Celestial Taoist

Li Mofan was overjoyed and eager to test this newfound power, so he got up, pushed open the door, and headed to the training ground to familiarize himself with his strength.

Just as he stepped out of the corridor, he ran into Zhang Lei, who was coming towards him. Zhang Lei had only recently been released from confinement, and he immediately spotted Li Mofan. A look of hostility flashed in his eyes—in his mind, it was Li Mofan who had caused him to lose face and be put in confinement.

"Hey, isn't this our martial arts gym's 'delicate newbie'?" Zhang Lei strode forward, reaching out to shove Li Mofan's shoulder. "Just discharged from the hospital and you dare to wander around like this? Looks like you haven't learned your lesson from last time. Want me to give you another good talking to?"

Before his fingertips could even touch Li Mofan's clothes, Li Mofan subtly shifted his body, easily dodging the attack. Zhang Lei was taken aback, clearly not expecting him to dodge, and then became enraged: "What? You think you're all grown up now? You dare to dodge?"

Before he finished speaking, Zhang Lei clenched his fist and, with a fierce gust of wind, slammed it down hard on Li Mofan's chest. The force was even more brutal than before, clearly indicating his intention to cripple Li Mofan completely. Passing disciples stopped to watch, some with worried expressions, others with schadenfreude; no one believed Li Mofan could withstand such a punch.

This time, however, Li Mofan stood still. Just as his fist was about to touch Zhang Lei's chest, he slowly raised his hand and firmly grasped Zhang Lei's wrist. Zhang Lei felt a tremendous force, his wrist as if locked in an iron clamp, unable to move. The pain made his brows furrow and his face instantly turn red.

"How...how can you have such strength?" Zhang Lei was incredulous, struggling desperately, but he couldn't break free at all. The immense force came from Li Mofan's fingertips like a tidal wave, making his whole body numb.

Li Mofan's eyes were cold, and without saying a word, he exerted a little force, causing Zhang Lei to groan in pain, his knees buckling and nearly collapsing to the ground. "I didn't hold it against you for hurting me last time," Li Mofan said calmly, "but if you provoke me again, don't blame me for being impolite."

Zhang Lei was both shocked and enraged, his inner ferocity fully ignited. He swung his other fist fiercely towards Li Mofan's cheek. Li Mofan's eyes turned cold, and with a slight twist of his wrist, Zhang Lei let out a scream, his fist falling limply to its side. Immediately afterward, Li Mofan kicked him, and Zhang Lei fell backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground, spitting blood, unable to get up for a long time.

The surrounding disciples were completely stunned, and they all gasped in shock—no one expected that the newcomer who had been easily injured by Zhang Lei could now easily defeat Zhang Lei. The change before and after was like that of two completely different people.

Li Mofan looked down at Zhang Lei on the ground, his tone threatening: "Kneel and apologize, or I'll cripple you." Zhang Lei's face was deathly pale, filled with shock and fear, his whole body trembling uncontrollably. He struggled to sit up, but the excruciating pain caused him to fall heavily back down as soon as he lifted himself slightly. Blood kept spilling from the corner of his mouth, staining his training clothes. "Brother Li... I was wrong, I was really wrong!" Zhang Lei's voice trembled, on the verge of tears, all traces of his former arrogance gone. "Please spare me, I'll kowtow to you, I'll kowtow to you!"

With that, he used all his strength to barely prop himself up, slamming his forehead heavily against the ground, again and again. The force was so great that his forehead quickly became red and swollen, with blood seeping out. "Please spare me, I will never dare to do it again, I will never dare to provoke you again!" He kowtowed and begged for mercy, showing no trace of the martial arts master he once was.

The disciples who had stopped around were speechless with shock. Seeing the once arrogant Zhang Lei so pathetically begging for mercy, their gazes towards Li Mofan were now filled with awe and fear. Li Mofan looked down at his humble appearance, his eyes calm, until Zhang Lei's forehead bled profusely from kowtowing, before slowly speaking: "Remember what you said today. If I see you being arrogant again, next time it won't be as simple as kowtowing and apologizing."

Upon seeing this, the surrounding disciples instinctively took a half step back, none daring to approach and speak to him, simply watching him from afar.

Just as Li Mofan was about to turn around and head to the training ground, a steady voice came from behind him: "Mofan, wait."

Li Mofan's heart skipped a beat. He turned around and saw the sect leader, Zhao Qiankun, walking slowly towards them. Beside him stood a slender man—his clothes were strange, and his aura was obscure and unpredictable. He was the same man who had been hiding in the shadows earlier. The two walked side by side, their presence powerful. Upon seeing this, the surrounding disciples quickly bowed and then dispersed, leaving only the three of them standing in place.

"Master." Li Mofan quickly bowed and greeted him, but his gaze involuntarily fell on the man next to Zhao Qiankun. He felt a few wisps of aura coming from the man. Although they were more subtle than the ones he had absorbed in the room, they were clearly from the same source. Li Mofan became secretly wary.

Zhao Qiankun smiled gently, patted Li Mofan on the shoulder, and said with a hint of approval, "I saw everything that happened just now. Your abilities have made such a great breakthrough after you recovered from your injuries. You have indeed lived up to my expectations."

The strange man beside him didn't speak, but his voice emanated from his body: "Young man, your talent is exceptional. It's truly remarkable that you've made such progress at such a young age."

Li Mofan's doubts deepened, but he still asked respectfully, "May I ask who this gentleman is?"

"This is Mr. Xuan," Zhao Qiankun quickly introduced, his tone respectful. "Mr. Xuan is a senior in the field of supernatural abilities, with unfathomable strength. He has come here today specifically to give you an excellent opportunity."

Mr. Xuan nodded slightly, his gaze falling on Li Mofan, and said solemnly, "I see that you have extraordinary talent in supernatural abilities, and the Liefeng Martial Arts Academy is no longer worthy of your aptitude. The reason I have come here is to take you to a higher-level training ground, where there is a purer aura of supernatural abilities and more advanced cultivation methods, which will allow you to break through your supernatural ability level more quickly and become a top-tier supernatural being."

Li Mofan's heart stirred, and a hint of emotion appeared on his face—he had always struggled to find a way to advance, and Mr. Xuan's words undoubtedly struck a chord with him. However, he didn't completely lower his guard. After a moment's thought, he couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Xuan, Master Zhao, I've heard people mention the selection of ability users, saying that various martial arts schools send ability users to participate. I wonder what this selection has to do with my going to the advanced training grounds? Do I also need to participate in the selection to obtain this opportunity?"

Upon hearing the words "selection of superhumans," a flicker of surprise crossed Zhao Qiankun's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. Mr. Xuan smiled faintly, his tone tinged with disdain: "Selection? That's nothing more than a means for those mediocre superhumans."

His gaze was fixed on Li Mofan, and his tone became increasingly solemn: "You are different from them. Your talent is exceptional, a once-in-a-million genius with extraordinary abilities. You don't need to participate in such low-level selections at all. The reason I'm taking you to this advanced training ground is to let you avoid those useless disputes, focus on your cultivation, and unleash your talent as soon as possible. Your future achievements will far surpass those of ordinary ability users."

Upon hearing this, Li Mofan's doubts lessened somewhat.

Seeing this, Zhao Qiankun quickly pressed his advantage: "Mo Fan, it's rare for Mr. Xuan to have taken a liking to you. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you absolutely must not miss. Don't worry, after you go to the cultivation grounds, I will arrange everything for your home. You only need to focus on your cultivation."

Mr. Xuan added, "There's no time to lose. Let's set off today to avoid any unforeseen complications. That cultivation place is extremely secluded, and only I can take you there. If we miss this opportunity, who knows when we'll get another chance?"

Looking at their earnest expressions, Li Mofan slowly nodded: "Thank you, Mr. Xuan, thank you, Master. This disciple is willing to go."

Mr. Xuan smiled faintly, exchanged a glance with Zhao Qiankun, and said in a calm tone, "Alright, come with us. Don't make a fuss, lest we alert others and delay our journey."