Martial Arts Tournament?

An hour later, Li Yao finished cultivating. His cultivation had already reached the level of a Fifth-Rank Martial Master!

"Whew." He let out a long breath of stale air. "A Heaven-Rank Cultivation Technique is badass. In just one hour, I leaped from Third Rank across an entire major realm to Fifth Rank."

"And what's more..."

Li Yao sensed that the Nine-Turn Profound Art could circulate on its own. His Spiritual Power was increasing automatically every second.

At this rate, even if he stopped cultivating, he would eventually break through on his own.

"Having a cheat really is the best."

Li Yao clasped his hands behind his head.

"I wonder if Mom and Dad have reached the border yet."

Knock, knock, knock.

Just as he was thinking, someone knocked on the door.

"Young Master, are you awake? Come out and have something to eat."

Li Yao rubbed his stomach. He really was a little hungry.

"Sure, I'll be right there."

He changed his clothes, left his room, and went downstairs.

In the hall, Li Wenbin sat at the dining table. Several dishes stood before him, still steaming.

"Young Master, come eat while it's hot."

Li Yao walked over, sat down, and picked up a piece of braised pork with his chopsticks.

"Mmm, delicious."

"The clock in the image of time passing by..."

Just as Li Yao was about to dig in, his phone rang.

He took it out and saw an unfamiliar number.

"Hello, who's this?"

"Li Yao, it's me, Shangguan Yan."

Li Yao froze. Shangguan Yan? Why is she calling me?

"What is it, Miss Shangguan? Want another scolding?"

Shangguan Yan was silent for a few seconds before saying, "Li Yao, I just wanted to tell you that I haven't forgotten what happened last night."

"So you remember. What, are you going to write another Divorce Letter?"

"You..."

"Li Yao, Imperial Capital University is holding a Martial Arts Tournament today. Come compete if you have the guts."

With a beep, Shangguan Yan hung up.

Li Yao looked at his phone and smiled.

"Shangguan Yan sure has a temper."

Li Wenbin asked, "Young Master, was that Shangguan Yan?"

"Yeah. She said she hasn't forgotten yesterday."

"Young Master, be careful. The Shangguan Family isn't easy to deal with."

"It's fine. If soldiers come, we'll send generals; if water comes, we'll shore up the earth." Li Yao waved a hand. "Three generations of the Li Family have defended this country. You think I'm afraid of one Shangguan Family?"

Li Wenbin said nothing. He merely nodded.

"By the way, Uncle Wenbin, is today the registration day for Imperial Capital University's Martial Arts Tournament?"

"Young Master, why are you asking all of a sudden?"

Li Wenbin looked baffled. Imperial Capital University held a Martial Arts Tournament every year, but Li Yao had never entered once. After three years, why was he suddenly asking about it today?

Li Yao shoveled a mouthful of rice into his mouth. "Uncle Wenbin, I want to enter this year's Martial Arts Tournament."

Clatter. Li Wenbin's hand trembled, and his chopsticks dropped to the floor.

"Young Master, what did you say?" His voice shook as he asked again, unable to believe it.

Li Yao took another mouthful of rice. "Uncle Wenbin, I said I want to enter this year's Martial Arts Tournament," he said as he chewed.

"Aaaah! Young Master!"

In the middle of his meal, Li Wenbin suddenly crouched down, wrapped his arms around Li Yao's leg, and burst into tears.

"Young Master, you've really come to your senses! Heaven has blessed the Li Family! Aaaah!"

"..."

"Uncle Wenbin, you really need to stop crying at the drop of a hat."

As soon as he entered the campus, Li Yao saw a crowd of students gathered around the noticeboard, chattering away.

He walked over and asked, "What's going on?"

A student spotted him and hurriedly said, "Li Yao, look. The university's holding a Martial Arts Tournament."

Li Yao leaned forward. A huge poster was pinned to the noticeboard. It read:

"Imperial Capital University Student Martial Arts Tournament—registration is now open!"

"Champion's prize: one Earth-Rank Cultivation Technique, ten thousand Spirit Stones, and a chance to intern at the Special Operations Bureau."

Li Yao's eyes lit up.

"An Earth-Rank Cultivation Technique? Now that's good stuff."

As he thought about it, a ding suddenly sounded in his head.

"Ding! Martial Arts Tournament event detected. Side quest triggered: enter the Martial Arts Tournament and win the championship."

"Quest reward: 50,000 Background Value."

Li Yao broke into a grin.

"Fifty thousand? That's a deal worth taking."

He immediately went to the registration desk and signed up.

The teacher at the desk looked up at him, surprise in his eyes. "Li Yao, you want to enter the Martial Arts Tournament?"

"What, can't I?"

"You can, of course you can." The teacher nodded quickly, though he wondered to himself, Wasn't Li Yao notorious for fawning over girls? Why does he suddenly want to enter the Martial Arts Tournament?

Li Yao finished registering and turned to leave, leaving a crowd of people staring after him in shock.

"Li Yao's entering the Martial Arts Tournament? Is he serious?"

"Right? He's a notorious good-for-nothing who chases after girls, and his Spiritual Power has only barely reached that of a Third-Rank Martial Master."

"Maybe he's lost his mind."

Li Yao heard them and smiled.

Good-for-nothing? Desperate hanger-on? Let's see if you still dare call me a good-for-nothing after I win the championship.

He was savoring that thought when his phone rang again.

Li Yao took it out. Li Wenbin was calling.

"Hey, Uncle Wenbin. What is it now?"

"Young Master, are you at the university?"

"Yeah. What's up?"

"I just got word that the Shangguan Family seems to be making a move."

Li Yao raised an eyebrow. "The Shangguan Family? What kind of move?"

"I don't know the details yet, but I hear they're looking into something. It might have to do with your grandfather."

Li Yao's heart sank.

"My grandfather?"

"Yes. Be careful. Don't let anyone from the Shangguan Family set their sights on you."

"Got it, Uncle Wenbin. I'll be careful."

Li Yao hung up, feeling uneasy.

The Shangguan Family is investigating Grandpa? What are they after?

After a moment's thought, he decided to set it aside for now. First, he would win the Martial Arts Tournament.

"System, with my current strength, who can I beat?"

"Ding! Host's current cultivation: Fifth-Rank Martial Master. After cultivating the Nine-Turn Profound Art, your Spiritual Power has grown denser. You can challenge a Seventh-Rank Martial Master."

A Seventh-Rank Martial Master...

Li Yao weighed that in his mind.

I remember Imperial Capital University has Strength Rankings. Ye Xiao is at the top. Was he Eighth Rank or Ninth Rank?

Looks like I need to earn more Background Value. Wait...

Li Yao suddenly slapped his forehead. My family has so many cultivation resources, I could pile them up until I broke through. How did I forget about that? And then there's the Yang Family...

"I'll make you spit back out everything you swallowed!"

Li Yao turned and headed toward the teaching building.

Just as he reached the entrance, he saw a familiar figure.

Yang Xiaoran.

Yang Xiaoran saw him too. She still wore that same arrogant look.

"Li Yao, I'm telling you, I'm furious right now. You actually dared to hit me yesterday. If you don't give me Thirty Thousand Spirit Stones and apologize to Lin Yun, I'll never speak to you again."

"You're insane."

With that, Li Yao turned and walked away.

Yang Xiaoran watched him go, gritting her teeth. "Li Yao..."

Li Yao entered the teaching building, making plans in his head.

I wonder if Uncle Wenbin has taken care of it yet.

He reached the classroom door and pushed it open.

Quite a few people were already seated inside. When they saw him enter, they lowered their heads and pretended not to notice.

Li Yao didn't care. He sat down at his desk, took out his phone, and looked up the detailed rules of the Martial Arts Tournament.

"The Martial Arts Tournament has three stages: Preliminaries, Semifinals, and Finals. Every stage is single-elimination, with opponents drawn by lot for matches in the Martial Arts Arena. Competitors are divided into Groups A, B, C, and D."

"Champion's prize: one Earth-Rank Cultivation Technique, ten thousand Spirit Stones, and a chance to intern at the Special Operations Bureau."

After reading it, Li Yao grinned.

"That Earth-Rank Cultivation Technique is mine."