Li Xinnian had come to meet Ba Siyu, representing his family.
On this trip to Deston Prefecture, he had three matters to attend to.
First, with the invasion of the Wu tribes, everyone understood the principle that when the lips perish, the teeth grow cold.
Second, following the grand overarching trend of the era, they would use Deston Prefecture as a foundation to vie against the various powers of the world.
Third... the border pass of Shadowfell Prefecture had fallen.
The various factions scheming behind the scenes had achieved their goal, but for the Li family, this was only the beginning.
However, it was only upon arriving in Deston Prefecture that Li Xinnian realized the true extent of the chaos here.
In just a few days, wherever a weak point emerged between the Human race and the Wu tribes across the Deston Prefecture, it would instantly turn into a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
There were very few restrictions here. Many cultivators, much like Duanmu Yushu, resorted to any means necessary to forcefully pillage and plunder.
The slightest carelessness would result in becoming a meal on the plates of the major factions or the Wu tribes.
As Yun Manlou arrived, Li Xinnian nodded at him with a beaming smile, as if the incident at the Shadowfell Prefecture border pass had never happened.
Ba Siyu cast a seemingly casual glance at Yun Manlou, his expression playful. Yet he did not bring it up, only saying,
"The world says that the Azure Cloud Li family is full of loyal and heroic souls. Now, with our nation in peril, Patriarch Li has led the experts of his clan here uninvited.
You understand the greater good far better than those self-serving, petty individuals within Highsun City."
Ba Siyu's words carried genuine appreciation.
The Li family's Blood-Robed General was renowned throughout the world, yet perished at the Shadowfell Prefecture border pass.
The Li family's three hundred and twenty thousand fiercely loyal troops all died on the battlefield.
The Li family's Bodhisattva Li was still missing to this day, and the Battle Grotto-Heaven had completely fallen into the hands of the Wu tribes. Despite all this, they still sent people to assist.
How many factions in the world could do the same? Not to mention, they had also suffered heavy losses in the battle at Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems.
"That fellow Wu Neng from the Immortal Suppression Department is a treacherous dog. Since your Li family has come, I cannot treat you poorly. Take this item as a reward."
The burly man in the hall waved his hand, and a longsword adorned with carvings of dragons and phoenixes suddenly appeared in the hall, landing directly in front of Li Xinnian.
Upon seeing this, the elder behind Yun Manlou widened his eyes. He glanced at the sword hanging at Yun Manlou's waist. "Patriarch, this... isn't this your sword?!!"
Yun Manlou's expression turned incredibly foul.
To obtain Ba Siyu's protection, he had practically emptied his clan's entire fortune.
He had even offered up the high-grade Dharma Treasure he wore, the "Dragon and Phoenix Sword," to Ba Siyu.
Yet he never expected that today, right to his face, Ba Siyu would actually gift his personal sword to Li Xinnian!
"Thank you, Lord Ba. I have spoken at length with you today, and the elders of my clan have already been waiting for quite some time. I should return to discuss a thing or two with them, so I shall disturb you no longer."
Li Xinnian did not stand on ceremony, firmly grasping the "Dragon and Phoenix Sword" in his hand.
"You may go."
Following Ba Siyu's wave of dismissal, Li Xinnian nodded and turned around.
As he passed close to Yun Manlou, he smiled and said,
"This must be the former Prefecture Lord of the Shadowfell Prefecture, Senior Yun Manlou.
My family acquired a portrait of you, and it appears the resemblance is spot on.
I hear the Yun family has found a treasured land at Silver Wolf Lake. Someday soon, I, Xinnian, will surely bring the elders of my family to pay a visit to your esteemed grounds."
His tone was gentle, and he departed immediately after speaking.
Having his personal sword taken by Li Xinnian was already akin to being slapped in the face.
Yet, the moment Li Xinnian smiled at him, Yun Manlou felt as if a fishbone was stuck in his throat.
He unconsciously gritted his teeth, unable to utter even half a word.
He only felt his mind turn dizzy and heavy, his gaze involuntarily following Li Xinnian's back out of the main hall.
It wasn't until Li Xinnian was completely out of sight that he actually felt a sudden sense of profound relief.
What am I afraid of him for? What am I afraid of him for?!!
A sudden, furious roar echoed in his heart. Yun Manlou looked toward Ba Siyu. "Lord Ba, he... Li Xinnian, he was threatening me!"
"Threatening?"
Ba Siyu had long known of Yun Manlou's arrival but had ignored him for a long while.
Now, seeing Yun Manlou's head covered in cold sweat, he sneered,
"Why does Prefecture Lord Yun say such a thing? I only heard Patriarch Li speak with perfect propriety; there was not the slightest hint of a threat.
For Prefecture Lord Yun to be so nervous, could it be that you have a guilty conscience?"
"I..." Yun Manlou truly found it hard to speak.
"Hmph."
Ba Siyu let out a cold snort.
"Why must you fear the Azure Cloud Li family? This is Deston Prefecture, and Highsun City is the territory where I, Ba Siyu, hold down the fort!
If anyone dares to slaughter each other here, I will make them regret it bitterly. As long as you honestly serve our Dynasty, what is there to fear?"
Yun Manlou still wanted to say something.
Although Ba Siyu appeared rugged, he was incredibly meticulous.
Having already seen through Yun Manlou's panic regarding the arrival of the Azure Cloud Li family, he waved his hand.
"Two of the Li family's Void Refinement realm experts sacrificed themselves at Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems.
Now that the world is in chaos, their home also requires defense. At most, they would bring one Void Refinement realm guest cultivator here.
Even if the Li family still has a hidden Void Refinement realm cultivator, with your Yun family's own Void Refinement realm cultivator present, could it be that you still can't handle them?"
"Furthermore, your old ancestor still has two thousand years of lifespan remaining. Within these two thousand years, no one would dare to provoke your Yun family.
The ones who should be afraid are others. You all had better focus on carefully considering matters of succession."
"Even if they really were to make a move, it would take me no more than an hour's journey to go and intervene.
Being as timid as a mouse like this, how can your Yun family possibly fight the Wu tribes?
Look at Bi Shihu instead; just look at him. Does he hold the Li family in any regard at all?
If you continue acting so weak-willed and overly anxious, don't blame me for losing my temper. Now get out!"
Yun Manlou departed, his back drenched in sweat. However, Ba Siyu's words had also served as a pill of reassurance.
But the moment he reached the door, his heart leapt into his throat!
Entering his sight...
Li Xinnian had not left. Standing in a tall pavilion and facing the wind with his hands clasped behind his back, Li Xinnian was staring dead at him, a constant smile on his face.
He remained entirely silent, yet Yun Manlou couldn't shake the feeling that Li Xinnian's current tranquility was the calm before the storm.
"Patriarch, it's Li Xinnian! He's still staring at us. What on earth is he trying to do?!!"
The Yun family elder was seething with rage. The smile on that boy Li Xinnian's face upstairs was like that of a smiling venomous snake. "I'm going to ask him exactly what he's trying to do!"
"Don't!"
Yun Manlou hastily held back his clan uncle. "We are going back right now. Do not provoke them. If he wants to stare, let him stare. I'd like to see how long he can keep it up."
The Yun family members departed.
Li Xinnian's gaze followed them closely, his smile gradually turning cold as he took an extra look at the Dharma Treasure where Ba Siyu was hiding.
"Deston Prefecture truly is complex; no wonder the Yun family came to Deston Prefecture. Ba Siyu is rather interesting, though.
Deston Prefecture needs people, so he shelters the Yun family. In his eyes, as long as they can fight for the Dynasty, anyone is acceptable. It's nothing more than raising an extra vicious hound."
"As for the Yun family..."
Looking toward the direction where the Yun family members were fleeing in panic, Li Xinnian sneered.
"A bunch of snakes and rats. If you knew it would come to this, why act as you did back then?"
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