Five Million

The girl wore a white dress without a speck of dust. Her glossy black hair fell down her back, soft and flowing.

Her skin was fair as jade and seemed to glow faintly. She had large eyes, a pert nose, and features so delicate they were nearly flawless.

She was tall, with curves in all the right places. And those long legs... not just anyone was worthy of carrying them over his shoulders!

Sunlight slanted through the window on the Gravity Tower's tenth floor, bathing her in a hazy beauty.

Lu Li!

Ye Qiu stared at her, and Lu Li looked back at him.

Neither spoke.

Then Lu Li stepped forward with effortless ease and came to a stop before Ye Qiu.

Ye Qiu was drenched in sweat.

His flesh and bones trembled.

Lu Li, meanwhile, seemed to feel nothing!

She raised a fair hand, curled it loosely into a fist, and punched downward.

Boom—

The great bell on the Tenth Layer exploded before Ye Qiu's disbelieving eyes!

It exploded!

Ye Qiu: "???"

He was dumbstruck!

Had this woman gotten even stronger? Again?

And she hadn't used her sword!

That had been just a casual punch!

It looked like she hadn't even put much strength into it!

What the hell...

Lu Li regarded Ye Qiu calmly. Her voice was cool, but naturally pleasing to the ear. "I heard you want to duel me?"

Ye Qiu stared into the woman's seemingly flawless, glossy black eyes, then glanced at the shattered bell...

It was smashed to bits.

Nothing but powder remained!

He clenched his fist slightly and looked away from her.

"Let's go." Lu Li said nothing more and walked off. Ye Qiu paused, then followed.

He watched her graceful figure from behind and asked inwardly, Brother Snake, what's her Cultivation Level?

The Great Serpent replied, "Mystic Passage!"

Ye Qiu roared inwardly, Impossible! Absolutely impossible!

Mystic Passage?

Ye Qiu was at the third layer of Mystic Passage now, with over 110,000 Qi and Blood. With his Fist Technique and Blade Technique on top of that, he reckoned he could withstand a few blows even from someone at Mystic Mastery Peak!

But not from Lu Li!

She was fiercer!

The Great Serpent said, "It's the absolute truth. She might only be at the fifth or sixth layer of Mystic Passage!"

Ye Qiu fell silent for a long time... That stung!

At last, he asked in disbelief, How can she be so strong?

The Great Serpent said, "Because her Essence, Qi, and Spirit are more vigorous than yours, and she's mastered Artistic Conception!"

Ye Qiu's eyes widened.

Artistic Conception!

Of course he knew what it was.

It was a realm both profound and elusive.

Terribly difficult to comprehend.

Mysterious beyond measure.

His grandfather Wen Zheng and the Great Elder were both in their seventies or eighties, yet neither had so much as touched its threshold.

In fact, many of the powerful figures Ye Qiu had met had probably never reached the level of Artistic Conception.

But Lu Li was seventeen, and she had touched it... No, Brother Snake had said she'd mastered it!

They said comprehending Artistic Conception gave rise to a kind of "spirituality" that sent one's combat strength soaring!

One could become invincible among peers, even cross realms—or several levels—to slay a stronger foe!

Don't tell me this woman's one of those legendary Chosen Ones? Ye Qiu was genuinely at a loss for words.

Why did you have to go and grasp Artistic Conception?

What's wrong with settling things fist to fist?

Leaving the Cultivation Tower, Ye Qiu found the sunlight outside glaring in his eyes.

The boy's shadow stretched long behind him, twisted and ferocious.

The blow to his pride was heavy, like a knife buried in his armpit.

It hurt, but it also made him want to laugh...

What the hell!!!

"Brother Ye." A voice came from the distance. Ye Qiu looked over and saw a tall boy approaching.

Big eyes, a high nose, a head of thick curls—it was... Wu Xiaokai!

Wu Xiaokai came closer and glanced at Lu Li standing beside Ye Qiu. He blinked.

She's so beautiful!

A fairy!

Ye Qiu stepped aside a little. Wu Xiaokai leaned in and whispered, "Who's that? Your girlfriend?"

Ye Qiu didn't answer.

Wu Xiaokai grinned. "She's gorgeous!"

Ye Qiu's mouth twitched... Was she gorgeous?

She certainly was!

But her looks were all she had going for her!

"Hello, I'm Ye Qiu's wife." Lu Li turned slightly toward Wu Xiaokai.

The tall boy froze. Wife?

Whoa!

Brother Ye is incredible!

"My name is Lu Li," the girl added.

Wu Xiaokai: "..."

Lu Li!

The number-one beauty on the Southern State Rouge Ranking!

The youngest Core Disciple at the Southern State Academy!

A Sword Cultivator!

He stood stunned for a long while, then looked at Ye Qiu with open admiration and discreetly gave him a thumbs-up.

Brother Ye is incredible!

Brother Ye is a legend!

My idol!

One of his dreams was to find himself a beauty from the Rouge Ranking!

Ye Qiu was about to correct him, but Lu Li looked at Wu Xiaokai. "Did you need something else?"

Wu Xiaokai grinned. "Right, I've got something to do. You two carry on... See you around."

As he left, he waggled his eyebrows at Ye Qiu.

Ye Qiu remained listless.

This was going to be difficult.

There was no way he could return anytime soon.

He would have to write his grandfather a letter. After all, he'd said he would be back soon...

"Want to look around outside?" Lu Li asked.

Ye Qiu shook his head.

Lu Li turned to face him. "Come look around with me!"

It wasn't a question.

It was a statement!

Ye Qiu stared at her. "No..."

Lu Li drew her sword a fraction.

"No... problem."

If she chased him all over the Academy with a sword, he might survive it, but would his reputation?

What the hell!!!

The two left the Academy and walked along the street.

Lu Li asked, "Hungry?"

Ye Qiu said, "I have no appetite."

Lu Li said, "I'm hungry."

Ye Qiu glanced at her. "You could've just said so."

Lu Li entered a restaurant. Ye Qiu followed, and they ordered a few simple dishes.

Afterward, Lu Li kept browsing.

Ye Qiu kept following.

They arrived beneath an imposing Purple Building.

The Star Pavilion!

Lu Li went in, and Ye Qiu followed. The Star Pavilion's interior was lavish, its display cases filled with treasures of every kind.

It was the foremost treasure house in Southern State, with connections extending into Central Province and even Divine Province.

Treasures were everywhere.

Lu Li turned to him. "Is there anything you need?"

Ye Qiu didn't answer. He walked toward a display case ahead.

Inside lay more than a dozen Demon Beast Spirits.

They came in different colors.

Their grades varied.

But even the lowest had reached the Profound Connection First Layer.

The highest had reached Law Gathering Peak!

Houtian, Xiantian, Naling, Mystic Passage—then came a fundamental transformation that produced magical power, known as the Law Gathering Realm!

Lu Li came over. "Pick whichever one you like. I'll pay."

Ye Qiu said, "No need. I have money."

He looked at the long-legged beauty behind the counter and was about to ask a question when Lu Li said, "Pack them all up!"

The long-legged beauty smiled and moved with practiced speed.

Ye Qiu looked at Lu Li.

Lu Li took out a Storage Ring, set it on the counter, and asked, "Is one million enough?"

Ye Qiu: "..."

The long-legged beauty said, "Not quite. One of them came from a Mutant Beast, so it costs more."

Lu Li took out another Storage Ring. "What about five million?"

Ye Qiu: "???"