Little Boyfriend? Assassins Arrive!

The shopkeeper raised one finger and said with a smile, "One thousand taels of silver per bottle. No bargaining."

Su Yueli's eyelids twitched slightly, and she was deeply surprised.

So expensive...

Over the past five years, she had left Tie Ling'er to manage the distillery. Because production was high, the dividends that reached her hands had accumulated to more than four thousand taels of silver.

For ordinary people, that was an enormous fortune they would not dare dream of.

Yet now, a single small bottle of Demon Beast Blood Essence that could help one break through a realm would cost her a full quarter of her savings.

The things cultivators came up with were practically highway robbery.

But to break through that fatal barrier, deal with the Pang Family's pursuit, and achieve good results in the Martial Dao Tournament, she had no choice.

With that thought, Su Yueli took out ten one-hundred-tael banknotes from her robes and placed them on the counter.

"Get me one bottle."

The shopkeeper's eyes lit up at once. Customers like this who did not haggle were the most delightful.

He beamed as he took the notes, respectfully handed over a white jade porcelain bottle, then glanced at Lin Ye, who was standing foolishly nearby, and casually flattered them, "Decisive indeed, miss. You're truly generous!"

"But... why not buy a bottle for your partner too, so he can improve his Martial Dao as well?"

Su Yueli had just put away the porcelain bottle when the corner of her mouth twitched. Lin Ye beside her was completely dumbfounded.

His eyes widened slightly. He pointed at his own nose, his tone full of innocent confusion. "Partner? Are you talking about me?"

The shopkeeper nodded repeatedly. "Of course, young master. The two of you are a talented man and a beautiful woman, a perfect match."

Lin Ye froze for a moment, then chuckled. The tips of his ears turned visibly red, and he awkwardly scratched his head, looking embarrassed.

Su Yueli's eyes twitched wildly as she watched his coy little act.

This guy had actually gotten into the role!

Her mind was filled only with breaking through and killing people. She had no interest in bickering with these two. Rolling her eyes, she could not be bothered to respond and turned to walk straight out of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion.

Only then did Lin Ye come to his senses. He hurriedly waved at the shopkeeper. "Misunderstanding, misunderstanding! We're just friends!"

With that, he rushed after her.

"Miss Su, why are you walking so fast? That was a misunderstanding just now. That shopkeeper was talking nonsense, so don't take it to heart..."

Lin Ye followed beside her, chattering all the way, while Su Yueli treated him as though she had heard nothing.

"There's still so much of the Eastern Market in the Imperial City we haven't seen. How about we stroll around up ahead for a while?" Seeing that she ignored him, Lin Ye hurriedly changed the subject.

"No."

Su Yueli did not slow her pace. "I'm going back to the inn to break through first. Go wander around by yourself."

Seeing how resolute Su Yueli was, with her heart wholly set on martial training, Lin Ye sighed helplessly.

They could only part ways at the intersection, leaving him to stroll the streets alone with his saber on his back.

After returning to the private courtyard of the inn, Su Yueli locked the door and sat cross-legged on the bed.

She took out the white jade porcelain bottle and pulled out its wooden stopper. A rich medicinal fragrance, slightly fishy and sweet, rushed toward her.

Without hesitation, she tipped back her head and drained the Demon Beast Blood Essence in one gulp.

The Blood Essence went down her throat.

It was not as fishy as she had imagined. Instead, it turned into a scorching line of fire that traveled down her esophagus and slammed straight into her stomach.

Boom!

The violent medicinal power instantly spread through her body. Su Yueli felt as if all the blood in her body had been ignited in an instant.

The qi and blood that had been settled at the peak of the Fourth Realm, stimulated by this external force, became like wild horses breaking free of their reins and began madly charging through the meridians throughout her body.

Su Yueli clenched her teeth and immediately activated the breathing rhythm Lu Chen had taught her, forcibly guiding that vast essence of flesh and blood to crash fiercely against the solid barrier of the Fifth Realm.

Once, twice, three times...

With the medicinal power of a Third Realm demon beast's blood essence, that barrier, like a dead wall, finally began to crack.

Time trickled by. Two hours later.

Crack—

Su Yueli felt the skin, flesh, tendons, and bones throughout her body undergo a complete cleansing of marrow and remaking of bones under the feedback of that violent qi and blood.

Tempered a hundred times into steel, her entire body had become a single iron plate.

Clear, light, and far stronger than before!

Fifth Realm, Martial Awakening!

Su Yueli slowly opened her eyes and let out a long breath.

She clenched her fist, feeling the terrifying killing power in her palm—several times greater than that of the Fourth Realm—and a strong flicker of surprise flashed through her eyes.

This Demon Beast Blood Essence truly was an exceptionally rare treasure!

Its medicinal power was so domineering and pure that it had saved her the time of bitter cultivation and polishing.

At that thought, a complicated feeling rose in Su Yueli's heart.

She had never even heard of such good things back in Azure Province City, yet those scions of great families in the Imperial City could drink it like water!

Having money and power really was wonderful.

If she had possessed such top-tier cultivation resources when she had first entered Martial Dao, she would probably have long surpassed the Fifth Realm by now. She might even have touched the threshold of a Seventh Realm martial artist.

No wonder those martial artists in the Imperial City who looked to be around thirty could reach the Third Realm and Fourth Realm.

One had to know that she had cultivated in the mountains with Lu Chen for decades to reach this level.

Sure enough, resources... were forever the cruelest barrier on the road of climbing Martial Dao.

The same was true for Immortal Dao and Martial Dao alike.

Outside, night gradually fell.

In a dark alley outside the inn, two black-clad, masked figures quietly appeared.

They were precisely the two Fifth Realm martial artists sent by the Pang Family.

The two hid in the shadows, their eyes fixed on the private courtyard Su Yueli had rented.

"Are you sure you investigated it clearly? This is the place?" the black-clad man on the left asked in a low voice.

"No mistake. A Pang Family informant saw that woman enter with his own eyes."

The black-clad man on the right had a sinister gaze. He then warned, "We're acting in the Imperial City, so we must finish this quickly. We absolutely cannot leave behind the slightest trace."

Beneath the feet of the Imperial City, the rules were strict.

If they made too much noise and drew the patrolling Golden Armored Guards, or if the Imperial Clan followed the clues back to the Pang Family, then they would be in for a fine mess.

The black-clad man on the left looked deeply helpless, and a flash of grievance passed through his eyes.

"This world is fucking unfair. We're the ones who do all the dirty, exhausting work. If we fail to kill them, we definitely won't get any good treatment when we return. But if we really do kill them, and the higher-ups find out someday, then to give the Imperial Clan an explanation, the family head will definitely drag us out to take the blame—or even silence us for good."

"At best, they'll cripple our Martial Dao. At worst, we'll lose our lives outright. No matter which way we look, it's all fucking dead ends!"

The two exchanged a glance, each seeing the desolation and helplessness in the other's eyes.

This was the fate of being someone's lowly lackey. Their lives were as worthless as grass.

The man on the right sighed. "Enough. Stop complaining. People like us were born humble and have no aptitude for an immortal sect. This is our fate."

He pointed to the left. "You sneak in from the left and deal with that kid named Lin Ye. I'll enter from the right and slaughter that woman."

The other man nodded.

With the plan settled, the two instantly vaulted over the courtyard wall, moving left and right toward their respective targets.

At this moment, inside a room in the inn's private courtyard.

Su Yueli, who had just broken through to the Fifth Realm and was focusing on stabilizing and consolidating her cultivation, suddenly opened her eyes.

The room was pitch-black. Her eyes glimmered faintly as she frowned and turned her gaze toward the tightly shut wooden window.

Why is there killing intent again...?