Chapter 116: So That's How It Is

After bidding farewell to Li Yunqing, Wang Changsheng returned directly to his cave dwelling without lingering in the Li family estate. Sitting cross-legged, a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.

“How should I explain this to Li Fusheng?” Wang Changsheng murmured to himself. Although he had promised Li Yunqing and made an agreement, he hadn’t yet devised a good way to trick Li Fusheng out of the estate. Knowing Li Fusheng well, if he told him directly, Li Fusheng would surely refuse to leave, for he was the sort who harbored intense rebelliousness.

“Got it!” Suddenly, a smile brightened Wang Changsheng’s face—he had thought of a plan. Rather than seeking out Li Fusheng immediately, Wang Changsheng carefully examined his own condition. After being attacked by Li Ziqi at the Fire Phoenix Pool, he had suffered serious injuries and a backlash, and had been healing and stabilizing his cultivation ever since. Once stabilized, he had sought out Li Yunqing, intending to leave and find a secluded place to organize his thoughts thoroughly. Unexpectedly, Li Fusheng had returned, bringing new complications.

Now, Wang Changsheng had no plans to leave just yet, so he resolved to consolidate the gains from this ordeal. “Thankfully, I’ve finally broken through!” he said in a deep voice. The true energy in his dantian was increasing steadily, and Wang Changsheng was certain he had surpassed the Transformation Origin realm.

Next, he slowly gathered his true energy, lifting his body into the air. The first thing he needed to master was flight. Fortunately, having reached the Transformation Origin realm, he no longer needed any special body techniques or spells—his powerful true energy alone could sustain flight.

Within his cave, Wang Changsheng’s figure wobbled as he flew, continuously adjusting his posture and true energy. “I thought this would be easy, but it’s far from simple...” he muttered solemnly. After two full hours of practice, he hadn’t fully mastered control. Basic flight and changing direction posed no great difficulty, but fighting while flying was an entirely unfamiliar domain.

Though Wang Changsheng had rich combat experience, it was all in hand-to-hand warrior combat, which was quite different from a cultivator’s battle.

“Boom!” A muffled thud echoed in the cave as Wang Changsheng collided fiercely with the wall. Even with the protective formation’s help, he ended up dusty and disheveled. “This is too difficult...” he sighed, landing on the floor helplessly. “Just forcibly changing my attack angle is uncontrollable...”

After pondering, he concluded, “Seems like I need to find a set of body techniques to train!” His clumsy figure, even while flying, was useless in combat and might even be a liability.

Now in the Shangyang Li family estate, Wang Changsheng couldn’t find any method to cultivate such techniques. He certainly couldn’t ask the Li family for help. He would have to wait until he returned to the Corpse Refining Sect, which had a vast collection of cultivation methods, among which body techniques surely existed.

“The greatest gain this time isn’t the breakthrough in cultivation, but the complete removal of my physical ailments!” Wang Changsheng said gravely. Since entering the cultivation world, he had long been troubled by his deteriorating physical functions. After finally breaking through, his condition improved somewhat, only to have his vitality drained by the elders of the Corpse Refining Sect.

This time, thanks to the Fire Phoenix True Blood, his physical functions were thoroughly restored. Previously, his aging body lacked regenerative ability; once lost, vitality was gone forever. Now, everything had returned to youthful normalcy, and even if vitality diminished again, his body could gradually self-repair.

From now on, Wang Changsheng no longer needed to worry about the end drawing near or his light burning out.

---

“Knock, knock, knock...” As Wang Changsheng was contemplating, a knock came at the door. Stopping his cultivation, he opened it to find Li Fusheng standing outside, his face dark and grim.

“Li Daoist!” Wang Changsheng clasped his fists awkwardly. “Last time was all a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding, you understand?”

“I understand!” Li Fusheng said grimly, “But this misunderstanding is awfully convenient, isn’t it?”

With that, Li Fusheng kicked fiercely toward Wang Changsheng.

“Don’t attack!” Wang Changsheng shouted, retreating step by step. “Li Daoist, let’s talk things over—I’m a distinguished guest of your Li family!”

From the moment he opened the door, Wang Changsheng remained on guard. Having been hunted by Li Fusheng before in the Realm of Perpetual Daylight, he knew Li Fusheng was the kind who never let things go.

“Oh?” Li Fusheng was surprised when Wang Changsheng evaded his kick. “Looks like you’ve improved quite a bit since the last time!”

“Just lucky, just lucky!” Wang Changsheng replied awkwardly.

“Lucky?” Li Fusheng’s expression darkened. “It’s no luck to get the Fire Phoenix True Blood from old Li Yunqing’s hands—it’s impressive, truly impressive!”

“Please come in and talk,” Wang Changsheng said with a forced smile, closing the door behind Li Fusheng as he entered.

“Tell me, how did you get the Fire Phoenix True Blood from old Li Yunqing?” Li Fusheng demanded immediately.

Before Wang Changsheng could answer, Li Fusheng added, “You should know, I said countless sweet words to that old man before I got just a single drop of Fire Phoenix True Blood!”

“I... I...” Wang Changsheng was embarrassed. “Actually, I’m not entirely sure...”

“Not sure?” Li Fusheng frowned. “As far as I know, that old man isn’t one to give away benefits easily. One drop of Fire Phoenix True Blood can at least cultivate a Golden Core true cultivator for the Li family...”

“That powerful?” Wang Changsheng asked in surprise. He hadn’t known that a single drop could produce a Golden Core-level true cultivator.

“The Li family’s Fire Phoenix Essence Blood has a high chance of producing a Golden Core true cultivator,” Li Fusheng said gravely. “And the Fire Phoenix True Blood, so long as it isn’t lost, guarantees a cultivator can reach the Golden Core realm!”

Hearing this, Wang Changsheng realized how great a favor Li Yunqing had done for him.

“So you’re saying that as long as I develop steadily, breaking through to the Golden Core realm is absolutely possible?” Wang Changsheng asked immediately.

“Dream on!” Li Fusheng said coldly. “That applies only to Li family cultivators. The Shangyang Li family’s bloodline already contains Fire Phoenix lineage, but you...”

“Heh... the biggest use of the Fire Phoenix True Blood for you is just curing your physical ailments—it’s a complete waste!” Li Fusheng sneered disdainfully.

Wang Changsheng felt a surge of anger at Li Fusheng’s contemptuous tone but knew he couldn’t fight back—that was why Li Fusheng remained so arrogant.

“Now, tell me—how did you manage to trick your way into getting the Fire Phoenix True Blood?” Li Fusheng demanded. “And even the Fire Phoenix Secret Art! It’s unbelievable!”

“I really don’t know!” Wang Changsheng said. “I originally went to the Wanderer Pavilion to find my second uncle, but he wasn’t there. Then Zhang Mingyuan told me to come to the Fire Phoenix Pool to find Li Yunqing!”

“When I arrived, Li Bo just handed me the Fire Phoenix Secret Art and the Fire Phoenix True Blood!” Wang Changsheng continued. “Then he took me to train at the Fire Phoenix Pool...”

“Up to now, I’m still completely baffled...” Wang Changsheng spread his hands, showing helplessness.

“Zhang Mingyuan? The Wanderer Pavilion’s sect leader?” Li Fusheng pondered. “With Zhang Mingyuan’s status and strength, it’s impossible for him to access the Shangyang Li family... So the key must be your second uncle!”

Wang Changsheng nodded, surprised that Li Fusheng could deduce so much from such little information.

“Who’s your second uncle?” Li Fusheng asked curiously. “Tell me his name—I want to see who has such influence to make the old man part with the Fire Phoenix Secret Art and True Blood!”

“Wang Tenghu!” Wang Changsheng said at once. “My second uncle is Wang Tenghu. Don’t know if you’ve heard of him?”

Wang Changsheng was growing increasingly uncertain about his uncle and wanted to find out more. Unfortunately, Li Yunqing hadn’t been forthcoming, and Wang Changsheng had no other leads.

More than his uncle, what Wang Changsheng really wanted was news of his father. Mentioning his uncle’s name was also an attempt to glean information from Li Fusheng.

“What?” Li Fusheng, who had been sitting, stood up abruptly, incredulous. “You said your second uncle is who? Repeat that.”

“Wang Tenghu!” Wang Changsheng repeated firmly.

Confirming he hadn’t misheard, Li Fusheng’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully before he slowly sat down, somewhat relieved. “So that’s how it is... I knew that old man wouldn’t be so generous otherwise...”

“What’s going on?” Wang Changsheng asked immediately.

But Li Fusheng ignored him, lost in thought.

“Hey!” Wang Changsheng waved his hand in front of Li Fusheng’s face, but the latter remained unresponsive, as if entranced.

“Smack!” Wang Changsheng slapped Li Fusheng on the back of the head, then stepped back. Li Fusheng blinked and finally came back to himself.

“You just hit me?” Li Fusheng looked at Wang Changsheng, asking.

“No, no!” Wang Changsheng quickly denied. How could he admit to that?

“There’s no one else here—you definitely hit me!” Li Fusheng’s expression turned furious. “If you didn’t hit me, why did you step back so far?”

Saying that, Li Fusheng charged straight at Wang Changsheng.