Outside the Qianji Manor.
Li Huaixian came to a stop, standing before the grand gates.
He raised his head to look at the majestic plaque hanging above, listening quietly to the bustling noise from within the manor.
A mocking smile gradually crept onto his face.
On his way back, he had already been met by some men from the Qianji Manor.
They told him that the elders were all waiting inside.
As for the reason? Everyone knew perfectly well.
With one hand tucked behind his back and dressed in a moon-colored robe, he appeared to be nothing more than a harmless, elegant young gentleman.
But the killing intent hidden deep within his heart was already leaking out in the form of an unintentional pressure—waves of dragon might that rippled off his body.
The servant who came to greet him was already drenched in cold sweat.
“Young Master, we’ve arrived,” the servant said respectfully, wiping the sweat from his brow before quickly stepping aside to wait for Li Huaixian to enter.
“Mm. You may go.”
Li Huaixian raised his hand and pushed the door open.
Then, without hesitation, he strode boldly into the manor.
***
Instantly, dozens of gazes locked onto him at once!
He swept his eyes across the room, sharp and focused like arrows drawn taut on a bowstring.
Everyone in the hall felt their hearts clench in fear!
Some, with weaker mental fortitude, instinctively placed trembling hands on their weapons!
A collective urge to kneel and submit surged up from deep within them!
But it all lasted only a brief moment.
Li Huaixian took in their reactions, one by one, and sneered inwardly.
‘Looks like everyone’s here.’
He retracted his gaze, and his aura suddenly softened.
With a gentle, refined smile, he stepped calmly forward and walked toward the crowd.
Standing at the head of the assembly was Li Jìn, the father of Li Muxian. From the moment Li Huaixian stepped through the door, Li Jìn had been sizing him up with narrowed eyes.
His gaze was full of disdain.
Although the oppressive aura that had radiated from Li Huaixian moments ago had startled even him, his confidence in his own power meant he paid it no real mind.
He believed there was nothing to fear.
The others in the room, seeing that Li Jìn and the other leading figures remained composed, forced themselves to calm down as well.
***
“All the clan elders have gathered. I wonder what the matter is?” Li Huaixian asked casually.
He walked straight past everyone and sat down at the head seat—the Manor Lord’s position.
He poured himself a cup of tea to moisten his throat.
After all, the long journey had left him parched.
“You!” Li Jìn was the first to be angered by Li Huaixian’s actions.
He had coveted that very seat for years! Today was supposed to be the day they forced Li Huaixian down from power!
Even though Li Huaixian’s face was calm and serene, Li Jìn could feel the clear contempt radiating from him.
He forced himself to suppress his fury.
“Huaixian! Yesterday, your cousin suddenly went missing. And immediately after, your forces began seizing control of various parts of the Qianji Manor! How do you explain this?!”
As he spoke, Li Jìn deliberately unleashed the pressure of a cultivator at the Destiny Realm, his voice sharp and imposing.
Yesterday had been meant to mark Li Huaixian’s downfall.
None of them had expected him to turn the tables so viciously.
Just when they thought they’d finally succeeded in getting rid of him, Li Huaixian’s subordinates had launched a lightning-fast counterattack and crushed their forces!
Today was their last resort—the final card they had to play!
“Oh? An explanation?”
“There’s nothing to explain. As you can see—everything that happened was entirely my doing.”
Li Huaixian’s tone remained calm. His gaze rested on Li Jìn as if he were staring at a fool.
“You—!”
Li Jìn hadn’t expected such a direct admission from Li Huaixian.
Especially when he had come here alone, walking right into the den of enemies.
His life was in their hands.
‘Was he truly not afraid?’
‘Or… did he really have absolute confidence that he could walk out alive?’
Li Jìn’s face turned red with anger.
For a moment, he didn’t know what to say.
At that moment, Xu Zuoli, who stood nearby, could no longer hold himself back.
The scrawny, short figure bounced in fury.
“What do you mean by that, Young Master? Are you saying you intend to make an enemy of everyone present here?!”
Li Huaixian stood up at that, placing both hands behind his back.
He let out a cold laugh.
“Make enemies?”
“I won’t comment on your collective strength—but your shamelessness truly impresses me.”
As he finished speaking, his icy gaze swept toward Li Jin.
“If I hadn’t been prepared yesterday, I suppose today’s celebration would’ve been held in honor of my death—wouldn’t it? A joyous feast for all of you!”
“You! What are you talking about?! We’ve always been loyal to the Qianji Manor!”
“That’s right! We’ve fought and bled for the Qianji Manor—how could we be slandered like this?!”
“Exactly! Don’t go too far!”
***
One of the elders, hair already graying with age, stepped forward in protest right after Li Huaixian spoke.
Others in the crowd began to echo his words.
Li Huaixian turned sharply, his gaze as sharp as lightning, locking eyes with the old man.
This was Elder Cheng—the one in charge of personnel matters within the Qianji Manor.
“Elder Cheng, is this your so-called loyalty? Properly placing Jun Aocheng’s lackeys throughout the Qianji Manor—to monitor our every move?”
“You—!”
The elder staggered back from the accusation, barely managing to stay upright.
His peachwood cane struck the ground with a loud crack.
But Li Huaixian was not done.
He turned toward Elder Li and Elder Xu.
“Then I suppose your loyalty, Elder Li, Elder Xu, lies in leaking Qianji Manor’s secrets to Jun Aocheng—and reporting my every move?”
“So that you could help him pull me down and hand over the entire Qianji Manor on a silver platter? Is that not the case?”
His voice wasn’t loud, but it rang out like iron and thunder, sending a jolt through everyone’s heart and soul.
The three elders—Li, Xu, and Cheng—exchanged glances.
Then, gritting their teeth—
They released their auras in an instant!
Two Dao Palace stage cultivators and one Destiny stage cultivator!
Now that the truth was out, there was no point in pretending any longer.
Li Jin, who had just recently broken through to the Destiny stage, clenched his fists tightly.
A surge of overwhelming power roared within his body.
His eyes locked onto Li Huaixian like a venomous snake.
“So you already know everything. Then you leave us no choice—you’ll die here today!”
His voice boomed like thunder, shaking the blood of the weaker cultivators present.
Then, channeling all his true energy into his palm, Li Jin unleashed his full power!
A storm erupted inside the council hall!
Li Jin was confident—this would be his strongest strike.
He didn’t want to waste another second on a man about to die.
He had sensed Li Huaixian’s Dao Palace realm.
Though surprised by the young man’s cultivation speed, Li Jin still dismissed him.
The gap between the Dao Palace and Destiny realms was like the difference between heaven and earth—a chasm that could not be crossed.
This strike would be more than enough to end him.
Many onlookers, witnessing Li Jin’s power, began to feel a twisted sense of excitement.
Their eyes gleamed with schadenfreude.
In their minds, this was a one-sided slaughter—an execution with no suspense.
Li Huaixian, however, only stared back coldly.
Even though the opponent was a Destiny realm cultivator, he felt no fear.
A massive pressure erupted from him.
Everyone suddenly heard the echoes of dragons roaring in their ears.
Many collapsed to the ground, overwhelmed by the sheer might of the dragon’s aura.
Li Huaixian’s Heavenly Enchanting Dao Transformation Physique surged to its peak.
With a casual wave of his hand, the vague shadow of an ancient dragon materialized—soaring forward to clash head-on with Li Jin’s strike!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The council hall shook with deafening blasts! Blood spurted from the mouths of several weaker cultivators.
When the dust cleared, Li Jin was still standing where he had been, his eyes frozen in shock.
Pfft!
Suddenly, a spray of blood shot from his lips.
His pupils shrank.
He looked at Li Huaixian with disbelief.
His trembling hand rose halfway into the air—but before it could reach anything, his body erupted in blinding golden light—
And exploded!
Elders Cheng and Xu, who had been standing closest to him, were also sprawled across the floor—unconscious or dead.
Gasp!
Everyone inhaled sharply in horror.
One strike—killed a Destiny stage cultivator!
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