The crowd curiously moved forward, but their expressions darkened instantly as they saw the scene inside the training room. A black iron stone target was completely broken in two, the upper half lying heavily on the ground!
The floor was stained with large, terrifying pools of blood.
Everyone's hearts clenched. "This guy, is he even human?"
The next moment, Li Yunxiao appeared in the gravity chamber's lobby, causing a stir once more. However, the commotion quickly settled, as those who saw him could only give a wry smile. His intense dedication to training was like a powerful stimulant injected into everyone's hearts, inspiring them to immediately double their training plans!
Li Yunxiao, realizing how conspicuous he looked, quickly retrieved a clean set of clothes from his storage ring and dressed himself before heading back to his dormitory at a brisk pace.
The Dominating Sky Body Tempering Art was indeed a heaven-defying technique, but the pain it inflicted was beyond human tolerance. Nearly every inch of his skin and muscle had been torn apart, with blood seeping from countless pores. By the end, Li Yunxiao had nearly passed out from the agony, relying solely on instinct to persevere!
Every person who ascends to the level of Martial Emperor has endured hardships a hundred times greater than the average person to achieve a hundredfold accomplishments!
On the path of the strong, there are no shortcuts!
After returning to his dormitory, Li Yunxiao took a shower. His skin, initially covered in gruesome scars, appeared smooth and jade-like after the cleansing, without a single mark remaining. He moved his body and felt a long-lost sense of power. Although it was faint, it was enough to satisfy him greatly.
"As expected of the greatest body tempering technique under heaven. It surpasses even the effect of ninth-tier spiritual medicines in refining the body. With the strength of a Martial Disciple's physique, I can now attempt some basic alchemy. If I can produce some low-tier pills, my cultivation speed will increase further!"
The strength of an Art Refiner depends on their soul power, but many basic refining tasks also require the body to reach a certain level of toughness.
As he contemplated purchasing medicinal ingredients and refining tools, he suddenly felt a chill at the back of his head. A gust of wind accompanied a sudden punch aimed at him. Li Yunxiao snorted coldly, instinctively reaching back to grab the incoming strike without even turning around.
Smack!
The force of the blow collided with his palm. Li Yunxiao clenched his fingers tightly, spun mid-air, and his right hand completed a 360-degree downward arc with his movement.
Crack! Crack!
The sound of bones shattering was followed by a sharp cry of pain. "Young Master Yun, it's me! My arm!"
Li Yunxiao froze and looked at the intruder. "Han Fatty?"
Han Bai gritted his teeth in pain, his arm twisted like a pretzel. He wailed, "Young Master Yun, my arm is ruined!"
Li Yunxiao scolded him, "What are you sneaking around for? Serves you right! It's only broken in seven places. Just go to the school infirmary, mix some Huangqi Root with flour, and apply it. You'll be fine in a few days."
Han Bai finally managed to speak, his tone incredulous. "Young Master Yun, your strength... could it be…?"
Li Yunxiao shook his head. "I haven't opened my meridians yet. Why are you looking for me?"
Han Bai's eyes widened with disappointment. "Even with this strength, you haven't opened your meridians? Where have you been hiding these past few days? Teacher Luo Yunshang has been looking all over for you."
"What does that girl want with me? To punish me by sending me to the gravity chamber again?" Li Yunxiao replied indifferently.
Cold sweat appeared on Han Bai's forehead. "That girl… Young Master Yun, have you lost your mind? If you want to die, just say so! Also, there's another big problem! Lan Fei has been missing these past few days too. Rumor has it he's in seclusion, trying to break into the One-Origin Realm! You've crippled Du Feng and Luo Jie. When he comes out, he'll surely come straight for you!"
Li Yunxiao glanced at the worried Han Bai and laughed. "Relax, it's just the One-Origin Realm."
"Just the One-Origin Realm?!" Han Bai growled in frustration. "Do you know what that means? It means refining vital energy and stepping into the ranks of a true Martial Artist! The gap between a Martial Disciple and a Martial Artist is enormous! Chen Zhen, Princess Ru Xue, and I have been worried about you for days, and here you are saying it's just the One-Origin Realm?!"
Li Yunxiao chuckled softly. A Martial Artist? Not even worthy to shine his shoes! Although his cultivation was currently nonexistent, he didn't take a mere Martial Artist seriously. Be it Yu Hezheng or Lan Fei, in his eyes, they were no different from three-year-olds.
"I'm planning to buy some things but am a little short on money. Lend me some," Li Yunxiao said. Although he was the eldest young master of the Li family, he had long been ostracized, receiving a meager allowance that left him relatively impoverished compared to other noble heirs.
Han Bai stared in disbelief. "You're not worried at all? Out of over three thousand freshmen, only about thirty have managed to break into the Martial Artist realm. That's a top-tier achievement even in the 'Pauper Classes'!"
Their class, made up of noble scions, habitually referred to other classes as the "Pauper Classes." Ironically, their own class was the weakest in the entire grade, earning the nickname "Trash Class" from others.
"Heh, worrying won't help. How much money do you have? Lend it all to me, and I'll pay you back someday."
"Young Master Yun, you've really changed! I'm impressed!" Han Bai took out a storage pouch and dumped out a pile of gold coins. "There's about two or three hundred here. It should last you a year!"
Li Yunxiao pocketed them all unceremoniously. "Not much, but it'll do for now." He flicked one coin back at Han Bai. "Take this to buy medicine. Your arm needs treatment within twelve hours, or it'll be permanently crippled."
Startled, Han Bai grabbed the coin and ran toward the door. However, as he reached it, a loud bang sounded. His hefty body was sent flying back, spurting a line of blood in the air before crashing at Li Yunxiao's feet, unconscious. A clear footprint was visible on his round belly.
"Reckless fool!"
A cold snort came from outside, followed by a shadow being thrown in, landing next to Han Bai. The figure was drenched in blood, their face swollen like a melon. They whimpered and mumbled unintelligibly. Li Yunxiao stared for a moment before recognizing the person—Chen Zhen.
"Li Yunxiao, how dare you lay a hand on my people? Today, I'll cripple you completely!"
Over a dozen people stormed into the room, led by Lan Fei, who strode in with an air of arrogance. With every step, his aura grew stronger, and by the time he stood before Li Yunxiao, a radiant glow emanated from his body, exuding an oppressive might.
The Light of Vital Energy, the hallmark of a Martial Artist!
"Boss, you've truly advanced to Martial Artist! You have to avenge me!" Du Feng cried out from behind him. His midsection was wrapped in a ridiculous number of bandages, bulging comically like a basin, clearly still recovering.
Next to him, Luo Jie's face was pale, his eyes filled with murderous rage, and his body trembling with fury.
"It's just the One-Origin Realm," Li Yunxiao remarked casually. "And you're flaunting your glowing aura for everyone to see? Do you think you're some kind of night pearl?"
He crouched to inspect Han Bai and Chen Zhen's injuries. While they appeared severe, neither was life-threatening. Relieved, his eyes began to glint with a cold light. "As for you two," he added, turning his gaze toward Du Feng and Luo Jie, "it's only been three days, and even your voices have changed. Where's your facial hair gone?"
"Waaaah!"
Li Yunxiao's jab struck a nerve, causing Du Feng to cough up blood in rage. His shrill cry was almost feminine, sending a shiver down everyone's spine.
Even Lan Fei couldn't help but twitch, instinctively shifting a step away from Du Feng. Pointing at Li Yunxiao, he growled, "Will you kneel and apologize, or shall I break your limbs and make you a cripple for life?"
Although Li Yunxiao was regarded as a useless scion he could bully at will, Lan Fei hesitated to kill him outright. Such an act would deal a heavy blow to the Li family, completely shattering the fragile facade of peace between their two families, with unpredictable consequences. His plan was to merely cripple and humiliate Li Yunxiao, venting Du Feng's frustration.
"Cripple me?" Li Yunxiao's eyes narrowed, and a faint aura spread from him. It lacked the tangible pressure of energy but carried an inexplicable heaviness that made everyone in the room uncomfortable, their palms beginning to sweat. "It's been a long time since I've heard such arrogant words."
What's going on? Why am I feeling this way?
Lan Fei's heart pounded with shock as a nameless fear began to creep over him. He roared to bolster his courage, summoning a black iron sword into his hand. Without hesitation, he slashed at Li Yunxiao.
The unsettling fear was unbearable, making him restless. He was terrified that if he didn't act decisively, he wouldn't dare act at all. It felt as if he were a lone boat facing a tidal wave that threatened to consume everything!
"Why am I feeling this? Ridiculous!" Lan Fei dismissed his doubts and unleashed his full strength, putting every ounce of power into his sword strike.
"Decisive and resolute, not bad at all," Li Yunxiao remarked approvingly, summoning a black iron greatsword into his hand. He raised it casually in front of him, a seemingly effortless gesture that nevertheless nullified the range of Lan Fei's attack.
Is he mocking me?!
Lan Fei was furious, his face turning red as he intensified his efforts. Channeling even the energy that safeguarded his meridians, he poured 120% of his strength into the strike, driving it down with ferocity.
Clang!
The clash of their swords sent sparks flying. The immense force transmitted through the black iron greatsword caused Li Yunxiao's tiger's mouth to crack and his arms to go numb. He was sent flying backward, sliding several steps before regaining his footing. A deep gash had appeared on his sword.
"You managed to withstand it?" Lan Fei sneered, his aura surging as he pressed the attack. "I'll show you the true power of a Martial Artist!"