Chapter 18: The First Manifestation of the Law Form!

The old man glanced at Li Guanyi, then lowered his head and chatted with his granddaughter, smiling warmly.

Li Guanyi exhaled, his mind thoughtful.

Descendant of the divine general who secured the border with three arrows?

Then why does the Xue family not enter imperial service, nor allow descendants to hold office?

There are surely various reasons and hardships behind it—another tale of grudges and emotional entanglements.

Over there, Xue Shuangtao tugged at the old man's arm, turned to Li Guanyi, and spoke many flattering words, saying she had never seen a young boy so gifted in numerology; the old man's wrinkled palm gently patted his granddaughter's handback, his face showing astonishment as he smiled: "Is that so?"

"Impressive, truly impressive."

The old man's gaze turned to Li Guanyi, seeing his plain clothes and bright eyes, and smiled: "Young man, come forward and take a look."

The driver was stunned, then suddenly a flicker of unease arose in his heart—they always obeyed the Young Lady, but had never truly considered this: this didn't seem like the Xue family's Young Lady, who had gone out and returned with a boy nearly her own age? Ssshh—!!! The old man has always doted on the Young Lady.

Yet he would never ignore or overlook his fourteen-year-old granddaughter bringing home a thirteen-year-old boy.

Years ago, the old man's second daughter, in her youthful recklessness, brought a dissolute nobleman from Jingcheng, riding a blood-sweating horse that galloped down the road of Yicheng, overturning several stalls, then rode straight into the Xue estate and tied the horse outside the old man's tea pavilion.

In the end, the nobleman nearly had his three legs broken by the old man.

At that time, the old man had simply smiled and said: "Young man, come forward."

Others saw it as the old man's gentle greeting; the veteran Xue household servants trembled with fear.

But what Li Guanyi saw was different.

He saw the tiger suddenly swell to immense size, its whiskers and fur whipping wildly as it stepped forward; the colossal Bai Hu head drew near, its golden eyes slowly narrowing, locking onto the plain-clad boy. Li Guanyi's body stiffened, his heartbeat quickened, a strange fear rising from deep within.

Pressure?

Then, through sheer will, he pulled himself out of this inexplicable fear and regained composure.

As Li Guanyi calmed down,

the bronze tripod emitted a faint hum.

The crimson dragon imprint within began to glow slowly, responding to the refinement of Li Guanyi's will.

The old man had merely intended to test whether this boy was a fraud, whether his heart was clear, to gauge his character, and had applied a trace of pressure.

Seeing he did not flinch, the old man's face softened with a faint smile, and he nodded.

Good character.

Bai Hu wields weapons to expel evil.

Petty villains cannot stand firm before the Bai Hu's manifestation.

He was about to withdraw.

The colossal Bai Hu circled Li Guanyi, preparing to depart.

But at that moment, Li Guanyi's internal bronze tripod suddenly rang out—the crimson dragon imprint, merely a mark, finally glowed brightly, as if provoked, writhing violently; then its dragon head detached partially from the tripod.

It reared and clawed above the bronze tripod.

Scales rose, claws and fangs extended.

As if ready to manifest fully from the tripod, circling Li Guanyi like the crimson dragon behind Yue Qianfeng, protecting its host, a trace of pure energy radiated outward.

But its foundation was insufficient, remaining ultimately blurred.

No matter how it struggled, it could not break free, finally roaring upward in fury.

Only a single, thunderous cry of the crimson dragon exploded within Li Guanyi's heart.

Like rolling spring thunder.

The boy regained clarity.

The faint suppression from the Bai Hu shattered instantly.

Li Guanyi looked at the old man before him, bracing himself against the tiger, stepping forward, his posture sharp as a blade, piercing through the invisible Bai Hu; as the jade fluid within his internal bronze tripod accelerated its accumulation, he clasped his fists in salute, straightened his spine, and spoke slowly:

"Li Guanyi, pays his respects to Elder Xue."

The old man was slightly surprised.

He looked at the boy, then patted his granddaughter's hand clinging to his arm, smiling: "Look, even in Yicheng there are such well-rounded young gentlemen."

"And such a well-rounded young gentleman has been found by my granddaughter."

Xue Shuangtao did not know what her grandfather had just done, but since the gentleman she had approved of had now gained her grandfather's approval, her face lit up with a smile—no longer the gentle, wind-like grace she showed outsiders; her eyes curved like crescents, radiant with joy.

Clearly, she felt a small pride and delight in her own discernment, having recognized talent; she tugged at her grandfather's arm and asked: "Grandpa, you think the gentleman is impressive too?"

"Then won't you give him a greeting gift?"

The Bai Hu manifestation now rested quietly behind the old man, yawning; the elder looked at Li Guanyi and asked: "Child, have you studied Wu Gong?" Li Guanyi, disappointed that the jade fluid's accumulation in his bronze tripod had returned to normal, replied:

"I trained in swordplay for several years under an older man."

The old man nodded, approvingly: "Hmm, looks like the path of Po Jun Eight Blades."

"At thirteen, after five years, you've reached the realm where the spirit of Po Jun Eight Blades resides within you, like a blade's edge—remarkably diligent."

"Your internal cultivation is also solid, though your body is weak—likely from hardship and travel, insufficient meat and grain."

The elder spoke kindly: "Since you are the gentleman Xue Shuangtao has hired, you may come to the estate daily and share meals with our martial disciples."

"Just now, I tested you—only out of concern for my granddaughter, a natural parental instinct."

Xue Shuangtao said: "Grandpa?"

The old man sighed: "Fine, fine—take this Yangti Pill, young gentleman."

The elder held some admiration for the boy's character, and with his most doted granddaughter pressing him, he pulled out a small porcelain bottle and tossed it toward Li Guanyi, smiling: "I entrust the Young Lady and my grandson's numerology to your care, young gentleman."

"Come along, Shuangtao."

Li Guanyi raised his hand to catch it; even through the porcelain, the medicinal fragrance was rich.

Xue Shuangtao turned back, bowed slightly to Li Guanyi, her eyes curved like crescent moons, then accompanied her grandfather away; the Bai Hu manifestation lowered its gaze and strolled off slowly. Within Li Guanyi, the jade fluid's accumulation slowed further, finally halting.

In a short time, the bronze tripod had already accumulated one-fifth.

As expected, he needed to be within a certain range of the old family head to absorb the aura emanating from the Bai Hu.

Li Guanyi felt the bottle.

Mm... it's jade.

Again, it would cost three or four taels of silver for one.

The young man looked at the old and young pair, feeling they were practically radiating golden light in his eyes.

The Young Lady Xue Shuangtao is truly so charming!

The coachman raised a hand to wipe the sweat from his brow and said: "Phew, I was overthinking it. The old family head is a dignified man, everyone is a little afraid of him, but since the old family head has given his approval, Mr., you won't have any problems with this matter at the Xue family."

"Come, I'll take you for the rest of the matters."

The coachman parked the carriage along a road flanked by tall walls.

Then he led Li Guanyi through the Xue family residence, introducing the layout of the mansion one by one, pointing out which places could be visited and which absolutely could not be set foot in. "The inner residence is where the Xue family's clan and the womenfolk live; ordinarily we cannot go there."

"This area over here is where the various Guest Ministers reside."

The coachman stretched out his hand to point at a small courtyard in the distance, his tone quite envious, and said: "The treatment of Guest Ministers is completely different from ours."

"Every Guest Minister has an independent villa, and every month they can obtain some pills and medicinal ingredients from the clan. Besides that, they can also exchange for some Wu Gong, and occasionally the old family head will even come to watch the Xue family disciples and Guest Ministers practice their Wu Gong and offer a few pointers."

Guest Minister?

An independent villa?

Li Guanyi thought that if he could become a Guest Minister, he might be able to see that old gentleman often, the bronze cauldron could also accumulate and complete, and his aunt could be brought into the Xue family. Compared to renting a courtyard outside, it was clearly safer. He said:

"May I ask, brother, how can one become a Guest Minister?"

The coachman smiled knowingly and said: "Mr. also wants to become a Guest Minister?"

"In today's world, one establishes oneself through the martial path. Our Xue family's Guest Ministers must at least have the Entry Realm cultivation."

"Entry Realm..."

The coachman comforted Li Guanyi, saying: "Mr., you are young, yet you already have Wu Gong."

"Although Entry Realm is difficult, at most it would take a dozen or so years."

Li Guanyi nodded.

He raised his palm and pressed it against his heart.

Li Guanyi, thirteen years old, 《Breaking Formation Song》 Great Completion.

Entry Realm.

Just one step away.

Li Guanyi's movement stiffened slightly.

He felt something special—

Slowly lowering his gaze, a tiny crimson dragon's head poked out from his heart, vivid and lifelike, raised its head, and met Li Guanyi's eyes.

Li Guanyi: "???"

(End of this chapter)