Ryan glanced indifferently at the corpse on the ground, snorted coldly, then turned and walked off the ring as if nothing had happened.
The Seventh Elder had always been a thorn in his side, constantly scheming and stirring up trouble. Whether sooner or later, this conflict would end in blood. Since the opportunity had presented itself, Ryan had simply removed the problem once and for all.
From the moment the Seventh Elder attacked to the moment he died, only an instant had passed.
Everything happened too fast. The crowd had not even finished reacting before it was already over. They stared at Ryan, then at the lifeless body of the Seventh Elder, completely speechless.
At this moment, everyone shared the same thought.
The Li Clan… was about to change.
"Li Wei, you devil! You murderer! I'll fight you to the death!"
A shrill cry rang out.
Li Fanghua rushed forward, her eyes red with hatred. She had just seen Li Mingtian knocked unconscious, and her grandfather was then killed with a single palm. Her sanity snapped.
Her strength, however, was worlds apart from Ryan's.
Ryan frowned slightly. He had no habit of striking women.
With a casual wave of his hand, a gust of wind surged outward, sweeping Li Fanghua off her feet and sending her tumbling away. The force carried no killing intent, merely pushing her aside.
"If you want revenge, then grow strong enough first," Ryan said coldly without even turning back. "Right now, you are so weak that you aren't worth a pebble on the ground I walk."
There were three reasons he spared her.
First, he wouldn't want to strike women, atleast those women who weren't warriors at all.
Second, Li Fanghua posed no threat to him whatsoever. With the system backing him, his growth rate was something no one could catch up to. Even if she encountered some miraculous fortune, she would never reach him.
Third, killing her brought no benefit. Ryan was already an Exalt. Enemies far below his level yielded no experience worth mentioning. To him, Li Fanghua was just as he said earlier, not even as worth as a pebble.
"Li Wei! Just you wait! I'll tear you apart one day!" Li Fanghua screamed hysterically.
Ryan only smiled faintly, completely unconcerned. His footsteps never paused as he left the Yanwu arena and disappeared from view.
After he was gone, the entire arena erupted.
Li Mingtian, the so-called first genius, had been sent flying with two fingers. The Seventh Elder had been killed with a single palm. Ryan had instantly become the center of all discussion.
No one could understand how his strength had soared to such terrifying heights in such a short time. Speculation ran rampant. Awe, fear, admiration, disbelief, and even worship filled the air.
From this day onward, no one dared to call Ryan a waste again. To some, he had already become an idol, a goal to chase, an existence to revere.
On the high platform, the elders sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
After a long while, one elder finally sighed. "Li Wei truly gave us a tremendous shock."
The others nodded in agreement. Soon, they gathered together, including Li Gengxin, and began whispering amongst themselves, discussing matters in low voices.
***
When Ryan returned to the entrance of his residence, a slender figure suddenly rushed forward and hugged him tightly from behind.
Ryan smiled faintly and let her cling to him.
"Wei-ge," Li Xue's sweet voice sounded softly.
Since the day they had bared their hearts, Li Xue was no longer shy or timid. She had become far more open and bold.
"My good girl," Ryan chuckled, turning around and pulling her into his arms. "You scared me just now. So, did you see your Brother Li show off his might?"
"Of course I did!" Li Xue said happily, her face flushed as she leaned against his chest. "Wei-ge was amazing! I cheered for you, too, but there were too many people. You probably couldn't hear me."
"Xue'er is the best," Ryan said warmly, gently stroking her hair.
"Hey, don't treat me like a child," Li Xue said coquettishly. "I'm not small anymore."
"Alright, alright," Ryan laughed, though his hand never stopped caressing her hair.
They stood together for a while, sharing a quiet sweetness. Then Li Xue suddenly pulled away from his embrace, her expression turning hesitant and troubled.
"What's wrong, Xue'er?" Ryan asked, puzzled.
Just a moment ago, she had been fine. He quickly searched his memory, wondering if he had said or done something wrong, but found nothing.
"I… I'm fine," Li Xue said softly. She reached up and touched Ryan's face, tracing it lightly with her fingers before looking at him seriously. "Actually, Wei-ge, I have something to tell you. Maybe… this will be our last meeting."
Ryan's heart skipped. A bad feeling rose sharply in his chest.
"What is it? Don't scare me like that," he said, his voice tense.
"I…" Li Xue hesitated for a long time before finally whispering, "I'm going home."
"Home?" Ryan froze, staring at her. "Isn't this already your home?"
As the words left his mouth, an inexplicable sense of loss washed over him, and his heart began to tremble.
"I mean my real family. You know what I'm talking about." Li Xue lowered her eyes, her voice tinged with sadness. "You should understand… I was never truly a member of the Li Clan."
"Your home…"
Ryan had already guessed as much long ago. He knew Li Xue's identity was extraordinary, that she did not truly belong to the Li Clan, and that there was an invisible gap between them. He simply had not expected that separation would arrive so soon.
Ryan cared deeply for Li Xue.
In his heart, she had long ceased to be just a girl he liked; he had already regarded her as his own woman. Now, at the thought of parting from this gentle, lively girl, his chest felt tight, as though something precious were being torn away.
"Yes." Li Xue nodded softly. "My home is very far away. I don't even know when I'll be able to see Wei-ge again after I leave this time."
Her eyes reddened as she spoke, and tears shimmered within them. She tried to hold them back, but her voice still trembled. "Wei-ge… I can't bear to leave you."
"Xue'er," Ryan called her name softly. Seeing her on the verge of tears, he pulled her gently into his arms and spoke with solemn sincerity. "I can't bear it either. But I understand. Right now, I'm not yet qualified to stand beside you. Still, believe me. I'll work harder than ever. One day, I'll come find you."
"Mm." Li Xue nodded lightly in his embrace. "I believe you, Wei-ge."
She leaned her head against his chest, clutching his clothes tightly with both hands, as if afraid that letting go would truly mean losing him. Ryan's arms tightened as well, holding her even closer.
They embraced for a long time. Afterward, Li Xue told Ryan everything about her family, her true identity, and even some matters concerning the greater structure of the Holy Mystic Continent, offering him guidance and advice.
Only then did Ryan learn the truth.