Chapter 225: Repay

At night, Fang Yubai brought Meng Bingling, Shan Hu, and the others to hang out with Li Pin.

Fang Yubai lamented, "It's a pity that we didn't invite Zhang Yunxi to witness what happened back then."

Meng Lingbing smiled softly. "You're still thinking about that?"

"Of course," Fang Yubai replied with a raised eyebrow. "She's been dreaming of marrying into a wealthy family. Now, I just want her to see just how impressive those second-generation heirs really are in front of Martial Saint Li."

Li Pin listened to their conversation, somewhat puzzled. Still, today was Fang Yubai's wedding day, so as long as he was happy, that was all that mattered.

Fang Yubai wore a satisfied expression, as if he could die without regrets. "I've always wanted to meet a big shot I could brag about from time to time. Today... that wish has finally come true."

"You've barely scratched the surface. You still have a long life ahead of you," Shan Hu chimed in, casting a glance at Li Pin. "Besides... while Li Pin has become the world champion, I believe this is nowhere near his limit. The day he becomes the number one in Tianyuan or even the King of the Century, won't you have your nose up in the air by then?"[1]

Hearing this, Fang Yubai became momentarily lost in thought.

King of the Century!

Such a figure was beyond anything they could imagine.

The influence of the World's Top Martial Competition far exceeded that of any other competitive sport.

Just becoming the champion of the intermediate category could spark celebrations across the entire Taibai region. But the King of the Century Competition was a global event, representing the supreme honor in the world of martial arts.

If Li Pin were to claim the King of the Century title... the positive impact would extend throughout the entire Tianyuan Dynasty, with Jiang Province, where Li Pin resided, experiencing an even more profound effect.

Countless visitors would flock to witness the King of the Century's splendor, likely flooding Jiang Province’s gates. Naturally, these visitors would spend money, and this surge in popularity would push Jiang Province into the national and global spotlight, bringing with it a surge of investments and immigrants.

Taibai would undoubtedly capitalize on the moment, offering all kinds of support and policy advantages. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that, with the right policies, the influence of a King of the Century could turn a city into a bustling international metropolis.

𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

As Jiang Province's development soared, its GDP and land values would multiply several times over, and the city's residents would reap countless benefits. It would be a true blessing for the region, enriching the local community.

For a moment, Fang Yubai looked at Li Pin again. "King of the Century?"

"Let's wait and see," Li Pin replied, noncommittally.

"Others might not be able to, but I believe in you. You will definitely succeed!" Fang Yubai said, his voice firm.

After all, he had witnessed Li Pin's transformation from an ordinary student, once nearly driven to death by public opinion, to the intermediate category world champion of the Tianyuan Federation.

"I imagine that other Martial Saints aiming for the King of the Century title would have had friends saying similar things to them as well," Li Pin responded with a smile.

Fang Yubai smiled in return.

Shan Hu, watching Li Pin still sitting and chatting with them, had a smile on her face too. But deep down, she knew...

Such moments would only become rarer.

Li Pin was destined to drift further away from them until, one day... they would become people from two completely different worlds.

Just like childhood playmates who had gathered together in innocent fun. With age and each delving into their own careers, they’d slowly grow apart, rarely crossing paths again.

***

The next day, Li Pin returned to Jiang Province with Fang Lingjue.

Upon arriving at the mansion, he found not only Li Yunyao and Lin Xiaolu, but also Xiang Xiaoyue.

After more than a month of guidance, Xiang Xiaoyue had already refined her qi into Aura and stepped into the organs-tempering stage.

Her face lit up with joy when she saw Li Pin back in the courtyard. "Mr. Li, my father recently received a book from a friend, containing his insights on tempering the mental spirit at the Martial Saint realm. He asked me to bring it to you."

Li Pin nodded. "Please pass on my thanks to Lord Xiang."

Though he had completed the deal with Xiang Tianxing, the warden had no intention of severing ties with him. Instead, he would occasionally send Xiang Xiaoyue over to keep the connection alive.

"You're here just in time," Li Pin said, looking at Fang Lingjue. "Both of you have recently broken through to the Aura Cultivation realm. I'll give you a unified lesson on cultivating through the organs-tempering and Blood Renewal stages."

Fang Lingjue looked at Xiang Xiaoyue, who seemed no more than seventeen or eighteen, with shock. "The Aura Cultivation realm!?"

He had spent half his life struggling to reach the Aura Cultivation realm, yet this teenage girl had already achieved it?!

"She's the daughter of the Guardian Hall's Warden," Li Pin explained.

Hearing that, it all fell into place.

It made sense now. It was like how some people spend half their lives barely affording a luxury car worth millions while the kids from those truly wealthy families bought them like they were onions from the market. It was all about their mood.

Li Pin asked Fang Lingjue and Xiang Xiaoyue to make some brief preparations.

He also called over Lin Xiaolu and Li Yunyao. "You two should listen as well. Even though you haven't yet reached the Aura Cultivation Realm, it doesn't hurt to learn more."

After Lin Xiaolu and Li Yunyao greeted Fang Lingjue and Xiang Xiaoyue, they all made their way to the courtyard.

Fang Lingjue glanced at Li Pin with mixed emotions.

A year ago, it had been him teaching Li Pin how to form his Core. Now, it was Li Pin teaching him how to temper his organs and renew his blood.

Life was truly filled with unexpected twists.

"Organs-tempering and Blood-Renewal go hand-in-hand with Aura Force. As everyone knows, the essence of Aura Force lies in high-frequency oscillations. The higher the frequency, the more the force accumulates, eventually producing a visible white ripple in the air. The faster the oscillation, the stronger the Aura Force."

Li Pin explained in simple terms. "The human body acts as the amplifier, increasing the amplitude. This amplification doesn't depend on one's muscles or bones, but on the strength of their internal organs. Many people, when overburdened, find that their internal organs fail before anything else.

"To correct these weaknesses, grandmasters must undergo organ-tempering and Blood Renewal, achieving a full-body enhancement from the inside out."

As he explained, Li Pin guided them step by step, helping both circulate their force deep into their organs.

Wearing the top-tier astral equipment, he could precisely sense the conditions of their qi and blood. Whenever an Aura Cultivation session proved futile or harmful, he would promptly correct them.

In just one day, Fang Lingjue noticed a significant boost in his organs-tempering efficiency.

By the second day, incidents of self-damage or ineffective practice had dramatically decreased, close to none. Li Pin further optimized and guided their practice based on their progress, enhancing their efficiency.

Though Li Pin had only made slight adjustments and hadn't drastically altered their cultivation methods, the improvement in efficiency was immediate and remarkable.

Even Fang Lingjue, who considered himself knowledgeable, was deeply shocked. "Is this the ability of a true master!?"

He looked at Li Pin, sucking in a sharp breath. "I finally understand why you've progressed so rapidly in such a short time! Genius... truly defies reason and logic!"

"This matter is only for you and me to know," Li Pin smiled and reminded Fang Lingjue.

Fang Lingjue nodded seriously. In his eyes, Li Pin's teaching ability surpassed that of a great teacher. If this ability became widely known, not only would not benefit him, it might even invite endless trouble.

After all, despite his achievements and winning the title of World Champion, this was still a world dominated by Astral Cultivators. Many of them had ways to deal with him.

If certain factions or organizations with malicious intent decided to make their move and take him by force... the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Though the time was short, the foundation has been laid. Based on your situation, I've devised a training plan for you. Once you complete it, reaching the great grandmaster level within a year or two shouldn't be a problem. Beyond that, you'll have to rely on yourself to forge the Martial Will," Li Pin instructed.

Fang Lingjue responded earnestly, "Thank you."

Li Pin smiled.

By guiding Fang Lingjue, he had risked exposing his teaching abilities.... This was all in repayment for the help Fang Lingjue had offered when he was still struggling.

"You may leave now. I've contacted Prince Su Mai. He will personally escort me to Dragon Gate Hall. The next time we meet... who knows how many months will have passed by then," Li Pin said.

Fang Lingjue nodded.

After Fang Lingjue and Xiang Xiaoyue left, Li Pin turned to Lin Xiaolu and Li Yunyao. "You two must also stay diligent with your training. Follow the training plan I've set for you strictly..."

He paused briefly. " I've prepared several plans, tailored to situations you might face. If anything is unclear, contact me remotely."

Li Yunyao and Lin Xiaolu nodded, though a hint of reluctance lingered between their brows. "Got it."

They knew that if Li Pin went to further his studies at Dragon Gate Hall, it would open up far better prospects for him. They couldn't selfishly hold him back.

Li Pin glanced at Li Yunyao. "If anything comes up, talk to Qin Rouran. I brought her along to the World's Top Martial Competition so you could build a bond, and it seems you've gotten along pretty well during this time, right?"

"

Mm-hmm.

" Li Yunyao nodded. "Rouran is actually easy to get along with. When not needed, you won’t even notice she’s there. But when we need her to make up the numbers, we can always find her right away. She’s either sprawled out in bed or lounging on a couch. We misunderstood her before because we weren't familiar with her."

"That's good." Li Pin looked once more in the direction of the Guardian Hall. "If you ever come across something that even Qin Rouran can't handle, go to the Guardian Hall."

He calmly added, "As long as I'm alive, Lord Xiang won't ignore any of your requests."

"I understand." Li Yunyao gazed at Li Pin, reluctant to part. "Brother, focus on your training at Dragon Gate Hall. Don't worry about us. We're not children anymore."

Li Pin nodded slightly. "Alright, that's settled then."

Everything that needed to be said and arranged had been taken care of. The obligations that belonged to "Li Pin" had all been fulfilled.

Now, it was time to focus entirely on himself and journey toward the pinnacle of martial arts, the Martial Saint, and even beyond.

***

The next day, Su Mai arrived in Jiang Province and the group set off and headed straight to Dragon Gate Hall.

1. nose up in the air implies extreme arrogance. ☜