Five Passages of Life and Death Tribulation? I have experience points~

"What? You want to break through to the fifth level?!"

Shangguan Liuyun felt as if he were dreaming. What he had seen and heard today was simply unbelievable!

The Flower Cultivation and Leaf Nurturing Art, this was a cultivation method passed down through generations of their family, and no one understood its cultivation difficulty better than he did.

Thinking back to when he started cultivating this method, he began at twelve years old. By the time he reached the fifth level, he was already twenty. The amount of precious medicinal materials consumed during that time was immense, not to mention the astonishing amount of time it took.

However, at most, had it been half a month since Li Yan obtained this martial art?

Half a month's effort, equivalent to his ten years of arduous cultivation. Shangguan Liuyun felt like the sky was falling!

After a long while, finally digesting the news, Shangguan Liuyun took a deep breath and brought up the question Li Yan was most concerned about.

The Flower Cultivation and Leaf Nurturing Art was notoriously difficult to cultivate, truly a case of slow and steady progress leading to great rewards. However, the difficulty varied depending on the cultivation realm.

And this difference began from the fifth level.

"The fifth level of the Flower Cultivation and Leaf Nurturing Art is known as the Life and Death Gate. It's like a plant blooming for the first time."

"If you can't successfully bloom the first flower, no matter how much you cultivate, you'll only have lush green leaves."

"The resources required for this stage are unimaginable, but if you break through successfully, your realm will see continuous improvement."

"Take myself and Feiyun as examples. When I broke through to the fifth level, I went into seclusion for a month. After breaking through, my realm jumped from Qi Condensation fourth level straight to Qi Condensation eighth level. Feiyun reached the peak of the seventh level."

"However, the more energy you accumulate, the greater the impact on your body during the explosion. If you can't hold on, you understand the consequences."

Li Yan certainly understood. He still remembered the pain of breaking through the third level.

But conversely, only with such risks could one obtain sufficiently generous rewards.

The greater the storm, the more valuable the fish. Moreover, the enemy's strength was also considerable.

If he could elevate his strength to the Meridian Opening Realm before making a move against Huang Lingyan, he would have a greater chance of killing him on the spot.

Besides, his advantage was far greater than others.

As long as he had Experience Points, breaking through wouldn't be difficult.

After chatting with Shangguan Liuyun about a few more things, Li Yan left the Shangguan residence.

Tomorrow was the day Dongjiang City was to hand over Shangguan Xiyun. The most important thing now was to safely bring Shangguan Xiyun out.

Watching Li Yan's departing back, Shangguan Liuyun turned to look at Shangguan Feiyun's room. He closed his eyes and pondered for a moment before opening them again, a look of determination flashing in his eyes.

Meanwhile, in the City Lord's Mansion, cold air surrounded Huang Lingyan, his face ashen.

Breaking through to the Energy Gathering Realm was indeed not a simple matter.

Even after exhausting the foundation he had built up over the years, he was still a step short. His North Wind Chilling Art was only a hair's breadth away from breaking through to the eighth level, but this hair's breadth felt like an insurmountable chasm.

But, it wasn't without gains!

At this very moment, he had taken another step forward. He was now considered Half-step Energy Gathering Realm.

When facing Shangguan Liuyun, Shangguan Liuyun would certainly not be his opponent.

As long as he could tie down Shangguan Liuyun, the downfall of the Shangguan Family would be instantaneous.

The reason he hadn't made a move yet was to continue putting pressure on Shangguan Liuyun, slowly figure out all the businesses controlled by the Shangguan Family, and then take them down along with the merchants behind them.

Otherwise, even if he took down the Shangguan Family, if all the shops controlled by the Shangguan Family collectively closed, Dongjiang City would inevitably fall into chaos.

Everything would wait until tomorrow.

Early the next morning, unusually, the cries of street vendors were not heard, and many shops remained closed.

The citizens of the city had gathered at the city gate early in the morning.

Before long, Xu San emerged from the crowd and addressed all the citizens, "I believe everyone knows why we are gathered here."

"We have given the Shangguan Family a long time, but they have remained indifferent."

"They completely disregard the lives of us, the people of Dongjiang City!"

As soon as Xu San spoke, a heavy accusation was placed squarely on the Shangguan Family.

Listening below, the faces of the citizens showed expressions of indignation.

They were just ordinary people who wanted to live a simple life. Why were some people preventing them from having peace?

"Damn Shangguan Family, why are you harming us!?"

"These martial artists, not a single one of them is a good person!"

"Drive them out of Dongjiang City, make them leave!"

Seeing the growing excitement of the crowd, Xu San nodded with satisfaction, his gaze falling on a scholar in white robes standing nearby.

Liu He nodded at Xu San, signaling him to continue.

"In order to live a good life, we can only save ourselves."

"Everyone, this Bai Xiushi, Liu He, is here to help us!"

All eyes turned to Liu He. Liu He cupped his fists and bowed to everyone, "Esteemed citizens, I am Liu He, known in the martial world as Bai Xiushi. In truth, I am merely a scholar who cannot stand injustice."

"I have learned the entire cause and effect from Old Master Xu. Matters of the martial world should indeed not involve innocent commoners."

"Since everything started because of the Shangguan family's third young lady, let's end it with the third young lady!"

As he spoke, a carriage sounded from the back of the crowd, and Shangguan Xiyun, who had been missing for many days, finally appeared.

Although her clothes looked somewhat soiled, she had no external injuries.

At this moment, she remained silent, her face filled with indignant fury as she looked at all the surrounding residents.

"Third Young Lady, for the safety of Dongjiang City, Liu He has offended you."

Liu He clasped his fists in a salute to Shangguan Xiyun.

"Pah!"

Shangguan Xiyun glared at him, her eyes blazing. "Do you think wearing a scholar's robe can disguise your beastly nature?"

"My Shangguan family has been rooted in Dongjiang City for how many years? Our businesses and shops are all over Dongjiang. But ask yourselves, what were the prices in our shops? Did we ever cheat or scheme against you?"

"Because of my Shangguan family's influence, Dongjiang City has achieved its current prosperous state."

"My elder brother worked tirelessly, always considering you people, but what did he get in return?"

"You ungrateful wretches, do you deserve the kindness of my Shangguan family?"

"Pah! You don't deserve it!"

Shangguan Xiyun's tearful, angry rebuke caused many among the assembled citizens to lower their heads.

Was what Shangguan Xiyun said true?

It was indeed true. If not for the Shangguan family, Dongjiang City would not only be as prosperous as it was today, but it would likely still be struggling with food shortages every year, just like in the past.

The Shangguan family had changed everything, yet now they were repaying kindness with enmity.

Some things couldn't be brought out into the open, because if they were, the true nature of some people would be exposed.

"Third Young Lady!"

Xu San, sensing that the situation was not right, immediately shouted at the top of his lungs, "Although the Shangguan family helped Dongjiang City, they also earned a lot of money from it, didn't they?"

"It's just business, a merchant's trade. Why speak of it with such noble integrity?"

"Besides, why must your martial world affairs involve us common folk? We just want to work hard and live our own simple lives, nothing more."

Nothing more? Nothing more!

The citizens who had been wavering moments ago now stood firmly with Xu San again.

Yes, they weren't martial artists. All they wanted was to live their own simple lives. Why were some people preventing them from doing so?

They were already suffering so much; couldn't they be left alone?

Just then, a figure soared into the air. Shangguan Liuyun landed on a rooftop, casting a cold gaze upon everything below.

"Big Brother!"

Upon seeing Shangguan Liuyun, the tears Shangguan Xiyun had been holding back finally fell.

"Don't cry, Yun'er. They bullied you; I'll get justice for you." As he spoke, Shangguan Liuyun's gaze swept over all the citizens present, finally settling on Xu San.

"From today onwards, all shops under the Shangguan family will immediately close. Furthermore, all merchants cooperating with the Shangguan family will no longer come to Dongjiang City."

"Since you all feel that my Shangguan family has earned your money, then we won't earn this money anymore!"