Belated Revenge

When they learned that Bai Ze's Blood Changing Degree had already passed the halfway mark, disbelief filled both their eyes.

How long had it even been? Even with enough Blood Changing Pills to support him, this was somewhat impossible, wasn't it?

After all, it was not as if they had never taken Blood Changing Pills themselves. How could they not know their effects?

Li Qiuyu looked at Bai Ze and said in disbelief, "No way—your Blood Changing Degree has actually reached halfway? You're not joking, are you?!"

"You should know, I've already been in the Blood Changing Realm for several months, yet I've only reached a little over one-third."

"Yeah!"

After coming back to his senses, Li Qiuhai smiled as well. "Back when I was in the Blood Changing Realm, I only reached a little over seventy percent at most before breaking through to the Innate Realm."

"It seems your potential is far greater than mine. That gives us even more confidence in this Contention Battle."

After all, they did not have a system, so their own Blood Changing Degrees could not be measured with complete accuracy, though the difference would not be too great.

Bai Ze's heart tightened at those words. Clearly, he had not considered this.

He had originally thought that even if the other party had not changed their blood to the limit, they should at least have reached over eighty percent. Yet he had not expected that Li Qiuhai, one of Pingfeng City's top geniuses, had only reached a little over seventy percent when he broke through to the Innate Realm.

After assessing his own condition, Bai Ze reckoned that he should be able to reach over seventy percent within half a month.

Of course, even if he reached that level, he still would not be satisfied.

He immediately concealed his true capabilities and said modestly, "I can't compare to Brother Li. Blood changing is already extremely taxing now. Every step forward is incredibly difficult, so I dare not hope for too much."

"If nothing unexpected happens, after the Contention Battle, I'll need to start preparing to break through to the Innate Realm."

"Good. Then I'll be counting on you."

Li Qiuhai did not mind hearing that. After all, he knew that the further one progressed, the harder blood changing became. Delaying for too long would only cause the gains to be outweighed by the losses.

Their family had faced such cases before. Someone had spent several years trying to raise their Blood Changing Degree further.

Yet those who had been with him before had long since broken through to the Innate Realm. By the time he finally broke through, they had already reached Inner Qi Realm Layer 4.

Even if he was stronger than others at Inner Qi Realm Layer 1-2, he had still fallen far behind.

So, remaining stuck in the Blood Changing Realm would also affect one's cultivation speed.

When Li Qiuhai learned that Bai Ze had come to the Mission Hall to accept missions and obtain resources, he directly pulled out a stack of Silver Notes from his robe and handed it over.

Just as Bai Ze was about to refuse, Li Qiuhai smiled and said, "Brother Bai, don't refuse. We were actually planning to post a mission at the Mission Hall, and this is the reward."

"Since we happened to run into you here, we would feel more at ease handing it directly to you."

"Consider this your advance payment. Just take it."

"Exactly!"

Li Qiuyu smiled beside them. "The shopkeeper in Blackwater County has broken through to the Inner Qi Realm, so he needs to be transferred back to Pingfeng City."

"And with our family currently contending with the Wang Family over Black Mountain Mine, we're short on manpower for the time being."

"So we want someone to hold the fort for a week, until we can arrange for a family disciple to go there."

Hearing this, Bai Ze understood. After thinking it over, he nodded.

He said calmly, "Alright. Since that's the case, I'll accept this mission."

"That's more like it!"

Upon hearing Bai Ze agree, Li Qiuhai and Li Qiuyu both smiled. But soon, Li Qiuhai spoke seriously. "Right. In one week, whether or not someone has come to relieve you, you must return immediately."

"After all, the Contention Battle is what matters most. We'll need you to take the field then."

"Yes."

Bai Ze understood the meaning behind those words and nodded to show that he knew.

A short while later, after parting ways with Li Qiuyu and the others, he returned to his own courtyard.

Looking at the Silver Notes in his hand, he murmured, "Thirty thousand taels in Silver Notes. It seems they clearly added quite a bit on top of the original reward."

"But they're also preparing for the upcoming Contention Battle. Otherwise, they definitely wouldn't be so generous."

"After all, the stronger I am, the greater their chance of seizing more resources."

"Compared to that, these Silver Notes are insignificant."

Although Bai Ze understood their intentions, he did not mind. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement, and besides, he was short on such things right now.

After packing up briefly, he went to the Treasure Pavilion and bought a large amount of Body Recovery Paste, then mounted a fast horse and headed straight for Blackwater County.

The sky gradually darkened, and night quietly descended.

Bai Ze sat crouched beside a bonfire, a longsword gripped in his hand.

Just then, rustling sounds came from all around him, as though someone was moving swiftly through the darkness.

Bai Ze gave no outward reaction, but inwardly, he had already become vigilant.

"Whoosh,"

"Whoosh,"

"Whoosh,"

Several arrow-shadows shot straight toward him.

But Bai Ze had been prepared. He swiftly leaped aside to evade them.

At the same time, thumb-sized steel needles appeared in his hand and flew out directly.

"Argh!"

"Get out of the way!"

After several miserable cries, several figures charged out of the night.

Judging by their movements, the three men before him were all Blood Changing Realm martial artists.

Bai Ze narrowed his eyes as he looked at them, recalling who they were.

He sneered. "I didn't expect it to be you. Why doesn't Chang Wen dare come himself, sending you here to die instead?"

"Pah!"

Hearing this, the man before him spat fiercely and said disdainfully, "Who do you think you are? What makes you worthy of our Second Young Master coming in person?"

"It would have been one thing if you'd obediently stayed hidden in the Li Family, but you actually dared come out alone."

"Then don't blame us brothers. You can only count yourself unlucky for offending someone you shouldn't have."

"Kill him!"

Without further hesitation, they attacked at once. Facing the three men rushing toward him, Bai Ze showed no trace of panic.

He swiftly drew his longsword, and his figure vanished from where he stood into the darkness.

The three instantly became alert at the sight, but it was already too late.

"Whoosh,"

"Whoosh,"

"Whoosh,"

In the blink of an eye, Bai Ze had appeared before them. Several flashes of sword-light slashed across their throats.

With disbelief and unwillingness spreading across their faces, they fell into pools of blood.

They had thought that with five Blood Changing Realm fighters, killing a martial artist of the same realm would be as easy as taking something from their pockets.

But who could have imagined that Bai Ze's strength would be so terrifying? They had no power to fight back at all.

Bai Ze sheathed his longsword, utterly unsurprised by the outcome.

After all, their Blood Changing Degree was far inferior to his. With the enhancements in every aspect, no matter how one looked at it, they could never have been his match.