Channel means

With Wang Jinxing's defeat, the outcome of the competition was no longer in doubt; victory and loss were immediately apparent!

"Our Wang Family concedes! Si Gongzi, at such a young age, possesses such strength; his future prospects are truly limitless."

The Wang Family Elder's concession marked the official conclusion of this grand competition.

Considering the remaining forces of the Wang Family, though they could rely on a human wave tactic to wear down Li Tan, the final result would still be an inescapable defeat.

Rather than struggling in vain, it was better to be magnanimous and elevate Li Yasi's name to the peak!

This preserved the Wang Family's Face, as they only sent three individuals! It also gave Li Tan Face—killing two birds with one stone, what could be more beautiful?

After all, the Jianghu isn't just about fighting; it also involves human relations and social etiquette....

"Wang Family Elder, you are too kind; this junior is overwhelmed with honor."

"My battle with your esteemed Wang Longzhi has indeed been quite fruitful for this junior."

Li Tan, unperturbed by the flattery, immediately cupped his fists in Thank you as soon as the Wang Family Elder finished speaking.

He did not become entirely self-absorbed or euphoric just because he had won the championship.

One doesn't strike a smiling person, especially when facing a giant!

Upon returning to the Li Family's team, everyone's attitude was as if they had been replaced.

Li Fei Er, Li Kexin, and Li Chenxi, the three girls who had previously shown him kindness, were beaming with joy, unable to suppress their smiles; they believed they had made a wise decision.

As for the few who had remained neutral, they had now decided to no longer stand by and watch, and all came forward to express their goodwill to Li Tan.

As for Li Yan, who had previously been at odds with Li Tan, her Face showed no trace of awkwardness; she even took the lead! With a charming smile, she came to congratulate Li Tan on winning the championship!

"Li Yan, do you have no shame?!"

At this moment, Li Yanfeng could no longer stand Li Yan's demeanor and, using Li Yan's previous targeting of Li Tan as an excuse, angrily cursed her.

"It's like offering flowers to Buddha...."

"Li Yan, you treacherous scoundrel! To be so vulgar in such a situation!"

"Li Yan, you truly are a human-shaped dog! Now that your true nature is exposed! A dog can't change its habit of eating shit!"

Everyone's scolding, one after another, aimed to make Li Tan feel more pleased.

Moreover, this situation did not subside due to his silence; instead, it prompted more and more people to quickly express their stance, fearing that Li Tan would hold a grudge against them.

The immense flattery, like a tsunami, attempted to drown Li Tan.

People's eyes are parallel, yet they can look at others unequally....

..................

With the conclusion of the grand competition, the group returned to the Li Family in a grand procession, each person's Face brimming with pride and satisfaction, as if they were the great heroes of the Li Family at that moment.

They could truly be described as "young men full of ambition and success."

As they delved deeper into the Li Family compound, more and more disciples came to watch.

The storm of flattery almost engulfed everyone, and Li Tan, disliking such scenes, quietly returned to his own residence.

Upon arriving at his familiar small courtyard, he savored the memory of his battle with Wang Longzhi, and for a moment, he couldn't help but laugh.

"Hahahaha, what mysterious Knife Technique? It was merely me relying on my Cultivation advantage and hacking wildly with my knife."

"As for where the next strike would land, even I wasn't sure; just follow my heart."

After the battle, Li Tan was utterly exhausted, and just as he was about to meditate.

A azure-blue pigeon slowly flew over. This pigeon's eyes were very nimble, exuding shrewdness everywhere, and it held an envelope in its beak.

When it flew in front of Li Tan, the pigeon unexpectedly dissipated without warning; among the clues that could prove its existence, only the envelope remained.

"Dao of Correspondence technique!"

Li Tan exclaimed, extremely surprised as to why a Cultivator of the Dao of Correspondence would target him?

And how did that person obtain his whereabouts? And even leave a mark?

All of this was too suspicious! He knew that among the people he had interacted with, there were no individuals with strange identities.

.........

The most famous techniques in the Dao of Correspondence are transmitting messages! And establishing a Dao of Correspondence oath with others!

This Dao of Correspondence oath is more reliable than a Heavenly Dao oath, and its content is more precise, making it extremely difficult to exploit loopholes! Violators will suffer a backlash!

An ordinary Cultivator, without some means, would likely perish on the spot!

The letter, perhaps sensing that Li Tan had no intention of opening it, simply dissipated!

The complete text appeared before Li Tan.

"Li Yasi, Li Yi invites you for a talk! By chance, I have obtained an Yin-attributed Dao Artifact...."

Li Tan had no interest in who this person was, but upon hearing the latter part of the message, he instantly felt as if struck by lightning!

"The Yin-attributed Dao Artifact I've been dreaming of, this person actually possesses it!"

"Li Yi...."

Li Tan seemed to recall something; when he was down and out, this fellow seemed to have mocked him with words. He was the grandson of Ninth Elder Li Man.

"What a coincidence, Li Yi, let me meet you."

Even if all of this was a trap, Li Tan would still jump into it. With his current momentum, Li Yong would naturally not ignore him.

However, before this, he had already noticed his shortcomings. He first found Li Na and asked her to search for Knife Technique Secret Manuals for him.

If there was any news, he would immediately purchase them, and he would compensate her double the Spirit Stones later.

Li Na only thought for a moment before agreeing to Li Tan's request.

"When under someone's roof, one has to bow their head! Even if Li Na had more arrogance, she was helpless at this moment."

..............

Before long, Li Tan had arrived at the restaurant Li Yi mentioned. Sensing no one was following him, he strode inside.

There were no idlers in the restaurant; it was clear that this building was Li Yi's property.

"Si, long time no see, let's go upstairs for a chat."

A harmonious voice slowly drifted over; this person was precisely Li Yi!

Li Yi was dressed in a white robe, a jade pendant hanging from his waist, holding a rather stylish folding fan, and even his hair was adorned with a luxurious jade hairpin.

His demeanor was truly extraordinary; where was the arrogant, pampered Young Master he used to be?

As the two entered a tea room, Li Yi eagerly began to explain the tea he was brewing.

His words and actions exuded elegance, making it very comfortable to listen to.

Looking at Li Yi, who was so different from his perception, Li Tan's heart couldn't help but become more vigilant.

"Li Yi, let's get to the point. How did you know my whereabouts? And how did you mark me?"

"Dao of Correspondence" message transmission has a major drawback: it can only transmit messages to the person who left the mark. Therefore, Dao of Correspondence messages are mostly used for communication between allies, exchanging tactics, discussing plans, etc....

"Si, you are too sensitive. Let's first properly taste this tea. This tea is truly extraordinary...."

Seeing that Li Yi had no intention of answering, Li Tan's inner suspicions grew.

"The Yin-attributed Dao Artifact that I painstakingly searched for but couldn't find, how did you find it?"

"Moreover, how did you know... I needed an Yin-attributed Dao Artifact?"

Li Tan remained persistent, continuing to question Li Yi.

"Just some Opportunity, it can't really be called a technique."

Li Yi chuckled, not at all flustered by Li Tan's repeated questioning.

As he finished speaking, he eagerly brought Li Tan the tea, continuously explaining:

"Si, this tea is called Nebula Tea, and it is the top-ranked tea in Qingfeng City."

"To allow Si to taste it, even I put in some effort."

"This Nebula Tea is different from ordinary tea; you can't just sip it!".

"You must drink it in one gulp! Only then can you truly grasp the meaning of Nebula Tea! And its sweet aftertaste...."