Chapter 95: Their Respective Wishes

When they heard this, expressions of deep longing appeared on their faces. The glorious and dazzling Era of Antiquity seemed incredibly mysterious and captivating to them. Even the super-powerful figures from the Land of Mystery held the same attitude toward Ancient Ruins as ordinary people like them!

When Qin Li mentioned being chased by two Heaven Rank Martial Artists from the Qin Family, even though he was now sitting here safe and sound, even the thick-skinned Ahu felt his emotions rise and fall with Qin Li’s story, filled with tension.

Heaven Rank Martial Artists… What was Heaven Rank?

The four ranks—Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, and Yellow—might seem close, but in reality, each rank represented a chasm as vast as the heavens to a Martial Artist.

In the eyes of an ordinary person, becoming a Yellow Rank Martial Artist was already a great achievement. Yellow Rank Martial Artists were considered graded warriors!

In other words, a Yellow Rank Martial Artist was already a person of rank and status!

Reaching Mysterious Rank meant one could hold a certain position even within a great family, receiving high salaries and living an enviable life. Of course, their work also carried certain dangers—for example, the hundred or so people Qin Li had killed last night… But such probabilities were not high. Over thousands of years, the only great family in Huangsha City that had been completely wiped out was the Qin Family.

Other families, like the Shangguan Family and the Fang Family, had always been safe. Even small and medium-sized families had never encountered such events. Deaths certainly occurred, but the probability was extremely low.

As for Martial Artists who truly reached Earth Rank strength, they could hold quite high status in any family—at least not much inferior to the family’s direct descendants. Even joining the Royal Family would earn them high noble titles and regular rewards.

A Martial Artist who reached Earth Rank was enough to bring glory to their family!

And Heaven Rank… What was a Heaven Rank Martial Artist? They were figures representing the peak of the Martial Path! They were powerful experts who could split mountains and shatter rocks with effortless ease!

Ordinary people might never get a chance to see a Heaven Rank Martial Artist in their lifetime. There was even a tendency to mythologize the strength of Heaven Rank Martial Artists!

Admittedly, legends spoke of realms beyond Heaven Rank, but those were just legends. They were far too distant from ordinary lives, even unattainable!

And Qin Li had actually managed to escape unscathed under the pursuit of two powerful high-level Heaven Rank Martial Artists!

This… was simply… too unbelievable!

Ahu, Bu Yunyan, and even Leng Yao widened their eyes, staring at Qin Li. If they didn’t know Qin Li was an honest person; if they hadn’t seen with their own eyes how the Qin Family was pushed into the spotlight because of Qin Li’s shout; if they weren’t clearer than anyone that the one who framed the Qin Family was definitely Qin Li—they might not even believe that Qin Li could accomplish such a feat!

Qin Li didn’t mention that one of the Heaven Rank Martial Artists had been severely injured by his sword. If he had said that, their jaws would probably have dropped to the floor, and they would never believe it was true.

Finally, when he spoke of finding a place to seclude himself and train for nearly half a year after his narrow escape, finally breaking through to Earth Rank, the expressions of the three once again became extremely vivid, all stunned into silence.

Bu Yunyan’s lips twitched violently, her beautiful eyes filled with an incredulous look. She said, “You… you actually reached Earth Rank strength just like that? Heavens… it’s truly unbelievable. Your speed of improvement is a bit too hard to accept.”

Ahu and Leng Yao nodded in agreement at the same time. Even Leng Yao expressed her doubt, “Even with high-quality Yuanli Pills as assistance, you couldn’t advance this quickly, could you?”

It wasn’t until Qin Li stood up, focused his energy, let out a low shout, and a faint blue light flashed over his body that the three completely believed him. However, a strong sense of helplessness rose in their hearts. They all felt that Qin Li… was too monstrous! Then, a wild joy surged within them. Following such a young man was truly promising!

Ahu could even foresee his own future, bright and clear!

Qin Li then asked about the recent situations of the three. After learning that they had been living secluded and low-profile lives, Qin Li smiled and said, “Don’t worry, such days will soon be over. By the way, Leng Yao, take a look. If we want to refine the pills in this Alchemy Formula Compendium, will it be very difficult?”

Leng Yao opened the book as if in reverence. She turned to the first page, saw the first Elixir Formula, and her expression froze. Her eyes grew wide. Then she turned to the second page, the third page… Not convinced, she started looking from the middle, then turned to the last page.

Finally, Leng Yao let out a long breath, raised her delicate hand, wiped cold sweat from her forehead, and said, “It won’t be very difficult…”

Qin Li was overjoyed. What he feared most was having the formulas but not the materials! But Leng Yao’s next sentence plunged Qin Li into despair.

“It really isn’t very difficult. With our current financial resources and strength, it’s simply impossible! We can’t afford to refine even one kind of pill!” Leng Yao said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “These are true Ancient Alchemy Recipes! This is the true ancient civilization! It’s amazing. How come I never thought of it? It’s simply turning the ordinary into the miraculous! The intelligence and talent of ancient people were truly exceptional…”

Qin Li, Bu Yunyan, and Ahu all looked at Leng Yao speechlessly. It was rare to see this cold beauty show such expression.

Bu Yunyan frowned slightly and muttered softly, “What’s the use of it being miraculous? Without money… we can’t do anything.”

Ahu nodded. He originally thought they had been successful these years, but Qin Li’s book of pill formulas brought them back to reality. They suddenly realized they were still so poor.

Leng Yao then regained her cool demeanor, her eyes fixed on Qin Li as she slowly asked, “Young Master, I boldly ask, what are your plans for the future?”

Ahu and Bu Yunyan were startled at first, but soon they too looked at Qin Li with anticipation. This miraculous young man’s decision would directly affect the futures of all three of them, so they had to take it seriously.

“The future…” Qin Li murmured softly, falling into deep thought. If the three had asked him this question half a year ago, Qin Li would probably have casually made something up: My future is to go to the Mysterious Island, bring my wife back, and then the prince and princess lived happily ever after in bliss…

But after experiencing a full year of life in this world, Qin Li had formed his own understanding of many things. With his current strength, he could manage in the Mortal World, where Heaven Rank Martial Artists weren’t common. But if he really went to the Mysterious Island, that legendary place, could he still move as freely as he did now?

That wasn’t the most important thing. After his strength rose to Earth Rank, Qin Li still had strong confidence in himself. The most important thing was that the three before him had decided to follow him, just like gangs in his previous life. People didn’t join gangs just for fighting and killing, nor for dominating the Jianghu!

In this life, what people sought was nothing more than fame and fortune!

Those who truly saw through fame and fortune would go to remote temples to become monks. Those who sought famous mountains and ancient temples hadn’t truly seen through it…

“What do you seek?” Qin Li pondered for a long time before raising his head and looking at the three, asking in return.

“I seek great wealth and honor!” Ahu was the first to speak. “I’m a rough man, not very educated. My mother taught me this when I was young—she hoped that one day I could achieve great wealth and honor, return home in glory!”

Qin Li nodded. Although Ahu’s wish sounded vulgar, it represented the inner world of most people. For others, this might be difficult, but for the current Qin Li, it really wasn’t a problem—it was quite achievable!

“What about you? Sister Bu.” Qin Li looked at Bu Yunyan and asked.

Bu Yunyan, unlike her usual joking self, said seriously, “I hope, within my lifetime, to find my father…” As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes, but she smiled and said, “Do you think that normally, I’m a frivolous woman?”

“Of course not!” Qin Li and the others answered in unison. Qin Li looked at Bu Yunyan and said, “Although we don’t know what Sister Bu has been through, we all know you’re actually a very good woman—gentle, kind, generous, righteous. You lack none of these. We all like you very much!”

Bu Yunyan smiled and nodded, saying, “Thank you. I’ve always liked you all too, proud to have companions like you!” Then, Bu Yunyan softly recounted her past.

Bu Yunyan grew up in a single-parent family since childhood. She had great natural talent, ideal for martial arts. Her mother, however, was… a courtesan who hadn’t yet taken clients. It was said she would have to eventually, but after a chance encounter with Bu Yunyan’s father, they fell deeply in love.

Bu Yunyan’s father was a Mysterious Rank Martial Artist, very young at the time, only in his twenties, considered someone with a bright future. Unexpectedly, after a moment of pleasure, Bu Yunyan’s mother became pregnant. That young man with such promising prospects, fully aware of the situation, left only a hundred taels of silver, one Combat Technique, and one mind technique, then vanished without a trace.

Before Bu Yunyan was ten, she lived in the brothel. Her mother, though she didn’t take clients again, didn’t leave the brothel either. Instead, she chose to serve the brothel’s star courtesan, hoping that one day the man would return for her. But that man never appeared again.

When Bu Yunyan was ten, her mother, overwhelmed by sorrow and worry, died of depression. She was not even thirty when she passed away… still in the prime of her life.

This secret hidden in her heart for over ten years was finally spoken aloud. Bu Yunyan, tears streaming down her face, said, “I don’t expect anything from that man. I just want to ask him why he so heartlessly abandoned my mother. Even if he had a bright future, my mother never thought of marrying him. Couldn’t he have kept her as an unofficial consort?”

Leng Yao gently held Bu Yunyan in her arms, patting her shaking shoulders, and said softly, “It’s alright, it’s all in the past. If we ever meet that heartless man, I’ll help you confront him together!”

Bu Yunyan gradually calmed down, wiping her red eyes, and said with a smile, “I’ve made a fool of myself in front of you.”

Qin Li felt somewhat emotional. The professions of adventurers and hunters truly had many unfortunate souls. Thinking this, he looked intently at Leng Yao and asked, “Sister Leng, what is your wish?”

Leng Yao lifted her head, thought for a moment, and calmly uttered two words: “Revenge!”