Chapter 54: Aura Force

Sizzle!

Three sedans sped through the city at a speed of sixty kilometers per hour, quickly arriving at the parking lot Li Pin mentioned and blocking the alley.

The car doors swung open. One by one, bulky, elite-looking men emerged from the vehicles and walked toward the alley. Some of them donned the Enforcement Bureau uniforms, sealing off the narrow passage.

The Five Elements Sect had spread its roots firmly in Zanglong City over the decades, and they had cultivated a vast network of disciples, spanning diverse industries. While these disciples may not engage in life-or-death battles, they'd readily assist whenever their skills and authority allowed.

After sealing off the area, Qi Dongyuan promptly arrived near the two corpses.

The appearance of a Core Force expert in the alleyway was unexpected, but it was the sight of Demonic Sand lying dead in front of them that truly stunned everyone, even Qi Dongyuan, a prominent figure in Zanglong City, inhaled sharply in shock.

"Master! It's Demonic Sand! The Peregrine Team's second-in-command!" a robust man yelled, his voice filled with surprise.

"I know," Qi Dongyuan replied.

"Based on our investigations, Demonic Sand came from a military background. He practiced the Star Shattering Fist, an exclusive martial art reserved for qualified military officers. Sixteen years ago, the kingdom assembled over a dozen Martial Saints to develop this technique specifically for military use.

"Utilizing this powerful art, Demonic Sand had even surpassed Wang Daoyi, becoming the second strongest in Captain Xiang Yi's team...." Fear flickered in the man's eyes as he exclaimed. "To think that... such a formidable figure would meet his end here..."

The robust man's gaze drifted toward Gourmet Paradise.

"He actually died at the hands of Li Pin... no, Master Li, who is a newly ascended martial artist who formed his Core a mere two months ago!"

Qi Dongyuan's gaze lingered on Demonic Sand's body for a while before he shifted it toward Gourmet Paradise in a similar manner.

They already knew that Li Pin was dining there.

Li Pin clearly had noticed Demonic Sand and his companion's pursuit, so he took the initiative to attack and kill them. He fought against two opponents, one in Core Formation and the other at Core Force, and emerged victorious.

Unbelievable....

"Could he have... attained Aura Force?" the man questioned.

Qi Dongyuan paused for a moment, a sliver of hesitation in his eyes. “Aura Force...."

Despite the fact that he was aware of and acknowledged Li Pin's incredible potential, the idea of him attaining Aura Force within two months of forming his Core just felt unreal. It was like listening to a tall tale.

"That is impossible," he said with conviction.

"Perhaps we could," the man once again looked toward the direction of Gourmet Paradise, "ask him in person?"

Qi Dongyuan remained silent.

If it had been earlier, he would have gone straight into the Gourmet Paradise to inquire about the incident. But now... with the corpses of Demonic Sand and the Core Force martial artist right before his eyes, Qi Dongyuan found himself feeling a newfound respect for Li Pin, this seemingly harmless young man capable of defeating such formidable opponents.

This unexpected respect made him hesitant when his disciples suggested asking Li Pin directly about the incident. This internal conflict made his expression appear somewhat unnatural.

After a long silence, he finally spoke. "Master Li is currently dining with his friends. It'd be inappropriate for us to bother him now. Let's handle the matters here first."

As he once again shifted his gaze toward Demonic Sand and his companion, a thought crossed his mind. He suddenly chuckled. "Let's see how long Xiang Yi can still maintain this facade."

"Hmph?"

The man was somewhat surprised. "With Demonic Sand dead, won't this escalate the tensions and push Xiang Yi even harder against the Five Elements Sect to seek revenge from Li Pin?"

"Do you really think Demonic Sand came to us, the Five Elements Sect, just to seek revenge for Wang Daoyi?" Qi Dongyuan sneered. "The relationships among members of a bounty hunters' team aren't as close as you might imagine. They're a group of people who will do anything for money. But that doesn't include risking their lives. In fact, having faced numerous life-and-death situations, they value their lives more than most."

"Master, you mean..."

"By now, Xiang Yi's team only has two Core Formation and three Core Force Martial Artists left. With two of them taken down, the only formidable fighters remaining are Xiang Yi himself and another Core Formation expert, Yun Ou. But Yun Ou is weaker than Demonic Sand and Wang Daoyi. Martial Brother Zhao even once said that he was confident he could handle him," Qi Dongyuan continued.

"As for Xiang Yi, he developed Aura Force, so there's no doubt about his strength. However, it wouldn't be easy even for him to defeat Demonic Sand and his companion if they teamed up against him. In other words, if he were to face Master Li in a life-or-death battle, even though he might have a higher chance of winning, he no longer had absolute certainty that he could emerge victorious."

Upon hearing his words, the man instantly understood what Qi Dongyuan meant. "Doesn't that mean...?"

"Yes, thanks to Master Li, the Five Elements Sect's crisis has been resolved," Qi Dongyuan said with a smile, nodding. "There are two reasons why Demonic Sand and his companion attacked Master Li: first, it is because Master Li killed Wang Daoyi. The second reason is that Master Li will become the flag-bearer of the Five Elements Sect in Zanglong City in the future."

With a clear understanding of the situation, he stated, "If they manage to capture Master Li alive, it will undoubtedly send shockwaves through the Five Elements Sect. Not only will the internal parts of the Five Elements Sect question the wisdom of continuing our hostilities, but the stance of other factions will also shift.

"By then, we'll be left with no choice but to either offer enough compensation to send them away, or to brace for an extended struggle."

An extended struggle... the price for that would be too great.

It's almost certain that by then, the Five Elements Sect would opt for the "buying peace with money" approach.

But now, that's all water under the bridge.

"Demonic Sand intended to use Master Li to intimidate us, but instead ended up sending himself to his doom. Wouldn't this be considered a deterrent from the Five Elements Sect to them?" Qi Dongyuan continued. "Take their corpses and go. We're heading back to the Five Elements Sect."

He sneered. "It's about time we have a talk with Xiang Yi, whether it is to reconcile... or to fight"

***

As a local who grew up in Zanglong City, Shan Hu naturally had a good sense of where to seek the best local flavors.

As someone who did not have high standards for food, Li Pin also had to admit that the food offered by Gourmet Paradise was delicious.

"I'm definitely bringing Mother and sister here next time!" Li Yunyao exclaimed with lingering satisfaction.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it! I have a membership card here. Yaoyao, whenever you want to eat here again, just mention my name!" Shan Hu said with a warm smile.[1]

"Don't pamper her," Li Pin reminded Shan Hu.

"It's just food, not like it's some kind of luxury brand," Shan Hu replied.

Fortunately, Li Yunyao was not one to go overboard. She simply expressed her gratitude and didn't pursue the matter further.

"Time to call it a night," said Li Pin.

Suddenly, a thought seemed to occur to Li Pin, and he said, "Moving on, I'll be heading to Jiang Province City. By then, you two can come directly to Jiang Province to find me. Take the vehicles provided by Jin Guang Passenger Transport."

Jin Guang Passenger Transport was the largest transportation company in Jiang Province. Every vehicle they operated underwent rigorous reinforcement. For added security, the journey would be accompanied by a Transformative Force Martial Artist.

This way, even if there were encounters with ordinary Ferocious Beasts along the journey, the safety of the passenger would be assured.

Given the services, it also went without saying that their fares would be much more expensive compared to normal fares,

"Alright!" Li Yunyao exclaimed with a hint of anticipation. "The only time I have been to Jiang Province City was for elder sister's wedding!"

"I've already bought a house there. Once you get accepted into Jiangzhou University, we'll move," Li Pin said.

"You bought a house?" said Li Yunyao with a hint of surprise. "When did you buy a house in Jiang Province?"

"Last month."

Gently caressing her head, Li Pin assured her. "After we establish ourselves in Jiang Province City, you can go shopping as much as you like."

He now had the confidence to speak these words. This newfound assurance stemmed from the attributes he had updated while eating.

[Aura Force: 107/107]

No longer needing to focus on Aura Force, he cleared his mind and started brainstorming a new figure.

[Aura Cultivation: 1/64]

1. Yaoyao is a nickname for Li Yunyao. ☜