Chapter 3 : Chapter 3
Chapter 3: The Funeral Procession
Very soon, the next day arrived.
Today was the eighteenth day of the sixth month, an auspicious day for offerings, encoffining, burial, and breaking ground.
In other words, it was the day Li Xuanfeng, the Li family’s former Family Head, would be laid to rest.
At dawn, the rising sun climbed into the sky, and golden light spread across the earth.
Within Qingfeng Valley, the place was already overflowing with noise and people.
All the members of the Li Clan had gathered there, dressed in sackcloth and mourning garb, to see the old Family Head off on his final journey.
At the same time, outside Qingfeng Valley—
uninvited guests arrived without warning.
The Zou family head gazed at the splendid beauty of Qingfeng Valley before him, and a trace of greed flashed through his eyes.
“Very soon, this place will belong to me.”
He had coveted this precious land of excellent feng shui for a very long time.
If the Li family were destroyed and he could seize this place and spend time recovering and building strength—
then after some years, perhaps the Zou family would become the next top great power of Baihe County.
To ensure that this operation would succeed beyond all doubt, the elites of all four great forces had poured out in full strength.
Among them, there were more than twenty Physical Body Realm cultivators alone.
And with Su Yun hiding in the dark, waiting for the right moment to strike, it was enough to wipe out any family that lacked a Qi-Blood Realm cultivator.
Their path was completely unimpeded. No one stopped them.
Very soon, they arrived outside the Li Residence.
At the entrance stood two black-clad guards of the Body Tempering Realm.
The moment they saw this group, which so clearly came with ill intent, the guards immediately grew wary.
One of them stepped forward and blocked their path.
In a loud voice, he said, “Everyone, this is the seat of the Qingfeng Li Clan. Without the permission of the main family, no one may enter.”
Hearing this, the sect master of the Great Saber Sect burst into laughter.
“Then let me see whether you can stop me.”
The moment he finished speaking—
before the guard could even react, the sect master of the Great Saber Sect struck without hesitation.
His movement technique exploded forth with terrifying speed, and a heavy palm slammed straight into the guard’s chest.
The poor guard possessed only Body Tempering Realm strength. How could he possibly withstand a major expert of the Physical Body Realm?
The overwhelming force sent him flying on the spot. He smashed through the gates, crashed into the courtyard, and skidded several more meters before finally coming to a stop.
The other guard reacted at once.
Fury filled his face as he drew the weapon at his waist.
“How dare you—”
Before he could finish speaking,
he followed in the footsteps of the first.
After casually dealing with the two obstacles in his way, the sect master of the Great Saber Sect dusted off his hands. Looking up at the two golden characters 【Li Residence】 hanging overhead, a trace of hatred and disdain flashed through his eyes.
Only then did he say blandly, “Everyone, we may go in now.”
Only then did those behind him come back to themselves.
Although they had joined forces to deal with the Li family,
the weight carried by the four words Qingfeng Li Clan still pressed heavily on their hearts. After all, this was one of Baihe County’s top great powers, a family that had endured for more than two hundred years.
And now, the dignity of the Qingfeng Li Clan was being trampled on at will by the sect master of the Great Saber Sect.
A strange illusion rose in their hearts.
It seemed that even the Nine Great Families were nothing more than this.
Inside the residence,
the sudden upheaval stunned everyone.
The members of the Li Clan, who had still been sunk in grief, looked at the guards sprawled on the ground, alive or dead unknown.
At first, they froze for a heartbeat.
Then that stunned stillness was replaced by boundless fury.
Who dared behave with such outrageous insolence, choosing such an important day—the day the old Family Head was returning to the earth—to come and stir up trouble?
This was a declaration of irreconcilable enmity with the Li family.
Then, as they saw the sect master of the Great Saber Sect and the others storming in, brandishing all kinds of weapons, the Li clansmen grew even more shocked and enraged. One Li family steward recognized the identities of these unwelcome intruders.
With a dark expression, he said, “Wang Wu, you’ve got quite the nerve. To dare come cause trouble in my Li family—I’d say you’ve grown tired of living.”
Wang Wu was the name of the sect master of the Great Saber Sect.
Hearing this, Wang Wu exchanged glances with the others, as though he had just heard the greatest joke in the world.
Then he clutched his stomach and roared with laughter.
“Even at a time like this, your Li family is still so arrogant. While that old thing Li Xuanfeng was alive, I did indeed give your Li family three parts respect. But now that Li Xuanfeng has gone to heaven, in my eyes your Li family amounts to nothing.”
The contempt in his words
made the veins on the Li clansmen’s hands stand out so hard they seemed ready to burst.
How many years had it been since anyone had dared insult and provoke the Li family like this?
The Li family steward was just about to speak, but Wang Wu cut him off with a face full of contempt.
“You are not qualified to speak to me. Go. Tell Li Xuantong to come out and receive this sect master.”
At those words, the steward’s face turned green.
Part of it was rage. But in his heart, helplessness and sorrow also rose.
Before all this, his duty as a steward had been to remain stationed at the Great Saber Sect.
At that time, Wang Wu’s attitude toward him had been respectful to the extreme. In daily life, he had even styled himself as a junior.
Who would have thought that as soon as news of the old Family Head’s death spread, Wang Wu would turn around and become a rabid hound biting the hand that fed him?
Though his heart burned with fury and he longed to rush forward and tear Wang Wu apart with his bare hands, he knew full well the gap in strength between them. If they truly fought, he likely would not survive even a single exchange.
His own death was a small matter.
But if he caused the Li family to lose face, that would be the true disgrace.
Just as he was caught in this dilemma,
an aged voice rang out, and at last the Li family steward let out a breath of relief.
“Wang Wu, it has only been a few years since we last met. Your strength hasn’t improved much, but your courage certainly has. Tell me—who exactly gave you the confidence for this?”
The Grand Elder slowly walked out from the depths of the residence. Looking at Wang Wu’s overbearing insolence, he spoke in an icy voice.
The Grand Elder’s appearance placed tremendous pressure on Wang Wu and the others.
Though they had spoken disdainfully of Li Xuantong moments ago, once he truly stood before them, their expressions still became unconsciously grave.
After all, this was a genuine Physical Body Realm Perfection expert.
Though Major Accomplishment and Perfection in the Physical Body Realm were separated by only a single minor stage, the latter could effortlessly crush the former.
“Li Xuantong, I won’t waste words with you. Li Xuanfeng is dead. Your Li family is no longer the lofty Qingfeng Li Clan it once was. All these years, your Li family sat on top of my Great Saber Sect, sucking our blood and marrow, treating us like ants. Now it’s time for you to cough back up everything you swallowed.”
Wang Wu stared at the aged Li Xuantong before him and spoke viciously.
The heads of the Zou, Zhang, and Jin families also began chiming in, condemning the Li family in chorus.
The Grand Elder looked at the few men jumping about before him with an amused expression.
Then, in a calm tone, he said, “Wang Wu, I can understand why the others hate my Li family. But you—twenty years ago, your Great Saber Sect offended the Huang family and was nearly wiped out. It was you who knelt for three days and three nights outside the gates of my Li family, begging to become our vassal. Only then did the old Family Head intervene and preserve your Great Saber Sect. Have I said anything false?”
The moment Wang Wu heard that, and saw the strange looks in the eyes of the others present, he felt as though he had been stripped naked and put on display for all to see.
“A pack of lies.”
Wang Wu nearly ground the words out through clenched teeth.
“Li Xuantong, no matter how much nonsense you spout today, it will be useless. Today, I am determined to destroy the Li family. But I am willing to give your Li family one chance to preserve its bloodline.”
The Grand Elder lifted a brow.
“I’m listening.”
Wang Wu licked his lips and let out a cold, ugly laugh.
“As long as every cultivator of your Li family commits suicide, I can show mercy to the rest and leave them a way to live.”
The heads of the Zou family and the others frowned.
That was not what had been agreed upon when they came.
If you cut the grass without uprooting it, the spring wind will make it grow again.
How could Wang Wu not understand even such a simple truth?
They were just about to say something, when Wang Wu raised a hand and signaled for them to remain silent.
It was not that Wang Wu had truly turned merciful.
Rather, the Li family still possessed considerable strength. Li Xuanfeng might be dead, but the Li family still had more than ten Physical Body Realm cultivators, not to mention Li Xuantong, a Physical Body Realm Perfection expert.
If the Li family fought to the death, then even though Wang Wu’s side had the advantage in numbers, they would certainly still suffer heavy casualties.
The people they had brought today were all elites of their respective forces. The death of even one would be painful; if too many died, it would amount to crippling losses.
If the Li family’s cultivators were willing to abandon resistance and cripple their own cultivation, then that would naturally be the best possible outcome.
As for the promise he had just made—
heh. Once the Li family had no strength left to resist, whether they were kneaded round or flattened out would still be entirely up to him.
Before the Grand Elder could reply,
the Li clansmen could no longer sit still.
Glowering at the shouting Wang Wu and the others, they roared in fury, “Grand Elder, do not agree to their terms! The sons of the Li family do not fear death!”
“That’s right! Fight them!”
“Fight!”
“Anyone who insults my Li family deserves death!”
Seeing the Li clansmen staring as though they wanted to devour him alive, Wang Wu remained completely unafraid.
He sneered at the Grand Elder and said coldly, “Li Xuantong, what do you think of my proposal?”
“Not much.”
The Grand Elder smiled.
Only now, killing intent had begun to show within that smile.
“You refuse the toast only to drink the forfeit!”
Seeing that his trick had failed, Wang Wu’s expression changed, and he shouted in rage.
“I gave your Li family a chance, but you refused to cherish it. From today onward, there will no longer be a Qingfeng Li Clan in Baihe County!”
“What a brazen claim!”