Chapter Seventy-Five: The Gathering Spirit Array

Lin Yi cast a brief glance at the Snake King and quickly lost interest. Turning to Xia Mi beside him, he said, “Please hurry up.” Xia Mi nodded, and the transaction was soon completed. She returned the black card to Lin Yi with a smile. “Sir, please wait a moment. Someone will bring the spirit stones for you shortly.”

Meanwhile, the Snake King ignored everyone else and walked directly over to a voluptuous staff member, his voice buzzing as he said, “Exchange for three grams of mid-grade spirit stones.” As he spoke, the python around his neck flickered its tongue incessantly.

The staff member’s face paled slightly, but thanks to her training, she didn’t collapse in fear. “Sir, I’m sorry, but the mid-grade spirit stones are all sold out.”

A cold light flashed in the Snake King’s eyes. “Sold out, you say?”

“Yes.” The staff member forced a smile, but the pressure of standing before this man was overwhelming.

The Snake King paused and said, “Then give me ten low-grade ones.”

The staff member’s mouth twitched. With an apologetic tone, she replied, “We’re out of those as well.”

With a bang, the Snake King slammed his fist onto the counter, his face menacing as he demanded, “Tell me—who bought them?”

Startled, the staff member still managed a stiff smile. “I’m sorry, but I can’t disclose that information.”

At that moment, a man rushed over—the very one who had scolded Lin Yi earlier. “Snake King, I know who bought all the spirit stones. It was that brat over there, but he’s connected to the Wang family,” he said.

The Snake King frowned, his gaze sharp as he looked over at Lin Yi. He could sense no trace of inner energy from Lin Yi—either he was an ordinary person, or his strength vastly surpassed his own. But how could that be? He was already at the threshold of Grandmaster level, and his purpose in buying spirit stones was to break through. Once he succeeded, even the most prominent families would be nothing to him.

With heavy steps, the Snake King strode over and blocked Lin Yi’s path. The python around his neck, sensing its master’s mood, glared at Lin Yi menacingly, as if ready to devour him at the slightest provocation.

The crowd watched the unfolding drama, none willing to help Lin Yi.

“Do you need something?” Lin Yi asked calmly, his gaze steady.

The Snake King looked down at him, voice buzzing. “Leave the spirit stones behind, and you can get lost.”

Wang Yang, clearly familiar with the Snake King, leaned in and whispered to Lin Yi, “Teacher, he’s the Snake King—a formidable practitioner of external martial arts. Even Grandmasters struggle to match him blow for blow.”

Lin Yi nodded; no wonder he was so arrogant—too confident in his own strength.

Seeing Lin Yi and Wang Yang still murmuring to each other, the Snake King raised his voice. “Boy, did you hear me?”

Xia Mi quickly tried to smooth things over. “Sir, please observe the rules of the Martial Arts Association. Otherwise, we reserve the right to blacklist you permanently.”

The Snake King dismissed her with a sneer. “Heh, I’ll be a Grandmaster soon enough. Then you’ll be begging me to join your association. Are you sure you want to blacklist me?”

Xia Mi’s expression flickered. He was right: once he broke through, every city and province would be clamoring to recruit him. Rules were necessary, but those with true power could always bend them.

“I…” Xia Mi was at a loss for words. She could only give Lin Yi a meaningful glance, urging him to leave quickly.

But Lin Yi stood there as if oblivious.

Wang Yang spoke up, “Snake King, Mr. Lin is an honored guest of the Wang family. If you keep this up, don’t blame me for being rude.”

The Snake King snorted disdainfully. “Hah! Others may fear your ten great families, but not me. Besides, your Wang family? Don’t think I don’t know—your strongest is just that old innate-level codger.”

Wang Yang’s face darkened. Lately, he’d grown accustomed to smooth sailing, with every faction showing him respect. To be slapped in the face by the Snake King, with not a shred of courtesy, was a bitter pill.

“Very well, Snake King. It seems you’re set on opposing the Wang family,” Wang Yang declared loudly.

“That’s right. I’d like to see just how formidable your Wang family really is,” the Snake King shot back with a cold laugh.

At that moment, a staff member emerged with a backpack. “Mr. Lin, here are the spirit stones you ordered. Please check them.”

Lin Yi reached out to take the backpack, but a large hand snatched it away first—it was the Snake King.

He hefted the backpack, satisfaction written across his face. “Not bad, kid. These spirit stones are your gift to me,” he said with a menacing grin, his burly frame radiating intimidation.

“Look at that! Hundreds of billions, just handed over to the Snake King for nothing.”

“Well, serves him right for being foolish. He doesn’t know not to show off his wealth—and then he breaks the rules by buying up all the spirit stones. Can he even use them all?”

The crowd murmured among themselves, but no one spoke up for Lin Yi. Some resented him for buying out all the spirit stones; others were simply jealous.

“Give me the spirit stones,” Lin Yi said, his face expressionless.

“What did you say?” The Snake King glanced at him with contempt, digging in his ear as if he hadn’t heard.

The python around his neck slithered down, coiling once around Lin Yi’s waist in a show of threat.

“I’ll count to three. Face the consequences,” Lin Yi said, his tone calm as ever.

“Go ahead, count. I’ll stand right here. Let’s see what you can do to me. Don’t think that old Wang guy can save you. Let me tell you, your ten great families are nothing but trash to me,” the Snake King boasted. He had reason to be cocky—at forty, he was on the verge of breaking through to Grandmaster. After that, the world would be his oyster.

Lin Yi began to count, unhurried: “One, two, three.”

No one took his words seriously.

But the instant he finished counting, Lin Yi’s figure vanished.

“Where’d the kid go?” The Snake King was momentarily stunned.

Someone called out, “Snake King, he’s right under you!”

Looking down, the Snake King saw Lin Yi at his side, though he hadn’t noticed him move.

Without hesitation, the Snake King swung an iron fist at Lin Yi’s head.

Lin Yi simply extended a single finger and blocked the punch.

Eyes widened in disbelief all around. The Snake King was one of the top fighters in Jiang Province, yet this young man had blocked him with just one finger. Were they dreaming?

After catching the punch, Lin Yi made a fist with his other hand.

Bang.

He punched the Snake King in the stomach with such force that the Snake King flew backward.

The onlookers scrambled out of the way—they’d never survive a blow that even the Snake King couldn’t withstand.

Bang.

The Snake King crashed into the wall, his body embedded in it.

“Cough, cough.” The Snake King was still alive, but he coughed painfully, feeling as if his internal organs were on fire.

“Xiao Ba, go bite him to death,” he snarled at the python on his neck. This snake was not just any beast, but a near-Grandmaster-level monster—a demonic beast that had earned him the title Snake King.

Hissing, the python shot toward Lin Yi.

Lin Yi’s expression didn’t change. He raised a hand and a golden light flashed from his fingertip.

Sensing the danger, the python opened its mouth and spat out a stream of crimson flame, but the fire lasted less than a second before the golden light tore through it, boring a hole straight through the python’s head. The great snake fell silent forever.

The hall was silent. Everything had happened so quickly that no one had reacted before the snake—a creature nearly at the Grandmaster level—was dead.

The Snake King’s face was ashen, his eyes blazing with hatred for Lin Yi.

But Lin Yi ignored him, picked up the backpack, and counted the spirit stones inside.

“Yes, the number is correct,” Lin Yi said with satisfaction.

A nearby staff member finally recovered her composure and said timidly, “Sir, at the Martial Arts Association, our reputation is everything.” Inwardly, she breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness nothing had been skimmed, or who knows what this young man might have done in anger.

The Jiang Province Martial Arts Association was far weaker than its counterparts elsewhere—it didn’t even have a resident Grandmaster. Its highest strength was just a half-step Grandmaster.

“Wang Yang, let’s go,” Lin Yi said lightly.

The two of them strode out of the Martial Arts Association, and not a single person dared to stop them. After seeing what happened to the Snake King, everyone had a clear idea of just how terrifying Lin Yi was.

After Lin Yi left, the Snake King slowly got up. His expression was unreadable, but the fury in his eyes burned like a raging fire.

“Damn it.”

Shakily, the Snake King made his way to his slain python and gently stroked its head.

Suddenly, he turned his gaze on the crowd, a powerful aura locking onto a certain man.

“Snake King, what are you—?” The man who’d tipped him off tried to protest.

The Snake King said nothing. He was filled with pent-up rage, desperate for someone to vent it on.

Gulp.

The man’s legs gave out in terror. He wanted to run, but his body felt as heavy as lead.

The Snake King marched up to him, seized his head in a massive palm, and lifted him off the ground.

“Snake King, come on—blame the right people! Why take it out on a nobody like me?” the man pleaded miserably. If he’d known this would happen, he’d have kept his mouth shut. Now, there was nothing to be gained—only trouble.

The Snake King gave a cruel smile. With a sickening crack, he twisted the man’s neck.

The crowd gasped in shock. No one had expected the Snake King to kill someone right inside the Martial Arts Association. That was a major taboo.

But the Snake King paid no attention. He tossed the corpse aside and strode out, clutching his dead python.

…

Wang Yang accompanied Lin Yi back to his neighborhood, giving a final reminder, “Teacher, the Snake King is ruthless. You’d better be on your guard.”

Lin Yi waved him off. Doudou was already fully armed—he would have no trouble protecting himself, even against a Spirit Lord.

After Wang Yang left, Lin Yi took out all the spirit stones from the backpack. Three hundred and five low-grade spirit stones, each identical in specification.

He arranged three hundred of them at intervals throughout his home, enveloping the entire space.

“Activate the formation,” Lin Yi called softly. At once, the three hundred spirit stones emitted a milky-white glow, and the spiritual energy density in the house soared. Wisps of vaporous energy appeared in many places, evidence of the astonishing concentration.

Even an ordinary person, just by taking a breath, would be invigorated. A single day’s cultivation here would be equivalent to a year elsewhere.

“A basic spirit-gathering array—should last about a month,” Lin Yi murmured. It was time to help Doudou raise her strength.