Not as an Example

The Wen Family, Clan Hall.

"Big Brother, news just came in. That good-for-nothing Su Yi was taken to Gathering Immortals Pavilion by people from the Huang Family."

Wen Changqing hurried into the hall, his face full of smiles. "Barring any surprises, that kid is going to be beaten half to death!"

He was pale-faced and beardless, his eyes dark and sinister. He was Wen Lingxue's second uncle.

"A few days ago, he shot his mouth off and angered Young Master Wei Zhengyang to no end. He should have been taught a proper lesson long ago."

Clan leader Wen Changjing's expression was calm. "Who would have thought that before we even made a move, that kid would go and provoke that wastrel Huang Qianjun? I've never seen anyone so eager to court death!"

Wen Changqing suddenly frowned. "There's one thing I don't understand. Didn't they say Su Yi's cultivation was crippled as early as a year ago? Then how was he still able to defeat Huang Qianjun and those attendants yesterday?"

Wen Changjing shook his head. "After all, none of us were present for what happened yesterday at Gathering Immortals Pavilion. With only that girl Wen Xue's one-sided account, it proves nothing at all."

After a pause, he sneered. "No matter what, I refuse to believe a cripple can stir up any waves!"

Wen Changqing laughed as well and said, "That's what I think too."

Back when Su Yi was at Green River Sword Mansion, he had possessed cultivation at the third level of the Blood Moving Realm, the "Flesh Tendons" stage. His swordsmanship had been exquisitely refined, surpassing the common world, and he had been revered as the Outer Disciple Sword Leader.

But because of an accident, all his cultivation had dissipated, his qi and blood had weakened, and his foundation had collapsed. At the time, some important figures of Green River Sword Mansion had stepped in to help him, but all of it had been in vain.

It was also from that moment on that Su Yi had fallen into being a cripple, abandoned by Green River Sword Mansion.

Wen Changjing and Wen Changqing were not the only ones who knew this matter clearly; all of Guangling City knew it too.

Under such circumstances, Wen Changjing simply did not believe Su Yi had any chance of cultivating the Martial Dao again.

"Let's not mention that boy. At Old Madam's Longevity Banquet tomorrow, Huang Family clan leader Huang Yunchong will also come to offer birthday wishes. When the time comes, we can ask him, and we'll know the truth of what happened at Gathering Immortals Pavilion."

Wen Changjing spoke casually.

He was merely an insignificant Son-in-law, not worth too much of their attention at all.

"Speaking of tomorrow's Longevity Banquet, Wenqing, are preparations on your side complete?"

Wen Changjing asked.

Wen Changqing nodded. "Some clans and forces on good terms with our Wen Family have all stated they will definitely come to attend the Longevity Banquet tomorrow. It's just..."

He hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice. "Big Brother, you also know that in recent years, our Wen Family's situation has become far worse than before. Among Guangling City's Three Great Clans, we're already at the very bottom. Under these circumstances, trying to invite some weighty, influential figures to attend the Longevity Banquet has instead become rather difficult..."

Wen Changjing immediately frowned. "Where did the problem arise?"

Wen Changqing said bitterly, "With the City Lord's Mansion."

The City Lord's Mansion!

Wen Changjing's heart sank, and he realized the severity of the problem.

Over these years, the Wen Family's power had gone downhill like a river in decline, far from what it once was.

By contrast, the Huang Family and the Li Family, likewise among Guangling City's Three Great Clans, were both thriving, their power growing more flourishing by the day.

Set against them, the Wen Family looked all the more unbearable.

Recently, many rumors had already appeared in Guangling City, saying that within ten years, the Wen Family would certainly be removed from the ranks of the "Three Great Clans of Guangling"!

This had already become a sore point in the hearts of the Wen Family's important figures.

Thus, this time, Old Madam Wen's eightieth birthday had been treated by the entire Wen Family as a matter of the highest priority.

Their goal was to use this Longevity Banquet to show the outside world a little muscle, to tell everyone in Guangling City that the Wen Family's foundation still remained and could not be slandered!

And the more important figures who came to attend the Longevity Banquet, naturally, the more it would prove this point.

In short, they were inviting important figures to help the Wen Family "hold up the scene"!

In the Wen Family's plans, if they could invite the city lord, "Fu Shan," to attend the Longevity Banquet tomorrow, that would be like inviting over a main pillar capable of easily propping up the Wen Family's stage.

When the news spread then, who in the world would still dare say the Wen Family's power was not what it used to be?

"If Lord Fu does not come, those important figures attending the Longevity Banquet may all think that our Wen Family nowadays... can no longer even invite this great god Lord Fu..."

Wen Changjing's face darkened little by little.

Immediately after, he took a deep breath, fixed his gaze on Wen Changqing, and said, enunciating every word:

"Go to the City Lord's Mansion again later. No matter what, you must invite Lord Fu to attend the Longevity Banquet tomorrow!"

Wen Changqing's entire body stiffened, and his lips moved as he mumbled, "Big Brother, over these past few days, I've already personally gone to the City Lord's Mansion three times. Each time, I was shut outside the door, and I didn't even see the city lord's face..."

Wen Changjing gritted his teeth. "Go one more time. If Lord Fu doesn't agree, then stay there at the City Lord's Mansion. I refuse to believe that, with our Wen Family's friendship with him over all these years, he can keep refusing forever."

Wen Changqing nodded with a heavy heart, then sighed. "If it were back when Old Madam was in Jade Capital City, who in this Guangling City would have dared look down on our Wen Family?"

Wen Changjing fell silent, his thoughts churning.

At that moment, an attendant hurried over and reported a matter—

Su Yi had returned to the Wen Family!

"Are you sure he isn't injured at all?"

Wen Changqing could not help asking, his face full of astonishment.

The attendant thought about it carefully, then said, "From the outside, he's completely unharmed."

Wen Changqing froze at once. How could this be?

Huang Qianjun had suffered such humiliation—how could the Huang Family let Su Yi off so easily?

There had to be something fishy about this!

"Big Brother, what do you think?"

Wen Changqing could not help turning his gaze toward Wen Changjing.

Wen Changjing said impatiently, "Compared to Old Madam's Longevity Banquet tomorrow, whether Su Yi lives or dies doesn't mean shit!"

Wen Changqing was instantly left speechless.

The afternoon sunlight passed through the window lattice, scattering patches of light across the floor.

Su Yi's figure was immersed in a wooden tub, his eyes closed as he inhaled and exhaled. His clean, handsome face was filled with serenity.

"Starting tomorrow, I'll have to switch to a new body-tempering prescription."

After a long while, Su Yi let out a long breath. His breath pierced the air like an arrow, firm and drawn-out, faintly carrying the rumble of wind and thunder.

At present, his cultivation had already reached Great Perfection at the initial "Flesh Skin" level of the Blood Moving Realm.

The next level was "Flesh Refining"!

Flesh Refining meant tempering all the blood and flesh in the body, excavating and stimulating the body's potential, and driving the strength of the physique to rise and grow even stronger.

When this realm was cultivated to its limit, the flesh throughout one's body would be soft as jade when relaxed and hard as refined iron when tensed, able to withstand wounds from ordinary weapons!

"When tempering the skin membrane, the medicinal herbs consumed for the daily medicinal bath were worth five hundred taels."

"But if I temper my blood and flesh, I'll have to consume around fifteen hundred taels' worth of medicinal herbs every day. Only like that can they complement the Pine Crane Body Forging Art and let me temper out the most vigorous and powerful blood-and-flesh strength..."

Su Yi rose from the wooden tub, put on his clothes, and sat before the window in thought.

From the start of cultivating anew until now, only six days had passed. Although he had reached the Great Perfection stage of the Flesh Skin phase in one stroke, he had also used up a full three thousand taels of silver!

At present, of the ten thousand taels of silver Zi Jin had originally gifted him, only seven thousand taels remained.

According to Su Yi's estimate, if he began cultivation at the Flesh Refining level, these seven thousand taels of silver would only be enough to sustain him for four or five days!

If it were an ordinary person, they simply could not bear such astonishing expenses.

"I'll find time to make a trip to Cloud Cang Mountain. If I can find some spiritual medicines, that would be even better."

Su Yi pondered inwardly.

Spiritual medicines were different from ordinary medicinal herbs; they were born from being bathed in Spiritual Qi.

Back in the Great Wilderness Nine Provinces, aside from those spiritual medicines of the "heavenly treasures and earthly marvels" grade, all other spiritual medicines of various grades could be bought with ease.

But within the borders of Great Zhou, never mind heavenly treasures and earthly marvels—even ordinary spiritual medicines could be called "rare," and every one of them was incomparably precious, not to be traded for a thousand gold.

To Su Yi, this was not much of a problem.

In the Blood Moving Realm, even without spiritual medicines, ordinary medicinal herbs could be used as substitutes. It was nothing more than spending a bit more time and a bit more silver.

After a while, Su Yi rose and came to the courtyard. Just as before, he began practicing the Pine Crane Body Forging Art.

The path of cultivation was, by its nature, incomparably dull and difficult. Those who could persevere through it must surely possess great willpower and great boldness.

Only then could they become someone worthy!

What was more, if he wanted to surpass his self from his previous life, he naturally could not afford the slightest slackness.

Early the next morning.

Before the sky had even brightened, everyone in the Wen Family was already busy.

Today was Old Madam's eightieth birthday, and many important figures would be arriving in person. This matter had long since spread throughout Guangling City and drawn much attention, so no one dared treat it lightly.

It was just that none of this bustle had anything to do with Su Yi.

In the Wen Family, he was nothing more than an insignificant son-in-law.

While others were busy, he had already left the house as he had on those previous days, strolling leisurely out of the city and walking along the bank of the Great Cang River.

From afar, Su Yi had already seen two figures waiting near that mulberry grove.

They were precisely Xiao Tianque and Zi Jin.

"This old man greets Mister Su!"

When he saw Su Yi, Xiao Tianque's spirits lifted. He strode forward with a hearty laugh and greeted him with cupped hands.

Compared to when they had first met, his complexion was clearly much improved.

"Zi Jin greets Mister Su!"

Zi Jin stepped forward and greeted him with a respectful expression.

Today, she wore a water-green dress. Her skin was fairer than snow, with willow-leaf brows and almond eyes; she was coolly beautiful and striking, her bearing exceptional.

"You two must already know my identity. Did you never have the slightest doubt?"

Su Yi said with great interest.

Xiao Tianque said solemnly, "Common folk often like to judge people by appearances and rank them by status. Little do they know that an existence like Mister Su is the true expert!"

Su Yi gave a faint laugh and shook his head. "No need for pleasantries."

Zi Jin hesitated for a moment, then said apologetically, "Mister Su, I was the one who sent people to investigate your identity, and I also had them keep an eye on your movements from the shadows. But I dare swear to the heavens that I had absolutely no other intentions. If I have displeased you, I hope you will forgive me."

As she spoke, she lowered her delicate head and bowed in salute.

"Let this be the last time."

Su Yi nodded.

Zi Jin secretly let out a breath of relief, only then daring to straighten up.

"Mister Su, about these injuries of mine..."

Xiao Tianque couldn't help but speak.

"Wait a moment. After I cultivate, I'll treat your injuries."

As Su Yi spoke, he had already walked straight to an open space within the mulberry grove. Holding his breath and focusing his spirit, emptying his mind, he slowly began to perform the Pine Crane Body Forging Art.

He paid no mind whatsoever to the two gazes watching from the area nearby.