Volume Two: Capital City Storms — A Small Punishment

In the study of the Zhang Family head, one of the Ming Dynasty's Four Great Families.

"Master, today is Third Young Master's graduation assessment." Steward Zhang spoke to Zhang Tiande, head of the Zhang Family, who was reading.

He sighed inwardly. Ever since Third Young Master had left home, it had become necessary to report his every move to Master and Third Madam each day. Of course, he had only told Master—not Third Madam—about the insults the so-called Four Gentlemen had hurled at Third Young Master Zhang Xingfeng that day.

When he had learned of those fellows' insults toward Third Young Master, he too had been furious. What the hell were those four? They actually dared spout nonsense about the Zhang Family—they were like an old man swallowing arsenic, sick of living!

Even now, whenever he recalled the family head's reaction that day, he still felt somewhat shocked—and deeply impressed.

That day, after making his report, he had waited for Master to fly into a rage and take a series of retaliatory measures against those four fellows' families. Yet after hearing him out, Master had merely said calmly, "Don't be hasty. Leave this matter to Little Three. We only need to watch. When the time comes, we'll cooperate with him in secret."

Zhang Tiande had watched his child grow up. He had seen Zhang Xingfeng's extraordinary nature from an early age. Once he learned that his son had not reacted too fiercely to those words, he knew there would surely be something to follow.

"How did the assessment go?" Zhang Tiande did not even lift his head, still reading the book in his hands. The title on its cover could vaguely be seen: The Art of War.

"Third Young Master caused a sensation! At the assessment grounds, he actually unleashed Blade Aura! That's a realm only Third-Rank Experts can possibly attain! The entire assessment venue erupted into chaos. Everyone was stunned, and this year's assessment ended before it could even be completed. In the end, Third Young Master even said something to those Four Gentlemen who don't know the height of heaven or the depth of earth." Steward Zhang seemed greatly excited as he reached this point, pausing to calm his agitated emotions.

"Third Young Master said, 'You so-called Four Gentlemen, remember what you said to me that day.' Heh heh, Master, you don't know—the Dark Camp observers said those four fellows went pale as ghosts on the spot. They were scared stiff!"

"Nonsense! What utter nonsense!" Zhang Tiande was furious. Yet he was not angry at those four fellows who did not know the height of heaven or the depth of earth—he was angry at his third son.

Ever since the two Second-Rank Experts in the household had told him that Little Three's speed when leaving the residence that day had been faster than theirs, he had known that Little Three possessed remarkably profound martial skills. Although Little Three might have surpassed his usual limits that day because he had been deeply heartbroken, his speed had truly been too fast. According to those two experts, Third Young Master had at least reached the Third Rank.

He had been overjoyed when he heard that. Though he did not know how Little Three had acquired such formidable martial skills, was it not a joyous thing for one's son to be strong in martial arts? He had greatly admired Little Three for enduring the humiliation without reacting. Those who accomplish great things must endure what others cannot endure. He had always looked forward to Little Three doing something else that would make him happy.

He had known that Little Three would surely make a major move, but he had never imagined that this little bastard would reveal his martial skills. Wasn't that simply asking for trouble? He had exposed his trump card—wasn't that putting himself at a severe disadvantage?

But how could Zhang Tiande possibly imagine just how powerful Little Three's martial skills truly were? What had been revealed now was merely the tip of the iceberg. That realm of martial power was already beyond his imagination—more accurately, it had already surpassed the scope of martial arts!

Where was Zhang Xingfeng at this moment? He was standing outside the gates of the National Martial Academy, waiting for four bastards—four unlucky bastards.

As I watched groups of National Martial Academy students stream out through the gates, four figures entered my sight. My eyes lit up. I've finally waited for you four. Hmph, today I'll collect a little interest first.

My appearance had long since changed into that of a rough-looking, burly man. I had no desire to invite trouble for myself later.

Good, now!

In an instant, I vanished from where I had been standing. No—not vanished. I was simply moving so fast that no trace of me could be seen.

"Four bastards, accept your punishment!" I growled from my throat.

Before anyone around us could react, my hands struck each of the four in the Dantian with a palm in an instant.

Tang Yan and the other Four Gentlemen only felt a gust of wind and heard a sentence. Before they could react, their Dantians jolted, and the true energy they had painstakingly cultivated for ten years was gone—completely dispersed...

Tang Yan and the others froze, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. They were finished. With merely the fact that they could no longer practice martial arts, they would certainly have no place in their families from now on. Their futures were over. Their lives were over. It was Zhang Xingfeng—it had to be Zhang Xingfeng. But what could they do? The four of them had not even seen so much as his shadow! Whom could they blame? Young Master Li? Zhang Xingfeng? Hahaha, what use was that? They were already finished. Everything was over...

The people around them could not make sense of what had happened. They had only seen a gust of wind. After it swept past those so-called Four Gentlemen, the four stood there dumbly as if turned to stone. Only after a long while did they walk lifelessly toward their homes, their faces ashen with despair...

At the corner of a wall, I slowly returned to my true appearance. Turning back to glance in the direction of the National Martial Academy, I thought, No matter who offends me, I will make you understand just how great an error you've committed! Li Tianxiang, don't think I've forgotten you, the chief culprit. My strength isn't sufficient yet. I don't want to deal with you as I did these little shrimps. I want to torment you slowly, defeat you completely, and destroy you!

"Young Master, you're back. Lang Feng and the others haven't returned yet." Brother Wang saw me and spoke.

"Oh, Brother Wang. Brother Lang Feng and the others will be back in a little while. I came back as soon as my assessment was over and didn't wait for them. Just wait a bit longer, and they'll surely return. Brother Wang, let me ask you something. Is there really a lot of that stone used to test First-Rank Experts?" I looked at Brother Wang with some nervousness, eagerly awaiting his answer.

At this moment, I was both nervous and excited!

"Oh, Young Master, do you mean Tianyan Stone? Ah, Tianyan Stone isn't merely hard—so far, no one has been able to cut it. If Tianyan Stone could be used to make a weapon or a suit of armor, wouldn't that be incredible?" Once Brother Wang started talking, he could not stop.

"Brother Wang, what I'm asking is whether there's a place with lots of Tianyan Stone!" I was getting a little angry. Isn't he deliberately making me anxious?

Brother Wang smiled awkwardly. Whenever he spoke of Tianyan Stone, he could not stop himself. That was entirely Tianyan Stone's fault, because it was simply too hard. To own a weapon made from Tianyan Stone was every martial artist's dream!

"Young Master, Tianyan Stone is very abundant. Two locations have been discovered on this Azure Dragon Continent. One is ten li east of the capital's eastern gate, where there is a Tianyan Stone Mountain, and there is also—"

"What? A mountain!"

Heavens, this... this... is this still the Mortal World? Why do I feel as though I've come to the Immortal Realm? Mysterious Sky Stone—Tianyan Stone, as it is called in the Cultivation World—can actually be measured by the mountain! If the Cultivation World learned of this, wouldn't they go mad? Even a great cultivation sect would likely possess only as much Mysterious Sky Stone as that used to test us. Mysterious Sky Stone is the hardest material in the entire Cultivation World. When refining a Flying Sword, adding just a little of it can greatly increase the sword's durability.

Such a peerless treasure can actually have its quantity described by a mountain! How pitiful—people here can only stare at this supreme treasure of heaven and earth without being able to use it.

Heavens, you have been far too kind to me—far too kind! I... I... I don't even know what to say. Hahahaha! I'm afraid that even all the Mysterious Sky Stone in the entire Cultivation World combined would not be as much as mine!

In my eyes, I had already regarded all the Mysterious Sky Stone in this world as my own. Other than me, who else could possibly cut apart this Mysterious Sky Stone?

The future is bright!