"Father's swordsmanship has reached another level!" Li Xuanling exclaimed as he looked at Li Tongya, who was standing calmly, in awe.
Meanwhile, Li Xuanxuan murmured incredulously, "If I am not mistaken, that's a Peak Qi Cultivation Realm formation!"
A formation of the Peak Qi Cultivation Realm was comparable to the Sun Rite Profound Light Formation on Mount Lijing. It required over a hundred Spirit Stones to set up, a price tag enough to leave even Peak Qi Cultivators helpless.
It was the pinnacle formation for a Qi Cultivation Realm family.
Although it was called a Peak Qi Cultivation Realm formation, it was not as fragile as paper in front of a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator. It could hold off an ordinary cultivator of the early Foundation Establishment Realm for the duration it takes to burn an incense stick.
If faced with a non-combative Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, it could hold up even longer. Hence, the fact that Li Tongya broke the formation so effortlessly highlighted the sheer offensive power of his swordsmanship.
"Indeed," Li Xuanling responded with a slight smile. He saw a Qi Cultivator rising from below, dressed in a gray robe with a jade crown. He appears to be at the fourth heavenly layer of the Qi Cultivation Realm.
The man repelled the flying dharma artifacts controlled by the Embryonic Breathing Realm cultivators below with his saber, trying to find an opening to escape. Li Xuanling drew his sword and confronted him readily.
Li Xuanxuan snapped out of his daze and also approached with his sword, still marveling, "With Yu Yufeng now dead, there is no one left on the lake who can firmly suppress Second Uncle!"
Below, Li Xuanling faced off against the man, his sword exuding the light gray aura of the Profound Water Sword Technique. They exchanged two moves, and Li Xuanxuan also joined in with his sword.
Li Xuanxuan had no real skill in swordsmanship, wielding the sword purely as a sharp tool. Li Xuanling took the lead in the fight while Li Xuanxuan maneuvered around, occasionally launching talismans as his attack tactic.
The man was quite skilled with his saber, and with his power as a fourth heavenly layer Qi Cultivator, he handled the two second heavenly layer Qi Cultivators with ease.
However, the fourth heavenly layer Qi Cultivator did not want to linger any longer than he must. Seeing Li Tongya looking over to where they were, his anxiety grew incessantly.
"I am a guest cultivator from the Yu Family, not of the An Family! I merely reside here. You two are mistaken! Let me go, and I will repay you generously in the future!" he shouted desperately.
The man was clever, borrowing the Yu Family's name while distancing himself and offering incentives. Most people might have been swayed.
Before Li Xuanling could respond, the man turned pale with fright. Li Tongya's long sword made a sudden quick motion, sending a sword qi that was enveloped in water essence straight toward him. The sharp energy alone made him break into a cold sweat immediately. He barely managed to raise his sword in defense.
Clang!
Even though Li Tongya's strike was casual, it was not something a fourth heavenly layer Qi Cultivator could easily block. The man had used all his strength and his mana was surging powerfully, yet he felt an overwhelming force against him. His long sword flew from his hand as he spat out blood and fell shakily to the ground. Before he could feel any form of relief, Li Xuanling's sword had pierced through his chest.
This Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator... does he not have any pride at all? To think that he'd ambush someone like me, a mere fourth heavenly layer Qi Cultivator... he thought to himself, his limbs weakening.
As Li Xuanling retrieved his storage pouch and drew his sword, the man's body fell into the forest. Li Xuanling simply shook off the blood and sheathed his sword.
As the limp body fell, a strong sword aura followed after him, circling the man's neck lightly, causing his head to separate and his body to dissolve into clear water.
Only then did Li Tongya withdraw his gaze.
"Mount Huazhong was guarded by only a few men. Yu Mugao was too confident," Li Tongya remarked as he descended.
Li Xuanling and Li Xuanxuan quickly followed suit. Li Xuanxuan laughed, "The Xiao Family had the upper hand... He never could have imagined this!"
Li Xuanling nodded and added, "Indeed, no matter how many Qi Cultivators he places here, they would only die by Father's hand! It was just a matter of when the news would reach him."
Li Tongya nodded silently, landing before the grand and splendid hall. He glanced at the golden decorations and jade steps, murmuring, "How lavish!"
————
Inside the grand and splendid hall, a middle-aged man with disheveled hair drew his sword and stood up, looking incredulously at the trembling servant below him.
"You damn fool! An Zheyan?! An Zheyan brought people back?! Are you crazy?" An Zheyu shouted angrily, kicking over the table in front of him. The clattering noise filled the room.
His lips trembled with fear, and he cursed to bolster his courage.
"Where did he get the nerve to offend the Yu Family? Yu Xiaogui or Yu Yufeng could kill him with a single slap! Where did he get his guts?!"
Bang!
The servant who relayed the news kneeled and pressed his forehead to the ground desperately. The jade plate in the center of the hall cracked suddenly with a loud noise, bursting into a series of flames. After a brief moment, it could no longer bear the strain and exploded into fragments, burning holes of various sizes into the carpet, the smell of fire and scorched material filling the air.
This was An Zheyu's favorite animal hide carpet, but now he had no time to feel distressed over the ruins of his carpet. His mind went blank, and he collapsed to the ground, muttering to himself, "So fast... how is this possible? How is this possible?"
Another servant called out frantically as he barged in, trembling and shouting, "Report! The grand formation... the grand formation was shattered by Li Tongya with a single slash!"
An Zheyu's expression darkened even further as he muttered, "A single slash...? How is that possible...?!"
An Zheyu's face twisted with rage. He grabbed the servant, spitting as he cursed, "Impossible... Who do you think he is? Yu Yufeng?!"
An Zheyu was even more brutal than An Zheyan had been. The servant, terrified, wet himself. An Zheyu, still caught in a daze, let him go and suddenly brightened up, shouting quickly, "Where is the Yu Family's immortal master? Quickly, call for reinforcements! Hurry!"
An Zheyu, still maintaining a shred of sanity, knew that no Qi Cultivator could possibly withstand Li Tongya, who could so easily break the formation with one single slash. He hoped desperately that the Yu Family's Qi Cultivator could bring reinforcements to aid them.
Standing up shakily, he saw the servant trembling as he said, "The immortal master flew away and has not been seen since..."
"No... no..." An Zheyu shook his head violently, muttering, "An Jingming's body... I've already... An Zheyan and I are mortal enemies now, I cannot sit here and wait for death!"
He pushed aside the throne above hastily, pulling out a storage pouch from within and hurriedly stuffing it into his chest pocket. Taking a few steps forward, now scared witless, he stumbled down the stairs and kicked the helpless servant aside. Falling to the ground, he raised his head slowly and saw a pair of simple cloth shoes in front of him.
An Zheyu rolled over and backed away frantically. Before him was a broad-shouldered, gaunt middle-aged man with graying temples, his features accompanied by dignified eyes. He stood calmly before him with his hands behind his back.
On either side stood a man. The one on the left appeared older, with a stern demeanor and a slightly square face, exuding an air of long-standing authority. The one on the right looked much younger but carried himself with equal steadiness.
An Zheyu kneeled with a thud, pressing his forehead on the ground frantically in terror as he desperately pleaded, "Mercy, my lords! Mercy! The Yu Family forced me... it was the Yu Family..."
Li Tongya simply shook his head and asked softly, "You just mentioned An Jingming... What happened to him?"
Now that Yu Yufeng had fallen, Li Tongya wasn't concerned about the existing Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator Yu Xiaogui or Fei Wangbai at Moongaze Lake. His concern was the once brilliant talent—An Jingming.
An Jingming had been so dazzling that he overshadowed all his peers, including seniors like Li Tongya. Hearing his name made Li Tongya alert immediately, seizing any opportunity he could to gather information.
An Zheyu pressed his forehead on the ground repeatedly, stuttering, "A-An Jingming... An Jingming... I..."
He stammered so much that he was unable to speak coherently. Li Xuanling snorted coldly, making him jump, and pressed his forehead on the ground once more, his whole body trembling in fear.
"He ate him."
Li Tongya, curious, turned to see an armored soldier standing beside the steps. He spoke coldly with a deep look of hatred in his eyes as he stared right at An Zheyu.
His words stunned everyone.
"Ate... him?"