I, Thanks To My Unlimited Investment, Am Admired By All Races

“Li Xun!”

“It really is him!”

“How could this be? That mysterious figure… if I remember correctly, wasn’t she standing behind the Third Princess back then? I didn’t see her greet Li Xun!”

“This is interesting. Li Xun of Profound Sun Sect, stepping in for someone he’s never even met? Does he think he’s invincible just because he killed Ning Cheng?”

“Exactly! Li Xun is being reckless. He had already suppressed the Prince of Great Chu and was on the verge of defeating him. Yet he abandoned that opportunity to help the mysterious figure out of trouble. Now, hasn’t he just made himself a target for everyone?”

From a distance, many of the onlookers shook their heads.

They couldn’t help but feel that Li Xun had made an unwise choice. After all, Li Xun had already claimed the Vermilion Bird’s blood and killed Ning Cheng. He was poised to defeat the Great Chu Prince today.

In every way, he was emerging as the biggest winner in this Phoenix Origin Secret Realm.

As long as he avoided anything too outrageous, few would dare to provoke him. Just moments ago, even Zheng Chuan and the others chose to attack the mysterious figure rather than team up with the Crown Prince to target Li Xun. That said a lot about his deterrent power.

But to everyone’s surprise, Li Xun intervened to help the mysterious figure. This was no different from putting himself directly in the line of fire.

Now, he wouldn’t just face the Great Chu Prince anymore—he would have to deal with the combined force of more than a dozen prodigies.

Even with Li Xun’s remarkable talent, how could he possibly withstand so many opponents at once?

After all, while these individuals were weaker than Li Xun individually, their combined strength was a force to be reckoned with.

“Li Xun, what is the meaning of this?”

Cheng Shi of the Giant Elephant Sect stepped forward. His massive frame bore a deep wound that still bled, exposing bone. His expression was hostile as he stared at Li Xun.

Though Cheng Shi was wary of Li Xun and would prefer not to antagonize him, the current situation left him little choice. After all, with seven or eight allies behind him, Cheng Shi wasn’t willing to let his own reputation take a hit.

“Why didn’t you call for my help earlier?”

Li Xun’s expression remained calm. He ignored the many prodigies standing nearby and asked a seemingly random question.

For a moment, everyone was taken aback, unable to process what he meant.

“I was afraid that if I called out to you, it might distract you during your battle.”

A melodious, heavenly voice responded.

As the words fell, a stunning young woman appeared behind Li Xun.

She was ethereal, like a dream come to life, her beauty almost unreal. She wore a white dress as pure as snow, her figure graceful and slender, her waist delicate enough to encircle with one hand. Her jade-like face was pale, adding a touch of fragility to her demeanor.

Her clear, enchanting eyes fell on Li Xun’s back. To her, it seemed as if the entire world contained only him, leaving no room for anyone else.

Once again, it was him who came to her rescue—just as he had before during the Saint Opportunity.

As these thoughts filled her heart, a faint smile graced her lips. At that moment, all the beauty in the world seemed to pale in comparison to her expression.

“So foolish.”

Li Xun chuckled lightly, uttering only those two words.

Then, with a flip of his palm, a jade box appeared in his hand. Tossing it behind him, he said nonchalantly, “Go and refine it. As long as I’m here, no one will disturb you!”

“Alright.”

Qin Xueyi caught the jade box and simply nodded without further words.

With her sharp mind, how could she not understand Li Xun’s intentions?

The Vermilion Bird’s blood was a priceless treasure, yet it couldn’t be taken out of the Phoenix Origin Secret Realm. If it were, she would have to face more than just a dozen Profound Elixir Realm prodigies at that time.

—Or even dozens of Life and Death Realm Experts

At that point, it wouldn’t be something Li Xun alone could handle. Even with her two Life and Death Realm puppets, they would be of little help against such overwhelming forces.

The best solution was to refine the Vermilion Bird’s Blood inside the Phoenix Origin Secret Realm. Once it was absorbed and integrated, the matter would be settled. Those who wished to target her would significantly decrease.

After all, once the Vermilion Bird’s Blood was gone, even capturing her wouldn’t yield any benefits. Moreover, they’d have to consider the repercussions of failing to capture her—a potential grudge against a rising prodigy could lead to untold trouble.

Not far away, Qin Xueyi raised her delicate hand and set up a simple formation before sitting cross-legged. Opening the jade box, she swallowed the Vermilion Bird’s Blood in one motion.

As they watched her begin to refine the Vermilion Bird’s Blood, jealousy burned in the hearts of the onlookers.

That was Vermilion Bird’s Blood!

And Li Xun had given it away without a second thought!

This was especially true for the female disciples of other sects, who could barely conceal their envy.

Why her?

What did she have that they didn’t?

Was it her poise, her beauty, her talent, her strength, or her skill in formations?

“Aahhh!”

Suddenly, a heart-wrenching scream echoed from the distant horizon, tearing through the darkness like the roar of an ancient fiend. The sky was filled with an oppressive and menacing aura.

Boom!

The ground shattered as a figure shot into the sky. His clothes were in tatters, his hair disheveled, and his eyes burned with rage.

When his gaze landed on Qin Xueyi, who was refining the Vermilion Bird’s Blood, his expression turned utterly deranged.

The Vermilion Bird’s Blood he had coveted was gone.

The person he had sent his subordinates to capture? She had long known Li Xun!

Now, he was left empty-handed. Worse, he had been beaten down by Li Xun for half the day.

His current disheveled state was enough to invoke both pity and mockery.

The man in green now doubted everything.

He had traveled across endless mountains and rivers, leaving the Great Chu Dynasty behind, covering billions of miles to arrive in the Great Zhou Empire’s capital. He had paid a steep price to secure a spot in the Phoenix Origin Secret Realm from the Crown Prince.

And for what?

To be humiliated?

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. His chest burned with fury, and his hair stood on end. His forehead throbbed with bulging veins as he glared murderously.

“Li Xun, I’ll have your head!”

With a deafening roar, he formed seals with his hands, conjuring nine azure dragons. Each dragon was massive, like towering mountain ranges stretching across the heavens.

Boom!

The nine dragons charged forward, their combined force tearing open hundreds of cracks in the ground before even reaching their target. The sight was terrifying.

“Since a fight is unavoidable today,” Li Xun declared, his voice calm but commanding, “anyone else who holds a grudge against me—come at me together!”

“I, Li Xun, will bear it all!”

Standing firmly on the ground, his sharp eyes gleamed like lightning. His black hair billowed in the wind, and his robes fluttered violently, emanating a commanding presence that seemed to dominate the heavens and earth.