Chapter 255: Vulnerable

Gu An and Yang Ni, walking ahead, could hear the tension in Yang Zhi and Li Lingtian’s voices.

Gu An didn’t pay much attention to it. After all, it was Li Lingtian who provoked Yang Zhi first. While Gu An had always taught Yang Zhi to be humble, that didn’t mean he should let himself be bullied.

Yang Ni, on the other hand, was surprised by how unyielding Gu An’s disciple was. In her impression, Gu An himself was a rather soft-hearted person.

However, being too headstrong wasn’t necessarily a good thing when facing Li Lingtian.

Even though Yang Ni didn’t like Li Lingtian, she had to admit that his talent was outrageously strong—almost like an immortal descending to the mortal world.

A while later, the four of them arrived in the forest.

Before Gu An or Yang Ni could say anything, Yang Zhi and Li Lingtian had already squared off against each other.

Li Lingtian asked, “What rules do you want to set?”

He could tell that Yang Zhi’s cultivation level was lower than his own, so he wanted to let Yang Zhi decide the terms.

After all, Li Lingtian had never liked bullying others.

Yang Zhi looked at him calmly and said, “Let’s just fight. I’ll go easy on you.”

He wasn’t sure of Li Lingtian’s exact status, but since Yang Ni and Gu An seemed to be chatting so casually with him, he figured he should show Gu An some respect.

Li Lingtian was momentarily stunned.

This guy really wouldn’t back down!

But he didn’t overthink it. This was, after all, the first real battle of his cultivation journey—something he had been anticipating for ten years.

“Then let’s fight!”

With a hearty laugh, Li Lingtian stepped forward, sending out a powerful gust that scattered the leaves around them. In a flash, he shot toward Yang Zhi like a bolt of lightning, swinging a fierce kick that lashed out like a whip.

Yang Zhi reacted just as quickly, raising his knee in an instant to block Li Lingtian’s kick.

Li Lingtian’s eyes widened in shock, and his grin twisted into something more strained. Yang Zhi’s strength sent a surge of excitement through him.

“What fast reflexes.” Yang Ni, standing beside Gu An, commented in surprise.

She hadn’t expected this.

Both Li Lingtian and Yang Zhi were moving at speeds far beyond what a Foundation Establishment cultivator should be capable of. Yang Ni even felt that she hadn’t been this strong back when she first reached Core Formation.

So Gu An really did have confidence in his disciple!

Li Lingtian used the momentum to flip back, his body stretching midair. As he steadied himself, he struck out with a fist, sending a golden dragon-shaped energy blast roaring toward Yang Zhi.

The dragon’s roar echoed through the forest.

But Yang Zhi didn’t retreat—he advanced instead. With a wave of his hand, he dispersed the golden dragon illusion and closed the gap between them in a single step.

Li Lingtian’s pupils shrank.

Boom!

Yang Zhi’s elbow struck his abdomen, causing his eyes to widen in shock. His mouth opened involuntarily, blood spraying out.

Before he could recover, Yang Zhi launched a relentless flurry of punches and kicks, battering him like a sandbag, not even letting him touch the ground.

“How is this possible?!”

Yang Ni’s beautiful eyes widened in disbelief.

She knew how strong Li Lingtian was. While he hadn’t fought many real opponents, Li Xuandao had prepared countless puppets for him to train against.

In her eyes, Li Lingtian had already surpassed Foundation Establishment. If not for splitting his focus between spells and divine abilities, his cultivation would have long since reached Core Formation.

Yet this prodigy—who should have been untouchable—was now being beaten without even being able to fight back?

Yang Zhi’s movements were so fast that even she, a Transformation Stage cultivator, found them unnerving.

As the fight continued, she even sensed an incredibly dangerous aura from Yang Zhi—something she had never felt before. Even though his cultivation wasn’t high enough to threaten her, she still felt an inexplicable sense of awe.

Just as it seemed Li Lingtian was about to be beaten to death, Yang Ni was about to step in—

But Gu An stopped her.

“Relax. Zhi’er knows his limits. This is a good opportunity to temper that prince’s arrogance. If he keeps acting like he’s above everyone else in the cultivation world, he’s bound to make too many enemies.” Gu An smiled.

Yang Ni turned to look at him, taking in his calm expression.

For a moment, she felt dazed.

Why was he so composed?

She suddenly realized that during all these years she had been away, Gu An must have gone through many experiences.

Most importantly—how did such an incredible genius end up taking Gu An as his master?

Yang Ni shifted her gaze back to Yang Zhi.

At this moment, he was the one who looked like a true genius, while Li Lingtian appeared utterly helpless before him, unable to display even a fraction of his talent.

Soon, Yang Zhi landed, raising a foot to gently catch Li Lingtian’s battered body.

At this point, Li Lingtian’s robes were in tatters, his hair disheveled, his face covered in blood, and his body utterly drained.

Yang Zhi carefully set him down with one foot. From start to finish, his expression hadn’t changed—as if this fight hadn’t brought him any sense of accomplishment.

Lying on the ground, Li Lingtian struggled to open his eyes.

Yang Zhi stood over him, looking down.

It was the first time Li Lingtian had ever seen someone from this angle, and it made him feel like his entire world was crumbling.

He had never expected things to turn out this way…

Yang Zhi was faster than him.

Yang Zhi’s attacks were heavier than his.

And yet—Yang Zhi’s cultivation level was

lower

than his.

He could tell that Yang Zhi hadn’t even used spiritual energy—just pure speed and raw strength to crush him.

Why?

Am I not supposed to be the most gifted in the world?

The light in Li Lingtian’s eyes dimmed.

He buried his face in the dirt, his shoulders trembling.

He was crying.

He couldn’t accept this defeat.

Gu An walked over, and Yang Zhi immediately bowed in greeting.

Seeing Yang Zhi’s respect for Gu An, Yang Ni’s expression grew even more peculiar.

Squatting down beside Li Lingtian, Gu An spoke gently.

“Your talent is indeed rare, but you must always maintain a sense of humility toward the heavens and earth. There is always someone stronger out there. If your opponent today had been an enemy, you would already be dead.”

Li Lingtian clenched his fists, his body trembling even more violently.

Yang Ni remained silent. After her initial shock, she even felt a little schadenfreude.

Li Lingtian had been so arrogant along the way that he had annoyed her to no end. It was nice to see someone put him in his place.

She had never liked Li Lingtian, nor did she like Empress Yang.

Yang Zhi said nothing. He didn’t feel qualified to lecture Li Lingtian. The only reason he was stronger was because he had something Li Lingtian didn’t—Gu An as his master.

Gu An took out a pill and fed it to Li Lingtian.

Li Lingtian slowly got up, turning to Yang Zhi. Despite his bloodied face, his expression remained stubborn.

“I refuse to accept this. One day, I’ll win.” He gritted his teeth.

Yang Zhi raised a hand, and Li Lingtian instinctively flinched, retreating behind Gu An—only to realize Yang Zhi had simply been offering him a respectful salute.

Realizing his mistake, Li Lingtian felt incredibly embarrassed, wishing he could disappear into the ground.

Yang Ni burst out laughing. “With how you are now, you still dare challenge him? Focus on getting stronger first."

Li Lingtian took a deep breath and turned to Gu An. In a low voice, he asked, “Senior Brother Gu, can I stay in Medicine Valley?”

He wanted to see how Yang Zhi usually trained.

Ever since he was young, he had never slacked off—not even for a day. He had no friends, dedicating himself entirely to cultivation. And yet, he had suffered a crushing defeat. He couldn't accept it.

“No problem,” Gu An said with a smile. “If you need anything while you're here, just ask Zhi’er. Technically, he’s still your junior.”

Hearing this, Li Lingtian’s face immediately lit up with a grin.

Meanwhile, Yang Zhi felt a headache coming on.

Ten years ago, Gu An had mentioned Li Lingtian to him. Back then, he had felt immense pressure. But now, seeing Li Lingtian in person, he realized—he wasn’t much of a threat after all.

His

real

rival was still that senior brother he had yet to meet.

With that, the four of them left the forest and returned to the Third Medicine Valley.

The disciples in the valley were all shocked to see Li Lingtian—who had been so arrogant earlier—return looking utterly miserable. They were all curious about what had happened.

Yang Ni didn’t stay long. After chatting with Gu An for a while, she flew off toward the Inner Sect, clearly here on some kind of mission.

Gu An handed Li Lingtian over to Yang Zhi and then went upstairs to read.

The day passed, and evening arrived.

Li Lingtian, now wearing a clean set of clothes, stepped out of his courtyard. He didn’t see Yang Zhi anywhere, so he wandered around the valley.

Before long, he was drawn to a group of disciples playing chess.

However, whether it was Go or Chinese chess, neither interested him.

Just then, a figure caught his eye—Blood Prison Great Saint, who was stomping down the path, grumbling angrily to himself.

It turned out that he had gone after a White Spirit Mouse but had failed to catch it, leaving him in a foul mood.

Li Lingtian walked up and asked, “You’ve got quite the presence for a bull-headed guy. What’s your name?”

Blood Prison Great Saint shot him a sideways glance and replied, “Ever heard of the Ox Demon King?”

With that, he continued on his way, not bothering to entertain Li Lingtian any further.

He still remembered Li Lingtian. Ten years ago, he had thought the kid might be someone extraordinary. But now, after watching him get utterly demolished by Yang Zhi, he had changed his mind.

What a weakling!

Li Lingtian stood frozen for a moment, mumbling to himself, “There’s a Yang Zhi, and now there’s an Ox Demon King… Don’t tell me there’s a Grandmaster Bodhi here too?”

Otherwise, how could Yang Zhi possibly be so strong?

That said, he didn’t consider Gu An to be the Grandmaster Bodhi figure—Gu An didn’t

seem

that powerful.

Meanwhile, at the Imperial Study

The scorching summer sun cast its light over the Imperial Palace.

Inside the study, Li Xuandao sat at his desk, flipping through letters with a furrowed brow.

After a while, a figure strode in quickly, stopping before the desk and bowing deeply.

The man was clad in finely crafted armor, exuding an air of authority. His face was chiseled, his gaze sharp and filled with an undeniable intensity.

This was Ye Yan—Gu An’s disciple from the days of Xuanrong.

A hundred years had passed, and Ye Yan was no longer the calm and disciplined young man he once was. Now, he carried the presence of a seasoned general, a warrior with the aura of a tiger.

Li Xuandao looked up and asked, “How much do you know about your master?”

Ye Yan frowned. “My master? What happened to him?”

He didn’t answer right away. Though he hadn’t seen Gu An in years, the gratitude he owed him had never faded. Even in front of Li Xuandao, he instinctively wanted to protect his master.

Li Xuandao waved his hand, sending a letter floating toward Ye Yan.

Ye Yan caught it and began reading carefully.

As his eyes scanned the contents, his expression changed drastically, his face filled with shock.

“How is this possible…? His Highness, the Crown Prince, is no ordinary talent. And yet, he was utterly crushed by a Foundation Establishment cultivator?” Ye Yan muttered. “Yang… my master’s disciple?”

He had met Li Lingtian before. In fact, he had even taught him spear techniques.

Li Lingtian’s talent had once made him feel that the heavens were unjust—he had even suspected that Li Lingtian was an immortal reincarnated.

Just last year, when he had seen Li Lingtian, the prince had already displayed strength on par with a Core Formation cultivator.

How could someone like that lose to a mere Foundation Establishment disciple?

Li Xuandao’s gaze was sharp. “With Gu An’s ability, there’s no way he could have trained such a disciple on his own. Do you think he has a powerful figure backing him?”

Though he often found Li Lingtian’s arrogance frustrating, he had never expected the boy to suffer such a devastating loss. The thought left an uncomfortable feeling in his heart.