Chapter 56: Envy

After sufficient rest, Li Pin returned to Changfeng Martial Hall in the afternoon.

By the time he arrived, Shan Hu, Li Yunyao, and Lin Xiaolu were already present. Among them, Li Yunyao stood out as the most enthusiastic one. Her face was flushed and her breathing raced as she practiced the martial art Li Pin had tailored for her. It's evident that Lin Xiaolu's recent breakthrough in manifesting her Force had ignited a fire within her.

Li Pin observed for a while.

The extra training wasn't part of his plan and its impact might be minimal, but Li Yunyao had always lacked the drive that the quiet Lin Xiaolu possessed. If she could maintain this newfound determination, she might really be able to manifest her Force this month, ahead of schedule. Hence, he decided to let her continue.

Stepping into the internal training area, Li Pin sensed the state of his body which had been healing gradually under the nourishment of the Innate Qi-Nurturing Technique. His gaze then fell upon the testing instrument.

"Resonance of the internal organs.... Five Elements Unity, " Li Pin muttered softly.

He did not immediately circulate the Five Qi's to Primordiality Art. Instead, he used the Tiger-Leopard Thunder Sound to create tremors across his muscles and bones and further permeated this technique into his internal organs. Once the permeation of the Tiger-Leopard Thunder Sound reached its peak, he immediately circulated Five Qi's to Primordiality Art.

The qi's in his heart, lungs, spleen, kidney, and liver were activated simultaneously, creating tremors as they integrated into his qi and blood.

As the vibration intensified, the Blood Core within Li Pin's body abruptly contracted and erupted in the next moment.

At the moment of eruption, both the organs and Qi's became like a network of dams within a river, all bursting open at once. Guided by the internal landscape within the body, the torrential tide surged forth with a deafening roar.

Boom!

The testing instrument shuddered violently, and the number "483" flashed on top.

The deafening rumble which reverberated through the martial hall attracted many people's attention. But when they saw that it was Li Pin, the martial hall's second-in-command, using the testing instrument, no one was surprised.

"Just a bit more," Li Pin said.

Theoretically speaking, the destructive power of Aura Force should exceed five hundred points. There were even legends about it back in ancient times, such as the "strength of nine oxen and two tigers," "strength to lift a cauldron," and the "strength that surpasses the four elephants."[1]

These descriptions were used to describe Aura Cultivation Grandmasters capable of unleashing their Aura Force.

"It's not that I am unable to generate Aura Force. It's just that generating it would injure my internal organs. Nourishing the Blood Core would consume most of the primordial qi I accumulated through the Innate Qi-Nurturing Technique. There's also the possibility of a major battle breaking out tonight, so it's best to play it safe for now."

With a clear understanding of his current condition, Li Pin stopped practicing.

***

At night, a luxurious car pulled up to the business tower where Changfeng Martial Hall was located.

Li Pin came down from the tower all freshened up and meticulously prepared.

When Qi Dongyuan saw Li Pin, he swiftly emerged from the Golden Phantom and approached him. [2]

"Master Li," greeted Qi Dongyuan as he opened the door for Li Pin.

"Why go to such trouble to pick me up personally? You could have just sent your disciples to do it, or I could've just taken a taxi," Li Pin said.

"

Haha

, Master Li, there is no doubt that you will one day achieve the title of a grandmaster. I can't say for sure if I will still have the honor of driving for you by then. So, for now, I must appreciate the opportunity," Qi Dongyuan replied with a smile.

"Thanks," Li Pin responded and proceeded to get in the car.

At this moment, his keen senses seemed to pick up on something. He glanced to the side and saw Fang Yubai, accompanied by Meng Lingbing, heading upstairs.

Seeing Li Pin, Fang Yubai wanted to greet him but was unsure if the timing was appropriate.

Li Pin, however, had no such concerns. He smiled and said, "Looking for Hall Master Fang? You might have unfortunately come at a bad time. He has been making frequent travels to Jiang Province City recently and isn't here now."

Seeing that Li Pin had taken the initiative to talk to him, Fang Yubai happily replied, "I'm not here to see my fourth uncle. I'm here for Sister Shan Hu."

"You can find Shan Hu upstairs," Li Pin said.

Fang Yubai nodded. "Alright."

He watched as Li Pin got into the Golden Phantom, observing the golden glow merge into the traffic flow.

Meng Lingbing witnessed the entire scene, her expression filled with shock, "Wasn't that a luxury car that's worth over two million yuan? The price of this car alone is already enough to purchase an apartment in Zanglong City...."

"The price of the premium edition of the Golden Phantom is roughly around 2.29 million yuan. You'll also need to purchase a few accessories, bringing the total price to around 2.4 to 2.6 million yuan. That amount would be enough to buy not just one, but two apartments in Zanglong City... or a large apartment in the city center," Fang Yubai said.

"The driver seems to be very respectful towards him. What exactly is Li Pin up to nowadays? Could he have gotten the level-three martial certification?" Meng Lingbing asked.

Fang Yubai shook his head, feeling a mix of emotions. "Level-three martial certification?"

Six months ago, when he detected a shift in Li Pin's vitality, qi, and spirit, driven by a desire to forge a positive connection with him, he brought him to his fourth uncle's martial hall, hoping to help him pave the way for a promising future. However, beyond everyone's imagination, within just six months, Li Pin's strength, identity, and status had undergone a profound change.

Even his fourth uncle had been secretly reminding him to maintain a good relationship with Li Pin.

After all, Li Pin had already formed his Core, and he had the potential to attain Aura Cultivation realm in the future. Once he did, his identity would undergo a complete transformation, propelling him into an entirely new social class. The world accessible to individuals of that social status was one that would remain out of reach for the entire Fang Family despite their utmost efforts to find a way in.

With this in mind, Fang Yubai uttered, "After three days apart, people ought to look at each other with fresh eyes. The Li Pin of now is not one we can fathom."[3]

Seemingly recalling something, he continued, "If you have been paying attention to the changes in the school board, you would have noticed that Jing Yunshan's grandfather, Jing Gufeng, has already resigned from the board.'

"Jing Yunshan?"

Meng Lingbing naturally would have an impression of such an influential figure in the university, "I haven't heard much about him lately. Has he become quieter these days because his grandfather withdrew from the board?"

As if Fang Yubai's words had caused her to remember something, Meng Lingbing's eyes widened. "I remember you mentioning that Li Pin was cyberbullied over the incident with An Wanyi, and Jing Yunshan was behind it all. Could it be that... his grandfather resigned from the school board because of this?"

Fang Yubai nodded.

Meng Lingbing's eyes were filled with disbelief. "Li Pin has enough power to influence the decisions of the school board?"

"Not just the Hanyang University's school board. Think higher," Fang Yubai replied.

Meng Lingbing was immediately stunned upon hearing these words.

Higher?!

Above the Hanyang University's board of directors were the politicians of Zanglong City. Those were the people whom many people wouldn't even have the chance to meet in their entire lives.

Li Pin had the power to influence people at this level!?

"Impossible..." Meng Lingbing murmured.

"Yes. You might think it's impossible, but that's the truth," Fang Yubai continued. "Who would have thought that just six months ago, he was bullied by Jing Yunshan, a mere deputy chairman of the student council to the point he jumped into the river and attempted to commit suicide?"

A mix of emotions surged in his heart as he spoke. "I reckon that it was that experience of life and death that truly awakened him. Realizing the true nature of this world, he decided to break free from all constraints to unleash his potential. From then on, he has been soaring higher and higher to new heights."[4]

Fang Yubai directed his gaze toward the leaving Golden Phantom, carrying Li Pin, disappearing with the narrowing road. He couldn't help but feel a tinge of envy.... However, people were born different. There were some things, or some people, that would remain out of reach despite how envious you might feel.

1. All these idioms are used to describe extraordinary strength or power. ☜

2. Phantom is a car series belonging to that of Rolls-Royce. ☜

3. Implies a person can make significant improvements in a short period of time, and others should not underestimate them based on past impressions. ☜

4. soaring higher and higher to new heights means achieving great success or advancement that has not been reached before. ☜