Nine o’clock in the morning.
When Li Tianlan slept soundly, the sudden ringing of the phone disturbed his dreams.
Li Tianlan moved in a daze and instinctively tried to ignore the ringing. However, the caller was unusually stubborn. The phone rang again and again and the originally melodious ringing also became more and more strident.
Frowning, he reached for the phone next to the pillow and put the caller through. After that, he put the phone near his ear and said, “h.e.l.lo.”
“Senior brother, did you return to Huating?”
In the phone, w.a.n.g Yuetong’s clear and sweet voice rang out. It seemed there was well-hidden joy in her sound.
Li Tianlan was somewhat confused. He had flown to and fro between Zhongyuan and Huating these days. Coupled with that his mind was wandering, he couldn’t even tell where he was at once. He moved, and Qin Weibai, who was in his embrace obediently, move as well and her little hands that held him tightened a little.
Smelling the rich and sweet-smelling aroma in the air, Li Tianlan felt refreshed and replied, “Hmm, what’s the matter?”
“I’m on my way to Yonghua Villa and will be there in about fifteen minutes.”
w.a.n.g Yuetong chuckled. The little princess of the w.a.n.g family of Beihai who was badly shaken one day ago by the fact that Li Tianlan and Qin Weibai were living together, seemed to have undergone a full blood resurrection. She spoke in a relaxed tone, “My father is in Huating now. He wants to see you.”
Sword Emperor w.a.n.g Tianzong of Zhongzhou State!
Li Tianlan’s mind was wide awake in an instant. He slightly frowned, and before he could say anything, w.a.n.g Yuetong’s shy and clear voice continued to sound. “You must meet my father. Senior brother, you owe me.”
“Dududu…”
The phone was hung up.
Li Tianlan held the phone in a daze. After a short while, he shook his head and was ready to get up.
Nevertheless, just as his body moved, Qin Weibai subconsciously nestled up to him. Feeling the smooth skin of the beauty beside him, his heart throbbed with a burst of excitement. Then with a wry smile, he lowered his head and kissed Qin Weibai’s face.
Qin Weibai was half asleep. She stretched out her little hand and wiped her face, muttering, “I’m tired.”
Li Tianlan coughed in embarra.s.sment. He was indeed a bit crazy last night. Qin Weibai’s charm really made him lose his mind. Every little expression and coquettish gesture of hers could make him lose his self-control. They had s.e.x until it was almost dawn and finally dozed off. Therefore, whether he or Qin Weibai could not bear to get up at this point mentally.
The sun was shining brightly outside.
Li Tianlan lay back in bed again and sighed. The most comfortable thing to do in this kind of weather was to hug his beloved woman on the bed. Even if he didn’t do anything, it was better than going out.
“Whose call?”
Qin Weibai reluctantly opened her eyes. She wrapped herself around Li Tianlan and asked sleepily.
“w.a.n.g Yuetong?”
Li Tianlan felt a little guilty, not knowing why. He coughed and said in a low voice, “w.a.n.g Tianzong has arrived at Huating and he wants to meet me.”
Qin Weibai looked confused and languid, but her eyes immediately became bright, as if she was in thought.
“It’s all right to meet him.”
She fell silent and sat up in bed to bring Li Tianlan his clothes. In Zhongzhou State, if the Sword Emperor wanted to meet someone, the person had no choice other than to meet him. Even if Samsara and Dongcheng Clan showed up to back Li Tianlan, he still had to meet the Sword Emperor. Furthermore, they were just going to meet each other and it was no big deal.
“Hmm,” Li Tianlan answered and let Qin Weibai help him get dressed. He was perfectly satisfied. Other than that, looking at her serious expression, he was even a little complacent.
“Originally I want to spend time with you today, but it seems impossible now. After meeting with him, you’d better go back to the Sky Academy. It’s not peaceful out there now. I will fly to Bili State in the afternoon or evening. Maybe it will be better when I come back.”
Qin Weibai said softly as she tidied the collar for Li Tianlan.
“Is it dangerous?”
Li Tianlan looked seriously into Qin Weibai’s eyes and asked, “What kind of organization is Samsara? What are you going to do in Bili State?”
Qin Weibai’s crystal and bright eyes blinked. She said with a smile, “Samsara is Samsara Palace. Compared with the super dark forces such as the w.a.n.g family of Beihai, Samsara Palace is only a rookie. It has always been mysterious in the eyes of the outside world because of its small staff and simple organization. If Samsara wants to close the gap with the superpowers, Bili State is a crucial step. That’s something we’ve been working on lately. This time some people will be killed, but I’ll be fine. My sister will protect me. She is an Invincible Realm expert.”
“There are also strong and weak Invincible Realm experts,” said Li Tianlan calmly.
He became anxious groundlessly. It seemed that he felt that Qin Weibai’s trip this time was extremely dangerous.
“Don’t worry, my sister is very powerful. She is an Invincible Realm expert on the Divine List and is highly ranked. I’ll introduce her to you someday and let her instruct you on Martial Arts.”
After dressing Li Tianlan, Qin Weibai wrapped herself in the quilt once again. She narrowed her eyes and added with a smile, “Behave well while I’m away, understand?”
“Hmm,” Li Tianlan answered. He suddenly bent down, pulled Qin Weibai’s head into his arms, and kissed her hard.
Qin Weibai let out some m.u.f.fled noises. She slipped her arms around Li Tianlan’s neck and pulled him to the bed.
Their lips parted a long while later.
Qin Weibai’s face was ruddy. She bit her lip and said smilingly, “You’re getting wild. Go.”
Li Tianlan’s mobile phone ringtone rang again.
He looked at the number and whispered to Qin Weibai, “Be careful.” After that, he directly turned and went straight out of the bedroom.
…
Outside the villa, w.a.n.g Yuetong’s brilliant blue Porsche had stopped at the door, but she did not get off the car. Seeing Li Tianlan come out, she casually honked the horn.
Li Tianlan got in the car with a calm expression.
“Good morning, senior brother.”
Smelling the fragrance of the woman pa.s.sing over to her from Li Tianlan’s body, w.a.n.g Yuetong was sad and jealous inside but she still smiled sweetly.
“Good morning.”
Li Tianlan nodded his head. He had worked so hard last night that he was still a little tired physically and mentally.
“I’ve prepared the breakfast for you. Grab a bite to eat.”
While speaking, w.a.n.g Yuetong pointed to the food bag on the central console.
The Porsche 718 was arguably the entry-level version of the Porsche series and the lack of internal storing s.p.a.ce made people burst into tears. When the food bag was placed on the central console, it was really an eyesore.
Li Tianlan said ‘thanks’ and did not stand on ceremony. When w.a.n.g Yuetong drove out of the villa, he also gulped a cup of coffee and a hamburger.
“Why does His Highness Sword Emperor want to meet me?” asked Li Tianlan flatly.
Now he would neither ignore w.a.n.g Yuetong intentionally nor stir the girl’s most sensitive thought. But the estrangement in his words was obvious. He made it clear that he did not want to be too close to her.
“Nothing, he just wants to meet you—a man possesses the Wind and Thunder Veins. By the way, he’ll thank you for saving my life,” said w.a.n.g Yuetong smilingly.
Her big eyes blinked and she appeared pure yet enchanting. Today, she was dressed in a cartoon sweater, jeans, and canvas shoes, and all these made she look quiet. But when the way she got dressed combined with her enchanting temperament, she suddenly looked like a charming stunner.
“Stunner…”
Thinking of Qin Weibai’s words, Li Tianlan smiled gently.
“There’s no need to thank me.”
He shook his head and continued, “I told you that we’re even.”
“Even?”
w.a.n.g Yuetong turned to look at Li Tianlan with burning eyes. “What about the favor you owed me due to Ning Qiancheng?”
“I’ll return it as soon as I can.”
Li Tianlan looked out of the window and asked coldly, “Where shall we meet?”
“The Garden Party.”
w.a.n.g Yuetong’s big eyes were slightly dim and she subconsciously sped up.
…
This was Li Tianlan’s second visit to the Garden Party.
After stopping the car, w.a.n.g Yuetong led the way in front and did not talk to Li Tianlan. With her head held high, she looked like a proud cygnet.
Girl’s thoughts were changeable, and Li Tianlan was too lazy to guess. He had no interest in guessing either. Following the same route as the last time and walking deep into this mysterious club, he again came to the pavilion where he met Xuan Xuanzi last time.
w.a.n.g Xiaoyao stood outside the pavilion with a quiet young man. Seeing Li Tianlan come over, he forced a smile no matter what was in his mind.
“Tianlan, we meet again.”
There was an old saying that the visitor was a guest. w.a.n.g Xiaoyao swallowed his pride and condescended to stretch out a hand with a smile.
“h.e.l.lo, Mr. w.a.n.g.”
Li Tianlan shook hands with w.a.n.g Xiaoyao with a calm expression.
A wisp of rich fragrance slipped into w.a.n.g Xiaoyao’s nostrils. He was stunned at first but soon his expression stiffened.
There was an inborn aroma on Qin Weibai’s body that no perfume could replace. He had pursued Qin Weibai for several years. Although he could not get close to the G.o.ddess in his mind, he remembered clearly the rich and natural aroma of the G.o.ddess and it always disturbed his mind. And now on Li Tianlan’s body, he smelt the smell of her clearly.
At this moment, w.a.n.g Xiaoyao’s brain rumbled and his heart seemed to be tightly clenched by a hand; it was so painful that he was almost breathless. He held Li Tianlan’s hand stiffly and his aura disordered. He could not utter a word of his prepared speech.
“Second Uncle.”
The young man beside w.a.n.g Xiaoyao coughed and reminded him calmly.
w.a.n.g Xiaoyao suddenly came to himself and subconsciously let go of Li Tianlan. He forced a smile and looked a little distraught. He then turned and looked at the clear water in the pond under his feet, breathing deeply. His eyes became gloomier than ever.
The young man looked at w.a.n.g Xiaoyao in surprise and then held out his hand to Li Tianlan with a smile. “h.e.l.lo, I’m w.a.n.g Shengxiao, thank you for saving my sister.”
w.a.n.g Shengxiao.
A man who ranked first among the top 10 experts of the young generation.
A man who possessed the Wind and Thunder Veins and was also known as the Heavenly Son of the young generation.
Li Tianlan’s pupils contracted slightly and he looked at the heir of the w.a.n.g family of Beihai in front of him carefully.
“I guess he should have been in the Thunder-shocking Realm presently,” thought Li Tianlan.
“h.e.l.lo.”
He held w.a.n.g Shengxiao’s hand with a poker face.
w.a.n.g Shengxiao had a warm smile and a handsome face. His temperament was modest and gentle, and he looked like a quiet and gentle young scholar, without the edge and pride of a young Heavenly Son. “I heard that you possess the Wind and Thunder Veins through Yuetong. We have the same const.i.tution. If you don’t mind, leave me your contact information later so that we can compete and exchange ideas when we are free. Of course, we should have a sense of propriety, so as not to ruin our friendship.”
“There will be an opportunity for us to do so.”
Li Tianlan’s smile was sincere, but only he himself knew what he was thinking about.
“Do you regret that you haven’t known each other before? In recent decades, there are only two people who possess the Wind and Thunder Veins in the Dark World. Now you guys meet for the first time. Senior brother, you’re as handsome as my brother.”
w.a.n.g Yuetong chuckled with a bright smile.
w.a.n.g Shengxiao’s handsome face stiffened slightly. Looking at Li Tianlan, who only had an ordinary appearance and was pleasant-looking at best, he smiled gently outwardly but bitterly inwardly.
It was all right that they had the same const.i.tution.
But his silly sister said that they were equally handsome.
How could she say this against her conscience?
He let go of Li Tianlan’s hand and unconsciously touched his face.
“Since you are here, just come in.”
A gentle voice rang out from the pavilion leisurely.
The voice sent shivers down Li Tianlan’s spine and he subconsciously looked toward the source of it.
In the pavilion, a figure who was not very tall and st.u.r.dy was throwing fish food into the pond with his back to them.
The figure looked very common and was even not eye-catching. The person causally and unhurriedly scattered the fish food in his hand, but in trance, he seemed to have integrated himself into the pavilion.
All the little bridges and streams around him seemed to be part of him.
Instead of moving forward, Li Tianlan closed his eyes slightly.
Everything before Li Tianlan was completely gone, and his sight was in darkness. In all his perceptions, there was no pavilion and running water; even w.a.n.g Xiaoyao and others had disappeared.
In front of him was a momentum which resembled a canopy of the heavens and was vast and abundant like a sea. This was the real momentum of the Invincible Realm expert!
It filled heaven and earth motionlessly and every move of it was earth-shaking!
Li Tianlan suddenly opened his eyes and took deep breaths. In a short time, his forehead was covered with sweat.
“You’re not bad.”
In Li Tianlan’s line of sight, the figure in the pavilion had turned around and was looking at him in surprise, saying, “A man possesses the Wind and Thunder Veins and has touched the threshold of the Invincible Realm. Interesting!”
Li Tianlan vomited the foul air in his chest and straightened his body subconsciously. Then he said softly, “Pay my respects to Sword Emperor.”
“Have a seat.”
w.a.n.g Tianzong waved his hand and pointed to the stone table in the pavilion.
Li Tianlan went over there and sat down, looking at w.a.n.g Tianzong without saying a word. The man’s every move seemed ordinary, but in fact, he had a dragon and a tiger crouched in his body. It was quite possible that he was the first person, in name or in reality, in the Dark World today. But Li Tianlan’s heart was unprecedentedly calm.
“You surname Li?” asked w.a.n.g Tianzong.
He looked at Li Tianlan with interest.
Li Tianlan’s heart sank without any known reason, but his expression remained unchanged and he just slightly nodded.
“A young man who clearly wants to be even with the w.a.n.g family of Beihai, who is highly regarded by Dongcheng Clan, who is able to make Qin Weibai sleep with him voluntarily, who deserves great concern of the Academics, who can display the Tenth Blade of Vastness…”
w.a.n.g Tianzong’s smile was still gentle. He looked at Li Tianlan before him who had never changed his expression and said, “Interesting, isn’t it?”
“How did you know that?”
Even now, Li Tianlan’s tone was still calm without any fluctuations.
“I heard Yuetong talk about how you saved her. The 24 Moves of Sword of Xuanyuantai of Kunlun is a unique skill that is written on ‘Map of G.o.d of War’, but for hundreds of years, except for your ancestor who created ‘Map of G.o.d of War’, no one is able to display all of the moves. For hundreds of years, every G.o.d of War of past generations from Xuanyuantai either practiced ‘Balance Manual or Peak Manual’, but no one has ever practiced the strongest ‘Invincible Manual’. The 24 Moves of Sword has become less dazzling. Including the Tenth Blade, several moves among the 24 Moves of Sword belong to ‘Invincible Manual’. Am I right?” s
w.a.n.g Tianzong looked at Li Tianlan with gentler eyes.
“Yes, so how did you know all this?”
Li Tianlan still spoke calmly. The Tenth Blade of Vastness belonged to “Invincible Manual”, and it was a move that his predecessors were unable to perform. This sword move had never shown up, but w.a.n.g Tianzong was certain that it was the Tenth Blade only according to w.a.n.g Yuetong’s dictation. It was too weird and amazing.
“When the ancestor of Xuanyuantai, also the Zhongzhou G.o.d of War of the first generation, was creating the 24 Moves of Sword, he integrated a set of punching skill of Xuanyuan Clan into it. Meanwhile, he also used some unique skills of the w.a.n.g family of Beihai for reference. So there are some records about the 24 Moves of Sword in the w.a.n.g family of Beihai,” said w.a.n.g Tianzong insipidly.
He glanced at Li Tianlan and continued, “I used to learn sword moves from Senior Li when I was young. Is Senior Li all right now?”
“Not bad, thanks to you,” said Li Tianlan coldly.
From beginning to end, even if w.a.n.g Tianzong exposed his ident.i.ty, Li Tianlan did not show the slightest panic and shock.
“You have a good ambition. No wonder you dared to come to the Sky Academy.”
w.a.n.g Tianzong said thoughtfully, “You practice ‘Invincible Manual’ and had once entered the Fire-flaming Realm. Does that mean you have been defeated? And that’s why you have to practice once again? Who’s the winner?”
Li Tianlan did not speak. He just looked at w.a.n.g Tianzong with cold eyes.
It was not hostility but a kind of alienation and indifference showing that he wanted to distance himself from w.a.n.g Tianzong subconsciously.
w.a.n.g Tianzong looked at him for a moment, then he nodded and whispered, “Is there a sore point that you possess against the w.a.n.g family of Beihai? Is it because of what happened to your father?”
“I can understand what you have done, and I would have done the same thing.”
“So you don’t need an explanation?”
“You can explain.”
The conversation between the two grew faster and the atmosphere grew more serious.
On one side of the pavilion, w.a.n.g Yuetong had already frozen.
“Senior Brother Tianlan…”
“Is he the descendant of the Li family?”
“No wonder he always wants to be even with me… No wonder… No wonder…”
She bit her lip tightly and felt perturbed and confused.
“I am the Patriarch of the w.a.n.g family of Beihai.”
w.a.n.g Tianzong took a deep look at Li Tianlan and said slowly. That was his explanation. It was empty, but it said it all.
It seemed that Li Tianlan understood, but it also seemed that he didn’t. He just nodded his head indifferently and said calmly, “So I’m going to die here today?”
At that moment he suddenly remembered what Great Master Wuwei had said.
He said that he would undergo a tribulation recently, but he didn’t expect that he would suffer here.
“I won’t kill you.”
w.a.n.g Tianzong shook his head and continued, “I don’t think the w.a.n.g family of Beihai had made a mistake to keep silent that year, but you’re wrong if you think you’ll be killed here. But again, I have a suggestion for you.”
“I’d like to know the details.”
Li Tianlan nodded, without any emotional fluctuations.
“Go back.”
“The Sky Academy is unsuitable for you,” said w.a.n.g Tianzong in a cool tone.
Li Tianlan smiled. He always remained calm as if he were neither angry nor afraid, but his aura suddenly changed, and his eyes, too, began to show a kind of madness and ferocity.
“Go back? Back to where? Back to the border?”
“You can go back to the border or go abroad, it depends on you. There is no point in your coming this time. The Li family doesn’t exist anymore. Even if you enter the Invincible Realm, it’s impossible for the Li family to regain glory. Zhongzhou State is not suitable for you anymore.”
w.a.n.g Tianzong said slowly without sparing Li Tianlan a glance.
Li Tianlan’s smile grew wilder and there seemed to be flames burning in his eyes. It was so evident that everyone could sense the fervor and persistence in his eyes. “You’re the Sword Emperor and the No. 1 expert, but you’re not G.o.d and can’t control everyone’s fate. So, I’m not leaving. I’ll bring back everything that the Li family had lost bit by bit!”
“You can’t take anything away.”
w.a.n.g Tianzong added coldly, “It’s not the Li family’s time anymore.”
“Time is created by man.”
Li Tianlan sneered, “I want to have a try. You can’t stop me.”
He hit his chest with all his strength, as if he meant to hit his own soul.
Blood gushed from the corners of his mouth, but in addition to madness, the desperate determination was the only thing in his eyes. “I bet on the Li family’s dignity and honor. Over the past two decades, nearly a thousand lives and their honors have been on me. You can’t stop me, n.o.body can stop me!!!”
w.a.n.g Tianzong turned his head and looked at the pond outside the pavilion. “Then you can try it,” he said coolly.
Li Tianlan wiped the blood at the corners of his mouth, nodded, and said directly, “Goodbye.”
He turned away from the pavilion without looking back.
The atmosphere inside the pavilion was subdued and silent.
w.a.n.g Yuetong had been in a daze and finally came to herself. Looking at Li Tianlan’s back, she screamed, “Senior brother!” Subconsciously, she rushed in the direction that Li Tianlan had left.
w.a.n.g Shengxiao slightly frowned and muttered, “Father…”
Looking at his daughter who was chasing Li Tianlan, w.a.n.g Tianzong shook his head and said with a deadpan expression, “He has a wild ambition and they are never a good match.”
…