Outside Ling Wu City
Lan An nodded, clasping his hands in response to Li Quyết's greeting. He might have lingered with the Li cousins, but Li Quyết's presence sparked a flicker of caution.
Barely past twenty, yet a Nascent Soul cultivator—his background couldn't be ordinary.
"Young Master doesn't seem local. With the auction over, what are your plans?" Li Quyết asked warmly, his tone as inviting as a spring breeze, hard to rebuff.
Lan An's brows twitched inwardly. Are we that close? He was about to excuse himself when a mechanical voice chimed in his ear:
"Ding! Branch mission [Rescue Old Friend] triggered. Success rewards one Rare Beast Egg Summon. Failure deducts 30,000 Prestige Points."
"Old friend?" Lan An mused, opening the mission details.
Mission Note: Uncle Wu is in Li Quyết's hands, intended as bait against you!
Lan An's heart surged with fury.
Rage boiled within, but he suppressed the urge to kill. Uncle Wu, one of the few he deeply respected, was upright and kind. To think Lan An's actions had endangered him…
Maintaining a calm facade, he smiled. "Indeed, I plan to leave. If our paths align, we could travel together."
"Wonderful!" Lý Hồng Liên blurted, then covered her mouth, her face flushing beneath her veil.
Li Quyết's eyes flickered with surprise. He hadn't expected such easy agreement.
"Perfect! Having Young Master An join us back to Li Clan is an honor, haha," Lý Tuấn Anh said, his eyes darting.
"I planned to visit Li Clan to pay respects to my junior sister's family," Li Quyết added smoothly.
Lan An nodded, sneering inwardly: Let's see what game you're playing.
With Qin Meng Ying's sealed strike as a trump card and the Minor Step Talisman for escape, he feared little. Saving Uncle Wu was paramount.
Thus, Lan An joined Li Quyết's group.
Glancing back at the Qun Lin Inn, seeking that captivating silhouette one last time, Lan An steeled himself and left.
Ling Wu City had two gates: one facing Shan Mu Forest, the other for external travelers.
The group swiftly exited the city.
"Where does Young Master An hail from?" Li Quyết inquired "kindly" as they walked.
Lý Hồng Liên stole a glance.
"A wandering cultivator, roaming the world, calling the four seas home, haha," Lan An replied casually.
"I envy your carefree life," Li Quyết said, his eyes glinting. As the surroundings grew desolate, he sought an opening to strike.
"How far is Li Clan from here?" Lan An asked offhandedly.
"Not far, about 300 li," Lý Hồng Liên answered, her voice clear and sweet.
They stood at a mountain's base. For Nascent Soul cultivators, flying over was simple, but only Li Quyết held that realm among them.
Suddenly—
A shift.
Lan An unleashed Phantom Charm Wander Step, his Earth Battle Boots flashing. Behind him, the Earth Bear coalesced, swelling to its limit, roaring.
He seized the stunned Lý Hồng Liên.
The Earth Bear, twice its former size due to Lan An's upgraded Earth spiritual power, locked her delicate form in its grip.
With her low cultivation, she had no chance to resist.
Her veiled face paled, her eyes bewildered, unable to fathom why her admired companion attacked.
"Young Master An, what are you doing?" Li Quyết shouted, a trace of unease crossing his face.
"Young Master, let's talk this out!" Lý Tuấn Anh's expression darkened.
"Haha, spare me your act!" Lan An snarled. "Where's Uncle Wu? Hand him over, or she dies!"
Lý Hồng Liên, hearing this, glanced at Li Quyết's flustered face, her own paling further.
"Misunderstanding! Young Master An, release my junior sister, and we'll talk," Li Quyết said calmly.
"I despise hypocrites like you. Release him, or she's dead!" Lan An's will stirred, the Earth Bear's paw hovering over Lý Hồng Liên's head.
"No, please! It was all Young Master Mu's plan. My junior sister knows nothing!" Lý Tuấn Anh pleaded, anguished.
"Cousin, you knew?" Lý Hồng Liên's voice trembled, her face ashen.
"Sorry, cousin. Young Master Mu promised me a core disciple spot in Tian Mu Sect," Lý Tuấn Anh admitted, his face grim.
Days ago, Li Quyết had proposed trapping Lan An, offering a core disciple position in a Seventh-Grade sect. Between that and clinging to a prodigy's coattails, Lý Tuấn Anh chose the former.
They'd planned to ambush Lan An, using Uncle Wu as leverage, but hadn't foreseen endangering Lý Hồng Liên.
Lan An's expression shifted, still skeptical. "Let me see Uncle Wu!"
Clap, clap, clap.
Li Quyết suddenly applauded, shedding his panic, smirking. "My plan was flawless. How did you know? We captured that man in utmost secrecy."
Lý Hồng Liên's heart sank. Her cousin and senior brother had schemed against her beloved, holding an innocent hostage.
Could anything be more humiliating?
Tears streamed down her cheeks, too ashamed to face Lan An. "Li Quyết, Tian Mu Sect is a righteous great sect. How could you stoop so low?"
"Don't worry, junior sister. The witnesses will soon die, and you'll be mine, haha," Li Quyết laughed, confident. After dealing with Lan An, he'd claim this naive beauty.
"Hmph, who gave you such audacity?" Lan An sneered.
"Haha, I know you're strong, but a lone wolf can't grasp the might of a sect. Come, Fourth Elder!" Li Quyết roared.
Lan An's eyes narrowed.
As Li Quyết spoke, a black-robed elder descended, clutching a battered, bearded middle-aged man.
"Uncle Wu!" Lan An's face twisted, fury surging.
"Hmph, brat, you're out of chances. Hand over the Li girl and your storage ring, and I might spare you," the Tian Mu Fourth Elder sneered, his Early Spirit Blossom aura pressing down.
"Right, Young Master, give up the ring, and we'll let you go for old times' sake," Lý Tuấn Anh urged.
Lan An said nothing, transmitting to Lý Hồng Liên: "Sorry for misjudging you."
Her pale face regained a hint of color.
The Earth Bear struck her neck, knocking her out.
Lan An swiftly stored her in the Spirit Blossom Orb.
"A treasure that holds living beings?" Li Quyết and the elder's eyes gleamed with greed.
"Hold him. I'll handle this brat," the elder tossed the unconscious Uncle Wu to Lý Tuấn Anh.
Lan An scanned the surroundings, his killing intent ignited. These foes had crossed his line.
First, he'd save Uncle Wu. Qin Meng Ying's sealed strike remained unused—an Early Spirit Blossom foe didn't warrant it.
As the Fourth Elder prepared to attack, Li Quyết interjected: "Fourth Elder, cover me. I want to test this brat's rumored strength."
Beyond his cunning, Li Quyết was battle-hungry. The Earth Bear's majesty sparked his fighting spirit.
The elder nodded, smirking at Lan An, a fish on the chopping block. The gap between Spirit Blossom and Golden Core was vast.
"Fight me? Are you worthy?" Lan An taunted, seizing the chance.
"Hmph, bold words on death's door. Ten Thousand Wood Bind!" Li Quyết wove seals, Wood spiritual power surging, vines sprouting to ensnare Lan An.
"Roar!" The Earth Bear bellowed, its massive form struggling against the vines.
Lan An's Phantom Charm Wander Step, boosted by Earth Battle Boots, flickered through the forest, evading the vines.
"Only good at running?" Li Quyết mocked.
Lan An ignored him, activating White Moon Soul-Seizing Eye.
Pierce Weakness.
The flaws in Ten Thousand Wood Bind lay bare. He spoke coolly: "Mother Earth's Funeral – Sand Tomb."
Clenching his fists, the Earth Bear dissolved, the Spirit Earth Cauldron in his dantian humming.
Endless Earth spiritual power erupted, forming a colossal tomb, engulfing the entire vine forest.
"Bury them!"
A massive chasm opened, the tomb swallowing the vines, vanishing in moments.
"Earth-Grade technique! This brat's treasures abound," the Fourth Elder itched with greed.
"Hmph, Wood Form Fist!" Li Quyết snorted, his fists, clad in Wood energy like ancient trees, swung at Lan An.
"Fireflies vying with the moon?" Lan An sneered. "Great Flood Kick!"
The Mysterious Water Cauldron roared, endless Water spiritual power flooding his legs.
Lan An's kick met Li Quyết's fists.
Crack.
Li Quyết's fists buckled, his face twisting in pain, yet his battle lust flared, pressing forward.
"Fool." Lan An's kicks, amplified by Earth Battle Boots, struck like tidal waves, forcing Li Quyết back, the sea roaring.
"How? My Wood Form Fist is an Upper Mysterious-Grade technique!" Li Quyết's fists faltered, his chest caked in dirt from Lan An's blows.
"What kind of monster is he?" The Fourth Elder's face grew grave, a Spirit Blossom cultivator seeing the truth.
Lan An seemed to anticipate Li Quyết's every move, exploiting weaknesses.
Pierce Weakness shone, and without Li Quyết's inner armor, he'd be pulp.
Spurt.
Li Quyết coughed blood, Lan An's kicks drowning him, his organs churning.
Driven mad, his eyes bulged. A born genius, he'd never faced such humiliation.
"It must be his superior techniques and arts," Li Quyết consoled himself, roaring: "Die! Earth Wolf Palm!"
Unleashing his second root, a gray wolf surged from his palm, howling, charging Lan An at breakneck speed.
"Child's play." Lan An scoffed, the Earth Bear reappearing, its massive paw smashing down.
Crack.
The wolf shattered, Li Quyết's face paling further.
"How? You can still summon it? Such a technique drains immense spiritual power!" Li Quyết roared, utterly suppressed, teetering on madness.
Lý Tuấn Anh gaped, his calm shattered. Lan An's might seared his soul, leaving him shaken.
"This can't continue." The Fourth Elder moved to intervene.
"Die!" As the elder charged, Lan An surged toward the ashen Li Quyết, as if to perish together.
"Hmph, dream on!" The elder sneered, rushing to save Li Quyết.
A Spirit Blossom cultivator's speed was terrifying, pulling Li Quyết back.
But—
Lan An pivoted, the elder's face twisting.
His true target was Lý Tuấn Anh.
Great Flood Kick slammed into the stunned Lý Tuấn Anh.
Crack.
A blur, then Lý Tuấn Anh's body sank into the earth, bones shattering.
Lan An swiftly stored the unconscious Uncle Wu in the Spirit Blossom Orb.
"Damn you! DAMN YOU! Kill him, grind him to dust!" Li Quyết screamed, maddened. Lan An's talent and cunning were a nightmare for any foe.
The Fourth Elder nodded grimly. There was no retreat. He only prayed the force behind such a prodigy wouldn't trace them.
He assumed a genius like Lan An had a terrifying backer.
"Finally, I can stretch my limbs," Lan An grinned eerily, unsettling them.
"Hmph, playing tricks!" The Fourth Elder roared, Wood spiritual power surging, vines sprouting anew to bind Lan An.
Tian Mu's Ten Thousand Wood Bind, cast by a Spirit Blossom cultivator, was swifter and sharper than Li Quyết's by far.
Lan An couldn't dodge, swiftly bound like a cocoon.
"Haha, crush him!" Li Quyết cackled viciously.
The elder nodded, tightening the vines to pulp Lan An.
SCREECH!
A majestic, piercing cry erupted, shaking the heavens, space trembling within a hundred li, the air blazing like the apocalypse.
The vines encasing Lan An turned to nothingness, not a speck of ash remaining.
A figure emerged from the ruin, space around him warping as if burned.
A purple-clad silhouette stepped into Li Quyết and the elder's sight.
Behind him, a terrifying entity coalesced.
Strands of violet flames stacked, forming radiant purple wings that could shroud the sky.
Narrow, noble eyes scorned all creation.
A sinuous, pure-violet body.
Heat that could devour heaven and earth.
Within the dancing purple flames, a silver eye gleamed, white teeth bared.
Lan An grinned darkly, asking: "Gentlemen, how would you like to die?"