"Excellent!" Yu Xiaogui exclaimed in delight, though he failed to see that Wu Shaoyun held a grudge against the Li family.
He nodded repeatedly and raised his hand, saying, "Let us be off then!"
With that, the two of them flew off together, disappearing into the sky.
Yu Mugao remained bowed for a long time before finally straightening up, his eyes still shifting with indecisiveness. He murmured, "If Li Chejing has returned... Why has there not been any news from Muxian? Muxian is clever and resourceful... I must ask him."
He stepped forward to the jade platform, dipped a brush in ink, and carefully wrote:
To my esteemed brother, today our father returned... Many doubts remain... Is it true that Li Chejing has returned from the southern border? Please investigate thoroughly. How many years has he been gone? How often did we receive news? If there is a technique in the world that can confuse the mind of a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, what kind of spell is it?
After writing hundreds of words, Yu Mugao sealed the letter with wax and placed it on the desk. After a moment's thought, he reopened it and added:
Also, it is rumored that the Li and Xiao families have old ties. Please also find out if Li Chejing has any fellow senior brothers from the Xiao Family. This matter is of utmost importance; please investigate thoroughly.
Sealing the letter again, Yu Mugao put it away carefully, proceeding to stare gloomily at the horizon as if sensing an impending storm.
————
"Ha!" A cultivator in leather armor shouted angrily, his mana surging as he swung his blade down.
The youth in black before him remained unmoving, a grayish-white sword aura rising from his blade. With a single strike, the cultivator felt a tremendous force, his long sword flying out of his hand. Blood splattered everywhere.
The black-clad youth stepped forward and slashed once more. The cultivator, now terrified, retreated hastily, throwing talismans in a desperate attempt to block the attack. He narrowly avoided a fatal blow, but a massive gash appeared at his waist.
"I...!"
The cultivator regretted too late. He was about to beg for mercy, but the sword aura flashed again, slashing through his chest and abdomen this time. He screamed, his limbs twitching as he collapsed, spitting out blood.
Li Yuanjiao withdrew his blood-stained sword, watching the man before him fall slowly. He shook off the blood, and there were no standing enemies left.
Looking around, he saw a field of bodies sprawled everywhere in puddles of red. They were either trembling soldiers who had already surrendered or corpses that were strewn messily about.
Li Yuanjiao, having already seen such sights during the Mount Yue campaign, remained unfazed. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Where is Qinghong?"
Xu Gongming stepped forward quickly and replied softly, "Young master, the lady has already reached the top of Mount Huazhong with the ancestor. They are in the main hall."
"Oh." Li Yuanjiao nodded lightly and said, "With a spear, she moves freely in battle... much faster than us."
He stepped forward, followed by a squad of armored soldiers. They climbed to the highest platform where a grand palace stood, its ornate eaves reaching high toward the sky. The luxurious sight made Li Yuanjiao sneer coldly.
He turned and said, "This palace could not have been built in a few generations! It shows that the downfall of the Ji and An families was due to years of accumulated decay. Do not blame the descendants; the forebears set a poor example!"
With a wave of his hand, the armored soldiers behind him filed in immediately, replacing the An Family's guards one by one. The guards, knowing that the situation was hopeless, did not resist.
Entering the palace, Li Yuanjiao saw Li Qinghong standing gracefully with her spear. Surrounding her were a pile of heads, each bearing a different expression, all lying at her feet with blood pooling around them.
Li Yuanjiao sheathed his sword and asked, puzzled, "What is happening here?"
"Oh!" Li Qinghong raised her delicate eyebrows nonchalantly and replied, "Grandfather is killing the An Family."
She gracefully raised her long spear and pointed to the pile of heads, explaining, "Those old fat pigs of the An Family are being weighed. The palace guards know best what they have done. They are kneeling on all fours in the hall, crying and wailing. According to our family's rules, those who seize land by force will be flogged, and those who do nothing will be sentenced to labor. The arrogant and overbearing will be stabbed. Those who, like An Zheyu, resorted to cannibalism, will be subjected to a thousand cuts. The hall is already filled with feces and urine by now. The stench is unbearable, so I came out for some fresh air!"
Li Qinghong's face showed a hint of fear as she leaned close to Li Yuanjiao and whispered, "I do not know who angered Grandfather... He usually has a good temper, but today he is grim and murderous. You should be careful."
Li Yuanjiao nodded quickly. Li Qinghong smiled slightly and continued, "Uncle Xuanfeng has already persuaded the people on Mount Yuting to surrender. He brought back Uncle Donghe and the others; they just went inside."
"That's great news!" Hearing that Mount Yuting had surrendered so easily made Li Yuanjiao quite happy.
Li Qinghong blinked mischievously and asked, "Do you want to go into the hall and see?"
Knowing that Li Tongya was in a foul mood, Li Yuanjiao had no desire to go inside. He quickly waved his hands, his reaction amusing Li Qinghong and causing her to laugh.
Li Yuanjiao gripped his sword hilt and thought, I wonder what those inside are thinking... But this is indeed an excellent opportunity to intimidate others.
He then signaled Xu Gongming and instructed, "There are many cultivators in the An Family that mortals cannot handle. Call some cultivators to assist inside so that the old master does not have to do everything himself."
Xu Gongming, still nervous from Li Qinghong's warning, could only agree to the instruction with a troubled look on his face. As he retreated, he thought to himself, I must gather all the family cultivators so that I don't have to brave this alone!
Watching Xu Gongming leave, Li Qinghong giggled and said to Li Yuanjiao, "Brother Jiao, you are so mean, scaring them like that for no reason!"
Li Yuanjiao waved his hand dismissively and said, "They should be scared!"
As they were talking, the sky above Mount Huazhong shook, and a loud, powerful voice boomed. It was cold as ice, and it echoed throughout the mountain.
"The An Family is a brotherly clan to the Yu Family... How dare the Li Family attack Mount Huazhong?! Are you disrespecting the Yu Family?!"
Li Yuanjiao's expression turned serious as he looked up at the figure in the sky and frowned. "It is the Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, Yu Xiaogui!"
Yu Xiaogui's appearance was unremarkable, but his aura was imposing as he stood with his hands behind his back. His robe billowed in the wind, and he looked down at the scene arrogantly.
Everyone on Mount Huazhong paused as a golden light rose to meet the newcomer. A young man with a golden bow strapped onto his back appeared, his expression calm and his tone devoid of respect as he said indifferently, "Ah, Elder of the Yu Family. The An Family was overrun by bandits, and we came at the invitation of An Zheyan, the head of the An Family, to help him quell the trouble. What brotherly clan do you speak of? We saw that the Yu Family did nothing. Yet now, you come to scold us... Could it be that these bandits are actually the Yu Family's members in disguise?"
Li Xuanfeng's sarcastic remarks left Yu Xiaogui speechless. After several moments of shock, he finally shouted, "Nonsense! How dare you?! You're not even qualified to speak here!"
Li Xuanfeng simply crossed his arms and looked on at him disdainfully, making Yu Xiaogui hesitant to act rashly.
Li Xuanfeng continued, "Senior, are you worried that a sword intent might come from the south and end your life in an instant? Knowing that we are protected by a Sword Immortal, why did you even bother coming?"
"How dare you!" Yu Xiaogui growled, both shocked and enraged. He knew that if he did not act now, he would become a laughing stock for his people.
With a fierce expression, he struck at Li Xuanfeng with a palm from afar, bellowing, "Such boldness and arrogance!"