From the Metropolis to the Strongest in the Cosmos

On the phone, Zhao Xiang continued, ”Grandpa, just now as I was leaving the Relic Space, I overheard Zheng Qian talking with his father, Zheng Hu. Zheng Hu is preparing to deal with Li Yang.”

Zhao Qianxing’s expression flickered rapidly when he heard Zhao Xiang’s words.

Zheng Hu... he was a King Level expert!

’Hmph, that Li Yang is nothing but a troublemaker. So what if he stumbled upon some great fortune and luckily broke through to the Celestial Level? The Zheng family has a King Level expert. Did he think they’d be that easy to deal with? Now a King Level Cultivator is coming after him...’

Zhao Qianxing snorted coldly to himself.

When he’d first heard that Li Yang had broken through to the Celestial Level, why hadn’t he been eager to immediately mend their relationship?

After all, back when the Zheng family had only one Celestial Level Cultivator, the Zhaos had been desperate to curry favor with them. Because Zhao Rou chose Li Guohai over Zheng Qian, he had gone so far as to disown his own daughter. He’d even remained utterly cold-blooded when Li Guohai got cancer, refusing to lift a finger to help.

All this was enough to show just how much he valued a Celestial Level Cultivator.

Now, Li Yang had also broken through to the Celestial Level. And even though Li Yang’s relationship with the Zhao family was as bad as it could be, he was, after all, Zhao Qianxing’s own grandson. He could always go through his daughter, Zhao Rou, to slowly mend his relationship with Li Yang.

By all rights, he should have been ecstatic to learn that Li Yang had broken through to the Celestial Level.

But he wasn’t. The reason was simple: the Zheng family’s King Level expert!

In the world of Cultivators, it wasn’t uncommon for a King Level to kill a Celestial Level.

No matter how lucky or powerful Li Yang was to have reached this stage at such a young age... if Zheng Hu killed him, then all of that would be for naught.

It was a gamble, and Zhao Qianxing was still betting on Zheng Hu.

The breakthrough to King Level was simply too difficult. Right now, there were only nine King Level Cultivators in all of Hua Country!

Cultivators had much longer lifespans than ordinary people. The fact that there were still so few at the King Level was a testament to how difficult the breakthrough was.

In other words, even if Li Yang could go from an Initial Tier Celestial to a King Level within a decade, Zheng Hu could strike at him at any point during those ten years!

After all, given the numerous conflicts between Li Yang and the Zheng family, that possibility was extremely high.

As he thought this, Zhao Qianxing instructed Zhao Xiang, ”Xiaoxiang, don’t have any contact with Li Yang. You don’t want the Zheng family to target you...”

Zhao Xiang was silent for a moment, then said, ”I understand, Grandpa.”

He clutched his phone, hesitating for a moment. He wanted to send a text to warn Li Yang.

But in the end, he didn’t.

’Sigh... Cousin Li Yang, I hope you’ll be okay.’ Zhao Xiang shook his head; he didn’t actually hate Li Yang.

When they were children, Li Yang’s mother, Zhao Rou, had also taken care of him. He still held some affection for his aunt.

However, everything he did now had to be in the best interest of the Zhao family. He absolutely could not bring trouble upon them.

...

At the entrance to the Relic Space, the father and son of the Zheng family prepared to strike Li Yang.

Meanwhile, Li Yang, the target of their plot, remained inside a fissure in the earth within the Relic Space.

From the surrounding void, streams of energy surged into his body, and Li Yang’s physique continued its transformation.

Finally, at a certain point, the transformations ceased.

Li Yang, who had been sitting cross-legged, opened his eyes.

’What a marvelous feeling.’

Li Yang took a moment to perceive his new state. He seemed to have formed a connection with the surrounding void, as if he could now perceive a hint of its true essence. Most bizarrely, he could sense a violent, raging energy within it.

He clenched his right fist.

CRACKLE!

Arcs of electricity materialized from thin air in his right hand. The arcs flickered continuously. They looked small, but a careful observer would feel their terrifying might—power that would make even a Celestial Level Cultivator show fear.

Sensing this, a brilliant smile spread across Li Yang’s face.

’So this is the special ability mastered by King Level Cultivators?’

At this moment, Li Yang knew with absolute certainty that he had officially stepped into the King Level!

This realm, which other Cultivators found so difficult to reach, had posed no challenge for him. Upon reaching the Peak of Heaven-level, the breakthrough had come naturally.

VMMM...

A strange ripple of energy pulsed from Li Yang, and his body began to levitate, flying right out of the underground fissure.

After exiting the fissure, Li Yang continued to ascend, quickly reaching a height of ten meters above the ground.

’I can fly?’

A smile touched Li Yang’s lips. Sensing the world around him, he realized he could rely on this newfound connection to the heavens and earth to levitate effortlessly.

This ability to fly alone was enough to render any number of Celestial Level Cultivators helpless against a King Level one.

”Profound Blue Sword Skill!”

A heavy sword appeared in Li Yang’s hand. He executed a Sword Technique, and in an instant, a visible blade of light, laced with lightning, shot forth—just like something out of a fantasy drama.

An externalized attack, as if it were a solid object! This was the hallmark of a King Level Cultivator: the ability to mobilize the energy of the world itself!

KRAK!

The blade of lightning struck the ground, instantly carving a fissure several meters long!

A strike with such power would likely cleave a Celestial Level Cultivator in two.

When he clenched his fist, he could feel a strength that far surpassed anything he’d ever known.

As Li Yang tested his various newfound abilities, the smile on his face grew wider and wider.

”Haha! King Level! I’ve finally reached it!”

He had never imagined that this trip to the island would result in him reaching such a realm!

There were only nine King Level experts in all of Hua Country. Compared to Cultivators below the King Realm, they were on a completely different plane of existence.

It was the most fundamental transformation a living being could undergo, granting all sorts of incredible abilities!

Mastering superpowers! Flight! Externalizing attacks, and more!

Those who reached this realm were even known as Land Immortals!

Every single King Level Cultivator held such a high status that nearly every family would want to curry favor with them!

’Now, I no longer need to fear the Zheng family!’

Before, Li Yang had been wary of the Zheng family, but now, he was utterly fearless!

Zheng Hu himself had only just broken through to the King Level a short while ago. In terms of power, they were likely evenly matched.

VMMM...

Just as he was rejoicing, the mysterious small sword in his mind pulsed slightly. A moment later, new information appeared in his consciousness.

Although Li Yang couldn’t control the mysterious small sword with his current power, even a slight activation of it provided him with immense help. For instance, it had given him the World Tree avatar and allowed him to enter this Relic Space early.

If he hadn’t entered ahead of time—if he had waited until after the King Level Cultivators arrived—his gains would not have been nearly so great.

’Has a new Cultivation Technique appeared from the mysterious small sword?’

Li Yang’s interest was piqued as the information materialized in his mind.

The information appeared as ancient seal script. Though Li Yang didn’t recognize the characters themselves, he could effortlessly comprehend their meaning.

This information had appeared once before, right after he first obtained the mysterious small sword. That had been the four major stages of the Body Refining Chapter.