"Patriarch Chen, this matter doesnât involve me, but I must speak." Guan Long, Pavilion Master of the Treasure Pavilion, finally broke his silence. "From an outsiderâs view, Li Yun cannot be blamed. If his strength had fallen short, Chen Xiaoâs talisman would have killed him. In battles of life and death, casualties are inevitable."
Guan Long had always admired Li Yunâs talent, both in martial arts and in alchemy. Watching such a peerless genius crushed by Chen Yishenâs rage was something he could not accept.
"Hehe... Pavilion Master, since this has nothing to do with you, donât meddle." Chen Yishenâs laugh was cold, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he swept them across Guan Long. At this moment, his fury gave him no room to respect anyone. Nothing would stop him from killing Li Yun.
"Why must you go this far, Patriarch Chen?" Guan Long frowned, his voice steady.
"No one can stop me from avenging my son!" Chen Yishenâs words were like steel. He lifted Chen Xiaoâs broken body in his arms and turned away.
"Li Yun, Iâll wait outside the City Lordâs Mansion. I, Chen Yishen, will personally kill you and avenge Yulang!" His voice thundered across the courtyard. No one doubted him. His intent was absolute, once Li Yun stepped outside, his death was certain.
But before he could leave, Li Yunâs calm voice rang out. "Patriarch Chen, let me warn you about something."
The crowd fell silent. Chen Yishen turned back, his face venomous.
"If you want to come after me, then come. But if you dare to touch anyone from my Li Family, I swear Iâll erase the Chen Family from Azure Wind City." Li Yunâs tone was flat, cold, and unshaken.
Gasps spread through the square. To threaten Chen Yishen, the second strongest figure in the city, was tantamount to courting death.
"You dare threaten me, boy?" Chen Yishenâs aura of a Xiantian Realm expert exploded, pressing down like a mountain.
Yet Li Yunâs face did not change. "Take it as you will. Iâm sixteen, and I can already kill peak Body Tempering cultivators. Give me a few months, and Iâll surpass even you. If you value the Chen Familyâs survival, then control them wisely."
Chen Yishenâs expression twisted darkly, but he said nothing more. With a cold snort, he left in silence.
The Li Family elders were uneasy. None of them, not even Li Jinyun or Li Zhen, could resist Chen Yishenâs strength. At his current cultivation, Li Yun stood no chance if Chen Yishen struck again.
"Li Yun, for now, you must stay in the City Lordâs Mansion," Bai Xueqin finally said.
It was the only safe choice. Inside her walls, Chen Yishen could not act, not openly.
Li Yun bowed slightly. "Thank you, City Lord." He knew better than to reject her offer. Outside these walls, Chen Yishenâs shadow would be waiting.
Still, he could not remain here forever. He already planned to leave Azure Wind City soon for Moonriver City and the Sword Hall disciple selection. That was the path forward.
Bai Xueqin, too, understood this balance. If needed, she could move against the Chen Family, but for a single youth, she wouldnât risk open war. For now, her protection was as far as it went.
Li Jinyun and Li Zhen bowed deeply to her as well. They knew, without Bai Xueqin, Li Yun would already be dead.
But then, Li Jinyunâs eyes hardened. "Zhao Lieyang, that mine of yours belongs to the Li Family now."
His words struck Zhao Lieyang like thunder. That mine was the Zhao Familyâs lifeblood. Losing it meant decline. But with the City Lord herself as witness, he could not deny the wager.
"Patriarch Zhao, that mine now belongs to the Li Family." Bai Xueqinâs words left no room for argument. "I will send my guards to maintain order. If your Zhao Family resists, youâll bear the consequences."
Zhao Lieyangâs face went pale. The Chen Family might dare to stand against Bai Xueqin, but the Zhao Family could not. Grinding his teeth, he forced the words out. "I, Zhao Lieyang, do not go back on my word. The mine will be handed over."
But in his heart, he consoled himself. The Li Family had just provoked Chen Yishenâs wrath. Let them bear that fire.
"Damn with this, Li Family will rise for sure."
"Yeah, the rise of Li family is already set in stone and so was the downfall of the Zhao Family. They not only lost Zhao Xiaotian but also their biggest mine to Li Family."
"Who knows in the coming ten years, Li Family even might suppress the giant Chen Family."
The crowd murmured, shock still rippling among them. Many saw clearly what this meant.
The balance of Azure Wind City was shifting. The Li Family, once ranked third beneath the Chen and Zhao clans, had now seized a major mine and gained a monstrous genius in Li Yun.
Many still shivered at the memory of Li Yunâs warning. He had openly declared that he would wipe out the Chen Family if they touched his clan. Bold words, but perhaps not empty.
If he truly reached the Xiantian Realm in a few short years, who could say he wouldnât be capable of it?
***
A full day passed as Li Yun rested in the guest room of City Lord estate. The injuries he had sustained from Chen Xiaoâs sneak attack were now completely healed.
City Lord Bai Xueqin had personally provided him with rare potions and healing pills, and after consuming them, the burns and wounds that once covered his body vanished without a trace.
At this moment, Li Yun sat cross-legged in his courtyard, reviewing his status.
---
[Name: Li Yun]
â Cultivation: [5th level of Body Tempering Realm]
â Physique: [Primal Chaos Body]
â Eye: [Nine Tribulations Divine Eye(Dormant)]
â Spirit Soul: [Orange Soul]
â Comprehension: [2nd Tier]
â Experience: [5200]
---
âHmm, 5200 EXP,â Li Yun thought, nodding to himself.
Just two months ago, he had only 200 left. Heâd earned 2000 EXP for assisting the City Lord in securing the Mist Spirit Pool, another 2000 for the Li Familyâs victory in the wager against the Zhao Family, and the remaining 1000 came from a hidden quest triggered during Chen Xiaoâs sneak attack with a talisman.
He hadnât noticed it at the time, blinded by fury and killing intent, but the system had quietly rewarded him after Chen Xiaoâs death.
"But I still need 10,000 EXP to awaken the Divine Eye..." Li Yun exhaled in frustration. The path was still long. Still, he resolved himself, he had already advanced his Spirit Soul and Comprehension twice.
From now on, all EXP he gathered would be dedicated solely to awakening the Nine Tribulations Divine Eye.
Checking on his quests, there was only one quest pending on his list at the moment.
--
[Quest Level: E]
â Objective: [Refine a perfect-grade Body Tempering Pill]
â Reward: [5000 gold coins, 3000 experience points]
--
This was the quest, he got recently when he bought a cauldron and a furnace for refining pills.
"This system... itâs too incredible. With it, I can upgrade anything." Li Yun muttered under his breath before resuming his cultivation.
A few hours later, a knock sounded at the door of his room. Li Yun slowly opened his eyes, a trace of confusion flickering across his face. He wondered whether the City Lord needed something from him.
Rising from his bed, he walked to the door and opened it, only to find his grandfather, Li Zhen, standing outside.
"Grandfather, why are you here?" Li Yun asked as he quickly stepped aside to welcome him in.
Li Zhen entered the room and sat down on the chair opposite Li Yun. His face was unusually grave, and the heavy silence that followed made Li Yun uneasy.
Sensing something was wrong, Li Yun frowned and spoke again. "Grandfather, what happened? Are you worried about the Chen Family?"
"There is no need to worry about the Chen Family," Li Yun continued calmly before Li Zhen could respond. "I have already decided to leave Azure Wind City and travel to other cities. In the end, I will participate in the Sword Hallâs disciple selection assessment. Once I become a disciple of the Sword Hall, the Chen Family will not be able to touch me."
Li Zhen listened without any change in his expression. After a long moment, he let out a slow sigh. "Li Yun, there are certain matters I have kept hidden from you for a very long time," he said in a low voice. "You have the right to know the truth now."
Li Yunâs brows knitted together in confusion. "Grandfather, what are you talking about?" He asked. He could not understand what secret his grandfather could be hiding, nor why it would make him look so serious all of a sudden.