Windless Inn

Lihuo City.

The "Windless Inn" usually had decent business, with its three floors bustling with guests.

However, today felt a bit desolate, with only a group of guests seemingly occupying the third floor.

This group of guests was no ordinary bunch; they were all important figures from the "Thunder Venerable Mansion" in Yandu!

Even the innkeeper and the waiters knew that the City Lord of Lihuo City and his wife were personally attending to them. High-ranking officials of Lihuo City only dared to wait downstairs, which showed the esteemed status of these individuals.

Within a two-mile radius of the Windless Inn, there were originally many residential houses, but the City Lord had them evacuated these past few days.

Now, the area was deserted. No one knew why the City Lord and his entourage were making such a grand display here, waiting.

Driven by curiosity, many idle individuals had gathered within a two-mile radius, but they only dared to hide and watch.

Little did they know, the distinguished guests on the third floor of the Windless Inn were currently standing together, their gazes fixed on a courtyard not far from the inn.

It was an old courtyard, overgrown with weeds, its walls covered in dust.

Looking towards the courtyard, an old woman was lying on a lounge chair, eyes closed, resting peacefully, enjoying the final moments of her life—she had been doing so every day for the past few days.

Li Yanfeng stood on the third floor of the Windless Inn, occasionally glancing towards the courtyard subconsciously before quickly shifting his gaze away.

He held Liu Qing's delicate hand, a faint smile on his face.

"It's been the seventh day, and that guy still hasn't returned. He wouldn't have died on Huoling Mountain, would he?" young Liu Qinyang sat on a chair, his expression somewhat anxious.

"He still retains some of his combat power from three years ago, so it's unlikely he's dead," sat beside him a young woman in blue, Jiang Yilin, who had been defeated by Li Tianming by the lake.

The seven candidates from the Thunder Venerable Mansion who were sent to compete for the Divine Source were all gathered here.

They were indeed geniuses cultivated by the Thunder Venerable Mansion, each exuding an imposing aura.

As local geniuses of Lihuo City, Li Zifeng and Li Xuejiao could only shrink into a corner, their demeanor already a notch below the others.

Besides these seven youths, their parents and guardians were also present, their faces grim.

For the past few days, they had been watching the old woman in the courtyard, and they were already quite displeased.

"Li Tianming still hasn't returned. Could his Companion Beast have refined the Divine Source?" Zhang Zixuan said worriedly from a corner.

"I've said it before, that's absolutely impossible, because the Companion Beast he bonded with through a blood sacrifice is only a First-tier Companion Beast."

"A First-tier Companion Beast's bloodline is too fragile to withstand the power of the Divine Source, especially without an elder present. If it tried to refine the Divine Source, it would be powerless."

"Li Tianming still has some combat power purely because of the cultivation he achieved with his former Companion Beast," the other youths beside him replied confidently.

Four of them had never met Li Tianming, but their elders had clearly explained his characteristics.

"The only troublesome thing about him is Princess Qing's jade pendant. In any case, the City Lord of Lihuo City won't protect him," Jiang Yilin said.

"I really can't understand why Princess Qing would give such a jade pendant to someone like him, a waste destined to remain in the Beast Vein Realm his entire life," Liu Qinyang said with a sinister gaze.

The Divine Source they had within reach had slipped away just like that.

Back then, at the Tingfeng Platform in the City Lord's Mansion, he hadn't even considered Li Tianming a person. Who would have thought he would be such a headache today.

"Didn't the Thunder Venerable Mansion send word? They said as long as Li Tianming returns, whoever among us can seize the Divine Source will get to keep it."

"As long as our parents don't intervene, and we youngsters clash, if Princess Qing pursues it, the Thunder Venerable Mansion will help us handle it."

"It should be like this. This Divine Source was discovered by our elders. If Li Tianming wants to snatch it midway, he'll have to rely on his own abilities."

"As long as our parents and elders don't make a move, Princess Qing won't say anything."

"Don't overestimate Li Tianming. What kind of relationship could he have with Princess Qing? If they had a relationship, he wouldn't be in such a miserable state. I suspect that even if he died here, no one would care," Zhang Zixuan sneered.

Hearing this, Li Zifeng and Li Xuejiao in the distance exchanged a glance and couldn't help but shake their heads.

The world is indeed cold; those who are abandoned are pitiful.

Despite the murderous intent radiating from these geniuses of the Thunder Venerable Mansion, Li Yanfeng, as a father, seemed unfazed, still engrossed with his new wife.

"The only thing to fear now is that this guy might take the Divine Source to Yandu and find Princess Qing, leaving us waiting here in vain!" Zhang Zixuan said.

"That's impossible," Liu Qinyang stated confidently.

"Why?"

"First, he's a filial son. Second, he wants the Yanhuang Token so he can return to Yanhuang Academy and get revenge on Brother Ting."

"What?"

The seven young people exchanged glances, then couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Get revenge on Brother Ting?"

"Haha, look at what he is. Even three years ago, compared to Brother Ting, he was a complete idiot."

"Damn it, this is hilarious."

Amidst their boisterous laughter, Zhang Zixuan's father, Zhang Chong, suddenly stood up, his gaze filled with a hint of surprise.

Following his gaze, everyone saw a young man appear at the street corner in the distance!

The young man had delicate features, was tall and elegant, like a learned scholar. On his shoulder stood a Little Yellow Chicken, chirping away.

"His Companion Beast hasn't evolved yet! The crowd concluded with delight. This meant the Divine Source was definitely still with Li Tianming!"

Their days of waiting finally had meaning!

The rule set by the Thunder Venerable Mansion now was that if the seven of them encountered Li Tianming, anyone could attack. Whoever seized the Divine Source first would claim it!

Therefore, the moment Li Tianming appeared, it was practically the signal for battle!

"The Divine Source is in his arms!" The youths saw it at a glance – a bulge in Li Tianming's embrace.

In reality, it wasn't the Divine Source but the "Spirit Core" he obtained from Huoling Mountain.

"What are you waiting for? Go!" Jiang Tao glared at his daughter; this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

At his command, the seven youths and maidens from the Thunder Venerable Mansion leaped from the third floor of the Windless Inn without a second word.

They were collaborators now, but also competitors, so they were especially eager to get ahead.

The battle was about to erupt!

Ever since that young man swaggered into view, Li Yanfeng's eyes had narrowed.

Li Tianming's current position was just outside the courtyard. He and his mother were separated by only a single door, yet he was already intercepted by the seven young prodigies from the Thunder Venerable Mansion.

Separated by a door, the courtyard was peaceful and serene, with the old woman resting with her eyes closed, basking in the sun. Outside that door, her child was in a perilous situation, surrounded and attacked.

This scene was quite poetic.

"Brother Feng, can you bear to watch?" Liu Qing asked softly, a smile on her face.

"It's fate. He chose it himself; it has nothing to do with me," Li Yanfeng shook his head.

"Mmm, I'm glad you think that way. Once this matter is concluded, you will concurrently serve as the City Lord of Lihuo City, and then you'll return with me to the Thunder Venerable Mansion. The Thunder Venerable has officially accepted you and will grant you higher positions and authority."

"Alright," Li Yanfeng nodded.

What he wanted, what he deserved, was now becoming reality. Therefore, those things he should let go of, those relationships he should break, should not be hesitated over.

Li Tianming could already see the elders on the third floor of the Windless Inn.

Including his father, Li Yanfeng, who was now looking down from above with a cold gaze, watching him. It was all so ridiculous.

"Knowing I would return, you set up an ambush here to help outsiders snatch my Divine Source?"

He had long been utterly disappointed with him, so he could only give a cold laugh at this absurd situation, as if it were commonplace.

The seven geniuses from the Thunder Venerable Mansion surrounded him, and his eyes locked onto Liu Qinyang directly in front of him!

In truth, he had returned this time specifically to find Liu Qinyang.

The Yanhuang Token he desired was still in Liu Qinyang's possession, and the one-month deadline had just arrived.

The Lightning Leopard beneath Liu Qinyang stared at Li Tianming, unable to resist letting out a roar. Immediately after, the companion beasts of the other six also began to snarl, attempting to intimidate and threaten Li Tianming!

Allowing companion beasts to enter a combat state in the city center was explicitly forbidden.

This commotion, coupled with the evacuation of residents, had already piqued the curiosity of the populace. Thus, without anyone realizing it, rumors began to spread, and many people quietly hid around the area.

This was only the beginning; the crowd of onlookers would only grow. For Li Tianming, that was all the better!

On the day of the Yanhuang Academy finals, he hadn't been able to truly prove himself. Now, with seven geniuses from the Thunder Venerable Mansion attacking him, the day he had longed for had finally arrived!

The fighting spirit within his body was boiling at this moment, and even his entire dark left arm had begun to feel scorching hot.

His opponents, besides Liu Qinyang who commanded the Lightning Leopard, included Zhang Zixuan with his "Blue-tailed Poison Scorpion" companion beast and Jiang Yilin with her "Six-eyed Flying Fish."

The Thunder Venerable Mansion was indeed wealthy; the eyes of Zhang Zixuan's Blue-tailed Poison Scorpion seemed to have recovered somewhat.

In addition, there were four other companion beasts, mostly at the Fifth-Tier Companion Beast level, the same tier as Golden Feather!