"Are you sure you want me to inscribe twenty Thunder Flame Inscriptions?"
Duan Ling Tian frowned when he saw the pile of materials the little fatty had prepared. He felt it to be slightly too much.
"Yes, Boss."
The little fatty’s head nodded like a chick pecking on rice, subsequently asking, "Boss, are there any problems?"
"No problems."
Duan Ling Tian shook his head.
He then said, "I just want to tell you that you can’t use the Thunder Flame Inscription on anyone besides Li Ming, or else it won’t take long for everyone to realize that you used an inscription on him. If you only use it on Li Ming, even if it happens repeatedly, he will be unable to explain it because no one will believe him."
"Yeah, you’re right. Why didn’t I think of that?"
The little fatty hit himself on the head, then he regretfully said, "I bet once I use the Thunder Flame Inscription on Li Ming a few times more, he won’t dare to offend me again… Boss, won’t the remaining materials go to waste?"
Duan Ling Tian indifferently said, "Keep the remaining materials, you will need them. The first inscription I’ll be teaching you is the Thunder Flame Inscription."
"Thanks, Boss, thanks a lot."
A wide smile burst forth on the little fatty’s face.
Suddenly, he noticed Duan Ling Tian opening his hand towards him. Feeling puzzled the fatty asked, "Boss, what do you mean by that?"
"Tuition fee!"
Duan Ling Tian gave the little fatty a stare as he said angrily this.
"Yes, yes, I nearly forgot."
The little fatty laughed slyly as he reached into his pocket, withdrew a stack of silver bills, and passed them to Duan Ling Tian. "Boss, I had it ready a long time ago. Here’s a thousand silver. It’s the tuition fee for the next month."
Duan Ling Tian extended his hand and took it from him, then he nodded his head. "Starting from tomorrow, I’ll come find you at your place after lunch. For half an hour daily, I’ll teach you to the best of my ability. What you can learn will be entirely up to you."
"Thanks, Boss. Then I won’t disturb you any longer."
The little fatty had a wide smile as he turned around and jubilantly left.
After quickly weighing the thousand silver in bills in his hand, the corners of Duan Ling Tian’s mouth curled up into a slight smile. "Every penny counts. I need to collect as much as I can, because in the future, no matter whether it’s medicine refining, weapon crafting, or inscriptions, they are all bottomless pits…"
Starting the following day, Duan Ling Tian would dedicate half an hour out of his schedule to go to Li Xuan’s house after lunch.
At the beginning, Fifth Elder Li Ting felt it to be odd.
But after seeing his son and Duan Ling Tian becoming good friends, he was happy for it to happen.
Although, in the past few days, he would always hear weird sounds coming from his son’s room.
"Clap!"
Abruptly, the noise sounded again…
Li Ting shook his head and walked out of the courtyard.
In the room, the handsome youth with sword-shaped eyebrows and starry eyes slapped the little fatty on his head. "How can you be so stupid? I told you that Violet Gold Sand and Scorching Grass Powder can’t be mixed directly, but you still can’t remember!"
"Boss, don’t hit me anymore. If you continue, I’ll become even more stupid."
The little fatty rubbed his head. His face had a wronged expression.
"Why did I ever agree to teach you the inscription technique? You’re a blockhead! I’m telling you right now: if you don’t achieve any improvement in this month, no matter how much silver you give me, I won’t teach you anymore next month because I don’t want to waste my time."
The youth had an expression of disappointment.
The little fatty bitterly smiled. "Boss, don’t worry; I’ll work hard and not let you down."
"I hope you can do as you say. Half an hour is up, so it’s time for me to leave. I’ll be back tomorrow. I hope you can improve a little."
With a frown, the youth walked out of the room and left.
Half a month later.
Dawn, the Li family’s Martial Arts Practice Hall was bustling with noise and excitement.
The gathered Li family disciples were all youths and young girls.
Their discussions all revolved around Second Elder’s youngest son, Li Ming, and Fifth Elder’s son, Li Xuan.
"This time Li Ming took the initiative to challenge Li Xuan. Looks like he’s finished recovering."
"Li Ming said that he only lost to Li Xuan because he was sick. I wonder if it’s true."
"If he loses to Li Xuan again, then it must be a lie."
"Yeah, I think so too. He can’t always be coincidentally sick, right?"
...
Li Ming had arrived long ago and was standing in the middle of the Martial Arts Practice Hall.
As he heard the surrounding discussions, his face grew uglier by the moment.
His father didn’t allow him to spread the matter regarding the Thunder Flame Pill, so he could only use the excuse of being sick.
But he didn’t expect that so many people would doubt him.
Did they really think he wasn’t a match for Li Xuan?
"Li Xuan, this time I’m going to make you lie on a bed for half a month too!"
Li Ming angrily said as he gnashed his teeth.
"Li Xuan has arrived!"
Suddenly, the youths and young girls surrounding the Martial Arts Practice Hall all turned around to look in the distance.
In the distance, a perfect couple walked in front, while a slightly wretched little fatty followed behind them like a little lackey. The little lackey was exactly the main protagonist of today, Li Xuan.
"I heard Li Xuan acknowledged Duan Ling Tian as his boss."
"Acknowledging a disciple with another surname as his boss, such a disgrace to the Li family."
"So what if he’s a disciple with another surname? If you’ve got the balls, repeat what you just said loudly. Do you dare? You don’t dare, right? If you don’t dare, then don’t talk big!"
"That’s right. Even though Duan Ling Tian is a disciple with another surname, he brought honor to our Li family. The Fang family was put in embarrassing situations many times by him!"
"The three months period will be up tomorrow. I wonder if Duan Ling Tian will really pay a visit to the Fang family."
...
As Duan Ling Tian held Ke Er’s hand, he could hear the discussion about him from afar.
Towards all of this, he just laughed it off.
He then looked at the little fatty behind him. "Don’t injure him too severely today. Let him withdraw after he understands that he won’t win, or else Second Elder will go argue with your dad even though he’s extremely magnanimous. Don’t make it difficult for your dad, do you understand?"
The little fatty hurriedly nodded.
In this world, the person he admired the most was Duan Ling Tian.
When they noticed the three of them arriving, the Li family disciples opened up a path.
Duan Ling Tian held Ke Er’s hand as they stood in the front.
The little fatty, on the other hand, walked out and entered the arena. He was grinning broadly as he looked towards Li Ming. "Li Ming, have you recovered well? You recovered so quickly."
"Li Xuan, today I will wash away the shame you gave me half a month ago!"
Li Ming’s face was bright red.
The rage that he had suppressed for half a month was finally bursting forth…
"Don’t worry, my boss told me not to injure you so severely this time."
Li Xuan laughed slyly. His expression seemed annoying and extremely despicable.
"You’re courting death!"
Li Ming’s gaze turned cold, his legs, which had already been accumulating energy for some time, shook, and he flew out like a fierce tiger towards Li Xuan.
The mastered middle grade Yellow Rank martial skill Fierce Tiger Fist was executed, blasting towards Li Xuan.
"Fierce Tiger Fist?"
Upon seeing this scene, Duan Ling Tian’s eyes narrowed.
He remembered that Seventh Elder’s youngest son, Li Xin, also used Fierce Tiger Fist.
However, Li Xin’s Fierce Tiger Fist was inferior to Li Ming’s; they were on completely different levels.
This was the difference between the initial stage and mastery.
Martial skills were only able to exert their true might when cultivated to mastery.
Li Xuan moved, directly moving to intercept the strike.
He didn’t even use any martial arts; he only casually struck out his fist towards Li Ming’s fist.
In an instant, the corners of his mouth curled up into a wicked smile and he activated the Thunder Flame Inscription…
Instantly, the scene from half a month ago appeared once again.
Li Ming’s whole body froze as if struck by lightning. The strength in his fists dissipated, only leaving behind a slight inertia. He was completely unable to stop Li Xuan.
"Ping!"
Li Xuan’s fist struck out and struck Li Ming down, putting him in such a painful state that he started sweating profusely.
A flurry of fists and kicks followed that…
The Li family Martial Arts Practice Hall was deathly silent.
To the people who saw their fight half a month ago, this scene was so similar…
Half a month ago, Li Ming was beaten up by Li Xuan in the same way.
"No, impossible… How could this be possible?!"
After Li Xuan stopped, Li Ming noticed that the aching pain of thunder and flames striking his body had vanished.
He seemed to be in a daze, unable to believe that what had happened was real.
If half a month ago Li Xuan’s luck was good, could it be that his luck was good again this time?
How could there be such a coincidence?
"Don’t offend me anymore from now on, or else I won’t mind making you lie on a bed for half a month again."
Li Xuan’s chubby face trembled as he boasted. Under the revering gazes of the surrounding people, he returned to Duan Ling Tian’s side.
Li Xuan had a flattering smile on his face; he seemed like a completely different person. "Boss, I listened to you and showed mercy. This time he will be bedridden for a few days at most."
Duan Ling Tian nodded indifferently.
"Sister-in-law, I’m formidable right?"
Li Xuan looked towards Ke Er as he smiled slyly.
Hearing how Li Xuan addressed her, Ke Er’s face instantly blushed.
"Stop being complacent. With the assistance of Thunder Flame Pill and the Seven Treasures Body Tempering Liquid, you’re only at the fourth level of the Body Tempering stage now. Don’t you feel ashamed."
Duan Ling Tian gave Li Xuan a disdainful glance.
Since he was forced to tacitly approve of Li Xuan as his lackey, he added materials into the fatty’s Six Treasures Body Tempering Liquid, changing it into the Seven Treasures Body Tempering Liquid.
Of course, this was a secret between him and Li Xuan; even Fifth Elder Li Ting didn’t know.
Only then did Li Xuan find out that the Six Treasures Body Tempering Liquid was actually made by his boss, and this made him start admiring Duan Ling Tian from the bottom of his heart.
Li Xuan embarrassedly scratched the back of his head while laughing bitterly. "Boss, do you think everyone is abnormal like you and Sister-in-law…"
Yesterday, Ke Er’s cultivation followed behind Duan Ling Tian’s; she stepped into the seventh level of the Body Tempering stage, causing Li Xuan to be speechless. He had no choice but to admire them.
"Scram. You’re the abnormal one."
Duan Ling Tian gave the little fatty a stare. While holding Ke Er’s hand, he turned around and walked away.
As the crowd automatically opened up a path for them, all of the gazes that gathered on him were filled with respect.
The Duan Ling Tian of four months ago was considered to be someone that everyone looked down upon.
But now, unknowingly, Duan Ling Tian had become someone that they could only look up to…
Some of them even regretted not getting on good terms with him when he was still weak.
If they had, they would be able to follow beside him like Li Xuan. How prestigious!
"Boss, wait for me!"
Dragging along his body that was covered in fat, Li Xuan followed along jubilantly.
When the shadow of their figures disappeared from everyone’s sight, only then did everyone look towards the person lying in the middle of the arena. Li Ming, who had a stupefied expression, was looking up towards the sky. The crowd started mocking him. "Is Li Ming going to say he lost again because he got sick again?"
"In my opinion, when he said he was sick last month, it was totally an excuse. Look now, he disgraced himself!"
"Such a disgrace!"
...
The corners of Li Ming’s mouth emitted a helpless and bitter laugh as he heard the ridicule that came from the surrounding Li family disciples.
He could not understand why such a bizarre thing would happen to him.