Chapter 216

207. Chapter 207: The Fist Art Has a Defect

"What? Yang Yi Long died in the old district, killed by Li Yi?"

A shocking piece of news swept through Tianchang City's cultivation circle, leaving every cultivator who received it utterly incredulous.

Who is Li Yi?

Many had never heard of him, but everyone had heard of Yang Yi Long.

A seasoned Spirit Perception cultivator, one of Tianchang City's few most likely to cross over, had died tonight—not in some dangerous encounter, but slain by Li Yi, a mere Spirit Awakening cultivator.

It was utterly unbelievable.

Who in Tianchang City's cultivation circle now dares claim they could kill Yang Yi Long?

Unless a Soul-Condensing figure appeared, Yang Yi Long could walk freely here.

"Could this be fake news?" Many began to doubt it, for the rumor was too absurd to seem real.

Yet some cultivators still active in the old district knew the news was likely true.

They had indeed felt violent combat sounds emanating from Li Yi's sector earlier, but now the fighting had ceased—and right then, news of Yang Yi Long's death spread. They could only conclude: Li Yi had killed Yang Yi Long; otherwise, it would have been Li Yi lying dead tonight.

"This Li Yi hid himself so deeply—he actually killed Yang Yi Long?" Gu Mengping, resting in the old district, stared at his phone, his eyes narrowing, his heart shaken.

He knew Yang Yi Long well, understood just how strong he was—and precisely because of that, he couldn't fathom how Li Yi had defeated him. Even two sniper rifles wouldn't help; a Spirit Perception master dodged bullets effortlessly.

"Wait—this is bad. Yang Yi Long is dead, and Li Yi has shown such power—does that mean the Golden Academy slot will go to him? Damn it, I'm finished."

Suddenly, Gu Mengping snapped awake, leaping to his feet, his expression shifting wildly.

Elsewhere.

Ning Wu and her cousin Yu Chuan were resting when Ning Wu received the news and froze.

"Ning Wu, what's wrong?" Yu Chuan asked.

"Cousin, that Li Yi last time killed Yang Yi Long." Ning Wu bit her lip, her voice tinged with unease and dread.

Yang Yi Long?

Yu Chuan paused. He wasn't from Tianchang City and didn't know its local figures well, but he'd heard of several renowned masters—Li Shaoqing, Yang Yi Long, Zhang Lei.

"You mean a Spirit Awakening cultivator killed that powerful Spirit Perception master Yang Yi Long?"

"That's the current report," Ning Wu nodded.

Yu Chuan's expression turned grave: "My instincts were right—Li Yi is no ordinary cultivator. He defies conventional logic. Thank goodness I talked you out of revenge and told you to stay away from this mess. Otherwise, tonight's news would've been our deaths."

"Cousin, do you think this is connected to the odd artifact?" Ning Wu asked.

Yu Chuan shook his head: "From all evidence, even if Li Yi possesses an odd artifact, it's certainly not a complete one—likely just a fragment. A fragment is valuable, but to him, it's merely a cultivation chamber, offering limited power growth. His breakthrough to Spirit Awakening may have been aided by it, but that 420% cultivation value and killing a Spirit Perception master across a realm? No fragment could achieve that."

"That Li Yi is extraordinary. Even if you obtained a fragment, surpassing him would be nearly impossible."

He felt a quiet relief—he'd never planned to help Ning Wu seek revenge, nor had he been tempted by the fragment. Otherwise, he'd never have left Tianchang City alive.

"I guess I'll have to avoid him from now on," Ning Wu sighed, resigned.

She understood now: Li Yi had reached this point not because of the artifact, but because of himself.

Such people lack only an opportunity—once they seize it, they soar beyond all bounds.

"I'm glad you see it that way. After this mission, we'll earn our reduced sentence and leave Tianchang City," Yu Chuan said. "Don't be discouraged—I have my own connections. I still have a good chance of securing a cross-over slot."

Ning Wu said nothing, only nodded.

"Yang Yi Long was killed by Li Yi? Ha! What an incredible piece of news."

In the Wangmen Community area of the old district, Li Shaoqing laughed upon hearing the news.

He laughed because Yang Yi Long's death meant the Golden Academy slot was now his—no other strong contender remained in the Cultivation Association.

So Li Shaoqing was already in the Golden Academy, regardless of whether he completed this mission or not.

Yet after his laughter, he frowned: "But how exactly did Li Yi kill Yang Yi Long? Has his power grown this much already?"

If he could kill Yang Yi Long, he could kill Li Shaoqing too.

And in the blink of an eye, Tianchang City's top master had become another Spirit Awakening cultivator?

That was ridiculous.

"I'd like to meet this Li Yi and see just how strong he's become," Li Shaoqing murmured, his gaze sharpening.

For the first time, he felt genuine curiosity toward another cultivator.

He simply couldn't imagine how a Spirit Awakening cultivator could kill a top master so quickly.

Had Yang Yi Long been so foolish he charged straight into a sniper's bullet, then tried to see whose skull was harder?

Impossible to understand.

Li Shaoqing shook his head and dropped the thought. If Li Yi truly possessed such power, he'd likely appear near Wangmen Community soon—then, face to face, all questions would be answered.

As Yang Yi Long's death spread, Li Yi's name echoed through Tianchang City that night.

Countless cultivators grew curious, eager to uncover his secrets—but more than curiosity, they felt awe.

Li Yi's displayed power now made everyone wary.

"Rest enough. Let's move out."

Yet Li Yi paid no heed to the rumors. After eating, drinking, and briefly resting, he resumed his mission.

Corpses still roamed the old district.

And the further ahead, the stronger they became.

But now, as a Meridian Awakening cultivator, Li Yi's strength was extraordinary. With the Hanging Man Spear in hand, he could push forward unimpeded—he feared neither injury nor numbers. His blood qi surged powerfully; quantity meant nothing before him.

Under these conditions, his advance was astonishingly swift.

This scene was captured by the hovering helicopter.

The footage reached the Investigation Bureau.

Many senior officials praised Li Yi's potential and displayed power.

"Who would've thought this demon-slaying operation would bring us such a surprise? Li Yi's strength is incredible—he killed Yang Yi Long! With him in the team, our progress is lightning-fast. I think he'll finish this mission. I recall he also killed the Spider Matriarch."

"Agreed. I read Zheng Gong's report—the Spider Monster incident was resolved by Li Yi. If this demon-slaying mission ends successfully, I believe the second Golden Academy slot should go to him."

"Li Yi is solid—he's a veteran of the Training Base, has served the Bureau faithfully, and even saved the unconscious Zhang Lei. More trustworthy than anyone else."

These senior officials were in complete agreement.

Unless something unexpected happened, the two Golden Academy slots would go to Priest Pit and Li Yi.

Too bad Zhang Lei had compromised for the mission's sake and refused to compete for the slot—otherwise, arrangements would've been messy.

Only an hour had passed.

Li Yi's squad completed their assigned zone and entered the old district's core area.

"Only Wangmen Community remains uncleaned," Zheng Gong said, opening his tablet to check the zones.

Wangmen Community?

Li Yi's expression shifted. He remembered this community—he'd once risked his life for 100, 00 yuan to take a mission in the ruined district, and Wang Jian had been there, investigating a case. He recalled: a woman had been murdered.

A madman had seen the killer enter the house one by one.

"I know why Wangmen Community hasn't been cleared—it's deeply wrong. No one dares enter lightly."

Lin Yue frowned beside him, her spiritual sense prickling with unease.

Strangely, the community still had residents—lights glowed inside, unnervingly calm.

To an outsider, it would seem perfectly normal.

"Li Yi, you've finally shown up." A voice suddenly rang out.

Then Li Shaoqing and several Spirit Perception masters emerged from a nearby alley, eyes scanning Li Yi as if seeing him for the first time.

"Li Shaoqing?" Li Yi's expression changed—he'd met this man before during the ruined district's artifact struggle.

"Deputy Head," Lin Yue and Zhao Lingfu greeted him.

Li Shaoqing nodded slightly, then asked: "I heard Li Yi killed Yang Yi Long. Is this true?"

"Word spread that fast?" Everyone was startled.

Only an hour had passed, and Li Shaoqing already knew?

"True. Yang Yi Long was killed by Li Yi's own hands—his head was blown apart. His teammates took the body away," Lin Yue said.

Nothing to hide—it wasn't a secret.

"Impressive. Truly impressive. Last time I saw you, you were with Zhang Lei in the ruined district. Now, in just a short while, you've become a top master."

Li Shaoqing stared at Li Yi. In his sight, Li Yi's blood qi rose like a towering pillar of smoke, and even from afar, a wave of heat struck his face.

This aura was extraordinary.

Clearly, Li Yi had undergone an unimaginable transformation in this time, gaining power beyond comprehension.

Now he fully believed: Li Yi had truly killed Yang Yi Long—not by luck, not because Yang Yi Long had foolishly charged a bullet.

"My strength isn't great—it was Yang Yi Long who was stupid. He tried to learn my fist art, unaware I left a flaw in it. That defect gave me the opening to turn the tables."

Li Yi spoke calmly, letting the news of Yang Yi Long's flawed fist art spread through Li Shaoqing's lips.

He couldn't let the Yang family sell his fist art for profit.

And now that Yang Yi Long was dead, there was no need to hide the truth anymore—it could be spoken.

"Fist art has a defect?" Li Shaoqing froze, then grimaced.

He'd bought a copy of that fist art from Yang Yi Long—and now, standing before Li Yi, he heard the truth straight from the source.

Yet he soon understood Li Yi's move.

When weaker, such actions were natural—who would willingly give away their own art for free?