Tang Dynasty Demon Suppression Division

Li Yuan took the book, which was a "Basic Boxing Manual of One Hundred Forgings". He casually flipped through a few pages. It was full of illustrations and detailed breakdowns of the thirty-two movements, as well as the key points for practice.

"Remember, there are no shortcuts to cultivation, only diligence." Liu Hongyan waved her hand and turned to leave.

After dinner, Li Yuan did not return to Tingzhuxuan. Instead, he took the boxing manual to the training ground where they had gathered the day before.

It's relatively quiet here at night, with only a few torches for lighting, making it suitable for solo practice.

He found a corner with decent lighting, spread out the boxing manual, and studied it carefully by the firelight. He repeatedly pondered the boxing techniques. The boxing techniques seemed simple, but it was not easy to do each movement correctly and coordinate the breathing and power points.

After studying for about half an hour, feeling that he had memorized the first three moves, Li Yuan closed the book and began to practice slowly. He was not in a hurry to succeed, but rather strived to make each movement standard and carefully felt the flow of breath.

By the time he practiced it for the fifth time, his movements had become much smoother, and the warm current in his body seemed to flow slowly and spontaneously, nourishing his sore muscles and bones and bringing a strange sense of comfort.

Just then, a thought struck him, and he withdrew his fist, standing still and looking towards the other side of the martial arts arena.

In the darkness, a tall figure stood there, silently practicing his boxing techniques with meticulous movements.

It was Shen Lian.

Noticing his gaze, Shen Lian stopped what he was doing and turned to look at him.

Across a large, empty training ground, their gazes met in the air without a word. Then, they both looked away and continued their practice as if the other did not exist.

In the quiet night, two figures, each sweating profusely, shared a strange understanding.

After practicing for about an hour, Li Yuan felt a slight warmth throughout his body, his blood and qi were flowing smoothly, and his understanding of these boxing techniques had deepened. Only then did he stop practicing, wipe his sweat, and prepare to return.

Shen Lian also withdrew his fist at the same time. The two walked back to Tingzhu Pavilion in silence, one in front of the other and several feet apart.

As soon as he reached the dormitory entrance, Li Yuan paused, frowning warily as he looked over.

A person stood in the shadows in front of the door.

The man was wearing a moon-white robe, typical of inner court students. He was tall and slender, with a handsome face, but his eyes and brows exuded an undisguised air of arrogance.

At this moment, he was standing with his hands behind his back, looking Li Yuan up and down as he walked over.

"Cousin Li, why are you so late?"

As Li Yuan approached, the man smiled and greeted him in a familiar tone, "My name is Wang Shixuan. Your maternal grandfather, Grand Secretary Wang, is my grandfather. So, you should call me cousin."

Wang Boyuan's grandson?

Li Yuan sneered inwardly. The Wang family had never taken him seriously before, and he hadn't seen a single member of the Wang family in the past six months. Now, however, they were eager to claim kinship with him.

He remained expressionless, saying calmly, "So it's Young Master Wang. What brings you here so late at night? I don't think my Li family has any relatives with the surname Wang."

Wang Shixuan's smile froze, secretly annoyed that this country bumpkin was still putting on airs.

Remembering his grandfather's instructions, he quickly regained his composure and sighed:

"My cousin is still blaming his aunt. After his uncle's accident, his grandfather was also heartbroken. Now, his grandfather often talks about you, deeply regretting that he couldn't help you in time."

He glossed over Li Chongwen's matter but made no mention of Wang's divorce. "Upon learning that you have now entered the Divine Martial Academy, my grandfather was overjoyed and specially sent me to visit you and see if you need anything. The family will certainly do its utmost to help you."

He spoke eloquently, but his eyes subtly scanned Li Yuan, revealing disdain. Li Yuan sneered inwardly, realizing that the Wang family simply valued his potential and wanted to re-establish contact with him, bringing him into their sphere of influence.

"I appreciate Young Master Wang's kindness." Li Yuan's tone remained calm, even distant. "However, I have suffered hardship since childhood and have no maternal family. Now that I have entered the academy, I should focus on my cultivation and need not worry about you."

He raised his hand dismissively, "If there's nothing else, it's late, please leave."

"you……"

Wang Shixuan hadn't expected Li Yuan to be so stubborn and unyielding. His fake smile finally crumbled, and his face immediately darkened.

"Li Yuan, don't be ungrateful!"

"Your grandfather gave you this opportunity out of consideration for our past relationship. Do you really think you can have a smooth journey in Chang'an City and at the Divine Martial Academy all by yourself?"

As he spoke, a malicious sneer crept across his face. "What good is genius without family support? Aren't there enough geniuses in this world who die young?"

Wang Shixuan stepped forward, lowered his voice, and said with undisguised threat, "Don't forget, you're all alone now. Your good father is still waiting to die in Dali Temple prison. If you're smart, you'll obediently acknowledge your relatives, and there will be benefits for you. Otherwise..."

"Hmph, the area outside the academy is not as safe as the area inside."

Such arrogance, does he think Li Yuan is easily intimidated?

His eyes turned slightly cold, and he was about to speak.

"So noisy!"

A cold voice sounded.

Wang Shixuan was startled and turned his head sharply. He saw Shen Lian holding a knife in his arms, leaning lazily against the door frame, his eyes full of impatience.

"roll!"

He parted his thin lips slightly and uttered a single word in a cold voice.

Wang Shixuan was the grandson of a Grand Secretary and was usually surrounded by flatterers. He had never been insulted like this before, and his face turned pale with anger.

He naturally recognized Shen Lian, the son of a border general, a ruthless figure. In the past, he wouldn't have taken him seriously, but now that his grandfather was in a precarious situation and had repeatedly told him to keep a low profile, he naturally dared not easily provoke a truly ruthless character like Shen Lian.

"you……"

Wang Shixuan gritted his teeth inwardly, "Shen Lian, this is a family matter between my cousin and me, what business is it of yours?"

Shen Lian didn't speak again. With a flick of his wrist, a bright blade of light appeared in the night, slowly pointing at Wang Shixuan, and a chilling killing intent instantly spread out.

That madman!

Wang Shixuan shivered, swallowing back the harsh words that were on the tip of his tongue. He glared fiercely at Li Yuan, said "You'd better watch yourself!" and hurriedly turned and left in a sorry state.

Li Yuan looked at Shen Lian, who had already sheathed his sword as if nothing had happened. He turned and went into his room, slamming the door shut behind him.

What a stubborn child! Li Yuan couldn't help but chuckle. He reached out and pushed the door open, and heard the sound of running water coming from inside. Shen Lian was clearly taking a bath.

His expression darkened slightly. He had expected someone to try and win him over, but he hadn't expected the Wang family to be the first. It seemed his peaceful days were coming to an end.

The next day's theory class was about the history of demons and monsters. Li Yuan listened very attentively. He had always been curious about what exactly happened during the An Lushan Rebellion that caused such a major turning point in history.

The instructor was the same Mr. Han from yesterday.

"Demons are not of our kind; their hearts are surely different, and their actions are surely evil."

"Since the An Lushan Rebellion, the world has undergone drastic changes, the barrier has been damaged, and demonic energy from outside the region has invaded. In addition, local spirits, ghosts, and even evil cultivators have emerged, forming what we now call 'demons'."

"It is not a single race, but a collective term for all evil spirits that are enemies of our human race and use humans as food and sustenance."

He unfurled a huge scroll, on which were realistically depicted images of various grotesque and terrifying demons, accompanied by explanatory text.

"Based on their origin and form, they can be roughly divided into four categories."

Li Yuan was filled with curiosity and listened intently.