Invincible Beyond Heavens: Cultivating With A Broken EXP System

Chen Yishen, Patriarch of the Chen Family, one of the few true Xiantian Realm experts in Azure Wind City. His very presence here carried a suffocating weight.

“The Chen Family Head came in person?”

“As expected of the number one family in Azure Wind City…”

Murmurs swept the crowd as gazes turned toward the tall figure in a long black robe stepping into the square. The aura he carried alone was enough to silence weaker cultivators.

Though the Zhao and Li Families were both considered among the three great families, neither could compare to the Chen Family. Their strength and influence stood on a completely different level.

And Chen Yishen himself was someone who could speak with City Lord Bai Xueqin as an equal.

“Family Head Chen!”

“Greetings, Family Head Chen!”

Respectful voices rose at once. Many people bowed their heads as Chen Yishen passed. He gave only the faintest nod in response, acknowledging them without slowing his stride.

“Zhao Lieyang greets Family Head Chen!” Zhao Lieyang quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply.

Chen Yishen lifted his hand in a casual wave, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Mm, you’ve been waiting quite some time.”

Then, his gaze shifted. For a brief moment, his sharp eyes lingered on Li Jinyun, carrying a depth of meaning that was hard to decipher.

Li Jinyun’s heart tightened. A flicker of unease stirred within him. ’Could it be… the Zhao Family has reached some sort of agreement with the Chen Family?’ The thought left a bitter taste. Otherwise, why would Chen Yishen personally attend something as trivial as a wager between two families?

With his status, he needn’t have bothered. Even if curiosity gnawed at him, there would have been plenty of ways to hear the result without leaving the Chen Family estate. His presence here was far from ordinary.

“Today’s battle will depend on Young Master Chen Xiao,” Zhao Lieyang announced suddenly, his tone brimming with confidence as his gaze swept behind Chen Yishen.

Chen Xiao, standing tall and calm, stepped half a pace forward. He waved his hand lightly, voice steady. “Family Head Zhao, there’s no need for such politeness. I’ll do my best.”

“With Young Master Chen here, victory is already within reach,” Zhao Lieyang praised, his grin widening.

“What?”

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

“The Zhao Family’s representative is Chen Xiao?” someone exclaimed in disbelief.

Whispers spread like wildfire. Though many had speculated over the Zhao Family’s chosen fighter, none had guessed it would be Chen Xiao himself.

Chen Xiao had been famous for over a decade. Ten years ago, he had already entered Purple Moon Academy, one of Moonriver County’s four great academies. Back then, he had swiftly stepped into the Body Tempering Realm, leaving countless peers behind. Since then, little had been revealed about his cultivation progress, but everyone knew his strength was unfathomable.

If Chen Xiao was representing the Zhao Family, then the Li Family’s chances of winning plummeted to near zero.

Chen Xiao’s strength was rumored to have already reached the very peak of the 9th level of Body Tempering Realm. Could the Li Family possibly produce someone under thirty-five years old, at the same level, to stand against him? The odds were almost laughable.

Faces among the Li Family turned grim.

“Li Yun, what do we do now?” Patriarch Li Jinyun leaned slightly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Li Yun’s eyes burned with fighting intent. “Family Head, don’t worry. I’ll win this battle against Chen Xiao.”

His gaze locked onto Chen Xiao with a light smile. Since his strength had risen to 5th level of Body Tempering Realm, Li Yun had been wanting to test his strength and now Chen Xiao just delivered himself to Li Yun.

Li Jinyun studied Li Yun’s determined expression. At this point, he had no choice. The Li Family had no second candidate. It was Li Yun or nothing.

“Li Yun, if you find yourself overwhelmed, withdraw. Your life is more important than a mine,” Third Elder Li Zhen said firmly, his voice heavy with concern. “Chen Xiao is no ordinary opponent. Promise me you’ll be cautious.”

Li Yun turned to him and smiled, his tone calm yet brimming with confidence. “Grandfather, don’t worry. Even if I can’t defeat Chen Xiao, it won’t be easy for him to kill me.”

Li Zhen’s tense features softened slightly at those words, though his heart still weighed heavy. “Hmm… good.”

***

“Family Head Zhao, Family Head Li, both of you have arrived.”

City Lord Bai Xueqin’s clear, commanding voice carried across the training ground.

When the wager had first been set, it was done under her authority as City Lord, with her serving as witness. Without her presence, today’s gamble would never have been permitted on the grounds of the City Lord’s Mansion.

Beside her stood Guan Long, Pavilion Master of the Treasure Pavilion, who had also been present when the agreement was sealed.

This gathering was unlike any ordinary duel. Several Xiantian Realm experts had come simply to watch, making the event feel more like a grand assembly than a private bet.

However, these Xiantian Realm experts were only at the 1st level of Xiantian Realm. In fact most of the Xiantian Realm experts in the Azure Wind City were only at the 1st level.

Only a few were at the 2nd level like Chen Yishen and the other two family lord of Li and Zhao Family.

The strongest in the Azure Wind City was Bai Xueqin whose strength had reached 3rd level of Xiantian Realm.

“Greetings, City Lord!” Zhao Lieyang and Li Jinyun both stepped forward, bowing respectfully.

Around them, other cultivators followed suit, cupping their fists in greeting.

“Greetings, City Lord,” Chen Yishen of the Chen Family added with a faint smile.

“Family Head Chen, you actually came in person.” Bai Xueqin’s tone was calm, neither warm nor cold. As the strongest figure in Azure Wind City, she had no need to curry favor. Still, even she hadn’t expected Chen Yishen to appear at such an occasion.

She did not yet know that Chen Xiao would be fighting on behalf of the Zhao Family. Neither side had revealed their chosen candidate beforehand, not the Zhao Family, nor the Li Family.

“Nothing much. I simply came to watch,” Chen Yishen replied with an easy smile.

“Lord City Governor,” Zhao Lieyang said with a smug grin, “the one representing my Zhao Family is Young Master Chen Xiao.”

Pleased with himself, he gestured toward Chen Xiao.

Bai Xueqin’s eyes narrowed slightly as they fell on the Chen Family’s most famed genius.

“Patriarch Li,” she asked evenly, “and who will represent your Li Family?”

“The one representing us is Li Yun,” Li Jinyun answered firmly. “Our Li Family doesn’t need outsiders.”

“What?”

“Li Yun?”

Gasps rippled through the onlookers.

The square erupted in disbelief.

“It’s actually Li Yun?”

“What is the Li Family thinking? That boy isn’t even eighteen!”

“Utter madness. They’ve sent him to his death.”

Many had joked earlier that perhaps Li Yun would fight, but no one truly believed it. Now that the Patriarch himself confirmed it, there was no room for doubt.

“Hahahahaha!”

Zhao Lieyang’s laughter burst out, harsh and mocking.

“Patriarch Li, have you lost your senses? To send this worthless brat? You might as well hand over your ore vein directly to my Zhao Family.”

His scorn was venomous, but beneath it, he felt an odd pang of regret. If he had known the Li Family would actually send Li Yun, he wouldn’t have spent such a fortune persuading Chen Xiao to step in. Chen Xiao had cost them dearly, but if it secured the ore vein, the expense would still be worth it. With that mine, the Zhao Family would soar while the Li Family collapsed.

Zhao Lieyang’s hatred toward Li Yun was already boundless. The boy had killed his beloved son and humiliated the Zhao Family by seizing wealth from them. If not for this public battle, Zhao Lieyang would have already tried to cut Li Yun into pieces.

“Zhao Lieyang, who are you calling a good-for-nothing?” Li Yun suddenly spoke, his voice sharp. His eyes flicked to Li Jinyun, who had darkened with anger but chosen to remain silent. Li Yun refused to let it pass.

“You brat, do you even have the right to speak here?” Zhao Lieyang snapped, face twisting with fury.

“I have the right when I’m the one standing in the arena,” Li Yun retorted coldly. “Since you call me trash, why don’t you bring out someone under thirty-five from your Zhao Family to fight me? Do you dare?”

Zhao Lieyang’s face stiffened.

Among the Zhao Family’s younger generation, none could truly match Li Yun.

“You’ve got nothing to say?” Li Yun pressed on, sneering. “I’m only sixteen. And yet, your Zhao Family can’t even send someone under thirty to fight me? If I’m trash, then what does that make your so-called geniuses?”

The crowd murmured in astonishment. His words struck like a whip, mocking, undeniable, and impossible for Zhao Lieyang to counter.

Rage burned in Zhao Lieyang’s chest. He knew Li Yun was no longer a so-called ’good-for-nothing’. At sixteen and already at the 5th level of Body Tempering Realm, Li Yun was a peerless genius. But having his own words thrown back at him left him speechless, and that humiliation only deepened his hatred.

“Enough.” Chen Yishen’s deep voice cut through the tension. He frowned slightly, clearly uninterested in pointless squabbling.

“Both sides have confirmed their representatives,” Bai Xueqin said, her voice calm and cold. “Let the battle begin.”

The crowd instantly hushed.

Li Yun and Chen Xiao stepped forward, facing each other across the cleared square.

Chen Xiao smirked. “Well, well. To think a nobody like you would dare stand before me. Do you really believe you’re qualified to fight me?”

Though the two had few interactions, their enmity stretched back. Chen Xiao still remembered the auction at the Treasure Pavilion, when Li Yun had publicly refused to give him face. And worse, it had been over a woman, Zhen Mayo. That humiliation had never left his heart.

“Chen Xiao,” Li Yun replied with a calm smile, “save your arrogance for after you win. But if you lose to this ’nobody,’ tell me, how will you ever show your face in Azure Wind City again?”

“Heh… just you?” Chen Xiao sneered openly.

In his mind, Li Yun’s cultivation was laughable. At the 5th level of Body Tempering Realm, he was nothing but a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

Chen Xiao was already considering whether to kill him outright, or to cripple his cultivation instead. The latter seemed far crueler. To ruin the future of a young genius, especially one with talent in alchemy, was a punishment far more fitting.

A cruel smile tugged at Chen Xiao’s lips.

“Yes, just me.” Li Yun lifted the Dark Light Sword, its blade catching the sunlight as he pointed it forward. “Today, I’ll defeat you, Chen Xiao. And you’ll regret ever standing on the Zhao Family’s side.”

“Sharp tongue!” Chen Xiao spat, eyes narrowing.