With his unflagging, ascetic-like efforts each day, another ten days quietly passed. Li Chang'an's body was developing even faster.
He now stood 1.2 meters tall.
His figure was well-proportioned, and his eyes were clear and full of spirit. He walked with a powerful, confident stride, radiating vigor. Although he wore the cheapest linen clothes, they were washed spotlessly clean. From a distance, he projected an ethereal, otherworldly air. His temperament and appearance were worlds apart from the other children his age, who were still rolling around in the mud.
If he didn't reveal his age, no one looking at him would ever guess he wasn't even three years old.
At first, the villagers had been terrified of him. They didn't even dare approach the Li Family home, subconsciously giving it a wide berth.
After all, in the various eerie tales circulating in and around the village, Li Chang'an's identity had become nearly synonymous with the legendary Mountain Gods and monsters.
In any case, he couldn't possibly be a normal person.
However, seeing him meditate and cultivate at his doorstep before dawn every day, the villagers slowly began to lower their guard.
Their beliefs were simple and pragmatic.
'If Li Chang'an were truly an Immortal descended to earth, or possessed by a Demon Fiend as the legends claimed, why would he need to train through the harshest days of winter and summer just like an ordinary person?'
From then on, villagers passing the Li Family home would give Li Chang'an a thumbs-up from afar, their voices full of praise.
Throughout history, those who eliminated pests for the people rarely met a good end, but they could usually salvage a good reputation among the common folk.
In Li Chang'an's case, while his reputation was a bit strange, it was a good one nonetheless.
'This is a good thing. Fame means more influence, and according to what I learned in school, influence is a key factor in how the Rebirth Mark evaluates my reincarnation score.'
'The greater my influence, the higher my score from the Rebirth Mark will be.'
...
One day, as Li Chang'an was once again cultivating alone by his door, a group of village children about his age came running over. They stopped at a distance and hid in a spot they thought was inconspicuous, peering at him with wide, clear, and foolish eyes.
Of course, Li Chang'an knew they were there.
In fact, this wasn't the first time the children had spied on him. Ever since he killed Han the Eighth, they would often gather in small groups to gawk at him.
Gawking was one thing, but they were also terrified of being discovered.
They would usually stop at a distance, find a patch of weeds they thought was hidden, and peer curiously through the gaps at Li Chang'an, who, despite being their age, was so radically different.
Just when he thought they would spy from the bushes for a while and then run off as usual, the children mustered their courage and started walking toward him.
Li Chang'an paused his breathing exercises, his gaze falling upon the children who were timidly approaching.
These children were all from Li Family Village and wore similar linen robes. However, while Li Chang'an's robe was washed-out and pale, it had very few patches.
In contrast, the other children's robes were covered in patches. A few of them wore clothes that were so ill-fitting they looked like they had draped themselves in torn burlap sacks.
They were filthy from head to toe, their faces and bodies caked with mud and grime. Their faces were tanned and their hair brittle and yellowed. Only their eyes, unlike those of their parents, were still dark and bright.
The children slowly shuffled to a stop not far away. When they saw Li Chang'an's gaze fall upon them, fear and nervousness flickered in many of their eyes.
Clearly, they were both curious about and frightened of him.
One of them, a skinny but sharp-looking boy in particularly ragged clothes, stepped forward. Putting on a brave face, he asked, "Hey! Are you the one who killed Han the Eighth?"
Li Chang'an couldn't figure out what they wanted, but he showed no impatience as he casually replied, "What of it?"
Seeing that Li Chang'an didn't snarl and sprout fangs when he spoke, the boy breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly composed himself, however, and said with a self-important air, "Nothing. We just want to learn Martial Arts from you. Can you teach us some Supreme Martial Arts?"
Hearing this, Li Chang'an almost laughed. "Even if I did have a Supreme Divine Skill, why would I teach it to you?"
The boy was clearly stumped. His eyes darted back and forth for a moment before he seemed to make up his mind. Gritting his teeth, he declared, "We... we can make you our boss!"
*Pfft!*
'Do you take me for a kindergarten teacher?'
Li Chang'an barely managed to keep a straight face.
Seeing his apparent indifference, the boy grew angry. He turned his head away and huffed, "Fine, don't teach us! I can learn on my own. I'll create my own Supreme Divine Skill!"
As the boy turned to leave, an idea sparked in Li Chang'an's mind. He considered it for a moment but managed to restrain himself, not revealing his thoughts just yet.
'If these kids really have patience and determination, maybe I really could teach them a few things.'
'After all, with a cheat-like talent like Heaven-defying Comprehension, the one thing I don't lack—as long as I have inspiration—is a variety of Martial Arts Techniques and Secret Manuals.'
'I can't possibly use so many Cultivation Techniques Secret Manuals myself. Teaching them to others would be a good way to maximize their value.'
Of course, Li Chang'an wouldn't reveal this just yet. If he taught them the moment they asked, they would get the mistaken impression that cultivation was easy.
Only by letting them strive for it and fail, then offering a small taste of success, would they truly understand how precious cultivation was.
Besides, Li Chang'an needed to ascertain their character first. He didn't want to end up training a great Demon who would bring chaos to the world, forcing him to clean up his own mess later.
For the next few days, the children didn't come back to spy on him.
He didn't know if they had actually gone off to create their own Cultivation Technique, or if they were just staying away out of childish spite.
Li Chang'an paid it no mind. If they gave up that easily, teaching them would be a waste of his time. Better not to teach them at all.
Two days later, a full half a month after Li Chang'an had killed Han the Eighth, his two brothers finally arrived.
They brought dozens of martial arts Apprentices with them, along with two leashed Demon Dogs that stood as high as a man's waist.
They first went to the mountain forest where Han the Eighth had disappeared. After spending several hours surveying the area, they followed his trail straight to Li Family Village.
The residents of Li Family Village looked on in terror at Han Li and Han Fei, who radiated a murderous aura, and the two fiendish Demon Dogs on their leashes.
"Listen up! A while ago, our brother died mysteriously near your village. We're here today to investigate the cause of his death!"
Han Li's gaze swept over the crowd as he boomed, his expression dark, "Now, all of you, go back to your homes and open your doors! If this has nothing to do with you, you won't be harmed. In fact, we're even willing to offer some compensation in silver taels!"
"But if anyone tries to pull any funny business..." Han Li paused, his eyes narrowing as his voice turned ice-cold. "Then this day, next year, will be the anniversary of your death!"
...