"Yes, it is a Mist Spirit Pool," Bai Xueqin confirmed, her gaze steady on him. Then she tilted her head toward Guan Long. "And it was first discovered by the Treasure Pavilion."
That single glance explained everything.
Guan Long stroked his beard and nodded, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness. "It’s true. My Treasure Pavilion’s men were the ones who found it first. By rights, the Mist Spirit Pool should belong to us. Unfortunately, the pool lies at the exact junction between Azure Wind City and Water Cloud City. At first, we hoped to keep the discovery quiet and send people to cultivate there in secret. But before long, the City Lord of Water Cloud City caught wind of it. His men arrived quickly at the site, and... that’s when the trouble began."
A faint sigh escaped him. Even the Pavilion Master of the Treasure Pavilion looked troubled.
Because the dispute had already escalated to involve Water Cloud City’s City Lord’s Mansion, Guan Long had no choice but to seek Bai Xueqin’s help.
Yet, things were not so simple.
The City Lord of Water Cloud City, Hu Fu, held a long-standing grudge against Bai Xueqin and had no intention of giving her any face. Even when Bai Xueqin proposed sharing the Mist Spirit Pool equally between the two cities, Hu Fu flatly refused.
Irritated by his rejection, Bai Xueqin responded in kind. She dispatched the Azure Wind City Lord’s Mansion guards to the Mist Spirit Pool, setting them directly against the forces of Water Cloud City. The two sides confronted one another for days, glaring across the mist-shrouded waters. Neither dared to retreat, but neither could enter the pool either.
The stalemate was pointless. Both Bai Xueqin and Hu Fu understood that if things dragged on, no one would benefit.
At last, Hu Fu sent word with a proposal: settle the matter with a single battle. Each side would send one cultivator. Whoever won would claim the right to use the Mist Spirit Pool.
But Hu Fu also set restrictions. The candidates had to be under thirty years of age and below the Xiantian Realm. This ensured the clash wouldn’t spiral out of control into a true war between cities.
The conditions were fair, and though Bai Xueqin disliked Hu Fu, she had no reason to refuse. Guan Long agreed as well.
Having explained this much, Guan Long turned to Li Yun and laid the matter bare.
"Li Yun," Bai Xueqin spoke directly after Guan Long finished, her beautiful eyes locking onto him, "the City Lord of Water Cloud City is called Hu Fu. I have my own grudge with him; the details don’t matter. What matters is this, I want you to face the cultivator Hu Fu sends."
By then, Li Yun had already guessed where this was heading. His mind spun quickly, weighing the situation.
And just as he thought it through, a familiar mechanical chime rang in his ears.
[Ding! Host has triggered the quest: Friend to City Lord. Would you like to accept the quest?]
[Quest Level: D]
– Objective: [Help the City Lord secure the Mist Spirit Pool.]
– Reward: [7000 gold coins, 2000 experience points, high-grade mortal rank Blazing Dragon Fist.]
’A high-grade mortal rank fist technique?’
Li Yun’s heart pounded. The high grade mortal rank fist technique was enough to lure him into the quest.
’Accept the quest.’
Li Yun accepted instantly, his eyes glinting with excitement.
Li Yun smiled faintly. "Thank you, City Lord, Pavilion Master, for placing your trust in me. Since you both ask for my help, I cannot refuse. But... how many people will be allowed to cultivate in this Mist Spirit Pool?"
Of course, if he was going to fight, he wasn’t going to fight for nothing. Who would risk their life without some benefit in return? And right now, what Li Yun needed most was time and opportunity to cultivate.
At his words, Bai Xueqin and Guan Long exchanged a quick glance, the corners of their mouths lifting ever so slightly. Naturally, this boy had his eyes on the cultivation quota for the Mist Spirit Pool.
But before Li Yun even arrived, they had already agreed, if he represented Azure Wind City and won, then he would be given a place without question.
"Li Yun," Bai Xueqin said with a smile, "as long as you can secure victory, you will naturally be allowed to enter the Mist Spirit Pool and cultivate. Pavilion Master Guan has already agreed to this as well."
She then turned her jade-like hand over, and in her palm appeared a delicate greenish-blue jade bottle, faint wisps of spiritual light seeping out of it.
"And besides, if you accept, you will gain something else, this small bottle of spirit liquid."
"Spirit liquid?" Li Yun’s eyes immediately locked onto the jade bottle, his heart stirring.
"That’s right, spirit liquid," Bai Xueqin nodded. "Though it’s only a small amount, for someone at your realm, it is a treasure beyond measure. So, Li Yun, will you help me?"
Li Yun straightened, his voice firm. "With the City Lord’s command, how could I shrink back? And beyond that, this is also for the honor of Azure Wind City! I will give it everything I have!"
"Good." Bai Xueqin’s eyes softened. With a flick of her slender finger, the jade bottle flew through the air and landed gently in Li Yun’s hand. "This spirit liquid is yours. The battle will take place four days from now, but we must leave in three to reach the Mist Spirit Pool in time. Use these three days well. Stay in my City Lord’s Mansion and refine this spirit liquid to raise your strength. With it, you should be able to step into the 2nd level of the Body Tempering Realm. When the time comes, you must defeat the candidate from Water Cloud City."
Li Yun caught the jade bottle carefully, his palms trembling slightly. This was no ordinary treasure, it was spirit liquid.
In Azure Wind City, such a thing couldn’t even be bought with gold. He had heard rumors of it, but had never seen it with his own eyes. Even the elders of the Li family, even the patriarch himself, had likely never cultivated with spirit liquid.
Spirit liquid was formed by extracting pure spiritual energy from a rare ore found deep underground. The ore itself was useless for direct cultivation, but through a complex refining process, the essence within could be turned into this glowing liquid. And this spirit liquid could be fully absorbed by cultivators, drastically accelerating their progress.
Its value was unimaginable.
"Thank you, City Lord!" Li Yun quickly stowed the jade bottle away with both hands, his voice filled with genuine gratitude.
"Someone!" Bai Xueqin’s clear voice rang out toward the door.
"Here!" Bai Futian immediately stepped inside.
"Take Young Master Li Yun to rest," Bai Xueqin instructed calmly, though her tone carried unquestionable authority. "For the next three days of his secluded cultivation, no one is permitted to disturb him."
"Yes, City Lord!" Bai Futian bowed respectfully, then turned to Li Yun with a smile. "Young Master Li Yun, please follow me."
"Thank you, Captain Bai." Li Yun cupped his hands politely before following him out of the reception room.
Once Li Yun had left, silence lingered in the room for a moment. Guan Long’s eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Bai Xueqin’s expression. She was smiling faintly, her brows relaxed, her whole demeanor carrying an ease he rarely saw from her.
"City Lord, you seem very pleased," Guan Long said with a small chuckle. "Do you truly believe Li Yun has such a high chance of victory?"
He and Bai Xueqin had known each other for many years; their relationship was close enough that he could read her mood at a glance. Right now, he could feel her quiet confidence.
"Yes," Bai Xueqin nodded gently, her lips curving. "Li Yun’s chances are very high. To ensure he doesn’t falter, I gave him a bottle of spirit liquid so he can raise his strength even further during these three days."
Her tone was calm, but her words carried weight, her conviction unmistakable.
"Li Yun is indeed promising," Guan Long admitted, stroking his beard. "He may be the most suitable choice Azure Wind City can send. But City Lord... why are you so certain?"
He truly could not understand. Although he personally thought well of Li Yun, the boy was only sixteen. The conditions of this contest allowed candidates up to thirty years old. Who could say what kind of genius Hu Fu, the City Lord of Water Cloud City, would send?
Li Yun had once defeated Li Xian at the 4th level of the Body Tempering Realm, yes. But there was always someone stronger. In martial cultivation, there was no such thing as the strongest, only stronger still.
So what was it that made Bai Xueqin so unshakably confident in this boy?
To be honest, the reason Guan Long had recommended Li Yun to Bai Xueqin was not because he truly believed the boy had an overwhelming chance of winning. Rather, it was because in the whole of Azure Wind City, it would be nearly impossible to find another youth like him.
Besides, Li Yun had business ties with the Treasure Pavilion. To Guan Long, befriending him was an investment in the future, Li Yun’s potential as an alchemist was far too great to ignore.
But now, looking at Bai Xueqin’s demeanor, Guan Long felt she was showing far too much confidence in Li Yun.
Seeing the doubt flicker across his face, Bai Xueqin chuckled softly, her bright eyes gleaming with a trace of mischief.
"Guan, you must have guessed that the moment Li Yun entered this room, I probed his cultivation, didn’t you?" she asked with a faint smile.
Guan Long stroked his beard and nodded. "I did. I said earlier that his strength must have risen, and I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist probing him. Clearly, I was right."
"You guessed I probed him," Bai Xueqin’s smile deepened, her gaze narrowing slightly, "but you didn’t guess that Li Yun actually realized I was probing him."
Her tone was light, but her words carried weight. Her confidence in Li Yun was not baseless.
"What?" Guan Long’s face froze, disbelief flashing in his eyes. "City Lord, what did you just say?"
"You can’t be serious... He noticed you probing him? That’s impossible! Even many Xiantian Realm cultivators wouldn’t be able to detect it. Li Yun isn’t even close to that realm yet." Guan Long’s voice was filled with shock.
It was no wonder.
Bai Xueqin’s strength was not only unfathomable, it was faintly above his own. If she chose to probe someone at Body Tempering Realm, there was no reason it should be noticed, let alone countered. The very idea seemed absurd.
But Bai Xueqin’s smile vanished. She tapped her slender jade finger lightly on the armrest of her chair, her expression solemn.
"I’m not joking, Guan. I released a wisp of soul power to probe his realm... but before I could retract it, that wisp was shattered. Destroyed, by him."
The words hung in the air like thunder.
To use soul power already required one to have reached the Xiantian Realm. Yet Li Yun had not only sensed her probe but annihilated it.
Even Bai Xueqin herself had been startled in that instant.
Seeing her expression, Guan Long knew immediately she was telling the truth. This was no jest.
"Phew..." Guan Long slowly let out a long breath, his eyes narrowing with newfound intensity.
"This child... he’s truly extraordinary," he muttered. A spark of anticipation lit in his gaze. Like Bai Xueqin, he too was beginning to look forward to the battle four days from now.
Just then, footsteps sounded outside. Bai Futian walked in once again and bowed. "Lord City Lord, Young Master Li Yun has been settled."
"Good," Bai Xueqin nodded. "You’ll have to make another trip to the Li Family. Tell them Li Yun will be staying in my mansion for a while to assist me with something. That way they won’t worry about his safety."
"Yes!" Bai Futian accepted the order without hesitation. He gave Bai Xueqin a quick glance, but wisely refrained from asking questions. With a bow, he turned and swiftly departed.

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