Chapter 26

After Li Yunxiao asked Jia Rong to notify him, he left the Alchemy Guild and came to a nearby market. As he passed through the first-floor hall, everyone’s gaze had completely changed, showing respect and reverence.

In fact, performing the golden needle acupuncture only required a box of golden needles, but Li Yunxiao had certain standards for the size, thickness, length, weight, purity, and materials of the needles. Therefore, he planned to find some materials and refine them himself. This way, he could perform the technique with ease and without any mistakes.

While wandering around the market, a familiar figure suddenly caught his eye, evoking a wonderful memory. A smile appeared on his lips as he approached.

"Boss, I really only have 170 gold coins. Please, just help me this once," Meng Wu pleaded at a small stall.

Zhun Liang, an intermediate alchemy apprentice, waved his hand and said, "Go elsewhere. 300 gold coins is already the lowest price! Or you can provide all the materials, and I’ll help you for 30 gold coins."

Meng Wu took out two herbs from her chest and handed them over, "I only have the Bright Orchid and the Snake Tongue Flower."

Zhun Liang glanced at them impatiently, "These are worth at most 20 gold coins. Lady, it’s not that I don’t want to help you, but I can’t do business at a loss. However..." A greedy look flashed in his eyes as he chuckled, "If you agree to be my girlfriend, everything can be arranged."

Meng Wu’s face changed, and she quickly took back the herbs, turning to leave.

Zhun Liang hurriedly said, "Hey, don’t go. Being my girlfriend for three months is enough. What, don’t you want to treat your brother?"

His words were like a spell, making Meng Wu stop in her tracks, standing there motionless.

Zhun Liang smiled triumphantly and stepped forward, "That’s right, it’s not like I’m asking you to marry me. Even if you agreed, I wouldn’t want it. I’m going to become an alchemy master, and I’ll marry the daughters of nobles. You’re only good for three months of fun. How about it? If you agree, I’ll give you the Reviving Magic Water for free."

Meng Wu was so angry that her whole body trembled, and her lips bled from biting them, "If you prepare the Reviving Magic Water for me, I’ll definitely raise the money to pay you back within three months!"

"Pay back? Hmph, if your brother doesn’t have the Reviving Magic Water to sustain his life, he might not live past three months. Money can be paid back, but your brother’s life is priceless." Zhun Liang sneered, stepping closer and reaching out to touch Meng Wu, "How about it, little beauty? I can tell you’re still a virgin, otherwise I wouldn’t even look at you."

"Slap!"

Zhun Liang’s hand retracted as if electrocuted, his forehead cold with pain. He quickly rolled up his sleeve, and a bruise the size of a palm began to swell, quickly turning into a small hill. He looked at Li Yunxiao, who had struck him, angrily, "Who are you, kid? How dare you hit me!"

"Who are you, kid? How dare you touch my girl?" Li Yunxiao grinned, glancing meaningfully at Meng Wu.

Seeing Li Yunxiao, Meng Wu’s mind buzzed, and the events of that night flashed through her mind. Various feelings of shame and anger surged, her cheeks turning red, and her eyes blazing with fury.

Zhun Liang was stunned for a moment, then said coldly, "Your girl? We’ll see if she admits it! Do you know who I am?" He pointed to his bruised arm, "Kid, you’re in big trouble."

Li Yunxiao laughed, "Who are you? I really don’t know."

Zhun Liang sneered, "You’ll stop laughing soon. I’m an intermediate alchemy apprentice of the Alchemy Guild, a disciple of the first-rank alchemy master Jia Rong! My sworn brother is the eldest son of the city’s defense commander, Long Qing, Long Hao! If you’re smart, kneel and apologize to me, and pay a few hundred gold coins for medical expenses, and we’ll call it a day."

Li Yunxiao laughed, "I know Jia Rong, and I know Long Qing, but I haven’t heard of his son Long Hao. I have a few hundred gold coins." He took out a storage bag and threw it on the ground, a cold look in his eyes, "But... why don’t you try picking it up?"

Zhun Liang was surprised that the other party really had a few hundred gold coins and was delighted, bending down to reach for it.

Suddenly, a cold chill ran down his spine, making him shiver. A deep sense of fear rose from within, and he looked up in horror to see Li Yunxiao’s cold eyes, which showed a detached indifference, as if looking at a dead person.

Heaven, what kind of gaze was this? Even the most battle-hardened warriors didn’t have such a deathly cold look! His hand froze in mid-air, and Zhun Liang was drenched in cold sweat. He was absolutely certain that if he touched the money bag, the other party would kill him!

Meng Wu stared at Li Yunxiao, the indifferent aura affecting her, causing a deep shock in her heart.

Back then, to raise money, she had reluctantly agreed to Lan Fei’s plan to frame someone. But it backfired, and Lan Fei was expelled, leaving her with nothing. Instead, she was touched all over by this man.

That night, she would never forget, crying secretly in her bed all night, her arms marked with bloody scratches, vowing countless times to kill this person. But when Li Yunxiao appeared before her again, despite her anger, she couldn’t bring herself to act.

Perhaps it was that day on the training ground, when he descended from the sky in a breathtaking manner, deeply etched in her heart. Girls always admire heroes, and strong people easily inspire endless fantasies. One move, a dreamlike life, a flying crane with a mark, left a deep impression of this man in the young girl’s heart.

She didn’t know what true strength was, but it was probably not far from that figure.

"Brother Hao!"

Zhun Liang’s surprised cry pulled Meng Wu out of her thoughts. He seemed to have found a savior, rushing toward a man in armor. He quickly pointed at Li Yunxiao and whispered something.

Long Hao, with a cold expression, led a group of soldiers over, glancing coldly at Li Yunxiao and Meng Wu, and looked up at the sky, "I don’t know who you are, and I don’t care. Now, you have two choices: one, kneel and apologize to my brother, leave the girl and the money, and then get lost. Two, become a cripple and spend the rest of your life in prison. You have three breaths to choose."

He was on duty today, leading a group of people on patrol, feeling bored. Although Zhun Liang was from a poor family, he was strong and his master, Jia Rong, was considered the most promising alchemy master, so Long Hao was happy to associate with him and do him a favor.

"Hmph, you dare to touch me! I already told you, my sworn brother is Long Hao. Kid, when you walk around the capital, keep your eyes open!" Zhun Liang boasted, taking two steps to the money bag and bending down to pick it up.

"Bang!"

Li Yunxiao’s figure flashed, and Zhun Liang’s body flew like a broken kite, landing heavily among Long Hao’s group.

Long Hao’s pupils contracted, and his men quickly scattered. There was a loud thud as Zhun Liang hit the ground, his face covered in blood and disbelief, trembling, "B, Brother, my, my dantian is shattered, I, I’m crippled, I’m completely crippled..."

Long Hao looked at Zhun Liang in disbelief, his mind still processing the situation, and roared, "Kid, you dare to hurt my brother?" His soldiers drew their weapons, ready to attack.

Meng Wu was also stunned, not expecting Li Yunxiao to cripple someone so decisively. Although it was cruel, she felt a warm feeling inside and a stinging pain in her eyes.

Li Yunxiao said coldly, "I choose the second option. Please, gentlemen, send me to prison."

"Die!"

Long Hao roared, finally reacting. His martial arts skills burst forth, and he drew a large sword, slashing down wildly!

He was so angry that he had lost control. Few young people dared to be so disrespectful in the capital. Moreover, Zhun Liang was Jia Rong’s disciple, and being crippled in front of him not only lost a promising friend but also risked Jia Rong’s wrath, which could lead to a beating from his father.

Meng Wu’s face showed concern. Although she knew Li Yunxiao’s background and strength, the other side had numbers and were genuine guards, experienced in combat, far stronger than the students who trained in the academy.

"Zzz~ How is this possible?"

Long Hao’s attack was impressive, but when he swung his sword, there was only a dull thud. His Qingyue Treasure Sword was caught between the other party’s two fingers!

Two fingers... caught the Qingyue Treasure Sword?

Everyone was shocked!

Li Yunxiao smiled, his two fingers lightly pinching, as if admiring a flower. It seemed effortless, but it was actually a highly advanced finger technique—Picking the Flower with a Smile.

After a brief moment of shock, Long Hao realized he had met his match, no wonder the other party was so confident! He roared, "Qingyue Treasure Sword, release!"

A deep, resonant sound came from the Qingyue Sword, as if the dormant blade spirit was awakening. The sword began to vibrate, and a strong killing aura spread, and the sword’s appearance began to change.

Li Yunxiao’s brows furrowed, feeling the changes in the sword, and his fingers began to vibrate.

"Xuanbing!"

Meng Wu covered her mouth in shock, her eyes wide with horror.

Xuanbing was a specialized weapon for martial artists, containing immense power. Only alchemy masters could refine them, and each one was priceless, worth a fortune!

"This Qingyue Treasure Sword is made from deep-sea cold iron and was refined by the second-rank alchemy master Liang Wenyu." Long Hao’s eyes flashed with a cold light as he lovingly stroked his sword, "You are the third person to see my sword released. It’s a great honor to die under its blade today!"