Behind the back mountain.
Jiang Lang opened his eyes, a flash of divine light vanishing deep within them.
Feeling the surging life force within his body, he felt he could tear apart tigers and leopards with his bare hands.
Yet his Dantian was completely empty, without a shred of Spiritual Qi fluctuation.
And yet, he knew his current strength was at the Fifth Stage of Martial Arts.
The realms of this world were divided into five major tiers: Martial Artist Realm, Spirit Sea Realm, Divine Ability Realm, Nirvana Realm, and Immortal Realm.
Each major tier was further subdivided.
The Martial Artist Realm, for instance, was split into nine minor stages.
Being at the Fifth Stage of Martial Arts already placed him among the experts in Lieyong City.
Jiang Lang nodded with satisfaction. "Merely circulating my bloodline once triggered a Heaven and Earth Phenomenon, and directly propelled me to the Fifth Stage of Martial Arts. Yet this power is undoubtedly far more formidable than a mere Fifth Stage of Martial Arts. Empress Yaochi told me my future cultivation path would be smooth sailing; she truly did not deceive me."
Upon leaving the back mountain, however, he saw the entire Lin Family gathered, everyone beaming with joy as if celebrating a festival.
Seeing Jiang Lang appear, everyone froze.
What on earth? How could Jiang Lang be the one emerging from the back mountain?
Could it be... was he the one who triggered the Heaven and Earth Phenomenon?
This... how could that be possible!
Lin Yayin immediately stepped forward and demanded, "Why are you, a good-for-nothing, showing up here?"
Jiang Lang frowned. "Where I appear is none of your damn business."
With that, he lifted his foot to walk away.
However, Lin Wei blocked Jiang Lang's path. "Nephew Jiang, was it you practicing in the back mountain just now?"
Jiang Lang nodded. "That's right."
Hearing this, Lin Wei's expression changed instantly.
He glanced up at the sky, where the Heaven and Earth Phenomenon was gradually fading. "You mean to say you triggered this Heaven and Earth Phenomenon?"
Jiang Lang looked up and glanced at it. "That's right."
In an instant, the smiles froze on the faces of everyone in the Lin Family, and the entire courtyard fell dead silent.
Just then, a voice rang out, "Jiang Lang, you really know how to brag."
Li Muxian stepped through the moonlight, treading through the air.
With his upright posture and flowing white robes, he looked like an immortal descending beneath the moon, landing steadily upon a blue boulder and looking down at Jiang Lang from above.
That contemptuous gaze was as if he were looking at a mere ant.
Instantly, joy erupted across the faces of the entire Lin Family. "Young Master Li!"
Lin Yayin stepped directly forward. "Young Master Li, the Heaven and Earth Phenomenon just now..."
Li Muxian said indifferently, "Naturally, it was me."
Receiving this affirmative answer, the Lin Family erupted once again.
"I knew it had to be Young Master Li!"
"That good-for-nothing Jiang Lang actually dared to shamelessly claim he triggered the Heaven and Earth Phenomenon? Simply brazen!"
"A total piece of trash, and yet he still dares to brag. It's utterly disgusting."
Everyone in the Lin Family launched into sarcastic jeers, casting disdainful looks toward Jiang Lang.
Lin Yayin's expression was filled with even greater contempt. "Jiang Lang, I never expected you to be such a shameless wretch. Clearly nothing more than a good-for-nothing, yet you vainly attempt to impersonate Young Master Li. Being useless is one thing, but your character is utterly rotten as well. It's a good thing I dumped you!"
Xu Yunyun chimed in, "Indeed, you aren't even worth a single hair on Young Master Li's head. Hurry up and get lost."
Hearing these harsh abuses, Jiang Lang did not grow angry. His gaze shifted to Li Muxian, his expression calm. "What's real cannot be fake, and what's fake cannot be real. There will always come a day when the truth comes to light, won't there?"
Li Muxian's gaze turned cold. "You piece of trash, do you really think you triggered the Heaven and Earth Phenomenon?"
Jiang Lang was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.
It seemed Li Muxian genuinely believed his own lie.
Jiang Lang smiled without a word; continuing a war of words with him was completely meaningless, so he lifted his foot and prepared to leave.
Suddenly, Li Muxian spoke up, "Stop right there."
Jiang Lang halted. "Something the matter?"
Li Muxian's gaze grew gloomy. "You were mighty arrogant at Xingbao Pavilion today. Now I'd like to see who can protect you!"
Jiang Lang raised an eyebrow. "Want to fight? Bring it on."
A flash of cold intent swept through Li Muxian's eyes as he prepared to make a move.
Just at that moment, however, a servant hurried in frantically. "Clan Head, the heads of the Chen, Kong, and Wei families have brought gifts to pay their respects to you and Young Master Li."
Lin Wei's expression tightened slightly. "Young Master Li, these are all prominent clans of Lieyong City; we cannot afford to be rude. You and I should go meet them first, and we can deal with this good-for-nothing later."
Li Muxian glanced at Jiang Lang and sneered, "Consider yourself lucky, you piece of trash."
Jiang Lang smiled faintly. "No, the lucky one is you."
With that, he turned and left.
Returning to the wooden cabin, Lin Qingrou had already woken up and learned what had happened from a maidservant.
Seeing Jiang Lang return, she asked, "Did you go out to watch the excitement too?"
Jiang Lang was stunned. "What excitement?"
Lin Qingrou said, "Everyone is saying that Li Muxian triggered the Heaven and Earth Phenomenon and is bound to be a true dragon soaring through the clouds with a boundless future. I thought you went to see what was going on."
Jiang Lang shook his head gently. "What true dragon in the clouds? He's just trash. I went to the back mountain to cultivate."
Lin Qingrou looked at Jiang Lang, blinking. "Weren't your cultivation foundations completely destroyed? How could you still cultivate?"
Jiang Lang smiled. "Who did you hear that from?"
Lin Qingrou replied, "There are rumors all over town saying your Dantian was destroyed and you can never cultivate again."
Jiang Lang said, "Don't listen to their nonsense. Who says cultivation requires a Dantian? Can't I practice Body Refining? That Heaven and Earth Phenomenon just now was triggered by me."
Lin Qingrou rolled her eyes at him. "Brag all you want."
Jiang Lang was left speechless. "Why is it that when I tell the truth, nobody believes it?"
Lin Qingrou said softly, "Stop trying to fool me... I know a thing or two about cultivation myself. You're a Body Refining practitioner with not a shred of Spiritual Qi in your body—how could your breath connect with the heavens and trigger a Heaven and Earth Phenomenon?"
Jiang Lang looked at Lin Qingrou in disbelief. "You actually do know your stuff..."
Lin Qingrou feigned annoyance. "Don't underestimate me!"
Pausing slightly, she let out a soft sigh. "It's just a pity that Spiritual Qi is the foundation of a martial artist. Although Body Refining is also a path, its prospects are ultimately limited. But if this is the path you want to take, I will support you no matter what!"
With that, she took her saved-up money out from the drawer. "It's not much, but you should go buy some spiritual herbs, Precious Beast Blood, or things like that. Those items are beneficial for Body Refining."
Jiang Lang looked at the patched money pouch, knowing it likely contained all of Lin Qingrou's worldly possessions.
His heart filled with tenderness, and he smiled faintly. "Silly girl, even ten times this amount of money probably couldn't buy a single drop of Precious Beast Blood. The path of martial arts is extremely costly."
"Ah?" Lin Qingrou gasped, but after a moment of thought, her gaze turned resolute. "It's fine, I can do embroidery and weave cloth. I'll make money to support you, and you just focus hard on your cultivation. Whatever level you manage to reach, that will be enough."
An infinite wave of warmth surged within Jiang Lang's heart.
He gently pulled Lin Qingrou into his embrace.
Listening to the steady heartbeat echoing from Jiang Lang's chest, Lin Qingrou felt an inexplicable sense of peace, so profound she didn't even want to pull away.
After a long while, seeming to recall something, she spoke up, "You should still take this money."
Jiang Lang looked dumbfounded. "Why?"
A hint of shyness crossed Lin Qingrou's eyes. "We're getting married the day after tomorrow. If there are no betrothal gifts, people will surely mock you. Let this money serve as the bride price to marry me. Although it's little, at least it's something, and perhaps then they won't ridicule you..."
Hearing these words, Jiang Lang felt a tightness in his throat and almost shed tears.
He had never imagined that one day, a girl would take her entire life's savings and offer them to him as a bride price so he could marry her.
Speechless, Jiang Lang simply pulled Lin Qingrou tighter into his arms.
With a wife like this, what more could a husband ask for?
Beneath her veil, Lin Qingrou's face flushed red. She allowed Jiang Lang to hold her like this, a sense of security and happiness she had never known filling her heart.
Just as the two of them were immersed in their small bubble of happiness, an extremely discordant voice shattered it all.
"Jiang Lang, you dog, how dare you touch my people?! Get out here right now and accept your death!"