Invincible Beyond Heavens: Cultivating With A Broken EXP System

A moment later, several figures stepped out from behind the archway.

At the front was City Lord Bai Xueqin, her calm yet commanding presence instantly drawing every gaze. Walking beside her was Guan Long, the Pavilion Master of the Treasure Pavilion, his expression as unreadable as ever.

Trailing behind the two leaders were three younger cultivators, two men and one woman.

Li Yun immediately recognized one of them: Han Yun, the nephew of City Lord Bai Xueqin. Han Yun’s father, Bai Xueqin’s younger brother, had married into the influential Han family of Moon Gaze City, the capital of Moonriver County. Because of this, Han Yun carried his mother’s surname instead of his father’s.

But Li Yun also knew Han Yun’s story. When he was still a boy, Han Yun had clashed with a direct descendant of the Han family. Though Han Yun had not been in the wrong, the Han family favored their own bloodline. Insulted and unwilling to bend his pride, Han Yun had severed ties and left the Han family altogether. Since then, he had lived under the protection of his aunt, Bai Xueqin, and now stood at the 3rd level of the Body Tempering Realm.

As for the other two cultivators, Li Yun had never seen them before.

Soon, Bai Xueqin, Guan Long, and their entourage stopped a short distance away.

Li Yun stepped forward, bowing respectfully. “City Lord, Pavilion Master.”

Before Bai Xueqin or Guan Long could respond, the white-robed woman following behind Guan Long fixed her gaze on Li Yun. Her lips curled with a faint trace of disdain.

“Father, is this the Li Yun you spoke of? The so-called most outstanding young cultivator in Azure Wind City?” she asked coolly, her tone edged with skepticism.

Li Yun blinked. ’Father?’

So this woman was Guan Long’s daughter. Guan Ling.

But what puzzled him was her open hostility. He was certain he had never met her before, yet the look in her eyes made it clear she had already judged him and found him lacking.

’Damn, I didn’t offend you, did I?’ Li Yun thought with a flicker of amusement, though his eyes remained calm.

“Yes,” Guan Long said with a nod. His gaze shifted toward his daughter, his tone carrying a subtle weight. “This is Li Yun of the Li Family, the direct grandson of the Li Family’s Third Elder, Li Zhen. Guan Ling, do not underestimate him. When he was only at the peak of the Marrow Cleansing Realm, he defeated Li Xian of the Sword Hall, a genius already at the 4th level of the Body Tempering Realm.”

His words deepened, each one deliberate. “Now, Li Yun has stepped into the 2nd level of the Body Tempering Realm. His strength is no doubt comparable to cultivators at the 5th level. Remember that, Guan Ling.”

It was clear that Guan Long had noticed the scorn in his daughter’s tone and sought to quash it before it grew into something troublesome. Li Yun was not someone the Pavilion Master wished to see treated as an enemy, least of all by his own daughter.

“Haha… Uncle, you’re saying this Li Yun, at the peak of the Marrow Cleansing Realm, defeated Li Xian of the Sword Hall? And Li Xian is still a disciple of the Li Family? I think perhaps Li Xian intentionally let him win.”

The voice was laced with mockery. The speaker, a tall, broad-shouldered young man with striking features, threw a sidelong glance at Li Yun, his eyes brimming with disdain and provocation.

At his words, Guan Long’s brows knit together. His expression chilled slightly. He clearly had little fondness for this brash youth. Compared to Li Yun’s calm composure, this young man’s arrogance was downright irritating.

But Guan Long held his tongue. This Zheng Tao had come alongside his daughter Guan Ling. He was a student of Purple Moon Academy, an institution considered second only to Sword Hall in Moonriver County, though in truth the gap between the two forces was vast. Guan Long could not simply rebuke him without regard for face.

“Nephew,” Guan Long said in a measured tone, “in Purple Moon Academy, I’m sure you’ve met many cultivators with fine talent. Your ability to enter the Academy shows you are indeed exceptional. But you must remember one thing, never underestimate others too easily.”

“Uncle, you’ve misunderstood me,” Zheng Tao replied smoothly, a smile curving his lips. “I don’t mean to underestimate anyone. But to claim that this boy, Li Yun, was it?, defeated a 4th level Body Tempering cultivator of Sword Hall while still in the Marrow Cleansing Realm? I simply find it difficult to believe. I only worry, Uncle, that you might be deceived by him.”

His smile widened, and his tone grew more arrogant. “Why not let me represent Azure Wind City instead? With me, at least, you will have a real chance. Otherwise… what can a place like this produce besides mediocrity? To be honest, if it weren’t for Sister Guan Ling, I would never have set foot in this backwater. The air is stale, the people narrow-minded, and these so-called ’geniuses’ aren’t even worth a glance.”

At that, Zheng Tao turned and softened his voice, speaking to Guan Ling with obvious flattery.

The disdain in Guan Ling’s expression melted away. Her lips curved faintly as she nodded.

“Father, I agree. It would be better to let Zheng Tao fight. He usually spends all his time in cultivation. This time, he only came here out of consideration for me.” Guan Ling’s tone carried the confidence of someone convinced her words should settle the matter.

At that moment, everything clicked in Li Yun’s mind.

Now he understood the root of Guan Ling and Zheng Tao’s hostility.

Guan Ling must have heard about her father’s discovery of the Mist Spirit Pool. Knowing the rights to use it would be contested in battle against Water Cloud City, she had gone to Purple Moon Academy and brought back Zheng Tao, someone she trusted and wanted to see shine.

But when she returned, she discovered the choice had already been made. The representative of Azure Wind City would not be Zheng Tao, but him, Li Yun.

So before even meeting him, Guan Ling had already decided she disliked him.

Li Yun quickly guessed the situation.

Most likely, Guan Ling herself would be granted a place in the Mist Spirit Pool. And if this Zheng Tao were to represent Azure Wind City in the upcoming battle and win the rights to the Pool, then he too would certainly secure a spot.

But now, the slot that Zheng Tao clearly believed belonged to him had been handed to Li Yun instead. No wonder the man was seething. The hostility, the sneers, the open ridicule, it all made sense.

Purple Moon Academy was based in Hollow Mist City.

Within Moonriver County, there were four great academies. Two of them, Battle Dragon Academy and Four-Leaf Academy, were in the commandery city, Moon Gaze City. The other two were located in major cities, and Purple Moon Academy stood tall in Hollow Mist City.

Though Hollow Mist City was not a commandery seat, it was still a vast, bustling metropolis, utterly beyond comparison to a small place like Azure Wind City.

Zheng Tao, raised and trained in such a city, naturally carried himself with pride and arrogance. In his eyes, even the so-called great families of Azure Wind City were backwater bumpkins. And a youth like Li Yun? Nothing but a frog in a well.

Li Yun narrowed his eyes at him. This guy must be fuming that the battle qualification he expected had fallen into his hands.

But seriously? Wasn’t this decision made by the City Lord herself? Wasn’t Guan Long part of it as well? How could Zheng Tao place the blame on him?

A flicker of irritation stirred in Li Yun’s chest, but he pressed it down and said nothing.

“What’s this?!” Zheng Tao suddenly let out a dramatic cry.

“You! You dare glare at me with those eyes? Hah! Are you not convinced? This is amusing, far too amusing!” He barked out his words in exaggerated tones, trying to goad Li Yun further.

Bai Xueqin’s brows drew together. Her gaze flicked more than once toward Guan Long. If this brat hadn’t been brought here by Guan Long’s daughter, she would have told him to get lost without hesitation.

After all, the choice of Li Yun as Azure Wind City’s representative had been made by her and Guan Long together. For Zheng Tao to openly ridicule Li Yun was essentially spitting on her authority as City Lord.

Still, she said nothing. Zheng Tao was Guan Long’s guest; it was Guan Long’s place to discipline him, not hers. A mere Body Tempering cultivator at the fifth level wasn’t worth her personally lowering her dignity.

That was when Li Yun finally smiled. His voice cut through the air, calm yet sharp as a blade.

“City Lord Bai,” he said, “I can’t help but feel there’s a dog barking nonstop nearby. From the smell of it, I’d say it’s a street dog. A filthy one.”

The words echoed like a slap.

Bai Xueqin’s lips curled into a faint, amused smile, but she made no comment.

Guan Long, too, allowed a small smile to play across his face.

Only Guan Ling’s expression had turned stormy. She felt as though Li Yun’s words had been aimed at her, when in truth, everyone knew who he was calling the dog.