The day passed quickly. The next day, Zi Changhe appeared in the courtyard again. When he saw Xiang Shaoyun meditating instead of practicing the moves, he mused, Has this kid forgotten the moves I showed him? Hah, that's what you get for bragging so much! 

"Shaoyun, this tier-2 battle technique is not as easy as you thought, right? Yes, you are talented. But you are also too conceited." Zi Changhe started giving Xiang Shaoyun his heartfelt advice. He hoped to see Xiang Shaoyun maintain a realistic expectation and learn seriously instead of being the current self-important narcissistic person that he was.

Xiang Shaoyun opened his eyes, and when his gaze landed on Zi Changhe, he shouted, "Senior brother, watch my move!" 

The moment he said that, he pounced forward like a tiger with an imposing momentum. He rushed forward with the might of a lightning bolt, and his spear shot forward like a rainbow travelling across the sky. With a purple flash, the spear instantly arrived before Zi Changhe's chest.

Lightning Spear Technique! Fast as lightning, mighty as thunder! This was a stab of someone who had gained a basic mastery over the essence of the spear technique. Zi Changhe raised his brow and bellowed, "Audacious! Show me how capable you are, then! Bring it on!"

As Zi Changhe said that, he sidestepped and dodged the stab. However, Xiang Shaoyun seemed to have seen it coming, as he immediately shifted his spear and sent the other end of the spear on the offensive. This attack with the shoe of the spear chained off the first stab perfectly and was almost impossible to guard against. An astonished light surfaced in Zi Changhe's eyes as his palm glowed with a faint purple radiance. Zi Changhe blocked the second attack.

"Ahhhh!"

Xiang Shaoyun yelled and started stabbing his Lightning Spear forward madly with all his power, as if he wouldn't stop before defeating Zi Changhe. The spear stabbed forward unendingly with an astonishing momentum; crackling electricity whipped around in the air.

Pa! Pa!

A purple glow filled the area while sounds of thunder rumbled in the air, a proof of just how powerful these stabs were. However, no matter how hard Xiang Shaoyun attacked, he failed to break through Zi Changhe's defense. In fact, Zi Changhe was only using one hand to block all of Xiang Shaoyun's attacks. Zi Changhe might seem like he was doing that easily, but inwardly, he was greatly shocked.

T-this...in one day, he is already able to unleash 30 percent of the technique's power? No, for some reason, this spear technique feels somewhat different from the Lightning Spear Technique. But this version of Lightning Spear Technique seems much more powerful? Zi Changhe was practically yelling in his heart.

After a while, Xiang Shaoyun stopped attacking. He grumbled sullenly, "What a weak offensive power."

But of course, he was a first-stage Astral Realm cultivator attacking a Transformation Realm cultivator. The gap between them was too large. Of course his offensive power seemed weak in comparison.

When Zi Changhe saw Xiang Shaoyun's sullen look, he comforted him, "You have a five-stars-illuminate-the-sky physique so you won't need more than 10 years to catch up to me. Continue to work hard!"

"What? I need 10 years just to reach YOUR level? I might as well smash my head against tofu and kill myself," Xiang Shaoyun immediately rebutted with an exaggerated expression on his face. From his expression, it was as if reaching Zi Changhe's level in 10 years was the greatest insult ever.

And thus the kid completely ruined Zi Changhe's good mood.

"Since you are so confident in yourself, I will give you two more days. In two days, I want to see a 70 percent mastery over the Lightning Spear Technique. If you can't do it, wait for my punishment!" Zi Changhe said with an unsightly face.

"Sure, 70 percent in 2 days is not a problem. But what's the point of it if I'm not getting anything?" Xiang Shaoyun started talking terms.

Right after Xiang Shaoyun said that, an inner armor appeared in Zi Changhe's hand. "This is your reward. It's a primary-grade, tier-3 inner armor. With this, regular tier-3 weapons won't be able to harm you anymore."

Xiang Shaoyun took the armor, weighed it in his hands and sighed inwardly. Even trash like this is valuable here.

That might be what he had in mind, but he did not voice his thoughts so as to not deal further blows to Zi Changhe. Thus, he said, "Thank you, senior brother." He paused slightly and continued, "Senior brother, since you are known as the Purple Lightning Marquis, you probably specialize in purple lightning astral energy, right? Why not learn this tier-4 battle technique I have. I promise your combat prowess will become even stronger with it."

But right after he said that, Zi Changhe gave him the finger and said, "Will you die if you stop bluffing for a moment?" Zi Changhe followed that up with, "Alright, try not to leave if possible for the next few days. The Wu Clan brothers have already proclaimed that they will be making a move against you."

After saying all he had to say, Zi Changhe left.

"I'm only afraid they won't come after me!" Xiang Shaoyun muttered with an odd glint in his eyes. Since the Wu Clan was trying to make a move against him, he wouldn't be Xiang Shaoyun if he did not teach them a lesson.

Yet another day passed. It was early in the morning, and Xiang Shaoyun was absorbing purple qi as usual. After he was done, he could vaguely sense that his astral energy was nearing the second stage. He only needed to take one step forward to enter the second stage, yet he once again suppressed his advancement. As for the excess energy resulting from his suppression, he pushed it into his astral cosmos sea instead. He longed greatly to expand his astral cosmos sea so he could carry his stuff around more easily.

Done with the breathing exercise, Xiang Shaoyun stretched before leaving Zi Changhe's courtyard. He wanted to return to his own residence and put his things away before paying Lu Xiaoqing and Xia Liuhui a visit. Of course, he did not forget Wang Zhenchuan, the inner court disciple, either. He would naturally keep the promise he had made Wang Zhenchuan.

Zi Changhe's residence was located in a district belonging solely to the elders. The district was quiet and secluded, surrounded by lush plants, elegant pavilions, tiny bridges and streams, gorgeous demonic beasts, and so on. It would be no exaggeration to say that with each new step one took, a new beautiful landscape would unfold before one's eyes.

But before Xiang Shaoyun, who was once a young master of a powerful sect, the view here was nothing too special.

"Even the elder residences are so crude." Xiang Shaoyun shook his head as he lamented beside a lake. People of different stations in life would view things differently.

"Who dares to rave nonsensically here!" a furious voice suddenly rang out.

Xiang Shaoyun thought to himself, I couldn't have attracted trouble with some random ramblings, right? How unlucky am I?

When he turned and saw the speaker, his eyes turned gloomy. "So it's you, delinquent girl?"

"Impudent! Who do you think you are to call me a delinquent girl? Are you tired of living?" the girl shouted before sending a whip Xiang Shaoyun's way.

The girl was not holding back her punches at all. Astral energy powered her casual lash of whip. If the whip struck someone's face, the person would most certainly be scarred. Fortunately, Xiang Shaoyun was no longer the same as before. He immediately activated his gift of instincts to see the trajectory of the incoming whip clearly, and he reached out to grab the whip.

"Let go of it!" Xiang Shaoyun bellowed as he pulled the whip from the girl's hand.

The girl had not expected Xiang Shaoyun to have such a speedy reaction, and she was caught by surprise. Before she could react, she lost hold of her whip. Even her body was pulled forward, causing her to stagger in the direction of the lake beside her.

Splash!

She failed to maintain her balance and ultimately fell into the lake.

"Haha, this is your retribution, evil woman!" Xiang Shaoyun roared with laughter.

The girl in the lake was Li Hong'er, the girl who had once whipped his face. That was why Xiang Shaoyun felt so happy when he saw her suffer.