Li Yi listened to the man's words, appearing somewhat disappointed. He knew that the other person had no intention of revealing their true identity, and asking further would be useless. So, he simply sat down to eat, but he ate slowly this time.

While he sat there, many residents of the city felt anxious. For most of the impoverished people here, a day without work meant a day without food. But no one dared to be the first to step forward. They all stayed inside their homes, keeping the doors tightly shut, peeking out through the windows.

The landlord, who had a faint aura of energy surrounding him, formed an almost invisible Taiji symbol, a yin-yang diagram. He had been considering taking action, but not to deal with Li Yi directly. Rather, he planned to unleash a burst of true energy from a distance, hoping to suppress the aura surrounding Li Yi.

As the landlord was one of the top martial artists in the city, he was confident in his ability. For years, he and his wife had been living quietly, having retired from the martial world, not out of fear, but because they wanted peace. However, if Li Yi remained where he was, it would disrupt the entire village, and the people would not be able to eat in peace that night.

Reluctantly, he decided to act. He aimed a burst of true energy at Li Yi, entering his body and attempting to balance the yin and yang within him, suppressing the overwhelming aura.

Having reached a certain level of physical strength, Li Yi could sense the aura approaching. But he didn’t avoid it, nor did he resist. Just before it entered him, however, a phantom of a willow tree briefly appeared behind him. It seemed to assess the incoming energy and deemed it harmless. In an instant, the aura dissipated, leaving only the faint killing intent from the bow Li Yi carried.

This level of murderous energy was nothing compared to what would disrupt the lives of ordinary people. They could still feel the threat, but it no longer paralyzed them with fear. The bow, for now, was silent.

Li Yi immediately sensed the direction of the aura, and without hesitation, he got up, tossed a silver coin on the table, and quickly made his way toward the bathroom.

"Hey, your money!" You Zha Gui, the vendor, called out as Li Yi rushed away.

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The young man seemed reckless, and You Zha Gui realized that Li Yi wasn’t here to seek revenge. He surmised that someone had just suppressed Li Yi’s aura, and now he could tell that the city was not as simple as it seemed.

Li Yi reached the bathroom in no time, but upon arrival, he found it empty. His instincts told him that the landlord had likely been the one to act, as only he had the capability and knowledge to suppress such a powerful aura. He figured that the best option now was to stay in the city and wait for “Tian Can Di Que” to arrive.

Before that, he needed to learn some martial arts, or at least try. But if it didn’t work out, he would have to accept it.

Li Yi didn’t continue his search; with the landlord's power, it would be impossible to find him if he didn't want to be found. Instead, he returned to the breakfast stall, where You Zha Gui had finished packing up but quickly handed over the change to Li Yi. He also gave him some leftover pastries.

Li Yi didn’t take them but instead pulled out three silver dollars and handed them over. "Uncle, help me buy some peanuts, melon seeds, and candy for everyone. I know it was unintentional, but I did disrupt their lives. Let me apologize by offering this."

Before You Zha Gui could refuse, Li Yi left the city without waiting.

As he walked away, You Zha Gui no longer had any doubts. The way Li Yi treated everyone showed that he wasn’t here to cause trouble. Now, he was just a young man who might have had a brief confrontation with a true expert, causing him some shock. But with time, Li Yi would understand the nature of those who practiced martial arts.

Li Yi didn’t leave for long. He wandered around the area, bought some high-end cigarettes, a box of good liquor, and several pieces of prepared meats. Since he was going to visit someone, he wanted to bring something they liked.

By the time he returned to the city, some people were still surprised to see him, but they no longer reacted as they did before. This time, they didn’t scatter like frightened birds.

“Excuse me, where can I find the landlord?” Li Yi asked, pointing to a muscular man. The man, though still cautious, kindly pointed toward a building.

“Thank you,” Li Yi said politely, and with the items in hand, he made his way to the top floor of the building.

Inside, the landlord was explaining to his wife why he had acted earlier. "I stepped in, but no one noticed. Even that young man didn’t realize it. He understood his place and left without any trouble. If I hadn’t intervened, he would’ve stayed here, and the neighbors wouldn’t be able to make a living."

His wife nodded slowly, then sighed, "Since no one noticed, we’ll let it go this time."

The landlord, taking advantage of the moment, attempted to embrace her but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Li Yi gently knocked, and the landlord and his wife exchanged glances.