Chapter 40: Prestige

“Of course.”

Li Yuan’s brow furrowed. “You think I can’t handle it on my own? Why don’t we go back and settle this again? Last time was still undecided!”

Li Yun snorted. His sparring matches with Li Yuan over the past two years had been evenly matched, neither gaining clear advantage.

But in terms of age, he had slightly lost.

After all, the other was one year younger.

In terms of bone measurement talent, he had also lost—he was seventh-rank, while his sister and Li Yuan were both eighth-rank.

So his words weren’t aimed at Li Yuan, but at the other one—the fellow who, after he came to his senses, had stirred quiet fury in his heart.

Thinking of how he’d once been brutally beaten by a waste, his anger flared—luckily, only heaven and earth knew, and he and Li Hao were the only ones aware.

Every time he saw Li Hao, his teeth clenched with rage. If not for Li Hao always being accompanied by Second Uncle and Fifth Uncle, he wouldn’t have missed a chance to seek revenge.

Li Yuanzhao noticed Li Yun’s cold glance toward Li Hao. Though young, he wasn’t foolish—especially after years with Brother Hao, he’d heard countless strange and wondrous tales, some about gods and demons, others about human cruelty. He didn’t fully understand them yet, but he was slightly more mature than his peers.

That’s why he’d immediately sensed Li Yun’s intent and deliberately redirected the blame onto himself.

Seeing Li Yun only dared to sneer, he didn’t bother pressing it, to avoid making everyone uncomfortable. He smiled at Li Hao: “Brother Hao, I heard Sister Xue will be back in a year.”

“That’s right.”

A faint smile touched Li Hao’s lips.

“My master said the Sword Cottage’s rule requires at least the Spirit Wander realm before descending the mountain. Does that mean Sister Xue will break through to Spirit Wander next year?” Li Yuanzhao asked curiously.

Spirit Wander was a fourth-rank realm. Outside, such a cultivator could penetrate tiger dens to slay demons and monsters, carve blood paths on the frontier, and serve as a Captain in the military—second only to a General!

Remember, next year, Bian Ruxue will be only fifteen.

Such progress, even among top-tier ninth-rank battle-talent geniuses, was exceptional.

Those famed figures across the land were mostly ninth-rank battle-talent—this was merely the starting point for top prodigies, merely the upper limit of bone measurement.

Later opportunities, effort, talent, and insight would further widen this gap.

Beside them, Li Yun’s ears perked up at the words “Sister Xue,” and his eyes involuntarily flickered toward Li Hao.

The seed planted in his heart during childhood seemed to stir again, pushing a tiny tip upward.

But thinking of the words “Spirit Wander,” the boy’s expression darkened further. Now that he understood the truth, he knew how impossibly distant that gap truly was.

“Correct.”

Li Hao nodded. Spirit Wander cultivators could travel the martial world with some assurance of safety.

He glanced at a distant figure with a complex expression, silently amused—and felt the boy deserved a good beating.

Too long without punishment, and he dares to harbor thoughts again.

“Fifteen and Spirit Wander? Truly impressive. If she came to Tan Palace Academy, even the Headmaster would come to greet her personally—she’d be admitted straight into the Inner Palace as a direct disciple.”

The three of them were only at the peak of the Heavenly Cycle realm, still short of the Soul Succession stage.

This time entering Tan Palace Academy, they hoped to inherit the soul of an ancient hero of Tan Palace.

It was their mother’s instruction—they didn’t know the exact reason why.

“Her master is a Sword Saint, after all. Impossible to compare.” Li Hao comforted them.

In truth, these boys were also geniuses. The reason they didn’t join famous mountains was simply that the direct descendants of the Li family had an unspoken rule: they could join famous mountains, but only if they trained under a Sword Saint or a similar master and became direct disciples.

Otherwise, they would remain in the mansion to cultivate, and only after achieving success would they join major factions, rise to prominence, and display the might of the Li family’s younger generation.

This standard applied only to the direct line. The collateral branches were different—they had long since scattered like branches of a tree, joining numerous famous mountains and masters, and had already made the Li name known across various factions.

Even without true dragons emerging, the bastard branches had already become rising stars in many second- and third-tier factions.

This gave the Li family immense prestige in the martial world—not limited merely to frontier garrisons.

“Indeed,” Li Yuanzhao sighed. Training under a Sword Saint-level master was something no one could envy—at least ninth-rank battle talent was the bare minimum requirement.

…

At this moment, a jade-lion led the way, pulling a massive carriage like a moving house along the street. Everyone in Qingzhou knew this was the General’s Mansion’s vehicle. Pedestrians hastily stepped aside, pointing and whispering—just by its direction, they knew the carriage carried a Li family true dragon, bound for Tan Palace Academy to cultivate.

The carriages of martial heroes and noble youths from all provinces, upon sensing the demonic aura of the jade-lions, trembled and halted. Some drivers were so terrified they fled wildly to the roadside, refusing to block the path, even as their coachmen tugged desperately.

The authority of the General’s Mansion was fully displayed at this moment.

Soon, the carriage came to a stop. The driver, Ming Bo, gently informed them they had arrived outside Tan Palace Academy.

Tan Palace Academy was not far from the General’s Mansion—it was practically a neighbor.

As the carriage steadied, Li Yuanzhao and the other two’s gazes sharpened slightly.

Though they were prodigies with exceptional talent, they had always cultivated within the mansion and had never truly shown themselves before outsiders. Add to that their youthful nature, and a touch of nervousness was inevitable.

Li Hao felt no great emotion. Once the carriage stopped, he rose calmly and lifted the curtain with a casual hand.

Light streamed onto his face, and at once, a flood of noisy, bustling sounds surged into the carriage—as if lifting the curtain had unveiled a thriving world. The three inside snapped back to reality, seeing Li Hao standing calmly at the carriage door, quietly surveying the chaos around him, his face wearing its usual faint smile, composed and unruffled.

Li Zhining’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if a fragment of past memory stirred—but quickly, she came to her senses, and that sliver of recollection closed again.

Only when all three stepped out of the carriage did they see how bustling the scene outside truly was.

The vast square was packed with figures, shoulder to shoulder, mostly young men and women carrying swords, spears, and other weapons, brimming with vitality.

Among the crowd were some nobly dressed youths, attended by servants, creating a no-entry zone around them.

There were also maidens in silken robes, flanked by graceful maids holding parasols to shield them from the sun, standing out distinctly in the crowd.

Everywhere one looked, it was a dense sea of young martial cultivators.

Yet now, the few standing on the carriage instantly became the focal point of every gaze.

After all, the jade-lion carriage of the General’s Mansion was far too eye-catching.

Great Yu’s law stipulated: nine jade-lions pulled the emperor’s chariot, seven for feudal princes, five for marquises and officials of fifth rank or higher. Other scholars and noble families were limited to three or two.

Commoners without merit or title, even wealthy merchants, could only use one mount—and never one with jade-dragon bloodline.

Though Li Hao and the others held no official titles, as sons of a marquis, they could enjoy their father’s glory.

“That’s the General’s Mansion?”

“The Li family of Qingzhou, a thousand-year General’s Mansion—truly majestic!”

“Four more slots gone! I heard Tan Palace Academy has limited slots—so frustrating!”

“Hmph! I, Lin Yan, will lead my Liuzhou Lin family to rise in this generation, challenging heaven and earth!”

“I heard this generation of the Li family has a waste—did he come?”

A thousand years of glory stirred envy and jealousy in countless hearts—and ignited the boldness and drive of many youths. The noise grew louder, filled with eager anticipation.

Li Yun, Li Yuanzhao, and Li Zhining’s faces tightened. Though they appeared calm on the surface, their fingers were sweating, betraying their inner tension.

Those stares felt like burning fire. Li Yun didn’t linger. He stiffly said, “Let’s go,” and leapt down from the carriage with his sister Li Zhining, amid Ming Bo’s “Young Master, go slowly, be careful,” vanishing like a tiger into the crowd.

Those around them instinctively stepped aside—not out of respect for the boy, but for the surname he bore.

“Brother Hao, let’s go too,” Li Yuanzhao swallowed hard and said to Li Hao.

Li Hao, however, slightly rose on his toes, scanning the surroundings, inhaling gently—and his eyes brightened instantly. “Let’s go!”

He leapt down from the carriage, and those around him hastily parted, none daring to block the path of this finely dressed youth.

Li Yuanzhao followed close behind, but after only a few steps, he grabbed Li Hao’s sleeve: “Brother Hao, aren’t we going the wrong way? Tan Palace Academy isn’t over there.”

Li Yuan followed closely behind, but after taking only a few steps, he grabbed Li Hao’s sleeve: “Big Brother Hao, aren’t we going the wrong way? The Tan Palace Academy isn’t over there.”

Li Hao didn’t turn back. “But there’s food ahead.”

Titles come later—but food is right here! (End of chapter)

Glory can wait, but delicious food is right in front of me! (End of chapter)