A Sudden Change

Linhai City, high-speed rail station.

The group from Linhai First High School was making its way toward the exit.

Amid the crowd, Ye Li walked forward at an unhurried pace and looked at Jiang Qingzhu beside him. "Do you have a suitable Refinement Method?"

The fact that she could help him obtain an S-Grade Breathing Technique was enough to show how formidable the force behind her was.

The boost White Mist Frost Snow gave him was indeed powerful. Not only did it restore his true qi far faster than martial artists of the same tier, but it even provided bonuses when he allocated points. The vast difference between an S-Grade technique and an ordinary Breathing Technique was plain to see.

"I don't have one on hand for now."

Jiang Qingzhu's eyes flickered as she pondered briefly. "But there should be some at home. They won't be easy to get. Would next month work?"

Unlike martial skills stored in the Book Repository, cultivation methods involving inheritance—such as Breathing Techniques and Refinement Methods—required even the Jiang Family's eldest daughter to have a proper reason before she could obtain them from the elders.

"Next month, I'll be able to break through to the fifth level. I can ask for one in advance then and take a look."

Next month... Ye Li rubbed his brow, feeling a slight headache.

"Then we'll talk about it then."

Since this route through her was blocked, he could only ask Yu Weng or Linhai First High School.

The former had just returned to Fengyun University and most likely would not come back to Linhai City anytime soon. Did that leave only Linhai First High School?

"Alright."

Jiang Qingzhu nodded lightly, not feeling that it was urgent. After all, he had only just broken through to the Second-Tier and should still be stabilizing his realm.

"Oh, right. Is there anything about White Mist Frost Snow that you don't understand?"

As she spoke, she looked at Ye Li and asked with a hint of expectation in her voice.

"I've reached minor mastery of this Breathing Technique too. If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask me."

"Mm, got it. If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask me too." Ye Li nodded casually.

She had studied White Mist Frost Snow for over half a year and had already reached minor mastery. Among people her age, that truly counted as genius-level talent.

Jiang Qingzhu: "?"

She had wanted to say, How could you possibly understand the things I don't?

But when she recalled his proud bearing as he had unleashed Frost Snow Covers the Sky not long ago, she silently shut her mouth again.

Since meeting Ye Li, Jiang Qingzhu had come to understand one truth—

There was a kind of person in this world who simply defied reason. Everyone else called them geniuses.

And he was precisely that kind of genius.

At that thought, another emotion appeared in Jiang Qingzhu's gaze as she looked at him—a gaze filled with both longing and admiration.

She wanted the young man to become connected to the Jiang Family.

To that end, she was willing to provide anything: martial skills, Cultivation Methods... anything.

If an ordinary person received such favor from the eldest daughter of the Northern Extreme Jiang Family, they would surely have climbed the pole the moment it was handed to them, clinging to her in hopes of gaining the Jiang Family's recognition.

But the young man before her was entirely different.

His go-his-own-way manner made it seem as though he did not care about the Jiang Family's favor at all. From head to toe, he radiated powerful self-confidence.

It was an extreme confidence in himself.

This sort of confidence was not uncommon among genius martial artists, but when they encountered such a blazing-hot opportunity, they still could not help but be tempted.

A young martial artist like Ye Li, who utterly did not care about his relationship with the Jiang Family and even dared to turn around and beat up the Jiang Family's eldest daughter—

Jiang Qingzhu had truly never seen one before.

Precisely because of that, he seemed all the more precious.

"There are quite a few Third-Tier weapons at home. Want me to pick one for you when the Martial Exam comes?" she asked softly.

Ye Li nodded noncommittally, then looked toward the exit ahead. "Who are those people?"

"Hm?" Jiang Qingzhu followed his gaze and was immediately surprised.

"Qingyi Bureau enforcers? Why are there so many of them?"

Outside the exit, in the spot usually occupied by taxi drivers, several figures wearing ink-black overcoats stood silently.

They were exceptionally conspicuous in the crowd.

Their expressions were all cold and indifferent, their sharp eyes fixed directly on the people behind Ye Li's group.

"..."

Ye Li followed their gazes, then raised a brow slightly.

Several people were escorting another equally conspicuous figure over at a brisk pace.

The newcomer was tall and thin, seemingly around forty years old. Thick shackles bound his large hands. His expression was gloomy, his eyes tightly shut, yet he walked freely.

Through Ye Li's Eye of Delusion.

The tall, thin man's aura was robust. One look was enough to tell that he was no ordinary man.

The people escorting him all appeared young, residual delight still lingering on their faces. Uniform iron plaques hung from their waists.

Ye Li deliberately slowed to a stop. As they passed by him, he easily made out the words on the iron plaques—

Zhenjiang University.

It was also a Martial Arts University within Ying Province, though its overall strength was far inferior to Fengyun University's.

So that was it. Students from Zhenjiang University were escorting a criminal.

"Handing over a prisoner?"

Taking in the scene, Jiang Qingzhu looked surprised before explaining.

"Martial Arts Universities sometimes issue missions to 'capture fugitives.' After apprehending a criminal, they hand them over to the nearest Qingyi Bureau for processing. I didn't expect us to run into it by chance."

Ye Li nodded slightly. "It's my first time seeing it too."

He wondered whether hunting fugitives like this would earn Malice Points.

Probably not. This kind of act counted as a great hero ridding the people of harm. The system was not so easy to fool.

"..."

Then again, maybe not necessarily.

Could excessive enforcement also count as a form of evil?

Ye Li's thoughts drifted.

In his field of vision.

The group escorting the suspect soon walked out through the exit.

The Qingyi Bureau enforcers responsible for receiving them stepped forward. After briefly comparing the man with the photograph, they took the shackle keys from the group.

The lead enforcer stepped forward, reached into the tall, thin man's clothes, and pressed along his bones and flesh.

Probably to guard against methods like disguise techniques...

Ye Li nodded faintly as he walked out of the station platform.

This was certainly a fresh sight. He could pay more attention to wanted criminals within the province from now on.

If he happened upon one someday, he could kill one and test his hypothesis.

Though he disliked this sort of delayed approach, he had no excuse to act right now.

Damn it, I can't just enjoy a fight this time.

"Something's wrong!"

At that moment, the enforcer checking the shackles suddenly underwent a drastic change in expression.

Ordinary shackles were like thin ropes binding a giant elephant to martial artists—fragile enough to snap with a single struggle.

Therefore, whenever students accepted a "capture violent criminals" mission, Martial Arts Universities would provide a free set of shackles matching the required strength.

Yet the set in his hands could perhaps restrain ordinary low-tier martial artists, but for this major suspect who was close to the Fourth-Tier, it was nothing more than decoration!

He shouted and was just about to retreat.

When the tall, thin man before him abruptly opened his eyes.

Clang!

With a crisp burst of metal, the tall, thin man tore apart the chains around his hands in one motion. His aura exploded, and he immediately drove a heavy fist into the chest of the enforcer before him!

Crack!

The enforcer's chest visibly caved in. His body flew backward as blood sprayed wildly from his mouth, staining his dark-blue overcoat red.

"Director Chen!" Everyone cried out in shock.

"..."

At the sight, wild delight appeared on the tall, thin man's face.

He had thought he was finished, but these Zhenjiang University students had tried to save money and had not put heavy shackles on him!

That had given him room to breathe.

Then, in the instant everyone froze in shock, the tall, thin man's body shot forward without hesitation.

Like a car speeding down the road, he smashed directly through more than ten stunned passersby and sprinted into the distance!

The remaining enforcers quickly came to their senses and immediately sprang into action.

One stayed behind to care for the injured enforcer while the rest chased after the fleeing tall, thin man.

But the high-speed rail station was crowded, and many people had fallen unconscious after being struck by him earlier.

Seeing this, struggle flashed across the otherwise impassive faces of those who had intended to give chase. In the end, they stopped.

They chose to check on the injured first.

At the same time, they called the enforcers stationed in the city and told them to swiftly search for the tall, thin man!

Just then, the enforcer who had picked up the shackles from the ground abruptly looked up at the Zhenjiang University students and demanded in disbelief,

"You didn't use shackles with Array Engraving?!"

One student's face twitched, but he still forced himself to answer.

"When we found that old monster, he was already badly injured. Shackles capable of restraining Third-Tier martial artists are extremely precious. We wanted to save that expense, so we used ones with Second-Tier Strength..."

"You bastards!" the enforcer roared. "Why aren't you chasing him already? If that bastard hurts anyone in the city, all of you will be punished!"

"..."

At those words, the expressions of the Zhenjiang University students changed slightly. Only then did they chase after the tall, thin man.

"Looks like we'll need to have the students go home early for the next few days."

Wang Yongfeng withdrew his gaze from the retreating figures, turned to the group, and clicked his tongue.

"If I'm not mistaken, that suspect should be Xiang Bu, the wanted criminal who killed more than ten pregnant women and caused a huge uproar in Zhenjiang City."

"I heard the Qingyi Bureau in Zhenjiang City beat him severely, but he's still a genuine Peak Third Order martial artist. Be careful after you get home..."

At that moment, his voice abruptly cut off.

After his gaze swept across the group, uncertainty suddenly filled his eyes.

It was not just him.

Even Jiang Qingzhu froze after looking around.

Where was Ye Li?!