The man was Li Xian, Li Nian's elder brother. He had a tall, burly frame, but his narrow, triangular eyes carried a sharpness that made people instinctively uncomfortable when meeting his gaze.
At just over twenty years old, Li Xian was considered one of the most outstanding talents of the Li family's younger generation.
He no longer lived within the Li Family compound, not because he had been cast out, but because he had gone to study at the Sword Hall, one of the most powerful forces in the Moonriver County.
The Sword Hall's exact location was a closely guarded secret. Disciples were forbidden from revealing it to outsiders without permission, under threat of severe punishment. Because of this, very few people even knew where it was.
What was well-known, however, was its reputation, it stood as one of the great forces in the Azure Wind City and all the other cities under the Moonriver County, commanding influence over many surrounding powerhouses.
Entry into the Sword Hall was notoriously difficult. Only those with exceptional talent could hope to pass its selection. For the countless young cultivators of Azure Wind City, being accepted into the Sword Hall was nothing short of a dream, yet only a handful ever succeeded.
Li Xian's admission into such a sect had brought tremendous pride to the entire Li family. His strength further justified that pride, having already reached the second level of the Body Tempering Realm, he stood among the elite of his generation.
Many within the family even whispered that Li Xian was the best candidate to become the next patriarch, some believing that under his leadership, the Li family could one day rise to be the number one family in all of Azure Wind City.
"Li Xian, greet the patriarch and the elders.."
Li Xian had stormed onto the platform, shouting about who dared injure his brother before even offering the proper greetings. It was an open display of arrogance.
Then again, Li Xian had the qualifications to be arrogant, he was a Sword Hall disciple, and even the patriarch Li Jinyun had to show him some measure of respect.
"Li Xian, why have you returned so suddenly?" Li Potian asked, visibly startled at first. But when he realized who it was, his face flushed with excitement. Li Xian's appearance gave him renewed confidence.
"I just completed a mission and happened to pass by Azure Wind City on my way back," Li Xian replied casually, his tone sharp as a blade. "I heard there was a family gathering today, so I decided to stop by. Now…"
His eyes turned cold, locking onto Li Yun like a predator on prey. "Who's the bastard that crippled my brother's arm?"
Li Yun opened his mouth to speak, but Li Zhen stepped forward first.
"Li Xian, your brother used a Raging Blood Pill against his own clan member. Li Yun merely retaliated." The Third Elder's frown deepened, his tone stern.
Everyone in the Li family knew Li Xian's temper, proud, unreasonable, and completely unwilling to listen to reason. There was no changing his mind once he decided on something.
"Li Yun?" Li Xian's eyes narrowed dangerously, his voice dripping with scorn. "I remember you. Weren't you the so-called useless one? Since when could you injure my brother?"
"Haha… there are many things you don't know." Li Yun's voice was calm, neither humble nor overbearing.
Li Xian's eyes burned with fury. He hadn't expected Li Yun to talk back to him so casually, let alone with that tone. "You dare talk to me like that?!"
"Li Xian, don't underestimate him," Li Potian interjected, though his voice carried a biting undertone. "Li Nian fought him earlier and couldn't last. Seems we've all underestimated how quietly he's been growing."
Li Xian snorted. "So, I was ignorant? Fine then." His eyes sharpened like drawn swords, his voice icy. "Since my brother lost to you in a competition, let's keep it simple, how about you compete with me?"
In an instant, his aura surged like a crashing wave. The oppressive might of a second-level Body Tempering Realm cultivator burst forth, sweeping across the arena like a storm.
Li Yun held his ground, unmoved, but he could feel the weight behind that pressure. It was strong, much stronger than Li Nian's.
"Li Xian, don't go too far!" Li Zhen's voice thundered across the arena. "How old are you compared to Li Yun? Do you really think it's honorable to bully someone younger and weaker than you?"
Li Xian sneered, unbothered by the rebuke. "Third Elder, if I didn't know you for being fair, I might think you were playing favorites with Li Yun. Bullying the weak? Please. So what if I'm a few years older? We're still of the same generation, aren't we? Why shouldn't I compete with him?"
His gaze locked onto Li Yun, eyes burning with provocation. "Li Yun, if you're too scared to face me, that's fine, I won't force you. But at the very least, kneel and kowtow to my brother. Apologize. Otherwise… don't blame me for being cruel."
His words dripped with arrogance, delivered right in front of the patriarch and elders, as though the Li family itself no longer held any weight in his eyes after joining Sword Hall.
Li Yun, however, did not avert his gaze. He met Li Xian's scorching eyes head-on, unflinching.
He knew full well that refusing the challenge wouldn't lead to severe consequences. With his grandfather Li Zhen present, no harm would come to him. But declining would leave whispers behind, rumors that he was afraid of Li Xian, and, worse, it would cast a shadow on his grandfather's reputation.
Besides, avoidance was never in his nature. Even though he clearly understood the gap between them, he had no intention of backing down.
Li Xian was in the second level of the Body Tempering Realm, a level fundamentally different from the Bone Refining and Marrow Cleansing Realms. Body Tempering experts not only refined their physical bodies to extremes but also began sensing the flow of Qi within.
In the later stages of Body Tempering, one could even harness heaven and earth's energy to temper the body further, a power that far surpassed the simple internal energy used in the lower realms.
Because of this, a Body Tempering cultivator could easily overwhelm someone in the Marrow Cleansing Realm. Li Yun understood this perfectly. Against Li Xian, his chances of victory were slim. But retreat?
That was something he refused to do.
Li Yun's mind raced, weighing his options, searching for the best way to respond.
"What now, Li Yun? How long are you going to stand there thinking?" Li Xian's voice dripped with disdain, his arms crossed and his eyes filled with mockery.
He never actually expected Li Yun to accept the fight. After all, this wasn't the place for him to strike first. His purpose here was simple, to vent his rage. His brother's arm had been crippled; he couldn't just let it go without lashing out somehow.
"Enough. This ends here." The deep, commanding voice of the patriarch, Li Jinyun, finally rang out. "No one is to bring this up again!"
The weight behind those words silenced even the arrogant Li Xian, who dared not openly defy the head of the family.
Everyone thought the matter was settled, until Li Yun suddenly smiled, his eyes gleaming with a sharp, almost daring light.
"I accept the challenge."
Those three simple words hit like a thunderclap.
"What?!"
"Did he just agree?"
"He's insane! Beating Li Nian is one thing, but Li Xian? That's someone who trained at the Sword Hall! He's a powerhouse at the second level of Body Tempering Realm. He could crush Li Yun in one move!"
Murmurs rippled through the crowd, filled with disbelief and confusion. Even Li Xian himself froze for a moment, staring at Li Yun as though he'd gone mad.
'Does this kid actually have the guts to fight me?'
Then Li Xian's eyes narrowed, a cold, predatory light flashing within them. 'Fine. You crippled one of my brother's arms… I'll take both of yours.'
But Li Yun spoke again, his voice calm and measured.
"I accept your challenge, but not right now. I'm tired and need time to rest. Two months from now, during the family competition that happens once every three years, we'll fight then in front of the entire Li family. What do you say, Li Xian?"
The Li family held a grand competition once every three years, an event far more significant than the coming-of-age ceremony. Unlike the adulthood ritual, where only those turning sixteen participated, the family competition drew in almost every capable youth from across the clan. Each tournament saw thousands of Li family children gather to test their strength and prove their worth.
The rewards were just as grand as the scale of the competition. According to tradition, those who placed among the top ranks would walk away with treasures, including techniques, rare potions, and vast sums of gold.
Li Yun's eyes burned with determination. This was his chance. Among his goals was to obtain a high-grade mortal rank cultivation technique and martial art, treasures so rare and precious that even most elders within the Li family had never cultivated them, relying instead on mid-grade techniques.
There were still two months left before the competition, and Li Yun firmly believed he could push his cultivation to the late stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm by then.
More than that, he wanted to measure himself against Li Xian, the so-called prodigy who had earned entry into the legendary Sword Hall.
But above all else, the main reason Li Yun had accepted Li Xian's challenge was simple: the system had issued him a quest, one he couldn't refuse.
——
[Quest Level: E]
– Objective: [Defeat Li Xian]
– Reward: [Nine Tribulations Divine Eye]
——
It was the reward that drove Li Yun to challenge Li Xian. He didn't know exactly what the Nine Tribulations Divine Eye was, but he was certain of one thing, anything carrying the title Divine Eye would not be a small thing. This was an opportunity he simply couldn't afford to miss.
Eye-related abilities were already exceptionally rare on the Martial Dragon Continent, making the reward even more tempting and valuable in Li Yun's eyes.
"Hmm?"
"The family competition?" Li Xian repeated, visibly surprised as he studied Li Yun.
And he wasn't the only one. Everyone present stared at Li Yun in disbelief. Why would he choose to fight Li Xian during the family competition? Did Li Yun truly believe he could grow strong enough in just two months to stand toe-to-toe with someone like Li Xian?