Chapter 5: A Real Man Never Yields to Threats

Li Huaixian strolled leisurely back to his residence, not giving today’s events a second thought.

To him, those people were nothing more than a group of worthless nobodies.

They hadn’t harmed him in the slightest, and they certainly weren’t worth occupying space in his mind.

As for the truth behind everything, he already saw through it as clearly as if it were laid out before him.

What truly intrigued him now was the reward the system had just mentioned.

After all, to think a man like him was born with the natural potential of a furnace body—just imagining it was enough to make one shiver with delight…

Or rather, enough to make his kidneys cry out in despair!

Worst of all, because of this unique physique, even if he worked himself to the bone, all the “harvest” would end up benefiting someone else.

‘How infuriating is that?’

Putting the thought aside, he walked straight into his room and sat cross-legged.

His true qi began to circulate.

Nirvana Ninefold Cycle – First Rotation!

The moment the qi started moving through his body, waves of intense pain followed immediately.

Li Huaixian’s face turned slightly pale.

It felt as though someone was hacking at his muscles and bones with the dullest of blades, only to stitch them back together one by one.

In cultivation, techniques could be learned, and realms could be achieved through effort.

But one’s physique—that was something one was born with! To change the bones and bloodline of the body was naturally to endure the agony of being flayed and torn apart from within.

Sweat drenched his body, but he gritted his teeth and endured in silence.

What he didn’t know was that with every cycle of the Nirvana Ninefold, the qi he released began to spill into the surroundings.

Above the ceiling, a phantom shadow of a primordial beauty faintly flickered into view.

And from the inside out, the aura he radiated became far more seductive and deadly to the opposite sex than ever before.

***

After a long time, he slowly exhaled a mouthful of turbid air.

His every gesture now carried an innate allure that stirred the hearts of others.

He quietly felt the changes in his body, and the strength surging within made him feel as if an ancient god or demon were stepping forth from his flesh.

If his previous Hundred Charms Chaotic Body had been like a gentle stream, then now that stream had swelled into a great river—providing a far more solid foundation for all the true qi coursing through him.

Not only did he feel his realm stabilize, but that immense power even hinted at a potential breakthrough.

“…It’s done.”

Even he hadn’t noticed that the aura he now gave off—

Was irresistibly fatal to women.

The first cycle of Nirvana had been completed smoothly.

And although Li Huaixian was inwardly thrilled, he didn’t waste time indulging in it.

He raised a single hand slowly toward the air and gently opened his palm.

Hovering just above it, a drop of golden blood floated in place.

The pressure in the room surged in an instant.

In the air, it was as if the low growls of ancient dragons echoed faintly, rumbling directly into the soul.

Li Huaixian stood firm beneath the weight of that pressure, unflinching and proud.

“So this is Panlong Tyrant Blood?”

“Ordinary people would already be groveling on the floor under this dragon might, let alone trying to refine it.”

“Good thing I can handle a little pressure.”

He muttered to himself, no longer hesitating.

With a single thought, the drop of blood radiating ancient dragon power shot straight into his forehead.

Immediately, his entire body erupted in flame-like golden light.

“Urgh… AH!”

Even someone like Li Huaixian, whose willpower far exceeded that of normal men, couldn’t help but roar in pain the moment the blood entered his body.

That perfectly sculpted face twisted in agony.

Once inside, the drop of dragon blood seemed to take on a life of its own—rampaging through his body violently.

As if it were aware of its impending fate and furiously resisting being refined.

“Heh.”

He let out a cold snort, the Hundred Charms Disruptive Body within him already operating at full capacity!

For a full quarter of an hour, his expression constantly shifted.

Finally, the golden light that had only been shrouding him suddenly flared with intensity.

A beam of golden light shot into the sky, then all at once, surged back into his body!

The golden aura that surrounded him also seeped into his body.

Only fine golden threads remained, flowing smoothly through his meridians, now tamed and obedient.

At the same time, as the power of the Panlong Tyrant Blood was refined, his aura surged violently.

The might of the Panlong Tyrant Blood and the Hundred Charms Disruptive Body complemented each other perfectly—one enhancing, the other amplifying—flooding his body with an overwhelming torrent of power.

His mid-stage Spirit Condensation strength soared like a dam breaking under pressure.

Late-stage Spirit Condensation!

Early Dao Palace Realm!

Mid Dao Palace Realm!

He ascended three whole stages in quick succession before his true essence even began to slow down.

Yet, even now, the aftershock of the Panlong Tyrant Blood remained potent and far from spent.

Li Huaixian’s heart remained steady as a boulder.

Calm and unhurried, he waited.

Only when he reached the peak of the Dao Palace Realm did the surging power finally begin to settle.

It may be called the peak, but it was more like a crumbling dam—just a single drop of rain away from bursting through.

All that was missing was the spark for a true breakthrough.

At this moment, as he felt his strength multiply by dozens of times compared to before…

His heart, instead of swelling with excitement, became calm as a tranquil lake.

A strange sense of conviction surged from deep within him.

It felt as if, in this moment, he could split mountains with a single finger.

Render judgment over life and death with just one word.

Once his true essence had stabilized, he suddenly opened his eyes.

The once-clear pupils now gleamed with a golden light!

Even an unintentional glance radiated the aura of a dragon’s majesty—oppressive and overwhelming—causing others to tremble and submit.

He lowered his head to look at his hands, murmuring to himself, “Six Mortal Realms—Body Tempering, Qi Drawing, Vein Condensation, Spirit Condensation, Dao Palace, and Fate Realm. To think I actually reached the peak of the Dao Palace Realm in a single night… What an unexpected surprise.”

“Which means… some things, I can finally act on boldly.”

As Li Huaixian calculated his next moves, the system’s voice rang out at just the right moment.

[New Quest: A True Man Is Never Threatened.]

[Objective: Take full control of the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion. Become the rightful and undisputed Young Master of the pavilion.]

Li Huaixian showed no reaction to the demand.

Because this was exactly what he was already planning to do.

Now that the issue with his physique had been partially resolved, his power had greatly increased, and he held a forbidden trump card in his hand—it was time to deal with those who had grown restless.

‘Who rules the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?’

That… will be made clear soon enough.

***

Meanwhile, Li Muxian—storming off in frustration—was not idling either.

In the solitude of her boudoir, only the cold moonlight poured in through the open window.

A gentle night breeze drifted in, teasing her long hair into motion.

Her face, pale under the moonlight, held a crazed glint in her eyes.

Clearly, she had once again been pushed too far today.

She never imagined that the man she admired—not only handsome and kind but also powerful—would still reject her.

She just couldn’t understand it.

What was wrong with her? Why did all her efforts fail to win Li Huaixian’s heart?

Not even his heart—she’d settle for a deep and meaningful discussion!

Suddenly.

A voice echoed from thin air.

“Have you made your decision?”

“I agree to the deal,” Li Muxian said after a moment of silence, speaking to the window as if to the night itself.

“But once it’s done, Li Huaixian is mine.”

Anyone who didn’t know better would’ve thought she was speaking to a ghost.

Yet mere seconds after her words left her lips, that same hollow and ethereal voice replied from outside.

“Once it’s done, Li Huaixian is yours to do with as you please. But the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion… must fall into my hands.”

“Deal!”

Li Muxian replied firmly, her jade-like fingers tightly twisting the handkerchief in her grasp.