Another Breakthrough! Eighth-Rank Martial Master!

By the time the black sedan pulled into Li Family Manor, it was past eight in the evening.

Li Yao got out but did not go upstairs. He headed straight for the living room.

He sat down on the sofa, propped his chin on one hand, and stared blankly at the ceiling.

Li Wenbin followed him in. Seeing Li Yao like this, he did not disturb him and waited nearby.

A long while passed before Li Yao spoke.

"Uncle Wenbin."

"Yes, Young Master?"

Li Yao turned to him. "Uncle Wenbin, you're a Ninth-Rank Martial Master, right?"

Li Wenbin paused, unsure why Li Yao had suddenly asked.

Still, he answered truthfully. "That's right, Young Master. I'm at the advanced stage of the Ninth Rank, just one step away from the Martial Venerable Realm."

There was a hint of pride in his voice at the end.

An advanced Ninth-Rank Martial Master ranked among the best in the entire Imperial Capital.

Li Yao nodded without speaking.

He was doing the math.

The Dragon Nation had a rule: whether you belonged to a great family or were an Independent Cultivator, once you reached the Martial Venerable Realm, you had to go to the border and fight the Demon Race.

It was compulsory military service, plain and simple.

There were exceptions, of course.

Some families played tricks. If two members broke through, they reported only one and secretly kept the other at home.

Then there were families like the Li Family, who could recall a few experts from the border whenever they wanted.

But that only worked in peacetime. If the Demon Race launched a real attack, Li Yao could be on his deathbed and still not get a single person recalled.

By that reckoning, Li Wenbin was one of the Imperial Capital's top experts right now.

"Young Master, why do you ask?"

After Li Yao stayed silent for so long, Li Wenbin could not help asking.

Li Yao came back to himself, his expression turning serious.

"Uncle Wenbin, I need you to do something for me."

"Just say the word, Young Master."

Li Yao looked him in the eye and said slowly, "Investigate Yu Xuerou for me."

"Yu Xuerou?" Li Wenbin paused.

"Yes," Li Yao said. "Her background, her history, her talent—I want to know everything. The more detail, the better."

Li Wenbin was surprised.

He had thought Li Yao would ask him to keep an eye on the Yang Family, not investigate a young woman.

"Young Master, who is this Yu Xuerou...?"

"She's second on Imperial Capital University's Strength Rankings and made it into the top ten today," Li Yao said. "I get the feeling there's more to her than meets the eye."

Li Wenbin nodded and asked no more questions.

"Understood, Young Master. I'll get on it right away."

With that, he turned and headed out.

Li Yao watched him go, then leaned back against the sofa with a sigh.

"Yu Xuerou... just what kind of person are you?"

He had a nagging feeling that Yu Xuerou was not as simple as she seemed.

No matter how talented someone from an ordinary family was, reaching the Ninth Rank in her early twenties was extraordinary.

There had to be something behind it that no one knew about.

More importantly, the timing was too much of a coincidence.

The moment he showed a little of his strength, Yu Xuerou seemed to single him out.

From where he stood, it was almost as though she was deliberately trying to catch his attention.

And... Li Yao thought for a moment, then smiled.

She was even the proud, prickly type he liked best.

Li Yao stood, stretched, and went upstairs.

Once in his room, he shut the door, climbed onto the bed, and sat cross-legged.

"System, spend my points!"

As soon as he spoke, the system interface appeared in his mind.

Nine-Turn Profound Art progress: 80%

Ding! Current Background Value: 29,000 points. Spend 20,000 points to complete Nine-Turn Profound Art?

"Do it!"

Li Yao did not hesitate.

Ding! 20,000 Background Value spent. Nine-Turn Profound Art progress increasing...

Li Yao closed his eyes. A warm current rose from his Dantian and flowed through his meridians, spreading across his body.

The Spiritual Power inside him began to race, bubbling like water brought to a boil.

The principles of the Nine-Turn Profound Art surfaced one by one in his mind. Everything that had once seemed obscure suddenly became clear.

His meridians widened, his Spiritual Power grew denser, and his Dantian expanded.

Li Yao gritted his teeth and endured the tearing pain.

He knew a breakthrough was coming.

Boom! A muffled sound rang out inside him.

It felt as if his Dantian had burst open. A vast surge of power poured from it and filled his entire body in an instant.

He opened his eyes and clenched his fist.

Ding! Congratulations, host. Nine-Turn Profound Art progress has reached 100%!

Ding! Breakthrough detected. Current cultivation: Eighth-Rank Martial Master!

Feeling the tremendous power coursing through him, Li Yao broke into a grin.

"So this is what being an Eighth-Rank Martial Master feels like?"

He stood and loosened up. His joints crackled like beans in a frying pan.

Li Yao walked to the window and looked out into the night, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Tomorrow's the top-ten ranking matches."

"Ye Xiao, Yu Xuerou, don't disappoint me."

As he was thinking, his phone suddenly vibrated.

Li Yao took it out. The message was from Li Wenbin.

"Young Master, I have some information."

"That fast?" Li Yao raised an eyebrow and opened the message.

"Yu Xuerou, female, twenty-two, born in the Imperial Capital. Her parents died when she was young, and her grandmother raised her. Exceptionally talented. She awakened a Heaven-Grade Spirit Root at eighteen and reached the Ninth Rank in just four years."

"But there's one strange thing."

"Her grandmother is an ordinary retired teacher, and the family has no connections. Yet she has abundant cultivation resources. People have often seen her visiting high-end pill shops and spending considerable sums."

Li Yao frowned as he finished reading.

"Where would someone from an ordinary family get that much money for pills?"

After a moment's thought, he sent Li Wenbin another message.

"Keep digging. Find out where her money comes from."

"Understood, Young Master." Li Yao set his phone aside and lay back on the bed.

"Interesting," he muttered. "Yu Xuerou really is more than she seems."

He closed his eyes and began planning.

The top-ten ranking matches were tomorrow. Under the rules, the ten contestants would draw lots and face off in pairs.

Ye Xiao and Yu Xuerou were both Ninth-Rank Martial Masters. Neither would be weak.

But Li Yao was now an Eighth-Rank Martial Master, and he had mastered the Nine-Turn Profound Art. Forget a Ninth-Rank Martial Master—even a Martial Venerable was someone he dared take on!

"First place is as good as mine. Heh, heh, heh."

Li Yao gave a wicked chuckle, rolled over, and soon fell asleep.

Early the next morning, his phone alarm woke him.

He got up, washed, dressed, and went downstairs.

Li Wenbin was already waiting in the living room. When he saw Li Yao, he hurried over.

"Did you sleep well, Young Master?"

"Well enough." Li Yao stretched. "Anything new on Yu Xuerou?"

"Not yet." Li Wenbin shook his head. "But the people I sent are watching her. We should hear something soon."

"All right, leave it for now," Li Yao said. "Let's get to the university. The matches come first."

They went outside, got into the car, and headed straight for Imperial Capital University.