Li Xuan's life began to become orderly and normal.
But to the Li family, the Eldest Young Master Li had become abnormal.
Previously during the day, the Eldest Young Master would usually inspect the family's businesses, either visiting the textile shop to comfort the female workers in weaving and dyeing, or going to the martial arts hall to watch the Li family's teaching of swords, or going on a tour around the family mines and blacksmith shops.
Textile shops, martial arts halls, mines, and blacksmith shops - these are the three major industries of the Li family.
But now, the Eldest Young Master has become mysteriously secretive, and his whereabouts during the day are unknown.
Master Li knows that his son had previously encountered a demon panther and suffered a big shock, initially letting him vent and allowing him to do whatever he wanted.
But as time went on, he really began to worry and started making inquiries.
...
...
That night.
Li Xuan excitedly tossed and turned on the bed.
Today during the day, he had successfully broken his limits!
His "Agility" statistic had remarkably changed from "[Agility: 10/10]" to "[Agility: 11/11]"!
This was a true change of his upper limits, a transformation of his innate talent!
Upon return in the evening, he was extremely hungry, feeling as though his body was a bottomless pit.
He asked the family cook to prepare a large pot of beef bone broth, then ate eight large bowls of rice with the broth, nearly finishing a small bucket, before stopping.
After getting on the bed, he was also full of spirit, recklessly crashing around, leaving Su Qiang completely astonished.
After a long time, he finally calmed down, feeling the slight change within his body, immensely happy.
This wasn't a change produced by the Blood of Demonic Panthers entering his body, but a genuine transformation of his body. This was a peculiar process of "Yijing Marrow Cleansing", achieved through leveraging the "Mist Hidden Tricky Panther Magic Blood" and the Melted Copper Treasure Manual to rebuild himself.
And this limit-breaking had just begun!
Yet amidst the breakthrough, a peculiar emotion lingered at the bottom of his heart.
Normally, his agility should have reached "25 points", which ought to be very powerful, yet the "Realm" column still showed as "None."
Meanwhile, Su Qiang had already been exhausted, collapsing like a puddle of water on the bed.
"Young Master was amazing today." She couldn't even move her fingers.
Li Xuan laid beside the maid with a contented mood, his progress in strength drowning out the shadows of previous days. He lifted his hand to pull the petite maid into his arms, feeling the warm cling, and asked: "Has anything happened at home or in the county recently?"
He went out daily to practice martial arts, focusing solely on cultivation, and could only learn about nearby events through his pillow mates.
Su Qiang softly said: "Master came looking for me during the day, asking what you've been doing these days and why you keep running out, disappearing without a trace. I said I don't know either."
Li Xuan showed a thoughtful expression, paused briefly, then looked up with enlightenment, nodded and asked: "Anything else?"
Su Qiang said: "The demon panther's corpse has been brought back, and the government auctioned it; the Tian family paid a huge price to buy it."
The Tian family is also one of the three major families in Xiongshan County.
Li Xuan thought for a moment and asked: "Anything else?"
Su Qiang's voice turned slightly fearful, softly said: "The previous cooking murder case in the county hasn't been solved, and now there's a flower thief."
Li Xuan: ???
"Flower thief?"
Su Qiang said: "Yes, some young girls' corpses were found on the street. Every girl died disheveled, her body red and swollen as if beaten, with unbearable wounds below..."
Li Xuan furrowed his brows, coldly said: "This is not just flower theft, but murder?"
Su Qiang said: "Yes, Young Master.
The County Captain Shan has sent many constables and government officials to search for the culprit's whereabouts everywhere.
I heard from other maids, they say the county might soon enforce a curfew."
Li Xuan tightened his embrace on the lady in his arms, saying: "You shouldn't go out either, Yaohua is not here, I'll get two more maids to accompany you in the courtyard."
Being alone will lead to trouble.
He won't let the people around him get into trouble.
Su Qiang nodded obediently, allowing the Young Master to make arrangements.
...
...
Three or four days later.
Li Xuan broke his limits again, his "Agility" changed from "[11/11]" to "[12/12]."
The soft, pampered young man physique he once had had long disappeared, replaced by the appearance of a lean and muscular youth, his muscles solidified, like flowing water covering his body.
On another early day, he rode out on horseback.
Things seemed fine in the county, but upon leaving the town, he sensed something was amiss. Turning his head slightly, everything seemed normal yet in his sight, there was someone riding a horse, wearing a conical hat.
'Someone's tailing me.'
Li Xuan instantly judged.
He rode his horse at a gallop, and sure enough, hoofbeats sounded behind him, hanging far away but now with his agility reaching 12 points, his senses were much sharper, allowing him to hear.
Trees on both sides swiftly receded, hoofbeats echoed urgently, the county town soon disappeared from view.
After another burst of speed, when he reached an unmanned open ground, Li Xuan suddenly turned his horse around, charging back.
The tracker behind failed to evade, directly seen by Li Xuan.
The one tailing him was none other than the Martial Artist Zhao from his father's side.
He shouted from afar: "Uncle Zhao!"
Martial Artist Zhao awkwardly reined in the horse, didn't flee, waited until Li Xuan approached, then respectfully saluted, first saying: "Eldest Young Master, the master is worried about you."
That one sentence explained why he was here.
Li Xuan thought for a moment and said: "You can go back, tell my father I'll explain to him after some time."
Martial Artist Zhao wanted to say more.
Li Xuan patted the longsword at his waist, standing tall, asked: "Uncle Zhao, do I look like I'm in despair?"
Martial Artist Zhao carefully examined Li Xuan, now upon close inspection, he saw Li Xuan's difference.
It was a transformation of spirit and temperament; his eyes sharp like cold stars, a manifestation of a martial artist with full energy and spirit.
Upon closer inspection, Li Xuan's physique had also become much more robust.
The martial artist with the surname Zhao was filled with suspicion, as everything in front of him indicated that the young master had made tremendous progress these days, perhaps even faster than one could imagine.
"Eldest Young Master, have you encountered a high-level master?"
Li Xuan smiled and said, "Uncle Zhao, don't worry, I will explain to Father."
The martial artist with the surname Zhao thought about it, his expression serious, and said in a deep voice, "Then, young master, be careful, don't be deceived. People who hide their identities might not be trustworthy.
There is never unmotivated love or hatred in the world, young master be wary of their intentions."
Li Xuan knew he had completely misunderstood; after all, his "agility" had jumped from "5 points" to "12 points" within a mere month, an enormous change.
He smiled and said, "Got it, Uncle Zhao. You can go back now, I will be careful."
The martial artist with the surname Zhao was helpless as he rode back, but hadn't gone far when he sneaked back again, yet was once more discovered by Li Xuan, leaving him no choice but truly returning to Xiongshan County.
...
...
In a flash, another half month passed.
Li Xuan's "Flying Spider Stance" had become exceedingly proficient, according to the Melted Copper Treasure Manual's standard of "move as desired and reveal the form for it to be perfected," he had reached perfection.
The benefits this brought were quite evident.
His strength increased by "2 points," and agility broke the limit by "3 points."
This wasn't just rapid progress; it was a daily flight forward.
He glanced at his own state:
[Li Xuan]
[Realm: Unranked]
[Demon Points: 3]
[Strength: 10/10]
[Agility: 15/15]
[Constitution: 10/10]
[Spirit: 6/10]
Among the nine-grid blood slots, only one was illuminated, where lay the demonic blood of the "Fog-Stealth Cunning Panther," while the others remained dark, evidently not yet "unlocked."
There were few days left until the new year.
Li Xuan planned to confess to his father about his "15 points of agility" power on the eve of the new year.
So these days, apart from honing the Melted Copper Treasure Manual, he also took some time to practice his family's swordsmanship manual.
The swordsmanship manual was a copy supplied by the master of their family's martial arts school, and that master was quite formidable, able to squeeze into the ranks of first-rate fighters in the martial world.
Li Xuan didn't quite understand what level a first-rate fighter was.
But he knew that the Fog Panther, easily able to kill two Half-Step Grandmasters when it erupted, had agility estimated to be between "18~20."
Based on Wei Yao's standards, a body-technique oriented Half-Step Grandmaster's agility burst was approximately "13~15."
Thus, a body-technique oriented first-rate fighter, even when erupting, agility would very likely be below "12."
Therefore, his "15 points of agility," to some extent, already implied... even without ultimate skills, he'd already stand at the pinnacle of Half-Step Grandmaster, and also at the level of ordinary Grandmaster.
All he needed was a slight demonstration, and his father would discover he was a martial arts prodigy, and with his father being open-minded, would silently support him.
However, he could not confess to his father about the demonic blood, nor showcase it by integrating it into his body.
If he did, his father might think he was possessed by evil, which would be counterproductive.
With his mind set, Li Xuan stood deep within Chaotic Crow Ridge, his long sleeves slightly cascading, covering his ten fingers, suddenly flicking them, causing ten lines to shoot out simultaneously, weaving an imperceptible web of death around him.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!
The net gathered.
Everything within the net was severed.
Boom boom boom boom!
Trees and rocks fell to the ground, their cuts exceptionally smooth.
This was the killer move from the Melted Copper Treasure Manual: Ten Directions Dismemberment.
Though Li Xuan wasn't yet that skilled, he could use it at will now.
Watching the scene, joy welled within him, even considering that he hadn't transformed yet.
In the next instant, white smoke rolled in, the majestic demonic body embodying cloud patterns suddenly appeared.
Bang!
Within a cloud of smoke, Li Xuan's figure darted like a whirlwind, his outstretched hands seemingly carrying ten two-zhang long blades.
In high speed, naturally, he couldn't execute the killer move like the Ten Directions Dismemberment.
Yet, at high velocity, the saw lines themselves possessed terrifying lethality.
He abruptly halted, but those saw lines did not, continuing forward to form a "death zone" in the air before him.
Li Xuan continued to run, leap, and spin.
Ten fingers, ten saw lines, like ten two-zhang long blades, under high speed, demonstrating a frightening destructive power that even Zhangsun Yu couldn't imagine.
Slice slice slice!
Boom boom boom!
Li Xuan virtually transformed into a humanoid zone of destruction, sweeping through a mountain ridge; wherever he went, everything... was shattered!
Of course, such maneuvers require extreme caution, only someone like him with an agility of 29 points could control it; if he dared use this technique without transforming, he would soon meet his end.
Meanwhile, in the Melted Copper Treasure Manual, there was no record of such a high-speed killer move, it only mentioned: strike after pause.
This is the consistent weakness of saw lines.
But now, Li Xuan no longer needed to worry about this weakness.
However, he felt he hadn't fully mastered the Melted Copper Treasure Manual yet, which naturally required sufficient experience and great battles to accomplish.