Su Wuchen was enlightened.
He had just seen that the location for the first difficult mission (to slay a Golden Horn Black Silk Tiger with the cultivation of a Third Rank, Realm of Three Heavens) was indeed in the Tianyou Mountain Range.
Zeng Baishan continued, "However, the Tianyou Mountain Range is full of dangers, especially the threat from妖兽. Although a Golden Horn Black Silk Tiger at the Third Rank, Realm of Three Heavens won't pose much of a threat to you, the location of this particular Golden Horn Black Silk Tiger is deep within the Tianyou Mountain Range. On your way to find it, you'll definitely encounter some妖兽 with higher cultivation than the Third Rank, Realm of Three Heavens. Most of these妖兽 are between the Third Rank, Realm of Six Heavens and the Third Rank, Realm of Ten Heavens, so you need to be careful!"
"Alright, I'll accept both of these difficult missions!"
Su Wuchen said readily.
"Good, then this elder will add the first difficult mission to your registration!"
After saying this, Zeng Baishan added the first difficult mission to Su Wuchen's registration.
After finishing everything, he handed a token to Su Wuchen, saying, "This is the Sect's Mission Token. When you go to the Li Family, show this Mission Token to the head of the Li Family, and he will naturally understand your purpose!"
"Alright!"
Su Wuchen nodded slightly, then accepted the Mission Token.
Zeng Baishan took out another map and handed it to Su Wuchen, "This map shows the route to the Tianyou Mountain Range. Just follow it!"
"Thank you, Elder Zeng!"
Su Wuchen turned and left the mission hall. He soon exited the sect and headed towards Fengchui City.
According to the map, the distance from Fenglei Sword Sect to Fengchui City was several hundred miles.
Five days later.
Su Wuchen finally arrived in Fengchui City.
After entering Fengchui City, he inquired around and then came to the gate of the Li Family.
"Stop! This is the Li Family. Outsiders are not allowed to enter. Who are you?"
Su Wuchen was stopped by two gatekeepers the moment he approached the Li Family's gate.
"Su Wuchen, an outer disciple of the Fenglei Sword Sect," Su Wuchen said. "Please, inform the Li Family Head!"
The two gatekeepers' expressions changed.
One of them immediately ran into the Li Family gate to notify someone.
A moment later.
A man in black, accompanied by several family elders, hurried out from the main gate.
The man in black cupped his hands in a gesture of respect towards Su Wuchen, a smile plastered on his face. "Oh my, it's Young Master Su! Forgive our tardiness in welcoming you! Li Haosheng, the head of the Li Family, greets Young Master Su!"
"Greetings, Young Master Su!" The several Li Family elders also bowed in unison.
The Li Family was merely an affiliated power of the Fenglei Sword Sect.
Naturally, the Li Family members had to treat people from the Fenglei Sword Sect with courtesy.
Su Wuchen nodded slightly in response, then produced the Mission Token and handed it to Li Haosheng to examine. "Family Head Li, this is my sect's mission token."
Upon seeing the Mission Token, Li Haosheng and the others immediately confirmed that the Su Wuchen before them was indeed the external aid sent by the Fenglei Sword Sect to assist the Li Family in their martial competition!
"Alright! Thank you, Young Master Su!"
Li Haosheng smiled, "Young Master Su, please come in!"
"Alright."
Su Wuchen nodded slightly and followed Li Haosheng and the others through the gate, taking a seat in the Li Family's reception hall.
Li Haosheng looked at Su Wuchen and said, "Young Master Su, tomorrow is the martial arts competition between our Li Family and the Chen Family. Since Young Master Su is sent by the sect to be an external aid for our Li Family, I'll be so bold as to ask...what is Young Master Su's cultivation level?"
Su Wuchen said, "Fourth Heaven of the Mortal Martial Realm."
"What, only the Fourth Heaven of the Mortal Martial Realm?"
An elder from the Li Family suddenly stood up, and a barely concealed look of disappointment appeared on his face, "This..."
Not only him, but the other high-ranking members of the Li Family in the reception hall also lowered their heads slightly, their faces showing disappointment.
"Young Master Su, are you really only at the fourth level of the Mortal Martial Realm?"
Li Haosheng stared at Su Wuchen and asked.
Although he was the head of the Li Family and the strongest person in the Li Family, he only had the cultivation of the second level of the Mortal Martial Realm, so he naturally couldn't see Su Wuchen's exact cultivation level.
"Absolutely."
Su Wuchen said calmly.
"Alright."
A trace of barely perceptible disappointment appeared on Li Haosheng's face.
Then, he smiled at Su Wuchen, "Young Master Su, you must be tired after your journey. I'll have someone show you to your room to rest!"
"Alright," Su Wuchen said calmly.
Li Haosheng nodded slightly and then commanded the servants, "Someone, take Young Master Su to the guest room to rest!"
"Yes!"
A servant from the Li Family came forward and respectfully said to Su Wuchen, "Young Master Su, please follow me!"
"Okay!"
Su Wuchen glanced at the high-ranking members of the Li Family and then followed the servant out of the reception hall.
After Su Wuchen left, Li Zhong, the eldest elder of the Li Family, immediately stood up and looked at Li Haosheng, his face filled with worry. "Patriarch, our Li Family clearly requested the sect to send a disciple with the cultivation of the sixth level of the Mortal Martial Realm as an external aid. But this Su Wuchen only has the cultivation of the fourth level of the Mortal Martial Realm. If the Black Fire Sect sends a disciple with the cultivation of the sixth level of the Mortal Martial Realm as an external aid to the Chen Family, won't our Li Family be doomed to lose tomorrow's martial arts competition?"
Li Bao, the Li Family's Second Elder, also stood up and said, "Yes, Family Head. Although this Su Wuchen has the cultivation of the fourth level of the Mortal Martial Realm, which makes him a top-tier expert, if the Black Fire Sect sends a disciple with the fifth or sixth level of the Mortal Martial Realm to the Chen Family, then we, the Li Family, truly have no chance of winning tomorrow's martial competition at noon!"
Hearing this, the other high-ranking figures of the Li Family nodded in agreement.
However, Li Haosheng said, "This is the decision of the sect. What can we do?"
The First Elder, Li Zhong, said, "But Family Head, are we just going to sit and wait for death?"
Li Haosheng said, "The martial competition is tomorrow. Don't you have a better plan?"
Li Zhong fell silent.
The other high-ranking figures also fell silent.
Li Haosheng sighed softly and continued, "For now, we can only pray that the disciple the Black Fire Sect sends to the Chen Family tomorrow is also at the fourth level of the Mortal Martial Realm! If that's the case, we might still have a sliver of hope, but if not, then that Spiritual Pool, we can only watch as it's handed over..."
"Sigh, it truly seems that the heavens aren't blessing our Li Family!"
The atmosphere in the hall was despondent.
After leaving the reception hall, the Li Family member led Su Wuchen to a guest room and then turned to leave.
In the guest room.
Su Wuchen sat cross-legged on the bed.
Just now, in the reception hall, when he revealed his cultivation of the fourth level of the Mortal Martial Realm, he naturally saw the disappointment in the eyes of the Li Family members.
But he didn't pay it too much mind.
So what if he wasn't at the sixth level of the Mortal Martial Realm?
When he was at the third level of the Mortal Martial Realm, he could already defeat Qin Feng, who was at the sixth level.
Moreover, he had already broken through to the fourth level of the Mortal Martial Realm.
Therefore, a strong person at the sixth level of the Mortal Martial Realm couldn't possibly be his opponent.
However, after helping the Li Family win the competition tomorrow, he would also have to go to the Tianyou Mountain Range to do his first difficult mission.
But Zeng Baishan had told him that the demonic beasts in the Tianyou Mountain Range were very powerful. On the way to find the Golden Horn Black Silk Tiger, he might encounter demonic beasts from the third stage, sixth level, to the third stage, tenth level.
So, he decided to break through to the fifth level of the Mortal Martial Realm today!
Thus, he took out the remaining 85 fourth-grade pills and began to swallow them to cultivate, preparing to break through to the fifth level of the Mortal Martial Realm!
Night.
Boom!
Inside the Li Family guest room.
"Success! I've finally broken through to the fifth level of the Mortal Martial Realm!"
Su Wuchen opened his eyes, a look of joy on his face. "With this, I'll have more security when I enter the Tianyou Mountain Range tomorrow!"
After half a day of cultivation.
The turbid air within him was once again expelled, and he was drenched in sweat.
It was already late at night.
He took a bath and then rested.
The next day.
The sky was just beginning to brighten.
A knock on the door woke Su Wuchen.
It was the servant from the Li Family from yesterday.
"Young Master Su, are you awake?"
"You're awake."
Su Wuchen responded.
In truth, he had woken up long ago, but he had been sitting on the bed with his eyes closed, regulating the energy within his body.
"The Family Head and the elders are already waiting for you in the living room."
"Alright, I'll head over there now."
After replying, he walked out of his room and followed the servant back to the living room from yesterday.
In the living room.
Li Haosheng looked at Su Wuchen again and said with a smile, "Young Master Su, just do your best in today's martial arts competition. If you lose, our Li Family won't blame you."
He thought about it all night and had already accepted the situation. Since that Spiritual Pool was destined to be out of reach for the Li Family, there was nothing he could do.
But the other elders hadn't come to terms with it. Each of their faces wore a look of despondency, devoid of any vitality.
Su Wuchen said, "Family Head Li, rest assured. Since I'm acting as the Li Family's external support, I am naturally confident in winning this martial arts competition! And I guarantee that the Spiritual Pool will only belong to the Li Family!"
Hearing Su Wuchen say this, the people of the Li Family felt a moment of elation.
But when they thought about Su Wuchen only being at the fourth level of the Mortal Martial Realm, their faces began to dim again.
However, they were naturally very happy to have Su Wuchen's assurance.
At this moment.
They could only pray that the disciples the Black Fire Sect sent to the Chen Family wouldn't have cultivation levels too much higher than Su Wuchen's.
Li Haosheng chuckled. "Young Master Su is too kind. Let's get going then!"
"Alright." Su Wuchen nodded slightly.
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