Chapter 81

Li Yao's face turned red, and he scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly: "I had no idea you were the Demon Blade Peng Hai. If I had known, I wouldn't have dared to practice with you even if you beat me to death—wouldn't that be suicide?"

Peng Hai smiled slightly and continued:

"Second, in the Chixiao Sect, Chixiao High School and the 'Chixiao Transport' I belong to are two different systems. Moreover, I only signed a six-year contract with Chixiao Transport. Once the contract expires, I can leave anytime!"

"Even now, before the contract is up, as long as I'm willing to pay a hefty breach of contract fee, I can still leave the Chixiao Sect!"

"Strictly speaking, I am just an employee of the Chixiao Sect and not a disciple—saying this because I know you and Chixiao High School had a falling out, and it's understandable for you to blame the Chixiao Sect. However, I hope our friendship won't be affected by these trivial matters. To be honest, I also don't like those bastards at Chixiao High School!"

Li Yao was stunned again, feeling a strange sensation in his heart.

He never expected that a high-level cultivator like Demon Blade Peng Hai would use such vulgar words as "bastards."

It was like he had never thought that cultivators also needed to defecate and urinate.

Although, if he thought about it carefully, they were still human and would definitely need to eat, drink, and excrete. But if he really encountered a cultivator in a public toilet, it would still feel very... shocking.

Peng Hai smiled again.

His smile was bright and vivid, like that of a mischievous young man in his twenties. He lowered his voice and whispered:

"Back when I was at Chixiao High School, before I made a name for myself, I endured all sorts of contempt and bullying from those bastards. I wanted to drop out like you many times, but I endured it all for the sake of Teacher Sun Biao—what you did, Li Yao, is exactly what I wanted to do but never had the chance to do!"

These words stirred Li Yao's heart, making him feel closer to Demon Blade Peng Hai.

Looking at Peng Hai, he no longer seemed so high and mighty, but rather like a trustworthy older brother.

Peng Hai patted his shoulder, his eyes filled with genuine admiration, and said, "How about it, do you have confidence in this year's college entrance exam?"

"Of course!" Li Yao straightened his chest with all his might, unwilling to show weakness in front of Peng Hai.

"Good kid, you have spirit!"

Peng Hai punched his chest lightly and said, "Chixiao High School is nothing special. If you want to drop out, go ahead. In the next month, I still have to go to the Demon Beast Wasteland to fight and solidify my realm—this cultivation room is lent to you. You can use any strengthening potions and high-energy nutrients, and I'll cover all the costs!"

Ding Lingdang widened her eyes and exclaimed:

"Senior Peng, you're being too generous! I've been pestering you for so long, and you only occasionally let me use this cultivation room. You've never said you'd lend it to me for a month. Why are you so generous to this kid?"

Peng Hai smiled faintly: "This is a 'deal' between him and me!"

Li Yao looked around but didn't see anything special about this simple cultivation room.

However, he knew that since it was Demon Blade Peng Hai's private cultivation room, it must have some incredible secrets that greatly benefit cultivation. He couldn't help but ask, "A deal? What do you want from me?"

Peng Hai held up two fingers: "I'll give you two options."

"First, I'll lend you this cultivation room for free, along with ample strengthening potions and resources. You can use as much as you need until the college entrance exam. Consider it an investment in you! I don't expect any return until you reach the Core Formation stage. If you manage to become a Core Formation cultivator by chance, then go to the Demon Beast Wasteland and hunt the strongest demon beast you can kill and bring it back to me!"

"This deal seems fair. What's the second option?"

Li Yao pondered. This deal wasn't a loss for Peng Hai. Even if he didn't become a cultivator, Peng Hai would only lose some strengthening potions, which were a drop in the bucket for him but astronomical for Li Yao.

However, if Li Yao reached the Core Formation stage, a powerful demon beast comparable to a Core Formation cultivator would be worth a fortune!

"Second, I'll still invest in you, but I don't need you to kill a demon beast for me. All I ask is that you call me... Brother Hai!"

Peng Hai said with a bright look in his eyes.

Li Yao was stunned for a moment before he felt a surge of excitement.

Demon Blade Peng Hai, the famous new noble of the cultivation world in Fog City, was genuinely willing to befriend him, an unknown nobody!

Choosing the first option would just be a transaction, an investment. Peng Hai would pay a negligible amount of resources now, and in the future, Li Yao would kill a powerful demon beast and return it to him, ending the deal with no further ties between them.

Choosing the second option, however, would mean that Demon Blade Peng Hai truly wanted to be his friend!

"Brother Hai!"

Li Yao called out without hesitation, but he was still extremely puzzled and couldn't help asking:

"Brother Hai, my pineal gland is torn, and my spirit root development has plummeted to 7%. No one believes in me. Why do you still have such confidence in me, believing I can still cultivate and even reach the Core Formation stage one day?"

Peng Hai smiled:

"The reason is simple. I once met someone whose situation was similar to yours. At the age of thirteen, she went from being a super cultivation genius with 85% spirit root development to having only 11%. Everyone predicted she would never be able to cultivate again, let alone stand up. They said she would be bedridden for life, a complete waste!"

"But this person not only stood up again but also put in a hundred times more effort than a normal person to return to the path of cultivation. By the age of twenty-two, she had reached the peak of the Qi Condensation stage!"

"If I'm not mistaken, in at most a year or two, she will successfully form her foundation and become one of the youngest Core Formation cultivators in the Federation. Give her another thirty to fifty years... and she might become the youngest Core Formation cultivator in the Federation!"

"Is there such a powerful person?"

Li Yao was secretly amazed and couldn't help but ask, "Who is this person? Which university or cultivation sect are they in now?"

Peng Hai smiled faintly: "She's standing right next to you."

"What!"

Li Yao was stunned, his gaze turning to Ding Lingdang.

He never expected that this girl, who was like a little sun, had such a past.

No wonder she said she saw "her former self" in Li Yao.

Was this the reason for her "never give up" attitude?

Ding Lingdang's face was stern, her lips tightly pressed together, as if she were wearing a mask to hide her thoughts.

Peng Hai knew she didn't want to talk about her past and changed the subject, saying to Li Yao, "Do you understand now, Li Yao? Even if the whole world doesn't believe in you, at least Peng Hai and Ding Lingdang believe you can create a miracle!"

Li Yao felt a warmth in his heart.

"Turns out there are still people in this world who believe in me!"

When he first woke up, Professor Xie Tingxian of Deep Sea University didn't believe he could take the college entrance exam, and Chixiao High School wanted him to drop out.

These two events did make him feel a bit disheartened.

But now, all that disappointment was cast aside. Li Yao's eyes were moist, his blood boiling, and his fighting spirit soaring!

"Alright!"

Li Yao no longer hesitated and accepted Peng Hai's kindness, "Brother Hai, we're friends, so I won't say too many formalities. Just one thing—when I become a master alchemist one day, I'll definitely forge a supreme battle knife for you, one that can split the sea and cut through the stars!"

As long as he could absorb Ouyi Zi's later memories, Li Yao was confident he could create the strongest magical tool in the Tianyuan World!

Peng Hai laughed heartily: "Great, you're straightforward. I'll wait for that day, but a battle knife isn't necessary. I'm proficient in seventeen types of weapons, including swords, spears, hooks, and forks, but I don't use knives. If you forge ten or eight flying swords for me, I'll take them all!"

"You're called 'Demon Blade,' but you don't use knives?" Li Yao was dumbfounded again.

He found that his brain cells were always insufficient when dealing with someone like Peng Hai.

Peng Hai blinked, his face showing an expression identical to that of "the scum of the cultivation world," Sun Biao, and smiled:

"The nickname 'Demon Blade' is something I deliberately let people know. Now that the entire cultivation world knows I'm the Demon Blade, they naturally guard against my knives. But who would know that I'm actually most proficient in swords? If we ever fight, I might suddenly produce seventeen or eighteen flying swords, twenty or more long spears, and even manifest three heads and six arms, swinging seven or eight meteor hammers—without a single knife. Wouldn't the opponent be stunned, focusing on where my 'Demon Blade' is hidden? By the time they realize, I could have killed them a hundred times over. This is called 'deception in war.'"

Li Yao was drenched in cold sweat, finally confirming that this "Brother Hai" was indeed the disciple of the scum of the cultivation world, Sun Biao, and they were equally despicable!

"Is it okay to reveal such a big secret so casually?"

"No problem. I've personally told many people in the cultivation world, even my enemies, that I don't use knives. I've been very sincere, telling them I'm deceiving everyone and that 'Demon Blade' is just a hollow title. Do you think they believe me?"

Li Yao thought for a long time and suddenly realized that Peng Hai's strategy was truly devious and cunning!

"Then, do you really know how to use knives, Brother Hai?"

"Guess?"

"I won't guess. I've decided to forge a set of battle knives for you, including flying knives, daggers, Miao knives, waist-wrapped flexible knives, and nine-ring golden-backed great cleavers. You can hold a 'Knife Appreciation Conference' in the cultivation world and tell everyone these are your 'Demon Blades.' Next time you face your enemies, they'll have to guard against your flying knives, fear you cutting their throats with a dagger, and worry about you suddenly drawing out a nine-ring golden-backed great cleaver to slash and chop. While they're lost in thought, you can suddenly stab them with a ten-foot spear. Tsk tsk tsk, that would be a satisfying scene!"

The two of them laughed slyly together.

Ding Lingdang rolled her eyes—these two guys were shameless beyond her imagination.

"Good kid, I appreciate you more and more. Come, let me show you my 'real' cultivation room!" Peng Hai said with a smile.