A month later.
Within Green Maple Valley, a grand wedding was held.
It was a marriage alliance of immense scale.
The Zheng Family's Legitimate Daughter married the grandson of the Li Family First Elder. Both families were top aristocratic clans of Baihe County, so nearly every notable figure in Baihe County had come.
Even the Song Family, which had grievances with the Li Family, sent an elder bearing congratulatory gifts.
Li Family Council Hall.
"Elders, I have prepared to enter seclusion. During this period, unless the family faces a crisis of life and death, no one is to disturb me."
"During this time, I entrust the family's affairs to you all."
Li Xinge sat at the head of the hall and gave his instructions.
The elders gladly accepted the order.
In the family head's cultivation chamber, the heavy stone door slowly closed.
Li Xinge sat cross-legged upon a meditation cushion. Sensing the dense spiritual energy around him, he slowly closed his eyes and began cultivating in earnest.
After Li Xinge entered seclusion,
the Li Family began quietly recuperating and gathering strength. For a time, Baihe County outwardly returned to its former peace.
A month later...
On a broad, level road, several carriages moved forward slowly.
Without exception, a black flag fluttered in the wind on either side of every carriage.
The golden character for "Li" upon the black flags was exceptionally eye-catching.
More than ten sturdy guards carrying sabers marched alongside the carriages.
"Put your backs into it, everyone. Hold on for another two hours, and we can hand in the job. Then I'll pay out of my own pocket to treat you all to wine and women..."
The burly man riding at the front wiped the sweat from his forehead and laughed.
"Seventeenth Master is generous!"
The crowd burst into laughter. At once, they all felt strength filling their bodies, and their pace quickened considerably.
Killing intent quietly emerged from the dense forests on either side.
A cold gleam shot forth like lightning. One guard clutched his throat and collapsed to the ground, his face twisted in agony.
The sudden change stunned everyone.
Seeing this, the leading man repeatedly shouted, "Heighten your vigilance!"
As his words fell, another rain of arrows came flying in.
The guards drew the sabers from their sheaths, waving them to block the incoming arrows.
After that volley of arrows, another four men fell.
"Kill them!"
A thunderous voice rang out from the forest.
One black-clad figure after another, hidden for a long while, rushed out of the woods wielding all manner of weapons, surrounding the convoy tightly.
"Bold scoundrels! Do you know who we are? If you retreat at once, we may yet spare your lives!"
The man whom everyone called Seventeenth Master glared furiously as he rebuked them.
"Hahahaha, of course I know the great name of the Li Family."
A black-clad man with a face full of scars and one blind eye slowly emerged from the forest, laughing loudly.
Then his tone shifted, and he said with a chilling gaze, "But it is Li Family men I came here to kill."
Seventeenth Master's heart sank. It seemed these uninvited guests had come specifically for the Li Family.
It appeared there could be no peaceful resolution today.
Thinking this, Seventeenth Master made a prompt decision and roared, "Brothers, kill them!"
As his words fell,
he charged forward at the head of the group.
Two black-clad men saw this and hurriedly drew their sabers to meet him.
A flash of cold light swept past, and the two black-clad men were already separated from their heads.
The black-clad leader who witnessed this did not change expression, though the chill in his eyes deepened by several degrees.
"You do have some skill. But today, you must die!"
With that, he drew the broadsword strapped to his back and slashed at Seventeenth Master.
Seventeenth Master drew his saber to block. The weapons collided, sparks flying as a piercing metallic clang rang out.
Seventeenth Master staggered back several steps.
His face turned somewhat ugly as he said, "Minor Accomplishment in Body Cultivation!"
"Hmph, enough nonsense. Give me your life!"
Having gained a slight upper hand, the black-clad leader pressed the attack without mercy.
He unleashed a fierce saber technique, battering Seventeenth Master until he suffered bitterly.
"Li Family men are nothing special after all!"
The black-clad leader mocked him disdainfully.
"You're courting death!"
That remark thoroughly enraged Seventeenth Master. He swung a powerful saber strike and charged the black-clad leader once more.
Under their life-for-life assault, the two men, who had originally been quite far apart in strength, unexpectedly fought to a standstill for a time.
"Seventeenth Master, stop fighting! Don't worry about us—run!"
A miserable cry rang out behind Seventeenth Master.
Seventeenth Master hurriedly turned back, and his heart instantly went cold.
His accompanying guards had long since been killed or wounded under the siege of the black-clad men.
And the last man, before his very eyes, had his head split apart by a single slash.
"No!"
Human hearts were made of flesh. Seeing the brothers who had shared his days and nights slaughtered one after another, Seventeenth Master's eyes reddened as well.
Tears welled in his tiger-like eyes as he said, "I want you all dead!"
Green Maple Valley.
Four Li Family disciples with powerful auras guarded the only path into the valley.
In the distance, a lone rider came galloping toward them. One Li Family disciple immediately shouted angrily.
"Stop there! Dismount!"
Seeing that the rider showed no intention of slowing down,
the men were about to make a move to forcibly stop him when the rider seemed to lose all strength and tumbled headfirst from the horse.
The men surrounded him warily. Once they saw his face,
they immediately cried out, "It's Seventeenth Uncle!"
This rider was none other than Seventeenth Master, the leader of the convoy.
"Feilong... Gorge... medicinal... herbs... the herbs... were intercepted!"
After saying this, Seventeenth Master tilted his head and fainted.
"Quick! Something terrible has happened! Report to the elders at once!"
An emergency elders' meeting was convened in the Li Family Council Hall.
"Everyone, family disciples have just reported that our Li Family caravan transporting medicinal herbs was intercepted and attacked at Feilong Gorge. The herbs were taken, and Seventeen has suffered grave injuries. His life hangs by a thread!"
The First Elder said with a grave expression.
Upon hearing this, the elders were all incomparably furious!
This was a slap to the Li Family's face!
The hot-tempered Second Elder abruptly rose to his feet, his face dark as he roared, "Who did it? I want him dead!"
After speaking, he smashed the table before him into powder with a fierce palm strike.
Seeing this, the First Elder shot him a harsh glare.
He angrily rebuked him, "Second Brother, rein in that temper of yours! Seventeen is your son, and I understand your urgency, but this is the Council Hall—a place where the family discusses major matters, not a place for you to vent your temper recklessly!"
The First Elder's rebuke temporarily calmed the Second Elder.
He forcibly suppressed the blazing fury in his heart and sat back down.
"First Elder, do we know who did this?"
Sixth Elder Li Yanzhao asked solemnly.
The First Elder shook his head. "Not yet. I only received the news moments ago. Little Seventeen, the only one who knows anything, is still unconscious."
"That batch of medicinal herbs is of utmost importance to our Li Family. Many disciples are waiting on it for Body Tempering. If their cultivation is delayed, how are we supposed to explain this to the family head when he emerges from seclusion?"
The Third Elder interjected.
"What if we purchase another batch at the last minute?"
"It's too late."
The Sixth Elder shook his head.
"The medicinal herbs at the Medicine Pavilion are in short supply. Our Li Family can only make a purchase once every half year."
Everyone's expressions grew increasingly grim.
"We must take that batch of medicinal herbs back."
The Second Elder said darkly.
"Whose territory is Feilong Gorge?"
The First Elder narrowed his eyes.
"Black Robe Stronghold!"
The Third Elder answered in a low voice.
"What a Black Robe Stronghold. If I remember correctly, its chief is Town Mountain Tiger?"
"That's right. I'd say this Town Mountain Tiger is an old birthday star eating arsenic—he's tired of living! Don't think that just because Black Robe Stronghold is easy to defend and hard to attack, we have no way to deal with him. First Elder, gather the family's elites and level Black Robe Stronghold."
Several elders spoke up in succession.
"Everyone, do not be hasty. Do not let anger cloud your minds. Although Town Mountain Tiger is arrogant and overbearing, for so many years he has kept to his own well while we kept to ours. There may be something suspicious behind this."
"The First Elder's words are not without reason. Logically speaking, Town Mountain Tiger should not have the nerve to move against our Li Family."
In the past, Town Mountain Tiger had never touched so much as a hair of the Li Family.
Much less the Li Family now, flourishing like the noonday sun after forming a marriage alliance with the Zheng Family.
Unless Town Mountain Tiger had been kicked in the head by a donkey.
"No matter what, since this happened in Black Robe Stronghold's territory, we naturally must go seek trouble with Town Mountain Tiger. If this truly was Town Mountain Tiger's doing, then our Li Family is not one to be bullied."
The First Elder said coldly.
"First Elder is wise!"
"Sixth Elder, please make the trip."
"Yes!"
Li Yanzhao gladly accepted the order.
Before you continue