The muddy road outside Mingdu City glistened faintly under the flickering glow of crooked lanterns. Rain whispered against crooked poles as smoke from early taverns curled into the cold air, mixing with the smell of wet earth and stale wine. Dawn hadn't yet broken, but the city already felt tired down by years of decay and greed.
Li Xuan moved silently through the mist, hands deep in the pockets of his worn coat, hood pulled low to hide his sharp eyes. His footsteps made soft prints in the mud, but inside, his spirit burned bright and steady.
He knew exactly where to go.
At the edge of the city, a roadside tavern buzzed with drunken laughter and loud voices. Three men sat at a battered table, their faces flushed and slick with sweat, bragging about a recent "job" — how they'd terrorized a woman's home without mercy.
"So early and already drunk? No shame," Li Xuan thought coldly.
He didn't hesitate.
The door creaked open and shut behind him, the noise fading as the tavern's fire crackled. The innkeeper glanced up, then quickly returned to polishing a mug, pretending the boy didn't exist. The drunks barely spared him a glance.
Li Xuan's eyes locked on the three men ,the same ones who'd just abused his aunt.
The biggest, the one who shoved him earlier, was halfway through a bottle, laughter slurred and rough.
"You should've seen her face — begging like a dog," he sneered.
"Burned my hand, that brat did. Weird," spat the second.
Zhao Lin chuckled darkly.
"You fool . It was just spiritual energy. Never thought the Li family had cultivators."
Their cruel laughter froze when a quiet voice cut through the haze.
"Still laughing?"
Three pairs of eyes snapped to him.
The drunkest squinted. "You again? The Li brat?"
Li Xuan didn't speak. He stepped forward, the floor groaning beneath him. His calm silence chilled the room.
Zhao Lin slammed his mug on the table.
"What, here to beg for your aunt? Get lost before I crush your little manhood."
Li Xuan's eyes flicked to Zhao Lin's cup then it shattered silently in his grasp.
Shock hit Zhao Lin's face.
Without breaking his calm, Li Xuan slid into the empty seat across from him.
"Your Zhao family has bullied us long enough. Think we're too weak to fight back?"
He poured himself a bitter sip from the bottle, face unreadable.
The other thug pushed back his chair. "You've got nerve, brat—"
Before he could rise, his wrist slammed down hard on the table — cracked wood echoing — held firm by Li Xuan's silent command.
"No spiritual energy. Controlling you is too easy."
"Sit."
The man obeyed without knowing why.
The tavern fell utterly silent. Rain hissed outside. The innkeeper froze mid-motion, eyes wide.
Li Xuan took another sip.
"My aunt never harmed anyone. Yet you threw her down like dirt."
He locked eyes with the man beside him.
"Proud?"
The man tried to answer but no sound came. His throat spasmed. Then his head hit the table with a soft thud.
Li Xuan felt a strange warmth crawl up his arm, like slow-burning fire. He didn't understand it fully—but it was his.
He stood.
Zhao Lin leaned back, intrigued despite himself.
"Speak. What do you want before I lose patience?"
Li Xuan's lips curled faintly.
"You took everything from us. Now I want one thing you can't buy."
Zhao Lin sneered. "What? My peace?"
The words dropped like a whisper — but the room chilled.
Lantern flames flickered violently though no breeze blew.
Li Xuan's voice sharpened, steel beneath silk.
"Strip naked."
"Go clean my aunt's house. Or else."
Silence.
Even the fire dimmed.
Zhao Lin laughed dry and cruel.
"You think a half-trained brat's aura scares me? My Zhao family has killers who'd end you with a glance."
Li Xuan swirled the bitter wine, watching it spin like liquid moonlight.
"Pathetic. Blood means nothing. When your master dies, maybe you'll inherit a bottle of wine—if you survive with your two-turn foundation."
The drunk slammed his cup, laughter harsh.
"Zhao Lin owns estates, women, guards who can take you down with just a snap of their fingers ."
Li Xuan's gaze swept them cold.
"I see your guards. Pathetic."
He set down the cup.
Then—
The table cracked, splintering under unseen force. Bottles shattered behind the counter, spilling red wine like blood.
The innkeeper froze, throat locked in terror.
Who was this boy who made Zhao Lin pale?
Two thugs fell back hard. Zhao Lin's face flushed with shock and rage.
"You little bastard!" he bellowed, trembling. "I'll teach you what it means to insult Zhao family!"
The two minions immediately drew their knives .
"Master Lin, we—"
"Silence! Beat him down! Make him crawl back to his dead mother!"
Li Xuan's jaw clenched, bones faintly cracking in the quiet.
The other thug hesitated.
"Master Lin, maybe we should—"
"Coward!" Zhao Lin snapped, slapping him hard. "Do it!"
Li Xuan met Zhao Lin's furious gaze, cold and steady.
"If you're so mighty, why send trash to fight? Afraid you'll dirty your fine clothes?"
Zhao Lin roared, spiritual energy flaring, distorting the air . It was weak but fierce enough to make the room tremble.
"I'll show you Zhao family's might!"
Li Xuan sighed, kicking the broken table aside casually. One hand flicked the shattered cup, hurling it like a blade.
It struck Zhao Lin square in the chest.
Zhao Lin flew back, smashing through tables before hitting the wall. The crowd gasped, breath caught.
Li Xuan crossed one leg over the other, seated like a young king surveying his ruined throne.
"The great families' children are fools. Think themselves untouchable kings? Even kings fear stronger."
Eyes of the bystanders and drunkards widened. No one had seen Zhao Lin ,the useless son of Zhao family thrown like ragdoll by a boy half his age.
Li Xuan's voice dropped low, echoing like distant thunder.
"Go to my aunt's house and beg for forgiveness. Or else."
A faint rusty golden-pink light flickered on his palm igniting a feather-shaped glow — unnoticed by him but impossible to ignore.
His words echoed back softer, yet with iron command.
"Go. Naked. Beg forgiveness. Or else."
Zhao Lin's eyes glazed over. Trembling, he knelt.
"Y-yes, young master…"
In stunned silence, he stripped. His men followed, shaking like puppets on strings.
Li Xuan's lips curled into a dangerous smile.
"Good. Now—give me everything."
Zhao Lin fumbled for his pouch, handing over five emerald gold coins . These were priceless beyond common gold , at least fifty times more valuable than one gold coin .
Li Xuan nodded.
"Anything else?"
Zhao Lin swallowed hard.
"What do you want?"
"Clean my house. Replace what you broke. Leave twenty more coins."
Zhao Lin bowed deeply, trembling.
"Yes… young master."
Half-naked, they stumbled into the rain, fading into the misty night.
The tavern stayed silent long after.
Every eye fixed on the door, afraid to breathe.
Li Xuan rose slowly, walking to the counter. He dropped one emerald coin before the trembling innkeeper.
"For the mess."
The old man accepted it, bowing deeply.
Li Xuan turned and left.
The golden-pink light faded from his wrist, leaving only warmth beneath his skin.
For the first time in a long while, Li Xuan felt light.
He knew the Zhao family would come for him.
He welcomed it.
Because among Mingdu's eight great families, Zhao was the weakest and most arrogant.
And Li Xuan was nobody's fool.