Chapter 6: Endurance has its limits

Only this one display stand is essentially empty, with only four or five boxes containing ink sticks, and there is not much rice paper left.

Ha ha! Young Prince, I suppose you still do not understand our words! All those who served you have left, and now in the entire courtyard, it is just the two of us brothers attending to you

Looking at the numbers above, Li Haoran felt an overwhelming joy in his heart. If this were in the world he had previously inhabited, such power would be considered among the very top.

The one guarding the storeroom is an old man named Li Quan. He and Li Fu entered the Wang residence at the same time, but due to changes in his family circumstances, he has left to return home several times, thus he can be considered one of the long-standing members of the household

The force gauge stone stood only half a person tall, appearing as if it could not withstand any force. However, just as Li Haoran's fist was about to make contact with the force gauge stone, a soft light curtain suddenly flickered from within it.

The household servants in his small courtyard are all dressed in purple, and Li Haoran is quite familiar with them. The two black-clad servants before him are clearly not from this courtyard. Judging by their appearance and the tone of their speech, they do not resemble household servants; rather, they seem like two little thieves who have sneaked into the royal residence

There are one hundred thirty-seven types of herbs here, most of which are recorded in the Manual of Ten Thousand Poisons. They can be used to create ten kinds of highly toxic medicines, and among them, one hundred eight types of herbs can be combined to produce a colorless fragrant pill

Li Haoran spoke confidently, and the previous scene had instilled in him a strong sense of assurance, giving him ample confidence to subdue these rebellious subordinates

Uncertain of the reason, Li Haoran felt a sense of familiarity upon meeting Li Quan, perhaps this feeling stemmed from the memories of the young prince that resided within his soul

Li Haoran looked at the numbers on the force gauge, and his excitement grew even more intense.

As Li Haoran just stepped over the threshold and had not yet truly entered the storeroom, Li Quan behind him let out a soft sigh and quietly said.

Li Haoran looked at the servants, and saw that everyone he gazed upon lowered their heads and bent their bodies. No one dared to meet his eyes in the places his gaze passed over and in the illustrations and books.

In a state of excitement, Li Haoran analyzed his own strength, while secretly rejoicing that he finally possessed the power to protect himself

Martial Disciple of the Ninth Rank, each rank increases strength by ten jun, with one jun approximately equal to thirty jin. The ultimate limit of this rank is one hundred jun. Upon surpassing one hundred jun of strength, one becomes a warrior

In his search, he indeed found quite a few good things: "Oh? This is winter root grass, hundred silver flower, purple ginseng, five poisonous insects..."

Before Li Quan came to the Wang residence, he was a farmer, unable to read a single character. He was honest and kind-hearted. When Li Haoran was young, he often took Li Haoran fishing

"Young Prince, how did you come here?"

Before long, Li Haoran arrived at the door of the storeroom

Li Haoran was also taken aback, watching Wang Li being knocked away. His thoughts surged, and the excitement in his heart intensified. A feeling of exhilaration flooded over him, making him feel that nothing could stand in his way now

Wow! I didn't even use my full strength with that slap, and he flew out! This force must be at least over 100 pounds. If I had used all my strength, that guy Wang Li would definitely be dead. It seems I possess at least the strength of a first-tier martial apprentice

The storeroom is not very large, consisting of only three rooms of such size. Inside, there are writing materials belonging to the Li family, as well as some musical instruments, fabrics, and household items

Through the courtyard gate, the servants happened to see Zhang Ding kneeling on the ground, as well as Wang Li lying on the ground, uncertain of his fate. Instantly, everyone felt a chill in their hearts, involuntarily shuddering, and some even turned pale as a ghost.

Hmph! Kneel before me!

As he gazed at these herbs, Li Haoran's mind was suddenly filled with information from the Compendium of Venoms, and a thought immediately arose in his heart

Hmm? Why is it so little?

At that moment, a person quietly exited this courtyard and ran towards the outer courtyard

Go tell Li Fu from the *Picture* Book to bring Chun'er back to me, otherwise I will help him loosen his bones

If one can endure, then who cannot? Li Haoran's repeated forbearance does not mean he is easy to bully. Especially after gaining strength, Li Haoran is filled with an impulse to take action. He does not shrink back; instead, he looks up at the two with his head held high and coldly reprimands them, his eyes brimming with excitement.

Li Quanyi smiled, turned around unsteadily, took the key from his waist, and opened the storeroom door for Li Haoran

Thirty jun? I actually possess the strength of thirty jun... This is indeed that of a third-grade martial apprentice...

Go ahead and take a look!

This stone holds no value for ordinary individuals, nor is it a treasure for cultivation. It is a type of stone crafted by advanced martial artists using the power of vital energy, derived from a special kind of energy found in nature, specifically designed for measuring strength.

Li Haoran turned his head at the sound, only to find the faces of the two individuals quite unfamiliar. Instinctively, he took two steps back and asked in a stern voice.

After removing the force gauge stone, Li Haoran, disregarding the safety of the surroundings, could not contain the impulse within him. He clenched his fists tightly, channeling all the energy in his body, and struck forcefully against the force gauge stone.

Hmph! Old Zhang, look at the young prince; he doesn't even know what rules are. How about we give him a lesson? It would be good for this scoundrel to understand that here, we brothers are the ones in charge, and he is merely a servant with the title of prince

His slap weighs at least one hundred pounds, and if he were to exert his full strength, it would exceed two hundred pounds. His strength has completely surpassed that of an ordinary person, truly possessing the power characteristic of a martial artist

The courtyard door opened, and Li Haoran stepped out, drawing the attention of the servants outside who were busy cleaning, especially after the fierce roar that had just echoed from within the courtyard, leaving them filled with countless questions.

Seeing Li Haoran enter the warehouse, Li Quan shook his head, sighed, and turned to sit in front of the warehouse door: "I have said what I needed to say. If you, young prince, choose not to listen, then you cannot blame this old man for not having warned you! Ahem! I am getting old, getting old; it is time for me to return and enjoy the blessings of my children and grandchildren..."

Deep within the warehouse, there is a black display rack, upon which sits an item that stirs Li Haoran's heart, igniting a fervent spark in his eyes

Beside him, Zhang Ding, who was about to take action, was stunned on the spot. He stared in disbelief at Wang Li, who had been knocked unconscious, and his body began to tremble involuntarily: "His grandmother, isn't Li Fu this guy trying to set us up..."

Two black-clad attendants exchanged a smile and took out identity badges engraved with their respective names from their bosoms. With their heads held high, as if they were lords, they said: "Young Prince, the people who used to serve you have all been reassigned. Since we have just arrived, it is understandable that you do not recognize us. Now, let us introduce ourselves: I am Zhang Ding, and he is Wang Li"

In the storeroom, various tools are neatly arranged on rows of shelves.

At this moment, his heart was filled with a sense of pride and joy

Hmph! It must be that old rascal Li Fu who is behind this! Forget it, I won't hold it against him. Now, I am going to the storeroom; you two go and summon Chun'er for me

This incense pill can cause a person to lose all physical strength without their awareness, and it has significant effects on martial artists as well. It is a type of poison that is relatively difficult to produce, as recorded in the Compendium of All Poisons.

However, what invigorated Li Haoran even more was the fact that there was actually a force-measuring stone here

As he spoke, Li Haoran began to search inside the storeroom

His voice was loud and imposing. The originally frightened Ding was further startled by this shout, which left his ears ringing and his mind in a daze. Overwhelmed by fear, his legs suddenly went weak, and he collapsed to the ground, powerless.

Li Haoran couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. He sighed and said, "Forget it, at worst, after I regain control of the Wangfu, I can send someone to buy it! And the *tu* *shu*... Oh no, I actually forgot to bring a bag. How am I going to take it back now..."

When Li Haoran's strength was exhausted, a number flashed on the measuring stone: "30"

Having said that, Li Haoran walked into the winding corridor beside the door, heading straight towards the storeroom.

Bang

The steward named Wang Li looked disdainfully at Li Haoran, his words laced with disrespect

Wang Li looked at Li Haoran with a smile that did not reach his eyes, a glint of menace flickering in his gaze, and his tone was laced with threats and intimidation

Ah! There is still a piece of force-measuring stone...

A heavy thud followed, sending shards of stone flying in all directions. Wang Li lay silently on the ground, uncertain whether he was alive or dead

Li Haoran went straight to the display stand where the Xuan paper and ink sticks were placed, based on the information in his memory

If it were the young prince, he certainly would not take action himself to retrieve it. Li Haoran had become accustomed to this and had no awareness of it at all, which is why he came to take the items himself. He also did not expect that he would be unable to take these things.

Om

"Damn it, hasn't that old dog Li Fu taught you any manners? Two servants who don't even know their own status dare to be arrogant with their master. I see you must be tired of living!"

Bang

Li Haoran glanced at the two black-clad bodyguards, disregarding their earlier impolite remarks, and was solely focused on going to the storeroom to fetch some ink blocks and rice paper, in order to quickly stabilize his cultivation.

The standard weight unit of the force measuring stone is the jun, which can support martial artists below the level of the Martial Sovereign for measuring their strength. However, higher-level martial artists are already well aware of their own strength and have no need for the force measuring stone.

Soon, Li Haoran calmed down and reflected on his own shortcomings at this moment. However, he realized that the elegance of his writing was merely a method of cultivation and did not encompass martial skills, which left him feeling somewhat disheartened.

I now possess strength, but I am not yet a true third-grade martial apprentice. I still need to cultivate martial skills; only by cultivating martial skills can I fully unleash the power of a third-grade martial apprentice. Otherwise, I fear I may not even be as capable as a first-grade martial apprentice, or even an ordinary person who has cultivated martial skills

Hmm? The servants on duty in my courtyard are not you two. Who do you claim to be?

Having spoken, Li Haoran paid no mind to whether Zhang Ding had absorbed his words, and turned to walk outside

At this thought, Li Haoran, who was trembling with excitement, had his eyes shining brightly. He turned his head to look at Zhang Ding, who was blankly staring to the side, and suddenly shouted sharply.

Wang Li was completely taken aback by the sudden large hand, feeling a tearing pain on his face, as if his neck was about to snap. In the midst of the indescribable agony, he was propelled outward without knowing how.

The measuring stone, apart from being possessed by the martial arts institutions established by the government, is found only in military camps

Thank you, Uncle Li, for the reminder! Rest assured, as long as I am here, they will not be able to stir up any trouble!

It was this barrier of light that buffered Li Haoran's strength, making him feel as if he were striking in water, experiencing a sense of helplessness in exerting force

Bang

Before Wang Li could finish speaking, Li Haoran, filled with anger, stepped forward and delivered a slap, sending the arrogant Wang Li flying.

Watching Zhang Ding tremble violently, Li Haoran felt a great sense of satisfaction. Suddenly, the thought of Li Fu crossed his mind, and the excitement in his heart cooled considerably. He lowered his head and coldly said to Zhang Ding: "This household belongs to me, and from now on, you will only obey my commands. Otherwise, I will make your life worse than death"

"Young Prince, I have heard that there are some individuals in the residence who are rather restless, and it may pose a risk to you! Heed my advice, it would be best for you to leave this place!"

Creak!

Li Haoran smiled and looked at the hunched Li Quandao: "Uncle Li, I have come to get some ink sticks"

With this stone, Li Haoran is able to accurately grasp his cultivation progress and is even more capable of understanding his advancements