What You Save on the Road Now Will Eventually Become a Price You Pay in the Future

The tea got cold, so I refilled it; it got cold again after I refilled it.

"My Old Ancestor said that the Calamity of Ten Thousand Ages is very dangerous." Li Qingluan gently stroked the rough edge of the ceramic cup with her fingertips. "Many people have failed in previous ones."

She looked up at him, her gaze clear. "With your talent, even without this tribulation, you could make up for it by going into seclusion a few more times."

"Why choose this Thorn Road when there are better options?"

Qin Wangchuan shook his head, his gaze fixed on the distant outline of the Heaven-Reaching Tower: "The path we save now will eventually come at a price in the future."

"I can't afford the price, so I have to leave."

He withdrew his gaze, his tone calm. "Besides, in my opinion, this isn't exactly Thorn Road; it's just a bit troublesome at most."

Qin Wangchuan had already planned everything out in his mind.

This plan was divided into two steps: first, to hold Martial Arts Competition in Middle Thousand Provinces to allow Jiang Yan to make a name for himself;

He will personally intervene once he reaches Upper Thousand Provinces.

At that time, they will not only defeat the Prodigy of Upper Thousand Provinces, but also take advantage of the momentum to reap the Qi Yun that Jiang Yan has accumulated.

Two battles would save us the trouble of searching the world for the Son of Luck.

At most, it just takes some effort to cultivate Jiang Yan.

As he was pondering, a slightly cool hand suddenly touched his cheek.

Li Qingluan's voice rang in my ears, carrying an unprecedentedly complex emotion:

"You're always like this, keeping everything to yourself."

Her voice was soft, yet stubborn. "How can I help you?"

Qin Wangchuan initially intended to remain silent, but when he turned and met her eyes, he was stunned.

What kind of eyes were those?

There were too many emotions churning inside that he couldn't understand, so complex that he dared not look directly at them.

Qin Wangchuan remained silent for a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice had regained its usual calmness:

I want to create momentum.

"Let the Son of Luck of the Upper Thousand Provinces and the Middle Thousand Provinces gather together."

"I've already started preparations for this match in Middle Thousand Provinces, so..."

"Leave the Upper Thousand Provinces to me," Li Qingluan suddenly leaned closer, almost face to face, and said.

That was a tone of certainty, without any hesitation or doubt.

Perhaps the incident with the Alien Race on the Immortal Path last time shocked Li Qingluan, causing her to become like this.

'But... it's fine this way too.'

Qin Wangchuan thought to himself.

After parting ways with Li Qingluan, Qin Wangchuan arrived at the mansion arranged by the Tongtian Family, but Jiang Yan was nowhere to be found.

Following the scent, they finally found him in an open plaza in the Tongtian City.

The drill ground was now bustling with noise, a dense crowd forming a circle, the clamor almost shaking the sky.

A simple yet sturdy arena was hastily erected in the center of the circle using bluestone slabs.

On the stage, Jiang Yan was engaged in a life-or-death struggle with a young cultivator dressed in Brocade Robe.

"Bang!"

It was yet another head-on collision.

Jiang Yan staggered back three steps before regaining his balance. His left shoulder was torn, and a deep wound that exposed bone was bleeding profusely.

The young man in the brocade robe opposite him didn't fare any better; his right cheek was swollen, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his luxurious robe was torn in several places.

Both were breathing heavily, sweat mixed with blood dripping from their chins, splashing into small, dark flowers on the bluestone slabs.

Qin Wangchuan walked over.

A simple Green Robe seemed to shield him from the hustle and bustle.

His Divine Sense spread out like an invisible spider web, and the noisy discussions around him clearly reached his ears:

"They've been fighting for almost an incense stick's time, haven't they? Tsk tsk, they're really courting death..."

"Isn't that right? That kid's cultivation is clearly much weaker, yet he's managed to hold on until now!"

"I heard he just ascended from the Lower Realm?"

"Yes, yes, that's the trouble we got into..."

Soon, Qin Wangchuan pieced together the whole story from the various opinions.

It turns out that this afternoon, Jiang Yan was strolling around the city, wanting to familiarize himself with the local customs and culture of Middle Thousand Provinces.

Unexpectedly, they encountered this young man in brocade robes— Liu Kun, the eldest son of the local minor Aristocratic Clan, the "Liu Clan Family."

This man was always arrogant and domineering. Seeing that Jiang Yan's cultivation was only at the Seventh Realm and that he was a stranger, he decided to play a trick on him.

"A filthy thing from the Lower Realm..." Liu Kun covered his nose with his sleeve, his brows furrowing in disgust, as if the air was filled with a nauseating stench. "Ascension is one thing, but a mere Seventh Realm, who gave you the audacity to linger in the Tongtian Realm?"

Jiang Yan frowned, but did not react.

Instead, suppress your anger and step aside to let them pass.

Unexpectedly, Liu Kun mistook this concession for weakness and vulnerability.

He pressed his advantage, blocking their path and raising his voice so everyone around could hear. "I told you so! Those who come from the Lower Realm are indeed uncivilized barbarians."

The onlookers burst into laughter.

Jiang Yan clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, but he held back and lowered his head to continue walking.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" Liu Kun Young Master reached out to push his shoulder. "Are you deaf or mute? Oh, by the way, I've heard that you people from the Lower Realm are dull-witted. You can't possibly not even understand human speech, can you?"

Jiang Yan suddenly looked up, his eyes burning with anger.

Liu Kun, however, went even further. He sized Jiang Yan up and down, a malicious smile playing on his lips, "Judging by your shabby appearance, your parents probably haven't been around for a long time..."

Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Yan's aura suddenly exploded!

"Say it again." Jiang Yan's voice was as cold as ice, every word carrying Killing Intent.

Liu Kun was taken aback by this sudden display of power, then flew into a rage. "I'd say your parents must have died somewhere in the Lower Realm long ago! You have no parents to teach you anything!"

"Boom--!"

It felt as if something inside Jiang Yan's body had shattered.

His mother was the most sensitive and untouchable part of his heart!

"Whether the people of the Lower Realm are barbarians or not, you'll find out soon enough!" Jiang Yan's voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the street, filled with an undeniable resolve. "Right now!"