡­¡± Xu Yang slowly stood up and looked at his palm. His feelings were somewhat jumbled up, but most of them were that of joy.


    ¡°You gave me a scare, Brother.¡± Xu Yu rushed forward and held onto Xu Yang¡¯s arm. She was unwilling to lose her loved ones.


    Xu Yang smiled and caressed her head. The aura just now was that of a Pinnacle Mystical Learner. He was close to the Mystical Warrior stage. A Mystical Warrior was signified by exerting the inner aura. He could inadvertently release his inner aura as he was only one step away from being a Mystical Warrior.


    However, it was impossible for him to use Mystical Power to hurt his opponent at that moment. The inner aura created by him was only an image.


    Xu Yang looked into his Star Ocean and frowned, ¡°I¡¯m getting ahead of myself.¡±


    The eight extremes in his Star Ocean were not divided uniformly at the moment. The size of the Fire-Extreme Mystical Energy was equal to the size of the other seven extremes of Mystical Energy put together.


    This was not beneficial in cultivating Zhenwu¡¯s Eight Sceneries Scripture. Fortunately, Xu Yang¡¯s Star Ocean was doubled as he had advanced into the Pinnacle tier of Mystical Learner. He had to compress the Fire-Extreme Mystical Energy and absorb the other seven extremes of Mystical Energy in his future cultivation to reach an equilibrium.


    Xu Yang could actually try to condense the Fire Mystical Core at that moment. However, Xu Yang¡¯s cultivation of Zhenwu¡¯s Eight Sceneries Scripture would fail and this was unacceptable for him.


    Xu Yang decided to advance into the Mystical Warrior stage after he had achieved the equilibrium of the eight extremes once again.


    2

 Chapter 26

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°Brother, Brother. When do we depart?¡± Xu Yu was sitting on a stool, as she placed her head on the round table and stared at the busy Xu Yang.


    ¡°Almost ready.¡± Xu Yang answered while he was throwing herbs into the ding.


    ¡°The Thousand-Treasures Pavilion wants me to put a rush in things. The Blood-Clotting Powder is well-stocked but the Refreshing Powder is almost out of stock.¡± Xu Yang opened the cover of the ding and a pleasant scent wafted into the air.


    ¡°Okay. There are a total of two hundred sets of Refreshing Powder in the ding. The quality is not bad too.¡± Xu Yang pinched a dash of the blue granular medicine powder and was satisfied.


    Xu Yu happily took out the yellow paper she had cut from before and wrapped up the powdered medicine. She was energetic as Xu Yang had promised to bring her to the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion.


    ¡®I have been entirely focused on refining medicine these two days. I almost forgot to cultivate Mystical Qi.¡¯ Xu Yang smiled bitterly and started to count the number of his products. ¡®One hundred fifty sets of Blood-Clotting Powder, five hundred sets of Refreshing Powder, and an addition of the new powdered medicine. It seems that it can fulfil the needs of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion for a month.¡¯


    The new medicine he had refined was named the Bone-Jointing powder. It could help in recovering bone fractures quickly. It was a famous ordinary medicine in the future era.


    ¡°Phew! I have finally wrapped all of them up.¡± Xu Yu wiped the sheen of sweat on her nose, and it was dyed blue by the Refreshing Powder. ¡°It¡¯s time to go!¡±


    Xu Yang laughed and wiped off the blue powder on her nose with a towel. He waved his hand and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    The Thousand-Treasures Pavilion was particularly crowded that day as it was the day of the Appraisal Conference.


    ¡°Greetings, Mr. Xu Yang.¡± Qingyun¡¯s eyes flashed when she saw Xu Yang who was carrying a bag of medicine that was running short on supplies. She had been worried for days as there were a lot of adventurers at the Mystical Learner stage asking for the medicine.


    ¡°These are the Blood-Clotting Powder, and these are the Refreshing Powder.¡± Xu Yang said as he handed two bags to her respectively.


    ¡°Oh? What are these?¡± Qingyun was surprised when she saw the third bag Xu Yang had taken out.


    ¡°This medicine is called the Bone-Jointing Powder. It has a miraculous effect in healing fractured bones.¡± Xu Yang briefly introduced the function of the Bone-Jointing Powder. He then said, ¡°This kind of medicine would cost two Wolf Coins a packet. You can test it out as per the regulations. I will not sell it to the pavilion if it doesn¡¯t produce the desired results.¡±


    Qingyun smiled, and her eyes squinted. She said, ¡°Mr. Xu is indeed a talented Alchemist. You created a new medicine in only a few days¡¯ time. Please follow me to the inner pavilion.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Follow me, Xu Yu.¡± Xu Yang turned his head and said to his sister. He then realized that he did not have to say that to her. The timid Xu Yu had been holding tightly onto his arm right from the beginning as it was the first time she had come to Thousand-Treasures Pavilion.


    Xu Yang smiled and did not pay attention to her any longer.


    The Thousand-Treasures Pavilion was extra cautious when purchasing a new type of medicine. An ordinary salesperson like Qingyun was not qualified to handle such purchases. It had to be processed by Li Yurong herself in the inner pavilion.


    Xu Yang was always curious about the gorgeous woman in the lake green dress. She looked weak but was she able to take on the important task of being at the best trading center in Lin Yuan City.


    It was probably because her surname was Li. Xu Yang recalled another man who had protected him from the resentment of the two dojos. The man, Li Zhongxuan, said that he knew his father.


    ¡®Li Zhongxuan is the younger brother of the governor of Lin Yuan City. He rarely shows himself in public. I don¡¯t know whether he is related to Li Yurong.¡¯


    ¡°We haven¡¯t met for a few days, Mr. Xu.¡±


    A graceful greeting woke Xu Yang from his deep thoughts. He raised his head and saw Li Yurong smiling at him.


    Xu Yang noticed that there were a lot of people in noble attire in the inner pavilion this time. They were either flower-gazing or chatting in groups of three to five.


    ¡®It is the Appraisal Conference today. No wonder it is so crowded at the inner pavilion.¡¯ Xu Yang nodded at Li Yurong as a form of courtesy.


    Qingyun rushed forward and whispered something to her. Li Yurong¡¯s face lit up with an amazed expression, and she walked toward Xu Yang.


    Xu Qingliu and Xu Zhengming, with big smiles on their faces, were trying to talk to Xu Qinggang at a corner. However, they did not know what to say as the latter had on a frosty expression.


    Xu Qingliu despised the man deep down his heart. The responsibility to purchase items in the family had always been monopolized by him. However, the head surely intended to weaken his authority by sending Xu Qinggang here. Still, he had to handle it with care even though he was angry. Xu Qinggang had a respectable status in the Xu family as he was one of the sons of the head. Xu Qingliu might lose his job if Xu Qinggang complained about him to the head.


    It was not the first time Xu Zhengming had participated in an Appraisal Conference. However, he was still looking around excitedly because there were a lot of beauties around.


    ¡°Look, Father!¡± Xu Zhengming suddenly spotted a familiar person. He was shocked and quickly pulled Xu Qingliu¡¯s hand.


    Xu Qingliu was cautiously talking to Xu Qinggang. He looked in the direction Xu Zhengming was pointing at with his son¡¯s exclamation. He saw a teenager in clothes that were clean but covered in stitches. Such an attire stood out clearly amidst all the others present.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Xu Qingliu asked with an accusing tone. ¡°Don¡¯t you see that I¡¯m talking to your Uncle Qinggang?¡±


    ¡°Father, he is Xu Yang.¡± Xu Zhengming whispered to his father as he knew that Xu Qinggang was beside him.


    Xu Qingliu was surprised and glanced at Xu Yang. He lowered his voice and said, ¡°I know. Don¡¯t create any trouble.¡±


    Xu Zhengming¡¯s voice was lowered but Xu Qinggang could clearly hear it. He was shocked when he heard Xu Yang¡¯s name. He could not help but look at that direction.


    ¡°It is not necessary to test your new medicine, Mr. Xu. I trust your capabilities and your character.¡±


    Despite being busy with the events of the day, Li Yurong took some time to greet Xu Yang. She was the most important person at the conference. The attention of the crowd was suddenly focused on Xu Yang, whose clothes were worn out, as Li Yurong spoke to him.


    ¡°Who is that?¡±


    ¡°He must be an important person. Ms. Yurong greeted him personally.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. His attire is worn out. It is even incomparable to those solo cultivators.¡±


    Xu Yang was not affected by the whispers of the crowd. He said placidly, ¡°Thank you so much.¡±


    ¡°Are you in a rush, Mr. Xu?¡± Li Yurong smiled as if she could read his thoughts. ¡°The Appraisal Conference is one of the largest events in Lin Yuan City. There are a lot of treasures here. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to stay, Mr. Xu?¡±


    Xu Yang shook his head and said, ¡°I can¡¯t afford to buy a single treasure with the money that I have. Even if I stay, I would merely be on the sidelines.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. You possess the recipes for two of the most popular medicines in Lin Yuan City. You have even created another type of medicine. They could be sold at a high price if you were to sell one of them.¡±


    ¡®They are finally aiming for the recipes.¡¯ Xu Yang smiled slightly. Someone would surely discover the recipes for these ordinary medicines sooner or later. It was better for him to sell them now and earn some money.


    If they were not the recipes for ordinary medicine but Spirit Elixirs, Xu Yang would not sell them to others.


    In fact, the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion had passed the Blood-Clotting Powder to other Alchemists and requested that they figure out the recipe. However, there were many factors that would affect the final result such as the firepower, ratio of ingredients and duration needed. Xu Yang had also added some non-essential ingredients that were neither harmful nor useful when he was refining the medicine which made it even more difficult to figure out the exact recipe.


    ¡°Well then. I will stay back for the largest Appraisal Conference in Lin Yuan City.¡±

 Chapter 27

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Li Yurong gave him a charming smile. She nodded and said, ¡°Your participation will surely add luster to the Appraisal Conference¡­ I heard that you were attacked by two of the largest Mystical Cultivator Dojos in Lin Yuan City recently. Is it true?¡±


    Xu Yang frowned when he heard Li Yurong mentioning the issue. He did not know what her intentions were. ¡°It¡¯s true. Someone helped me. I¡¯m safe now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I was wondering who rescued you from the resentment between the two dojos.¡± Li Yurong¡¯s eyes showed a flash of curiosity.


    ¡°Oh? I thought that your Thousand-Treasures Pavilion would surely know who he was.¡± Xu Yang smiled. He was straightforward as if he had seen through her intentions. ¡°He said his name is Li Zhongxuan.¡±


    Li Yurong¡¯s beautiful eyes flashed with an unnoticeable feeling, and she laughed, ¡°What a coincidence. Lord Lin Yuan¡¯s second son, Little Official¡¯s uncle is also called Li Zhongxuan.¡±


    ¡°They should be the same person. If there¡¯s a chance, I will thank him once again personally.¡± Xu Yang said lightly. His impression on Li Yurong was affected by her words. He felt displeased as the woman clearly intended to receive some sort of benefit from what had happened.


    Li Yurong first mentioned the recipes of the three new medicines, then moved on to bring up the topic of Li Zhongxuan after that. She obviously wanted Xu Yang to thank Li Zhongxuan by giving the recipes to the Li family.


    Xu Yang had already figured out the relationship between Li Zhongxuan and Li Yurong, and even to that of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion. He was naturally not stingy when it came to the recipe of the ordinary medicines. However, Li Yurong¡¯s hasty attitude in handling the matter had made Xu Yang look down upon the Li family.


    The Appraisal Conference was the largest trading event in Lin Yuan City, as such there was naturally a set of rules to abide by.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. The Appraisal Conference will begin soon.¡± Under the instruction of Li Yurong, an elderly with a grey set of hair strode up to the northernmost platform of the courtyard and shouted in full spirit.


    Xu Yang looked at the number plate Li Yurong had given him. The number was small. It was Number 3.


    Xu Yang led Xu Yu, who was in a daze, to seat Number 3 and sat down. Xu Yang glanced left and right, and he was slightly shocked. On his left hand side was seat Number 2. It was the Little Official, Li Wang. There was a middle-aged man with a graceful look next to Li Wang. The two of them had rather similar features, and Xu Yang secretly guessed that the man was Li Wang¡¯s dad, Li Boyan, who was also the governor of Lin Yuan City.


    If the governor of Lin Yuan City could only sit at seat Number 2, then the one who could sit at seat Number 1 must be an incredible person. Xu Yang glanced at the seat next to them but saw that it was empty.


    The one at seat Number 4 was a middle-aged man with a stern face. His lips were thin and his eyes were extremely sharp. The man glanced coldly at Xu Yang when he felt Xu Yang looking at him. He seemed to be dissatisfied that a little unknown boy in shabby clothes could sit at seat Number 3.


    ¡®Xu Zhengming and his people are at seat Number 6. It seems that the seating arrangement of the Appraisal Conference is based on their strength. Apart from the unknown seat Number 1, the governor of Lin Yuan City who is highly respected is seated at seat Number2. The seats Number 4, 5, and 6 should be the three major families of Lin Yuan City. The Xu family is ranked at the bottom. Its strength has really declined.¡¯


    Xu Yang was deep in thought. However, an unfriendly voice sounded when the host was about to announce the start of the conference.


    ¡°Wait! I want to know why a poor kid like him can sit at seat Number 3 ahead of me?¡±


    The voice came from the row behind Xu Yang. Xu Yang looked toward that direction and saw a well-dressed young man. The young man was standing and looking at Xu Yang disdainfully. ¡°Why is it that such a poor guy can sit there? Even the servants in my family are dressed better than him! I, Ge Weijun, refuse to let him sit at seat Number 3.¡±


    Murmurs could be heard spreading in the crowd.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. How can a shabby kid sit so close to the front?¡±


    Ge Weijun was a distant descendant of the Ge family. The Ge family had always sat at seat Number 3 when there were no VIPs from Dong Lai City. It was no surprise that Ge Weijun was not happy right now.


    The smile on Li Yurong¡¯s face remained unfazed. ¡°Mr. Weijun, do you represent the Ge family?¡± Her words were easy to understand. Ge Weijun¡¯s status in the Ge family was not high. She wanted him to realize his own position and stop making a fuss.


    Ge Weijun¡¯s face turned red. At that moment, the stern middle-aged man who was sitting on Xu Yang¡¯s right hand side, at seat Number 4, slowly stood up and said, ¡°Miss Yu Rong, I, Ge Liguo, am wondering the same thing as well. Why is such an infamous teenager able to sit ahead of the three major families in Lin Yuan City?¡±


    There were people whispering all around. Ge Liguo was the one in charge of purchasing items in the Ge family who had the permission to represent their family.


    The development of factions in Lin Yuan City at that time was very much different from that of fifteen years ago when the Xu family occupied the most advantages. The Ge and Yu family had overtaken the Xu family. The Ge family was developing the fastest among them all. It was said that they had set up a relationship with a great faction in the Sea-Cloud Kingdom. Their words were now more powerful in this remote Lin Yuan City as there was someone supporting them. Even Lord Lin Yuan and his descendants had to show them respect.


    Li Yurong seemed to regret her decision. The arrangement for Xu Yang to be seated at seat Number 3 was Li Wang¡¯s suggestion. Li Yurong acquiesced the suggestion as she wanted to get the recipes from Xu Yang. She had underestimated Ge family¡¯s sensitivity toward this issue of rankings as the family had the potential to become the top family in Lin Yuan City.


    ¡°Let me be the one to explain why.¡± Xu Yang stood up and said lightly. ¡°I¡¯m not talented. I just created several recipes of some ordinary medicines¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just ordinary medicine. They¡¯re not worth showing off.¡±


    Xu Yang was not bothered by him as he continued to speak peacefully. ¡°The three recipes are for Blood-Clotting Powder, Refreshing Powder, and the newly-made Bone-Jointing Powder.¡±


    The crowd was suddenly excited.


    ¡°He is Xu Yang!¡±


    ¡°The ordinary medicine with such a miraculous effect that is always low in supply in the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion. Owning these recipes is like possessing a mother lode of wealth.¡±


    The great factions such as the Ge family and the Yu family had different thoughts compared to the others. They did not only care about the recipes of the three ordinary medicines but also the person Xu Yang.


    The teenager was only in the Mystical Learner stage so he could only produce ordinary medicine.


    If he were to possess the Fire-Extreme Mystical Vein, he could form the Fire Mystical Core and become a genius Alchemist Master who would be even more talented than Old Meng and Li Yuanzhi.


    Xu Yang¡¯s talent in alchemy was incomparable as he could create three kinds of miraculous ordinary medicine as a Mystical Learner.


    ¡°What Mystical Vein do you have, Brother Xu Yang?¡± The Yu family¡¯s representative at seat Number 5 smiled and asked.


    The crowd suddenly calmed down and their eyes were focused on Xu Yang. They stared at the teenager donning the worn-out attire. He would be extremely popular if he had the Fire Mystical Vein as he was talented in alchemy. If not, his value would decrease by a lot as it would be possible for him to become an Alchemist Master.


    Xu Zhengming mocked Xu Yang disdainfully, ¡°He has eight balanced extremes which is known as a useless physique. He should not even be cultivating Mystical Qi!¡±


    Xu Qingliu quickly grabbed his son¡¯s sleeve and scolded him, ¡°Stop that nonsense!¡±


    The crowd was shocked. They were even more excited when they realized that Xu Yang had a Fire Mystical Vein.


    A physique with eight balanced extremes would surely include the Fire Mystical Vein but it was harder for him to advance as a Mystical Warrior as there was less Fire Mystical Energy.


    The only thing they were concerned about was him not having the Fire Mystical Vein at all. Those families that were very affluent would surely be able to make him a Mystical Warrior using a lot of precious items. It would mean that they were investing in raising a future Alchemist Grandmaster.


    Although a Mystical Warrior could only refine Spirit Elixir below Grade-3, it was more than enough for the families.


    ¡°Are you interested in coming to the Yu family? We will provide you with the best cultivating conditions. We can give you Spirit Items, herbs, Mystical Stones, Mystical Scriptures and everything you need to advance as a Mystical Warrior.¡± The Yu family¡¯s representative at seat Number 5 was the first to speak.


    ¡°Brother Xu Yang, please consider Water-Land Dojo. We can give you the treatment of a guest instructor.¡±


    ¡°The head of our family, the He family, has a beautiful daughter. If you¡¯re willing to come¡­¡± Someone was even using a honeytrap to tempt him.


    A future Grade-3 Alchemist Master was in great demand. It was evident as there were only two Grade-3 Alchemist Masters, Old Meng and Li Yuanzhi, in the populated Lin Yuan City.


    Xu Zhengming looked at Xu Yang who was gaining public attention. He was jealous. He could not help but shout out, ¡°Xu Yang is the son of Xu Qingyuan. A bastard who was banished by the Mo family! You should consider the status of Sea-Cloud Kingdom¡¯s Mo family before hiring him.¡±


    Sea-Cloud Kingdom¡¯s Mo family?


    Some of the small families did not know the fame of this gigantic family that was thousands of miles away from them. They asked surreptitiously, ¡°Who¡¯s the Mo family?¡±


    ¡°The well-known gigantic family in the Sea-Cloud Kingdom, the Mo family!¡± Someone sighed and looked at Xu Yang with a sense of pity. Xu Yang¡¯s talent was destined to be buried as he had been expelled by the Mo family. He would not be able to shine even if he was really talented.


    The reason was because no family in the entire Dong Lai Kingdom would dare to take the risk of offending the Mo family by hiring Xu Yang. It would be impossible for a future Alchemist Master to succeed without the support of a great faction.


    Cultivating an Alchemist Master would need an uncountable amount of herbs. It would be impossible to obtain that much of Spirit Herbs without the support of a great faction.


    ¡°Slap!¡± A tight slap landed on Xu Zhengming¡¯s face. The talented teenager at the Primary tier of Mystical Warrior was knocked several feet away. His body twirled before landing on the ground, and there was blood coming out from his mouth.


    Xu Qinggang with a stony face gritted his teeth. ¡°You have no right to call him a bastard!¡±


    ¡°Zhengming!¡± Xu Qingliu was distressed as he ran to get him up. He loved his only son the most as he had reached the Mystical Warrior stage at a young age and was likely to become a Mystical Master in the future. He had to rely on his son when he became older.


    Xu Qingliu helped Xu Zhengming up and he looked at the attacker furiously. ¡°Why are you attacking my son, Xu Qinggang?¡±


    Xu Qinggang said coldly, ¡°Xu Yang is the grandson of the head, and your son called him a bastard. That is also an insult to the head.¡±

 Chapter 28

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Xu Qingliu panicked and he could not utter a single word. He dared not say anything bad about the head even if he had a hundred guts. His duty of purchasing items being retracted was one thing, being alienated by the family was another thing altogether.


    That was how important a Mystical Grandmaster was in a family. Xu Changling who was in his seventies was the pillar of the whole family. As long as he was still alive, the Xu family could maintain a certain status in Lin Yuan City even if it was declining.


    The disputes of the Xu family were usually big news. However, their dispute was no longer attractive under the deterrent of the Mo family.


    ¡°It turns out that he is Xu Qingyuan¡¯s descendant.¡± Most of the families immediately gave up on him and returned to their seats.


    It was attractive to hire a future Grade-3 Alchemist Master. However, no one dared to offend the Sea-Cloud Kingdom¡¯s Mo family as even the slightest possibility of offending them was not worth it.


    The faction who dared to hire Xu Yang would have to face the destiny of becoming exterminated if the one per ten-thousandth probability were to occur.


    Xu Yang smiled as he was not bothered. He had never thought of relying on a single one of the families from the very beginning.


    ¡°Although you are a potential Alchemist, you are only a Mystical Learner now. One may not be able to sit at seat Number 3 even if one really were a Grade-3 Alchemist Master.¡± Ge Liguo suppressed his amazement and started to speak ironically.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking part in the Appraisal Conference to transfer the recipe of the three medicines I have made to someone else.¡± Xu Yang said placidly. ¡°I think everyone here is more interested in the actual profits they can gain rather than the sequence of seats. Am I right?¡±


    Everyone was taken aback. Two of the three ordinary medicines, the Blood-Clotting Powder and Refreshing Powder, have passed the test. They were extremely popular among the Mystical Cultivators of lower stages. With the two previous medicines that did so well, Xu Yang¡¯s third medicine should be extraordinary too.


    These were three great ways for Xu Yang to earn money. Was Xu Yang really willing to pass them on to another person?


    The Yu family¡¯s representative¡¯s eyes flashed and he said with a smile, ¡°Mr. Xu Yang is really generous. These three medicines are very helpful to the lower stage Mystical Cultivators. If they can be widely spread, Lin Yuan City¡¯s adventurers will have another way to help them survive. This is a good thing to benefit the continent.¡±


    Xu Yang smiled slightly. He did not acknowledge his compliments, and he then said calmly, ¡°These three recipes are my hard work so they will not be transferred for free. Therefore, I will borrow the location of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion as a trading post. You may trade using money or treasures. The three recipes will be yours as long as what you have can satisfy me. I promise that I will not reveal the recipes to a third party.¡±


    The eyes of the factions¡¯ representatives lit up.


    They could not hire Xu Yang but they were definitely allowed to trade with him. The Mo family would be overdoing it if they were bothered by a single trade.


    Especially with the last words that Xu Yang said about not revealing the recipes to a third party, it meant that the faction that possessed the recipes could monopolize the market.


    Monopolizing the market meant constant high profit. Most of the people here were purchasers from various families and factions, and they were very keen when it came to anything that would gain profit.


    ¡°Ms.Yurong, may I use your place for this trading to take place?¡± Xu Yang looked at Li Yurong and asked.


    Li Yurong sighed. How could she say no when there were so many people looking at her? She could only nod as she said, ¡°The pleasure is ours. If it is alright with Mr Xu Yang, the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion would also like to take part in the trade.¡±


    ¡°Certainly.¡± Xu Yang had made a decision. As long as the terms given by the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion were not too bad, he would definitely transfer the recipes to them. It was a way to repay the kindness of Li Zhongxuan¡¯s protection.


    The courtyard was suddenly livened up when the trading started.


    ¡°I am offering five hundred Wolf Coins to buy the three recipes!¡± A thin elderly man shouted.


    1¡°How can you bid for only five hundred Wolf Coins, Old Yu1? I¡¯m offering eight hundred.¡± A tall and strong middle-aged man next to him said.


    ¡°The Liu family from the western city will bid a thousand Wolf Coins!¡±


    Their voices came one after another but they were still far away from the actual value of the recipes. Xu Yang knew clearly that the cost of each medicine was extremely low. This meant that each packet of the medicines could earn a profit of at least one Wolf Coin.


    As long as they had the recipes, a normal Alchemist could also produce these ordinary medicines. One could earn an extremely high profit as hundreds of sets of the medicines could be refined every single day.


    The three recipes should be sold at a price of at least ten thousand Wolf Coins.


    Although the bids offered were low, Xu Yang was not anxious. The three major families and the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion had not even started to bid for the medicines. The price would increase by a lot when they join in on the auction.


    ¡°The Ge family from the western city will bid nine thousand Wolf Coins.¡± With that statement, the whole area was seized with pin-drop silence.


    ¡°Nine, nine thousand?¡± Someone was frightened. ¡°They are only ordinary medicines. Even the recipe of a Spirit Elixir isn¡¯t worth that much.¡±


    No one was bothered by what the person said. Although the price offered by the Ge family was thousands of Wolf Coins more than the previous ones, most people knew the actual cost of the three kinds of recipes. That was the actual worth of the recipes.


    ¡°Since the Ge family is so generous, then the Yu family will round up the price.¡± The representative from the Yu family said peacefully. ¡°Ten thousand.¡±


    Ge Liguo glanced at the representative from the Yu family coldly and snorted.


    His action attracted Xu Qinggang¡¯s attention. The Yu family and Ge family who had once collaborated had suffered a great rift. It was good news for the Xu family.


    The bidding continued on. At this point, only the great factions¡¯ representatives from the first row were bidding for the recipes.


    ¡°The Ge family will bid fifteen thousand Wolf Coins.¡± Ge Liguo exclaimed, the veins on his forehead were throbbing visibly.


    ¡°The Yu family will bid fifteen thousand Wolf Coins¡­¡± Ge Weijun sneered at the Yu family¡¯s representative before he was done talking.


    ¡°We have already offered fifteen thousand Wolf Coins. You have to offer a higher price if you want to fight with us!¡± Ge Weijun thought that the Yu family had given up. He quickly took the opportunity to mock the Yu family.


    ¡°¡­and a piece of top-grade Fury Stone.¡± The representative of the Yu family was a thin elderly man with a serene smile. He slowly said, ¡°It seems that Mr. Xu Yang is going to advance as a Mystical Warrior. A piece of top-grade Fire-Extreme Mystical Stone will be the best for setting up the foundation for Mystical Cultivation.¡±


    Xu Yang¡¯s eyes flashed. A Mystical Stone was formed naturally and divided into eight extremes. The Fury Stone was the Fire-Extreme Mystical Stone that was good for setting up the foundation for Mystical Cultivation. However, Xu Yang had already obtained the Carmine and had formed the Fire Mystical Crystal. A piece of Fire-Extreme Mystical Stone was useless to him.


    ¡°Is there any other item to set up the foundation for Mystical Cultivation?¡± Xu Yang said. ¡°I¡¯m not going to form a Fire Mystical Core.¡±


    Xu Yang was slightly frustrated. He could not reveal the secret of cultivating Zhenwu¡¯s Eight Sceneries Scripture which could form the Mystical Core of various extremes. Otherwise, the mysterious ¡°Celestials¡± from the Mo family would come for him. He could only say that he did not intend to form the Fire Mystical Core.


    The crowd was shocked. He did not want to form a Fire Mystical Core? Then how would he be able to become an Alchemist Master?


    The main method of alchemy in the golden age was cultivating Fire Mystical Qi. Especially in this small city, people did not know that there were various ways to refine medicine. They thought that only Mystical Cultivators with the Fire-Extreme Mystical Vein could become an Alchemist Master.


    ¡°You¡­ Mr. Xu, don¡¯t you want to form a Fire Mystical Core? Which extreme are you going to cultivate then?¡± The elderly man from the Yu family was shocked as his eyes widened considerably.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet¡­¡± Xu Yang touched his nose and did not know how to explain. ¡°The other seven extremes are good as well. I would like to prepare for each of them so that I will be insured when setting up the foundation of Mystical Cultivation.¡±


    Everyone looked at Xu Yang as if he was an idiot. The elderly from the Yu family sighed. Xu Yang was destined to meet a lot of barriers without a guide on his way of Mystical Cultivation. However, this had nothing to do with them.


    ¡°You must choose to cultivate the extreme with the best qualification!¡± Xu Qinggang could not help himself. ¡°You must choose to form a Fire Mystical Core as long as there is a hint of hope for you to form it as you have an excellent talent in alchemy¡­¡± He could not bear to watch Xu Yang waste his talent.


    Xu Yang was confused as to why there were people from the Xu family who was actually kind enough to give him such advice.


    ¡°What a coincidence. The Thousand-Treasures Pavilion has nothing but precious items.¡± Li Yurong smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Xu Yang, I have a Green Prism which is a top grade treasure to form a Wind Mystical Core. What do you think about that? I will add an extra fifteen thousand Wolf Coins.¡±

 Chapter 29

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Xu Yang nodded. Ge Liguo, who was beside him, was anxious and said, ¡°Twenty thousand Wolf Coins!¡±


    Theoretically, a piece of Green Prism did not cost higher than five thousand Wolf Coins. Ge Liguo¡¯s bid was higher than that of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion¡¯s. He saw that Xu Yang was unmoved by his bid so he said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t be too greedy. Beware of retribution.¡±


    His words were threatening. Xu Qinggang frowned and snorted. However, he dared not show much concern toward Xu Yang in front of the crowd. Especially in front of the Mo family.


    Fifteen years ago, Lin Yuan¡¯s Ge family saw the power of the Mo family and started to follow the Mo family regardless of its own status. Although the Mo family did not care about such a small family, they did not reject their following as it could help them reach out to Lin Yuan City.


    If the Xu family were to shelter Xu Yang, the Ge family would most likely report it to the Mo family. Xu Qinggang could not bear the consequences.


    ¡°The Xu family will bid twenty thousand Wolf Coins plus an Earth Core.¡± Xu Qinggang said. That was the first time the Xu family had offered a price. Xu Qingliu, who was by his side, stared speechlessly at him. He was originally responsible for this kind of purchasing issues but it was preempted by Xu Qinggang at that moment. His dissatisfaction was expected.


    These three ordinary medicines¡¯ recipes were indeed worth the price that the Xu family had offered. Xu Qinggang¡¯s action was normal and no one was able to find any faults.


    The elderly man of the Yu family laughed. He touched his beard and said, ¡°The Yu family and the Xu family have always been on good terms. Since you have given an offer, the Yu family will no longer participate in the bid for the recipes.¡±


    It was ridiculous for him to say such a thing. The Yu family chose to secretly form an alliance with the Ge family to fight against the increasingly powerful Xu family ever since Xu Qingyuan had risen to power. This was obviously the Yu family¡¯s strategy. The elderly man from the Yu family was sending out a message of goodwill. They wanted work hand in hand with the Xu family since the Mo family was overpowered.


    Ge Liguo glared at the extremely thick-skinned old man gloomily and said, ¡°Twenty thousand Wolf Coins and a bottle of Nether Liquid!¡±


    Some people did not know what Nether Liquid was, but Xu Yang knew it very well. It was a Dark-Extreme Spirit Treasure which could be used in forming a Dark Mystical Core.


    Li Yurong naturally knew that the Nether Liquid was much rarer than a Green Prism as they did not have available stock in the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion. She sighed and said, ¡°Although there are many treasures in the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion, only the Green Prism meets the requirements of Mr. Xu Yang. I will bid with twenty thousand Wolf Coins and a Green Prism. The decision will rest upon Mr. Xu Yang.¡±


    The Yu family had stopped bidding. The Ge family, Xu family and the Li family represented by the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion each took out a piece of treasure that could help to set up the foundation of Mystical Cultivation. Among them, the Nether Liquid that the Ge family had taken out was the most precious one.


    People who knew the treasures speculated that Xu Yang would choose the Nether Liquid.


    Xu Yang smiled slightly and said, ¡°The Wind Mystical Core is a good choice. I have decided to sell the recipe to the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion.¡±


    Xu Qinggang sighed. He knew that Xu Yang was returning the favor to Li Zhongxuan. He could not help but think whether Xu Yang would have chosen to acknowledge the Xu family more if it were him who had helped Xu Yang that day instead of Li Zhongxuan?


    Li Yurong displayed a look of surprise. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Xu Yang. Qingyun, bring me two hundred Winged-Tiger Coins and retrieve the Green Prism from warehouse No.4.¡±


    Xu Yang smiled and kept quiet.


    Looking at Xu Yang¡¯s smile, Li Yurong suddenly realized that Xu Yang had planned to transfer the recipes to the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion from the very beginning. She had been quite utilitarian before and had even mentioned Li Zhongxuan¡¯s protection to Xu Yang. This had caused Xu Yang to be dissatisfied, that was why he held a public auction.


    Li Yurong sighed with bitterness. Her temperament was calm and peaceful. She became a materialistic woman who fought for the Li family¡¯s benefit in order to repay their grace. There was no one who could understand her hard work.


    Two hundred golden glittering Winged-Tiger coins were placed in a tray and held in front of Xu Yang. However, what Xu Yang cared more about was the tiny green crystal.


    It felt cool to the touch. It was as if he could hear the gentle whistling of the breeze when it was put near his ear. This was the Wind-Extreme treasure, the Green Prism.


    After collecting the money and Spirit Treasure, Xu Yang asked for a pen and paper. He wrote the three recipes on the spot and handed them to Li Yurong. The trade was completed.


    The two hundred Winged-Tiger Coins that Xu Yang obtained were very eye-catching. Most families in Lin Yuan City were not able to earn two hundred Winged Tiger coins in a year.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen,¡± Li Yurong recollected herself and said, ¡°Let¡¯s start the Appraisal Conference now. Please put the items you want to sell on the jade tray in front of your seats.¡±


    At that moment, various kinds of Mystical Energy fluctuated. The energy fluctuations were colorful and shining brightly. Xu Yang was a bit stunned. The scale of the Appraisal Conference was indeed huge. It was worthy of its title as the largest trading event in Lin Yuan City.


    The Thousand-Treasures Pavilion, which provided the venue, was not working for nothing in return. The Thousand-Treasures Pavilion would withdraw five percent of the transaction amount for every successful trade.


    The old man who hosted the grand event in the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion walked by each seat. He was in charge of checking the authenticity of the treasures. He had to ensure that no one was selling a counterfeit item. The Thousand-Treasures Pavilion was responsible to compensate for the loss of the buyer if someone were to buy a counterfeit item.


    An ordinary family was unable to hold such a grand trading event. Only the Li family was able to hold an event of such a scale.


    There was nothing on Xu Yang¡¯s jade tray. He did not need to look after his item so he walked along the rows of seats to look for treasures that would be suitable for him.


    The Nether Liquid was placed on the Ge family¡¯s jade tray on his right hand side. Xu Yang knew that there were only a few Mystical Cultivators who possessed the Dark Mystical Vein. This kind of Dark-Extreme treasure had no value without a suitable buyer.


    It was quite obvious that the Ge family placed the Nether Liquid on the jade tray to attract Xu Yang¡¯s attention. He would assuredly have a Dark Mystical Vein as he had a physique of eight balanced extremes. Ge Liguo was hoping that he would buy the Nether Liquid.


    Xu Yang walked by seat No.4 and walked forward, ignoring the bottle of Nether Liquid, making Ge Liguo disappointed.


    Xu Yang was pretending to not show interest. If he were to show that he needed this bottle of Nether Liquid, the Ge family would definitely seize the opportunity to mark up the price.


    Xu Qingliu placed items one by one before seat No. 6 including medicines, Mystical Techniques and some graded Spirit Elixirs.


    ¡°Where is the Earth Core? Didn¡¯t we bring it? Put it on the tray.¡± Xu Qinggang said lightly.


    Xu Qingliu¡¯s hands were trembling as he glanced at Xu Qinggang. He did not go against his instructions and placed a yellow bead on the jade tray.


    Xu Yang stopped at the jade tray and stared at the yellow Earth Core. He asked, ¡°How much is this Earth Core?¡±


    Xu Qingliu looked at Xu Qinggang to seek his opinion. Xu Qinggang answered impatiently, ¡°Sell the item as per market price. We should maintain fair trading!¡±


    His words served as a warning to Xu Qingliu to not mark up the price. He had to sell it to Xu Yang at a fair price.


    ¡°Three thousand Wolf Coins.¡± Xu Qingliu offered an appropriate pricing for the item. Based on his opinion, the initial price of the Earth Core should have been more than five thousand Wolf Coins because the buyers would usually bargain with him.


    Xu Yang nodded and placed thirty Winged-Tiger Coins on the jade tray. He took the Earth Core and walked away.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t even bargain?¡± Xu Qingliu was slightly surprised.


    Xu Yang felt pleased when he pinched the Earth Core in his leather bag. This was a top grade treasure which could help one to form the Earth Mystical Core.


    ¡®This kind of treasure appeared everywhere in the golden age. I dare not imagine the future generation being worried about setting up the foundation of Mystical Cultivation.¡¯


    Xu Yang could see that the items placed in the first row where the major families were located were much rarer than the other rows. Of course, their prices were relatively higher as well.


    Xu Yang walked slowly to the second row. An item at a booth attracted his attention.


    ¡®What is this? It seems like the shedded skin of a snake¡­ It¡¯s weird. Snakes are cold-blooded animals, but this shedded skin has a trace of lightning energy!¡¯ Xu Yang gently touched this huge shedded-skin of a snake and was lost in thought.


    The seller came from a small family. He knew that Xu Yang had just been in the limelight and he said, ¡°Mr. Xu Yang, this shedded skin is indeed a treasure although it hasn¡¯t been identified yet. You can take a look at its texture. It is thin, light and smooth.¡±


    The old man who was in charge of treasure appraisal at the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion was walking by and he glanced at the shedded skin, he then said disdainfully, ¡°Is there any shedded skin of snakes that is not light and smooth? This shedded skin is incomplete as there are two large holes at the back. It would not even be here at the Appraisal Conference if it did not have the trace of lightning energy.¡±


    The seller did not dare to offend the old man. He barely managed to obtain the tickets for the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion¡¯s Appraisal Conference. Although he was feeling dissatisfied, he could only smile and say, ¡°I am just taking my chances as it hasn¡¯t been identified yet.¡±


    The old man¡¯s words triggered something in Xu Yang as he quickly thought of three words, Feathered Snake¡¯s Shedded Skin.


    ¡®It was born in the crack of the world, and it grows in the midst of thunder, nourished by the wind and rain, it becomes a spirit after a thousand years.¡¯ This was the content recorded in the ancient books and it was describing a type of spirit named the Feathered Snake.


    Although it was named as a snake, it was not a real snake but an elf formed by the high concentration of thunder and lightning energy. It had a violent temper and terrifying powers.


    The Feathered Snake had been completely preserved. The two large holes in the back were actually where the wings of the Feathered Snake were.


    ¡°How much does this shedded skin cost?¡± Xu Yang asked calmly.


    The seller tentatively showed five fingers. ¡°Five hundred¡­¡± Xu Yang turned around and left before the seller could finish speaking.


    ¡°Mr. Xu Yang, please don¡¯t go. You can take it for three hundred Wolf Coins!¡± The seller quickly changed his words.


    Xu Yang left to avoid being seen through by the seller as he needed the shedded skin. He would not let him take the opportunity to mark up the price. He stopped and said calmly, ¡°One hundred.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too low¡­¡± The seller sighed bitterly looking at Xu Yang¡¯s indifferent eyes. ¡°How about two hundred Wolf Coins?¡±


    The old man turned around again when he saw Xu Yang¡¯s intention to buy it. He quickly said, ¡°Mr. Xu, this shedded skin is really not worth two hundred Wolf Coins. There are bigger shedded skins in the Snake Cave of the Python Mountains. The Thousand-Treasures Pavilion will not be responsible if you really buy it and suffer a loss as I have told you beforehand.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your advice.¡± Xu Yang had a good impression on this grey-haired old man. At least, he was responsible.


    In the end, the Feathered Snake¡¯s Shedded Skin was sold at the price of one hundred Wolf Coins.

 Chapter 30

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Xu Yang touched the silky Feathered Snake¡¯s Shedded Skin. He had bought a treasure that could set up the foundation for Mystical Cultivation at such a low price. He could not help but acknowledge the idea that knowledge is wealth.


    There were also some rare treasures placed at the booth of the distinguished seat Number 2. The governor, Li Boyan, left after the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion purchased the recipes. With his rank, he would surely not personally see to the selling of goods. It was taken over by two guards of the Li family.


    The Little Official, Li Wang, also left his seat. He walked toward Xu Yang and smiled. ¡°It seems that you are interested in various treasures that can set up the foundation for Mystical Cultivation.¡±


    Xu Yang initially had a good impression of the generous Little Official who had gifted him a ding. However, his impression on him decreased by a little after Li Yurong indirectly asked him for something in return for their help. He saluted calmly, ¡°Nice to see you, Little Official. I¡¯m just making all the necessary preparation as I haven¡¯t decided which extreme to choose.¡±


    Li Wang laughed. He was sure that Xu Yang had an important reason for buying these Spirit Treasures and not because he had not decided on which extreme to choose. However, he did not intend to pry. After all, everyone had their own secrets.


    2¡°Are you interested in taking a look at Li family¡¯s seat Number 2? There might be something you are interested in.¡± Li Wang paused before he continued saying, ¡°Sis Yurong told me about the issue of selling the recipes. She feels truly apologetic. Please don¡¯t blame Sis Yurong. Many decisions she has made are not her own intentions as she is under the grace of the Li family.¡±


    Xu Yang replied, ¡°No, I don¡¯t blame her. The sale for the recipe was a fair trade and I am satisfied with the price offered by the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion.¡± He said and followed Li Wang¡¯s pace to booth Number 2.


    ¡°Li Feng, bring me box Number 7.¡± Li Wang ordered.


    The guard, Li Feng, then lifted a jade box with both hands. Li Wang smiled and took the box from him. A glorious blue light shone from within when he opened it in front of Xu Yang.


    ¡°Blue-Gold Snow?¡± Xu Yang recognized it at one glance and said.


    It was a fine blue powder like fine sand that emitted a hazy blue light, there was also some golden sand in the powder, it was truly beautiful.


    ¡°You have keen eyes.¡± Li Wang said. ¡°The Blue-Gold Snow contains rich Ice Mystical Energy. Although it is not pure enough, it is still a good treasure for setting up the foundation of Mystical Cultivation.¡±


    The main body of the Blue-Gold Snow was the rich Ice Mystical Energy. Li Wang said that it was impure because there were fine golden particles in it.


    Xu Yang smiled slightly. There was no particular purification method that was good enough in such a small town like Lin Yuan City. However, he knew how to purify Blue-Gold Snow.


    Moreover, the most precious part of the Blue-Gold Snow was the gold sand it contained. It was the essence of Earth-Extreme that could be used to refine Grade-5 Spirit Elixirs.


    ¡°How much does it cost, Little Official?¡± Xu Yang nodded and said, ¡°I really want to buy this Blue-Gold Snow.¡±


    ¡°You and I are friends. Never talk about money with a friend. I can just give it to you.¡± Li Wang said generously. ¡°However, I have something to ask of you.¡±


    Xu Yang sighed softly. He knew that the most difficult thing to do was to repay one¡¯s favor. He merely said, ¡°Little Official, I¡¯m just a Mystical Learner with limited abilities. It¡¯s better for me to buy this Blue-Gold Snow from you.¡±


    Li Wang laughed, ¡°You are looking down on me if you choose to buy it. You have brought three recipes for wonderful medicines over the past ten days. Although they are just ordinary medicines, I have seen your talent in refining medicine. To be honest, I have a big problem now. It is difficult to solve even if I spend all of the resources of the Li family. The main reason for seeking your help is because I hope for a miracle. I will not blame you even if you can¡¯t help me. I¡¯ll still give you the Blue-Gold Snow regardless.¡±


    Xu Yang took a deep breath and said, ¡°What would the request be, Little Official?¡±


    Li Wang whispered to Li Feng beside him. Li Feng nodded. He stood up and left the courtyard quietly.


    ¡°Li Feng went to the governor¡¯s residence to get something. He will be back within half an hour.¡± Li Wang laughed. ¡°While we wait, I will accompany you on your visit around the Appraisal Conference. The thing that I told him to bring is also related to the issue in which I would like your help with.¡±


    Xu Yang nodded in response. It was an honor for any teenager to accompany the Little Official who was the most powerful person among the third generation of Lin Yuan City.


    Xu Yang had to take advantage of this opportunity. Although he seemed to be in a well-to-do situation, he was in danger after exposing the recipes of the three miraculous medicines. All the factions in Lin Yuan City were aware of the preciousness of these three recipes. Being able to produce the medicines was equivalent to owning three money-vacuuming machines.


    The Thousand-Treasures Pavilion emerged victorious having taken advantage of its good relationship with Xu Yang as well as the wealth it possessed. The other factions wanted these recipes too. Xu Yang¡¯s strength as a Mystical Learner was too weak. He would not be able to protect himself if there were factions that intended to capture him and force him to hand out the recipe.


    Xu Yang was sure that most of the factions would give up on such thoughts after seeing him accompanying the Little Official. After all, the Li family had a higher status than the three major families in Lin Yuan City. Most of the factions would not dare to challenge the Li family.


    ¡°The Li family has a unique status in Lin Yuan City but why do you not sit at seat Number 1 but at seat Number 2?¡± Xu Yang asked as he was puzzled.


    Li Wang chuckled and said, ¡°You don¡¯t know this as this is the first time you are participating in the Appraisal Conference. Seat Number 1 is reserved for the representatives from the Sea-Cloud Academy.¡±


    ¡°The Sea-Cloud Academy?¡± Xu Yang¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°What is the relationship between the academy and Sea-Cloud Kingdom?¡±


    ¡°The Sea-Cloud Academy is the royal academy of the Sea-Cloud Kingdom which is founded specifically to absorb geniuses from all over the world,¡± Li Wang said. ¡°The Sea-Cloud Academy is also a faction loyal to the Sea-Cloud Kingdom¡¯s Royal family. It covers dozens of countries under the jurisdiction of the Sea-Cloud Kingdom. It is an enormous faction.¡±


    1Xu Yang inhaled sharply. The territory of the Sea Cloud Kingdom spans more than a hundred million miles and it had jurisdiction over dozens of countries. The Dong Lai Kingdom was only one of its colonies. The strength of Sea-Cloud Academy was unimaginable as it was a reserve base of geniuses in this huge empire.


    ¡°How is this Sea-Cloud Academy compared to the Mo family?¡± Xu Yang asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to compare. The Mo family is a huge family but the Sea-Cloud Academy is a sect-like organization. The Mo family is more united but the Sea-Cloud Academy is more powerful.¡± Li Wang was able to read Xu Yang¡¯s mind and he laughed. ¡°However, I am sure that as long as you can enter the Sea-Cloud Academy and become the main cultivating character, the Mo family will not dare to touch you.¡±


    Xu Yang nodded and looked at the empty seat Number 1. He said, ¡°It seems that the Sea-Cloud Academy did not send anyone this time.¡±


    Li Wang said, ¡°That¡¯s normal. The people in the Sea-Cloud Academy are all enthusiastic cultivators. They think that such a lively trading event will only affect their cultivation. Therefore, the Sea-Cloud Academy rarely sends people over. However, seat Number 1 is always reserved for them even if they don¡¯t come as a sign of respect to this enormous organization.¡±

 Chapter 31

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Xu Yang had a deeper understanding about this era after his conversation with the Little Official, Li Wang.


    The Mystical Continent was divided into nine continents. Each continent had an area so huge that it was unimaginable. Lin Yuan City where they were located belonged to the most eastern Ying Continent.


    The three strongest kingdoms on the Ying Continent were the Sea-Cloud Kingdom, Hard-Mountain Kingdom and Heaven-Land Kingdom. Each country had a territory of hundreds of millions of miles, and governed dozens of servant nations.


    As for the Dong Lai Kingdom, it was just one of the servant nations of the Sea-Cloud Kingdom that was located furthest east, facing the Eastern Sea.


    The world now was the same as the future era in which only the stronger ones could earn respect. Once a Mystical Cultivator reached the realm of a Mystical Lord, they would generally choose to be an officer and manage a city. They could use the resources produced from the city to accelerate their cultivation.


    If one had reached the realm of a Mystical King, one could seek the reward to manage a nation from one of the major kingdoms. Of course, most of the prosperous areas were ruled by someone. If there were no help from others, a new Mystical King could only get a barren land.


    It should be noted that this kind of award was not hereditary. Taking Lord Lin Yuan, Li Zhouping, as an example, he advanced into the realm of a Mystical Lord in his fifties. He went to Dong Lai City to accept the award. He was nicknamed Lord Lin Yuan and was sent to manage Lin Yuan City. His fief would be taken back once Li Zhou Ping turned older, and if the Li family did not have a second Mystical Lord to succeed him. The Dong Lai Kingdom¡¯s emperor would appoint another Mystical Lord to rule Lin Yuan City.


    The foundation of the Li family was not strong enough although they seemed to be thriving. The Li family was unlike the three deep-rooted families that had been developing in Lin Yuan City for hundreds of years. Once the Li family loses its power, it was likely to be attacked by other factions. After all, the wealth accumulated in the governor¡¯s manor for decades had definitely made the other families jealous.


    The two of them walked about while talking. They reached a quiet area bordered by peach and willow trees after a while. It was a summer house with a stone table and two stone chairs. They sat opposite each other.


    Li Feng was soon back and he brought along with him a silk book.


    Li Wang took the silk book from him and sighed softly, ¡°Xu Yang, you should take a look at this.¡±


    ¡°Sweet-Splendor Wood, Four-Phase Fruit, Withered Spirit Vine¡­¡± Xu Yang read out the name of Spirit Herbs on the silk book and his face turned somber.


    ¡°Little Official, this is a Grade-4 Spirit Elixir¡¯s recipe. If I am right, this Spirit Elixir should have an effect of prolonging life.¡± Xu Yang recognized it as a Grade-4 Spirit Elixir, the Life-Extension Elixir, at one glance. However, he made an assumption instead of showing that he knew about it¡­


    Li Wang¡¯s eyes lit up and he complimented Xu Yang, ¡°You are indeed an Alchemy genius who is highly perceptive to medicine. You¡¯re right. This is the recipe for the Life-Extension Elixir.¡±


    ¡°Although the Life-Extension Elixir has an amazing effect of extending life, it is only effective on ordinary people.¡± Xu Yang continued to pretend to be confused, ¡°Why are you asking me about this recipe?¡±


    ¡°To be honest.¡± Li Wang said with a sigh. ¡°My grandfather, Lord Lin Yuan, is now eighty years old. He is getting weaker and his life span seems to be shortening. It would be a calamity for the Li family if my grandfather passes on. All we can do is try every method to extend his lifespan. Even if the Life-Extension Elixir is not effective, it is better than nothing.¡±


    Xu Yang curiously said, ¡°Since Lord Lin Yuan has reached the realm of a Mystical Lord, his lifespan should have been extended to more than one hundred and fifty years. He should be in the midlife range now.¡±


    Li Wang said, ¡°My grandfather suffered a severe injury and destroyed his foundation when he advanced as a Mystical Grandmaster. An Alchemist Master told him that there was an alternative way for him to continue cultivating Mystical Qi. However, his lifespan will be cut in half.¡±


    ¡°Lifespan-Overdraw Elixir!¡± Xu Yang shouted aloud. He did not know that there was already a miraculous Spirit Elixir like the Lifespan-Overdraw Elixir in this era.


    The Lifespan-Overdraw Elixir was a kind of Spirit Elixir that could overdraw one¡¯s lifespan. One could quickly recover after consuming it as long as it was not a fatal injury. However, the cost to be paid was the vitality of the user for the rest of his life.


    Li Wang looked at Xu Yang in surprise. ¡°You even know about the Lifespan-Overdraw Elixir.¡±


    Xu Yang realized that he had accidentally let himself slip up. He tried to hide what he knew by saying, ¡°I saw it unintentionally in an ancient book.¡±


    Li Wang did not suspect anything and said, ¡°Xu Yang, do you think there is any way for a Grade-3 Alchemist Master to refine it successfully?¡±


    ¡°Grade-3 Alchemist Master?¡± Xu Yang suddenly thought of the well-known female Alchemist Master in Lin Yuan City, Li Yuanzhi.


    There was no strict boundary for refining Spirit Elixirs. A Grade-3 Alchemist Master was able to refine Spirit Elixirs of higher grades. However, it was extremely tough and it would need a unique refining method or some specific tricks.


    Old Meng in the eastern city was able to refine a Grade-4 Spirit Elixir because Xu Qingyuan found him a rare four-color Nine-Petals Orchid.


    ¡°So, you bought the three-color Nine-Petals Orchid for the refinement of this elixir,¡± Xu Yang said.


    Li Wang nodded and answered, ¡°Too bad it only has three colors. I¡¯m willing to pay a hundred times, no, even a thousand times more for one with four colors.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult.¡± Xu Yang said. It was hard for a Grade-3 Alchemist Master to refine a Grade-4 Spirit Elixir without a four-colored Nine-Petals Orchid.


    ¡°Is there no other way?¡± Li Wang stared hopefully at Xu Yang.


    ¡°I have a way.¡± Xu Yang was calm once again. ¡°I might be able to do it after I advanced into the Mystical Warrior stage. However, I can¡¯t help you to do it now.¡±


    Xu Yang could transform Mystical Power into fire after he had advanced into the Mystical Warrior stage. It would be a piece of cake for him to refine Grade-3 Spirit Elixirs. With his outstanding mind power and knowledge, it was not difficult for him to refine Grade-4 Spirit Elixirs either.


    Li Wang¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up, ¡°Xu Yang, the Li family will owe you greatly if you are able to refine the Life-Extension Elixir within half a year.¡±


    ¡°Li Feng.¡± Li Wang called out to his guard. ¡°Bring the Blue-Gold Snow for Xu Yang!¡±


    Li Feng nodded but Xu Yang stopped him.


    ¡°Please wait a minute.¡± Xu Yang looked into Li Wang¡¯s eyes and said sincerely, ¡°Little Official, I must buy this Blue-Gold Snow according to the market price. It plays an important role in deciding whether I can successfully refine the Spirit Elixir. It might affect my condition when refining the elixir if I were to receive such a reward from you beforehand.¡±


    Li Wang gazed at him and smiled. ¡°Okay. It¡¯s your decision to make. It seems that you are collecting Spirit Treasures that can help to set up the foundation of Mystical Cultivation. I can prepare a set of Spirit Treasures with each extreme and sell them to you.¡±


    Xu Yang counted the Spirit Treasures he had obtained.


    The Carmine had been used to extract Fire Mystical Crystal. It could be used to form the Fire Mystical Core.


    The Green Prism he gained from selling the recipes could help to form the Wind Mystical Core.


    The Earth Core he bought from the Xu family could help to form the Earth Mystical Core.


    The Feathered-Snake¡¯s Shedded Skin was a bargain that he had gotten from the Appraisal Conference which was a Spirit Treasure that could help to set up the foundation for the Thunder-Extreme Mystical Cultivation.


    There was the Blue-Gold Snow which was rich in Ice-Extreme Mystical Energy.


    ¡°Thanks for your kindness, Little Official. I still lack Spirit Treasures for the Water, Light and Dark extremes. I¡¯m willing to buy them if there is stock in the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion.¡±

 Chapter 32

    2


    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Li Wang was taken aback and he said, ¡°You really plan to prepare one set of all the treasures? That¡¯s rather unbelievable. Which Mystical Core extreme are you going to form? I¡¯m really curious.¡±


    Xu Yang smiled but did not say anything.


    ¡°It seems that I have said something I shouldn¡¯t have. Haha.¡± Li Wang was not bothered, and he laughed. ¡°Everyone would surely have their own secrets.¡±


    ¡°Little Official, you are generous and admirable.¡± Xu Yang took the chance to compliment him.


    Li Wang was in a good mood as he was praised by Xu Yang. He said, ¡°Well. For the Water-Extreme treasure, there¡¯s a lot of Heavy Water in the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion. I can sell it to you. Light and Dark-Extreme treasures are very rare. There is no stock even in the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion. However, I saw a bottle of Nether Liquid at the Ge family¡¯s booth. I can buy it for you.¡±


    Xu Yang did not want to deal with the Ge family. He had offended the Ge family when he was selling the recipes. The Ge family might mark up the price if he were to buy the Nether Liquid from them.


    Xu Yang negotiated with Li Wang and bought a small bottle of Heavy Water at the price of four thousand Wolf Coins in the end. As for the Nether Liquid, the price was based on the actual price purchased by Li Wang.


    ¡®I have to go to Instructor Song¡¯s place after I settle the issues here. I promised him that I¡¯ll take care of his only daughter. I must fulfil my promises.¡¯


    2The lively Appraisal Conference event lasted for the whole day. Xu Yang had obtained everything he needed. Instead of attending the event in the afternoon, he directly returned home with the treasures such as the Nether Liquid, Feather Snake¡¯s Shedded Skin, Green Prism, Earth Core, Heavy Water and other treasures.


    He held wealth that he had never had before. The pieces of Winged-Tiger Coins with the sculpture of a golden tiger etched on them were dazzling indeed. When Xu Yang poured the coins from the money bag onto the table, Xu Yu¡¯s eyes opened wide.


    ¡°This is a lot of money, Brother! We are rich now!¡± Xu Yu skipped about happily.


    Xu Yang caressed her head and said, ¡°I still have something to do. You should stay at home.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Xu Yu nodded several times. She was already racking her brain, thinking about how she was going to spend the money. New financial ideas sprouted in her little brain one by one.


    Xu Yang walked out of the gate and went to Instructor Song¡¯s place.


    ¡®Instructor Song¡¯s family should know by now that the Vast-Gate Dojo¡¯s ascetic team had been completely massacred. I don¡¯t know what the Vast-Gate Dojo did to console their family members¡­¡¯ Xu Yang reached Hundred-Depot Street that Instructor Song lived at.


    1It was evening time, smoke could be seen rising from all the houses there as it was almost dinner time. However, the small wooden door in front of Xu Yang was ajar and there was no trace of smoke coming out of the chimney.


    ¡®That¡¯s weird. Isn¡¯t his daughter here?¡¯ Xu Yang walked closer to the door. He suddenly heard a weeping sound, and when he was going to knock on the door, a voice dripping with sarcasm sounded, ¡°Why are you crying? Crying won¡¯t do you any good. You have to pay for your father¡¯s debts as your useless father is dead.¡±


    Xu Yang frowned and went into the house.


    The yard was small and there was a girl crying on the floor. There were three men standing beside the girl, and a fat man was standing in front of them.


    The fat man did not know that someone had entered the house. He continued on saying, ¡°Look at her face. She looks pretty good. We can gain some money by selling her to the Hundred-Flowers Brothel.¡±


    The Hundred-Flowers Brothel was the largest brothel in Lin Yuan City. There were always a lot of members from huge families who spend their night there.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± The three men realized that Xu Yang was there, and one of them asked.


    ¡°That should be my question to you.¡± Xu Yang looked calm but he was actually furious. ¡°Who are you people?¡±


    The fat man turned around and walked toward Xu Yang. He glared at him and said, ¡°Us? Pfft! I¡¯m the manager of the Vast-Gate Dojo, Qi Shiliang. Are you scared now?¡±


    Xu Yang frowned looking at the fat man in luxurious attire which did not match his temperament. He said coldly, ¡°The Vast-Gate Dojo¡¯s manager. I remember that this is Instructor Song Ren¡¯s place. How dare you come and try to sell his daughter right after his death?¡±


    ¡°This is the affair of the Vast-Gate Dojo. You shouldn¡¯t be involved!¡± Qi Shiliang glanced at Xu Yang. He felt a sense of danger coming from this thin teenager. He was not willing to create more problems, so he looked at the three men and said, ¡°Grab hold of her!¡±


    The three men nodded as a yes sounded. However, Xu Yang rushed in front of the little girl and stopped them. He said, ¡°Who gave you the right to forcefully remove her from her house?¡±


    ¡°Hey. How dare you poke your nose into this? It is none of your business.¡± Qi Shiliang said with an annoyed face. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll tell you. This little girl¡¯s father, Song Ren, has led the whole ascetic team to their deaths! We have to compensate one thousand four hundred Wolf Coins to the victims¡¯ family members. The daughter should pay his father¡¯s debt. If we don¡¯t go for the girl, where should we get the money from?¡±


    Xu Yang finally understood what the issue was. He was extremely furious.


    ¡°Great. It seems that it is the Vast-Gate Dojo¡¯s rule.¡± Xu Yang was not bothered to argue with those people. ¡°I will protect Instructor Song¡¯s daughter no matter what today.¡±


    The little girl behind him had stopped crying. She opened her swollen eyes and stared at the thin figure in front of her.


    ¡°Bastard. You¡¯re looking for death!¡± Qi Shiliang¡¯s forehead was sweating. He waved his hand and said, ¡°Beat him! Beat him up badly!¡±


    The three men answered and started to attack. Their cultivations were at the Advanced Mystical Learner stage. As for Qi Shiliang, he was only a Primary Mystical Warrior with a weak foundation which made it hard for him to advance any higher. Xu Yang was confident that he would be able to fight with them.


    He would never give up even if Qi Shiliang and others were so powerful that Xu Yang would not be able to fight against them. He would merely change his strategy, like reaching a trade agreement with Li Wang or Li Yurong. He was willing to sacrifice something as he could not bear to watch Instructor Song¡¯s daughter being sold to such a place.


    It was not in relation to whether he was kind or not, but the fact that Xu Yang wanted to keep his promises.


    1The three men groaned at the same time and punched Xu Yang, as crackling sounds came out from their bones when they launched their fists. It was not bad for them to be able to punch with a strength of about twenty juns.


    However, it was too weak in the eyes of Xu Yang.


    A rock grey layer appeared on Xu Yang¡¯s right hand. He swayed his arm and hit the three men in a single heavy punch.


    Clack! Clack! Clack!


    There were screams one after another. The three men howled in pain as they held onto their deformed wrists.


    Xu Yang¡¯s physical strength had reached more than fifty juns. After launching Rock Body, his body became as hard as a large bluestone. The three men were knocked down by a single attack.


    ¡°You¡­ who the hell are you? How can you have this kind of strength to defeat the three Mystical Learners in an instant at such a young age. Are you already a Mystical Warrior?¡± Qi Shiliang stared at Xu Yang with his eyes wide open.


    Xu Yang shook his head slowly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡±


    Qi Shiliang suddenly realized something when he was about to leave. He turned around and said fiercely, ¡°I know you are not a Mystical Warrior. You only have strong physical strength!¡± He realized that there was no mist of Mystical Power around Xu Yang¡¯s body.


    ¡°It¡¯s enough to fight with you.¡± Xu Yang said peacefully. ¡°Since you refuse to leave on your own two feet, I¡¯ll help you out.¡±


    ¡°Pfft! Stop bullsh*tting. I, Qi Shiliang, am a real Mystical Warrior! There is a huge difference between a Mystical Learner and a Mystical Warrior. You¡¯re going to die today!¡±


    ¡°Phantom-Hundred Attack!¡±


    Qi Shiliang could not wait to launch one of the strongest Mystical Techniques he had mastered. He was a Wind-Extreme Mystical Warrior. The Mystical Technique could punch hundreds of times instantly. Although the strength of each punch was weaker, the overall power was not that bad.


    Xu Yang sneered and launched Rock Body. He stood still as if he was a huge bluestone.


    Although Qi Shiliang was a Mystical Warrior, his physical strength was only thirty or forty juns. The Phantom-Hundred Attack seemed terrifying but the strength was much too weak.


    ¡°Haha. You¡¯re still pretending to be tough. Your bones should be broken and your organs fractured by now.¡± Qi Shiliang was breathing heavily as he retracted his extended fist.


    Xu Yang moved his head around and a clicking sound came out. He dusted the dirt on his body and said, ¡°You¡¯re done attacking?¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Qi Shiliang was horrified and he stepped backward.


    ¡°You hit me one hundred and thirty-two times just now. I¡¯ll only return those punches with one single punch. Doesn¡¯t that sound great?¡± Xu Yang¡¯s voice was chilling as he walked toward Qi Shiliang.


    Boom!


    A blast was created by Xu Yang¡¯s fist as a grey layer appeared on his fist.


    The punch knocked the fat Qi Shiliang into the air. Xu Yang could hear the sound of his chest bone cracking. Qi Shiliang coughed up a mouthful of blood and he fainted in mid-air.


    ¡°Who, who are you?¡± A timid voice sounded behind him.


    Xu Yang got rid of the cold expression on his face and looked at the little girl. She was Song Ren¡¯s daughter. ¡°My name is Xu Yang. What about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m Song Tinglan.¡± The little girl stood up timidly. ¡°You are not a bad person, are you?¡±


    Xu Yang smiled, ¡°Me? I think I¡¯m not a bad person. Come with me. I promised your father that I¡¯ll take care of you before he died. I¡¯m here to fulfill my promise.¡±


    Song Tinglan could not control herself upon hearing about her dead father, and two big drops of tears rolled down her face.


    ¡°Now, now, stop crying.¡± Xu Yang was somehow in a panic seeing the little girl cry. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you to my house. You will meet an elder sister there. You will definitely get along with her.¡±


    ¡°You will not sell me, will you?¡± Song Tinglan stopped crying and stared at Xu Yang.


    ¡°I will definitely not sell you.¡± Xu Yang promised her.


    Xu Yang held onto Song TInglan¡¯s dirty little hand and wanted to leave. However, the little girl pulled his hand hard and said, ¡°Wait a minute¡­¡±


    Looking at the puzzled Xu Yang, Song Tinglan said quickly, ¡°My father told me that we have an heirloom hidden on the beam. You are a good person. I¡¯m going to give the heirloom to you.¡±


    Xu Yang finally realized that he had forgotten about the reward that Song Ren had mentioned before.


    1

 Chapter 33

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    It was dinner time at Lord Lin Yuan¡¯s residence. As one of Lin Yuan City¡¯s most powerful families, the Li family, had strict rules for dinner.


    The governor of Lin Yuan City, Li Boyan, sat next to the head¡¯s seat. The head¡¯s seat was empty, it was reserved for his father¡ªLord Lin Yuan, Li Zhouping. However, the powerful Mystical Lord almost never participated in the family banquets.


    ¡°Our family has gained a huge profit at the Appraisal Conference today. The three recipes Yurong bought from Xu Yang are very useful,¡± Li Boyan said.


    The younger generations stopped eating when Li Boyan spoke. Li Zhongxuan was the only one who poured a glass of wine and was sipping gently.


    Li Yurong heard his statement and quickly stood up. She said humbly, ¡°It is because you have a unique vision, Uncle. The credit is not mine to take.¡±


    Li Wang chuckled and said, ¡°Sis Yurong, stop being so humble. Also, there are two more people who should get the credit besides sis Yurong.¡±


    ¡°You seem sure. Pray tell.¡± Li Yuanzhi rolled her eyes back, and the jewels on her hair slightly shook.


    Li Wang said gleefully, ¡°The first person is none other than me. I¡¯m the first person to realize that Xu Yang was different. I even gifted him a medicinal ding to befriend him.¡±


    Li Boyan frowned and said, ¡°Although Xu Yang¡¯s talent in alchemy is good, his Mystical physique is too weak. I haven¡¯t heard of anyone who has reached a higher stage with a physique of eight extremes. Moreover, he is very much involved in the issue with the Mo family. Don¡¯t get too close to him if it¡¯s not necessary.¡±


    Li Wang pouted in slight dissatisfaction. However, he dared not talk back to the strict Li Boyan. He could only say, ¡°The second person should be Uncle Zhongxuan.¡±


    Li Zhongxuan put down his glass of wine and looked at his nephew.


    ¡°Uncle Zhongxuan protected Xu Yang before. Xu Yang would surely remember his grace.¡±


    Li Zhongxuan raised an eyebrow and his face suddenly turned cold. ¡°Am I the kind of person who helps someone for a reward?¡± He downed the glass of wine and stood up saying, ¡°I protected Xu Yang to repay his father¡¯s kindness. If Xu Yang were to repay that kindness once more, then it would be the Li family who owes him a favor.¡±


    Li Zhongxuan wanted to leave before dinner had ended.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Uncle¡­¡± Li Yurong said timidly.


    ¡°Remember, it is my duty to protect Xu Yang. I will never forgive the person if someone from the Li family were to request for a reward from Xu Yang.¡±


    Li Zhongxuan then left without turning back.


    Li Yurong¡¯s pretty face turned pale and she sat down again.


    ¡°Uncle Zhongxuan has a bad temper. It will be fine, Sis Yurong.¡± Li Wang said. ¡°Moreover, Uncle has deep cultivation. It is fine for him to skip a meal but we have to eat as we are still growing.¡±


    The tense atmosphere was lifted by Li Wang¡¯s gag. However, Li Yurong¡¯s pale face and furrowed eyebrows remained the same.


    Meanwhile, in Xu Yang¡¯s house.


    ¡°I¡¯m back, Xu Yu.¡± Xu Yang gently knocked on the wooden door.


    The door opened, and Xu Yu poked her head out and said with a smile, ¡°Why are you so late, Brother? I have already cooked dinner.¡±


    Xu Yu looked down and saw Song Tinglan holding onto Xu Yang¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Oh? Who is this?¡± Xu Yu opened the door wide. She took a closer look and asked curiously.


    ¡°This girl?¡± Xu Yang caressed Xu Yu¡¯s head and brought Song Tinglan to the yard. ¡°Do you remember the Ascetic Road team that I joined? She is the deceased Instructor Song¡¯s daughter. She is Song Tinglan.¡±


    ¡°Instructor Song¡¯s daughter?¡± Xu Yu¡¯s big eyes flashed with sympathy as she had heard about what had happened during his journey on the Ascetic Road.


    ¡°Tinglan will stay here from now onwards otherwise she might be bullied by others.¡± Xu Yang said. ¡°She can help you cook if you need help.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Xu Yu was an obedient girl. She would never defy her brother¡¯s words.


    Xu Yang took a sandalwood box out from his backpack. It was the heirloom hidden by Instructor Song. He was curious about what was in the box.


    He opened up the box and saw a yellowish animal skin fragment with some crooked lines on it.


    ¡®This might be a fragment of a map. It seems that it is only one fourth of the original map¡­¡¯ Xu Yang¡¯s expectations suddenly dissipated by a lot. It was only a fragment of a map which was divided into four parts. It was hard to gather the other three pieces in this broad Mystical Continent. The other pieces might have already turned into dust.


    Xu Yang realized that something was off with the animal skin when he touched it with his finger tip.


    ¡®This is a piece of Demon¡¯s skin!¡¯ Xu Yang tried to rip the map fragment with great strength but found that he could not destroy the animal skin with his strength of fifty to sixty Juns.


    ¡®It should be an extraordinary map as it is traced on a piece of Demon¡¯s skin. It is also difficult to tear it apart.¡¯ Xu Yang then realized that the map was valuable. He folded the map fragment and put it into his leather bag.


    ¡®As for the wooden box, I should place it under my bed. I can use it to store herbs.¡¯ Xu Yang stood up.


    ¡®Oh? The weight of this sandalwood box is rather weird.¡¯ He lifted the box and realized that it was heavier than a normal sandalwood box.


    ¡®Is there some kind of secret inside the box?¡¯


    ¡°Xu, Xu Yang¡­¡± Song Tinglan spoke softly, ¡°The box is a treasure. It will shine at night.¡±


    Shine? Xu Yang¡¯s eyes flashed and he checked the box carefully.


    ¡°How can you address my brother directly by his name? You should call him Brother like me.¡± Xu Yu patted Song Tinglan¡¯s shoulder, displaying a look of being the more sensible one.


    ¡°Nevermind, Xu Yu. Tinglan is free to address me however she pleases.¡± Xu Yang said as he was looking at the box.


    In Xu Yang¡¯s mind, Song Tinglan and Xu Yu¡¯s statuses were different. Xu Yu was the only one who let him feel family love in this golden age. He will treat her as a sister. However, he would not care about Song Tinglan as much since he was only fulfilling his promise. He would ensure her safety and find her a good husband in the future.


    Xu Yu agreed and seemed to have understood something as she happily waltzed into the kitchen.


    Song Tinglan was also an obedient girl. She quickly rushed to help Xu Yu.


    Xu Yang looked at the box for a while and saw a faint silver-white color at the clasp of the box. With a sudden hint of happiness, he snapped open the corner of the wooden box with his fingers.


    A silver-white jade was hidden at the bottom of the wooden box, revealing a gentle light of brilliance under the evening skies.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful!¡± Xu Yu, who was bringing over a bowl of food, exclaimed. She was amazed when she saw the jade. She quickly put the bowl down and rushed to her brother¡¯s side. ¡°Brother, what is this?¡±


    ¡°If I have guessed it correctly, it should be a Rose Jade.¡± Xu Yang said with a smile. ¡°It contains Light Mystical Energy. It can be used to form the Light Mystical Core¡­ It seems that I got lucky today. I have gathered all the treasures I need for the eight extremes.¡±


    2Xu Yu could not understand much but she felt happy for her brother.


    ¡®I have gathered all of the treasures I need to set up the foundation for Mystical Cultivation. Now, I have to focus on cultivating other seven kinds of Mystical Energy until they reach an equilibrium with the Fire Mystical Energy. After that, I can set up the foundation for Mystical Cultivation and advance into the Mystical Warrior stage.¡¯

 Chapter 34

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Spirit Treasures were not compulsory in setting up the foundation of Mystical Cultivation. Some Mystical Learners could advance without relying on any Spirit Treasure. However, those people were only forming the Mystical Core of a single extreme. It was much easier than Xu Yang who needed to form eight Mystical Cores.


    1There were different Spirit Treasures that had the same attribute. The Flame Flower, Rage Stone, and Carmine were all treasures that could help to form the Fire Mystical Core. The Carmine was more advanced than the Rage Stone. Its success rate in forming the Fire Mystical Core was much higher than the Rage Stone¡¯s.


    Xu Yang had initially decided to use some normal Spirit Treasures to set up the foundations. However, he had gathered all the Spirit Treasures he needed at the Appraisal Conference, and most of them were even high-grade Spirit Treasures. He could not help but sigh. The golden age deserved its recognition, and the future era was not able to compare with it.


    ¡®It¡¯s time to go to the Python Mountains again. It is unsafe to set up the foundations in Lin Yuan City. If someone were to disturb me, it¡¯s very likely that I will fail and I may suffer serious backlashes.¡¯ Xu Yang knew that one was most afraid of being disturbed by others when forming a Mystical Core. Most of the people would hire a stronger person to protect them when breaking through.


    However, Xu Yang did not seek the Li family¡¯s help as he did not want to owe them anything. He decided to go deep into the mountains by himself and set up his foundation at a serene place.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take too long, Brother.¡± Xu Yu was sobbing. The last three months when Xu Yang was gone, she had suffered quite a lot.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, and remember not to go out when I¡¯m gone. I¡¯ll be back soon, at most I¡¯ll be gone for half a month.¡± Xu Yang caressed Xu Yu¡¯s head and said.


    In one of the rooms at the Resting Area of Vast-Gate Dojo.


    The man who was lying on the bed was Qi Shiliang. His chest bone was broken by Xu Yang in the fight. He looked sickly and his arrogance from before had disappeared. He was even coughing badly from time to time.


    ¡°Father, you have to help Shiliang.¡± A middle-aged woman with a few pockmarks on her face cried.


    There was one older and one younger man opposite the middle-aged woman, they were the dojo master of Vast-Gate Dojo and his son Qi Hong.


    ¡°Calm down, Qi Xiu.¡± The dojo master sighed. He was always very pleased with his son Qi Hong. Qi Hong had advanced to the Primary Mystical Master stage when he was in his middle ages. The dojo master could be rest assured in handing over the family business to his son when he was to reach an old age.


    However, he was rather worried about his daughter. His daughter, Qi Xiu, had no talent for cultivation. He wanted her to marry into a better family, but his daughter was deceived by Qi Shiliang¡¯s sweet words and ended up getting married to him. Vast-Gate Dojo had no choice but to accept this son-in-law.


    Many years ago, Qi Shiliang used to be quite good-looking, and he was not fat as he was now. His surname was not Qi. He came from a small and poor family, the Zhao family. He married into the Qi family to change his fate. He wanted to ensure that his children would be given the surname Qi, not only that, he himself changed his surname to that of Qi.


    The dojo master gave Qi Shiliang a managerial position under the request of his daughter. He was in charge of the families of the guides who went to the Ascetic Road. It was an extremely easy job. No one would have imagined him being beaten up to such a state.


    As for the managerial position that Qi Shiliang boasted about in front of Xu Yang, it was an overstatement. His managerial position was much lower than that of an actual manager.


    ¡°What in the world happened?¡± Qi Hong was somehow distressed. ¡°I asked you to compensate Song Ren¡¯s family members for their loss. How is it that you returned in such bad shape? You are a Mystical Warrior and the only family member he has is an eight-year-old girl.¡±


    Qi Shiliang dared not speak. If the dojo master and Qi Hong were to find out that he had pocketed the pensions given by Vast-Gate Dojo, the result would not be as simple as a few months of recovering his current injuries. All the previous cases might be revealed and he was likely to be thrown out by the Qi family.


    ¡°It was the kid named Xu Yang. He took the pension claiming that he will take care of Song Ren¡¯s daughter.¡± Qi Xiu sobbed. ¡°Shiliang was beaten up after talking to him. Xu Yang is rampantly relying on his identity as a member of the Xu family.¡±


    ¡°Xu Yang again?¡± The dojo master was in a panic. He himself had sent a Mystical Warrior to bring Xu Yang to him last time. However, the Mystical Warrior was not able to bring him back, and his Star Ocean was even sealed up. He also brought back shocking news when he returned to the dojo.


    That was, Lord Lin Yuan¡¯s second son had said that he would protect Xu Yang.


    Vast-Gate Dojo was not only afraid of the Li family, but also Li Zhongxuan¡¯s strength. His strength was enough to make them cower in fear as he had reached the cultivation of a Primary Mystical Lord in his thirties. He was one of the strongest people in Lin Yuan City.


    ¡°What should we do, Father?¡± Qi Hong asked.


    The dojo master scratched his head with his finger and sighed. He said, ¡°What else can we do? We can only accept our fate. Xu Yang¡¯s identity is one thing, Li Zhongxuan¡¯s name itself is another. We are unable to provoke either of these two people.¡±


    Qi Hong was dissatisfied and said, ¡°Father, even if the Li family is strong, they shouldn¡¯t disregard the rules and distort reality. Xu Yang was the one who crossed the line. If we were to go to the Governor Manor to seek justice, we will win because Xu Yang was the one who messed with us first. The reputation of the Li family would be strongly affected if Li Zhongxuan were to cover up Xu Yang¡¯s mistakes.¡±


    Reputation was crucial for a family. If one¡¯s reputation were ruined, the other factions would be unwilling to build relationships with the family. The decline of the family was expected if it were deserted by the other factions.


    Of course, for those who had no vision for the future, it was commonplace to desert others. They would not keep their promises and would do everything for their own benefit. Although such a person would be able to get a temporary benefit, he would be treated as a scapegoat of the family in order to ensure peace after.


    The dojo master waved his arm and said, ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll do this. Qi Hong, send people to track Xu Yang¡¯s movements. Catch him and force him to tell the truth, then report to the Governor Manor.¡±


    The dojo master and Qi Hong went out of the room, and Qi Shiliang fell from his bed with a loud rumble.


    Qi Xiu quickly went to help him up and asked with concern, ¡°Shiliang, do you feel better?¡±


    Qi Shiliang sighed, ¡°It¡¯s over, it¡¯s over! My corruption in pocketing the pensions will be revealed once they have confronted Xu Yang and the little girl. It¡¯s all over!¡±


    Qi Xiu¡¯s face turned pale. She suddenly thought of something and said, ¡°Shiliang, don¡¯t fret just yet. Didn¡¯t my father say that he would send people to catch Xu Yang first? I¡¯ll go to see my brother right now and ask him to let me handle this issue. I¡¯ll tell them to kill Xu Yang on the spot if he dares to refuse. We can treat Xu Yang¡¯s death as a careless mistake.¡±


    The fat Qi Shiliang was energized and asked, ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t resist?¡±


    Qi Xiu¡¯s eyes flashed with viciousness and said, ¡°If he is obedient, we have a lot of ways to deal with him! Anyway, I must help you get revenge.¡±


    In the courtyard at the inner pavilion of the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion.


    ¡°Little Official, please help me take care of my family when I go to the Python Mountains,¡± Xu Yang said. ¡°The actions of Vast-Gate Dojo are horrible. I¡¯m afraid they will send people to get revenge as Qi Shiliang was beaten up by me.¡±


    ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll send Li Feng to guard your residence.¡± Li Wang said. ¡°In fact, this kind of injustice should be governed by the Governor Manor. The fact that you had to handle this problem firsthand is already negligence on our side.¡±


    Xu Yang was satisfied, he smiled as he felt rest assured. He had actually just thought of doing this right before his departure.


    ¡®It¡¯s impossible to not owe other people something in this world.¡¯ Xu Yang realized. ¡®Unless I were to go deep into the mountains all alone and go into isolation purely for cultivation.¡¯


    1Even without external factors, the advancement in stages was an extremely slow process. It was very common for someone to exhaust one¡¯s lifespan when advancing before he could even reach the next stage.


    The way of Mystical Cultivation was like fighting for life with the gods. One¡¯s lifespan would increase by a certain amount every time he advances into the next stage. The legendary characters who were at the top of Mystical Cultivators were said to be immortal and unbreakable.

 Chapter 35

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Vast-Gate Dojo, eastern part of Lin Yuan City.


    ¡°We sent some people to Fire-Cloud Dojo a few days ago, how did the confrontation go?¡± The dojo master touched his grey beard and asked.


    Qi Hong sighed and said, ¡°The people from Fire-Cloud Dojo denied everything. Since they have done something malicious, they would surely not admit it as it will ruin their reputation. They say that it was not their doing and that Song Ren was unlucky as he was faced with a Mutant Beast.¡±


    ¡°Do you think that it is all a part of Fire-Cloud Dojo¡¯s scheme?¡± A gleam flashed in the dojo master¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°We got the news from Xu Yang and it should be the only possible situation. Song Ren is a careful person. He will never derail from the route of the Ascetic Road. The route is the hard work of our Vast-Gate Dojo. We have sacrificed dozens of Mystical Warriors and years to find it. The route is safe and there has never been a situation where a Mutant Beast has hurt someone. The most probable reason is Fire-Cloud Dojo and their evil schemes.¡±


    The dojo master nodded slowly and said, ¡°From what I know, the ascetic team sent out by Fire-Cloud Dojo this time was accompanied by three Mystical Warriors. It is weird. It surely seems like it¡¯s their doing. Pfft! They really think we can¡¯t deal with them?¡±


    ¡°What should we do, Father?¡± Qi Hong asked.


    ¡°Send people to the Governor Manor and request for a notarization.¡± The dojo master said as a gleam flashed in his eyes. ¡°I want to have a duel at the Northern Arena with Fire-Cloud Dojo to settle our grudges.¡±


    Qi Hong was filled with excitement. His father had reached the cultivation of a Pinnacle Mystical Master many years ago. He was much stronger than the head of Fire-Cloud Dojo who was an Advanced Mystical Master. Vast-Gate Dojo would most likely win the duel.


    The rule to a duel at the Northern Arena was formulated by Lord Lin Yuan. Large-scale fighting and killing people secretly were not allowed in Lin Yuan City as Lord Lin Yuan did not want to see his territory become chaotic. However, there were always grudges between the various factions that needed proper ways to settle. Hence, Lord Lin Yuan refered to other cities and set the rules for duels in the Northern Arena to end their grudges.


    For example, the grudge between Vast-Gate Dojo and Fire-Cloud Dojo could be resolved in the arena, and the loser would experience a cruel lesson.


    ¡°I will do that now, Father.¡± Qi Hong turned over and left.


    He saw his younger sister, Qi Xiu, when he had just walked out from the door.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Qi Hong asked when he saw Qi Xiu pacing about.


    ¡°Brother¡­¡± Qi Xiu had always been very afraid of her brother, she asked in a low voice, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°The Governor Manor. Father has ordered me to do something urgent. ¡± Qi Hong was about to leave. He was always rather indifferent toward his younger sister.


    ¡°Brother!¡± Qi Xiu stopped him. ¡°In regards to Shiliang¡¯s problem¡­¡±


    ¡°I have no time for this right now.¡± Qi Hong said impatiently. ¡°It is just about catching a Mystical Learner to ask him questions. Don¡¯t bother me with this kind of insignificant matter.¡±


    What he said was just what Qi Xiu wanted. She quickly said, ¡°I dare not trouble you with such a small thing. Let me handle this myself.¡±


    Qi Hong nodded, showing that he agreed with her proposal. He took out a silver token and said, ¡°You can order any of the Mystical Warriors in the dojo to do anything with the token. Remember, do not misuse it.¡± He then walked away hurriedly.


    Qi Xiu smirked and she thought cruelly, ¡®Xu Yang, just you wait!¡¯


    Meanwhile, Xu Yang, with a backpack on his back, had entered the Python Mountains once again.


    He launched the Running Horse Position and rushed ahead rapidly while referring to the map he had gotten from Instructor Song Ren.


    ¡®My speed has increased by a lot since I returned from the Python Mountains last time.¡¯ Xu Yang had unconsciously reached the valley where he fought with Hong Xi. There were still some pieces of his robes that had not degraded and the blurry mark of Fire-Cloud Dojo was still visible. ¡®If he were still alive, I have the confidence I will be able to go up against him.¡¯


    Xu Yang was excited when recalling the thrilling battle with Hong Xi. He was experiencing the sinister ways of survival at that time as he might have been killed immediately if he were to make any mistakes. He sighed slightly and went to a deeper area of the Python Mountains.


    After walking for half a day, Xu Yang found an area where the forest was more lush and the mountains were undulated. Xu Yang found a naturally-occurring cave easily.


    ¡°There is no one to disturb me here. It is the perfect place for cultivation.¡± Xu Yang walked into the cave after throwing some stones to ensure that there were no beasts inside. He began to investigate the cave.


    The cave was high and dry. The ground was covered with a layer of soft dirt with tracks of animal footprints. Xu Yang could easily tell that they were merely footsteps of some small animals. Therefore, he was able to relax, and he placed his backpack on the ground.


    Xu Yang then found a huge stone outside the cave. It weighed about fifty juns which was equal to seven hundred and fifty kilograms! He exhaled and lifted the stone by holding it at its folds.


    One would surely be amazed if they were to witness this scene unfolding before their eyes. It could only be described as Divine Strength as he was able to have such strength in the Mystical Learner stage.


    Xu Yang used the stone to block the entrance of the valley. He dusted his hands with satisfaction, then he looked at the cave that had become pitch black. He could finally focus on breaking through into the Mystical Warrior stage without any disturbance.


    Xu Yang started to control his breathing after eating a piece of dry food and drinking some water.


    Xu Yang had been cultivating hard since the Appraisal Conference. He had cultivated the other seven extremes of Mystical Energy into the Pinnacle Mystical Learner stage. The sizes of the other Mystical Energies in his Star Ocean were almost the same as that of the Fire Mystical Energy.


    Xu Yang looked into his Star Ocean. His Star Ocean was wider than when he had just reached the Pinnacle tier of Mystical Learners. The eight kinds of Mystical Energy were clearly divided. They were not interfering with each other, and were rotating slowly on their own. There were already symptoms of them transforming from virtual to reality, and forming Mystical Cores.


    What Xu Yang had to do was enrich the Mystical Qi¡¯s cluster using the Spirit Treasures. The Spirit Treasures could accelerate the rotation of the cluster and consequently form Mystical Cores. The Mystical Power could only be generated endlessly when the Mystical Core had been formed.


    ¡®It¡¯s better to start with the Fire Mystical Core.¡¯ After regulating his breath, Xu Yang took two pieces of Fire Mystical Crystals which were extracted from the Carmine out of his leather bag. He held one in his left hand and the other in his right. He closed his eyes to absorb the Mystical Energy from the crystals.


    Suddenly, two huge Fire Mystical Energies were infused into the Fire Mystical Veins at both his arms. Xu Yang could not help but shake as the energies were like two fire lines plunging into his body.


    It was faster to absorb Mystical Energy from the Spirit Treasure than from nature. Xu Yang saw the red cluster of Fire Mystical Energy in his Star Ocean accelerate, then it started to expand as the external Mystical Energy was infused.


    The first step of transforming virtual to reality was to infuse energy, and expand the energy cluster to fill the Star Ocean.


    The other seven extremes¡¯ Mystical Energy shrunk swiftly and could barely be found under the force of the Fire Mystical Energy.


    Xu Yang tried his best to control the other seven extremes of Mystical Energies which were reduced to small dots to calmly maintain in his Star Ocean. The reason why Xu Yang had chosen to cultivate all the eight kinds of Mystical Energy to the Pinnacle tier of a Mystical Learner before he started forming Mystical Cores was that if the other seven extremes¡¯ Mystical Energies were too weak, they might be forced out of his body when he was forming the Fire Mystical Core. If that were to happen, Xu Yang would become a Mystical Warrior with only one extreme and the cultivation of Zhenwu¡¯s Eight Sceneries Scripture would fail. Xu Yang did not want to see that happen.


    The Fire Mystical Energy was expanded to its utmost limit, and it had almost occupied the entire Star Ocean.


    ¡®Now, I¡¯m going to move on to the second step, compression.¡¯


    The two Fire Mystical Crystals in his hands had shrunk to the size of a grain and only the dross remained.


    The speed of rotation of the expanded Fire Mystical Energy was even faster. However, its volume started shrinking as it was rotating. The density of the mist of Mystical Energy was increased while its volume was decreased as there was an intangible compressing power.


    Small beads of sweat appeared on Xu Yang¡¯s forehead, and he was surprised to find some small droplets of water gradually appearing in the mist of Fire Mystical Energy.


    This was the sign of success in forming a Mystical Core. Transforming virtual into reality meant condensing the mist of Mystical Energy into a liquid state and forming a liquid vortex.


    The small water droplets collided with and engulfed each other, finally forming a blob of reddish liquid. The surronding mist of Fire Mystical Energy was also decreased at the same time.


    The red liquid was involuntarily attracted to the center of the vortex under the rapid rotation.


    ¡®It¡¯s time! Rotate!¡¯ Xu Yang growled in his head. He tried his best to urge the reddish liquid to rotate with the rotation of the gaseous vortex.


    Although the Mystical Energy had changed its state to liquid, it still had a relationship with Xu Yang as it was cultivated by him. It started to revolve slowly under Xu Yang¡¯s persistent will.


    The liquid Mystical Energy was finally activated and started to rotate swiftly. It rapidly engulfed the mist of Mystical Energy left in the Star Ocean while rotating to strengthen itself.


    ¡®I have finally succeeded¡­¡¯ Xu Yang opened his eyes and expelled a mouthful of turbid gas. He leaped into the air, and he could feel that his body was fit and light. His leap almost caused him to hit his head on the roof of the cave.


    Xu Yang looked into his Star Ocean again. The other seven extremes¡¯ Mystical Energies have recovered to their original sizes. There was only the liquid Fire Mystical Energy that was rotating endlessly, and the traces of Fire Mystical Energy was running through the Fire Mystical Veins in his body.


    ¡®The newborn Mystical Power is strengthening my body¡­¡¯ Xu Yang started to feel his body itch. It was his bones becoming tougher and his flesh becoming firmer.


    Xu Yang gently moved his fist and it created a blast of strong wind. He had a strong sense that his physical strength would increase a lot if he were to stabilize the Fire Mystical Energy at the Primary Mystical Warrior stage. His physical strength was likely to reach a hundred juns.


    It was a tough task for one¡¯s physical strength to reach one hundred juns in this era even if one was a Pinnacle Mystical Warrior. It was hard to imagine how strong Xu Yang¡¯s physical strength would become after he had formed all eight Mystical Cores and his body had been tempered.


    Xu Yang understood that this was the first round of Mystical Power tempering his physique, as such the rate of improvement was exponential. The improvement rate would decrease when he had formed other Mystical Cores and temper his body again.


    ¡®It is best to form other Mystical Cores at the Primary tier of the Fire Extreme.¡¯ Xu Yang knew that he had limited time. He ate some dry food and took out the Feathered Snake¡¯s Shedded Skin to form the Thunder Mystical Core.


    It was one of the Spirit Treasures with the best quality among all the others which could help to set up the foundation of Mystical Cultivation. The Feathered Snake was a spirit formed by nature. It was the incarnation of Thunderfury. Even a Mystical Emperor did not dare to confront it head-on.


    Although it was just the shed skin of a Feathered Snake, it was still extraordinary.

 Chapter 36

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    Forming a Thunder Mystical Core was harder than the previous Fire Mystical Core as there was already a completed Mystical Core in the Star Ocean. Although it was still weak, it was a real Mystical Core. It would be a tough task to condense it and let the Thunder-Extreme Mystical Energy flood into the Star Ocean.


    Luckily, the Zhenwu¡¯s Eight Sceneries Scripture was primarily suitable for Mystical Cultivators with several extremes. It included plenty of secret methods which could help to form the second and even more Mystical Cores. Among them, there was one method called the Fire-Generated Thunder which could form the Thunder Mystical Core with the power of the Fire Mystical Core.


    However, the method of the Fire-Generated Thunder required high levels of perseverance on the side of the cultivator. If one were not able to bear the pain, not only would the Thunder Mystical Core not be formed but the Fire Mystical Core would also be seriously damaged. The worst possible outcome was that one¡¯s cultivation would fall back to that of the Mystical Learner stage.


    Xu Yang was confident in his level of perseverance. He took a deep breath and poured a few drops of liquid on the Feathered Snake¡¯s Shedded Skin.


    The liquid was the Light-Spirit Liquid prepared earlier on by Xu Yang. It could stimulate the Thunder-Extreme Mystical Energy in the Feathered Snake¡¯s Shedded Skin although it was only an ordinary medicine.


    The Light-Spirit Liquid diffused into the Feathered Snake¡¯s Shedded Skin at a speed visible to the naked eye. The grey shedded skin suddenly shone and there were traces of Thunder-Extreme Mystical Energy moving about on it. There were also crackling sounds of thunder coming from it continuously.


    Xu Yang placed both his hands on the Feathered Snake¡¯s Shedded Skin and felt slight numbness. He launched the Zhenwu¡¯s Eight Sceneries Scripture and introduced the abundant Thunder-Extreme Mystical Energy into his body. Then, he infused the energy into the cluster of Thunder Mystical Energy in his Star Ocean.


    Xu Yang slowed down the rotation speed of the newborn Fire Mystical Core. He intentionally left a blank space without any Fire Mystical Energy in the Fire Mystical Core, and infused a trace of the mist of Thunder Mystical Energy into it.


    It was the most dangerous step of all. If he were to accidentally allow a little bit of liquid Fire Mystical Energy to be jumbled up with the Thunder Mystical Energy, it would cause a vigorous explosion akin to ember falling into boiling oil. In the end, the Star Ocean would be destroyed.


    1The Fire Mystical Core expanded gradually once more. Its middle part had been thickened compared to the originally thin and long shape. Traces of the mist of Thunder-Extreme Mystical Energy were slowly introduced into it, and it started to rotate.


    Xu Yang looked into his Star Ocean and saw that there were mists of Thunder Mystical Energy condensing rapidly. Soon after, the first drop of silver-white liquid appeared in the mist of Thunder-Extreme Mystical Energy. Xu Yang could not help but feel happy.


    The Zhenwu¡¯s Eight Sceneries Scripture was worthy of being the clan heirloom of the Celestials in the future era. It was wonderful and incredible. One could imagine how incredible the scripture was from the bold hypothesis and clever application shown in the Fire-Generated Thunder method.


    ¡®I still need more Thunder-Extreme Mystical Energy!¡¯ Xu Yang was then able to relax, and he started to extract thunder energy from the Feathered Snake¡¯s Shedded Skin. The popping sound of electricity could be constantly heard coming from the skin.


    This primitive method of absorption would waste most of the energy stored in the Feathered Snake¡¯s Shedded Skin. However, it was enough for Xu Yang to successfully set up the foundation of Mystical Cultivation by using a small part of the introduced electric energy.


    There were dozens of silver-white droplets produced at the blank space of the Fire Mystical Core. They were revolving as the Fire Mystical Core rotated. They gradually gathered into a cluster of silver-white liquid after they had collided with and engulfed each other.


    ¡°Rotate!¡± Xu Yang growled. It was the most crucial moment.


    The cluster of silver-white liquid started to revolve as it was driven by the Fire Mystical Core. It started turning faster and faster, and finally a slender silver-white vortex was formed.


    The Thunder Mystical Core had been successfully condensed at this step. However, Xu Yang had to go through the final step as it was a second Mystical Core. It was the most dangerous and painful step, separation.


    ¡°Separate!¡±


    The red Fire Mystical Core had expanded to its limit. A gap suddenly appeared in the middle of the rapidly rotating core. Afterward, a slender silver-white vortex shot out from the gap.


    ¡°Argh¡­ Cough¡­¡± Xu Yang¡¯s face was suddenly pale and languished. He felt as if his Star Ocean was heavily punched by a same tier Mystical Warrior when he tried to separate the Mystical Cores. The pain was unimaginable. Fortunately, Xu Yang could bear the pain as his physical strength was high, and his Star Ocean was far tougher than any other Mystical Cultivators of the same stage.


    The silver-white Thunder-Extreme Mystical Core no longer held back and had started to absorb the external Thunder-Extreme Mystical Energy vigorously after it detached itself from the Fire Mystical Core. It expanded as it was revolving, whereas the Fire Mystical Core was condensing and shrinking. Not long after, the size of two Mystical Cores became the same. They were separated from each other by the other six clusters of Mystical Energy between them.


    ¡®Finally, I did it¡­¡¯ Xu Yang was perspiring profusely and he was exhausted. The newly formed Thunder Mystical Core released traces of Thunder-Extreme Mystical Energy as it was rotating to temper Xu Yang¡¯s body.


    Xu Yang was tired but he knew that he should not be resting. He forced himself to stand up and launch the Dynamic-Static Combined Qi-Introducing Technique. He had to combine the two Mystical Cores to maximize the effect of body tempering.


    At first, Xu Yang stumbled and staggered about as if he had been seriously injured but he became more and more energetic after a while. Every single one of his movements brought the sound of crackling bones, and his body became stronger.


    ¡°One hundred thirty juns of strength!¡± Xu Yang punched out freely and a piercing sonic boom sounded, the rock wall was dented with the result of a cobweb-like crack.


    A blow with strength exceeding a hundred juns could trigger a sonic booming sound which meant that the speed was faster than that of the speed of sound.


    Xu Yang exhaled, and the Mystical Energy in the Feathered Snake¡¯s Shedded Skin had been depleted. It crumbled into small pieces and fluttered to the ground like a butterfly.


    ¡®I have formed the most dangerous second Mystical Core. The formation of the other six extremes¡¯ Mystical Core will not be that challenging for me with my experience in this step.¡¯ Xu Yang¡¯s eyes were filled with determination, he gulped down some water and set his eyes on the Rose Jade.


    Midnight, Xu Street, Lin Yuan City.


    A group of three men in black stopped in front of Xu Yang¡¯s ruined mansion and communicated with each other using body gestures.


    ¡°This is the house.¡± The man in the front whispered.


    ¡°What are we waiting for?¡± The other two men asked impatiently. ¡°Do you think that the three of us as Mystical Warriors can¡¯t deal with a Mystical Learner together?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, I¡¯m not worried about that.¡± The man in the front said. ¡°However, our task this time is weird. Miss Qi Xiu has never intervened with the guard team of the dojo. Why is she ordering us to deal with a Mystical Learner this time? She even wants us to kill him on the spot if he were to resist.¡±


    The other men in black answered, ¡°Why do you care so much? Miss Qi Xiu holds the token. We have to obey every order whatever it may be.¡±


    The man in the front sighed. He nodded and said, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do this.¡±


    At that moment, the sound of someone sneering could be heard. ¡°As I see it, you can¡¯t do anything.¡± The three men in black were frightened and they turned around.


    A guard in green stood in front of them and said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m the Rank-1 guard from Lord Lin Yuan¡¯s manor, Li Feng. I was instructed by Little Official to patrol around here and arrest people who try to break the rules. You three, come with me.¡±


    ¡°Lord Lin Yuan¡¯s manor.¡± The three men in black looked at each other with traces of terror in their eyes.

 Chapter 37

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    In this world where only the ones who were strong were respected, the most feared faction in Lin Yuan City was undoubtedly the Li family that had a Mystical Lord. Not only that, the Li family was given the honor of holding the great title of governor by the emperor of the Dong Lai Kingdom. No one dared to go up against them.


    ¡°Sh*t. Run!¡± The three men in black did not think that they would encounter Li Feng. They turned around and tried to escape.


    ¡°Huh!¡± Li Feng yelled and extended his palm.


    Light green Wind Mystical Power came out of his palm and soon condensed into a huge green snake. The snake pounced at one of the men in black as fast as lightning. The man in black spat a mouthful of blood and a huge gash appeared on his body after he was whipped once by the snake¡¯s tail.


    ¡°Mystical Master!¡±


    The other two men in black picked up speed seeing the skillful Mystical Transformation technique. They dared not save their companion. There was a big gap between Mystical Masters and Mystical Warriors. There was no chance of winning even if they were to team up and fight against the Mystical Master together.


    Li Feng smiled slightly but did not chase after them. He definitely could chase after them and capture them with his speed as a Wind-Extreme Mystical Master. His speed was much faster than the two Mystical Warriors in black.


    Li Feng was not even bothered to look at the injured man in black. He said, ¡°Leave, and remember to tell your master not to create problems again.¡±


    Li Feng would not have hurt him if not for the message that he wanted to convey. The most important task for him as a guard of the Li family was to share his master¡¯s worries, not to cause problems.


    The little official told him to protect Xu Yang¡¯s family, not capture the assassin who came at night.


    Therefore, Li Feng did not attempt to capture the men, let alone hurt them badly. He did not want the Li family to gain more enemies.


    ¡°Damn. We came here to capture a Mystical Learner deserted by his family but why is the guard from the Li family here?¡± The two men in black who escaped stopped running when they realized that no one was chasing after them. One of the men in black calmed himself down and said angrily.


    ¡°It must be Miss Qi Xiu. She ordered us to do such a thing without doing a proper investigation on the matter. Young Master may not even know about this,¡± the other man in black heaved heavily and said.


    ¡°Come¡­ help me¡­¡± The injured man in black said from far away. His speed was much slower than the other two as he was injured.


    ¡°Old Huo?¡± The two men in black ahead of him felt embarrassed. It was a cowardly act for them to escape without facing the enemy head on and abandoning their injured companion.


    Luckily, the injured Mystical Warrior did not care much about that. He coughed twice and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I don¡¯t blame you. The Mystical Master did not mean to kill us, otherwise we would not be alive right now.¡±


    The two uninjured men in black walked beside Old Huo. They supported him on both sides and quickly rushed back to Vast-Gate Dojo.


    Meanwhile, the rest zone of Vast-Gate Dojo was brightly lit. Qi Hong was reporting to his father with great respect.


    ¡°Father, you should have seen the expression on Yang Muyun¡¯s face when I handed the duel invitation to the fat guy. It was as if he had lost his mind, he only came to his senses when the person next to him gave him a nudge.¡± Qi Hong chuckled and said.


    The master of Vast-Gate Dojo, Qi Liancheng, nodded and said, ¡°Qi Hong, how do you think Yang Muyun will take to respond?¡±


    ¡°Yang Muyun can only accept the duel.¡± Qi Hong said with full confidence. ¡°I will spread the news about the duel to everyone in the city. If Yang Muyun does not dare to take on the challenge, it would mean that Fire-Cloud Dojo is scared of our Vast-Gate Dojo. There will be plenty of disciples from Fire-Cloud Dojo coming to join us.¡±


    Qi Liancheng nodded and said, ¡°Good. I am ninety percent sure that I can win as long as Yang Muyun accepts the duel.¡±


    ¡°Report!¡± A Mystical Warrior rushed toward them and said in a low voice, ¡°Old Huo and his companions are back, and their mission has failed.¡±


    ¡°Old Huo? I didn¡¯t give them any task.¡± Qi Hong was confused as he said, ¡°Let them in.¡±


    ¡°Master, Young Master.¡± The three Mystical Warriors in black entered together. There was a trace of blood at the corner of the mouth of the Mystical Warrior in the middle, and there was a bleeding wound on his shoulder.


    ¡°Why are you injured, Old Huo?¡± Qi Liancheng asked in surprise.


    The Mystical Warrior, with the surname Huo, sighed and answered, ¡°The three of us went on a mission to capture Xu Yang tonight. However, we met a guard in the Mystical Master stage from the governor¡¯s manor. It seems that Xu Yang was prepared for this¡­ We have failed in our mission. Please punish us, Master.¡±


    ¡°A guard at Mystical Master stage? The governor¡¯s manor?¡± Qi Liancheng¡¯s eyes flashed.


    Qi Hong came to his senses and said, ¡°Father, let me explain. This afternoon, I was in a hurry to go to the governor¡¯s manor to request for a notarization at the Northern Arena. Qi Xiu stopped me on my way and wanted me to settle the issue of Xu Yang beating up Brother-in-law¡­ I gave her the token and let her settle the issue. I didn¡¯t expect her to do so without doing proper investigation beforehand.¡±


    Qi Liancheng frowned and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the relationship between Xu Yang and the Governor Manor to have reached such a stage. Even a guard at Mystical Master stage made an appearance. Qi Hong, tell Qi Xiu to stop looking into Xu Yang. Our greatest opponent now is Fire-Cloud Dojo. We shouldn¡¯t create more trouble.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Father.¡± Qi Hong answered.


    ¡°As for Old Huo, you were injured for the sake of the dojo. Go and collect twenty Wolf Coins from the accountant to tend to your wounds.¡± Qi Liancheng said.


    ¡°Thanks for your grace, Master.¡± Old Huo gratefully did a fist-and-palm salute. Twenty Wolf Coins was equal to two months¡¯ salary. It was worth it for him to get injured.


    Qi Liancheng frowned after the three Mystical Warriors left.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Father.¡± Qi Hong said, ¡°The fact that Old Huo and the others were able to return safe and sound tells us one thing.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Qi Liancheng¡¯s eyes flashed.


    ¡°The protection of Governor Manor upon Xu Yang is limited,¡± Qi Hong answered. ¡°Otherwise, Old Huo and the others would not be able to return in one piece. At least, the injured Old Huo would have been captured. It shows that the governor manor is not willing to do too much for Xu Yang.¡±


    ¡°In your opinion, what should we do?¡± Qi Liancheng asked.


    ¡°As I see it, we should pay close attention to him and capture him when he leaves his home.¡± Qi Hong said.


    Qi Liancheng pondered for a while and said slowly, ¡°It¡¯s better to kill him off once and for all.¡±


    1¡°What?¡± Qi Hong was shocked. Should they not capture and question him beforehand?


    ¡°It¡¯s not important to know why he beat Qi Shiliang up now.¡± Qi Liancheng said. ¡°The point is, he has the protection from the Governor Manor. It is impossible for us to let him go even if we know what had truly happened after capturing him. We will just be creating a new enemy in doing so.¡±


    ¡°You are right, Father.¡± Qi Hong understood what his father meant, and said, ¡°I will send people to track Xu Yang¡¯s whereabouts. We¡¯ll assassinate him once we have a chance.¡±


    In the morning the next day.


    Xu Yang pushed the huge stone blocking the entrance of the cave and took a deep breath of fresh air. He went outside the cave to find an empty place and started cultivating the Dynamic-Static Combined Qi-Introducing Technique. It was his daily morning routine.


    There were three Mystical Cores facing each other in Xu Yang¡¯s Star Ocean and they were all revolving swiftly. They were the three Mystical Cores Xu Yang had formed, the Fire, Thunder and Light Mystical Core.


    Xu Yang¡¯s physical strength had increased again after tempering with Light Mystical Power. It had reached one hundred and fifty juns which was a few times stronger than a normal Mystical Warrior.


    After cultivating a round of Dynamic-Static Combined Qi-Introducing Technique, Xu Yang felt his entire body relax as if there was endless power being generated from his body. He could not help but release a long roar, and his voice reverberated far into the forest.


    With a pitter-patter, a furry creature dropped in front of Xu Yang.

 Chapter 38

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡®What is this?¡¯


    Xu Yang was somehow curious. The creature that fell onto the ground looked dirty, with black and white patches on its body. It did not suffer from severe injuries falling from such a high place. It stretched out two small paws and looked around, ready to escape.


    Xu Yang flipped his palm and an absorbing Mystical Power came out from it. The dirty little creature waved its paws in its struggle to break free, but it was pulled onto Xu Yang¡¯s palm.


    It was a small creature with a unique appearance. It was a chubby ball with only the size of one¡¯s fist. It had four short legs and a mouth which occupied a quarter of its body.


    ¡®What kind of creature is this? I haven¡¯t seen it before. There is no introduction about this creature even at the Scripture Pavilion of my clan in the future era.¡¯ Xu Yang was dumbfounded. He could not identify what kind of species the dirty little creature with a big mouth belonged to.


    The little monster¡¯s eyes darted about, and it closed its eyes when Xu Yang looked at it. It stretched its four short legs and its body became stiff.


    ¡°You are pretending to be dead?¡± Xu Yang found it amusing. Did the little creature think that he was so easily tricked? It literally feigned its death right in front of Xu Yang.


    A burst of Fire Mystical Power came out of his palm and roasted the belly of the little monster.


    ¡°Woo¡­¡± A miserable voice sounded and the little monster jumped up into the air. It fell back onto Xu Yang¡¯s palm and rolled about.


    It seemed to know that it had failed at its attempt to feign death. It flipped itself over and climbed back up on its feet. Its two small eyes were flashing fiercely and a grunting sound came out of its mouth like it was trying to threaten Xu Yang.


    Xu Yang held it by the back of its neck with one hand, and the little monster, trying to express the ¡®I¡¯m fierce and cruel¡¯ act, surrendered and its body drooped dejectedly.


    ¡®It must not be an ordinary creature.¡¯ Xu Yang concluded when he saw that little monster¡¯s fur where he used his Fire Mystical Power on had no traces of being burned.


    ¡®Even if it was a Savage beast, it is only in its infancy stage. It needs at least a hundred years to mature. I can just let it go.¡¯ Xu Yang shook his head. He swung his forearm while enveloping the little creature with a soft Mystical Power, and threw the little creature onto the lawn in front of him.


    The little monster was a little confused. Was this human not going to eat it? It quickly found a tree root to hide itself. It poked out half of its head and observed the strange human.


    Xu Yang¡¯s belly was empty and he felt a sense of hunger. He took a packet of dried meat, several pieces of dry food and a bottle of water from the cave. After that, he began to eat.


    One¡¯s physical strength would be greatly strengthened and the demand for food would increase by a lot when one had set up the foundation for Mystical Cultivation to advance into the Mystical Warrior stage.


    Fortunately, Xu Yang was well prepared. The dry food, dried meat and fresh water he brought were sufficient. Or else, he would be hungry.


    A scuffling sound soon came from somewhere near him, Xu Yang was sensitive to the changes in the surroundings. He immediately turned his head to look around. He found the little monster that had just been let go by him crawling to a position that was seven or eight meters in front of him.


    It was quite hilarious as the little monster immediately stopped, extended its four claws and flipped over on its back pretending to be dead when Xu Yang looked at him.


    A cold sweat appeared on Xu Yang¡¯s forehead. It seemed like the little creature was used to feigning death.


    As Xu Yang lowered his head and continued to eat, the little monster secretly crawled forward a few more steps.


    Xu Yang finally realized that the target of the little creature was his bag of dried meat.


    Xu Yang shook his head. Such a wise little monster had brought him quite the amusement with the mundane routine of cultivating Mystical Qi deep in the mountains. He pinched a piece of dried meat and threw it toward the little beast.


    The eyes of the little beast lit up and there was saliva dripping from its disproportionately large mouth. Its short legs suddenly became sprightly as it bounced back up and bit onto the dried meat in the air.


    Xu Yang was speechless for a while. The little monster was so agile. He was almost deceived by its chubby body and short legs.


    What made Xu Yang even more speechless was that the little monster was still dissatisfied after eating the piece of dried meat that was about the size of its leg in just two to three bites. It walked toward Xu Yang with its tiny eyes staring at Xu Yang. Its yearning expression was very obvious.


    Xu Yang threw two more pieces of dried meat to it. The little monster ate even faster than before and swallowed in only a few bites this time. It quickly ran to Xu Yang and circled around Xu Yang¡¯s leg when he saw that Xu Yang was leaving. It was vigorously shaking that tiny tail it had, to the point where it was almost invisible.


    ¡®The two pieces of dried meat were almost half the size of its body!¡¯ Xu Yang was stunned. ¡®The dried meat was eaten in a few bites. What kind of monster is this little creature? It has an appetite bigger than its body.¡¯


    Knowing that he could not be disturbed while forming Mystical Cores, Xu Yang held the little monster by its neck and threw it away with gentle Mystical Power wrapped around its body, it landed lightly on the ground. He then blocked the entrance of the cave with a bluestone.


    The little monster climbed back up as soon as it flipped over. It ran to the entrance of the cave and stretched its claws trying to get in. However, the bluestone weighed fifty juns, it was way too enormous for it. No matter how hard it tried, it was all in vain. It could only squat pitifully at the side.


    Of course, Xu Yang did not know what it was doing outside. He had to form the remaining five Mystical Cores. Although he had the successful experience of forming three Mystical Cores, he still could not take it lightly.


    In the Governor Manor at Lin Yuan City.


    ¡°You really met someone who wanted to attack Xu Yang¡¯s house last night? Who are they?¡± Li Wang was holding a cup of hot tea and he took a slow slip.


    ¡°They are three Mystical Warriors.¡± Li Feng replied respectfully, ¡°I drove them away according to your instructions.¡±


    ¡°Li Feng, you are kinda dumb. Didn¡¯t you detain even one of the three Mystical Warriors?¡± Li Yuanzhi, who was in a fiery red dress, said with a sneer beside him. ¡°And you call yourself an Intermediate Mystical Master?¡±


    Li Feng¡¯s face reddened and he lowered his head. He dared not refute. Li Wang said with a chuckle, ¡°Don¡¯t blame Li Feng. I told him not to hurt them badly.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s strange. Since you want to help him, why not do it properly since you and Xu Yang are friends? Why don¡¯t you take the advantage of them creating problems by giving Vast-Gate Dojo a warning?¡± Li Yuanzhi was not able to understand his motives. ¡°It¡¯s hard to guarantee that the Vast-Gate Dojo will no longer bother Xu Yang as what you did was half-hearted to say the least.¡±


    Li Wang shook his head and said with a smile, ¡°My dear sister, you don¡¯t understand these kind of things. It¡¯s better for you to practice alchemy and become a Grade-4 Alchemist Master as soon as possible!¡±


    Li Wang sat alone in the pavilion after both Li Yuanzhi and Li Feng had left. He gently blew aside the foam in the green tea. He took a sip and said to himself, ¡°If all of Xu Yang¡¯s enemies have been beaten, why would he still ask for my help in the future?¡±


    The wind blew across the courtyard as Li Wang chuckled softly. The smile on his face was undecipherable. Little Official, who was not even fifteen years old, had a very devious mind beneath the facade of his cheerful appearance.

 Chapter 39

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    In the governor¡¯s manor.


    ¡°Li Rong has returned, Governor.¡±


    ¡°Let him in.¡± A dignified voice sounded.


    A slightly fat middle-aged man quickly walked into the hall.


    ¡°I hope that you have been well, Old Master.¡± The fat middle-aged man, Li Rong, kneeled to salute.


    ¡°Stand up please.¡± The dignified Lord Lin Yuan looked solemn. ¡°Where¡¯s Master Luo? Didn¡¯t he come back with you?¡±


    ¡°Old Master.¡± Li Rong answered with a bitter expression on his face. ¡°You gave me the order to wait for Master Luo to complete his refinement of the Spirit Elixir in Dong Lai City when you took your leave. I have given him the best possible treatment. However, seven days after he succeeded, he went back on his promise. ¡±


    ¡°Ridiculous!¡± Lord Lin Yuan, Li Boyan, was angry. ¡°Luo Hanyuan is a Grandmaster in the field of alchemy. How can he do that? Does he not care about his reputation? It must be because you did not treat Master Luo well!¡±


    Li Rong who had just stood up fell on his knees once again when he heard the words coming from Lord Lin Yuan. He cried out and said, ¡°Old Master, it was an important matter. How dare I be negligent? I have been waiting outside his elixir room every day throughout the seven days when Master Luo was refining the Spirit Elixir. I even tried to make his young apprentices happy by calling them young geniuses. I would surely not miss any detail on proper etiquette. I also got Li Fu to prepare a gift for Master Luo every day. However, Master Luo returned all the gifts after he succeeded and did not say anything about following me to Lin Yuan City. Master Luo became livid and drove me out when I asked him why¡­¡±


    Li Boyan suppressed his anger and said, ¡°Think! Did Master Luo meet with anyone or say anything after he succeeded?¡± He knew that his steward, Li Rong, had always been reliable. If that was not the case, he would not have returned to Lin Yuan City beforehand.


    ¡°Old Master, now that you mention it. Many of his friends went to congratulate Master Luo on the day of his success. Master Luo was kind to me at the beginning but his attitude suddenly changed after Officer Liu met him.¡±


    ¡°Dong Lai¡¯s Liu family!¡± Li Boyan suddenly understood what had happened. He could not help but sigh and fell back on his chair dejectedly, ¡°Alright. This is not your fault. You can go now.¡±


    ¡°Old Master, if you don¡¯t punish me, I will not feel at ease.¡± Li Rong peeped at Li Boyan and said anxiously.


    ¡°Well. It was not your fault. I¡¯m not that kind of person who would release his anger on others.¡± Li Boyan weakly waved his hand. ¡°I would not let this slide if you were truly in the wrong.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your grace, Old Master.¡± Li Rong was finally relieved and he respectfully retreated.


    There was only Li Boyan left in front of the spacious hall. He sighed deeply and felt an immense pressure on his shoulders.


    A man about thirty or forty years old came out from the inner hall. He was good-looking but his expression was frosty. The man was Li Zhongxuan. He said, ¡°I heard everything. What¡¯s going on? Why did Dong Lai¡¯s Liu family stop Luo Hanyuan from coming to extend our father¡¯s lifespan?¡±


    Li Boyan said, ¡°Ahem! They want the fiefdom of Lin Yuan City. The head of the Liu family, Liu Junxuan, has advanced to the Mystical Lord stage long ago. His Majesty gave him the Blue Mountain as his reward but he rejected it as it is sparsely populated and rather barren. He only received the rank of an officer. Since Father¡¯s lifespan has shortened considerably, Liu Junxuan wants to seize the chance when His Majesty takes back the fief and gives it to another person. Therefore, he will not stand back and let Father extend his lifespan.¡±


    Li Zhongxuan frowned and said, ¡°Preposterous! Liu Junxuan is obstructing Father¡¯s attempt at extending his lifespan because of such selfish reasons, and Luo Hanyuan went back on his promise. These are all petty and unacceptable behaviors! Brother, we should stop all transactions with the Liu family and cut off our monthly supply to Luo Hanyuan.¡±


    Li Boyan shook his head and said, ¡°Zhongxuan, you are acting too rashly. The Li family will suffer great loss if we stop the transactions with the Liu family. As for Master Luo Hanyuan, we cannot guarantee that we won¡¯t need his help in the future. After all, there are too few Rank-5 Alchemist Masters in Dong Lai Kingdom.¡±


    Li Zhongxuan raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°That is the difference between you and me. There is no compromise in my dictionary.¡±


    Li Boyan sighed as he looked at the figure of Li Zhongxuan walking away. Both of them had the state of mind of a Grandmaster as their cultivation had reached the Mystical Grandmaster stage. Neither of them was right nor wrong. In Li Boyan¡¯s point of view, the straightforward state of mind that his younger brother had was more conducive in breaking through the stages of cultivation.


    ¡®Although Zhongxuan is a few years younger than me, his strength has already surpassed my own¡­ This may be because his state of mind is suitable for breakthroughs,¡¯ Li Boyan thought to himself. ¡®Unfortunately, he doesn¡¯t understand that his kind of state of mind is not suitable in dealing with matters in the real world. One should not have too high of a demand in life. Sometimes, compromise is necessary.¡¯


    ¡®Now, I can only count on Yuanzhi. She said that she wants to refine the Life-Extension Elixir but I don¡¯t know whether she can succeed. Alas! I¡¯m afraid the effect will not be good enough even if she does succeed. After all, Father is in the Mystical Lord stage. A Life-Extension Elixir is not enough to rejuvenate his vitality.¡¯


    In Vast-Gate Dojo.


    ¡°Young Master, we found out that Xu Yang has left Lin Yuan City and gone to the Python Mountains three days ago.¡± A Mystical Warrior reported respectfully.


    ¡°The Python Mountains? He is a Mystical Learner and no one else is accompanying him to go through the Ascetic Road. Why did he go to the Python Mountains? Is he going to scavenge for herbs?¡± Qi Hong was stunned but he soon put aside his questions. ¡°This is a great chance!¡±


    ¡°Tell Old Huo and his guys to search along Song Ren¡¯s route of Ascetic Road. Kill Xu Yang on the spot when you meet him.¡± Qi Hong said with his eyes flashing with coldness.


    ¡°Yes.¡± The Mystical Warrior left with his mission.


    In front of the stone cave at the Python Mountains.


    Rumble! The bluestone was moved and the profusely sweating Xu Yang walked out. He stumbled about and started to cultivate the Dynamic-Static Combined Qi-Introducing Technique. Every single one of his punches brought a dense bursting sound of his crackling bones, it was the sign of his skeleton getting stronger.


    ¡®Ha! I have successfully formed the Earth and Dark Mystical Cores, and my physical strength has reached one hundred and eighty juns.¡¯ Xu Yang completed his cultivation and felt exhausted. It was quite terrifying yet amazing at the same time as he had formed five Mystical Cores successively within three days. There were only a few people who could do it even for the Celestials in the future era.


    ¡°Guru.¡± A gurgling sound could be heard near him. Xu Yang looked down and saw that the chubby little monster had not left yet. It was circling around his leg.


    Seeing Xu Yang looking down at it, the little monster was even more energetic. Its four short legs exerted a force as it jumped three feet high. It opened its large mouth that was disproportionate to its body, asking for food.


    Xu Yang had no choice but to take out some dried meat and gave it two pieces. Xu Yang shook his head and smiled bitterly when he saw that the packet of dried meat was almost empty. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect this little monster to have such a good appetite. It has almost finished all my dry food.¡¯


    1¡°I should call you Chubby Ball as you are so fat and have such a good appetite.¡± Xu Yang pinched the round stomach of the little monster and said with a chuckle.


    1Chubby Ball rolled about on the ground and waved its four claws wildly in the air to express its dissatisfaction after hearing the name.


    ¡°You can understand my words?¡± Xu Yang was surprised.


    Chubby Ball nodded its head swiftly. However, its action of nodding its head was hilarious as its neck was so short that it seemed non-existent. However, more than finding the situation amusing, Xu Yang felt more surprised than anything else.


    It was extremely rare for a beast to have such intelligence. Generally, only creatures of higher levels than Savages could have some kind of apparent wisdom.


    ¡°This little guy¡¯s background has to be quite good. It is probably a cub of a demon.¡± Xu Yang made a preliminary conclusion.


    Some of the beasts in the Mystical Continent had powerful combat powers. People had also assigned them ranks according to their combat power levels.


    Normal beasts were classified as ordinary beasts that had no special abilities.


    Some beasts that had devoured treasures might mutate. They might become more powerful or fiercer. Some would even grow a pair of wings and obtain the ability to fly¡­ Such beasts were called Mutants. Only cultivators in the Mystical Warrior stage, or even in the Mystical Master stage could contend with them.


    Furthermore, some high-level beasts were born with special talents and powerful combat powers derived from their blood lineage. Such beasts were called Savages. Some powerful Savages could even compete with Mystical Lords¡­


    An even stronger level would be beasts called Demons. They possessed the same level of wisdom as human beings. They had extreme brute strength and they were able to be on par with a Mystical Emperor.


    1


    Xu Yang held onto Chubby Ball by the skin on its neck and placed it in front of his eyes to observe it carefully. He could hardly imagine that such a greedy little one might be a Demon¡¯s cub.


    ¡®It¡¯s cute. I can just keep it. If it is a monster, it may take hundreds of years to mature. I don¡¯t know whether I will still be alive then.¡¯ Xu Yang, with a playful mood, lifted it up and placed it on his shoulder.


    After he returned to the cave, Xu Yang lifted Chubby Ball and placed it on the ground. ¡®Since you can understand my words, you must remember that you are not allowed to disturb me while I¡¯m cultivating. Otherwise, I will throw you out of the cave.¡¯


    Chubby Ball vehemently nodded its head and circled around Xu Yang¡¯s legs. It seemed to be displaying a look that says ¡®I am a good boy¡¯.


    Xu Yang was still doubtful after some thought. He used his hand to draw a circle of runes on the ground. A faint light flickered as he released traces of Mystical Power.


    ¡°Dual-Extreme Array, a small defensive Mystical Array. It uses Light and Dark Mystical Power as its eyes. If anyone steps into the circle, a dual-extreme protective shield will be formed to eject the invader from the array.¡± The name and the function of the array flashed across Xu Yang¡¯s head. He then looked at the tiny body of Chubby Ball and sat cross-legged on the ground holding a piece of green crystal in one hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to form the Wind Mystical Core with the aid of the Green Prism.¡±


    What Xu Yang did not know was that Chubby Ball was already restless when he had barely begun to form the Mystical Core. It ran next to the border of the rune drawn by Xu Yang and sniffed curiously. After that, it opened its mouth and inhaled the black and white Mystical Power into its stomach like it was slurping noodles. It even belched loudly after.


    1These two Mystical Powers were infused by Xu Yang when he laid out the Dual-Extreme Array. However, the power used to activate the array was gone and the Dual-Extreme Array was left with only an empty shell.


    However, Chubby Ball did not harass Xu Yang who was cultivating, it merely scampered around curiously in the cave. Its little nose sniffed every nook and cranny it could find, and soon it found the packet of dry food on the bluestone that Xu Yang used to block the entrance.

 Chapter 40

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡°Old Huo, why are the three of us so unlucky? We have to come to the Python Mountains to kill someone in this harsh and cold weather.¡± A slender Mystical Warrior sighed and said.


    The Mystical Warrior at the front, Old Huo, had a strong and firm figure, like that of an iron tower. However, he looked evil as there was a long scar that extended from his face to his chin. He smiled bitterly when he heard his companion¡¯s words. ¡°We are here for the dojo. Our life depends on the dojo.¡±


    Old Huo was one of the three instructed by Qi Xiu to raid Xu Yang¡¯s place the other night. He was unfortunate as he was attacked by a Mystical Master from the governor¡¯s manor. The frightening scar on his face was created by the Mystical Master with a random hit.


    Qi Hong himself issued an order to kill Xu Yang this time, and he even chose Old Huo to carry out the mission. Old Huo felt uneasy and he was afraid that the last tragedy would repeat itself. After finding out that Xu Yang had left Lin Yuan City alone, he then had the courage to bring along two of his companions in the Mystical Warrior stage to the Python Mountains.


    The slender Mystical Warrior sneezed and cursed, ¡°How are we supposed to find one person in such a huge mountain? I will crush all his bones once I find the bastard, Xu Yang!¡±


    Old Huo could not help but squeeze out a smile when he heard those words. The Young Master did not take this into consideration when he issued the order. The three of the Mystical Warriors had been searching for six to seven days but they had not found any traces of Xu Yang.


    ¡°Brother Huo, it¡¯s better for us to return now.¡± The slender Mystical Warrior sighed. ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell whether that bastard has been eaten by a ferocious beast or he was lucky enough and has returned earlier. Think about it, how can a useless Mystical Learner be able to survive in the Python Mountains for so many days?¡±


    Old Huo shook his head and said, ¡°We should continue searching. It¡¯s too early to return now. The dojo might punish us if we return right now.¡±


    The group of three could only proceed ahead. They opened their eyes wider, searching for signs of Xu Yang in every valley, every bush and every pile of dead leaves.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    It was Old Huo who said that. The other two stopped and asked, ¡°What happened, Brother Huo? Have you found something?¡±


    Old Huo¡¯s facial muscles twitched and he said with excitement, ¡°Look¡­¡±


    The other two looked in the direction that his finger was pointed at and saw that there were ashes of bonfires not far away. The ashes swirled as the winter wind blew.


    The slender Mystical Warrior quickly rushed over and observed the ashes. He then made a conclusion, ¡°The bonfire seems to have been set up several days ago. As far as I know, no ascetic team has entered the mountains recently. Moreover, the size of the bonfire can only be used by one person¡­ It matches. It should be that rascal, Xu Yang, Brother Huo.¡±


    ¡°Everyone look alive and continue to search along this route!¡± Old Huo said, ¡°The Young Master has told us that Xu Yang is not an ordinary Mystical Learner. We should be cautious.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a bit too much, Brother Huo.¡± The slender Mystical Warrior laughed and said. ¡°The three of us are Advanced Mystical Warriors. Even if Xu Yang is powerful, do you think that he is able to contend with us?¡±


    Old Huo could not help but laugh. Indeed, the huge strength gap between a Mystical Learner and a Mystical Warrior had given them infinite confidence.


    Xu Yang who was in the cave slowly opened his eyes. His eyes were filled with gratitude.


    After three days and three nights of hard work, he had finally formed the remaining three extremes¡¯ Mystical Cores¡ªthe Wind, Water and Ice Mystical Cores.


    He looked into his Star Ocean and saw eight colours of slender vortexes that were swiftly revolving. They were in their own positions and did not encroach each other¡¯s space. Traces of pure Mystical Power flowed in the various extremes¡¯ Mystical Veins as the Mystical Cores rotated.


    ¡®It is said that the Mystical Core is the second heart of a Mystical Cultivator. It seems that it is true.¡¯ Xu Yang finally realized that when he saw the eight Mystical Cores rotating. Every revolution drove the flow of the Mystical Power.


    His physical strength had reached two hundred Juns at that moment. It was comparable to that of a Mystical Master.


    Xu Yang experienced a great leap when he advanced from the Mystical Learner stage to that of a Mystical Warrior. He possessed Mystical Power after he had advanced as a Mystical Warrior. He could now produce Spirit Elixirs below Grade-3, refine Mystical Armors and cultivate Mystical Techniques¡­ This meant a great deal to him as a large part of incredible Mystical Scriptures and miraculous Mystical Techniques in his mind were finally free to be cultivated.


    He stood up and stretched his body. His bones made a sound that was like popping beans. Xu Yang¡¯s body was three inches taller than before and he looked even more slender and fitter.


    ¡°I¡¯m so hungry¡­¡± Xu Yang wanted to get some food. He suddenly found a small creature pulling at the leg of his trousers. He was stunned when he lowered his head.


    Chubby Ball was happily circling his legs and was biting on his trousers from time to time.


    ¡®I clearly remember that I set up a Dual-Extreme Array. How did this little creature come in?¡¯ Cold sweat appeared on Xu Yang¡¯s back. If Chubby Ball had disturbed him at the critical moment when he was forming the Mystical Cores, the consequences would be horrible. One of the possibilities would be his body exploding into bits and pieces.


    Xu Yang did not pay attention to Chubby Ball but crouched down to check the condition of the Dual-Extreme Array. He was startled when he saw the array. The original runes of the array were not altered but the two traces of Light and Dark Mystical Powers used to activate the array had disappeared.


    He extended two of his fingers as fast as lightning and pinched the skin on the back of Chubby Ball¡¯s neck. He asked, ¡°Chubby Ball, what happened to the Dual-Extreme Array? Was it you?¡±


    Chubby Ball rolled its small eyes and shook its head desperately. Its two front paws were also swaying as if to emphasize ¡®It¡¯s not my fault.¡¯


    A bright light appeared on Xu Yang¡¯s fingertip. There was pure Light Mystical Power fluctuating on his fingertips.


    Chubby Ball stopped his act. It opened its big mouth and swallowed the trace of Light Mystical Power like it was slurping down noodles.


    ¡°That¡¯s what happened!¡± Xu Yang widened his eyes. The little chubby ball was not a cub of a Demon. It was a young spirit¡ªDevourer.


    ¡°Its body is round like a ball that can reach a diameter of hundreds of feet. Its mouth is like a deep hole and it devours the heavens and the earth.¡± That was the description of Devourers in the Beast Collection in the Scripture Pavilion.


    Xu Yang did not think of that possibility as Chubby Ball¡¯s body was too small. It was hard to relate with the brutal Devourers.


    Xu Yang was speechless looking at the Devourer that he was lifting up with his two fingers.


    Chubby Ball blinked its small eyes and grunted to show its dissatisfaction. Xu Yang would always grab it by the skin on the back of its neck, and it made it run out of breath.


    Chubby Ball fell onto the ground when Xu Yang loosened his fingers. It rolled over and continued circling around Xu Yang¡¯s leg.


    ¡®Fortunately, Chubby Ball has intelligence. It knows that it cannot disturb me. Although he ate the Light and Dark Mystical Powers I used to set up the array, it didn¡¯t look for food around my body.¡¯ Xu Yang shivered. ¡®Looks like I can trust this little thing.¡¯


    Xu Yang took several steps to get some dry food as pangs of hunger hit him once again.


    ¡°There¡¯s no more dried meat? Not even dry food? Damn Chubby Ball, I¡¯m gonna steam you alive!¡±


    There was a huge commotion in the cave as Xu Yang chased after Chubby Ball around the cave. Finally, he successfully grabbed hold of its neck skin and placed it on his shoulder.


    ¡®A Devourer.¡¯ Xu Yang did not know whether it was his good luck or bad luck. The spirit cub of this sort was strong but it would take up to a thousand years to mature.

 Chapter 41

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation


    ¡®I should find something to eat. I¡¯m already in the Mystical Warrior stage now. I¡¯m definitely not going to die due to hunger.¡¯ Xu Yang stroked Chubby Ball that was on his shoulder. The little creature was warm and fat. It felt good to the touch.


    After pushing out the bluestone blocking the entrance, Xu Yang covered his eyes, blocking the rays of the sunlight shining on him. The sunlight was not strong in the early winter season but he was not used to it as he had not left the cave for three whole days.


    ¡°It seems that it¡¯s just past midday¡­ Hopefully I can encounter some beasts.¡± Xu Yang walked toward the path that would take him back to the city. He looked around while walking.


    The slightly cold wind was blowing, the branches in a distance, and the nearby bushes were swaying with the wind and made rustling sounds.


    Xu Yang was highly aware that a bush not far away was not swaying like the other bushes. It remained stationary despite the blowing wind. This abnormal phenomenon caught his attention.


    Xu Yang slowed down his pace, he then stood straight at a place ten meters from the bush. Suddenly, he rushed toward the position of the bush in a few steps and hit it with his palm.


    The palm contained rich Fire Mystical Power. Before his palm had even touched the bush, the dead leaves on the bushes produced a burnt smell.


    Bang! Xu Yang¡¯s palm hit the bush, and it suddenly became a ball of fire. The ashes of the burnt dead leaves and branches scattered around. A fat roe deer darted out of the bushes.


    The brownish-yellow roe deer was about three feet long. Its back was already on fire. It was jumping and running about desperately. Xu Yang would surely not let it escape. He dashed in front of the roe deer within a few steps and punched its forehead. Its head immediately blew up into pieces and white squishy pulp was splattered all over the ground.


    ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t control my strength well.¡± Xu Yang was a bit embarrassed. Chubby Ball on his shoulder was also grunting as if showing its dissatisfaction with Xu Yang¡¯s action of wasting food.


    Xu Yang did not know that that would have happened as his strength had skyrocketed from fifty juns to two hundred juns during his retreat. It had increased by four times. It was even difficult for Xu Yang to walk if he had not cultivated the Dynamic-Static Combined Qi-Introducing Technique every time he formed new Mystical Cores which made him slightly used to his newly gained physical strength.


    Regardless of what happened to its head, the roe deer weighing twenty kilograms was enough for Xu Yang and Chubby Ball to have a sumptuous meal.


    Xu Yang broke some branches and collected some dead leaves. He fired a trace of Fire Mystical Power from his fingertips to ignite the bonfire. He ripped the roe deer into several pieces and skewered them on a thicker stick. Later, he grilled it on the fire.


    Chubby Ball scampered around Xu Yang. It was wiggling its butt vigorously as if expressing its excitement about the prospect of food.


    A piece of roasted meat was cooked after a while. There was some oil coming out of it and its smell was tangy. Xu Yang brought the roe meat to his mouth but could not help laughing when he looked down at Chubby Ball. He tore a piece of meat and tossed it to Chubby Ball. The human and beast pair started enjoying their feast.


    Although Xu Yang did not bring any seasoning, he still felt that the barbequed meat was a great delicacy as he was hungry.


    ¡®I should return after I¡¯m done eating. Sister and Tinglan must be worried as I have been gone for about ten days.¡¯ Xu Yang thought to himself as he was eating. He took a big bite of the roe deer meat, relishing the food he had.


    The three Mystical Warriors from the Vast-Gate Dojo were still searching for Xu Yang at a place not far away from where he was.


    ¡°Brother Huo, there is thick smoke coming from over there. There might be someone there!¡± The slender Mystical Warrior shouted in excitement.


    Old Huo was excited and waved his hand. The three Mystical Warriors quickly dashed toward the direction of the smoke.


    The three Mystical Warriors surreptitiously observed the situation on a slope covered by several trees.


    Looking at Xu Yang and an unknown pet feasting on pieces of barbequed meat, the three Mystical Warriors felt their mouths salivate. Feelings of being in an unfair situation caused them to feel somewhat irritated.


    ¡°Damn it, here I am suffering from the bitter cold and starving while the bastard seems to be enjoying himself.¡± The slender Mystical Warrior cursed and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Brother Huo.¡±


    Old Huo observed the surroundings and realized that there were no traps. He nodded and ordered, ¡°Monkey, to the left, and Tiger Head, to the right. Don¡¯t let him escape.¡±


    The slender Monkey smiled viciously and revealed his yellowish teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brother Huo. A Mystical Learner can never escape from us.¡±


    The three Mystical Warriors were about to take action, but they saw Xu Yang suddenly stand up, and his sharp eyes were staring at them coldly.


    Then, a clear voice sounded.


    ¡°Why are you still trying to hide, rats?¡±


    Xu Yang¡¯s sense of vision and hearing were extremely good now. Even a Mystical Master might not be able to hide from his senses, not to mention the three Mystical Warriors. Although he was eating, the rustling sounds coming from the slope still attracted his attention.


    Xu Yang was not bothered as he thought that they were passersby at first. However, the three Mystical Warriors intended to surround him and block his way. This obvious provocation showed that the three were not passersby but had come intentionally for Xu Yang!


    The three Mystical Warriors were shocked and looked at each other after their positions were exposed by Xu Yang.


    ¡°Sh*t. This bastard is really weird.¡± The slender Mystical Warrior said, ¡°However, he is only a Mystical Learner. He is not an opponent for us no matter how powerful he is. Let¡¯s go and kill him to complete the mission.¡±


    Xu Yang¡¯s disdain grew when he saw the three Mystical Warriors appearing on the slope opposite him.


    Three Mystical Warriors were strong enemies for him when he first came to this era. However, Xu Yang had formed eight Mystical Cores and he now possessed a body strength of two hundred juns. It was a piece of cake for him in dealing with three Mystical Warriors.


    Old Huo was calm after seeing that Xu Yang did not intend to run away. He led the other two Mystical Warriors to face Xu Yang head-on in a nonchalant manner.


    ¡°You have advanced as a Mystical Warrior?¡± Old Huo was shocked when he found traces of Mystical Power surrounding Xu Yang.


    ¡°No wonder you are so fearless. It seems that you have reached the Mystical Warrior stage.¡± The slender Monkey sneered and said, ¡°You¡¯re too arrogant as a little guy who has just advanced. You are at the Beginner tier but the three of us are in the Advanced tier of Mystical Warrior. You might have survived if you had run away. You will never win if you confront us head-on.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re from Vast-Gate Dojo?¡± Xu Yang asked coldly.


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± The slender Mystical Warrior said proudly, ¡°You should not offend Vast-Gate Dojo. Today will be your death date!¡±


    ¡°Monkey, stop talking rubbish.¡± Old Huo said, ¡°Get rid of him quickly. Don¡¯t waste time. Act before something else happens.¡±


    The slender Mystical Warrior answered with a yes, and faint green Mystical Power started surging below his feet. His body turned misty and he quickly rushed toward Xu Yang.


    ¡°It seems that you are a Wind-Extreme Mystical Warrior.¡± Xu Yang did not move, his feet were planted firmly on the ground.


    ¡°Go to hell, little bastard!¡± A green Wind Mystical Power burst from Monkey¡¯s palm and left his hand extended with a piercing sound of blowing wind. The Mystical Power formed a wind column with a ten feet diameter and it was headed toward Xu Yang.


    The Mystical Warrior called Tiger Head was obviously envious of the attack as he said to Old Huo, ¡°Brother Huo, the aura of Monkey¡¯s Edge-Breaking Thousand Blades is getting stronger.¡±


    Old Huo, on the other hand, did not seem relaxed. It was obvious to see that Monkey was anxious when contending with this strange enemy as he had launched his strongest technique even though he knew nothing about Xu Yang¡¯s strength.


    The pale green column of wind carried with it the dead branches and crushed leaves that were in its path. It suddenly turned into uncountable thin wind blades halfway through. The blades sliced through the air and made a harsh noise. Finally, they were shooting toward Xu Yang¡¯s direction.

 Chapter 42 - Kill Three Enemies, Battling Vast-Gate Dojo

    ¡°Your aura is not too bad, but your Mystical Power is very weak. You don¡¯t deserve to be my opponent.¡± Xu Yang said peacefully. He opened one of his hands and slowly extended his palm in front of him.


    A strong attraction force appeared, and the green wind blades were all attracted to Xu Yang¡¯s right palm as there was a small black hole hidden in his hand. Xu Yang did not step backward, nor reveal any emotions, no matter how many blades there were.


    The Edge-Breaking Thousand Blades attack soon dissipated. The slender Mystical Warrior, Monkey, was horrified when he saw the placid Xu Yang with his extended palm.


    ¡°That¡¯s weird. What treasure have you hidden? How can you receive my strongest technique without any injury?¡± Monkey carefully stepped backward and yelled at him. Any Mystical Warrior would not stay calm when his strongest technique was received by a junior easily.


    Xu Yang smiled with a hint of sarcasm. These kinds of people would act rampantly when they were the stronger ones, but they would immediately collapse when they meet a powerful opponent.


    The state of mind had a great influence on the combat power of a Mystical Cultivator. For example, Xu Yang could kill a Mystical Warrior when he was in the Mystical Learner stage when facing Hong Xi even though he was seriously injured. However, the slender Monkey had an unstable state of mind which made him unable to use even half of his powers.


    ¡°Be careful, Monkey!¡± The slender Monkey realized that the teenager with a cold face had dashed toward him and was right in front of him when he heard Old Huo¡¯s warning. The teenager then extended his palm.


    The slender Mystical Warrior felt an uncomfortable pressure on his chest from the impact of the billowing wind before the palm had even reached its target. It was then followed by a gust of hot wind, and it scorched his hair and skin like they were being burnt. The slender Mystical Warrior stepped back unconsciously but it was too late. Xu Yang¡¯s right palm with a rich Fire Mystical Power had landed on the slender Monkey¡¯s chest.


    The slender Mystical Warrior seemed to have been bulldozed by a giant elephant. The powerful strength of two hundred juns which was equal to three tonnes had crushed his rib cage and turned his organs into a bloody meat paste. Dark-red blood gushed from his eyes, ears and nose. Blood, mixed with chunks of his internal organs, was spewing wildly from his mouth. From the looks of it, he was as good as dead.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t control my force well¡­¡± Xu Yang shook his head when he realized that he had created such a bloody and gruesome scene in a single blow.


    The two other Mystical Warriors, Old Huo and Tiger Head, looked at each other in horror. In their eyes, Xu Yang was not a junior who had just reached the Mystical Warrior stage but a savage beast.


    ¡°He¡­ he is a Fire-Extreme Mystical Warrior,¡± The Mystical Warrior nicknamed Tiger stammered. ¡°Huo¡­ Brother Huo, we have to run. He¡­ he shouldn¡¯t be able to chase after us!¡±


    Tiger turned tails and fled without caring about his reputation. He was a Fire-Extreme Mystical Warrior. He thought that he would be able to run away even if he was unable to contend with Xu Yang.


    ¡°Damn it, Tiger, how can you run without waiting for me!¡± Old Huo finally came to his senses. He turned around and followed Tiger¡¯s lead. However, he stopped when he was about to leave, a dumbfounded look on his face.


    The reason was because what happened next was way beyond his imagination.


    The orc-like teenager had overtaken him and was rushing toward Tiger like a swift cheetah. His speed was way faster than Monkey¡¯s who had the fastest speed among the three Mystical Warriors.


    A bang sounded and Xu Yang¡¯s right palm made contact with Tiger¡¯s back. He controlled his force this time and the gruesome scene from before did not repeat itself. However, Tiger¡¯s eyes lost all focus after he received the hit. Then, blood gushed from his mouth, as he staggered and fell onto the ground.


    ¡°Who¡­ Who are you? Are you a human or a ghost?¡± Old Huo took two steps backward and asked, completely overtaken by fear.


    ¡°I¡¯m Xu Yang. The one you want to kill.¡± Xu Yang looked at Old Huo, who was scared out of his wits, and said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m here now. Come and kill me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t come near me!¡± Old Huo stepped back in horror and shouted loudly, ¡°Tortoise Shield!¡±


    A Mystical Power came out of Old Huo¡¯s body and condensed into a huge dark-yellow shield in front of him with runes flashing on it.


    ¡°Earth-Extreme Mystical Warrior. I wonder what your defensive ability is like.¡±


    With the physical strength of a Mystical Master, his punch penetrated Old Huo¡¯s Tortoise Shield without any hesitation.


    Old Huo¡¯s strong body leaned forward and he fell onto the ground. A flash of regret fleeted across his eyes in an instant. He probably would not have died if he did not take part in the mission to assassinate Xu Yang.


    It was no use crying over spilt milk. Xu Yang¡¯s punch had crushed his heart. No one could save him now.


    Xu Yang took a deep breath and activated the Guidance Method standing in front of the corpses of the three Mystical Warriors. The Mystical Suppressing Pagoda in the center of the eight Mystical Cores shook slightly in his Star Ocean.


    Several grey streams were drawn from the three Mystical Warriors¡¯ corpses and rapidly diffused into Xu Yang¡¯s body. At the same time, the three bodies began to decay swiftly and finally there were only three skeletons that had been dried up. They turned into ashes as the winter wind blew.


    Xu Yang felt that he was full of energy. He stabilized his cultivation as a Primary Mystical Warrior with the essence of life of the three Mystical Warriors.


    ¡°The Mystical Suppressing Pagoda really has the function of draining Mystical Cultivators¡¯ life energy to accelerate the speed of cultivation.¡± Xu Yang had complex feelings when he re-verified the pagoda¡¯s function. It was great to advance faster but it was evil to draw life energy from corpses. He did not know whether there would be consequences for doing such a thing. He felt that the act itself was a taboo.


    ¡®I must stabilize my mind and not kill if it is not necessary. I will really become a devil if I kill people only for the corpse¡¯s energy.¡¯ Xu Yang thought to himself. ¡®Moreover, I must not let anyone find out about this. Otherwise, I may be treated as a devil and be wanted by all of the Mystical Cultivators in the Mystical Continent.¡¯


    Chubby Ball jumped onto Xu Yang¡¯s shoulder and lay down after the battle. It was hugging a big piece of roe deer meat with its two front paws and nibbling at it joyfully.


    The warm little chubby ball nuzzled Xu Yang¡¯s ear with its dirty fluffy ears. Xu Yang smiled and stroked its head. After that, he strode toward Lin Yuan City.


    ¡®The three people deserved to die. However, they were only following instructions. The man behind them who issued the order deserves to die even more.¡¯ Xu Yang¡¯s eyes flashed with a gleam of frost when he thought of the behavior of Vast-Gate Dojo.


    Northern Lin Yuan City.


    A huge ring with an area of hundreds of feet were surrounded by the residents in anticipation of something that was about to commence.


    ¡°This is the duel between the two largest dojos in Lin Yuan City. We won¡¯t have a second chance to witness this if we miss the opportunity!¡±


    ¡°I wonder who will win. Vast-Gate Dojo or Fire-Cloud Dojo?¡±


    ¡°I think Vast-Gate Dojo will win. The head of Vast-Gate Dojo, Master Qi Liancheng, reached the Pinnacle Mystical Master stage ten years ago. He might have even advanced as a Mystical Lord. The head of Fire-Cloud Dojo, Master Yang Muyun, has just reached the Advanced Mystical Master stage He would not be able to contend with Master Qi.¡± An excited old man holding a teapot was dancing with excitement as if he was the one who was going to fight in the ring.


    ¡°Not necessarily. It is said that Fire-Cloud Dojo has requested to conduct the duel in a best two out of three conditions. Master Qi Liancheng may be able to win one round, but the results of the other two rounds are unpredictable.¡± Someone retorted.


    Qi Liancheng, who was sitting on the northern side of the ring, appeared to be as steady as a rock at that moment. In actual fact, however, his slightly pale joints revealed his restlessness.


    Yang Muyun, the fat man, had casually agreed to the duel after they proposed the challenge. However, he requested that it be conducted on a best-two-out-of-three condition.


    He did not know what sort of bribe Fire-Cloud Dojo had sent to the governor¡¯s manor as the lord of Lin Yuan City, Li Boyan, had agreed with the request. He also stated, ¡°It is fair for one party to propose the challenge and the other party to set the rules.¡±


    As a result, a lot of variables had appeared in the duel that would have been a sure win for Vast-Gate Dojo initially.

 Chapter 43 - The Duel, Fire-Cloud Dojo’s Trickery

    The other party of the duel, Fire-Cloud Dojo¡¯s people, were sitting on the seats at the southern side of the ring.


    ¡°Lianting, is there any problem with the name list that you have gotten?¡± The greasy face of the fat master of Fire-Cloud Dojo was drenched with sweat.


    ¡°Please be rest assured, Master. There is no problem with it.¡± A gentleman-like middle-aged Mystical Cultivator by his side answered. ¡°I have gifted four graded Spirit Herbs and one Fire Lingzhi to the lord. With the gifts, I¡¯m sure the lord will side with us.¡±


    ¡°Haha. You¡¯re indeed my brother. You have done a great job.¡± Yang Muyun was happily holding a name list in his hands. ¡°With the list of Vast-Gate Dojo¡¯s battle sequence, we will surely win.¡±


    Yang Muyun felt somehow distressed thinking of the herbs that they had sent to the lord. However, it was worth it. The fame of Fire-Cloud Dojo would be suddenly increased if they were to win the duel and there would be many new disciples joining their dojo.


    Yang Muyun smiled when he glanced at the Mystical Master beside him. ¡°Biao, are you anxious?¡±


    The Mystical Master had a strong body. However, his complexion was quite bad. He could hardly bring himself to speak as he said, ¡°If I¡¯m merely delaying the time, it should not be a problem¡­¡±


    Bang!


    A gong sounded. The host of the duel was the leader of the Li family¡¯s guard team, Li Feng. He was dressed in green and was holding two name lists in his hands. It was the battle sequence for the duel between Vast-Gate Dojo and Fire-Cloud Dojo respectively.


    Li Feng showed an intrigued smile when he lowered his head and looked at the two lists. He said loudly, ¡°End your grudge on the ring. Decide the victor on the ring. Vast-Gate Dojo and Fire-Cloud Dojo chose to settle their resentment with a duel. The winner can get all the loser¡¯s Ascetic Road routes, and the loser has to close the dojo and leave Lin Yuan City. Do you understand?¡±


    Qi Liancheng and Yang Muyun answered at the same time, ¡°Understood.¡± Then, they glared at each other.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start the duel. The first round, Vast-Gate Dojo sends out He Jinxuan!¡±


    ¡°Ho!¡± An energetic roar sounded. A shirtless man jumped onto the stage. He was thumping his chest and roaring into the skies. He exuded a strong aura.


    ¡°He is the top instructor of Vast-Gate Dojo, even the young master Qi Hong can¡¯t compete with him. It seems that Master Qi has sent Instructor He to put the fear of God in the people from Fire-Cloud Dojo.¡±


    Li Feng¡¯s smile remained on his face. He glanced at the name list and said aloud, ¡°Fire-Cloud Dojo, Yang Muyun.¡±


    Silence swept across the area around the ring. A fat man chuckled in a weird manner and jumped onto the stage swiftly.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the first round?¡±


    ¡°This is only the first round. Why is Fire-Cloud Dojo¡¯s master himself in the first match? Who would go up against Master Qi if he¡¯s matched with Instructor He Jinxuan?¡±


    The crowd was whispering amongst themselves. They all thought that the match between the two strongest dojo masters would be held at the last round. However, Fire-Cloud Dojo did not arrange it in such a way that was commonly done.


    ¡°May I start, Leader Li?¡± The master of Fire-Cloud Dojo, Yang Muyun, slowly smiled and said, disregarding the commotion under the stage.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Li Feng lightly lifted himself and rapidly left the center area.


    ¡°Haha. Let me see how strong Vast-Gate Dojo¡¯s best instructor, He Jinxuan, is.¡± Yang Muyun¡¯s kind smile did not falter, but his tone was chilling. ¡°Huh!¡±


    Yang Muyun crossed his palms and light green Wind Mystical Power fused out. The Wind Mystical Power soon condensed into a hideous and ferocious tiger. It was moving its head and tail as it pounced toward He Jinxuan.


    The people from Vast-Gate Dojo at the north side of the ring were stunned.


    ¡°Father, it seems that Yang Muyun is afraid of you. Fire-Cloud Dojo is truly not worth our concern.¡± Qi Hong chuckled and said.


    ¡°Yes, Master has been well-known for years. How can Yang Muyun compare with him!¡± Someone from Vast-Gate Dojo agreed with his words.


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    A stern shout frightened the people from Vast-Gate Dojo. Their faces turned pale. When they looked at their dojo master, Qi Liancheng, they realized that the skinny old man had a complex look on his face. It seemed like he was angry, filled with regrets and in a panic!


    ¡°We have been fooled!¡±


    At the south gate of Lin Yuan city.


    Xu Yang sighed looking at the familiar gate. He was just a Mystical Learner who was chased by three Mystical Warriors the first time he saw this magnificent gate. He barely survived and had returned to Lin Yuan City at that time. However, he had become a Mystical Warrior who had formed eight Mystical Cores the second time he saw the gate. He had even killed three enemies at the Mystical Warrior stage easily before he returned this time.


    ¡°Mr. Xu Yang.¡± The gatekeeper checked the city permit he was holding and addressed him respectfully. Xu Yang gained his fame at the Appraisal Conference. The gatekeeper had heard about the incident where Xu Yang sold the three recipes for twenty thousand Wolf Coins.


    It was rumored that Xu Yang also had an inextricable relationship with the Governor Manor¡¯s Li family. The gatekeepers did not dare to be arrogant.


    However, the soldiers guarding the gate would never be able to link this famous Xu Yang to the poor Mystical Learner who had entered the city twenty days ago.


    At Xu Street.


    ¡°Xu Yu, I¡¯m back.¡± Xu Yang opened the half-closed gate and said as usual.


    The door opened and Xu Yu with pigtails quickly rushed out. ¡°You¡¯re finally back, Brother!¡±


    Xu Yu¡¯s face was rounder compared to the malnourished look she had the first time Xu Yang saw her. She was wearing new clothes and her face was rosy. Although she was only a ten-year-old girl, he was sure that she would grow into a beauty who would be comparable to Li Yurong.


    Song Tinglan, who was behind her, poked out her head and said, ¡°Xu, Xu Yang.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Brother, what kind of toy is that on your shoulder? Wow!¡± Xu Yu saw Chubby Ball and was attracted by its chubby body and short little legs.


    ¡°It has a big mouth.¡± Looking at Chubby Ball who had opened its mouth in protest and was making a threatening grunting sound, the curious Xu Yu did not show any fear but observed it with interest.


    ¡°This is my family member. Close your mouth!¡± Xu Yang held Chubby Ball by the skin on the back of its neck and gave it to Xu Yu. He shared his experience rather unethically, ¡°Pinch its back-neck skin and it would not be fierce¡­ look.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s fun.¡± Xu Yu was completely fascinated by this furry and warm ¡®toy¡¯. She started to play with it.


    Chubby Ball glared at Xu Yang with its little beady eyes. It shot gazes filled with helplessness at him but it was ignored by Xu Yang.


    Soon, Song Tinglan also started to play with Chubby Ball. She was two years younger than Xu Yu and was at a playful age. However, the two girls had matured way beyond their age because of their families.


    Xu Yu caressed Chubby Ball¡¯s head and suddenly thought of something. She said, ¡°Brother, there is a lively grand event in Lin Yuan City today.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Xu Yang did not really care.


    ¡°It is a duel between Fire-Cloud Dojo and Vast-Gate Dojo!¡± Xu Yu said. ¡°Speaking of, you joined Vast-Gate Dojo¡¯s ascetic team before¡­ hopefully they will be able to win.¡±


    Xu Yang could not help but laughed. ¡°I¡¯m not a disciple of Vast-Gate Dojo. You have decided who to support way too soon.¡±


    ¡°Can you bring me to watch the duel, Brother?¡± Xu Yu whispered.


    ¡°Now?¡± Xu Yang raised his head and looked at the sun that was about to set. ¡°It should be almost over by now¡­ Why didn¡¯t you go earlier since you want to watch it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because¡­ you told me to stay at home and not go out as it¡¯s not safe these days.¡± Xu Yu said with a pout.


    Xu Yang then remembered that he told Xu Yu not to go out unless it was truly necessary as he was afraid of Vast-Gate Dojo¡¯s revenge. He did not expect the ten-year-old Xu Yu to be so obedient as she suppressed her playfulness just because of his words.


    Xu Yang felt a heavy weight on his shoulders as a thing called responsibility appeared in his head.


    Xu Yang smiled and held Xu Yu¡¯s little hand. ¡°Okay, Let¡¯s go join in on the fun.¡±

 Chapter 44 - Warm Pavilion, Geniuses’ Gathering

    With Xu Yu¡¯s hand in his left hand, and Tinglan¡¯s hand in his right, the three of them walked toward the Northern Arena.


    ¡°Brother, which side are you hoping will win?¡± Xu Yu lifted her head and asked, she was hugging Chubby Ball in her left hand, while the other hand was holding onto Xu Yang¡¯s hand.


    Chubby Ball¡¯s appearance had changed a lot after being cleaned by the two little girls. Its dirty fur which was greyish in color turned into a pure-white color, its body was like a snowball and it was now much more beautiful.


    It had certainly suffered quite a lot in exchange for this fresh and new appearance. Chubby Ball was exhausted after being fussed over by the two girls. It was being held by Xu Yu in her arms at that moment. It was quite obedient as it had no strength to struggle anymore.


    ¡°Both of the dojos lack much needed decency.¡± Xu Yang said placidly. ¡°It¡¯s basically a fight between insignificant people. It doesn¡¯t matter to us who wins.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Xu Yu lifted her head and asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you join Vast-Gate Dojo¡¯s ascetic team, Brother? I thought that you would support Vast-Gate Dojo.¡±


    Xu Yang did not tell Xu Yu about the issue where Vast-Gate Dojo had sent Mystical Warriors to assassinate him. Xu Yu was still young and Xu Yang did not want her to be exposed to the cruelty of the world at such a young age. He could only reply, ¡°It is not as simply as you think.¡±


    Xu Yu wanted to continue asking but there was loud commotion up ahead. They had arrived at the Northern Arena without even realizing it.


    ¡®There are so many people.¡¯ That was Xu Yang¡¯s first impression. There were not only many people surrounding the ring but also people standing on the stone slabs and balconies on the top floors of buildings at the entrance of the street watching the duel.


    ¡°Brother, there are so many people. We won¡¯t be able to see anything.¡± Xu Yu pouted and said, ¡°I don¡¯t even know who¡¯s winning and losing¡­¡±


    Xu Yang put his left hand on Xu Yu¡¯s shoulder, with the activation of a light attraction force, she was lifted in mid-air and placed on his shoulder.


    ¡°Can you see it now?¡± Xu Yang smiled and asked.


    ¡°Yes. Although it¡¯s a little bit far I can see it now.¡± Xu Yu cheerfully said. ¡°Brother, how about you? You can¡¯t see anything.¡±


    At that moment, a middle-aged man in a Li family¡¯s guard attire walked toward them. He clasped his hands together and said, ¡°Mr. Xu Yang, my young master invites you to join him.¡±


    Li Wang? Xu Yang looked at the direction from where the guard came. He saw Li Wang in a white noble attire raising his wine cup and greeting him from the second-floor balcony of a restaurant beside the ring.


    Xu Yang did not reject his invitation. He put Xu Yu down gently and followed the guard to the restaurant.


    Li Wang chuckled and his gaze shifted.


    The restaurant was called Fortune Restaurant. There was a place called Warm Pavilion on the second floor, and it was the best place to spectate the duel on the ring. The view of the ring was unobstructed, and even the expressions on the faces of the two people fighting were clearly visible from the pavilion.


    There were seven of eight people surrounding the table. One of them said, ¡°Little Official, you have to drink three more cups of wine if you don¡¯t return to your seat.¡±


    Li Wang turned around and returned to his seat. ¡°My bad for the delay. However, I¡¯ll introduce a teenage genius to you to make up for my mistake. How about that?¡±


    ¡°Teenage genius?¡± The teenager who called out for Li Wang to return to his seat laughed and said, ¡°Although Lin Yuan City is big, in my eyes, there are only a few people who deserve the term. Moreover, all of them are here right now! Who is the teenage genius you are talking about, Little Official?¡±


    The teenager was Ge Weifeng, he was a good-looking young man. His eyebrows and eyes were beautiful and dashing. He had a convincing atmosphere around him.


    Ge Weifeng had what it takes to be haughty as he was the son of the head of the Ge family. He was already an Intermediate Mystical Warrior at such a young age. His strength was stronger than people in the same stage as him as he possessed the Ice-Mystical Vein, which was one of the upper four extremes. He was one of the most talented teenagers in their generation in Lin Yuan City.


    Light, Dark, Thunder, and Ice Extremes were stronger than the other four extremes. Hence, they were called the upper four extremes.


    ¡°Brother Weifeng is right. Who is this teenage genius? I, Chu Mingde, would like to know as well.¡± The teenager who spoke had a dark complexion. He sat on his seat like an unshakable pillar.


    Chu Mingde came from the Chu family. Its fame was not as renowned as the Xu, Ge, and Yu family. However, it was still a strong family with strong ones in the Pinnacle Mystical Master stage. Its strength was comparable with the factions such as Vast-Gate Dojo and Fire-Cloud Dojo. Chu Mingde cultivated the Earth-Extreme Mystical Vein and his cultivation was also in the Intermediate Mystical Warrior stage.


    The people who sat around the table that Li Wang was sitting on were the talented members from the famous factions in Lin Yuan City. They all had the ability to be the heads of their families in the future.


    There was a knock on the door of the Warm Pavilion and a Li family¡¯s guard in green came to report saying, ¡°Mr. Xu Yang is here.¡±


    ¡°Hurry up and invite him in.¡± Li Wang said with a smile.


    ¡°Xu Yang? Is he the Mystical Learner who suddenly became well-known after participating in the Appraisal Conference?¡±


    ¡°The teenage genius you are talking about turns out to be Xu Yang? His talent in alchemy is good but his power is too weak. How can a Mystical Learner be able to sit with us?¡±


    Xu Yang entered the Warm Pavilion under their whispers.


    The teenagers were amazed when they looked at the good-looking Xu Yang with a steady temperament. Although he was wearing shabby and simple clothes, he had an extraordinary temperament.


    Xu Yang, who walked into the balcony holding onto Xu Yu¡¯s hand, was slightly stunned. ¡°It seems that Little Official is entertaining guests. I¡¯m sorry to disturb you. It was my mistake.¡±


    ¡°You are too courteous, Xu Yang. They are all the teenage geniuses in Lin Yuan City. They are all my friends. You are not disturbing me as you are also my friend. Li Ming, prepare a seat for him.¡±


    The guard who led Xu Yang to the balcony responded with a yes, and moved a high chair covered with brocade.


    Xu Yang smiled and he heard a voice before he could respond. ¡°Wait!¡±


    Li Wang looked in the direction of the voice and saw that it was Chu Mingde from the Chu family. With both his eyes wide open, he said, ¡°Xu Yang, Little Official is a tolerant person in befriending you regardless of your status. I don¡¯t have that kind of tolerance. How can you, a deserted member from the Xu family, sit with us?¡±


    Opposite Chu Mingde, another teenager with a fair complexion was frowning at him as he said, ¡°Brother Chu, why do you have to take things so seriously?¡±


    Chu Mingde knew that the fair-skinned teenager was Xu Zhengxin, and he was the grandson of the Xu family¡¯s head. Chu Mingde was aware that he should not be too arrogant. However, Ge Weifeng, the son of the head of the Ge family, stood up when Chu Mingde decided to sit back down. Ge Weifeng sneered, ¡°Brother Xu, your words don¡¯t make sense. Xu Yang¡¯s status is low and he is not worthy to be compared with us. It is an insult to us if we let him sit down with us. The issue is related to our pride and dignity, how can we not take it seriously?¡±


    ¡°Hoho. That¡¯s enough, please stop arguing, everyone.¡± Li Wang lifted his hands and motioned at the others, he then said, ¡°Xu Yang is an alchemy genius. Although his cultivation is not as strong, with his talent in refining medicine, he has the right to be here. In addition, you can see that there is a rich inner aura with faint Mystical Power around him. It is obvious that he has advanced into the Mystical Warrior stage. Would that not make him eligible as a teenage genius?¡±


    The others took a closer look and realized that Xu Yang had broken through the Mystical Learner stage. They no longer objected to Xu Yang sitting with them as they wanted to give face to Li Wang. However, they were still feeling disdainful.


    The reason was quite simple as the others had formed their Mystical Cores and advanced into Mystical Warriors one or two years ago. They were looking down on Xu Yang who had just advanced into the Mystical Warrior stage.


    ¡°Thank you for your invitation, Little Official. However, I¡¯m here only to find a better spot to spectate the duel. I¡¯m not interested in befriending the teenage geniuses present.¡± Xu Yang smiled and said calmly. Then, he held onto the two little girls¡¯ hands and walked toward the direction of the window.


    Xu Zhengxin realized that something bad was about to happen. He saw Chu Mingde, who was the nearest to Xu Yang, leave his seat and rush toward him. He said, ¡°Pfft! Where do you think this place is. You didn¡¯t even accept Little Official¡¯s kind invitation. If that¡¯s the case, scram!¡±


    Chu Mingde punched out and a ripple flashed in the air. There was Earth Mystical Power in his hand and it created a strong aura. He wanted to hit Xu Yang, break his bones, and make him spew blood, thus making him fall out of the window and onto the street in one blow.

 Chapter 45 - Defeat Mingde, Water-Extreme Mystical Master

    ¡°Brother Chu, please don¡¯t do that!¡±


    Li Wang did not expect Xu Yang to be so arrogant and Chu Mingde to be so rash. He was at the furthest position from Xu Yang. It was too late for him to save Xu Yang. He could only think to himself, ¡®Xu Yang, bless you!¡¯


    Xu Yang frowned when he felt that there was a strong gust of wind coming from behind him. He quickly turned and extended his palm.


    Fire Mystical Power appeared and collided with the yellow Earth Mystical Power. A strong billowing wind spread as a bang sounded. It caused everyone¡¯s clothes to flutter and make rustling sounds.


    The situation seemed to have been frozen solid when Xu Yang¡¯s slender right palm tightly grabbed onto Chu Mingde¡¯s right punch.


    The slender Xu Yang seemed thin compared to Chu Mingde with a tall and strong figure. However, Chu Mingde¡¯s thick fist was held by Xu Yang¡¯s smaller palm.


    All of them saw green veins appearing on Chu Mingde¡¯s forehead. His body was forced into a half-lowered stance and his arm muscles were bulging. It was obvious that he had used all of his strength. However, his fist that was in Xu Yang¡¯s palm could not move an inch.


    On the contrary, Xu Yang had on a relaxed expression. His body was unmoved and his hand was still. It was easy to tell who was stronger.


    Only Chu Mingde himself could understand the pain. He could feel that Xu Yang¡¯s fingers were as hard as steel. As Xu Yang continued tightening his grip on Chu Mingde¡¯s fist, he felt a severe pain running down his arm. He could imagine his bones rubbing against each other and groaning in pain.


    ¡°Huh¡­ Let go!¡± Chu Mingde roared loudly. Earth-Mystical Power blasted and his right fist strength became even stronger. He launched a Mystical Power attack on Xu Yang with the intention of inflicting damage on both sides.


    The Earth Mystical Power that Chu Mingde, who was in the Intermediate Mystical Warrior stage, possessed was strong. He was taking a risk, in hopes that Xu Yang only had strong physical strength but weak Mystical Power as Xu Yang had just entered the Mystical Warrior stage without the one year accumulation that he had.


    The truth of the matter was, if Xu Yang were to blast all his eight-extremes¡¯ Mystical Power, the strength he could exert would assuredly be more than double of Chu Mingde¡¯s strength. However, it was not worth it for Xu Yang to reveal his true powers for such a small contention. He smiled and his right palm suddenly turned grey as if it was made of rock.


    Chu Mingde launched all of his Mystical Power and finally escaped from Xu Yang¡¯s grip. Thump! Thump! Thump! He was thrown back by his own exerted force and he retreated three steps backward. There were three fuzzy footprints left on the wooden floor of the Warm Pavilion, and slight cracks had appeared on the edges of the footprints.


    Xu Yang stood still and did not look at Chu Mingde. He led Xu Yu and Song Tinglan to the window once again, showing his back to everyone present.


    ¡°Fuh¡­¡± Everyone inhaled sharply. Did Xu Yang really just advance into the Mystical Warrior stage? Chu Mingde¡¯s physical strength should be in the top three among the people present but Xu Yang¡¯s body strength seemed to be stronger than his. Chu Mingde did not have the advantage over him even though he had utilized his full Mystical Power.


    ¡°Xu Yang, you have formed the Fire Mystical Core!¡± Li Wang was surprised. ¡°Everyone, I think that Xu Yang deserves to be known as a teenage genius. He is now a Fire-Extreme Mystical Warrior and he has the foundation of refining Spirit Elixirs. Xu Yang would be able to become a Grade-3 Alchemist Master in no time with his alchemy talent.¡±


    Chu Mingde had suffered a big loss. He felt embarrassed and said indignantly, ¡°He would need the help of a faction to prepare enough Spirit Herbs for him to squander. Little Official, I¡¯m not feeling well. I¡¯m going to take my leave now.¡±


    Li Wang¡¯s face revealed traces of regret seeing Chu Mingde take his leave with shame and anger, but his eyes flashed with a glint of delight as he said, ¡°Take care of your body, Brother Chu.¡±


    Ge Weifeng also got up and left his seat. He first apologized to Li Wang, then looked at Xu Yang and said provocatively, ¡°Xu Yang, don¡¯t think that you have defeated Brother Mingde because of your actual abilities. He just didn¡¯t know that your physical strength is strong. It will be a battle between Mystical Power if it were a duel between two Mystical Warriors, and your opponent will surely not give you a chance to get close to him.¡±


    Xu Yang did not respond, nor did he turn around. Ge Weifeng regarded Xu Yang¡¯s behavior as disregarding his words. This made him even angrier.


    ¡°It will be the Sea-Cloud Academy¡¯s selection of special envoys in a month¡¯s time. If you are eligible to participate, I will teach you a lesson then.¡± Ge Weijun said coldly. Then, he sarcastically added, ¡°The thing is, we don¡¯t even know if you have that kind of qualification needed to participate!¡±


    The atmosphere became heavy with Ge Weifeng¡¯s departure, they no longer had the mood to enjoy themselves and left one by one.


    Li Wang came slowly from behind Xu Yang who had not turned around a single time. It was as if the people sitting behind him were not the teenage geniuses of the entire Lin Yuan City, disregarding their presence entirely like they were nothing but the air around him.


    ¡°My apologies for being a disturbance to your gathering, Little Official.¡± Xu Yang smiled and said.


    ¡°We are friends. It is normal for young people to have such a hot temper. I won¡¯t call it a disturbance.¡± Li Wang was not bothered. He went close to the window and looked down at the situation in the ring. ¡°You seem interested in the duel between the two dojos.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just interested in the duel between the Mystical Masters.¡± Xu Yang answered. ¡°Which match is it now? Why do the people of Vast-Gate Dojo appear to be scared? ¡±


    Li Wang had a kind of gleeful look as he said, ¡°The rule of the duel is the best two of three matches. The strength of Vast-Gate Dojo is definitely stronger, but the arrangement of their battle sequence is terrible¡­¡± He told Xu Yang about Fire-Cloud Dojo that had sent out their master in the very first round.


    ¡°There are also such strategies in horse racing. One would use the worst horse against the best horses of the opponents, the best horse against the opponents¡¯ good horses, and a good horse against the opponents¡¯ worst horses. Although they will be defeated once, they can win two rounds.¡± Xu Yang nodded. It seemed that Fire-Cloud Dojo was prepared beforehand, but how did they get their opponent¡¯s battle sequence? He was certain that it was related to the Li family who was in charge of the duel.


    However, these were not things that Xu Yang had to be concerned about. Both Vast-Gate Dojo and Fire-Cloud Dojo had bad relations with him and there was even some hatred involved.


    ¡°It is the second round now. Qi Hong, the young master of Vast-Gate Dojo, is matched with Yang Lianting, the younger brother of Fire-Cloud Dojo¡¯s master.¡± Li Wang introduced the participants as he knew that Xu Yang did not recognize them. ¡°Although Qi Hong is only in the Primary Mystical Master stage, he was fully cultivated by Vast-Gate Dojo from a young age. Hence, he possesses many Mystical Techniques. He is much stronger and is able to fight against Yang Lianting who is in the Intermediate Mystical Master stage.¡±


    Xu Yang looked carefully at the situation on the ring, it was not complicated. Every hit launched by Qi Hong, dressed in a cyan-colored suit, was wrapped with surging Fire Mystical Power. They were either in the form of a tiger or an owl and were pouncing toward Yang Lianting. It seemed that Qi Hong had the upper hand in attacking while Yang Lianting was more passive as ninety percent of his moves were defensive ones.


    ¡°Water-Extreme Mystical Master.¡± Xu Yang said in surprise when he saw Yang Lianting waving his hand and a blue wave wrapped the Fire Mystical Eagle that was headed toward him, extinguishing it.


    ¡°It¡¯s strange for Fire-Cloud Dojo to send a Water-Extreme Mystical Master to participate in the duel.¡± Li Wang laughed and said, ¡°This battle has been going on for an hour and Yang Lianting is constantly being suppressed by Qi Hong. His defeat is already in the books. In this way, Fire-Cloud Dojo will not have a chance to overturn the last round that Qi Liancheng will participate in.¡±


    It was well-known that Water-Extreme Mystical Cultivators were not good at combat and this was related to the characteristics of Water Mystical Power. It was not as overbearing as Fire Mystical Power, nor as elegant as Wind Mystical Power. It was also not heavy like Earth Mystical Power.


    ¡°The battle has been going on for an hour?¡± Xu Yang was shocked. ¡°Little Official, I¡¯m afraid you have guessed wrongly. It should be Fire-Cloud Dojo¡¯s victory this round.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Li Wang was puzzled.


    ¡°It¡¯s because Yang Lianting is a Water-Extreme Mystical Master.¡± Xu Yang explained. ¡°Although Water Mystical Power is not as intense as Fire Mystical Power, it can last for a longer time and even Earth-Mystical Power cannot be compared to it. This battle has lasted for more than an hour. It will be harder for Qi Hong to win now as he has taken too long a time to defeat Yang Lianting. If I guessed it right, Yang Lianting will start to fight back soon.¡±

 Chapter 46 - Lava Attack, Water Screen

    Like what Xu Yang said, Qi Hong suppressed Yang Lianting and the battle lasted for an hour. However, Yang Lianting did not show any traces of being defeated, and this made Qi Hong discouraged.


    Although it seemed that he was the one suppressing Yang Lianting, he could feel his Mystical Power being gradually drained out. He could no longer maintain the initial rapid and aggressive offensive attacks he had been launching.


    Qi Hong groaned and the long and diffused Fire Mystical Power shrank quickly. He used his hands to draw two semi-circles as he widened his eyes, and yelled, ¡°Lava Crit Attack!¡± He clenched his fists and punched the floor.


    ¡®It is an Earth-Upper Mystical Technique, Lava Crit Attack!¡¯ Xu Yang was exhilarated. It was the first time he had seen an Earth-Rank Mystical Technique since he came to this era.


    There was a fire snake slithering on the floor swiftly in one line toward Yang Lianting.


    Xu Yang knew that the fire line was only an illusion, and the actual destructive power of the Lava Crit Attack came from underground.


    Yang Lianting looked solemn. He could not evade the fire line as he was firmly targeted by Qi Hong. He could only receive it head-on.


    ¡®It will be my victory if I am able to receive this attack successfully.¡¯ Yang Lianting¡¯s stern face suddenly became grim. There was rich blue Mystical Power coming out from his whole body and they formed a sky-high blue wave. ¡°Water Screen!¡±


    A blurry round blue screen covered Yang Lianting and the waves gently rippled.


    ¡°Boom!¡± The fire line extended to Yang Lianting¡¯s feet. It burst under his feet with a loud noise and dark-red magma erupted from the ground. It rushed ten feet high before it slowly dissipated.


    Be it the water wave or the magma, the attacks were transformed using both Water and Fire Mystical Powers. After all, it was a match about whose cultivation of Mystical Power was stronger.


    The Lava Crit Attack brought an abundant amount of smoke and dust, engulfing the side of the ring in which Yang Lianting was on.


    ¡°Who will win this round?¡± Li Wang said subconsciously as he was also stunned by the battle between the Mystical Techniques.


    The match between Mystical Masters was a hundred times more marvelous than that of Mystical Warriors. Not to mention the great power of Mystical Techniques, the ability for Mystical Masters to perform Mystical Transformations such as ferocious beasts, eagles, pythons, poisonous insects and all kinds of peculiar things made their matches more amazing than that of Mystical Warriors.


    ¡°Yang Lianting would be able to win if he were able to sustain the attack.¡± Xu Yang made his prediction when he saw the pale face of Qi Hong on the other side of the ring.


    The smoke and dust dissipated. Yang Lianting in blue robes stood still while coughing.


    Yang Lianting looked embarrassed but his face revealed a smile of victory. He said, ¡°I won.¡±


    ¡°What? How were you able to sustain the attack!?¡± Qi Hong¡¯s face was grim. ¡°No! You can¡¯t possibly win!¡± He exerted force beneath his feet and rushed toward Yang Lianting. He wanted to engage in melee combat with Yang Lianting.


    When Mystical Masters had exhausted all of their Mystical Power, they could only fight physically.


    Yang Lianting smiled sarcastically. ¡°I¡¯ve been defending all these while so that you will exhaust all your Mystical Power. You are truly naive, Young Master Qi.¡±


    Yang Lianting extended his right palm and a strong wave formed by Water Mystical Power impacted Qi Hong¡¯s fist heavily. After that, he extended his left palm and another wave gushed out. The wave was layered onto the power of the previous wave, creating even more power.


    The second palm enveloped the power of the two waves of Mystical Power. He instantly dispelled Qi Hong¡¯s attack, and then with a third hit of his palm, it struck Qi Hong¡¯s chest with the addition of the two layers of the waves he previously launched.


    ¡°Zhang¡¯s Three-Stack Waves.¡± Xu Yang recognized the technique. It was an Earth-Lower Mystical Technique. The amazing trick of stacking strength was suitable for Water-Extreme Mystical Cultivators who did not have strong attacking powers.


    ¡°Qi Hong!¡± Qi Liancheng at the north of the ring growled and leaped onto the ring as if he was an injured beast. He received Qi Hong¡¯s body that was heavily knocked backward, protecting him from further injuries.


    ¡°Father¡­ Cough. I haven¡¯t been defeated. I¡­¡± Qi Hong was coughing and blood trickled from his mouth.


    Li Feng in his green attire dashed onto the ring and said indifferently, ¡°Qi Hong would have been able to continue the battle as he did not surrender. However, Master Qi, you have violated the rules as you came onto the ring. Therefore, Vast-Gate Dojo has been defeated this round.¡±


    ¡°Continue? How can he f*cking continue?¡± Qi Liancheng rarely cursed, he quickly handed Qi Hong to the other Vast-Gate Dojo members. His eyes widened in great anger, and he bellowed hoarsely, ¡°C¡¯mon! The third match. You bastards from Fire-Cloud Dojo, let¡¯s duel to the death! ¡±


    His aura in the Pinnacle Mystical Master stage burst with great vigor, and the air surrounding him seemed to be burning. Rings of fire were spreading successively in a ten feet range around Qi Liancheng¡¯s feet, the heat that was exuded was scorching hot as if it was the nether world.


    ¡°This is¡­ aura.¡± Xu Yang sighed. ¡°Qi Liancheng is one step away from the Mystical Grandmaster stage. He would be able to advance into the Mystical Grandmaster stage and become a grandmaster specialized in a specific area after he has cultivated his own aura with a clear mind.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell that you know so much.¡± Li Wang said, ¡°I heard about the important point of advancing into a Mystical Grandmaster from my father. However, the step of having a clear mind has stopped many Mystical Cultivators from advancing. Master Qi has been in this stage for a few decades. I don¡¯t know whether he would be able to advance into the next stage in this life of his.¡±


    On the south side of the ring, Fire-Cloud Dojo¡¯s master, Yang Muyun, looked horrified. He knew that Qi Liancheng was strong, but he did not expect the old guy to be so terrifying when he was livid.


    ¡°Fortunately, we have won two rounds because of my younger brother¡¯s splendid plan. We don¡¯t need to face this damn old man, haha!¡± Yang Muyun patted Yang Lianting, who had just come down from the ring, on the shoulder, and said happily.


    Li Feng walked toward him and did a fist-and-palm salute. He said, ¡°Master Yang, the third round is about to begin. Are you ready for it?¡±


    Yang Muyun laughed loudly. ¡°Leader Li, I¡¯m not a dumbass. It is obvious that we have won. What is the point of having a third match? It would merely be sending our members to be Old Qi¡¯s punching bag. Please inform them that Fire-Cloud Dojo is forfeiting the third round.¡±


    A burly Mystical Master who was waiting at the side was relieved as soon as these words came out. ¡°Thank you for your grace, Master.¡±


    Yang Muyun laughed and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to worry, Biao. You have to thank Lianting. If he did not set up the splendid plan and win Qi Hong, you will have to match with Qi Liancheng on the ring.¡±


    ¡°The Fire-Cloud Dojo has forfeited the third round which means that Vast-Gate Dojo wins the third round by default.¡± Li Feng said loudly while informing those who were at his side to sound the Gong. ¡°The result of the duel is as such, Fire-Cloud Dojo with two wins one defeat, and Vast-Gate Dojo with one win two defeats. Victory goes to the Fire Cloud Dojo!¡±


    With the announcement, Qi Hong, who had been suppressing his injuries, spewed a mouthful of blood, and fainted with the clamor of his people shouting ¡®Young Master¡¯.


    Qi Liancheng was seething with great anger. All he could do was hand over all of their Ascetic Road routes, close the dojo and leave Lin Yuan City as per the duel agreement. The notary was the governor of Lin Yuan City. The governor would not hesitate to send someone to destroy Vast-Gate Dojo in order to maintain his prestige if he were to refuse to admit defeat.


    Qi Liancheng¡¯s legs were like lead. He knelt facing the sky and said, ¡°My great ancestors, Liancheng is unfilial. I couldn¡¯t preserve our family¡¯s honor. It is all my fault¡­¡±


    Several loyal subordinates of Vast-Gate Dojo rushed forward and pulled Qi Liancheng up to his feet. They consoled and comforted him while supporting him back to the dojo at the southern city.


    The spectating crowd left as the amazing duel ended.


    Xu Yang caressed Xu Yu¡¯s head and said, ¡°We have to go now since the duel is over.¡± He turned to Li Wang and excused himself.


    ¡°Are they your sisters? They are so adorable.¡± Li Wang chuckled. He took out two small jade stones, the size of one¡¯s fingernail, and gave them to the girls. ¡°These two diamonds are not of much value. I¡¯ll give them to your sisters as a greeting gift.¡±


    Xu Yang said placidly, ¡°I dare not accept Little Official¡¯s generous gift. Please be rest assured that I, Xu Yang, will surely honor my promises.¡±

 Chapter 47 - Comment On Xu Yang, Aiming for Sea-Cloud

    The promise Xu Yang mentioned was in regards to refining the Life-Extension Elixir.


    Li Wang smiled and did not insist seeing Xu Yang¡¯s refusal to accept his gift. ¡°Tell me if you need any herbs for practicing. I can provide them to you as long as the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion has it.¡±


    Xu Yang nodded. After saying goodbye, he brought Xu Yu and Song Tinglan back home.


    ¡°Brother, you seem to be kind of happy seeing Vast-Gate Dojo lose.¡± Xu Yu was an observant girl. She noticed that Xu Yang¡¯s expression had changed, and she asked puzzlingly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that be it Vast-Gate Dojo or Fire-Cloud Dojo, they both have nothing to do with us?¡±


    Xu Yang did not hold back the truth and said, ¡°The fact that Vast-Gate Dojo is being driven out of Linyuan City would reduce a lot of problems for me.¡±


    If Vast-Gate Dojo had won, their power would increase greatly and their assassination against Xu Yang would definitely intensify. They were likely to send out stronger ones in the Mystical Master stage to take action. Xu Yang was incapable of encountering a true Mystical Master even though he was powerful at that moment.


    There was a huge difference between the two stages after all. It could not be treated as child¡¯s play.


    ¡°Brother, you are so strong now. The Little Official said that you are already a Mystical Warrior, is it true?¡± Xu Yu could not believe it as she rocked Xu Yang¡¯s arm back and forth, and asked.


    Xu Yang did not deny it and nodded, ¡°I entered the Python Mountains a few days ago to seek a breakthrough. Fortunately, I was lucky.¡±


    ¡°My brother who has worked so hard deserves to advance successfully. How can it be called luck?¡± Xu Yu had such a big bright smile on her face. ¡°The Grand Family Tournament will be held in ten days or so. Brother, you are so strong now, you will surely be able to surprise those who have bullied us before.¡±


    Xu Yang was persistent and relentless, he practiced every day without fail. Be it by taking a medicinal bath or striking the bluestone to cultivate Rock Body, he did not spend a second being idle. Xu Yu had seen all his hard work and only she knew how much effort Xu Yang had put in to become stronger.


    ¡°Mmm.¡± Xu Yang was a little absent-minded. The Grand Family Tournament did not mean much to him. He would not have chosen to participate in the tournament if it were not for Xu Yu.


    Xu Yu was different from him. She was greatly attached to the family. This sense of belonging in the bloodline could not be wiped out easily. However, Xu Yang would definitely leave the small Lin Yuan City. There was no reason for the little girl, Xu Yu, to follow him and suffer such hardships. It would be better for her to rely on the family than to live alone in their ruined mansion.


    ¡®I met Xu Zhengxin at the West-Warmness Pavilion today. He is the grandson of the Xu family¡¯s manor master. It seems that he is quite different from other Xu family members who used to bully me. He even defended me.¡¯ Xu Yang thought to himself secretly, taking a mental note of what had happened.


    Xu Changling, the present head of the Xu family, had three sons. The eldest son was Xu Qinglu, the second son was Xu Qingyuan, and the third son was Xu Qinggang. Among them, the second son, Xu Qingyuan, was the most talented and outstanding child. His achievements had surpassed two of his brothers. However, this did not mean that Xu Qinglu and Xu Qinggang were ordinary people.


    Xu Qinglu had a steady temperament, and he was a gentleman. Xu Qinggang was a persistent person. These two men were Xu Yang¡¯s uncles.


    Xu Zhengxin was Xu Qinglu¡¯s eldest son.


    ¡®Perhaps the attitude of the Xu family toward my father, Xu Qingyuan, is divided into two groups. One group consists of people such as Xu Qingliu, Xu Qinghe and others. They blame the Xu family¡¯s decline on my father. Their children like Xu Zhengming, Xu Zhengfei and others have always bullied me and my sister. The other group would be Xu Qinglu and Xu Qinggang who are my father¡¯s siblings. They seem to care about the relationship they have with each other, and now their son, Xu Zhengxin, is actually speaking up for me. However, I don¡¯t know what my grandfather, Xu Changling, truly feels about me¡­¡¯


    Xu Yang shook his head and casted away these thoughts. In this extremely competitive world, his own strength was the most important thing! People who depended heavily on their families could never become strong.


    It was true that although cultivating Mystical Qi needed certain advantages, Xu Yang would never compromise with anyone just for some advantages. He would make fair trades to obtain advantages he needed to achieve what he wanted!


    Xu Yang returned home and started to make arrangements for his following plans. He suddenly realized that there was not enough time because there were too many things to do.


    Xu Yang had formed the Mystical Cores and he possessed Mystical Power. He wanted to refine some Spirit Elixirs for healing, rejuvenation, and improving cultivation. He could now cultivate Mystical Techniques, and he wanted to learn some Mystical Techniques that he would be able to use as his trump card. Not only that, there were other things like creating runes and refining armors which all seemed useful.


    It was all about prioritizing. Xu Yang decided to refine Spirit Elixirs and cultivate Mystical Techniques at the same time. He would only do other things such as creating runes and refining armor when he was done with the previous tasks.


    At the main courtyard of the Xu family, a street away from Xu Yang¡¯s house. Xu Zhengxin walked briskly into the manor master¡¯s courtyard which was in the middle.


    ¡°Zhengxin.¡± An old voice sounded from behind the heavy curtains. ¡°Why are you here to see me today?¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, I saw him today¡­ my cousin, Xu Yang.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± There was a slight change in the tone of the old voice. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Knowing you, you won¡¯t have come just to tell me that you have seen him, something must have happened that surprised you.¡±


    Xu Zhengxin told him about the incident in which Xu Yang had appeared at the West-Warmness Pavilion and defeated Chu Mingde with a single attack of his palm. Finally, he said, ¡°It is hard for me to believe that Younger Cousin Brother has advanced at such a rapid speed. His cultivation was just at the Intermediate or Advanced tier of Mystical Learner twenty days ago. He has advanced as a Mystical Warrior in only half a month.¡±


    The old voice kept silent for a while and sounded, ¡°Advancement after deep accumulation, breakthrough after sudden realization. Although it¡¯s rare on the path of Mystical Cultivation, it¡¯s still possible¡­ Zhengxin, from what you have seen, how is Xu Yang¡¯s power?¡±


    ¡°His physical strength is extremely strong.¡± Xu Zhengxin recalled and said. ¡°However, his cultivation of Mystical Qi is slightly weak. Younger Cousin Brother might not have the advantage if he were to fight with Chu Mingde seriously using Mystical Techniques.¡±


    After pausing for a while, Xu Zhengxin said, ¡°However, this is already extremely unexpected as Xu Yang has a physique of eight extremes. It is harder for him to cultivate Mystical Qi.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± The old man nodded and said, ¡°You¡¯re right. Yang¡¯s perception and luck are pretty good as he is able to self-cultivate into a Mystical Warrior with mediocre qualifications. However, he has suffered a lot as our Xu family couldn¡¯t help him in his cultivation under the invisible threat of the loathsome Mo family.¡±


    ¡°There is an issue that Grandpa should take note of. Ge Weifeng from the western city¡¯s Ge family seems to be dissatisfied with Younger Cousin Brother. He even threatened him, saying that he would be merciless if he were to see Younger Cousin Brother during the admission assessment of the Sea-Cloud Academy.¡±


    ¡°The Ge family¡­¡± The old voice murmured. He said, ¡°It seems that the enrolment of the Sea-Cloud Academy is just around the corner¡­ I don¡¯t know whether our Lin Yuan City would be able to get an extra spot. Zhengxin, your uncle Qinggang will help me to solve these problems. You don¡¯t have to worry about all that. Go and cultivate with full spirit to improve your strength. I hope you can win the Sea-Cloud Academy Selection Conference for our Xu family¡¯s honor.¡±


    Xu Zhengxin nodded solemnly. ¡°Yes, Grandpa.¡±

 Chapter 48 - Control Real Fire, Mystical Power Recovery Elixir

    ¡°Brother, you really don¡¯t need firewood?¡± Xu Yu was hugging a small pile of wood as she blinked her eyes and asked.


    Xu Yang laughed and waved his hand. ¡°I have already advanced into a Fire-Extreme Mystical Warrior. I can transform Mystical Power into fire and I won¡¯t need ordinary fire to refine elixirs anymore.¡±


    ¡°Hurray!¡± Xu Yu placed the firewood down and ran into the house. ¡°Brother is going to refine elixirs and I am going to help you!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything but watch.¡± Xu Yang gently held Chubby Ball who was circling around his leg, and put it on his shoulder.


    ¡°Spirit Datura Branch, Licorice, Snake Grass¡­¡± Xu Yang was making preparations before refining an elixir, checking the needed herbs.


    It was different this time compared to the previous times he had refined medicine. He was going to refine a real Spirit Elixir. The elixirs that Xu Yang had refined in the past were all ordinary medicines. Anyone could easily produce ordinary medicines as long as there were detailed steps for refining them. However, the refinement of Spirit Elixirs required the perfect ratio of medicinal power and the refining of herbs. It was another level altogether compared to ordinary medicines. Therefore, Xu Yang was very meticulous.


    Xu Yang did not have much experience in refining medicine even in the future era. He had merely read many masterpieces of Alchemist Masters, had a lot of alchemy knowledge, and knew many recipes. He did not have practical experiences.


    The Spirit Elixir that Xu Yang wanted to refine this time was called the Mystical Power Recovery Elixir. It was a Grade-2 Spirit Elixir that could restore one¡¯s Mystical Power. It was quite popular in the golden age.


    The most important herb to refine this Spirit Elixir was a Spirit Herb called the Spirit Datura Branch. It was purchased by Xu Yang in the Thousand-Treasures Pavilion. The other herbs such as Licorice and Snake Grass were all essential ordinary herbs.


    Xu Yang prepared four sets of the herbs for the refinement of the Spirit Elixir. He had already prepared himself mentally for any failure in refining the Spirit Elixir. He wanted to increase his experience on his blank path to becoming an Alchemist Master.


    ¡°Transform Mystical Power into fire¡­¡± Xu Yang opened the cover of the ding and sighed. He pressed his palm and a pure Fire Mystical Power diffused out, and entered via the tuyere of the medicine ding.


    ¡°Whoosh!¡± Red flames suddenly rushed out from the ding and reached a foot high. Xu Yang was shocked and immediately decreased the output of the Fire Mystical Power. He slowly controlled the flames and lowered the firepower.


    Refining Spirit Elixirs was an arduous task. Xu Yang was tired and perspiring profusely just from controlling the flames. He spent a long time before he could finally control it to a suitable temperature.


    Xu Yang knew that it was considered amazing for an Alchemist Master to be able to control a suitable temperature for a long period of time when refining Spirit Elixirs for the very first time. It had to be credited to Xu Yang¡¯s excellent ability to control the Mystical Power and his strong Mind Power as he had lived in two eras.


    His right hand flicked gently and a Spirit Datura Branch floated lightly to the opening of the ding under the control of Mystical Power as if an invisible big hand was supporting it in mid-air. The Spirit Herb began to change rapidly under the scorching flames.


    Its bark peeled off quickly and its white stems started to turn yellow and black. The impurities in the herb disappeared in the form of smoke during the roasting of the herb, leaving only the purest medicinal power.


    Xu Yang finally understood why only Mystical Cultivators in the Mystical Warrior stage were able to refine Spirit Elixirs. The heat of the flames needed to extract and purify the medicinal power could not be provided by ordinary fire.


    Spirit Herbs were different from ordinary herbs. Even the lowest grades of Spirit Herbs could only be used after decades or even hundreds of years of growth. The accumulation over the years had made the Spirit Herbs very tough. They were resistant to fire, the cold, and acid. Ordinary flames were not able to extract the impurities in them.


    The higher the grade of the Spirit Elixir, the more stringent the demand placed on the flames. At Xu Yang¡¯s current cultivation in the Primary Mystical Warrior stage, the flames catalyzed by the Fire Mystical Power could only have an effect on Spirit Elixirs below Grade-3. That was why the highest achievement of an Alchemist Master in the Mystical Warrior stage was only Grade-3 Spirit Elixirs.


    The Spirit Datura Branch¡¯s medicinal essence gradually fell to the bottom of the ding after being refined. Xu Yang quickly began to refine other ordinary herbs.


    The Licorice¡¯s function was detoxification. The slight toxicity contained in the Snake Grass required Licorice to counter it with its detoxification function. Xu Yang quickly levitated these two essential herbs onto the flame.


    The flame used to refine Spirit Herbs was too fierce. It could not be used to refine ordinary herbs as they were not able to sustain the high temperature. The Licorice turned into a puff of smoke and was left only with a slight residue after he placed it on the flame.


    ¡®I have to improve my ability in controlling the flame to adjust the temperature in a more flexible manner.¡¯ It was a new experience for Xu Yang. He looked solemn and threw in another Licorice after he carefully lowered the heat of the flame.


    Xu Yang finally succeeded in refining all the herbs after several failed attempts. After that, he blended the appropriate amount of medicinal essences according to the required ratio. The medicinal essences were mixed together under the fine control of Mystical Power. It was then split into a dozen small medicinal doughs which were slowly shaped by the blazing flame.


    Xu Yu stared very seriously at the process beside Xu Yang. The most hilarious thing was the extremely human-like Chubby Ball. It knew that it could not disturb Xu Yang so it was perched obediently on Xu Yang¡¯s shoulder. Its two black eyes were staring without blinking, and there was saliva coming out from its big mouth. This little guy seemed to be very interested in anything that could be eaten.


    After an hour of tempering under lower fire, the small medicinal doughs gradually changed into the shape of elixirs, and a pleasant scent diffused throughout the area.


    ¡°Xu Yu, bring me the jade bottle.¡± Xu Yang who had strong mental power and outstanding perseverance felt tired after the long refining process.


    Xu Yu answered with a ¡®yes¡¯, took a small bottle made from white jade, and pulled out the cork.


    Spirit Elixirs were normally stored in white jade containers. It could highlight the preciousness of Spirit Elixirs. On the other hand, white jade could effectively stop the dissipation of medicine and prolong the preservation of Spirit Elixirs. This was not only limited to Spirit Elixirs but also some precious Spirit Herbs that were mostly stored in jade boxes.


    ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Xu Yang said in a low voice and launched Mystical Power. The dozens of Spirit Elixirs were levitated into the air and dropped into the jade bottle one by one. It created a melodious tinkling sound.


    The magic-like action immediately made Xu Yu happily squint her eyes and shouted out loud. Xu Yang had shown an extremely exquisite ability to control his Mystical Power.


    Xu Yang wiped the sweat on his forehead. He opened the bronze plate of the medicine ding and scrapped out the residue.


    ¡®I finally finished refining. I wonder how the Spirit Elixirs would turn out to be since it¡¯s my first time.¡¯ Xu Yang took the jade bottle from Xu Yu and put it flat on his hand. He gently fanned the opening of the bottle with his palm, and the faint scent of medicine came wafting out. In just a brief moment, it felt as if his tired body had become lighter, and the recovery speed of his exhausted Mystical Power had been accelerated.


    ¡°Great. This Mystical Power Recovery Elixir is of superior quality. I am able to succeed the very first time I try refining a Spirit Elixir.¡± He put the bottle of Mystical Power Recovery Elixir into his leather pouch.


    ¡°You are marvelous, Brother!¡± Xu Yu¡¯s eyes were gleaming brightly. ¡°It seems that you are tired. Do you want to sleep for a while?¡±


    Xu Yang shook his head. It was the best time for him to cultivate as the Mystical Energy in his Star Ocean had mostly been exhausted. He could not be driven by his laziness.


    The way of Mystical Cultivation needed the cultivators to go against their natural instincts. One would not be able to obtain great achievements if one were to follow his most basic instincts.

 Chapter 49 - Le Tingyun, Teacher Hai Yue

    Day after day, half a month went by.


    The new year was around the corner. The atmosphere of prosperous celebration in Lin Yuan City was growing more and more vibrant. A lot of families had started to decorate their houses with new year decorations to welcome the new year.


    It was a hard year for some people. For instance, Vast-Gate Dojo had closed down. They were forced to close the dojo as they lost everything in the duel. It was said that the dojo master, Qi Liancheng, would bring their young master Qi Hong to Dong Lai City to seek for new opportunities.


    Xu Qinghe from the Xu family was depressed too. His son, Xu Zhengfei, did not get any Spirit Elixirs to heal his wounds. He was left with a hidden injury and it would be hard for him to advance any further. Xu Qinghe had asked for the manor master¡¯s help but no good came from that.


    ¡°Brother, Brother! Come take a look at the new clothes that Tinglan and I bought!¡±


    Xu Yang smiled when he heard the melodious voice. He opened the door after he had stored the newly refined Spirit Elixir in a jade bottle.


    Xu Yu was dressed in a red jacket with blue flowers. There was thick fluff sewn on the neckline and sleeves. She was wearing a pair of small leather boots. She skipped about and her boots made clipping sounds. Song Tinglan was dressed in a yellow jacket with red flowers. Their new outfits were rather similar. The two little girls were chasing after each other, and running happily about like two butterflies.


    ¡°You look nice.¡± Xu Yang complimented them and closed the door. He meditated cross-legged and started to cultivate by absorbing Mystical Energy from nature.


    What surprised Xu Yang was that the frequent refinement of the Spirit Elixirs did not hinder his Mystical Power cultivation from advancing to a new stage. He had practised under the condition where his Mystical Power had been exhausted for more than ten times, and this made his Mystical Power cultivation improve even more rapidly. The eight Mystical Cores were stronger than when they were just formed.


    Although Xu Yang had not broken through a new stage, he felt that he was close to the Intermediate Mystical Warrior stage. The Zhenwu¡¯s Eight Sceneries Scripture was indeed a supreme scripture. It could maintain such a speedy rate of advancement in the case of cultivating eight extremes at the same time.


    Xu Yang could no longer refuse Xu Yu¡¯s request anymore and finally agreed to make two sets of new clothes under the condition that both Xu Yu and Song Tinglan bought themselves new clothes. The two sets of new clothes were both sewn by Xu Yu herself.


    Both sets of clothes were made of blue cloth and the tailoring done was quite good. It felt very comfortable on him. He could not help but smile when he thought about it as he did not expect the little girl, Xu Yu, to have a pair of skilful hands.


    ¡°Hoo¡­¡± Xu Yang slowly exhaled turbid gas. He hopped up and realized that his cultivation had improved once again.


    ¡°Brother, you shouldn¡¯t always stay at home to cultivate. You need some air. ¡± Xu Yu said while she was preparing to cook some rice. ¡°Although the Grand Family Tournament will be held tomorrow, your cultivation is enough for us to be recognized by the family.¡±


    Xu Yang smiled. The motivation he had that made him cultivate persistently basically came from a sense of urgency. This sense of urgency came from the knowledge that the future era had scarce Mystical Energy. He felt that it was a sin to stop cultivating at any given time in this fascinating golden age with rich Mystical Qi.


    ¡°Tap-tap.¡± Someone was knocking on the gate.


    Xu Yang opened his door and went out to the yard. He saw two familiar people walking around the screen wall.


    Xu Zhengzha was still tall and strong. Xu Zhengfei still had a fair complexion, but his body had become rickety. He stared at Xu Yang with resentment.


    Xu Yang was not bothered by their appearance, Xu Zhengfei¡¯s cultivation had been disabled by him and he could no longer advance in the future. Whereas Xu Zhengzha was merely a brute and he was not really a clever one.


    Not only that, Xu Yang¡¯s current strength was no longer something that they could even begin to imagine. There was a big strength gap between the two stages. Xu Yang was quite sure that their paths would no longer cross in the future.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Xu Yang asked indifferently. ¡°Didn¡¯t I warn you not to come here?¡±


    Xu Zhengfei retreated timidly. Xu Zhengzha barely put on a brave face and said, ¡°The family told us to inform you that tomorrow will be the¡­¡±


    ¡°The Grand Family Tournament? I already know that.¡± Xu Yang stopped Xu Zhengzha mid-sentence without any hesitation. ¡°I will be there. You can scram now.¡±


    Xu Zhengzha and Xu Zhengfei glanced at each other and dared not speak. They walked backward out of the gate and ran away. The cold wind carried their cowardly and retreating words,


    ¡°Xu Yang, don¡¯t be too arrogant. Brother Zhengming will teach you a lesson!¡±


    Xu Zhengming? Xu Yang shook his head and smiled


    Meanwhile in the Li family at nothern city.


    It was in a spacious and magnificent Warmness Pavilion. The fireplace was burning warmly and the scent of incense lingered in the air. Several people were sitting in accordance with the norm of a host accompanied by guests, drinking wine.


    Lin Yuan City¡¯s governor, Li Boyan, as the host, lifted up a glass of wine and said, ¡°It is my Li family¡¯s honour as you are willing to come to my house as a guest in this cold winter. Let me first pay my respects.¡± He then downed the glass of wine in one shot.


    The other people on the guest seats lifted up their wine glasses and said, ¡°You are too humble, Governor.¡±


    The guests were three men and one woman. It was clear to see that they were no ordinary characters from their behavior.


    A brawny man, with his right arm exposed and a dark shield hanging on his left arm, chuckled and said, ¡°You are much too courteous, Governor Li. We are merely the ones who have been ordered to accomplish our mission. We don¡¯t deserve such a grand gesture.¡±


    Humble and courteous words went back and forth between Li Boyan and the guests, as Li Wang stood up and served them more wine.


    After that, Li Boyan asked, ¡°Teacher Hai Yue, may I know how many spots will our Lin Yuan City obtain in Sea-Cloud Academy¡¯s Selection Conference this time? There are many talented youngsters in Lin Yuan City.¡±


    Teacher Hai Yue who had a small shield on his left arm chuckled. ¡°As for that question, Fairy Tingyun who is stationed here would be more qualified to answer that.¡±


    A dazzling woman with a voluptuous body smiled and said, ¡°Please don¡¯t put us in a difficult situation, Governor. You should know that our Sea-Cloud Kingdom governs forty-three countries. We have a land of hundreds of millions of miles wide and a population of billions. We have to set up a strict limit to enroll the most talented students from amongst billions of people. If not, I¡¯m afraid Sea-Cloud Academy will be unable to accommodate so many students even if it were ten times larger.¡± The beautiful woman was wearing a purple split-skirt and she was sitting seiza style, revealing much of her bare legs. She was extremely attractive when she smiled and spoke.


    ¡°You are right, Fairy Tingyun.¡± Li Boyan quickly nodded and said, ¡°It is reasonable to have a strict limit.¡±


    The dazzling woman was Le Tingyun. She took a red fruit and took a bite of it before she replied, ¡°Hence, there will be¡­ one quota for Lin Yuan City.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Li Boyan was slightly on pins and needles, he put aside the gracefulness he normally had as he asked, ¡°Only one quota? Teachers, although Lin Yuan City is remote, we have one hundred thousand in population. Isn¡¯t only one quota much too few?¡±


    Teacher Hai Yue shook his head and said, ¡°It is set by the rules. Please forgive us, Governor. We would be in a difficult position if the final passing rate of the candidates we have selected is too low.¡±


    Li Wang stood up before Li Boyan could say anything else. He lifted the wine glass and said with a smile, ¡°Master Hai Yue, Sister Tingyun, and every teacher here, why don¡¯t we stop talking about official business. It is better for us to enjoy ourselves with the feast before us.¡±


    ¡°Governor, your son is a handsome young man. He is well-spoken and has a pleasant manner. He is at the Pinnacle tier of a Mystical Warrior at such a young age. It seems that he would be able to be selected by Sea-Cloud Academy this time.¡± The brawny Hai Yue sang his high praises.


    Le Tingyun chuckled delightfully when she heard Li Wang call her a sister. Her pair of voluptuous breasts seemed to be on the verge of being revealed from the top of her dress. ¡°This little brother sure is a sweet talker. I look forward to his success.¡±

 Chapter 50 - Xu Zhengchun, Grand Family Tournament

    ¡°Thank you for coming.¡± Li Boyan made a fist-and-palm salute and smiled, as he personally saw them to the door.


    ¡°The pleasure is ours.¡± After some polite and courteous exchanges, Hai Yue, with the escort of the other messengers from Sea-Cloud Academy, returned to his place of residence.


    Li Boyan turned around and sighed when he saw them leave. ¡°There is only one quota for one hundred thousand people¡­ Sigh!¡±


    ¡°Father, don¡¯t blame yourself. This is out of our hands. After all, Lin Yuan City is much too remote, and the cultivation of Mystical Cultivators is generally not that high. There are only a few Mystical Grandmasters in the entire city. It¡¯s really hard to be noticed.¡± Li Wang carefully supported Li Boyan by his arm.


    There was someone behind the screen wall. It was Li Zhongxuan.


    ¡°Li Wang is right.¡± Li Zhongxuan said indifferently. ¡°Brother, it is no use for you to request for extra quotas from the Sea-Cloud Academy¡¯s messengers.¡±


    Li Boyan waved his hand and sighed, ¡°I am the governor of the city. I want to seek benefits for my people. However, there is only one quota given. I¡¯m afraid that the Xu, Yu and Ge family will be disappointed.¡±


    Li Yurong smiled and said, ¡°The main purpose of this selection is to eliminate the weak and find the strong. Uncle, you don¡¯t have to be so hard on yourself. Yurong believes that Li Wang is the best in terms of talent, perception, and strength. I can¡¯t find a second one like him in Lin Yuan City. Those messengers were right. The quota is for Li Wang.¡±


    When Li Yurong said that, a slender and handsome young figure appeared in her mind. She shook her head and smiled. She thought to herself, ¡®Although that person is unusual, his stage is much too low. He is not as outstanding as Li Wang after all.¡¯


    There was a manor with green tiles and red walls which was comparable to the manor of Lin Yuan City¡¯s governor. It was a small branch of Sea-Cloud Academy in Lin Yuan City.


    Hai Yue and the others entered the manor and sat down in the main hall. Hai Yue sat in the middle seat while the other teachers sat beside him.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard work for you to be on duty in this remote place.¡± Hai Yue looked around and stopped his gaze on the charming Le Tingyu. He smiled and asked, ¡°Tingyun, you are in charge of the Lin Yuan City branch. Are there any talented youngsters?¡±


    Le Tingyun tuck strands of hair behind her ear. It was an alluring action. This beautiful woman¡¯s face turned stern when she heard his words. She took sheets of paper and gave it to Hai Yue while explaining, ¡°The most outstanding youngsters in Lin Yuan City basically come from the three major families. Among them, Ge Weifeng, from the Ge family, with Ice-Extreme Mystical Veins is in the Intermediate Mystical Warrior stage. Yu Xuanyu, from the Yu family, with Thunder-Extreme Mystical Veins is also in the Intermediate Mystical Warrior stage. Both of them have the Upper-Four Mystical Veins so they have strong combat powers.¡±


    Hai Yue flipped through the sheets of paper and said disappointedly, ¡°Is the strongest one only at the cultivation of Intermediate Mystical Warrior? Xu Zhengxin¡­ Xu Zhengchun¡­ Chu Mingde¡­¡±


    Le Tingyun said helplessly, ¡°There is only one youngster who is the most outstanding, and he is Lord Lin Yuan¡¯s grandson, Li Wang. His cultivation is at the Pinnacle Mystical Warrior stage. He is extraordinary as he has surpassed the others by two tiers.¡±


    Hai Yue put away the information and sighed, ¡°Okay, it is already considered good for a remote city to have one outstanding youngster.¡± He stood up and left the hall.


    A Mystical Cultivator whispered to Le Tingyun, ¡°Messenger Hai Yue seems to be unhappy.¡±


    Le Tingyun threw up her hands helplessly. She could understand what Hai Yue was thinking. Hai Yue would be able to get a precious reward if he were able to find an outstanding or even a genius Mystical Cultivator for the Sea-Cloud Academy.


    The next morning.


    Xu Yang put on his new clothes and his shoulder-length hair was tied up by Xu Yu using a beautiful gold ring.


    ¡°This gold ring was left by Father¡­¡± Xu Yu murmured. ¡°Brother, it is like father is looking at us when you put on this gold ring.¡±


    Xu Yang patted Xu Yu¡¯s hand. He could understand Xu Yu¡¯s emphasis on kinship. It was easy to see that as Xu Yu did not pawn the gold ring even in the hardest of times.


    ¡°You are so handsome, Brother.¡± Xu Yu clapped happily and smiled after she helped Xu Yang dress up.


    Xu Yang stood up and calmed himself down. He said, ¡°It¡¯s time to go, Xu Yu.¡± He held his sister¡¯s hand and walked out of the gate.


    Xu Yu turned her head and said, ¡°Tinglan, take care of the house please.¡±


    Chubby Ball rushed to Xu Yang and circled around his legs while making grunting sounds. Xu Yang smiled and waved his hand. An attraction force appeared and the white fluffy ball was lifted onto his shoulder.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Xu Yu shouted cheerfully and hugged Xu Yang¡¯s other arm.


    There were two Mystical Warriors standing in front of the Xu family¡¯s main courtyard.


    The street was named Xu Street and almost every house on the street was the Xu family¡¯s property. It was the day of the Grand Family Tournament. All of the Xu family¡¯s youngsters would have to come to the main courtyard to participate in the tournament. Hence, they had sent two Mystical Warriors to guard the gates.


    ¡°Stop.¡± The two Mystical Warriors walked forward and blocked Xu Yang as they did not see the seven-color Xu family emblem on his chest.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to participate in the Grand Family Tournament.¡± Xu Yang said placidly. ¡°I¡¯m Xu Yang.¡±


    A voice suddenly came from the door when the two Mystical Warriors were about to let him pass after checking the name list.


    ¡°Haha. Xu Yang! I didn¡¯t expect you to really come.¡±


    A teenager walked out quickly, it was Xu Zhengming who had come to participate in the Grand Family Tournament.


    Xu Yang ignored Xu Zhengming and walked through the gate of the main courtyard holding Xu Yu¡¯s hand.


    ¡°You!¡± Xu Zhengming was suddenly frustrated and furious. ¡°Xu Yang, how dare you be so arrogant right before your defeat?¡± He angrily clenched his fists.


    ¡°Young Master Zhengming, please calm down.¡± The two Mystical Warriors rushed forward and stopped him. ¡°This is the main courtyard.¡±


    Xu Zhengming put down his fist and snorted, ¡°Xu Yang, remember that you are not allowed to use any defensive Mystical Armor at the Grand Family Tournament. Let¡¯s see how you can defend my attacks.¡±


    Xu Yang turned a deaf ear to his words, and walked toward the gymnasium, bypassing the front yard.


    ¡°Once a trash, always a trash. Are you afraid now?¡± Xu Zhengming¡¯s words were full of sarcasm. ¡°You dare not even say a single word. Haha.¡±


    Xu Yang stopped in his tracks. He turned his head back and said peacefully, ¡°It¡¯s better for you to bark after the tournament.¡±


    The provocative sentence made Xu Zhengming extremely livid. His face suddenly turned red and he gritted his teeth. ¡°Xu Yang! I¡¯ll never forgive you!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Zhengming?¡± A slightly sharp voice came from behind him.


    Xu Zhengming turned around. He quickly rushed forward and smiled, seemingly trying to please the person, when he saw the person who had arrived. ¡°You are here, Elder Brother Zhengchun.¡±


    There were other branches in the Xu family aside from Xu Changling¡¯s children and grandchildren who were the direct descendants. There were only a few direct descendants in the younger generation. Xu Qinglu only had one son, Xu Zhengxin, and Xu Qinggang did not have a child. As for Xu Qingyuan, there was no need for explanation.


    There were quite a lot of descendants in the younger generation under the branched members. The most outstanding youngster among them was no Xu Zhengming but Xu Zhengchun.

 Chapter 51 - Receive Number Plate, Xu Family’s Three Elders

    Xu Zhengchun¡¯s father, Xu Qingjun, was in charge of the treasures of the Xu family. His status was slightly higher than that of Xu Qingliu¡¯s.


    The treatment that Xu Zhengchun had received since childhood was no worse than that of the manor master¡¯s grandson, Xu Zhengxin. He was very talented and had already advanced to Intermediate Mystical Warrior stage at the age of fifteen.


    There were few direct descendants in the Xu family. Moreover, Xu Zhengxin was not the type of person who liked to form groups. He was even not as famous as Xu Zhengchun. Xu Zhengchun seemed to be the leader among the younger generation of the Xu family. Even the youngsters who were older than him called him ¡®Elder Brother Zhengchun¡¯ to be closer to him.


    Xu Zhengming puckered his lips in the direction of Xu Yang and said, ¡°Elder Brother Zhengchun, the bastard left by Xu Qingyuan has a lot of guts now. How dare he mock me! Do you know that the bastard has beaten Zhengfei up until his cultivation has been crippled entirely?¡±


    Xu Zhengchun¡¯s handsome face turned gloomy and he said, ¡°Did you just say Xu Yang? I have been thinking about taking revenge for Zhengfei for quite some time. However, I did not have the time as I isolated myself recently to cultivate in order to beat Xu Zhengxin at the Grand Family Tournament. Is the trash here to participate in the Grand Family Tournament?¡±


    Xu Zhengming nodded and said, ¡°Yes. I must teach him a lesson and let them know that trash will always be trash. I must not let him feel that he has surpassed us after he has obtained some opportunities.¡±


    Xu Zhengchun nodded and asked, ¡°Which uncle is hosting the tournament this time?¡±


    Xu Zhengming laughed and said, ¡°Elder Brother Zhengchun, don¡¯t you know that this kind of task would always be hosted by my father.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Qingliu? That¡¯s great!¡± Xu Zhengchun smirked and said, ¡°Tell Uncle Qingliu to put me and that trash in one group. I must let that trash have an unforgettable day.¡±


    ¡°There is no need for Elder Brother Zhengchun to settle this kind of trash.¡± Xu Zhengming wanted to take credit for beating Xu Yang up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My father has arranged for the first group to be a match between me and Xu Yang. If I don¡¯t beat him up and ensure that he is bedridden for at least three months, I¡¯ll disown myself!¡±


    Xu Zhengchun did not even care about Xu Yang. He nodded when he heard Xu Zhengming¡¯s words, ¡°That¡¯s good. It is good for you to punish that trash by yourself in front of everyone. Zhengming, I will be spectating at the side when the time comes.¡±


    The two people were chatting happily as they walked to the gymnasium in the backyard together.


    The gymnasium was spacious. Its width and length were both one hundred feet respectively. There was a wooden platform with a diameter of ten feet built at the center of the gymnasium. The platform was where the tournament would take place.


    ¡°It¡¯s time!¡±


    ¡°The Grand Family Tournament will start now!¡±


    Xu Qingyuan in a silk robe stood on the platform and shouted loudly, ¡°Now, all of the Xu family¡¯s youngsters, listen to the orders!¡±


    ¡°Queue up and take the number plates one by one!¡±


    ¡°Divine No. 1, Xu Zhengming!¡±


    ¡°Divine No. 2, Xu Zhengyuan!¡±


    ¡°Divine No. 3¡­¡±


    As Xu Qingliu announced loudly, the Xu family¡¯s youngsters queued up and took their own number plates.


    A pergola was set up long ago on the northside of the gymnasium. A group of people slowly entered via the entrance of the gymnasium and walked into the pergola.


    The person in front was a spirited old man with grey hair. He looked at the long queue and sighed, ¡°These children are the future of our Xu family.¡±


    ¡°You are right, Manor Master.¡± An energetic old man behind him said. ¡°We feel rest assured when we see them.¡±


    The first old man turned his head and looked at the several old men behind him. He said, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we brothers gathered together.¡±


    ¡°Yes. We are all busy cultivating as we hope to break through to live longer.¡± The third old man stroked his beard and said. He was short and thin.


    These few people were the strongest people in the Xu family. The first old man was the manor master of the family, Xu Changling, and his cultivation was in the Pinnacle Mystical Grandmaster stage. The following two were the second elder and the third elder. Their cultivations were both in the Pinnacle Mystical Master stage. They were one step away from the Mystical Grandmaster stage.


    Although Xu Changling was the oldest among them, there were less wrinkles on his face. His body was not as rickety as theirs, and he was much tougher and stronger.


    The aging speed of Xu Changling was much slower than theirs as his cultivation was one stage higher.


    ¡°Please take a seat, Father and my two uncles.¡± The eldest son of Xu Changling, Xu Qinglu, ordered someone to bring three high chairs and invited them to sit down.


    ¡°Qinglu¡¯s cultivation is quite good. He has almost caught up to me.¡± The second elder of the Xu family sighed. It seemed that he was sighing with the thought of the elapsed time.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I see Zhengxin?¡± The third elder of the Xu family looked around and asked.


    ¡°Uncle, Zhengxin has to participate in the tournament too. He is queuing up to take the number plates.¡± Xu Qinglu answered.


    ¡°Hey. I have seen Zhengxin grow since he was just a young boy. He is a clever boy and he might be the champion this time.¡± The Second Elder of the Xu family chuckled and said.


    ¡°Not necessarily.¡± The third elder said with disapproval. ¡°My grandson, Zhengchun, is not that bad either. He has reached the Intermediate Mystical Warrior stage at the age of fifteen.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Stop arguing about these things.¡± Xu Changling said, ¡°It is the fight between the youngsters. We are not the ones to decide who would win or lose.¡±


    On the platform, in the middle of the gymnasium, Xu Qingliu announced loudly, ¡°All Xu family¡¯s youngsters, immediately queue up in two rows according to your numbers. One row for the Divine group and one row for the Earth group.¡±


    Xu Yang realized that when he looked at the number plate in his hand, two words were written on it, Earth One. He smirked and walked to the front of the queue on the right.


    ¡°Is that Xu Yang?¡±


    ¡°It seems so. He is Earth No.1.¡±


    ¡°That is terrible. Divine No.1 holder is Xu Zhengming who has already formed his Mystical Core. It is said that he has conflict with Xu Yang.¡±


    The whispers were all heard by Xu Yang but he was not affected. He stood still at the front of the right hand side queue.


    It was Xu Zhengming who was standing at the front of the left hand side queue. He was haughtily looking at Xu Yang. His lips moved and he spoke with a very low voice, ¡°Trash, be prepared for your death. It¡¯s too late for you to leave now.¡±


    Xu Yang was not bothered to entertain the buzzing fly, he closed his eyes to rest. In Xu Zhengming¡¯s view, Xu Yang¡¯s behavior was a sign of showing his fear. He sneered and his ironic words continued flowing.


    After everyone was in line, Xu Qingliu looked at Xu Yang and Xu Zhengming who were at the forefront of the two rows. A strange smile flashed on his face indistinctly and he announced loudly, ¡°The tournament will begin now! The first group, Xu Zhengming, Divine No.1 and Xu Yang, Earth No.1!¡±


    In the pergola on the north side, Xu Changling, who was sitting in the middle, suddenly opened his eyes. His eyes gleamed momentarily.


    ¡°Xu Yang? Which Xu Yang? Is it the¡­¡± The Second Elder of the Xu family was surprised.


    ¡°Yes. It is that bastard. Xu Qingyuan¡¯s child.¡± The third elder of the Xu family snorted and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what the organizer is thinking. How can a deserted member of the family be able to participate in the Grand Family Tournament.¡±


    Xu Qinglu frowned and said, ¡°Third Elder, that¡¯s too much. Although my younger brother was reckless at that time, he had his own reasons. His children are innocent! Xu Yang is also one of our Xu family¡¯s descendants.¡±


    ¡°Too much? How am I too much?¡± The third elder of the Xu family said angrily. ¡°If it were not for Xu Qingyuan¡¯s arrogance, how would the miserable disaster have happened and how would your fourth uncle have died so early? ¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Xu Changling smacked the armrest of the chair and said furiously.


    There was suddenly silence in the pergola with the prestigious aura of the manor master. The third elder of the Xu family muttered in a low voice, ¡°Pfft, let¡¯s see how the trash with an eight-extreme physique is going to embarrass himself.¡±

 Chapter 52 - Wind Slash, One Punch Knock Down

    ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Xu Zhengming launched his Mystical Power and hopped onto the platform while laughing.


    ¡°Come on, trash! I¡¯ll let you know how strong a Mystical Warrior is!¡± Xu Zhengming was staring at Xu Yang, and his eyes were full of provocation. ¡°This time, I¡¯ll break your bones and have you lie in bed for three months.¡±


    ¡°Gosh. It seems that the resentment between Xu Zhengming and Xu Yang is quite serious. Xu Zhengming hates Xu Yang very much!¡± Someone whispered.


    ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to Xu Yang? He might be beaten to death.¡±


    ¡°As I see it, that won¡¯t happen. Our Uncles and Grandfathers at the northside are watching them. They will save Xu Yang at a suitable time and they won¡¯t let someone die. However, he is destined to be badly beaten up.¡±


    The number Xu Zhengxin got was Divine No.9. He did not care about his opponent but was observing Xu Yang with a trace of doubt in his eyes.


    ¡®He was already a Mystical Warrior the last time I met him at the Warm Pavilion. Why are there no traces of Mystical Power around his body like he is still in the Mystical Learner stage?¡¯ Xu Zhengxin thought to himself.


    Xu Yang finally took action when the crowd was busy discussing. He jumped succinctly up to two feet in the air. He was like a humanoid bluestone that fell heavily on the platform, making a rumbling loud noise.


    There was silence in the gymnasium when the spectators saw spider-web-like cracks under Xu Yang¡¯s feet.


    The ring was made of basalt stone and was extremely strong. Even a Mystical Warrior was not able to cause too much damage to it if he were to bombard it with Mystical Power. However, Xu Yang merely hit the ground with his physical strength and cracks appeared! Was that not ridiculous?


    ¡®I wonder how strong his physical strength is.¡¯ Plenty of youngsters of the Xu family had the same thought.


    ¡°Since you are so eager to knock on death¡¯s door, make sure you don¡¯t blame others when that happens.¡± Xu Yang said indifferently to Xu Zhengming.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Xu Zhengming waved his hand. ¡°Xu Yang, do you know that you are not allowed to use Mystical Armor in the Grand Family Tournament? You must use your own cultivation to fight!¡± He thought of the scene in which Xu Yang received his Mystical Iron Palm successfully half a month ago.


    ¡°Zhengming is right. Xu Yang, you are violating the rules if you use a hidden Mystical Armor. It is still not too late to take it out.¡± Xu Qingliu agreed with his son and said, as if he was being fair and just. His eyes flashed with greed when he mentioned Mystical Armor.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any Mystical Armor.¡± Xu Yang said placidly.


    ¡°Do you dare to receive an inspection?¡± Xu Zhengming yelled at him.


    ¡°Fine by me as long as you receive an inspection too.¡± Xu Yang¡¯s tone was frosty.


    There were people arguing under the ring. Xu Yang was only a Mystical Learner. He would be unable to contend with Xu Zhengming who was a Mystical Warrior even if he had a Mystical Armor. They thought that Xu Zhengming was being too cautious and that he was lacking in demeanor.


    Many amidst the crowd felt that Xu Zhengming¡¯s suspicion made sense. Xu Yang was behaving much too calmly. A Mystical Learner¡¯s face would have surely turned pale and be sweating profusely when facing an opponent at the Mystical Warrior stage. Xu Yang¡¯s steady attitude must mean that he was hiding a Mystical Armor which could help him to deal with Xu Zhengming!


    Two Xu family¡¯s guards then started the inspection on Xu Yang and Xu Zhengming after apologizing about having to do so.


    ¡°Master, both of them are not hiding any Mystical Armor.¡± One of the guards made a fist-and-palm salute and reported to Xu Qingliu.


    Plenty of the youngsters of the Xu family snickered under the ring. Xu Zhengming¡¯s false accusations had caused him to lose his demeanor even before the fight had begun. However, Xu Yang was not hiding any Mystical Armor. This portrayed Xu Zhengming as a person who judged someone else based on his own lowly standards.


    Xu Zhengming¡¯s face turned red after he heard the laughter of the crowd. He then grudgingly said, ¡°Okay. Now we can have a fair fight.¡±


    The laughter under the ring became louder. A fair fight? How could he say that it was a fair fight when it was a Mystical Warrior fighting with a Mystical Learner?


    ¡°You talk too much.¡± Xu Yang¡¯s face was still calm.


    A trace of fierce anger flashed in Xu Zhengming¡¯s eyes and light green Wind-Mystical Power poured out. ¡°You are knocking on death¡¯s door!¡±


    ¡°Wind Slash!¡± Xu Zhengming condensed all of the Mystical Power in his entire body and formed a huge green blade. He walked one step forward, as his palm was slashed fiercely through the air, and the green blade rushed rapidly toward Xu Yang.


    ¡°Marvelous! The Mystical Technique, Wind Slash, is extremely sharp and its strength has exceeded one hundred juns!¡± Some of the Xu family¡¯s youngsters¡¯ faces turned pale. ¡°Xu Zhengming wants to kill him! Xu Yang would be heavily injured even if he does not die after receiving this attack!¡±


    Xu Qinglu¡¯s expression suddenly changed when he saw the scene at a place not far from them. He said, ¡°Quick, stop him!¡±


    Xu Yang snickered and stretched out his left hand. There was rich red Mystical Power gushing out from his hand. His left hand turned grey, as if there was a rock extending to his wrist under the fiery red color.


    A strange sound produced by friction came and the crowd was surprised to see that Xu Yang was using only one of his hands to receive Xu Zhengming¡¯s Wind Slash. The huge green blade burst apart when it rubbed against his defending arm under violent wind rotations.


    The residual power of the Wind Slash destroyed by Xu Yang furiously churned and whirled the clouds of dust on the platform high up in the air like a vortex.


    ¡°Fire Mystical Power!¡±


    ¡°He has Fire Mystical Power. Xu Yang is a Mystical Warrior!¡±


    The audience exclaimed in shock.


    Xu Yang swiftly rushed in front of Xu Zhengming and punched out when Xu Zhengming was stunned in utter disbelief.


    Xu Zhengming was taken aback by his attack and he hastily crossed his arms in front of his chest.


    Crack!


    The heavy punch with two hundred Juns of strength easily broke Xu Zhengming¡¯s defense, and the sound of breaking bones was clearly heard. Xu Zhengming was knocked into the air like a torn sack.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Xu Qingliu was extremely angry and rushed forward. He wanted to grab Xu Yang¡¯s collar with his hand to stop him from attacking further.


    Xu Yang seemed to have a pair of eyes behind his head. He deftly avoided Xu Qingliu¡¯s hands and shadowed Xu Zhengming who had been tossed high up in the air. Then, he raised his palms into the air.


    Pap! Pap!


    A crisp and clear slapping sound could be heard. Xu Zhengming¡¯s body was smacked vehemently, and he rotated several times in mid-air before falling from the platform.


    The audience gave way to his fall, and Xu Zhengming¡¯s body fell heavily on the ground with a loud sound. His arms drooped softly by his side, it was apparent that he had suffered fractured bones. What was even worse was his rather handsome face that was heavily bruised and badly swollen, as two lines of blood flowed from his mouth.


    Xu Yang had exerted control on his strength at the last few slaps but it was still strong enough to knock out half of Xu Zhengming¡¯s teeth, a terrible sight to behold.


    ¡°You¡­¡± The referee Xu Qingliu, who was in charge of hosting the tournament, roared when he saw his son¡¯s miserable condition. ¡°I told you to stop. Why did you continue attacking mercilessly?¡±


    Xu Yang replied calmly, ¡°Why should I stop since he didn¡¯t surrender?¡±


    Xu Qingliu was speechless and he could only say, ¡°Whatever it may be, your attacks are too violent. I want to revoke your qualification to continue participating in the tournament!¡±


    ¡°Xu Yang¡¯s attacks are indeed rather violent.¡±


    ¡°Violent? Didn¡¯t you see Xu Zhengming¡¯s Wind Slash that was going to tear Xu Yang apart?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Xu Zhengming was more violent than Xu Yang. Didn¡¯t you see that Xu Yang had controlled his strength in the last few slaps?¡±


    The audience was arguing amongst themselves. Most of the Xu family¡¯s youngsters thought that it was not Xu Yang¡¯s fault. There were only a few youngsters who were close to Xu Zhengming thinking that it was Xu Yang who had crossed the line.


    A middle-aged man with a stern face walked onto the platform. He said indifferently to Xu Qingliu, ¡°Did you just say that Xu Yang was being too violent, and that you want to revoke his qualification? Who gave you the power to do that?¡±


    Xu Qingliu retreated a step backward. The man was the third son of the manor master, Xu Qinggang.


    Xu Qingliu was in charge of purchasing items for the family. Most of the celebrations in the family were hosted by him. His status was quite high in the Xu family. Xu Qingliu was not even afraid of Xu Qinglu, who was the manor master¡¯s eldest son. However, he was afraid of Xu Qinggang.

 Chapter 53 - Conflict, Number Changing Challenge

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Qinggang.¡± Xu Qinglu walked out of the pergola at the northside and said, ¡°Qingliu is just concerned about his son. Qingliu, you may transfer the duty as the host of the tournament to Qinggang. Zhengming¡¯s injuries are quite serious. You may bring him to get treated.¡±


    Xu Qingliu was given a chance to leave. He nodded to show agreement and glared at Xu Yang hatefully. He jumped off the platform and held Xu Zhengming in his arms.


    Xu Yang became calm once again after knocking down Xu Zhengming. The power that he had exuded previously suddenly disappeared, and the Mystical Power around his body could no longer be seen. He stood there like an ordinary teenager in the Mystical Learner stage.


    However, no one would be that stupid to think that Xu Yang was a Mystical Learner. Everyone now knew that Xu Yang had formed his Mystical Core and that he was a real Mystical Warrior from the violent outburst just a moment ago.


    ¡®He has cultivated a Mystical Technique that can hide his aura.¡¯ Xu Zhengxin¡¯s doubts were cleared.


    ¡°Xu Yang won the first match of the Grand Family Tournament.¡± Xu Qinggang was a straight-to-the-point kind of person. He immediately announced the result after the duty as the host was passed on to him. ¡°The second match, Divine No.2, Xu Zhenyuan and Earth No.2, Xu Zhengzha.¡±


    Xu Yang did not think that he could learn anything from a battle between two Mystical Learners. He was not bothered about the battle and he jumped down from the ring. He then saw Xu Yu skipping toward him, and pouncing into his embrace. She cheerfully said, ¡°Brother, you were amazing!¡±


    Xu Yang smiled and caressed Xu Yu¡¯s head. Chubby Ball struggled out of Xu Yu¡¯s arms and quickly climbed onto Xu Yang¡¯s shoulder.


    Ever since Chubby Ball was taken home by Xu Yang, it had always been Xu Yu who fed it, and Xu Yang rarely cared about it. However, Chubby Ball was particularly intimate with Xu Yang. This intimacy had made Xu Yu envious more than once.


    ¡°Where are we going now, Brother?¡± Xu Yu¡¯s hand was held by Xu Yang as she asked.


    ¡°With the number of people waiting, my second match won¡¯t be that soon. I might need to wait for about two hours.¡± Xu Yang answered. ¡°The matches between these people are not that fascinating. Let¡¯s go to the middle of the courtyard.¡±


    ¡°Stop, Xu Yang.¡± An arrogant voice sounded behind him.


    Xu Yang turned his head and saw a tall teenager with fair complexion staring at him.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Xu Yang asked indifferently.


    ¡°I should introduce myself. I¡¯m Xu Zhengchun.¡± The pale teenager¡¯s eyes were cold. ¡°Xu Yang, I have underestimated you. I didn¡¯t expect you to have advanced into the Mystical Warrior stage, and be able to conceal your true cultivation.¡±


    Xu Zhengchun? Xu Yang had heard about this person before. It was said that he was an outstanding youngster in Lin Yuan City¡¯s Xu family. He was as well-known as the manor master¡¯s grandson, Xu Zhengxin. They were known as the Xu family¡¯s future.


    However, it was none of Xu Yang¡¯s business. Xu Yang frowned when he heard the words laced with irony.


    ¡°Although you have defeated Zhengming, you are not without any weakness.¡± Xu Zhengchun said. ¡°It is true that your physical strength is strong but your cultivation of Mystical Power is too shallow as you have just entered the Mystical Warrior stage. You won¡¯t be able to fight with me if you were not given a chance at melee combat, based purely on Mystical Techniques.¡±


    ¡°Victory and defeat are not decided by words alone.¡± Xu Yang said.


    Xu Zhengchun was furious. He did not expect the trash, Xu Yang, to diss him in return when he had lowered his status to speak with him. Xu Yang even showed his contempt toward him.


    Unforgivable!


    ¡°Good, this is great.¡± Xu Zhengchun was so mad to the point where he laughed in response. ¡°I hope you can persevere with this attitude of yours. I will let you know the difference between a true genius and trash. I can guarantee that your ending will be ten times worse than that of Zhengming¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°What is your number?¡± Xu Yang asked.


    ¡°Divine No.5.¡± Xu Zhengchun flashed his wooden plate and snickered proudly. ¡°After three matches, we shall meet on the ring.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to wait for so long.¡± Xu Yang looked around and asked loudly, ¡°Who¡¯s Earth No.5?¡±


    A youngster with dark complexion nearby raised his wooden plate and said, ¡°I, I am.¡±


    ¡°I am giving you a choice to change your Earth No.5 plate with my Earth No.1 plate.¡± Xu Yang waved his wooden plate and said, ¡°Are you willing to exchange with me?¡±


    The youngster was surprised by this luck of his. He was stunned and said, ¡°I will exchange with you!¡±


    The dark-skinned teenager was initially shocked when he got Earth No.5. His first match¡¯s opponent would be Xu Zhengchun who was Divine No.5, and he would have no chance in winning.


    Earth No.1, Xu Yang, had already won the first match, and he wanted to exchange the Earth No.5 wooden plate in his hands. It meant that he did not need to go through the first round¡¯s match, and he could directly enter the second round! The most important thing was that he did not have to face the extremely strong Xu Zhengchun.


    Each round of the Grand Family Tournament of the Xu family had a lot of rewards such as Mystical Stones, Spirit Elixirs, Mystical Scriptures, Spirit Treasures, and others. The dark-skinned youngster was afraid that Xu Yang would regret his decision, he quickly dashed forward and put the Earth No.5 plate in Xu Yang¡¯s hand.


    Xu Yang smiled and gave him the Earth No.1 plate.


    Xu Qinggang, on the platform, saw the exchange clearly but he did not say anything. He had apparently acquiesced to Xu Yang¡¯s behaviour of violating the rules.


    Xu Zhengchun saw Xu Yang¡¯s action of exchanging for the Earth No.5 wooden plate. His pale face turned purple because of his anger.


    This was an obvious act of contempt toward him!


    ¡°Trash, dumbass! You have successfully angered me!¡± Xu Zhengchun gritted his teeth and scolded, ¡°I swear that I will make you pay for it!¡±


    ¡°He is so terrifying¡­¡± Xu Yu pulled at Xu Yang¡¯s arm and her small figure cowered in fear. She hid behind Xu Yang and said timidly.


    Xu Yang caressed his sister¡¯s head and comforted her. His pair of beautiful black eyes stared at Xu Zhengchun.


    ¡°Now, you have also angered me.¡± Xu Yang said the words one by one. Chubby Ball on his shoulder gritted its teeth and made a threatening grunting sound. However, its chubby body and short legs did not exude much of a threatening aura.


    The surrounding Xu family¡¯s youngsters instantly started to spread the news.


    ¡°Do you know that Xu Yang has exchanged his number plate?¡±


    ¡°Exchanging plates? Isn¡¯t he violating the rules? Why is Uncle Qinggang not doing anything about it? ¡±


    ¡°Why would he do anything? Do you know what plate Xu Yang has exchanged for? It is Earth No.5!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    There were exclamations that showed the feelings of disbelief that sounded everywhere in the gymnasium. The other people were very concerned about the number plates of the two geniuses in the Intermediate Mystical Warrior stage, Xu Zhengxin and Xu Zhengchun.


    Everyone knew that Xu Zhengxin was Divine No.9, and Xu Zhengchun was Divine No.5. Xu Yang took the initiative to exchange for the plate Earth No.5. What did this mean? It meant that Xu Yang was challenging Xu Zhengchun!


    The youngsters of the Xu family had lost a lot of interest in the next three matches. Their attention was focused on the fifth match which was the match between Xu Zhengchun and Xu Yang.


    ¡°One is a genius in the Mystical Warrior stage and the other is the strong one who defeated Xu Zhengming. Who will win?¡±


    ¡°I think Xu Zhengchun will win. He has formed his Mystical Core a year and a half ago! It is a fact that he has an accumulation of a year and a half more than Xu Yang.¡±


    ¡°Xu Yang is also good. He defeated Xu Zhengming whose cultivation is in the Primary Mystical Warrior stage with one punch. His combat power should not be much worse than that of Xu Zhengchun¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°It should be a fascinating battle. We¡¯re in for a good show!¡±


    The atmosphere had been livened up before the battle between Xu Yang and Xu Zhengchun started. Xu Yang¡¯s nickname ¡®trash¡¯ was no longer mentioned.

 Chapter 54 - Mist-Flame Spear, Scorching-Fire Wave

    ¡°The fifth match, Divine No. 5, Xu Zhengchun, and Earth No. 5¡­ Xu Yang!¡± Xu Qinggang paused for a while and said loudly.


    ¡°What happened? Xu Yang has already participated in a match. Why is he having another match now? Even his number plate has been changed.¡± Xu Changling frowned.


    Xu Qinglu smiled bitterly and walked to him. He said, ¡°Father, it is because Xu Yang took the initiative to exchange his number plate with Xu Zhengchun¡¯s opponent.¡±


    ¡°What? How dare he!¡± Third Elder of the Xu family smacked his hand on the tall chair and yelled angrily, ¡°The little bastard really wants to die! How dare he take the initiative to challenge Zhengchun?¡±


    ¡°Arrogant! Ignorant! He is just like his father!¡± Third Elder of the Xu family angrily scolded, ¡°Hurry, tell Zhengchun to not hold back. Beat him up heavily!¡±


    ¡°Brother!¡± Xu Changling scolded him and said with dignity, ¡°Qinglu, go and inform Qinggang that it is a match within the family. Make sure that no one crosses the line.¡±


    Third Elder said angrily, ¡°No way!¡±


    The rickety old man with a long beard immediately stood up and said to Xu Changling, ¡°Manor Master, I totally disagree with what you said. If you say that they cannot cross the line in the family tournament, what about Xu Yang who beat my Zhengming up so badly?¡±


    Xu Qinglu was in a difficult position, and he looked at his father.


    Even Xu Changling himself was in a difficult position. If he were to stop the tournament at that moment, Xu Yang would have to be punished as he truly did cross the line in the first match. However, he was worried about Xu Yang if he did not assert this rule in the match between Xu Zhengchun and Xu Yang.


    The Second Elder stood up and said, ¡°Elder Brother, as I see it, we shouldn¡¯t just sit here and wait. It might be one of the most fascinating matches in this tournament. Why don¡¯t we go and spectate it?¡±


    Xu Changling pondered for a while and soon understood Second Elder¡¯s intention. He stroked his beard and said with a smile, ¡°Good idea. It is quite boring to sit here. Let¡¯s go! Qinglu, there¡¯s no need to stop them.¡±


    Xu Changling knew what to do. If he could spectate nearby the ring, he could save Xu Yang easily with his cultivation in the Mystical Grandmaster stage in case Xu Yang were to meet a life-threatening danger.


    With Xu Qinggang¡¯s announcement, loud laughter sounded under the ring.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for a long time.¡± Xu Zhengchun walked onto the ring step by step, hovering slightly in mid-air. It seemed as if there were invisible steps supporting him. He was dressed in noble white attire and this made him even more handsome.


    ¡°Fuh¡­ He is indeed a genius that can be compared with Xu Zhengxin. The technique to walk in mid-air is marvelous! I am pretty sure that there is no other youngster in our family who can do this.¡± A youngster from the Xu family said in wonderment.


    ¡°Beautiful but useless.¡± Xu Yang made a conclusion.


    Xu Zhengchun was using Mystical Power to support himself. He had to use Mystical Power every step he took and it required good control of Mystical Power.


    The real technique of walking in mid-air was a natural ability of a Mystical Grandmaster who could control himself and reach the Micro-Sight stage. The fact that Xu Zhengchun had to be extremely careful every single step he took was an embarrassment to the technique of being able to walk in mid-air.


    However, it was quite extraordinary for a Mystical Warrior to be able to perform this kind of trick. Even Xu Qinggang¡¯s eyes flashed in surprise.


    ¡°It is a match within the family. Don¡¯t cross the line. You are not enemies.¡± Although Xu Qinggang did not receive the manor master¡¯s orders to say so, he took it upon himself to say that nonetheless. He stared at Xu Zhengchun and Xu Yang on the ring and said, ¡°Understood?¡±


    A sneer flashed in Xu Zhengchun¡¯s eyes and he said, ¡°Uncle Qinggang, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t agree with what you said. How can we improve when we are not allowed to fight using all our strength? Cultivating Mystical Qi is a process of breaking through in an extremely dangerous situation. If one were to not have the courage to do that, it is better to admit defeat and live a commoner¡¯s life! What would be the purpose of participating in the Grand Family Tournament?¡±


    Xu Zhengchun was able to guess Xu Qinggang¡¯s thoughts. He warned them before the match as he was worried that Xu Yang would be beaten up too badly.


    Xu Qinggang¡¯s deep eyes glanced at Xu Zhengchun, and he retreated a few steps backward to leave a space. He said, ¡°You may start now.¡±


    Xu Zhengchun swiftly hopped backward and created some distance between him and Xu Yang the moment Xu Qinggang told them to start. He had seen the scene in which Xu Zhengming was beaten up heavily by Xu Yang¡¯s punch. He would definitely not make the same mistake.


    ¡°Mist-Flame Spear!¡± Xu Zhengchun was a Fire-Extreme Mystical Warrior. He quickly casted this long-range attacking Mystical Technique after leaving some distance between him and Xu Yang.


    The scorching and fierce Fire Mystical Power came out of Xu Zhengchun¡¯s palm and shot toward Xu Yang. It was a spear-shaped flame.


    Xu Yang had seen the Mist-Flame Spear cast by Wei Haoshan from Fire-Cloud Dojo before. Comparing both their attacks, although Xu Zhengchun¡¯s Mystical Power¡¯s strength was weaker than Wei Haoshan¡¯s, the purity of his Mystical Power was higher. This illustrated the outstanding qualification of a youngster from big families.


    Xu Yang extended his left hand and took a deep breath. An attractive force poured out from his palm. The huge flame spear that was shot toward Xu Yang¡¯s chest was rigidly and forcefully pulled away from its intended target and went straight toward his palm.


    Xu Yang¡¯s left hand launched Rock Body right after that. The stone-grey color covered his left hand and pulverized the Mist-Flame Spear into red flames.


    ¡°Nice one, young fella! His physical strength is unimaginably strong.¡± The second elder of the Xu family said with surprise on the high chair near the ring. ¡°I wonder how Xu Yang tempered his body. He is like a cub of a savage beast!¡±


    The third elder of the Xu family was slightly jealous and snorted. ¡°The foundation of a Mystical Cultivator is Mystical Power and Mystical Cultivation. It is no use to be strong in physical strength only.¡±


    Xu Zhengchun¡¯s eyes flashed with surprise. Only when he was actually facing Xu Yang, could he then feel how strong Xu Yang¡¯s physical strength was.


    The Mist-Flame Spear he launched contained a strength exceeding one hundred fifty juns. Xu Yang could crush it with one hand and this meant that his physical strength was stronger than one hundred fifty juns.


    Xu Zhengchun¡¯s cultivation was in the Intermediate Mystical Warrior stage, having a physical strength of fifty juns was considered quite good. However, this kind of physical strength was much weaker than Xu Yang¡¯s!


    ¡°Okay, I admit that your physical strength is really strong. It is your honor as I¡¯ll start to take you seriously now.¡± Xu Zhengchun said, ¡°Use all your strength. I¡¯ll show you how useless it is to have strong physical strength!¡±


    Xu Yang shook his head and said indifferently, ¡°You didn¡¯t get what I said.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Xu Zhengchun frowned.


    ¡°I exchanged for the No.5 plate not because you are eligible to be my opponent but I didn¡¯t want to hear you buzzing around my ears like an annoying fly.¡± Xu Yang¡¯s peaceful demeanor seemed to be merely stating a fact. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you take me seriously or not. You only need to know that I have never taken you seriously.¡±


    Xu Zhengchun¡¯s expression was awful to say the least to find out that Xu Yang never took him seriously!


    The laughter that came from under the stage was like a thorn penetrating deeply into Xu Zhengchun¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Argh! Xu Yang! I will kill you!¡± Xu Zhengchun huffed and green veins appeared on his forehead. ¡°Scorching-Fire Wave! Go to hell!¡±


    The scorching Fire-Mystical Power poured out from every Mystical Vein of Xu Zhengchun¡¯s entire body. The Mystical Power turned into a real sea of fire, and the fire waves swept toward Xu Yang.

 Chapter 55 - Win Zhengchun, Family Recognition

    ¡°Earth-Intermediate Mystical Technique, Scorching-Fire Wave!¡± The second elder of the Xu family stood up and said, ¡°Zhengchun is really good. It seems that he has already mastered the essence of this Mystical Technique from his aura. Even a Mystical Warrior in the Advanced or Pinnacle tier could be burned to death.¡±


    The third elder of the Xu family stroked his beard and said proudly, ¡°Pfft! I have already said that Zhengchun is clever and talented. That trash Xu Yang has overestimated himself in challenging him.¡±


    The manor master, Xu Changling, did not do anything. He had keen eyes. He glanced at Xu Yang and noticed that the good-looking, slender teenager¡¯s face was calm when facing the scorching waves. He was like a statue!


    ¡®Xu Yang¡­ Are you able to receive this massive attack?¡¯ Xu Changling seemed to be sitting still but the air around him had slowly stagnated. This Mystical Grandmaster was looking for a chance to save Xu Yang.


    Xu Zhengchun laughed loudly in the ring. He seemed to be maniacal as he said, ¡°Xu Yang! Xu Yang! Even if your physical strength is strong, you are destined to be defeated by my Scorching-Fire Wave. Mystical Power and Mystical Cultivation are the foundation of a Mystical Cultivator, and they always will be. You deserve this lesson today as a reminder!¡±


    The scorching waves rolled up clouds of smoke and dust. The air above the ring was strangely twisted and this made it difficult to see what was going on in the ring.


    ¡°It seems that this is all the power that you have.¡± Xu Yang finally moved. He walked unabatedly toward Xu Zhengchun in the burning wave of flames.


    Every single one of his steps were the same. Every single one of his steps were accurate as if they were measured by a ruler.


    ¡°Impossible¡­ Impossible!¡± Xu Zhengchun¡¯s proud face turned pale. ¡°How could you defend against the power of the Scorching-Fire Wave! You must be cheating!¡±


    Xu Yang walked step by step toward Xu Zhengchun, finally arriving in front of him. His blue shirt was burnt and torn, and his slender and firm exposed body could be seen. His face and exposed skin were covered in a grey layer like an unmovable stone.


    Xu Yang held Xu Zhengchun with one hand. He slightly bent his right hand and the sound of bones crackling emerged.


    Xu Yang decided to use this one punch to beat Xu Zhengchun until his bones were broken and blood was spurting everywhere.


    Xu Zhengchun¡¯s Mystical Power was nearly drained out after he launched the Earth-Intermediate Mystical Technique. He was not capable enough to fight with Xu Yang using his physical strength.


    Xu Zhengchun could hardly breathe as the hand Xu Yang was using to grab his neck was as hard as steel. Xu Zhengchun¡¯s eyes finally flashed with fear when he saw Xu Yang¡¯s awaiting right fist.


    ¡°Enough, Xu Yang¡­ Stop.¡± An old voice came from beside the ring.


    Xu Zhengchun was wrapped in a gust of wind and Xu Yang¡¯s expression changed. The Wind Mystical Power was extremely soft but there was a huge force that could not be resisted. Xu Yang would not be able to break the wind barrier even if he were to exert all his strength coupled with Mystical Power. As such, he could no longer hurt Xu Zhengchun.


    There were no other people with such strength in the whole Xu family except for the manor master, Xu Changling.


    ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± Xu Yu said timidly, ¡°This is unfair¡­¡±


    Xu Changling glanced at Xu Yu lovingly and said, ¡°Xu Yang has won the match.¡±


    No one disagreed. After seeing that his grandson was not injured, the third elder of the Xu family breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Xu Changling¡¯s eyes. A flash of gratitude appeared and disappeared just as quickly.


    ¡°Xu Yang, come here. Let Grandpa take a good look at you.¡± Xu Changling waved his hand at Xu Yang who was on the ring.


    A contradictory feeling suddenly appeared in Xu Yang¡¯s heart. Xu Yang that came from the future found it difficult to acknowledge this grandfather. However, the dead Xu Yang¡¯s sense of belonging to the Xu family that was in his blood had also deeply influenced Xu Yang¡¯s decision.


    After releasing a long breath, Xu Yang walked slowly down the ring and bowed. ¡°Manor Master.¡±


    Disappointment flashed on Xu Changling¡¯s old face when he heard Xu Yang call him Manor Master. ¡°You are not willing to call me Grandpa. You must blame me for not being responsible as a grandpa and not taking care of you two.¡±


    Xu Yang placed his arm around Xu Yu¡¯s thin shoulder and said nothing.


    ¡°I hope that you know that Grandpa was forced to do what he had to do that time¡­ Sigh! The Xu family owes you two a lot.¡± Xu Changling sighed. ¡°You called me Manor Master. At least it means that you haven¡¯t isolated yourself from the Xu family.¡±


    ¡°Xu Yang, your grandfather never thought of giving up on you and your sister.¡± Xu Qinggang walked down the ring and stood beside Xu Yang. He looked into Xu Yang¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°I have been looking after you all these years. When you were in mortal danger, I did not hold back. Do you remember several times when you were beaten up heavily by others and blacked out in the streets but found yourself back at home with your wounds mostly healed?¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just save him when he was bullied by the others?¡± Xu Yu asked, her voice cracking.


    Xu Changling sighed. ¡°It was my order. I told Qinggang not to do anything if the danger was not fatal¡­ The reason stems from the huge faction that is threatening us. They warned us, the Xu family, not to accept Qingyuan¡¯s children and that we must not take care of you. The Xu family may be wiped out if the faction were to find out that we have been sheltering Xu Yang.¡±


    ¡°Manor Master, you told Xu Yang to call you Grandfather. Does that mean that you want to take back these two deserted members?¡± The third elder of the Xu family could no longer keep his silence and said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget about the Mo family!¡±


    ¡°Enough is enough!¡± Xu Changling yelled. ¡°Although the fame of the Mo family is terrifying, we, the Xu family, can no longer mistreat Qingyuan¡¯s children!¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± The third elder wanted to refute but was stopped by the second elder.


    The energetic old man said joyfully, ¡°We are brothers. Stop arguing about this. Elder Brother is the head of the family and we should abide by his decision. Calm down, Third Brother.¡±


    Third Elder huffed and sat down reluctantly.


    The argument between the three grandfathers was clearly heard by the Xu family¡¯s youngsters.


    ¡°Manor Master wants Xu Yang to return!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great! We, the Xu family, will have one more teenage genius. We¡¯ll see how the Yu family and Ge family would still dare to be arrogant and laugh at us.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too happy. As I see it, Xu Yang hasn¡¯t shown any intention to return the family.¡± Someone in the crowd had keen observation.


    ¡°No way. How can he be unwilling to return to the family?¡±


    ¡°Xu Yang, it¡¯s time for you to come home.¡± Xu Changling looked at Xu Yang softly and said.


    Xu Yang lowered his head and caressed Xu Yu¡¯s head saying, ¡°Xu Yu, what do you think?¡±


    Xu Yu¡¯s eyes flashed with a look of anticipation and longing, but she said obediently, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you, Brother. I¡¯ll follow Brother¡¯s decision.¡±


    Xu Yang captured the fleeting change in Xu Yu¡¯s eyes and he was slightly touched.


    Xu Yang raised his head and looked into Xu Changling¡¯s eyes. ¡°Manor Master, do you want me to return to the family regardless of the Sea-Cloud Mo family¡¯s reaction?¡±

 Chapter 56 - Bet On The Familys Luck, Three Conditions

    Xu Yang knew that Mystical Cultivators who could reach the Mystical Grandmaster stage were all persistent people. They would continue doing something persistently once they believed that it was right. There were only rare conditions where they would change their decision.


    Xu Changling¡¯s decision of casting Xu Yang and Xu Yu out from the family under the pressure of the Mo family was not a decision that was simply made, he must have believed that it was something that had to be done, and he would not change his mind about it easily.


    Xu Changling sighed. ¡°I have endured torment for more than a decade and I am filled with regrets. I often feel that I have not taken good care of you two and I feel sorry toward Qingyuan. Li Zhongxuan disregarded the Mo family¡¯s pressure and chose to help you. I feel even more guilty because of that¡­ Now, I finally have a chance to let you return to the family, and the Mo family should not go against that. I have decided to disregard all my concerns and put everything on this opportunity.¡±


    ¡°What kind of chance are you talking about?¡± Everyone in the Xu family, aside from Xu Yang, was attentively listening to what he had to say. ¡°What is the chance that can let us never be afraid of the Mo family¡¯s threat?¡±


    ¡°The chance is the Sea-Cloud Academy selection.¡± Xu Changling said. ¡°As the campus to cultivate the geniuses in the Sea-Cloud Kingdom, the influence of the Sea-Cloud Academy is even stronger than the Mo family¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Manor Master, do you want Xu Yang to participate in Sea-Cloud Academy¡¯s selection to limit the actions of the Mo family?¡± The third elder stood up suddenly and said. ¡°No, no way! Let¡¯s not even talk about whether Xu Yang could actually become a student of the Sea-Cloud Academy, even if he did, the Mo family would not be bothered about a mere student in the academy as they are extremely powerful.¡±


    ¡°What if Xu Yang could show an outstanding performance in Sea-Cloud Academy and have the academy show great interest in nurturing him?¡± Xu Changling said, ¡°If that happens, the Mo family would have to tread carefully before doing anything to Xu Yang and our Xu family.¡±


    ¡°I admit that what the manor master is saying makes sense but the chance of that happening is extremely low! Sea-Cloud Kingdom governs forty-three nations, and has a territory of billions of miles. It is extremely tough to be outstanding and have Sea-Cloud Academy notice him from among billions of people!¡± The third elder did not want to back down. ¡°Manor Master, you are betting the lives of the whole family, and we are likely to lose everything!¡±


    ¡°I believe that Xu Yang has the capability.¡± Xu Changling said indifferently, ¡°Qinggang, tell everyone about the changes that Xu Yang is going through these days.¡±


    Xu Qinggang nodded and looked around at everyone. He started speaking when he saw that the people were listening to him.


    ¡°Three months ago, Xu Yang suddenly participated in the ascetic team of Vast-Gate Dojo. I was punished by my father as I didn¡¯t manage to protect him.¡±


    ¡°Xu Yang finally returned to Lin Yuan City a month ago and his cultivation was in the Intermediate Mystical Learner stage.¡±


    ¡°Xu Yang broke through into the Advanced Mystical Learner stage in ten days. He cultivated a kind of body tempering technique and defeated two Mystical Warriors from the Fire-Cloud Dojo!¡±


    The audience exclaimed. It was impossible for an Advanced tier Mystical Learner to defeat two Mystical Warriors at the same time.


    ¡°Xu Yang broke through again into the Pinnacle Mystical Learner stage five days later. He went to Song Ren¡¯s house at the southern city and brought his daughter back. He beat up a Mystical Warrior from Vast-Gate Dojo until the point where he was seriously injured.¡±


    The youngsters were not that surprised by the examples of Xu Yang having defeated two Mystical Warriors but were instead frustrated at Xu Yang¡¯s horrifying speed in advancing.


    He only used five days to advance from Advanced tier to the Pinnacle-tier Mystical Learner. The fastest among them used over half a year to do that!


    Xu Qinggang continued saying, ¡°After a few days, Xu Yang went into the Python Mountains again to form his Mystical Core. I followed him secretly to protect him as he shouldn¡¯t be disturbed when he is forming a Mystical Core.¡±


    The audience was attracted by the story that Xu Qinggang was telling. They kept quiet and waited to hear about what happened next.


    ¡°When Xu Yang succeeded, there were three Mystical Warriors from Vast-Gate Dojo who went to assassinate him. However, they were all killed by Xu Yang and neither one of them escaped!¡±


    ¡°What? That is impossible!¡±


    ¡°Even Mystical Warriors wouldn¡¯t be able to escape. He is way too strong! His combat power is extremely overpowered as he can fight with others regardless of the strength gap!¡±


    There were exclamations surfacing everywhere. The incident where the three Mystical Warriors did not manage to escape was even more terrifying than the previous example in which Xu Yang defeated two Mystical Warriors. His combat power was comparable to a Mystical Master¡¯s as he could stop enemies in the Mystical Warrior stage from escaping.


    Xu Yang glanced at Xu Qinggang in surprise. He did not expect a Mystical Master to have been following him all this while! This meant that the incident in which he used the Mystical Suppressing Pagoda to absorb the vitality of the three Mystical Warriors was seen by Xu Qinggang.


    That was a problem for him¡­ Xu Yang smiled bitterly. Luckily, the witness was his own uncle. If not, he would now be known as a monster in the eyes of everyone.


    Xu Changling smiled and said, ¡°Third Elder, you know that although Xu Yang¡¯s qualification is rather weak, his aptitude is incredible. It could be said that he is a genius that is on a freakishly scary level! I have reason to believe that he will be outstanding and have Sea-Cloud Academy focus on nurturing him if he is there.¡±


    Third Elder then said begrudgingly, ¡°What if he is a genius? There are many failed geniuses on the path of Mystical Cultivation.¡±


    Xu Changling knew that Third Elder was dissatisfied and he no longer cared about him. He said to Xu Yang, ¡°Xu Yang, Grandpa knows that there is a barrier in the bottom of your heart in regards to our relationship. However, you have to trust that this kind of familial relationship is unbreakable. We are a family, and blood is thicker than water. Now, Grandpa has decided to disregard all our concerns and bet everything on you¡­ It¡¯s time for you to come home! The family is facing difficulties and we need a teenage genius like you to support us.¡±


    Xu Yang felt that it was a heavy responsibility. Xu Changling was gambling the fate of the whole family in order to let him and Xu Yu return to the family.


    ¡°Brother¡­¡± Xu Yu pulled at Xu Yang¡¯s arm. Her eyes were red and there were traces of tears. Her feelings were obvious.


    Xu Yang took a deep breath. There were many thoughts in his mind that had suddenly disappeared.


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to return to the family but I have three conditions.¡±


    ¡°The audacity! It is an immense grace for the family to let you return. How dare you talk about conditions?¡± Third Elder yelled.


    ¡°Third Elder!¡± Second Elder could not bear it anymore and reprimanded him, ¡°It is our Xu family who owes Xu Yang a great deal, it is not his responsibility to bear our burden! You are his granduncle. Watch your words!¡±


    Second Elder was a tactful person. He had always stayed neutral when his elder brother and younger brother argued, and he never took sides. However, he could no longer bear Third Elder¡¯s alienation toward his grandnephew, Xu Yang, so he stood up for him.


    ¡°Third Elder, don¡¯t blame me if I suppress you in front of the youngsters if you continue to ramble on incessantly.¡± The corner of Xu Changling¡¯s lips twitched as he enveloped the words with Wind Mystical Power and delivered it into Third Elder¡¯s ears.


    Third Elder¡¯s thin face turned pale. Xu Changling¡¯s power as a Pinnacle Mystical Grandmaster was a prestige whenever and wherever. Fortunately, Xu Changling cared about Third Elder¡¯s dignity and sent those words secretly into his ears.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Tell me your conditions.¡± Xu Changling nodded and said to Xu Yang after seeing that the third elder had finally sat down in silence. ¡°As long as you are willing to return to the family, Grandpa will accept your conditions no matter what they are.¡±

 Chapter 57 - Small Flower Hall, The Past

    Xu Yang kept silent for a long while and said, ¡°The first condition, I will return to the Xu family but you can¡¯t restrict my freedom, and stop sending Uncle Qinggang to follow me.¡±


    Xu Changling and Xu Qinggang looked at each other. Xu Changling nodded and said with a smile, ¡°The reason I sent Qinggang to follow you is to protect you. You won¡¯t need the protection from the family anymore since you have advanced into the Mystical Warrior stage and have the ability to protect yourself. I agree with the first condition.¡±


    Xu Yang continued saying, ¡°The second condition, I have some grudges with some of the youngsters in the family such as Xu Zhengming. Some people have been rude to us. I won¡¯t forgive them if I hear such words again. The family shouldn¡¯t punish me if something like that were to happen.¡±


    Xu Changling nodded. ¡°So long as you return to the family, you are my grandson, no one would dare to scold you. This condition is also accepted.¡±


    ¡°The third condition¡­¡± Xu Yang looked at Xu Yu and said, ¡°I want the family to recall my parents and let us reunite as a family.¡±


    Xu Changling was in a difficult position. ¡°Xu Yang, this¡­¡±


    Xu Yang frowned and said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is it not okay?¡± He was puzzled. Since the family wanted to acknowledge Xu Yang, it should mean that the family will no longer blame Xu Qingyuan for his mistakes years ago. Why would they not recall his parents and let them return to the family if that were the case?


    Second Elder waved his hand and laughed. ¡°Xu Yang, it is not that the manor master is unwilling to do that. He has his reasons. You were too young to know when the incident happened, we¡¯ll tell you all about it when the time is right.¡±


    Xu Changling nodded and said, ¡°The third condition is accepted too. We could include Qingyuan¡¯s name into the genealogy once again. However, as for your mother, it is a rather tough task.¡±


    Xu Yang was not a greedy person. He did not ask for more after hearing what the two old men had to say.


    ¡°¡­Grandfather.¡± Xu Yang hesitated for a while, and saluted with one of his knees down on the ground.


    Xu Yang did not call him Grandpa which showed intimacy, instead he addressed him as Grandfather. Xu Changling sighed deep down. It seemed that Xu Yang still needed time to mend the emotional rift he felt toward the family.


    ¡°Good boy.¡± Xu Changling said with a chuckle, ¡°The names of the family members are given according to the different generations, Chang, Qing, Zheng, and Yu. You are in the third generation. You should be called Xu Zhengyang from now onwards.¡±


    Xu Yu said cheerfully, ¡°My name has to be changed to Xu Zhengyu then.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Xu Changling smiled and looked at Xu Yu affectionately.


    ¡°Thank you, Grandfather. However, I¡¯m used to my name, Xu Yang.¡± Xu Yang refused to change his name. The name not only represented Xu Yang in this era but also the memory of him in the future era from where he came.


    Xu Changling assumed that it was because Xu Yang had some mental barriers when it came to the family. He did not want to force him. He nodded and changed the topic, ¡°We should continue the Grand Family Tournament.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa.¡± Xu Zhengxin walked forward from the side. ¡°Younger Cousin Brother Xu Yang has utterly defeated Zhengchun. However, my strength is the same as Zhengchun¡¯s. Thus, the champion of the Grand Family Tournament should be Xu Yang. I¡¯d rather forfeit.¡±


    Xu Changling looked approvingly at his eldest grandson and nodded. ¡°A gentleman must be honest. You¡¯re a good boy, Zhengxin.¡±


    Third Elder mumbled at the side, ¡°How would one break through the stages without an ambitious mind?¡± Of course, the crowd pretended that they did not hear what he said.


    Xu Zhengchun thought that Xu Zhengxin, who had always been his strongest opponent, would mock him when he was defeated by Xu Yang. He did not expect that Xu Zhengxin would admit that their strength was the same. He was somehow touched, and an undecipherable feeling appeared at the bottom of his heart.


    ¡°It seems that Xu Yang is the champion everyone expected.¡± Xu Changling said, ¡°You two don¡¯t have to go against each other. However, the other youngsters should continue their matches in order to decide the distribution of ranking and prizes.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Manor Master.¡± Xu Qinggang bowed and accepted the order. He announced loudly, ¡°The Grand Family Tournament will continue now!¡±


    The Xu family¡¯s youngsters queued up according to the sequence once again. They were all motivated as the two geniuses, Xu Zhengxin and Xu Yang would not be participating in any more matches. The rest of them were rather hopeful. Although the first prize had gone to Xu Yang, they still stood a chance to get the second and third prize. The rewards were still very attractive.


    Xu Yang held onto Xu Yu¡¯s small hand and supported the drowsy Chubby Ball on his shoulder under the sign given by Xu Changling. He followed his grandfather, Xu Changling, and his uncle, Xu Qinglu, and walked out of the gymnasium.


    The four people reached a small flower hall after a few steps.


    ¡°Xu Yang. Grandpa was in a difficult position when you mentioned the third condition. It¡¯s not because I¡¯m not willing to accept it but it is too hard for the Xu family to do that right now.¡± Xu Changling said with great honesty and sincerity.


    ¡°The family can¡¯t do that?¡± Xu Yang felt that it was weird. ¡°Did my father meet an accident, or is he no longer alive?!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the case.¡± Xu Qinglu said immediately. ¡°Your father is missing but we are not sure whether he is still alive.¡± The man thought that Xu Yang was rather disrespectful in the way he spoke, even directly assuming that his father was dead. However, he stopped himself from reprimanding Xu Yang as he realized that it was not surprising since Xu Yang was not able to receive proper education from his parents. His tactlessness was predictable.


    What he did not know was that Xu Yang did not have much feelings for his father, Xu Qingyuan. These were just the effects of the memories left by the previous Xu Yang. Hence, he blurted out such words without much thought.


    ¡°Missing?¡±


    ¡°The story of your father¡¯s disappearance started fifteen years ago.¡± Xu Changling looked at the pine and cypress trees outside the window and said leisurely, ¡°Your father, Xu Qingyuan, was the top one teenage geniuses in Lin Yuan City fifteen years ago. He was talented and amazing, there wasn¡¯t another teenager who could compare with him. Even Lord Lin Yuan¡¯s son, Li Zhongxuan, was not as outstanding as your father.¡±


    ¡°Your father also participated in the Sea-Cloud Academy selection conference. He succeeded in the pre-selection, middle-selection, and final-selection with his outstanding performance. The family was proud of him.¡±


    ¡°However, your father met your mother, the daughter of the head of Sea-Cloud¡¯s Mo family during the final selection. Both of them were very talented and they fell in love at first sight. However, Lin Yuan¡¯s Xu family is too weak compared to the enormous Mo family. The Mo family was naturally against your parents¡¯ relationship.¡±


    ¡°Your father eloped with your mother from Sea-Cloud Kingdom. They escaped from Sea-Cloud Kingdom and got married in Lin Yuan City¡­¡± Xu Changling sighed. ¡°If I knew that your mother was the Mo family¡¯s little princess at that time, I would not have agreed to the marriage between them even if I had the guts to do that.¡±


    ¡°What happened after that? My parents must have lived in Lin Yuan City for at least three years since they had both Xu Yu and I. Why didn¡¯t the Mo family look for them?¡± Xu Yang was puzzled.


    ¡°Your father escaped from Sea-Cloud Academy by faking his death at that time. Lord Lin Yuan¡¯s youngest son, Li Zhongxuan, helped conceal the truth and it was flawless as the Mo family thought that your mother had died in an unexpected adventure. However, the Mo family finally realized the truth three years later and they immediately sent people to put the blame on us¡­ I could still remember what a big disaster it was!¡± Xu Changling sighed, ¡°Your fourth granduncle died in that disaster¡­ Please don¡¯t blame your third granduncle. He was the closest to your fourth granduncle¡­¡±


    ¡°In the end, the Mo family sent people to crush your father¡¯s Star Ocean, but your mother threatened to take her own life, so they ended up letting him live. The Xu family was forced to cast those of Xu Qingyuan¡¯s bloodline out and we had to guarantee that we would not care about the three of you.¡±


    Xu Yang nodded as many of his doubts were cleared. It seemed that he could not blame his grandfather and the Xu family.

 Chapter 58 - Pine-Texture Sword, Sea-Cloud Academy Three Round Selections

    ¡°Umm, my father¡­ What happened to him after that?¡± The obedient Xu Yu, who had not spoken for a long while, asked.


    Xu Changling said, ¡°Qingyuan is a proud person. He was not willing to stay in Lin Yuan anymore since his Star Ocean was crushed and he could no longer cultivate. He didn¡¯t want to be mocked by those people who were weaker than him in the past. Therefore, he left a note and left the city the next day. He has disappeared since that.¡±


    Tears fell from Xu Yu¡¯s eyes when she heard that.


    ¡°The Mo family tore my parents apart, crushed my father¡¯s Star Ocean and forced the Xu family¡­¡± Xu Yu sobbed and said, ¡°They have crossed the line! Sob sob¡­ I want to cultivate Mystical Qi too! Brother, I want to become stronger together with you and get justice from the Mo family.¡±


    Xu Yang caressed her head and said softly, ¡°I¡¯ll help you if you want to cultivate Mystical Qi.¡±


    Xu Changling sighed in a low voice. It was tough for an ordinary little girl who was not even a Mystical Learner to seek justice from a huge powerful faction. Xu Yu clearly did not know how powerful the Mo family was.


    However, Xu Yu would definitely be given the best conditions if she wanted to cultivate Mystical Qi. This little girl would also be a talented one if her qualifications and aptitude were comparable to half of that of her father and brother.


    Now that the events of the past had been fully laid out in the open, Xu Changling informed Xu Yang about the details of the Sea-Cloud Academy selection.


    The Sea-Cloud Academy¡¯s selection process was progressive and it was very strict. The Sea-Cloud Academy would send messengers to the major cities of the Sea-Cloud Kingdom¡¯s jurisdictions to host the pre-selections every three years during the winter solstice.


    After the pre-selection is completed, the middle-selection would be held in the capitals of the servant countries. The young talents of the cities of the Kingdom would compete in the capitals. The excellent ones would be eligible to participate in the final-selection in Sea-Cloud Kingdom.


    This process was called the three-round selections. Those who could pass the three-round selections were talented geniuses from the entire kingdom. They were all superior geniuses out of a million geniuses. The Mystical Cultivators who graduate from Sea-Cloud Academy every year would be solicited by Sea-Cloud Kingdom and its servant nations. Therefore, the process of the Mystical Cultivators passing the three-round selections was also called leaping over the dragon gate as one¡¯s power had been approved by everyone. They would become a real dragon with a single leap!


    ¡°There is less than one month left to Sea-Cloud Academy pre-selection. Last time, the messenger of Sea-Cloud Academy only selected one talent from the Ge family. There was only one quota for one million people! I don¡¯t know if there will be any changes this time. Xu Yang, you have to work hard.¡± Xu Changling said solemnly.


    ¡°Father, please be rest assured. Xu Yang¡¯s current strength is not lacking in comparison to that of Ge Weiyue who was chosen last time. He has a great chance of being selected.¡± Xu Qinglu said.


    ¡°There would be changes in the selections every time. It is said that Yu Xuanyu of the Yu family and Ge Weifeng of the Ge family have the upper four extremes¡¯ Mystical Veins. Moreover, they have strong combat powers as they are already in the Intermediate Mystical Warrior stage. Ge Weiyue was the strongest one in the previous selection, it should be more competitive this time around.¡± Xu Changling was slightly worried. He was betting his family¡¯s fate on Xu Yang. Even with his Mystical Grandmaster¡¯s state of mind, he could not help but feel uneasy.


    ¡°Grandfather, please be rest assured.¡± Xu Yang said calmly, as if stating a fact, ¡°Although I have never seen Yu Xuanyu, I have seen Ge Weifeng. He is not strong enough to worry me.¡±


    Xu Changling glanced at Xu Yang and said, ¡°Oh? You seem confident, it looks like you already have a way to deal with him. Very good.¡± Although he was seeing Xu Yang for the first time, he had known about Xu Yang¡¯s character roughly through the description given by Xu Qinggang and Xu Zhengxin. He was calm and indifferent. Xu Yang would not make a fuss unless he was absolutely sure about it.


    After talking for a while, Xu Qinggang sent someone to report the result of the Grand Family Tournament which had been determined. In addition to Xu Yang getting the first prize in advance, Xu Zhengchun skillfully defeated his peers and seized the second prize.


    ¡°The reward of the first prize is a Mortal rank Mystical Armor, Pine-Texture Sword.¡± Xu Qinglu said, ¡°Xu Yang, you have not learned sword skills, right? If you think that it¡¯s unsuitable for you, you can pick another Mortal rank Mystical Armor from the family treasure warehouse.¡±


    While saying so, Xu Qinglu swiped his fingers and a steel sword with a glint of cold light appeared in his hand.


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s amazing.¡± Xu Yu clapped in wonderment beside him.


    ¡°This is a storage ring. It is more convenient compared to a leather pouch.¡± Xu Qinglu wanted to make up for Xu Yang. He took off a black ring on his left index finger and handed it to Xu Yang. ¡°There are some middle-rank Mystical Stones in it which can be used for cultivation as well as the family Mystical Scripture, Seven Radiant Secret. Take it. The ring belongs to you now.¡±


    Xu Yang had not spoken yet, and Xu Yu had already shown a sweet smile as she took the ring. ¡°Thank you, Uncle!¡± She was afraid that Xu Qinglu was going to regret and quickly handed the ring to Xu Yang.


    This little money-grubber¡­


    A sweat bead appeared on the back of Xu Yang¡¯s head. He caressed his sister¡¯s forehead hair and smiled. He took the storage ring and thanked Xu Qinglu.


    Although the storage ring was very valuable, a gentleman like Xu Qinglu would not take back his words once he had said them. It was Xu Yu who had underestimated Xu Qinglu¡¯s personality.


    Xu Yang was very happy. He liked this storage ring better than the Mortal rank Pine-Texture Sword. This was a treasure that could only be refined by a Blacksmith Master. Although there was no ranking of it among Mystical Armor, it was comparable to an Earth rank Mystical Armor.


    Xu Yang accepted the Pine-Texture Sword at the same time. A familiar feeling emerged when he touched the hilt. He shook gently and seven beautiful sword flowers bloomed, they were arranged like the Big Dipper.


    Xu Qinglu could not help but exclaim, ¡°Wonderful swordsmanship. I didn¡¯t expect your swordsmanship to be so superb. You would not be able to display such a skill without ten years of hard work.¡±


    Xu Yu and Xu Changling were surprised as they also did not know that Xu Yang was skilled at swordsmanship.


    It was difficult for Mystical Cultivators to break through their stages in the future era when Mystical Energy was scarce. Therefore, physical tempering techniques, melee-combat skills and sword skills were popular. Xu Yang¡¯s ability to have such swordsmanship skills was a result of the environment at that time.


    ¡®It is made by Mystical Iron, and there are three Mystical Textures on it¡­ Light Shadow, Iron Cutting, Gale. It is a good piece of Mystical Armor.¡¯ Xu Yang thought secretly while observing the refining method of the Pine-Texture sword.


    A Blacksmith Master would embed Mystical Textures on the basis of mystical elements on a Mystical Armor when refining it. Normally, the more Mystical Textures a Mystical Armor possessed, the higher the quality of the Mystical Armor. Of course, this was not absolute. It still depended on the power of Mystical Textures and their compatibility.


    Although the Light Shadow, Iron Cutting, and Gale were only some common Mystical Textures, it was decent for a sword made by Mystical Iron to be able to have three types of Mystical Textures engraved in it. This Pine-Texture Sword could be regarded as an upper-tier Mortal rank Mystical Armor.


    ¡°Thank you, Uncle. I¡¯m very satisfied with this Pine-Texture Sword, I don¡¯t need to change it for something else.¡± Xu Yang put on the storage ring on his left index finger. With his will, the Pine-Texture Sword was stored in the ring once more.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you are satisfied,¡± Xu Qingluo stroked his beard and chuckled. ¡°I will order someone to repair the old house that you are living in. I will add some furniture and arrange for some servants to serve you.¡±

 Chapter 59 - Brother Baogai, Lady Buyi

    Xu Changling said, ¡°It¡¯s better not to fix the house now.¡±


    ¡°Why? Father?¡± Xu Qinglu was stunned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t spread any news before Xu Yang has passed the three round selections.¡± Xu Changling said, ¡°Such a big move will only attract the attention of the Ge family. You have to know that the Ge family has always wanted to rely on the Mo family. It is hard to tell whether the Ge family will inform the Mo family once you have done the repairs.¡±


    ¡°Then what should we do, Father?¡± Xu Qinglu asked. He did not think that they should let Xu Yang and Xu Yu continue living in the ruined mansion.


    Xu Changling said, ¡°The Xu Village is located fifty miles out of the southern city gate. We should give him the manor with a mansion.¡±


    Xu Qinglu was taken aback. The manor in Xu Village was very spacious. It was thousands of miles in size and it occupied more than half of the entire village. There were hundreds of peasants farming at the manor. Xu Changling was very generous.


    ¡°Xu Yang, you can choose to cultivate either in the Xu Village¡¯s manor or your original courtyard. The family will not restrict your freedom.¡± Xu Changling said.


    Xu Yang realized that no one could disturb him if he were to cultivate in a village out of the city. He could learn more Mystical Techniques for the coming Sea-Cloud Academy¡¯s three round selctions.


    Lin Yuan City governed one million people. Of course, these one million people did not all live in the city. There were tens of thousands of villagers who lived in the manors of the families and factions. They were called peasants. The manors were mostly located at the periphery of Lin Yuan City and they formed a lot of villages.


    Xu Village was located fifty miles away from the southern city. It was a village with three thousand people. Most of them were villagers who relied on the Xu family and this was how Xu Village got its name.


    It was busy in Xu Village¡¯s largest courtyard that day. The peasants were working hard to clean the courtyard.


    Two peasant brothers massaged each other¡¯s sore shoulders after working hard for half a day.


    ¡°Brother Baogai, is there an important person coming?¡± A youthful-looking teenager with his face covered in dust asked.


    The teenager called Brother Baogai was at the age of seventeen or eighteen. He shrugged and answered, ¡°Who knows? Old Master Xu told us to treat him like he is our father¡­ Pfft, I guess he must be a young master from the city.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time to eat!¡± A voice came from outside the inner courtyard when they were chatting. The two teenagers were happy to hear those words.


    ¡°I¡¯m starving. Let¡¯s go eat!¡±


    The two teenagers swiftly rushed out of the inner courtyard¡¯s door. They saw two benches placed vertically, and a big steaming pot was placed at the end of the benches.


    Several villagers in shabby clothes like them were sitting on the benches. They were each holding a large dirty bowl in their hands and drinking porridge.


    ¡°We can even see our reflections on the porridge. I wonder how much grain was added into this big pot of porridge.¡± Brother Baogai cursed with dissatisfaction. ¡°Stingy Xu is just too much.¡±


    ¡°Well, Brother Baogai. It¡¯s already good enough that we have a bowl of warm porridge to eat. Stingy Xu has never given us anything despite all the work that we do, not even a sip of warm water.¡± The baby-faced teenager with dust on his face had no complaints. He walked over and scooped up two large bowls of porridge and handed Brother Bogai one.


    ¡°Oh? There are vegetable leaves in the porridge. When did Stingy Xu become so generous?¡± Brother Baogai asked curiously.


    A teenager beside him chuckled and said, ¡°Brother Baogai, that¡¯s too high a praise for Stingy Xu. What kind of a person is he? He is super duper stingy and it is impossible that he would add vegetables in the porridge. It was Sister Buyi who made it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why.¡± Brother Baogai¡¯s face flashed with fondness and stopped talking.


    ¡°Get to work all of you! Get to work! You lazy paupers deserve to be poor for generations to come!¡± A sharp and hoarse voice shouted out loud.


    The peasants were stunned and they saw a middle-aged man with a mousey beard in a silk robe. He had a thievish look and beady eyes, he sauntered leisurely into the yard.


    ¡°Sh*t. It¡¯s Stingy Xu¡¯s subordinate, Yellow-Skinned Dog. Let¡¯s go.¡± The villagers whispered enigmatically and they started leaving the area.


    The sound of them calling him the nickname Yellow-Skinned Dog was clearly heard by the man. He was angry and rushed forward. ¡°All of you stop right there! Who said that!?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± It was Brother Baogai who was stopped by the man. He showed an innocent face and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to work. Why are you stopping me?¡±


    ¡°Who called me Yellow-Skinned Dog? Show yourself!¡± The man was exasperated and his dark yellow-skin suddenly turned pale.


    The villagers were amused. Those words were said by Brother Bogai but everyone was teasing the mouse-bearded man at that moment.


    The man was called Huang Zhukeng. His father was a peasant. He worked hard his entire life so that Huang Zhukeng was able to receive education. He hoped that his son would have a good future and find a job doing writing or involving calculations in Lin Yuan City.


    However, Huang Zhukeng had a stubborn personality. He did not study hard. Although his father had spent a lot of money on him, he did not learn anything. His father¡¯s dream for him to work in Lin Yuan City was thus shattered. His father was disappointed and ordered him to return to do farming work. However, he was lazy and the fields that he managed were all barren.


    Huang Zhukeng¡¯s father was infuriated with his son and soon fell sick. As such, the family was living a difficult life.


    Huang Zhukeng was a person who was full of schemes and tricks, he was able to get himself known by Master Xu and get on his good side. Because of that, he was assigned as a steward. Although his power was weak, he knew how to pull rank on others. He would blackmail the villagers and sexually harass women, he was the epitome of an antagonist. Huang Zhukeng¡¯s father passed on from all the anger in him caused by his son. However, the man was not ashamed at all. His mantra for threatening others was ¡®I¡¯m gonna tell Old Master Xu.¡¯


    The villagers would naturally not show respect to such a person.


    ¡°So you refuse to tell me?¡± Huang Zhukeng was anxious. All he dared to do was look around at the people, he did not have the guts to do anything else.


    ¡°Hah!¡± Huang Zhukeng, with his head full of nasty ideas, managed to find a way to pick on the people. ¡°Your lunch today was supposed to be plain porridge. Where did you steal the vegetables from? Not only do you not work hard, you are picky eaters too! I¡¯m gonna tell Old Master Xu!¡±


    Brother Baogai chuckled and said, ¡°Are you sure, Steward Huang? There are only a few vegetable leaves in this pot and most of them have turned yellow and are withered. How are they considered vegetables? Even if they were thrown on the ground, no one would want to pick them up.¡±


    ¡°If I say it is so, no one can say otherwise!¡± Huang Zhukeng raised his head and glared at them. ¡°You people are so lazy! Hurry up and get to work. The entire courtyard must be cleaned up today and I will come to inspect it myself!¡±


    ¡°How is it possible to clean such a large house in one day?¡± Brother Baogai said furiously, ¡°Didn¡¯t they say that the important person will only arrive in three days¡¯ time?¡±


    ¡°Pfft! I¡¯m the one who set the rules. What can you do about it?¡± Huang Zhukeng snorted and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Old Master Xu if you are not able to complete the work today and he will punish you slaves who steal vegetables!¡±


    ¡°Steward Huang. The vegetable leaves were found by me from the field, they did not steal them. Please be fair in your investigation.¡± A clear female voice came from outside the door in a corner.

 Chapter 60 - Xu Fulai, Peasants’ Dispute

    ¡°Sister Buyi!¡±


    The teenager with dust on his face exclaimed and rushed to the girl.


    She was a lady donning plain attire, she was about seventeen or eighteen. She had no makeup on but it was hard to hide her natural beauty. She was wearing a green pleated skirt and there were several traces of patchwork in indistinct places.


    The most striking part of the girl was her well-endowed chest. The contours were exquisite and they jiggled slightly when she walked.


    Huang Zhukeng displayed an expression of ecstasy and wickedness. He swallowed visibly and said, ¡°I was wondering who it is. It turns out to be Sister Buyi¡­ Hehehe, you are even more beautiful now that I haven¡¯t seen you for a few days. You make my heart beat fast.¡±


    The girl called Buyi frowned and did not say anything else.


    ¡°Be careful, Huang Zhukeng. Don¡¯t say such indecent things to Sister Buyi.¡± Brother Baogai rushed to Buyi and stood beside her. He stared at Huang Zhukeng angrily.


    ¡°Heh?¡± Huang Zhukeng snickered scornfully.


    ¡°Old Master Xu mentioned that the important person still needs a maid to do the laundry and prepare meals. As I see it, Sister Buyi is quite good. I can guarantee that her appearance and figure will satisfy that important person.¡± Huang Zhukeng chuckled.


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Brother Baogai¡¯s eyes became instantly red. ¡°Huang Zhukeng! Do you have even a little humanity left? How can you put Sister Buyi in danger!¡± He quickly grabbed Huang Zhukeng by the collar.


    There were traces of panic on Huang Zhukeng¡¯s face, and he stuttered, ¡°What are you doing? I¡¯m a gentleman. I don¡¯t deal with people like you¡­ Let go!¡±


    ¡°Baogai, let him go¡­¡± Buyi pulled at Brother Baogai¡¯s sleeve gently.


    Brother Baogai put down his hands and glared at Huang Zhukeng with hatred.


    ¡°Is it not a good thing for her to serve an important person from the city? Who knows what would happen if the important person likes her service? He might decide to take her in as his mistress.¡± Huang Zhukeng coughed and said gleefully. ¡°However, if Buyi is not willing to do that, you may come to my house tonight and I will settle the issue for you. It will be an easy issue to settle. Hahaha!¡±


    Seeing the wicked expression on Huang Zhukeng¡¯s face, everyone knew what he was thinking. Brother Baogai yelled, ¡°You bastard who drove your father mad until he died, how can you even think of doing such things to Sister Buyi? Sister Buyi has treated all of the peasants in this Xu Village well. We won¡¯t let you bully her!¡±


    The villagers slowly surrounded Huang Zhukeng with great dissatisfaction.


    ¡°You all, what do you want to do? Are you going to rebel? I¡¯m going to tell Old Master Xu. Ay¡­¡±


    Someone yelled, ¡°Beat him up!¡± The peasants started to punch Huang Zhukeng, and the mouse-bearded man stumbled about before he was knocked down onto the ground. The girl, Buyi, had an anxious look on her face and she told them to stop but the peasants beat Huang Zhukeng heavily regardless of the consequences.


    ¡°Step on him! Step on the Yellow-Skinned Dog till he dies!¡± Brother Baogai stepped on Huang Zhukeng¡¯s face while saying so.


    ¡°Stop!¡± A voice with dignity sounded as the central door was opened.


    As the voice sounded, seven to eight men in black rushed forward and beat up the peasants. The men were in the Advanced Mystical Learner stage. However, the peasants were all knocked down onto the ground in mere seconds as there were only common people.


    Huang Zhukeng¡¯s eyes were swollen like a panda¡¯s and there were bloodstains around his mouth. There were countless shoe marks on his body, and he looked quite miserable. He recognized the prestigious voice so he stumbled forward and fell to the man¡¯s feet. He said, ¡°Old Master Xu, you must help me! These villagers didn¡¯t work hard and even beat me up. They said that I am a Yellow-Skinned Dog and that you are Stingy Xu. They said that beating me up is equal to beating Old Master Xu!¡±


    Brother Baogai was lying on the ground as he was subdued by the foot of a Mystical Learner in black. After hearing this, he struggled to raise his head and scolded, ¡°Yellow-Skinned Dog, don¡¯t spread lies!¡±


    Old Master Xu had a big belly and a chubby face. His eyes were tiny as they seemed to be squeezed by his meaty face. His face flashed with a malicious look which disappeared just as quickly as it came. He saluted and smiled. ¡°It is just some troublemakers creating problems, please don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    The peasants and Buyi saw the teenager on the left hand side of Old Master Xu. They were surprised that Stingy Xu would actually speak in such a cautious manner.


    The teenager was dressed in a blue shirt with a white fluffy ball on his shoulder. He was holding the hand of a little girl, in a flower jacket, in his left hand and he did not exude the aura that a young master would. Only the golden ring on his hair and the sword on his waist gave an inkling of his identity.


    The teenager was Xu Yang. Originally, the family had given Xu Yang some time to pack up his things while the people in Xu Village prepared the courtyard for him. However, Xu Yang did not take anything else from the old mansion. He merely put his clothes and the alchemy utensils into his storage ring before he left.


    He arrived two days earlier compared to the expected date that was in three days¡¯ time.


    ¡°Let them go.¡± Xu Yang said.


    ¡°Let them go?¡± Old Master Xu shook his head and said, ¡°Young Master, they are all troublemakers. I can¡¯t abide by your order for your own safety. They need a good beating in order to learn a lesson.¡±


    Xu Yang frowned and asked, ¡°How are you going to punish them?¡±


    Old Master Xu chucked and said, ¡°Lock them up and starve them for three days. They will be obedient after that.¡±


    Xu Yu exclaimed and covered her mouth.


    Buyi quickly rushed forward as she had already guessed that the young master in front of her was an important character. He would surely be able to save them.


    ¡°Young Master, please don¡¯t blame Baogai and the other fellows.¡± Buyi bowed deeply to Xu Yang. ¡°They beat Steward Huang up because of me. I will receive the punishment for them.¡±


    Xu Yu pulled at Xu Yang¡¯s arm and whispered, ¡°Brother, these people don¡¯t seem like bad people.¡± Buyi gave Xu Yu a look of appreciation when she heard her words.


    Huang Zhukeng was surprised. He had a terrible relationship with the peasants. If they were to be let off easily, he would be bullied in the future. He quickly said, ¡°Old Master, you can¡¯t blame me. I merely suggested that Buyi serve the young master. Let her do the laundry and cook for him¡­ As you can see, the young master does not have a maid¡­ That¡¯s when these people came and beat me up! You can¡¯t just let them go.¡±


    Old Master Xu coughed and said, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Buyi? Do you think that serving the young master is a degrading job?¡±


    Xu Yang did not manage to say anything before Bu Yi bit her lips and said, ¡°Young Master, are you willing to free them if I serve you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need a maid.¡± Xu Yang said indifferently, ¡°Xu Fulai, let the peasants go.¡±


    Old Master Xu was shocked as Xu Yang addressed him by name, and in such a commanding tone nonetheless. This would surely affect the prestige he had in the eyes of the peasants.