Chapter 44: Li Yaojun, I am determined to win you!

Li Yao looked up towards the source of the voice.

Behind Yan Xinghong, a boundless sea of fire blazed, its monstrous aura enveloping the surroundings.

Were it not for the two elders beside him, he would have charged over to execute Li Yao on the spot.

Li Yao looked at Yan Xinghong calmly—so calmly, it was as if Yan Gaojie was not the one he had just killed.

Without a word, he merely nodded slightly in thanks to the two elders who had intercepted Yan Xinghong.

Then, without looking back, he walked away.

Watching Li Yao's retreating figure alongside the furious Yan Xinghong, no one dared to breathe a single loud breath.

Qin Xuehou stared at the saber in his hand with a heavy expression.

Those two shocking damage numbers...

Could his saber truly claim victory?

As someone who had undergone an early class advancement, dealing with ordinary professionals should have felt like a dimensional suppression...

Yet the image of Li Yao piercing right through Yan Gaojie's glabella lingered in his mind.

It felt like a towering mountain, and the sudden sense of helplessness crushed any fighting spirit he might have had to climb over it.

Zhang Yucheng, known as the "Little Sword Master" of the Dragon Country, had managed to discern a hint of the truth from Li Yao's recent combat.

Based on his perception, he could be almost certain that after activating [Shackles], apart from his strength attribute, Li Yao's other attributes remained within the normal range.

If that were all, as long as he watched out for that stealth skill, his own speed would give him the confidence to deal with Li Yao.

However, what truly puzzled him was this:

Yan Gaojie's SS-rank attack was something even he would not dare to take head-on. Exactly how had Li Yao managed to emerge completely unscathed?

Was it an invulnerability-type skill?

That was the only possible explanation.

Even if Zhang Yucheng racked his brains, he could never have imagined that Li Yao possessed the "Chess Player" talent.

With this thought in mind, Zhang Yucheng mentally categorized Li Yao's strength.

Right, he also had a summoned beast.

Zhang Yucheng silently calculated...

He surpassed ordinary SS-rank professionals, yet fell short of his own tier.

He did not underestimate Li Yao in the slightest.

In his eyes, for Li Yao to have reached this level after only a few days since his class advancement was an unprecedented feat, both past and present.

Elder Lin's praise was well-deserved.

Li Yao was genuinely capable of reshaping the landscape of summoners.

After today, no one would ever dare to underestimate this summoner from a remote and obscure land!

In the distance,

Kujo Misei and her bodyguard stood quietly beneath a tree, watching Li Yao's departing figure.

"Bai Yu."

"Yes."

"Within three days, procure an SS-rank summoner skill book for me."

"Miss!"

Bodyguard Bai Yu's expression stiffened.

"An SS-rank book in three days—even our Kujo family would find that..."

"No."

"I want an SSS-rank. At any cost, an SSS-rank summoner skill book."

Kujo Misei's expression was serious beyond measure.

"Li Yao-kun... I am determined to have him!"

As Li Yao walked further away, the crowd finally caught their breath and began to whisper among themselves.

"He actually killed him? That was Yan Gaojie! The Yan family's precious treasure, an SS-rank professional!"

"Killed him, so what? Didn't you see how far Yan Gaojie pushed Li Yao earlier? A person like that is nothing more than a parasite even if he isn't killed!"

"No, you guys still have time to care about Yan Gaojie? The damage! Over ten thousand damage points?! Could Li Yao already be level 40?"

"Are you kidding me? He only underwent his class advancement three days ago! Even if monsters stood in front of him in a line letting him kill them, he couldn't reach level 40!"

"You can only say Yan Gaojie didn't die unjustly. If Li Yao is given time, he'll probably become another figure like the Little Sword Master."

"You're right. As long as he isn't nipped in the bud, Li Yao will definitely be the next Zhang Yucheng—no, even stronger than Zhang Yucheng!"

"But now that he's killed Yan Gaojie, would the Yan family dare to let him grow? Once a person like this matures, the Yan family probably won't be able to sleep peacefully at night."

"Still, it was too impulsive. If it were me, I'd have given Yan Gaojie a beating at most; that way, even the Yan family wouldn't be able to do anything to him. In the current situation, the Yan family will likely pursue him to the death."

"Impulsive? I don't think so. If General Wu and Qin Xuehou hadn't spoken up, Li Yao probably wouldn't have bothered to kill him."

"And facing Yan Xinghong's harsh threats, Li Yao didn't say a single word in return, just walked straight away. He's probably already gone to seek asylum with the Federation."

"That's right, that's the right move. A gentleman takes his revenge ten years later; as long as he can develop, not even the Yan family will be a match for Li Yao!"

On one side was an illustrious and powerful clan; on the other was a newly advanced summoner.

In the past, no one would ever have placed the two in the same comparison.

Yet now, everyone present felt nothing wrong with these words; in fact, they felt it was entirely natural.

Just as the crowd was buzzing with speculation, assuming Li Yao would choose to bide his time and endure, a clear and resonant voice echoed from the distant dense forest:

"First-clear chests, I have three."

"One of them, I will not open. It is reserved to trade for a single item."

"The head of someone from the Yan family."

"I am a passerby, not Li Yao. Anyone holding items may come find me at any time."

"Whoever has more items and greater weight shall have the chest."

Silence.

An unprecedented silence!

Li Yao's words struck like a heavy hammer, landing with a dull thud upon everyone's hearts.

A few seconds later, Yan Xinghong's enraged and impotent voice rang out:

"Bastard! You truly deserve to die!"

"Wu Yuanqu, you heard that loud and clear. He is issuing a malicious bounty right before your very eyes."

"Are the law enforcement authorities going to do anything about this?"

Yan Xinghong stared directly at Wu Yuanqu, demanding an answer.

Wu Yuanqu replied righteously:

"Brother Yan, just tell me who this passerby is, and I'll notify the law enforcement bureau to arrest him right now!"

"Damn it!"

Half an hour later,

Li Yao arrived at the Star-Net Exchange located at the southern city border.

Even the Yan family would never dare to cause trouble within Star-Net.

The very first thing he did upon entering Star-Net was to notify his parents and instruct them to bring everyone trustworthy from the Silver Wolf Guild to move into Star-Net in a body.

They were to go nowhere except to run dungeons.

Though confused, Li Yang sensed the urgency of the situation and went to arrange the relevant matters immediately after hanging up the phone.

For the Silver Wolf Guild, this was hardly a difficult task.

Their primary business was clearing dungeons anyway; the only change was the addition of the lodging expense within Star-Net.

With Li Yao's current net worth, that was mere pocket change.

Besides, Li Yao knew that this situation would not last long.

The strength he displayed today was more than enough to command the attention of the Federation's upper echelons.

When that time came, even the Yan family would have to weigh their options carefully.

The most urgent task at hand was still to strengthen himself and raise his weight in the eyes of the higher-ups.

With this thought, Li Yao laid out all the spoils from this trip before him.

Three first-clear chests.

One drop-chest from the Tongue-Rending Queen.

Yan Gaojie's gauntlet-type weapon.

And...

Dozens of glittering, never-before-seen gold coins!