Only a month and a half remained before the annual family assessment, and Li Yun knew he couldn't afford to waste a single day.
The very next morning, he made his way to the Li Family's training grounds. Once there, his eyes landed on the towering strength measurement pillar.
Glancing around to make sure no one else was present, he clenched his fist and struck with full force.
A deep thud echoed, followed by glowing characters on the pillar.
4500 Jin.
Li Yun froze. His eyes widened in disbelief. "Four thousand five hundred Jin of strength? Impossible…"
By all normal standards, a genius who reached the peak of the Marrow Cleansing Realm would only boast around two thousand Jin of strength. Even the most prodigious talents within sects, those hailed as once-in-a-generation, would struggle to touch three thousand Jin at the very peak of the realm.
Yet here he was, still only in the late stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm, already wielding a staggering 4500 Jin of raw strength. What heights would he reach once he broke into the peak stage? The thought alone made his heart race.
His lips trembled as he muttered, half in awe, half in disbelief, "So this… this is the true benefit of the Supreme Foundation."
Li Yun gave a small nod of satisfaction before making his way toward the Treasure Pavilion. His stock of ingredients for refining Marrow Cleansing Potions had run dry, and it was time to replenish them.
Upon entering the grand pavilion, he didn't waste any time browsing and instead went straight to the section where alchemy ingredients were sold. Handing over a neatly written list, he spoke calmly, "Prepare everything on this list for me."
The attendant glanced at the parchment, then looked up, and immediately recognized him. His posture straightened, his tone respectful. "Please wait a moment, Young Master Li."
After checking through the list, the attendant disappeared into the storeroom and returned shortly after with a neatly tied pouch. Setting it carefully on the counter, he said, "Young Master Li, these are all the ingredients you requested. The total comes to three thousand gold coins."
A faint smile tugged at Li Yun's lips. He reached into his robes and produced a gleaming token. "Heh, I happen to hold a VIP token from the Treasure Pavilion. Surely that entitles me to a better price, doesn't it?"
The attendant's eyes flickered in surprise the moment he saw the token. His manner became even more deferential. In the Treasure Pavilion, every counter, whether directly owned or rented, was bound by contract to honor the Pavilion's VIP privileges. And only people of true status in Azure Wind City could possibly hold one. Ordinary adventurers couldn't compare.
"Of course, Young Master," the attendant replied quickly. "According to the rules, a VIP token grants a ten percent discount on all purchases. For these ingredients, the total is three thousand gold coins, but with your discount, the price will be two thousand seven hundred."
"Good. I'll take it." Li Yun nodded, his smile widening slightly as he passed over the coins and tucked the pouch away.
Though his wealth had grown considerably, saving three hundred gold coins with a single sentence was nothing to scoff at. In truth, three hundred gold coins was no small sum. To many, it could mean a year's worth of cultivation resources.
"What exactly do you want?"
"Didn't my young lady already say she'd compensate you for your shoes? Why are you being so unreasonable?"
Just as Li Yun stepped into the first-floor hall of the Treasure Pavilion, a familiar voice reached his ears.
He paused, frowning slightly. After a brief moment of thought, recognition flickered in his eyes, it was Xiao Wu, Li Yao's personal maid.
'If Xiao Wu is here… then Li Yao must be here too.'
Li Yun's gaze shifted toward the source of the commotion. A crowd had gathered in the corner of the hall, the lively atmosphere laced with tension. Clearly, some sort of conflict had broken out.
"Could it be… Li Yao has clashed with someone?" Li Yun's brows knit tighter.
Though their relationship had grown distant in recent years, Li Yun could never erase the memory of the little girl with a ponytail who once followed him around like a shadow. More than that, he knew from Li Hua that Li Yao still quietly cared for him, even if circumstances had forced her to keep her distance.
Before he could take another step, a mocking voice rang out, full of arrogance.
"Oh my, oh my! Hahaha, this little hussy dares to point her finger at this young master?"
"Bastard, I think you're asking for death!"
Hearing those words, Li Yun's lips curled into a sneer. That voice, he knew it all too well.
Zhao Xiaotian. The son of the Zhao family's patriarch. Half a month ago, during the small auction, Li Yun had made a fool out of him, leaving Zhao Xiaotian seething with humiliation.
And now, here he was again.
"Zhao Xiaotian, don't go too far!" A clear, beautiful voice cut through the noise.
The instant he heard it, Li Yun's eyes sharpened. 'It really is Li Yao.' She was the one being surrounded, and from the looks of it, she had run straight into Zhao Xiaotian and his lackeys.
Li Yun's cold smile deepened as he began striding toward the crowd, his presence sharp as a blade.
Even if his relationship with Li Yao had grown distant, Li Yun would never stand by and let Zhao Xiaotian bully her.
The truth was simple, whether he stumbled upon it now or heard about it later, he would rush to her side the moment he learned she was being harassed. Somewhere deep within his heart, the thought of Li Yao being humiliated by anyone was intolerable.
To him, she was still that younger sister who once followed him around with bright eyes and an innocent smile. How could he possibly allow her to be trampled on by others? Whoever dared to touch her would pay the price.
Right now, Li Yao was still a step away from the peak of the Marrow Cleansing Realm, while Zhao Xiaotian had already reached it. If the two really clashed, Li Yao would inevitably suffer.
"Li Yao," Zhao Xiaotian sneered, arrogance dripping from his voice. "Others may cower before your identity as the Li family head's daughter, but I, Zhao Xiaotian, do not. Today, your maid dirtied my shoe. If you don't give me a proper explanation, then this won't end well."
Before Li Yao could respond, another voice cut through the crowd like a blade.
"What kind of explanation do you want?"
The crowd parted slightly as Li Yun pushed his way forward, his gaze locked on Zhao Xiaotian. He quickly took in the sight: Zhao Xiaotian in his gaudy golden robe, flanked by two guards of the Zhao family, standing with an overbearing posture.
Zhao Xiaotian stiffened at the sound of that voice. His head whipped around sharply, and when his eyes landed on Li Yun, his expression twisted with venom.
Of course he hated him. He hated him to the bone.
In fact, a large part of why Zhao Xiaotian had even come to the Treasure Pavilion today was to hunt for Li Yun. After suffering humiliation at Li Yun's hands half a month ago, he had been locked up by his father in confinement. But because his father spoiled him, he had been released early. And the very first thing he wanted was revenge.
When he failed to find Li Yun, fate had given him a substitute target, Li Yao. He had followed her, deliberately created an opportunity for her maid to step on him, and then used that excuse to unleash his pent-up anger.
But now the true source of his humiliation had appeared before him.
"Li Yun!" Zhao Xiaotian spat the name through clenched teeth, his eyes brimming with malice.
Li Yao and Xiao Wu also turned to look. In Li Yao's beautiful eyes, emotion flickered - complicated, restrained, and heavy with meaning.