A Bow from an Enemy

Liu Yuntian drew in his Dou Qi, and streams of purple light gathered around him. After a long while, he slowly opened his eyes.

He got to his feet, raising a hand to turn it this way and that, then touching his body.

His excitement was plain to see. He rushed straight over to Li Xingluo and bowed deeply to him.

Liu Yuntian's reaction left Yan Yun completely stunned. What on earth had happened?

"Elder Liu, what are you doing?" Li Xingluo quickly reached out to help Liu Yuntian back up.

Liu Yuntian was overjoyed. He raised his hand and clenched his fist, sending a massive wave of energy surging across the room.

"I haven't advanced in three years. I never imagined I'd break through to eight-star Dou Wang today. It's all thanks to your pill."

Yan Yun nearly lost his balance. His heels went weak, and his head spun as he fell backward. Fortunately, Yan Gui reacted quickly and caught him, sparing him any further embarrassment.

For years, Yan Yun had been coveting the position of Second Elder, counting on Liu Yuntian's cultivation to remain stagnant. Now, that dream had been shattered.

He muttered under his breath, "How is this possible? It can't be. How can someone so young be a fifth-grade Alchemist?"

Yan Yun shoved Yan Gui aside, not caring that his grandson tumbled about in a daze, and strode furiously toward Li Xingluo.

"Elder Yan, what are you doing?"

Dou Qi surged around Liu Yuntian's entire body. He released a powerful wave of energy that stopped Yan Yun in his tracks.

Yan Yun was firmly cowed by Liu Yuntian's imposing presence and didn't dare take another step. His eyes were filled with conflicting emotions.

Xiao Yi Xian had already been displeased that Yan Yun had targeted Li Xingluo and injured him.

She pointed boldly at Yan Yun. "Xing Luo has proven himself. What, you still refuse to admit it?"

"I..." Yan Yun was at a loss for words, seething inwardly.

"Third Elder, shouldn't you apologize to Xing Luo?"

"Why should he? My grandfather is a Third Elder of the Aus Auction House, and a Dou Wang expert. Why should he apologize to him?" Yan Gui got to his feet and stormed toward Li Xingluo.

Liu Yuntian glared coldly at Yan Gui. In an instant, Yan Gui lost his nerve and hid behind Yan Yun.

Liu Yuntian kept his cold gaze fixed on Yan Yun. While Li Xingluo had been refining the pill, he had pieced together what had happened the previous night.

Yan Gui had twisted the story, turning truth on its head. He'd claimed that Li Xingluo had stolen something he wanted and exaggerated its value. Yan Yun, who had already wanted to suppress Liu Yuntian, had been delighted.

When he learned that Li Xingluo, whom Liu Yuntian thought so highly of, had supposedly behaved this way, Yan Yun had seized on the chance to use it against him and humiliate him.

As it turned out, the truth was nothing like that. Yan Yun had been thoroughly led astray by his own grandson.

Yan Yun turned around, his eyes flashing with menace. Yan Gui was so frightened that he couldn't meet his gaze and lowered his head.

Yan Yun did as Liu Yuntian had demanded and walked toward Li Xingluo. Xiao Yi Xian thought he was about to cause Li Xingluo trouble again, so she stepped in front of him, her gaze sharp.

"Little friend, don't misunderstand. Elder Liu is right: when you've done something wrong, you should apologize. I sincerely apologize to you here."

With that, Yan Yun bowed to Li Xingluo. His apology was nowhere near as sincere as Liu Yuntian's, but his attitude was passable.

Yan Yun's actions left Liu Yuntian and the others astonished. The arrogant Yan Yun was actually apologizing to a junior? Yan Gui was so dumbfounded by his grandfather's behavior that he could hardly believe his eyes. Was this really the same grandfather he knew?

"Grandfather..." Yan Gui blurted out.

Yan Yun ignored Yan Gui, straightened up, and put on a beaming smile.

"Xing Luo, this old man was careless and wronged you." Yan Yun then turned around, his face dark with fury, and barked, "Gui'er, get over here and apologize to Xing Luo!"

Yan Gui pointed at himself, almost unable to believe what he was hearing. If Yan Yun had seemed strange before, now Yan Gui could only think that someone had switched his grandfather with another person.

Yan Yun glared fiercely at Yan Gui, as if to say, Come over here, or I'll break your legs.

Yan Gui was deeply reluctant. He shuffled over and stood beside Yan Yun. At Yan Yun's prompting, he finally lowered his head.

"I'm sorry. I was wrong!"

Yan Yun's smile returned in an instant. He changed faces faster than turning a page.

"Xing Luo, you can see that Gui'er has realized his mistake. Don't worry. I'll make sure to discipline him strictly from now on. Nothing like this will happen again."

Yan Yun seemed afraid of something. When Li Xingluo didn't respond, he even made a promise.

This display left Liu Yuntian and his grandson dumbfounded, while Li Xingluo was equally surprised.

Li Xingluo gently patted Xiao Yi Xian's arm and nodded to reassure her.

Xiao Yi Xian stepped aside, but she still had no good feelings toward Yan Yun and his grandson.

"Sure."

"Elder Yan, you injured a guest of the Aus Auction House. Have you thought about how you'll compensate him?"

Liu Yuntian certainly knew how to handle things. Li Xingluo felt somewhat grateful to him when he heard that.

Yan Yun looked a little awkward and forced a grin. Inwardly, he was already cursing Liu Yuntian as an old bastard.

"No need to trouble yourself, Elder Liu." Yan Yun turned back with a smile and took a gold card from his Storage Ring, handing it to Li Xingluo.

"This card contains my savings from all these years. If you're willing to accept it, please take it as compensation for my offense against you last night."

Li Xingluo took the gold card at once and said, "Thank you." This was entirely unexpected to Yan Yun.

He had thought Li Xingluo would at least refuse a few times, but he hadn't expected him to...

After a few more pleasantries, Yan Yun left with Yan Gui.

Watching the grandfather and grandson walk away, Elder Liu stepped forward and said meaningfully, "Little friend, you'd better watch out for that old fellow. I have a feeling this isn't something he'd normally do."

Liu Li naturally chimed in. "Grandfather is right, Brother Li. You should be careful."

Li Xingluo was grateful for the kind warning from Liu Yuntian and his grandson. He assured them he wasn't so easily fooled.

Seeing that it was getting late, Liu Yuntian gave Li Xingluo a token of goodwill, then left with Liu Li, thoroughly satisfied.

Xiao Yi Xian understood what those old fellows had meant, and unease welled up inside her.

"Xing Luo, Yan Yun won't..."

"Don't worry. Soldiers will block the enemy; water will cover the earth. All Yan Yun wants is that little bit. When the time comes, heh heh heh..." Li Xingluo gave a sly grin.

Seeing that Li Xingluo had a plan, Xiao Yi Xian said no more.

Back in his room, Li Xingluo felt the Dou Qi within him rapidly swelling, as if he were on the verge of a breakthrough.

Li Xingluo closed his eyes, sat cross-legged, and regulated his breathing, sinking into a state of complete absorption. The air around him seemed to solidify; only the Dou Qi within him surged without end.

Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his body trembled slightly, as though he were resisting some invisible force.

His face gradually paled, but his gaze grew ever more resolute.

Suddenly, he let out a shout. Dou Qi burst from his body like an erupting volcano, forming a powerful shockwave that spread in every direction. His body shone with dazzling light, and his aura climbed steadily.

In that instant, he broke through the Da Dou Shi bottleneck and entered an entirely new realm.

Li Xingluo felt a power unlike anything he'd ever known coursing through him, as if the whole world were in his grasp.

He slowly suppressed the roiling Dou Qi and steadied his breathing. Everything gradually settled, and his pale complexion slowly grew rosy again.

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Li Xingluo's mouth. It seemed he had Yan Yun to thank after all. The fight last night had awakened his potential and helped him break through to Da Dou Shi so quickly.