"Li Jiman..." Li Ximing pondered for a moment, then said, "Son of Shamoli, heir to the throne of Mount Yue... Soon to inherit the throne."
"Indeed," Li Yuanping agreed with his son's words. As he glanced around, he saw rain dripping from the leaves and knew that the Jade Court guards and several guest cultivators were closely protecting them. Relaxing, he let the horse follow the road at a leisurely pace.
He rode absent-mindedly, his ears twitching slightly as he spoke with interest, "Li Jiman is a clever man, but he is belligerent and treacherous... outwardly respectful but inwardly deceitful."
The horse snorted and climbed a high slope, revealing a panoramic view of the scenery. Screams and roars echoed through the air, mingled with the sight of blood-stained ground.
On the plain below, the walls of Wutu City were visible in the distance. A group of emaciated Mount Yue villagers, trembling and wielding hoes and pitchforks, had surrounded a gray wolf. The wolf, which appeared to have a low level of cultivation, snarled and roared incessantly.
On a nearby hill, a brown carriage fluttered with flags, and long spears were arranged in a row. A group of soldiers sat idly, laughing and joking with each other. At the top sat a young man who was holding a fruit and laughing heartily.
"That must be Li Jiman!" Li Yuanping remarked casually.
In his arms, Li Ximing frowned and whispered, "Father, what is he doing?"
"Watching a show," Li Yuanping replied coldly. He watched as a blueblood below laughed loudly and threw a fruit, hitting the wolf demon on the head, provoking it. In its anger, the wolf howled and tore a nearby man to shreds in an instant.
The peasant, frail and small, was quickly reduced to a pile of remains, further inciting the wolf's fury. It continued howling madly.
The other nobles and Li Jiman on the hill watched intently and burst into laughter as the body fell apart, guts and blood spilling everywhere. Li Ximing could not bear the sight and turned his head away.
"Watch carefully," Li Yuanping patted his shoulder gently and said, "Remember this scene... It will teach you what the prominent families might do behind your back if the laws are not strictly enforced."
He paused and then continued, "When cultivation stagnates and the future seems bleak, when they tire of their luxuries and possess power and strength far beyond ordinary people, they will always come up with new ways to entertain themselves."
Li Ximing nodded thoughtfully. Li Yuanping then sneered and said, "Bring me my bow!"
A Jade Court Guard quickly handed him a longbow. Sitting steadily on the horse, Li Yuanping exhaled, nocked an arrow, and aimed at the people below. He said softly, "Watch closely, my son."
Whoosh—
The arrow shot through the air, its runes glowing with bright white light, descending like a meteor to the ground.
Li Jiman, stretching his arm and holding a fruit, felt indifferent to the scene before him, and seemed to be merely going through the motions. Tian Rong, who was standing beside him, stepped forward and said with a smile, "Jiman, how about this? Quite amusing, is it not?"
"Very amusing!" Li Jiman responded as he glanced at him with hidden disdain, thinking to himself, The Tian Family controls the politics of Eastern Mount Yue... With the old man about to step down, how can I be a puppet like Shamoli? But Tian Zhongqing is cautious. To get leverage on them and negotiate, I must start with Tian Rong...
He seemed to be watching the wolf demon's desperate struggle, but his mind was preoccupied with figuring out how to seize control of Eastern Mount Yue's politics. Just then, a blinding white light descended from the sky.
Boom!
The wolf demon, barely at the first stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm, could not withstand the arrow and exploded into pieces, with its blood splattering everywhere. Tian Rong, who had been laughing, looked as though he had been slapped in the face. He jumped up at once and roared,"Insolence! Who dares to disrupt my entertainment!?"
Li Jiman had already risen and looked up. With his peak Embryonic Breathing Realm vision, he instantly recognized the person on the mountain as his mind went blank with fear, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Li Yuanping..."
He fell to his knees with a thud, prostrating himself on the ground, his forehead pressed tightly against the earth. A surge of panic and terror washed over him, his back soaked with sweat instantly, his eyes bloodshot.
The Family Head despises those who oppress and harm commoners... I am finished! Who set me up... Tian Zhongqing... yes, it must be the Tian Family... Tian Zhongqing... Damn it! No wonder he wanted me to come to this remote place for a feast! I'll remember this, Tian Rong!
A wave of unease swept over the gathered Mount Yue lords, and they all kneeled on the ground. Tian Rong stood there in a daze for a few moments. After attempting to pull some of the kneeling people up, he too realized what was happening and kneeled, bewildered.
Halfway up the mountain, Li Yuanping, clad in riding attire, held the delicate Li Ximing in his arms, his expression calm as he quietly observed them.
"Father... They are so afraid of you! Are you going to kill them?"
The boy's clear voice echoed through the mountain, sending chills down the spines of those below. Li Jiman clenched his eyes shut, wishing he could tear Tian Rong and the Tian Family to pieces.
Li Yuanping steadily held the reins, leaning close to his eldest son's ear and whispered, "No. Li Jiman is a smart man, but Tian Zhongqing and the Tian Family are even smarter."
He handed the bow to one of the Jade Court Guards without looking at the people kneeling below with their foreheads touching the ground, and whispered to Li Ximing, "Father will now teach you how a wise man controls a group of wise men."
"All right!" Li Ximing answered expectantly.
Li Yuanping then smiled coldly, tugged the reins, turned the horse around, and Zhongsuo began to walk quietly, its hoofbeats silent, slowly disappearing into the forest they had come from.
The Jade Court Guards on both sides glanced coldly at the people below before following the horse and vanishing as well. After several breaths, Li Jiman finally raised his head and shouted, "Family Head, you have unparalleled insight! I am grateful beyond words!"
Only the whistling wind answered him, and hatred almost overflowed from Li Jiman's eyes.
"The Tian Family... I, Li Jiman, will never coexist with you!"
He stood up, glaring at Tian Rong with hatred and cursed, "You brat, you are good at pretending! Tricking me to watch this show must have taken you a lot of effort! I knew it! I knew it!"
Li Jiman was convinced that Tian Rong had received orders from Tian Zhongqing, intentionally luring him here to be seen by Li Yuanping. He drew his sword with a clang and shouted, "Scoundrel! How dare you deceive me!"
Tian Rong looked utterly confused, unable to grasp what had just happened. Li Jiman's expression changed rapidly, restraining the urge to strike. He kicked Tian Rong in the shoulder, sending him flying over some distance, rolling on the ground with a pained cry.
"Get lost!"
Watching Tian Rong flee in panic, Li Jiman's face darkened. Unlike the other Mount Yue lords, he was of Li Family blood and subjected to the Clan Affairs Courtyard's discipline. Even if Li Yuanping did not punish him, it would not be long before someone came to investigate.
Thinking about the trouble ahead, Li Jiman felt a chill in his heart.
"Damn it!"