Chapter 117: Trouble with the Three Great Malignancies

The reason why Heavenly-Grade cultivation methods are called so is that they directly connect with the primal energy of Heaven and Earth, reaching the level of the natural laws themselves. Only those who have become powerful Earth Immortals, familiar with and able to freely manipulate the corresponding laws, can create suitable cultivation techniques.

This is what defines a Heavenly-Grade cultivation method.

Although Wang Li understood the principles behind Heavenly-Grade methods and was blessed with innate chaotic body and data analysis talents, the cultivation process was still quite arduous. Developing a method from scratch was out of the question for now.

He temporarily abandoned the idea of creating his own technique and instead focused on optimizing existing Heavenly-Grade methods.

Another decade passed. Wang Li completed the optimization and synthesis of the Five Elements Heavenly-Grade method and the spatial system method. However, cultivation of spirit-based methods was extremely rare, let alone spirit-based Heavenly-Grade methods. After using dozens of spirit-based methods, he barely managed to elevate the “Soul-Calming Secret” to the pinnacle of Earth-Grade. Any further advancement to Heavenly-Grade would have to wait.

He had lingered thirteen years in the Pure Yang Secret Realm, during which he improved over four hundred below-Heavenly-Grade methods and eleven Heavenly-Grade ones. He also customized superior Earth-Grade cultivation techniques for his parents, elder brother, and younger sister, and prepared backups of several Heavenly-Grade methods. Having done all he could, staying any longer felt inappropriate.

Moreover, he still had unfinished business and delaying further risked breaking his promises.

“Those guys must be getting impatient by now,” Wang Li thought, resolute in his decision to leave. He went to Xu Jing’s place to bid farewell.

Entering the small courtyard, Wang Li was about to pay respects to his master ancestor when suddenly a massive object hurtled toward him at high speed.

Startled, he wondered if his master ancestor intended to dispose of him after use.

Before he could think further, the object was right in front of him. Instinctively, Wang Li dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack.

“Bang!”

The heavy object crashed onto the ground. Wang Li looked closely and burst out laughing.

A familiar face!

“Oh, Steward Liu, what are you up to?”

Liu Wanjin lay on the ground, his buttocks raised high, resembling a crouching toad.

He struggled to look back and saw Wang Li smiling at him, wishing he could disappear into the earth from embarrassment.

So humiliating!

“You scoundrel, you can’t even control your own junior disciple after all these years? You’ve really gone to the dogs!” Xu Jing cursed as he came out of the grass hut. Not paying much attention to Wang Li, he stepped up to Liu Wanjin and stomped him into the dirt.

Wang Li’s eye twitched.

His master ancestor’s way of disciplining disciples was certainly violent!

Apparently unsatisfied with just pushing Liu Wanjin into the earth, Xu Jing stomped on his backside a dozen more times before stopping.

While Liu Wanjin flailed in the dirt, Xu Jing turned to Wang Li. “Friend, you’re leaving?”

“Yes, I’ve stayed long enough. I have appointments with other juniors, so I won’t linger.” Wang Li cupped his hands and smiled. “I’ve completed the cultivation methods and returned them to everyone. The methods below Earth-Grade will be stored in the Scripture Pavilion. I’ll come visit again when I can.”

Xu Jing clasped his hands behind his back. “Very well. But before you leave, could you do me a favor?”

“Please speak. After all these years of troubling you, I dare not refuse your request,” Wang Li replied.

Xu Jing nodded, a bit hesitant. “As you’ve seen, my junior disciple is quite useless and can’t manage his own juniors. Liu Guang hasn’t had time to discipline those three little rascals either. It’s not appropriate for me to intervene personally. Would you help manage those three juniors?”

It was rather embarrassing to admit he couldn’t control his own juniors.

Still, Wang Li was not an outsider and was strong enough, so Xu Jing thought to entrust him.

Wang Li narrowed his eyes. “Who are these three juniors you speak of?”

“Sigh! Those so-called ‘Three Great Tumors’ of the Pure Yang Sect,” Xu Jing sighed. “They’re causing trouble and want to leave. If it were normal times, they could go, but chaos has just begun. If they leave now, who knows what disasters they might bring.”

Three great tumors?

Wang Li’s suspicions were confirmed. He instinctively wanted to refuse.

Are the Three Great Tumors so easy to deal with?

Zhen Jingzi entered the Tribulation Mirror a hundred years ago yet still thrived despite being on the Five Elements Pavilion’s wanted list.

Tian Nan was the only fierce fighter able to cross realms before the Chosen One emerged; now he was at least at the peak of the Transformation Divine Realm.

Huai Ji was beautiful but ruthless and had long reached the Transformation Divine Realm.

Which one of these three was easy to handle?

Wang Li calculated quietly; dealing with Huai Ji would be manageable. Under Sheng Ye’s guidance, no matter how beautiful a woman was, she was just a painted skeleton in his eyes. With Sheng Ye, the old fox, around, Huai Ji’s deceit wouldn’t work on him.

Tian Nan was a martial fanatic with a very strong innate body but not Wang Li’s match.

If Wang Li were sent to suppress these Three Great Tumors, he feared he couldn’t handle Zhen Jingzi.

Cross-realm combat was possible for him but untested in real battle. Zhen Jingzi was formidable, and Wang Li feared failure.

One misstep would shatter his image as a top expert.

Before he could refuse, Sheng Ye’s words echoed in his mind: “You should find opponents of equal strength to spar with; simulated battlefields can never fully replace real combat.”

“Alright, I’ll go meet them,” Wang Li agreed.

Xu Jing stomped once, and Liu Wanjin popped out of the earth.

“Take Friend Wang Li with you. If they don’t listen, break their legs!”

Liu Wanjin, still nursing his wounds, dared not say a word and quickly led Wang Li deeper into the secret realm.

Along the way, they chatted idly. Nearing their destination, Liu Wanjin stopped and said, “Steward Wang, be prepared. Those three are causing a ruckus inside. When you make your move, go easy—don’t actually break their legs.”

Wang Li smiled but said nothing.

Liu Wanjin felt awkward but remained silent and activated a mechanism.

A secret door silently appeared beside them.

Before entering, a clear female voice came from within.

“Uncle Liu, you’d better be sensible. We won’t fight you if you let us out. We’ll be back in three days.”

“Yun Jingzi said Wang Li is strong. We want to see for ourselves. Just pretend you didn’t see anything, okay?”

The woman’s words were contradictory, causing Wang Li to frown.

“Is that Huai Ji?” Wang Li asked Liu Wanjin.

Liu Wanjin nodded. “She wasn’t like this before. Five days ago, Yun Jingzi came by, and since then, Huai Ji’s emotions have been unstable. Then Tian Nan, and this morning, it seems Zhen Jingzi is also acting strangely. I went to ask the master to check on them, but unexpectedly, he got beaten up.”

Wang Li’s heart skipped a beat as Sheng Ye’s early words flashed through his mind...