Li Fengyuan waved his hand dismissively.
"Don't worry. I can handle someone like him easily."
If he couldn't even deal with a brat like that, then he might as well forget about saving Liangzhuo City at all.
"But enough of that. Let's move on!"
Without giving Zhao Dazhu a chance to argue further, he strolled off, hands clasped behind his back, weaving leisurely through the bustling market.
"Wait, wait!"
Zhao Dazhu hurried after him, his brows furrowed.
"Just where are we even going?"
Li Fengyuan didn't answer as he had been doing so.
He only kept walking, his eyes flickering left and right, scanning the rows of merchants and stalls as if searching for something.
Eventually, the two of them settled at a small food stall tucked in the corner of the market.
The smell of roasted duck and freshly steamed buns drifted around them, mixing with the louder clamor of haggling voices nearby.
The stall owner quickly brought over two bowls of noodles and a platter of dumplings.
Zhao Dazhu picked up his chopsticks with a sigh.
"Seriously? After all that, we just came here to eat? You had me thinking there was something else."
Li Fengyuan chuckled, tearing into a dumpling without concern.
He had already achieved what he came here for.
Though it seemed like Li Fengyuan was merely wandering the market without aim, every step he had taken was full of purpose.
He had been quietly gauging the state of Liangzhuo's market—especially the prices of herbs.
As for why, one must first understand cultivation.
Cultivating was mainly about absorbing Qi through meditation, letting the body absorb Qi.
But just meditating was quite slow unless you are very talented.
A cultivation technique could enhance absorption speed depending on what kind of Cultivation Technique it is and its compatibility with the user.
But there was another crucial aid: cultivation pills.
There were countless types of pills, and the higher their quality, the higher the price.
Some rare ones could even sell for 10,000 gold—affordable only to the most powerful clans.
That was why Li Fengyuan had been checking herb prices.
In his previous life, he had learned the art of pill-making.
Though it was only his secondary profession, he was, in essence, an alchemist.
He possessed countless pill recipes—some strong enough to overturn Liangzhuo City. A few could even turn a mortal into a Grandmaster in an instant.
Of course, Liangzhuo didn't have all the materials needed for such heaven-defying pills.
And even if it did, forcefully pushing one's cultivation to the Grandmaster stage was a path that crippled the foundation.
Nonetheless, he intended to make use of his alchemy here.
For now, he would refine cost-efficient pills, but later, once he had wealth and resources, he would focus on the truly profound ones.
He already had a few pills in mind to begin with. But before that, he needed to select suitable cultivation techniques—for himself, and for Zhao Dazhu.
Li Fengyuan slurped the last of his noodles before setting the bowl aside with satisfaction.
Then, with an utterly straight face, he turned toward Zhao Dazhu.
"You pay."
Zhao Dazhu, mid-bite, nearly choked.
"Huh? Me? Why me?"
Li Fengyuan leaned back, perfectly calm.
"I'm broke. I just spent the last of my coins on those bracelets for Xiao Mei and Shen Yuyan."
Zhao Dazhu stared at him in disbelief.
"Wait… you mean to tell me you dropped all that gold just to act cool in front of them—only to stick me with the bill?"
Li Fengyuan's lips curved into that lazy, unbothered smile.
"Exactly!"
For a moment, Zhao Dazhu was speechless. Then he slapped the table and burst into laughter.
"Hah! You shameless bastard! Fine, fine—I'll cover it."
It could be considered a lesson—learning how to act cool before beauty.
He tossed a few copper coins onto the table, still shaking his head.
Just as the two were leaving the food stall and making their way back toward the student dormitory, a commotion near a narrow alley caught their attention.
There, a familiar figure was being shoved against the wall—a classmate of theirs, the quiet boy Jia Hao, who usually kept to himself.
Li Fengyuan's steps halted. Memories stirred.
Jia Hao… After the destruction of Liangzhuo City in his past life, this very boy had been one of the few who offered him help and later became friends.
The aggressors were noble students from another class, clad in fine silks, arrogance dripping from their every gesture.
The leader sneered.
"Jia Hao, don't get ahead of yourself. Just because the Talent Appraiser Stone showed your root as Sky-grade Blue, don't think you're better than us!"
The lackeys laughed mockingly.
"You? A mere commoner dares to think you're our equal?"
"Know your place! You'll always be nothing more than a nobody—no clan, no backing, no future!"
Jia Hao's fists were clenched tightly at his sides. His face was pale, but his eyes—though trembling with fear and humiliation—burned with determination that refused to bow.
The leading noble caught sight of that look and scowled, fury flashing across his features.
"What are you glaring at, you lowborn trash?!" he spat, raising his fist. "I'll beat that arrogance out of you!"
Zhao Dazhu muttered in disgust, "Those people… acting like hooligans in broad daylight."
He was ready to step forward but Li Fengyuan had already moved.
"That's enough!"
His voice cut through the noise, calm yet sharp as a blade.
"Tch! Who dares stop this young master?!"
The leader snarled, whipping his head around—only for his expression to freeze when he saw who it was.
"Y-You… Young Master Li…"
The swagger drained out of him instantly. His arrogance collapsed into dread, and cold sweat trickled down his forehead.
After all, though he bore the title of a noble, he was no different from Zhao Dazhu—a minor branch at best.
Li Fengyuan, on the other hand, came from one of the Twelve Noble Lineages.
If Li Fengyuan so desired, his clan could erase theirs from existence overnight.
The alley grew quiet. Even his lackeys stiffened, fear replacing their earlier jeers.
Li Fengyuan's gaze was steady, unflinching. He didn't need to shout—his authority pressed down like a silent weight.
"Scram!"
The single word fell like a verdict.
The noble bowed his head quickly, muttered a hasty apology, and fled with his followers tripping after him.
Jia Hao remained against the wall, chest heaving. His lips parted, but no words came.
Li Fengyuan didn't linger. He brushed his sleeve as if dismissing dust and turned back toward the dormitory.
"Come on!"