Chapter 531: 532
As these words were spoken, the other geniuses also pricked up their ears, all very concerned with this question; in their view, it was impossible for a youth to instantly kill Great Crossing Realm cultivators, and the perpetrator must undoubtedly be an old monster in disguise.

Li Xiaobai was momentarily taken aback, having not expected this woman to ask such a question, but it was no secret, and he honestly replied, “I am just over twenty years old, which should be about the same as everyone else here.”

As soon as these words were uttered, the bathhouse fell silent, not only were the geniuses stunned, but the elders from the three great families had expressions as if they had seen a ghost.

What kind of joke was this, a Great Crossing Realm Expert in his twenties?

Even those revered seniors who ascended to the Upper Realm didn’t cultivate that fast, right?

Could this kid genuinely be a prodigy?

He completely overshadowed the younger generation of their families and, no, even crushed the very elders themselves.

“Young Master Li is not joking, right?”

Old Man Nangong asked with a somewhat vacant look in his eyes.

“Of course not; look at my delicate, fair skin, a true picture of youthful vigor, which is quite unlike the wrinkles on the faces of respected seniors.”

“Everyone’s view of a prodigy is somewhat superficial, if I may speak candidly, none of the people present here can be considered prodigies,”

Li Xiaobai said indifferently.

“I see, it seems the so-called top-tier geniuses of the Mainland are nothing but names flaunted in vain, mere flattery. It’s laughable that we once felt complacency over such reputations; how ironic.”

“We have really been frogs at the bottom of the well, thank you, Young Master Li, for enlightening us.”

Nangong Wan cupped her fists in thanks, her face full of bitterness; their pride was nothing in front of Li Xiaobai.

They didn’t even qualify for a dialogue on equal terms.

The other two also wore wry smiles, thinking of themselves as the unrivaled number one in Aolai Country, but in reality, they were the real frogs in the well. True masters live hidden in plain sight, among the commoners, never showing off.

Today was truly an eye-opener.

“No matter, being young, it doesn’t matter whether you have strength or not; the most important thing is to recognize yourself. Keep up the effort, I have faith in you.”

Li Xiaobai waved his hand and smiled.

“Young Master Li, in two days, there will be a tea party at Chunxiu Tower in Aolai Country, personally hosted by the country’s number one Oiran. She invited young talents from all over to gather for reciting poetry, composing, and comparing skills. If Young Master Li is interested, you are welcome to join us,”

Beichen Shixi spoke up, having realized the existence of Li Xiaobai, this extremely valuable asset. While there was still some contact between them, he wanted to seize the opportunity to curry favor and draw closer; in the future, should his family face any difficulty, they might be able to ask for assistance from him.

Upon hearing this, Dongfang Mingyue and Nangong Wan’s expressions changed, someone had beaten them to the punch!

Who would have thought Beichen Shixi would pull such a bold move, usually silent but striking quicker than anyone when the chance arose.

For a moment, the two exchanged glances full of resentment.

Beichen Dao, casually stroking the scar on his face, revealed a satisfied smile in his eyes.

Looking at Dongfang Bai and Nangong Ritian, his eyes brimmed with provocation: See? Despite all being geniuses, our own is so sensible!

“Such a grand event exists?”

“I came to Aolai Country to meet the young talents of the world, and since there is such an opportunity, naturally I must attend. Many thanks to Young Master Beichen!”

A thought crossed Li Xiaobai’s mind; a gathering of young talents was essentially a grand showcase for the young to strut their stuff.

With a mix of all sorts of people, such assemblies were the perfect stage for stirring up enmity, where one could effortlessly show off and slap faces. Beichen Shixi truly recommended a good place for him.

“If that’s the case, I will await Young Master Li in front of Chunxiu Tower two days from now!”

Beichen Shixi exhibited a rare smile and left with his clan members.

“Young Master Li, see you in two days!”

…

Inside Li Mansion, a thatched hut.

Figures were flickering, bustling in the flickering light.

“Uncle Ying, are we just going to let this go?”

“That Li Xiaobai is too arrogant, thinking he can do whatever he wants just because he has some cultivation?”

“Compared to our family’s power, he’s nothing but trash!”

Situ Renjie roared in anger, trembling even the outhouse.

“What else do you want to do? It’s all your fault for causing this disaster. It took years of hard study and training to get to where we are now, and in one fell swoop, you ruined it all!”

“If you manage to get out successfully, I’ll be the first to kill you!”

Uncle Ying’s eyes were bloodshot as he glared at Situ Renjie, saying each word with intensity.

Frightened, Situ Renjie kept backing away, “Uncle Ying, as long as we can return to the Situ Household, my father will surely find a way. Then, I will ask him to help you recover your cultivation level!”

“Renjie, you’re too naive. From the moment your cultivation was destroyed, you were already disowned by the Situ Household.”

“I’m no different. The Situ Household doesn’t lack a Great Crossing Realm Expert like me. Once you lose value, the family won’t lift a finger to help.”

Uncle Ying’s face contorted with outrage, which ultimately turned into a heavy sigh. Why hadn’t he seen it before? Situ Renjie was nothing but an empty shell, a useless showpiece.

Such a person was not fit to inherit the family business. It was laughable that he hadn’t seen through this earlier, even thinking of using the other party to solidify his own position within the family. Now, he had gotten himself in trouble too.

“It can’t be, Uncle Ying. I’m my father’s offspring; how could he just stand by and watch?”

“He will surely come to save us. The Situ Household will need me to take over in the future!”

Situ Renjie’s eyes also became red, his face filled with disbelief at Uncle Ying’s words.

“Don’t be naive. You’re not the Family Head’s only son. If one Situ Renjie dies, there’s still a Situ Guixiong. In terms of cultivation level and potential, Guixiong is far superior to you. It seems the family will now pour your share of resources into him.”

Uncle Ying spoke indifferently.

Situ Renjie turned pale. What Uncle Ying said was exactly what he feared the most: the Situ Family valued profit above all and would mercilessly discard anyone who couldn’t keep up with the family’s pace.

Now that he had lost all his cultivation, there was no chance left.

“What’s the happy chat about? You both seem to be in good spirits.”

Li Xiaobai entered the thatched hut, chuckling.

The hut was crowded with many cultivators busy taking turns cleaning the outhouse.

“Young Master Li, I was just scolding these youngsters for not recognizing reality and still thinking about revenge. Don’t worry, I will ensure that we clean this place up to be the cleanest outhouse in Aolai Country!”

Upon seeing Li Xiaobai, Uncle Ying quickly shed his sullen expression and eagerly ran over to curry favor.

Such a swift change in attitude left Situ Renjie dumbfounded. Is this what being a big shot is like, able to adapt at any moment?

How could someone who was once a top expert on the Mainland have no shame?

Li Xiaobai’s smile grew wider, “Hmm, you’ve been working hard. You’re quite good. I have a bold idea— from now on, the outhouse is your responsibility!”