"You?"
Shen Yiren's question didn't sound condescending.
He was simply confused.
How could Shen Liqian even aim to avenge his father?
Everyone knew that Shen Liqian had been stuck at the First Stage of the Qi Attunement Realm since childhood.
He had made no significant progress at all.
So what if he was good at swordsmanship?
Without a solid cultivation base, even a novice with a higher realm could drop him in a swing or two.
It was heartbreaking to many clan members that Shen Liqian was born with a weak constitution.
Many also wondered how that was even possible, given Shen Lijian's talent and Shen Lexi's disposition.
News of it reached Shen Yiren because their families were rivals.
In comparison, Shen Yiren was at the Fifth Stage of Qi Attunement.
He reached this realm in less than eighteen years.
He had even sensed that he possessed nine Spiritual Roots, which gave him hope to fulfill his goal of surpassing his father and killing him along with Shen Yan and their offspring.
Shen Liqian understood Shen Yiren's confusion best.
He was inwardly glad that Shen Yiren neither looked down on him nor showed any hint of condescension.
This short exchange made him trust Shen Yiren more.
"Yes.
Me.
"I will also become the next Chief of the Shen Clan.
"Because you're now aware of my ambition, I can't let you go, Shen Yiren.
"It would also be a great loss if you went into the wilderness alone."
Anyone who heard Shen Liqian right now would think of him as a lunatic or perhaps a schemer trying to draw talented cultivators to his circle.
His family needed as much support as possible, after all.
The issue was that Shen Lijian and Shen Lexi were straightforward, so Shen Yiren couldn't imagine Shen Liqian being on the same level as that scheming manipulator, Shen Yan.
If Shen Yiren was honest, he might think Liqian simply believed in himself.
But that didn't mean he could fulfill his goal.
And more importantly, Shen Yiren wanted to kill his father himself.
"I don't see you killing my father.
"He's not alone, either.
"Your family stands no chance as of now."
Shen Liqian smiled.
He understood what was weighing on Shen Yiren's mind.
He feared that Shen Liqian might somehow succeed and that he wouldn't be there to witness his father's fall.
He needed clear proof that Shen Liqian could achieve this goal.
And then Shen Yiren would need another reason to stop pursuing his goal.
Shen Liqian's face grew serious.
"I'll let you handle Shen Yan.
"But you still need proof that I can kill your father.
"Come outside.
"We will spar under one condition.
"We will first cultivate for three hours outside, and then spar."
Shen Yiren didn't understand this condition.
Maybe the outdoor cultivation was meant to wear him down, but he pictured that happening to Liqian instead of himself.
On the other hand, Zhiyin's eyes flickered with mischief.
Nice one.
In the end, Shen Yiren nodded.
"Okay, let's spar by your rules."
———
Shen Lexi saw her son leading Shen Yiren into their manor.
He then brought him straight to the Training Hall.
She couldn't believe her eyes or what was happening, but she knew she had to report it to her husband.
When Shen Lexi returned with Shen Lijian, their son and Shen Yiren were already standing outside the Training Hall, their weapons lodged in the ground.
They faced off.
"Are you fine with those rules?" Shen Liqian asked.
Shen Yiren nodded and reiterated.
"Yes.
"We will cultivate for exactly three hours, then exchange blows the moment three hours are up."
Shen Liqian nodded.
He sat down on the cold ground and closed his eyes.
Across from him, Shen Yiren settled into a lotus position as well.
As snow fell from a nearby branch, the three-hour cultivation session began.
Instantly, both drew Qi from the surroundings.
Shen Yiren showcased his talent as he drew a sharp wind toward himself.
But then, Shen Liqian snatched that wind into his own tornado of Qi.
Huh?!
Shen Yiren's eyes snapped wide open.
Although his comprehension of Qi wasn't on the level of Shen Lijian or Shen Junce, he could feel just how much Qi Shen Liqian drew to himself.
It was as though he was swept up by an avalanche of Qi.
Furthermore, Qi crackled around him.
It felt like Shen Liqian forged each thread of Qi into a blade before flooding his Dantian with it.
But the worst part was that there was no Qi left for Shen Yiren to cultivate.
Everything went to Shen Liqian…
No, he snatched it all for himself.
How is he doing that?
Is he cultivating or using a technique?
Both?
I must fight back or I'll freeze to death here!
That was the main ploy behind Shen Liqian's condition.
Without Qi to cultivate, Shen Yiren would soon be completely exposed to the gnawing cold.
First, he would run out of his own Qi…
…and then Shen Liqian wouldn't give him any.
Shen Lijian was the first one to see through this ploy.
He smiled.
"I will be back in three hours.
"You have nothing to worry about.
"Just don't miss Qian'er's moment."
Smiling, Shen Lexi nodded.
"I won't."
Three hours couldn't have gone by faster.
For Shen Yiren, those three hours were perhaps the longest three hours of his life.
He'd been shivering from head to toe, his teeth chattering uncontrollably.
His cheeks were red with hints of purple.
The skin on his hands had turned purple and severely cracked.
Snow had piled on top of his head into a white hat.
Across from him, Shen Liqian had none of those symptoms.
He remained in a lotus position as though he were soaking in a hot bath.
I knew it would turn out this way.
Back when I cultivated our flawed cultivation method, I felt a chill even while in a deep trance.
So if I stole Qi from him and exposed him to this cold, I would significantly weaken him while showcasing my advantages.
By now, he must have realized that I have what it takes to grow stronger and kill Shen Junce!
Three hours passed.
Shen Liqian's eyes snapped wide open, and he grasped the hilt of his sword!