I'm Feng Aotian—And I’m Running Away from My Wedding - Chapter 9

In the blink of an eye, six years passed.

Li Baiying spent her days either cultivating in the backyard or supervising the other branch family disciples as they practiced basic martial arts. She rarely left the courtyard more than once a week, and when she did, it was only to purchase body-strengthening elixirs within the clan grounds.

Of the treasures she had brought back from the secret realm, she kept only the serrated wolf-tooth blade as her personal trophy. The rest, which she had no immediate use for, were handed over to the family treasury, available for exchange by disciples who had made outstanding contributions.

During this period, an amusing incident occurred.

On the very night she returned from the secret realm, she suddenly heard a faint knocking outside her courtyard.

“Who is it?” Li Baiying lit a lamp and strode swiftly to the door.

To her surprise, standing outside was Li Ruoruo, her head bowed and her eyes slightly red.

“What do you want?”

“Cousin, while practicing just now, my meridians felt blocked, as if I were on the verge of qi deviation. I wanted to ask if I could borrow some elixirs from you.”

“Elixirs can be exchanged for contribution points at the clan’s Pill Hall. There’s no need to come to me specifically.” Li Baiying frowned slightly, her voice cold as she finished speaking and made to close the door.

But just as the door was about to shut, a slender arm shot out to block it.

“Cousin, if I had any contribution points, I wouldn’t be here begging you. For the sake of our family ties, could you make an exception just this once? I know you brought back many herbs from the secret realm…”

Before Li Ruoruo could finish, Li Baiying cut her off sharply:

“Even if I lend them to you, the contribution points you owe will still need to be repaid! Besides, I have no intention of keeping these herbs for myself. I’ll be handing them over to the Pill Hall tomorrow.”

“Is there anything else? If not, take care. I won’t see you out.”

“Wait!” With unexpected strength, Li Ruoruo stubbornly pressed her hand against the door, refusing to let it close.

Her eyes reddened as she stood there resolutely, on the verge of tears. “Cousin, I don’t know how I’ve offended you. Li Yue and the others are treated the same as me, and yet my talent is even greater than theirs, I could bring more glory to the family. But your attitude toward me… You’d rather teach them superficial skills than help me with this.”

“That’s right. I’d rather help them than you.”

Li Baiying let out a scornful laugh, completely unmoved by her act. “You claim to have talent, but all you brought back from the secret realm was a withered herb? Were you sleeping the entire ten days? Or did you secretly keep the truly valuable treasures for yourself without handing them over?!”

“Cousin, I didn’t…” Li Ruoruo tried to explain, but the door slammed shut in her face. This time, no matter how much she knocked, it would not open again.

“Cousin…” she murmured, a thick shadow flickering in her misty eyes, with no trace of the earlier tears. A cold wind swept through, tousling her carefully styled hair. Suddenly, she turned and disappeared into the darkness without a backward glance.

This minor episode left no mark on Li Baiying’s heart. On the contrary, that very night, she delivered the herbs she intended to contribute to the Pill Hall before returning to her room to meditate and cultivate.

Over the six years, her cultivation had soared from the second level of Novice Warrior to the seventh level of Innate Warrior. Just two more levels, and she would reach the Great Perfection.

Such achievements were exceptionally rare for her age. After all, most ordinary cultivators could only advance from Novice to Innate in their entire lives, let alone reach the various immortal realms beyond.

Yet, before even turning twenty, she had already broken through the threshold that many could only dream of in their lifetimes.

“Are you truly set on going out to gain experience?” Li Anqing, seated at the head of the elders’ hall, looked somewhat helplessly at her daughter, who was already shouldering her travel pack.

“My mind is made up,” Li Baiying replied resolutely. “As I am now, I have the strength to face any challenging situation.”

“Remove the word ‘any.’ The world is vast and full of wonders. You must have heard the saying: ‘There is always someone better, and beyond the sky, there is another sky.’ Don’t assume your Crimson Flame talent is one in a million, there may well be others even more gifted than you.”

“Moreover, the Hanwu Continent is nothing like home. No one will treat you with deference because of your status. On the contrary, they will scheme tirelessly, trying to pry every treasure from you.”

Li Anqing spoke at length, but when she lowered her gaze, she saw her daughter looking at her with eager anticipation, as if the words “Just agree already” were written all over her face.

“Did you hear what I said?” she asked helplessly.

“Of course. ‘Stay humble in character, but excel in action’, I understand that perfectly,” Li Baiying replied casually.

“It’s about staying as low-key as possible in all things.”

Seeing her daughter’s attitude, Li Anqing knew that if even twenty percent of this conversation sank in, it would be a remarkable success. Knowing her daughter’s stubborn nature, she also understood that forcing her to stay within the clan would only provoke rebellion, she might even sneak out over the wall one day.

“Alright then, you may go out to gain experience, but I have three conditions.”

…

Three days later, Li Baiying stepped out of the home she had lived in for nineteen years, feeling refreshed and invigorated.

“Safe travels, Young Mistress!” Li Yue and a group of outer disciples came to see her off. Most of them had been trained or guided by Li Baiying in physical cultivation and were quite close to her in daily life.

Among them, two or three older disciples had been assigned to manage the family’s lands and properties on the outskirts of Taichu Mountain. Hearing of her journey, they had made a special trip back to bid her farewell.

“With the Young Mistress’s talent, it won’t take more than five years for her name to resound across the entire Hanwu Continent.”

“Five years is too long, three years… no, one year!”

The disciples’ praises soon turned into a lively debate.

“Enough, enough. Save your flattery,” Li Baiying waved her hand dismissively. “You can stop here. Everyone, go about your business. I have hands and feet, I won’t starve, no matter what.”

With that, she leaped lightly forward and ran down the mountain without looking back.

The dense trees gradually parted before her eyes, and the bustling sounds of the town brushed past her ears with the breeze. A life entirely different from the one on the mountain finally revealed its vibrant side to her.

“Right, I should buy a map first.”

Li Baiying came to a stop at the market entrance, gazing at the bustling crowd as the realization struck her.

It seemed she only made thorough plans when it came to martial contests. For instance, although she had long planned to ask her mother for permission to venture out, she hadn’t given much thought to where to start, which route to take, or which towns to pass through. Or rather, she hadn’t thought about it at all.

After all, since she first opened her eyes, she had lived on Taichu Mountain and had never once stepped beyond the family’s territory.

“Young warrior, are you looking to buy some travel supplies? Come take a look here, good quality at fair prices, no deception for young or old,” a woman who appeared to be over forty waved at her.

“Do you have maps?” Li Baiying stepped inside, her eyes scanning the shop and finding mostly ordinary items. A few types of dried rations, however, caught her attention, colorful and unlike anything she had seen before.

“Yes, we do. We have maps of the entire Hanwu Continent, as well as routes across the seas. It depends on which one you want. If you buy them together, I can offer you a bundle discount.”

Following her gaze, the woman picked out the dried rations and began chattering enthusiastically, “These sell very well in our shop. Other young warriors passing by often buy a bag out of habit, it can last them ten days to half a month. If you’re embarking on a long journey, these rations are not only filling but also quickly restore your energy. They’re the perfect choice for travel.”

“I’ll take them all!”

Li Baiying patted her pockets, and her expression suddenly changed. She hurriedly took off her backpack, rummaged inside, and pulled out a string of copper coins to hand to the woman.

“You scared me! I thought I’d left in such a rush that I forgot to bring any money.”

After the false alarm, she muttered to herself and decided to open the map of the Hanwu Continent right away, studying it carefully.

Though Taichu Mountain was vast, it was no more than a speck on the entire map. She traced the winding mountain ranges, deep canyons, and boundless grasslands.

Several canyons, known for frequently yielding treasures, were marked with special circles. Her eyes immediately landed on the nearest one, Blood Cloud Cave, just a river away.

“Young warrior, if you’re planning to hunt for treasures, I also have high-quality treasure-hunting compasses here…”

“No need, thank you.” Li Baiying felt a headache coming on at the mention of “treasure-hunting compasses.” Six years ago, in a secret realm, she had suffered quite a bit because of one. Politely declining the enthusiastic woman’s sales pitch, she picked up her noticeably heavier bundle and continued on her way.

“It’s still early. I’ll grab a bite at a nearby tavern, stay the night, and plan my next steps tomorrow.”

Freshly descended from the mountain, she felt like a bird just released from its cage, eager to taste and touch every new thing she encountered.

After booking a room at an inn, she strode confidently inside, completely unaware that, a hundred meters away in a teahouse, two oddly dressed men in black were coldly watching her retreating figure.

“So, this is the next clan leader of the Li family? She doesn’t look like much, just a hot-headed youngster,” one of them suddenly remarked.

“Don’t underestimate her. According to our informants within the Li family, she’s already reached the seventh level of the Innate Realm at such a young age. Her potential is limitless.”

“Limitless potential, huh? Hah, I love watching geniuses fall,” he said, picking up his teacup and draining it in one gulp. “When do we make our move?”

“Not so fast. Let’s observe her a bit longer,” the other replied, clearly more cautious. “Both of us are at the eighth level of the Innate Realm, stronger than her, but there’s no guarantee she doesn’t have some life-saving talismans or pills. If we act rashly, things could go wrong.”

“Tch, you always overthink things, constantly hesitating and second-guessing. Fine, I can wait a few days. But whether the one who hired us is willing to wait, that’s another story.”