Chapter 1 Part 2

But when Lian Yunzhi’s gaze shifted slightly downward, it froze—

In the boy’s right hand dangled a Cricket Cage inlaid with a shimmering spirit stone!

Yes, a spirit stone!

Identical to the one just shown by the Little Immortal Lord!

The Lian Family was one of Xiaoze State’s four great families, and Lian Yunzhi was the favored legitimate grandson of the Family Head. Even he had only admired his grandfather’s spirit stones up close, never touching one. Yet this boy brazenly embedded a spirit stone into his pet’s cage!

What utter waste!

Lian Yunzhi quietly seethed with envy, his already cold face growing colder: “Can you be quiet? You’re disturbing me from hearing the Immortal Lord speak.”

“Immortal Lord?” The boy arched a brow disdainfully. “You mean that idiot on stage?”

Lian Yunzhi exploded in anger. He stepped forward, clenched his fist, and warned in a low voice: “Show some respect! He’s a real Immortal Lord. I’ve seen him perform immortal arts!”

“Oh?” The boy stared unblinkingly at Lian Yunzhi, his voice oddly soft. “Immortal arts?”

Lian Yunzhi spoke solemnly and reverently: “Yes. Actually, this isn’t the first time I’ve seen this Immortal Lord. Yesterday during the lantern festival, I got separated from my mother. The Immortal Lord used his arts to make me fly into the sky and find her.”

The boy burst out laughing, then quickly composed himself.

“What are you laughing at?!” Lian Yunzhi glared.

The boy shrugged: “Laughing at how ridiculous you are. Knowing a minor spell doesn’t make him any less of an idiot.”

This was the second time he insulted the Immortal Lord.

Lian Yunzhi took a deep breath, then another, before saying calmly: “Come with me.”

“Where to?”

Lian Yunzhi pointed to the nearby rockery.

The blue-robed boy blinked, gripped his Cricket Cage, and followed Lian Yunzhi toward the rockery.

“What do you want to say?” The blue-robed boy smiled at Lian Yunzhi, dangling his luxurious Cricket Cage. “I wanted to show you my Little Gold too. It’s…”

“Bang!”

Lian Yunzhi smashed a fist into the blue-robed boy’s face!

Caught off guard, the blue-robed boy staggered back several steps and fell to the ground. He looked up at Lian Yunzhi in utter disbelief.

Lian Yunzhi felt satisfied.

“Hah!” He approached and kicked the boy’s calf, raising his fist threateningly. “Watch your mouth. Don’t let me hear you insulting the Immortal Lord again, or I’ll punch you for every word! And… stop laughing! Your laugh is disgusting!”

Lian Yunzhi sneered and turned to leave, but the blue-robed boy “bang” tossed aside his Cricket Cage, his face twisted as he lunged at Lian Yunzhi.

Thus, the brawl began.

At first, Lian Yunzhi was confident.

As the eldest legitimate grandson of the Lian Family, he had trained in martial arts since childhood, excelling among his peers. He rarely fought but had never lost.

However…

After a few exchanges, Lian Yunzhi lay on the grass, elbows shielding his head as he curled up and bitterly counted: “One, two…”

After accounting for counters, this guy had landed two extra kicks. He would get revenge someday!

But the third kick never came.

Hm?

Had the boy stopped, unwilling to continue?

Lian Yunzhi cautiously lifted his head from the grass, only to see the blue-robed boy with his right foot toe lightly touching the ground in a kicking stance, but his face turned toward the distance, expression grim and gaze heavy.

Ha! The elders must have spotted him beating me! This guy was in for it!

Before Lian Yunzhi could follow his gaze, the blue-robed boy whipped his head back.

Then.

“Bang—”

The third kick, etched humiliatingly in Lian Yunzhi’s memory for eight years, landed—

“Splash!”

—Lian Yunzhi plunged gracefully into the pond behind him.

…

Snapping back from the dismal memory, Lian Yunzhi ground his teeth and accelerated his Imperial Sword Flight once more.

.

Flying Sword flight was prohibited within Four Directions City. Even as a Lian Family young master, Lian Yunzhi had to land and enter through the main gate.

He had just stowed his Flying Sword and stepped into Four Directions City when Fang Tianxin, who had been waiting eagerly, rushed up: “Hurry, hurry! I’ll take you to the show! In a bit…”

Fang Tianxin’s voice halted. His eyes widened in shock: “Lian Yunzhi, you’re at Foundation Establishment Mid Stage?!”

Lian Yunzhi nodded indifferently: “A minor fortuitous encounter in the secret realm.”

Fang Tianxin’s face twisted: “Tsk tsk… Single Spiritual Root is something else. While the rest of us struggle in Qi Refining, you’re already at Foundation Establishment Mid Stage.”

Lian Yunzhi dismissed it: “Some peers my age are already at Golden Core. That’s nothing.”

Fang Tianxin shrugged: “Mu Cheng’s a freak. No one compares to him. Besides, he’s crippled now…”

Lian Yunzhi strode toward the Mu Mansion without pause, casually asking: “He was at Golden Core. How did the Mu Mansion cripple him?”

Eighteen years ago, Xiaoze State experienced Spiritual Energy Revival. Eight years ago, those with spiritual roots began cultivating.

Currently, Mu Cheng was the only Golden Core in Xiaoze State, arguably its strongest fighter.

“It was those two puppets by Mu Old Master’s side. We knew he had powerful puppets, but yesterday we learned they were both Golden Core level! Even so, they weren’t that effective. To beat Mu Cheng, the Mu Mansion apparently drugged him first… It still caused a huge commotion. See that? Over there, that mountaintop—they blew it up… The ground shook like an earthquake… Too bad you missed it…”

Both were cultivators; even without flying swords, they moved swiftly through Four Directions City.

Soon, they arrived before the Mu Mansion.

The Mu Mansion remained the same, but now its gates were tightly shut, restrictions active, the area before it deserted save for a pool of bloodstains.

Fang Tianxin involuntarily lowered his voice: “See that bloodstain? Yesterday, Mu Cheng was tossed out right here…”

Lian Yunzhi: “Where is he?”

Fang Tianxin pointed to a winding trail of blood extending from the stain, whispering: “He crawled away himself yesterday… Into that alley. Probably too embarrassed.”

Lian Yunzhi headed straight for the alley, but Fang Tianxin hesitated at the entrance.

Lian Yunzhi raised a brow: “Not coming?”

The Fang and Mu Families were close. Lian Yunzhi had only met Mu Cheng once and been kicked three times, but Fang Tianxin had endured endless bullying from Mu Cheng since childhood.

Fang Tianxin shook his head hesitantly: “…Yunzhi, there’s something I should tell you. Mu Cheng’s a bit eerie. Yesterday, many spectators who gathered here had nightmares afterward. You… better take a Clear Heart Pill first.”

That explained the unusual quiet today—no one came to gawk.

Lian Yunzhi heeded the advice and swallowed a Clear Heart Pill. He glanced at the uneasy Fang Tianxin, whose dark circles lingered: “You go back first.”

Fang Tianxin: “I’ll wait here.”

Lian Yunzhi: “I don’t like having someone wait while I handle things. It affects my performance.”