Funeral Procession

Before long, the next day arrived.

Today was June 18th, an auspicious day for sacrifices, encoffining, burial, and breaking ground.

It was also the day for the old Li Family Patriarch, Li Xuanfeng, to be laid to rest.

Early in the morning, the rising sun cast golden light across the land.

Green Maple Valley was already bustling with voices.

All Li Family Members had gathered within Green Maple Valley, dressed in mourning hemp and wearing filial white, to see the old patriarch off on his final journey.

At the same time, outside Green Maple Valley.

Uninvited guests arrived without warning.

The Zou Family Patriarch gazed at the magnificent Green Maple Valley before him, a trace of greed flashing through his eyes.

"Very soon, this place will belong to me."

He had coveted this treasure trove of auspicious land, Green Maple Valley, for a long time.

After destroying the Li Family, if he could occupy this place and recuperate in peace.

Then, in a few years, perhaps the Zou Family would become Baihe County's next foremost powerhouse.

To ensure this operation went off without a hitch, the elites of the Four Great Powers had practically come out in full force.

Among them, there were more than twenty Body Realm Cultivators alone.

Together with Su Yun, who was lying in wait in the shadows for an opportunity, they were enough to wipe out any Lineage without a Qi and Blood Realm Cultivator overseeing it.

Their path remained completely unobstructed, without any resistance.

Before long, they arrived outside the Li Residence.

Two Black Armored Warriors at the Body Forging Realm stood guard at the entrance.

The hostile-looking crowd immediately aroused the guards' vigilance.

One of them stepped forward to block their path.

He shouted, "Everyone, this is the residence of the Green Maple Li Clan. Without permission from the main family, no one may enter."

The Great Saber Sect Master burst into laughter. "Then I'd like to see whether you can stop me."

Having said that, before the guard could react, the Great Saber Sect Master brazenly struck. His swift movement shot forth, and he slammed a palm heavily into the guard's chest.

The poor guard was merely at the Body Forging Realm. How could he withstand an expert at Body Cultivation Grand Completion?

The tremendous force sent the guard flying on the spot. He smashed through the gates, crashed into the courtyard, and slid several meters away.

The other guard came to his senses and furiously drew his weapon. "How dare you..."

Before he could finish speaking.

He followed in the former's footsteps as well.

Having casually disposed of the two tigers blocking the road, the Great Saber Sect Master dusted off his hands. Looking at the golden words "Li Residence" above him, hatred and disdain flashed through his eyes.

Only then did he say calmly, "Everyone, you may go in now."

The people behind him finally reacted.

Though they had joined forces to deal with the Li Family.

The weight of the four words "Green Maple Li Clan" still sat heavily in everyone's hearts. After all, it was one of Baihe County's foremost powers, with a legacy stretching back more than two hundred years.

Yet now, the dignity of the Green Maple Li Clan was being trampled beneath the Great Saber Sect Master's feet as casually as dirt.

They began to feel an illusion arise within them.

Perhaps the Nine Great Families were nothing more than this.

Inside the residence, the sudden upheaval stunned everyone.

The Li Family Members, still immersed in grief, looked at the guard lying on the ground, his life and death unknown.

They froze for a second before incomparable fury took its place.

Who dared act so wantonly? To come stirring up trouble on such an important day as the old patriarch's return to the earth.

This was a declaration of undying hostility against the Li Family.

Then, as they watched the Great Saber Sect Master and the others swarm in, brandishing all kinds of weapons.

The Li Family Members became even more shocked and enraged. One Li Family steward recognized the identities of these uninvited guests.

With a dark expression, he said, "Wang Wu, you have quite the nerve. You dare come to my Li Family and make trouble? I think you're tired of living."

Wang Wu was the Great Saber Sect Master's name.

Hearing this, Wang Wu exchanged glances with the others, as though he had heard the greatest joke in the world.

Wang Wu clutched his stomach and roared with laughter. "At a time like this, your Li Family is still so arrogant. When that old thing Li Xuanfeng was alive, I still gave your Li Family some face. Now that Li Xuanfeng has gone to heaven, your Li Family is nothing in my eyes."

The contempt in his words.

Made the veins on the Li Family Members' hands nearly burst.

How many years had it been since anyone dared humiliate and provoke the Li Family like this?

Just as the Li Family steward was about to speak, Wang Wu said with a disdainful expression, "You are not qualified to speak with me. Go, have Li Xuantong come out and welcome this Sect Master!"

At those words, the steward's face turned green.

It was from anger, but at the same time, a thread of helplessness and sorrow arose in his heart.

Before this, his duty as steward had been to oversee the Great Saber Sect.

Back then, Wang Wu's attitude toward him had been extremely respectful. On ordinary days, he had even referred to himself as a junior.

He had never expected that once news of the old patriarch's death spread, Wang Wu would turn around and become a vicious dog that bit its master.

Though he was incomparably furious and wished he could rush forward and tear Wang Wu apart alive, he clearly understood the gap in strength between them. If they truly fought, he likely would not be able to withstand even a single exchange from Wang Wu.

Death was a small matter. Losing the Li Family's face was the real disaster.

At that difficult moment, an aged voice rang out, finally allowing the Li Family steward to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Wang Wu, we haven't met in years. Your strength has not increased much, but your courage certainly has. Tell me, who gave you such confidence?"

The Great Elder slowly emerged from the depths of the residence. Looking at the arrogant and domineering Wang Wu, he spoke with an icy expression.

The Great Elder's appearance brought tremendous pressure upon Wang Wu and the others.

Though they had spoken dismissively of Li Xuantong, when he truly appeared before them, their expressions involuntarily turned solemn.

After all, this was a genuine expert at Body Cultivation Grand Perfection.

Though Body Cultivation Grand Completion and Body Cultivation Grand Perfection were separated by only a minor realm, the latter could easily crush the former.

"Li Xuantong, I will not waste words with you. Li Xuanfeng is dead, and your Li Family is no longer the lofty Green Maple Li Clan of old. All these years, your Li Family has ridden on the heads of my Great Saber Sect, sucking our blood and devouring our marrow, treating us like ants. It is time for you to spit back out everything you have swallowed over the years."

Wang Wu glared viciously at the aged Li Xuantong.

The patriarchs of the Zou Family, Zhang Family, and Jin Family also spoke up in agreement, verbally condemning the Li Family.

The Great Elder watched the few people hopping about like monkeys with an amused expression.

Then he said evenly, "Wang Wu, I can understand why the others hate my Li Family. But twenty years ago, your Great Saber Sect offended the Huang Family and nearly suffered extermination. You knelt outside my Li Family's gates for three days and three nights, begging to become a vassal of my Li Family. Only then did the old patriarch step in and save your Great Saber Sect. Am I wrong?"

Hearing this, Wang Wu looked at the strange gazes of everyone present and felt as if he had been stripped naked and put on display.

"Utter nonsense."

Wang Wu practically ground his teeth.

"Li Xuantong, no matter how much nonsense you spout today, it is useless. Today, I am determined to destroy the Li Family. But I am willing to give your Li Family a chance to preserve its bloodline."

The Great Elder raised a brow. "I would like to hear the details."

Wang Wu licked his lips and gave a sinister chuckle. "As long as all your Li Family cultivators kill themselves, I can show mercy to the rest and spare their lives."

The Zou Family Patriarch and the others frowned. That was not what they had agreed upon before coming here.

If you did not pull up the roots when cutting grass, it would grow again with the spring breeze.

How could Wang Wu not understand such a simple principle?

Just as they were about to say something, Wang Wu waved his hand, signaling for them to remain silent.

It was not that Wang Wu had suddenly become merciful.

Rather, the Li Family still possessed considerable strength. Though Li Xuanfeng had died, the Li Family still had more than ten Body Realm Cultivators, as well as Li Xuantong, an expert at Body Cultivation Grand Perfection.

If the Li Family fought to the death, then even though they held the advantage in numbers, they would certainly suffer heavy casualties.

The people they had brought today were all elites from their respective forces. Losing even one would hurt, while losing too many would damage their very foundations.

If the Li Family's cultivators could abandon resistance and cripple their own cultivation, that would naturally be best.

As for the promise he had made, hehe, once the Li Family no longer had the power to resist, whether to knead them round or flatten them would not be up to Wang Wu and the others?

Before the Great Elder could respond.

The Li Family Members could no longer sit still.

They glared furiously at Wang Wu and the others, shouting, "Great Elder, do not agree to them! The young men of the Li Family are not afraid of death!"

"That's right, let's fight them!"

"Fight!"

"Those who insult the Li Family shall die!"

Facing the Li Family Members' devouring gazes, Wang Wu remained utterly fearless.

He sneered at the Great Elder and said coldly, "Li Xuantong, what do you think of my proposal?"

"Not much."

The Great Elder smiled.

Yet killing intent had begun to emerge within that smile.

"You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!"

Seeing that his scheme had failed, Wang Wu's expression changed as he roared angrily.

"I gave your Li Family a chance, but you did not cherish it. From today onward, there will no longer be a Green Maple Li Clan in Baihe County!"

"What a grand boast!"