From the Metropolis to the Strongest in the Cosmos

Zheng Qian felt that if he didn’t teach Li Yang a lesson now, he would never get another chance.

The words had barely left his lips when a figure approached from nearby.

”Alright, Zheng Qian. I, Sun Yunqiang, accept this favor,” a massively built man, well over seven feet tall, boomed with laughter.

He wasn’t impressed by Zheng Qian’s strength, nor did he particularly care about the favor. But Zheng Qian’s father was a King Level Cultivator!

After all, the difference between the King Level and the Celestial Level was like heaven and earth.

A true King Level Cultivator could easily dispatch a thousand Celestial Level opponents.

Never mind anything else—the ability to fly alone was enough to make any Celestial Level Cultivator despair.

’I’m standing in the sky, how are you going to hit me? I’m the only one who gets to attack!’

That was why, of course, they valued this favor from Zheng Qian so highly.

”Li Yang, allow me, Sun Yunqiang, to test your mettle!”

Sun Yunqiang smiled, holding a great hammer nearly half as long as he was tall.

’Calling for backup?’

Li Yang’s expression shifted at the sight.

Zhang Lie had told him earlier that this Sun Yunqiang was the strongest of the Celestial Level Cultivators on the island, a master at the Late Heaven Level.

’This Zheng Qian is clearly no idiot. Once he realized he was outmatched, he had no intention of fighting alone and immediately sought help.’

Li Yang wasn’t even at the Mid-Heaven Level yet; he was definitely no match for them.

’Zheng Qian has more connections than I do, and with a King Level father, plenty of people will choose to side with him.’ Li Yang’s mind raced as he searched for a strategy.

He was new to the Cultivation Realm, knew only a handful of people, and couldn’t find anyone to help him.

Just as he was thinking, Li Yang’s pupils suddenly constricted. An expression of utter, joyous surprise appeared in his eyes.

’My octopus clone found Spirit Fruit and Medicinal Herbs?’

His octopus clone had been swimming around the island’s perimeter, searching for anything of value.

And just now, it had actually sensed a faint ripple of Spiritual Power coming from a purple aquatic plant on the seabed.

’Haha, my luck is pretty good after all.’ Li Yang was instantly elated.

All thoughts of fighting vanished. The moment Sun Yunqiang stepped forward, Li Yang spun around and bolted, dashing toward the distant jungle!

The huge island was a dense forest, covered with lush vegetation and towering trees.

”Li Yang, trying to run?”

Zheng Qian roared when he saw Li Yang’s retreat.

He couldn’t beat Li Yang, so he called for backup.

But Li Yang was even more direct. The second Sun Yunqiang stepped out, he turned tail and ran without the slightest hesitation.

”Haha! Zheng Qian, I wanted a fair fight, but you had to be shameless and call for a two-on-one. I’m not playing this time! I’ll come find you for a proper match later!”

He laughed heartily, and by the time he finished speaking, he was already at the edge of the dense jungle!

Since his octopus clone had found Spirit Fruit and Medicinal Herbs, the best course of action was for Li Yang to get his hands on them, refine their Spiritual Power, and increase his own strength.

That’s why Li Yang had no desire to get bogged down in a fight.

Fighting when you know you’re outmatched? Wouldn’t that make him an idiot?

”After him!”

Zheng Qian had no intention of letting Li Yang get away. With a roar, he gave chase!

Sun Yunqiang did the same, but they both stopped when they reached the edge of the jungle.

The vegetation was thick and tall. They only caught a final glimpse of Li Yang’s back before he vanished completely.

”Zheng Qian, this jungle is too dense. If Li Yang hides in there, we’ll never find him.”

Sun Yunqiang frowned and added bluntly, ”And if we go in after him, we might just walk into one of his ambushes.”

They might be powerful, with physical abilities far beyond ordinary people, but they didn’t have scanners or X-ray vision.

Once Li Yang was hidden in this jungle, they had no way of finding him.

Sun Yunqiang’s mood soured, and he grew annoyed with Li Yang.

’If Li Yang had just obediently taken a beating, wouldn’t the favor have been secured? But he fled before I even had a chance to attack.’

The favor was definitely off the table now.

Zheng Qian evidently realized this too, and his expression was thunderous.

”Damn you, Li Yang!”

’I called in a favor to deal with Li Yang, and he managed to escape in a matter of seconds.’

With no other choice, the two of them walked back out of the jungle.

Outside the jungle, a crowd of Cultivators had been watching the confrontation.

”Zheng Qian is no match for Li Yang. He got pushed back.”

”Li Yang is so strong!”

”Zheng Qian got Sun Yunqiang to help him deal with Li Yang.”

”Of course he did. Sun Yunqiang is at the Late Heaven Level!”

”That Zheng Qian has no honor. He said he’d fight Li Yang, but the moment he realized he was outmatched, he called in a top expert like Sun Yunqiang!”

”And Li Yang just bolted straight into the jungle.”

”Think they can catch him?”

...

The crowd watched on, waiting to see the outcome.

Before long, they watched as Zheng Qian and Sun Yunqiang emerged from the jungle, Zheng Qian’s expression dark.

”Li Yang got away.”

Seeing this, everyone understood the final outcome of the battle.

Their eyes were filled with shock. When Zheng Qian had first gone after Li Yang, they’d thought Li Yang stood no chance. But this brief exchange had completely upended their expectations!

Li Yang had swiftly defeated Zheng Qian, and even when Sun Yunqiang stepped in, Li Yang had still managed to escape with ease!

This battle would undoubtedly make a name for Li Yang!

”Cousin Li Yang...” Zhao Xiang stood to one side, watching the result unfold. The look of shock on his face hadn’t faded since the moment Li Yang first struck.

Then, Zhao Xiang snapped back to reality. He hurried to a deserted spot in the base and made a call.

...

「Jing City. The Zhao Family.」

Zhao Qianxing and Zhao Kun were in the main hall. Zhao Qianxing took a sip of tea before looking at Zhao Kun. ”Xiaoxiang should be on the island by now, shouldn’t he?”

Zhao Xiang was the Zhao family’s only Cultivator and his most beloved grandson. Zhao Qianxing held high hopes for him.

In this world, ever since Cultivators appeared, the status of wealthy people like them had plummeted.

No matter how much money you had, it was just a string of numbers. Personal strength, however, was something truly your own.

Take Shen Xuan, for example—he withstood a nuclear bomb. He alone was enough to make the United States not even dare to entertain the thought of opposing him.

At that level of power, money was absolutely useless to someone like Shen Xuan.

If Shen Xuan so desired, amassing a fortune greater than that of all nations combined would take but a single word. People would be tripping over themselves to hand him their money.

Furthermore, Cultivators could sense special Spirit Fruit and Medicinal Herbs containing Spiritual Power. These were natural Spiritual Treasures, some of which could even extend one’s lifespan!

Rumor had it that when Shen Xuan first made his mark over thirty years ago, he looked to be in his thirties. To this day, he still looked the same, showing no signs of aging whatsoever.

Some whispered that Shen Xuan had even achieved immortality.

How could such an ability not drive people mad with desire?

No matter how rich they were, once their hundred years were up, they would turn to dust, leaving nothing behind.

This was the real reason the wealthy were so obsessed with Cultivators!

Hearing Zhao Qianxing’s question, Zhao Kun nodded. ”Yes, Dad. I called Xiaoxiang a few minutes ago. He’s at the base.”

Zhao Qianxing nodded, his voice full of hope. ”I hope Xiaoxiang has a fruitful trip to the island.”

The stronger Zhao Xiang became, the greater the benefits for the Zhao family!

Zhao Kun hesitated for a moment before speaking. ”Dad, Xiaoxiang said he saw Li Yang on the island. Zheng Qian saw him too and immediately wanted to make a move. But Li Yang’s team leader, the Celestial Level Cultivator Li Yu, blocked him. Li Yu said any conflicts had to wait until after they had left the base to search for Spirit Fruit and Medicinal Herbs.”

”Li Yang?”

At Zhao Kun’s words, Zhao Qianxing’s expression visibly darkened. He had no fond feelings for this maternal grandson of his.

Even if he was a more powerful Cultivator than Zhao Xiang, his talent for stirring up trouble was just as great.

The moment he revealed his identity as a Cultivator, he went and thoroughly provoked the Zheng family. The Zheng family has Celestial Level and even King Level members. Isn’t provoking them just courting death?

”Tell Xiaoxiang to stay far, far away from Li Yang,” Zhao Qianxing said gravely. ”We must make our position clear: the Zhao family has nothing to do with Li Yang.”

They couldn’t afford to provoke a single Celestial Level, let alone a King Level, who were practically Land Immortals.

”Yes, Dad.” Zhao Kun nodded.

He was about to say something else when his phone suddenly rang.

”It’s Xiaoxiang,” Zhao Kun said, glancing at the screen.