The walk to the Patriarch's study was an exercise in divine patience. Yan Feng chattered endlessly on his right, Yan Qing clung to his left sleeve. Li Xuan walked in a cocoon of silence, his face an impassive mask. 'This,' his internal voice was a low growl, 'is a form of torture I did not even inflict upon the souls I sent to the deepest hells.'
They arrived at the heavy, ornate doors of the study. The servant bowed and pushed them open. The Patriarch, Yan Tian, stood in the center of the room, flanked by his son, Yan Zheng, and Master Feng. The moment Li Xuan stepped across the threshold, the three most powerful men in Yan Town bowed their heads in profound respect.
"Master Li," the Patriarch began, his voice a low rumble. "Your presence honors our humble home." The shift in his demeanor was palpable. He was no longer evaluating an asset; he was greeting the envoy of a hidden god. Li Xuan noted the change. 'The old fool Feng has been busy.'
"Master Li," the Patriarch continued, gesturing for his grandchildren. "First, allow me to express, on behalf of my entire clan, our deepest gratitude. You have saved the future of the Yan Clan. A debt of this magnitude can never be truly repaid."
Li Xuan gave a slight, almost imperceptible nod. Tedious pleasantries.
"However," Yan Tian said, his eyes glinting, "we must try. We have already prepared the gold and the residence as promised. But these are crude things. A genius of your stature requires something more… appropriate. Anything you require, you shall have."
This was the opening. Li Xuan immediately tested the promise. He produced a folded piece of paper from his sleeve—a list he had prepared earlier. He handed it directly to the Patriarch.
Yan Tian took the list, his expression benevolent. He began to read. Spirit Jades, fifty-year Blood Ginseng, the core of a Second-Rank Fire Wolf, a vial of Molten Earth Essence, uncommon metallic ores, and a moderate quantity of spirit stones. The Patriarch's benevolent expression shifted to one of surprise and concern. Yan Zheng and Master Feng leaned in, their own faces paling as they registered the ingredients.
"Master Li..." the Patriarch finally managed, his voice slightly strained. "These resources… they are significant, yes, but more concerning is their nature. May I ask… what path necessitates such volatile ingredients?"
"Body cultivation," Li Xuan replied calmly.
"Body cultivation!" the Patriarch exclaimed, shock momentarily replaced by alarm. Feng's face turned white.
"Master Li!" Feng cried out, forgetting his place for a moment. "These ingredients… Blood Ginseng, Fire Wolf core, Molten Earth Essence… they all contain the most violent, berserk Yang energy! This isn't cultivation; it's self-immolation! This… this is the exact material list required for the legendary forbidden art… the Body Tyrant Technique!"
The name hung in the air, heavy and dangerous. Even Lu Wen, standing near the door, gasped.
Li Xuan paused. This time, the surprise wasn't internal. A flicker of genuine curiosity crossed his face. He had chosen the God Demon Body Technique from his memory, a tyrannical art from the Crystal Realm. He hadn't expected these primitives to have a name for something so similar.
"Body Tyrant Technique?" he asked, his voice neutral. "Who was the founder?"
The Patriarch and Feng looked startled by his question, then exchanged a look. It was Yan Zheng, the Patriarch's heir, who answered, his voice filled with a mixture of reverence and fear.
"Master Li, according to the oldest clan records, the technique was first used centuries ago by a legendary figure known only as the Tyrant Sovereign," Yan Zheng explained. "It is said he appeared from nowhere, possessing unparalleled physical might. He relied solely on this brutal body cultivation path, eschewing Qi cultivation entirely, yet he still managed to reach the Sovereign Rank, becoming one of the strongest experts on the entire continent at that time."
'Sovereign Rank using only body cultivation?' Li Xuan's interest was genuinely piqued. 'Comparable to Gu Fan's achievement. Was this Tyrant Sovereign another transmigrator? Or is this path a fundamental, albeit dangerous, law of this universe?'
"What happened to the technique?" Li Xuan asked.
Yan Zheng sighed. "After the Tyrant Sovereign fell in a great battle, the complete technique was lost to time. Only fragmented records and legends remained."
Master Feng chimed in, his face grim. "Over the centuries, countless alchemists and cultivators have tried to recreate the technique based on those fragments, focusing only on the ingredients and the brutal tempering methods. But without the Sovereign's original insights, without the core principles… all they created were flawed, incomplete imitations. Third-grade copies, at best. Dangerous, self-destructive arts that grant a burst of power but inevitably lead to death or madness. That is why it is forbidden now."
'So, the technique itself isn't flawed,' Li Xuan understood instantly. 'Only the copies are. These fools replicated the 'Demon' aspect but missed the 'God' aspect – the control, the balance.' His own God Demon Body Technique was the complete, original blueprint, or something very close to it. The local legends only confirmed its potential power.
He looked back at the Patriarch, his decision made. "A pity the original was lost," he said dismissively, his tone making it clear he considered the local copies beneath his notice. He gestured back to the list in the Patriarch's hand. "Regarding the resources."
The Patriarch immediately snapped back to attention, his belief in the hidden guardian now absolute. The boy wasn't practicing the suicidal copies; he obviously possessed the original, perfect technique inherited from his Grandmaster!
"Of course, Master Li! Consider them a small gift from the Yan Clan, a token of our immeasurable gratitude!" He smiled benevolently.
Li Xuan cut him off, his voice flat and transactional. "It is a loan," he stated simply.
"A loan?" Yan Tian blinked, thrown off guard again.
'He refuses the gift?' the Patriarch thought, his mind racing. 'He insists on keeping the relationship purely transactional. Is this the instruction of his Grandmaster?'
"Correct," Li Xuan confirmed. "My servant, Feng, will soon be establishing several… profitable enterprises. The Yan Clan will be repaid, with interest. Consider this my initial investment capital."
The sheer, breathtaking confidence was staggering.
"Master Li, there is truly no need for repayment," the Patriarch insisted one last time.
"No," Li Xuan said firmly but politely. "A transaction is cleaner." He saw the Patriarch's slight frown and offered a concession. "However, if you are truly insistent on offering a gift… I will accept one in the future, when I have need of something specific."
"As you wish, Master Li," the Patriarch conceded. He then tried a different approach. "Since you are embarking on such a powerful path, perhaps this old man could offer some guidance? Or access to our clan's secret tempering arts..."
Li Xuan met his gaze, his expression unchanging. "Your insights are appreciated, Patriarch," he said politely, but the rejection was absolute. "But the path I walk is… different. Your techniques would not be suitable."
The finality in his tone was the ultimate confirmation for Feng and Yan Tian. The boy's inheritance was indeed profound, far beyond anything their small kingdom could comprehend.
"Of course, Master Li! Of course!" Yan Tian declared, eager to agree before the hidden guardian thought they were questioning his disciple's path. He turned to his son, his eyes blazing with urgent command.
"Yan Zheng! Mobilize the clan! Our honored guest requires his 'investment capital'! Gather everything Master Li requires on this list, immediately! Spare no expense!"
The Yan Clan was now fully committed, driven by a misunderstanding of cosmic proportions and the terrifying confidence of a seven-year-old boy.