At the martial arts training ground of Yunshui County,
The crowd was immense, with drums and gongs resounding through the air.
Li Yuanhu wore a sleek black martial outfit, his movements exuding the steady presence of a mountain. He was no longer the reckless young bully who relied solely on brute force.
"It's the young master of the Li family!"
"That's Li Yuanhu, the one born with divine strength! Truly, heroes emerge from the young!"
"I heard his father, County Captain Li, was just as impressive back in the day—subdued all the martial arts schools in Yunshui County with a single punch!"
"The pupil surpasses the master—the old Tiger Tyrant has bred a young Tiger Tyrant. The legacy continues."
Li Yuanhu listened to the surrounding chatter without a trace of pride on his face. He bowed respectfully to the presiding examiner seated high on the platform. He had not come here to flaunt his strength or chase fame and fortune.
He recalled his Third Uncle's words:
"Tiger Cub, your Second Uncle fights for the people in Songling Prefecture. Your father protects the county here in Yunshui. The men of our Li family, born on this royal land, must know what to do and what not to do. The military examinations aren't for you to show off—they're an opportunity to use your skills to protect our family and the common people."To ordinary folks, Third Uncle seemed unremarkable, but Li Yuanhu knew his true capabilities and had admired him since childhood.
Outwardly, the family appeared to be led by the most successful Second Brother, with their father holding sway in Yunshui County. But in reality, the family subtly revolved around Third Uncle Li Pingcan. Of course, this was a secret not to be shared.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
Three strikes of the gong sounded, and Li Yuanhu focused his mind, preparing seriously for the county-level examination.
First event: Strength Test.
The thousand-jin stone lock was the limit for other candidates—merely lifting it was an achievement. But Li Yuanhu took a deep breath, flexed his arms, and effortlessly raised it overhead, even juggling it slightly midair, making the watching candidates' eyelids twitch.
Second event: Archery on Horseback.
Galloping at full speed, he drew his bow and released arrows without missing a single shot. The bullseye a hundred paces away bristled like a porcupine.
Third event: Combat—surviving against a veteran soldier for the time it took to brew tea.
His opponent was a battle-hardened veteran from the prefectural garrison, a master of ruthless blade techniques. Yet from the first exchange, the veteran suffered.
Li Yuanhu's fighting style defied all reason—no fancy techniques, just punch after punch! Each strike carried overwhelming force, forcing the veteran to desperately block and retreat, his saber vibrating violently, his palms already bloodied. Under Li Yuanhu's storm-like assault, the veteran was sent flying off the platform with a single punch.
An undisputed victory—he passed the county exam with ease.
"County Exam Champion—Li Yuanhu!"
As the announcement echoed, the entire training ground erupted in cheers. Standing at the center of the platform, Li Yuanhu listened to the roaring applause, his face lit with joy as he gazed into the distance—toward Peach Blossom Village.
...........
News of Li Yuanhu's triumph spread quickly through Yunshui County. Soon, the title "Li Family's Prodigy" was on everyone's lips, and storytellers turned his feats into catchy tales. Legends like "Lifting the Thousand-Jin Cauldron" and "Defeating the Veteran Master" became wildly exaggerated.
The threshold of the Li Family Mansion was worn down by congratulatory visitors, many seeking marriage alliances to climb the family's rising social ladder.
Yunshui County, Huaqing Mountain, Su Family Estate.
This was the county's only cultivator family, usually secluded from mortal affairs, existing in their own realm.
Deep within the estate, in a quiet chamber, calming "Lily Incense" burned in a censer. A white-haired, gaunt-faced elder sat cross-legged on a cushion. Before him hovered three ancient copper coins, their surfaces shimmering with spiritual light, faintly forming an enigmatic divination.
This was Su Muyun, the Su family's pillar—a ninth-layer Qi Refinement cultivator and their ancestral elder. Not only was his cultivation profound, but he was also skilled in divination, able to foresee fortune and misfortune. This was why the Su family had peacefully endured in Yunshui County for centuries.
But today, this divination left his usually impassive face deeply troubled for the first time.
"How strange... how strange..." His eyes gleamed with intensity. "How can the Li family's destiny be so vigorous? Like oil fueling flames, soaring skyward—this defies reason!"
He had divined Yunshui County's future destiny and the fates of its prominent families. In his view, though the Li family had produced two rising officials, they were ultimately mundane martial artists with shallow roots—their destiny should have been modest prosperity at best.
Yet this divination... There must be something unusual at play!
"A family's destiny doesn't emerge from nothing. Unless... they've obtained some extraordinary opportunity!"
Su Muyun had been stuck at the ninth layer of Qi Refinement for over thirty years, his lifespan dwindling while the Foundation Establishment threshold remained elusive. If he could obtain the Li family's "opportunity," perhaps...
An uncontrollable greed rose in his heart.
Li Pingfu—an innate martial artist with fierce Blood Qi—would be troublesome to deal with. Then there was Li Ping'an, the rising official backed by the Mu family of the prefecture—targeting him would invite complications.
After careful consideration, Su Muyun's gaze settled on the chessboard's most inconspicuous, "softest" piece.
"Third Son Li Pingcan—said to be an idle man obsessed with flowers and gardening, with two wives and children. Utterly unremarkable. His eldest son Li Mengze has entered the prefectural academy—too risky. But his second son Li Mengjin is just a mortal boy—what resistance could he offer? Once I capture him and use soul-searching techniques... Even if the boy knows nothing, I can use him as leverage to uncover the Li family's secrets!"
One always picks the softest persimmon.
Confident in his flawless plan, Su Muyun didn't hesitate. His figure blurred, transforming into an imperceptible breeze as he silently left the Su estate, drifting toward Peach Blossom Village.
Peach Blossom Mountain, within the rolling peaks.
Though his father had counseled him, the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children wasn't easily dismissed. Li Mengjin now preferred solitude.
Gripping Shadow Fang, he diligently practiced the "Thirteen Wind Returning Swords" taught by his father. Though young, his swordplay was impressive—each flash of his blade produced faint whistling sounds, slicing falling leaves cleanly in half.
A ghostly figure materialized silently behind him.
Su Muyun observed the boy with surprise, then disdain. 'Mortal blood—no matter how talented, how strong could he be?'
He reached out like an eagle snatching a chick, aiming for Li Mengjin's nape.
At the critical moment, the boy—as if eyes grew on his back—suddenly ducked, narrowly avoiding the grab at an impossible angle.
"Hmm?" Su Muyun was startled—such sharp combat instincts from a child?
As a ninth-layer Qi Refinement expert, he instantly adapted. An invisible force erupted, attempting to drag Li Mengjin toward him.
Li Mengjin felt overwhelming power envelop him, his body floating uncontrollably backward. His face paled, heart pounding wildly with terror.
Amidst the panic, his father's teachings echoed thunderously:
"Mengjin, remember—a true swordsman's heart must be calmer than his blade! The greater the danger, the more you must seek that sliver of hope!"
"Ha!"
Li Mengjin didn't resist. As Shadow Fang was pulled within reach, he mustered all his courage and strength, stabbing fiercely at Su Muyun's wrist!
The strike concentrated his entire being!
"Pfft!"
Caught off-guard, Su Muyun actually suffered a shallow cut on his hand from the black shortsword.
This child dared counterattack while spiritually locked! Though merely a flesh wound, the sharp sword intent clinging to the blade pierced his meridians like needles, causing stinging pain.
"Little bastard! You seek death!" Su Muyun roared, both shocked and enraged. A peak Qi Refinement cultivator injured by a mortal—what humiliation!
Abandoning restraint, his eyes turned murderous as mana surged, forming a spectral claw aimed at Li Mengjin's head!
Missing his strike, Li Mengjin didn't press the attack. Using the recoil, he swung backward like an agile monkey—fleeing downhill!
One thought dominated his mind:
Father said—when outmatched, run! Where there's life, there's hope!
"Escape?!" Su Muyun bellowed, unwilling to let him go. He lunged in pursuit.
But the instant he moved, terrifying pressure descended!
Su Muyun felt crushed by an invisible mountain, his mana flow nearly freezing. Struggling to look up, he saw a figure had appeared ahead—unknowingly when.
The man wore plain blue robes, ordinary at first glance. But those eyes—deep as unfathomable icy pools—calmly observed him.
It was Li Pingcan.
"Bullying my son? Did you ask his father first?"
"You... Third Son Li?!" Su Muyun stiffened as if thunderstruck.
Having lived nearly a century, he prided himself on discerning people's roots and destinies at a glance. Yet this blue-robed man before him... he couldn't comprehend at all!
"Foun... Foundation Establishment?!" A soul-shaking realization struck him.
Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How could a mundane family produce such a young Foundation Establishment cultivator?!
This wasn't just flourishing destiny—this was heaven-sent fortune dropping right into their laps!
"Who are you? You can't possibly be that useless Third Son Li!" Su Muyun blustered.
The compass artifact in his hand spun wildly, its needle like a headless fly—completely unable to lock onto the other's presence. This meant the man's destiny and power exceeded his divination's scope!
"Who I am doesn't matter," Li Pingcan said calmly. "What matters is you'll die here today."
"Arrogance!" Suppressing his terror, Su Muyun bit his tongue and spat blood onto the compass, chanting:
"Heavenly Secrets Primordial Chaos—Soul-Locking Spirit-Seizing!"
The compass blazed as sinister gray-black runes swarmed toward Li Pingcan like maggots—his ultimate soul-attacking curse. Victims would either go mad or have their souls scattered.
Yet Li Pingcan didn't even blink.
"Glowworms daring to compete with the moon?"
In terms of soul strength—nurtured by the Druid training site—even Foundation Establishment cultivators might not surpass him!
He scoffed, not bothering with [Divine Blessing of Nature].
A Divine Martial Grandmaster's physical energy was supremely potent. With a mere thought, golden energy erupted from his body. The runes sizzled upon contact, dissolving into black smoke.
"Pfft!" The curse's backlash made Su Muyun vomit blood again.
"Body Cultivator! You... you're a legendary ancient body refiner?!"
Body refiners were relics of antiquity—cultivating flesh over external arts, using pure strength to attain the Dao. Legends said masters could rival magical artifacts, immune to spells, even shattering void with punches.
How could such a monster exist in this backwater?!
Su Muyun's courage broke entirely. Without hesitation, he transformed into a streak of light, fleeing downhill.
"Thinking of leaving now? Isn't that too late?" Li Pingcan's voice drifted after him.
A terrifying premonition struck—Su Muyun's pupils shrank.
Ahead, countless emerald vines erupted from the earth like awakened pythons, weaving into an inescapable net at unbelievable speed!
[Thorn Whip]!
No longer the simple tripping trick from before, these barbed vines formed an impenetrable web, blocking all escape.
"Break!" Su Muyun desperately unleashed wind blades and fireballs, but the vines regrew endlessly.
"What demonic art is this?!" His heart sank as the net tightened inexorably, his protective charms useless.
"Mercy—"
Li Pingcan ignored the plea, using Hallucinogenic Mushroom to extract information. Learning Su Muyun was just a jealous diviner—not backed by any major force—he relaxed.
After all, the Li family's only known cultivator was alchemist Li Mengze, unlikely to attract powerful clans' attention. Only the Su family's proximity made them notice.
No wonder the ancients said: "How can one tolerate others snoring beside their bed?" Wise words indeed!
Having confirmed Su Muyun's motives, Li Pingcan raised Awakening Thunder.
"Blame yourself for not divining today's fortune."
"Thirteen Wind Returning Swords—Startling Swan!"
"No!!"
Su Muyun just regained consciousness from the hallucination when sword light pierced his forehead. His dying eyes held utter disbelief.
How could such terror hide in this remote village? How could a peak ninth-layer cultivator die so swiftly, so pitifully?
His corpse crumpled.
"Father!" Li Mengjin's heart raced, face tense with post-crisis shock.
"Don't fear—Father's here." Li Pingcan gently patted his back, his own killing intent gradually subsiding.
"Mengjin, you did excellently today." He spoke earnestly: "Remember—a true swordsman never abandons hope."
"Mm!" The boy nodded heavily, only now feeling the gravity of their near-death experience.
After comforting his son, Li Pingcan turned to the still-warm corpse.
"Let's see what this old fool carried."
Su Muyun's possessions exceeded expectations. Beyond dozens of mid-grade spirit stones and healing pills, two items stood out:
A yellowed ancient manual titled in vermilion: "Heavenly Derivation Divination Arts"—genuinely rare. Among cultivation arts, divination was among the most mysterious.
The other was a white jade pendant engraved with intricate formations. When Li Pingcan probed it spiritually, gentle power enveloped him, severing his connection to heaven and earth.
"Marvelous! An artifact that blocks detection!"
Perfect for covert operations, treasure hunting, or... acquisitions. Most importantly—ideal for Li Mengze in distant Songling Prefecture, beyond the Druid training site's reach.
"Not bad at all—this was worth it."
After collecting the spoils, Li Pingcan flicked a spark onto the corpse. Flames consumed all traces of Su Muyun's existence.