I Want Your Head!

Liu Chengfeng and his group arrived outside the Grandmaster Mansion, where Ye Yiqing had already been waiting for a long time.

"You are late."

Ye Yiqing was extremely displeased by the tardiness of Liu Chengfeng's group, looking at them coldly.

"A soft bed is the grave of heroes; it's hard to get up in the morning."

Su Youqian lay in the arms of a beauty, half-reclining in the carriage with a lazy expression.

"You deserve to be called a hero?"

Ye Yiqing's eyes shifted, her red lips vibrant, her figure curvaceous, yet her cold and arrogant demeanor made her unlikable.

She was not about to give Liu Chengfeng or Su Youqian any pleasant looks.

"I am not a hero, but I might be an emperor in the future."

Su Youqian dared to say anything, looking at Ye Yiqing lazily with an expression that seemed to ask what she could possibly do about it.

Ye Yiqing sneered and turned to walk away.

The Grandmaster Mansion was vast; without a guide, one would lose their way. Surrounded by towering buildings and an imposing atmosphere, the place was filled with powerful experts.

The intensity of their blood energy and their fierce presence were enough to make anyone hesitate.

As the most powerful department in the Qiuchi Kingdom, the Grandmaster Mansion was unrivaled, with even the royal family and the Demon Slaying Division unable to suppress it.

The three great families of the Grandmaster Mansion today—the Ye, Cheng, and Li clans—were descendants of the brothers of the founding emperor.

As the nobility of the Qiuchi Kingdom, they held a firm grip on the Grandmaster Mansion, with the Ye Clan standing at the forefront of their strength.

Passing through the Grandmaster Mansion, a grand hall stood ahead, surrounded by a river built of stone that had long since dried up.

Ascending the steps, in the center of the open space before the hall, lay a large stone slab tilted at an angle, engraved with divine runes that seemed to pierce through the very earth.

Inside the hall were four deep wells, bottomless and plunging straight into the ground.

The massive gate leading to the back of the hall was tightly shut and could not be opened.

"This is the Li Fire River. Legend says it didn't flow with water, but with magma. After the Ancestral Hall was sealed, it dried up."

Walking across the bridge over the stone river, Su Youqian explained the situation to Liu Chengfeng.

On the bridge, Liu Chengfeng saw three massive pits in the stone river, as if magma were about to erupt from them.

Climbing the stone steps and standing before the hall, the tilted stone slab lay right in front of them; this was the Thunder Fire Divine Tablet, the key to activating the Ancestral Hall.

Dozens of experts from the Grandmaster Mansion were present before the hall, led by Ye Yitian, who sat in the center with an air of superiority.

"You are late—"

Ye Yitian and the others had waited a long time, and the tardiness of Liu Chengfeng's group had annoyed the Grandmaster Mansion.

Especially Ye Yitian, who sat high above, looking down at them.

"What use is it to arrive early if you can't unlock the divine tablet?"

Liu Chengfeng glanced at the high-and-mighty Ye Yitian.

"Ha, ha, my brother says it well. What use is it to arrive early? You've been staring at this divine tablet for how many days and months, yet have you unlocked it?"

"My brother may have arrived late, but unlocking the divine tablet is only a matter of a few moments."

Su Youqian felt satisfied and laughed out loud.

"If you fail to unlock the Thunder Fire Divine Tablet, that is a matter that will cost you your head."

Ye Yitian looked down at the crowd, his eyes turning cold, his aura of flames oppressive.

"Are you going to chop off my head?"

Su Youqian, acting like a rogue, stretched out his neck.

Ye Yitian's expression tightened, his killing intent rising, only to be forced to dissipate it.

Of course, he could not chop off Su Youqian's head; he was one of the heirs to the throne, and without the emperor's command, who could touch him?

"A shameless wretch, bringing disgrace to the royal family."

A young man nearby sneered, looking down on Su Youqian.

This young man wore a robe embroidered with the Eight Trigrams, his build was sturdy, his face square, his nose high, his lips thick, and his eyes were cast upward, looking down on everyone.

His disdain for Su Youqian was written all over his face.

"You like her."

Liu Chengfeng looked at the young man, then at Ye Yiqing, and knew the answer.

"Cease your nonsense!"

"It's a pity she doesn't like you."

Liu Chengfeng laughed, showing no respect for the young man.

The experts from the Grandmaster Mansion present were secretly laughing, though they dared not speak due to the young man's status.

"Presumptuous—"

The young man's expression changed instantly. He barked a reprimand at Liu Chengfeng, a blaze of fire erupting from his body as murderous intent filled his eyes.

The power of the second stage of the Reception Divine Treasury exploded outward, sending a wave of heat rushing toward them.

"Cheng Nan, what do you think you're doing?"

Seeing the young man prepare to strike, Su Youqian shouted in a deep voice.

"Get out of the way, unless you want me to accidentally hurt you!"

The young man didn't hold Su Youqian in any regard; his strength was far superior, and he was one of the Three Retinues of the Grandmaster Mansion.

"Cheng Nan, Liu Chengfeng is here today to solve the Thunder Fire Divine Tablet!"

Ye Yiqing stepped forward and spoke sharply to the young man.

"Yiqing, I just wanted to teach this kid a lesson for spouting nonsense."

The young man couldn't help but say sheepishly.

Cheng Nan, a genius of the Cheng Clan, the most gifted alchemist in the Qiuchi Kingdom, and one of the Three Retinues of the Grandmaster Mansion, held a noble status.

Liu Chengfeng was right; Cheng Nan did indeed like Ye Yiqing, but unfortunately, Ye Yiqing did not like him.

"Put other matters aside for now. Let him solve the Thunder Fire Divine Tablet first."

Ye Yitian raised a hand to stop them, staring at Liu Chengfeng with an overbearing aura.

"If you cannot solve the Thunder Fire Divine Tablet, your head will roll today."

Ye Yitian made no effort to hide his killing intent.

Ye Yiqing looked at Liu Chengfeng, her expression tense; she was anxious about her own lifelong happiness.

If he could solve the Thunder Fire Divine Tablet, everything would be fine, but if he failed to solve the divine tablet, she would truly have to marry Su Youqian.

If he couldn't solve the Thunder Fire Divine Tablet, she would be the first person to never let Liu Chengfeng off the hook.

Liu Chengfeng looked at the Thunder Fire Divine Tablet and smiled. He did not activate his Sky Eye to observe its changes or decipher its mysteries.

The Stone Lion had already told him the method when it called him over.

Liu Chengfeng didn't move to solve it immediately. He walked around the hall, noticing four deep wells that descended into the earth, bottomless and dark.

"These are the Thunder Fire Eyes. Only after the four Thunder Fire Eyes are filled can the door behind us be opened, but opening that door alone is useless."

"Because the Ancestral Hall can only be opened with the Ancestral Hall Talisman. There are two such talismans: one in the hands of the Grand Marshal, and one in the hands of His Majesty."

Su Youqian whispered this to Liu Chengfeng.

No wonder the Emperor of Qiuchi wasn't afraid of the Grand Marshal deciphering the Thunder Fire Divine Tablet to activate the Ancestral Hall; it turned out that was the reason.

"Can you open it?"

Seeing that Liu Chengfeng had no intention of solving the Thunder Fire Divine Tablet, Ye Yiqing felt anxious.

"Hmph, the Grand Marshal has been contemplating it for a long time and still hasn't succeeded. How could a kid at the Treasure Mountain Divine Treasury stage possibly figure it out?"

Cheng Nan glared at Liu Chengfeng. If the Grand Marshal couldn't fathom it, and they couldn't either, he didn't believe a kid at the Treasure Mountain Divine Treasury stage could.

Ever since the seal of the Ancestral Hall had loosened and the Thunder Fire Divine Tablet began to show strange phenomena, the Grand Marshal Ye Ziyang knew there was a chance to activate the Ancestral Hall.

He had contemplated it day and night, yet he could never grasp the mysteries of the Thunder Fire Divine Tablet or activate the Ancestral Hall.

Every expert in the Grandmaster Mansion had tried to decipher it one by one, but all had failed.

It was precisely because of this that the Grand Marshal Ye Ziyang had agreed to Su Youqian's conditions; otherwise, why would he have ever consented?

"Are you implying that the Grand Marshal is incompetent and lacks talent, since he can't even decipher these few divine scripts?"

Liu Chengfeng glanced at Cheng Nan.

"You—you are slandering me!"

Cheng Nan's face flushed red with anger as he glared at Liu Chengfeng.

"If you dare spout nonsense again, I will cut off your head!"

"Cheng Nan—"

Ye Yiqing's expression darkened; she did not want anyone ruining her future.

"Stop talking nonsense. If you have the ability, solve this divine tablet now. Otherwise, I will be the one to cut off your head first."

Ye Yiqing stared at Liu Chengfeng, her eyes filled with killing intent.

"You all talk about cutting off my head at every turn. Is my head really that easy to take?"

Liu Chengfeng simply sat down.

"Cutting you down—what could be easier!"

A cold light flared in Ye Yitian's eyes, and an aura of fire surged around him like a raging inferno.

"I'd like to see just how easy it is."

Liu Chengfeng stood up and drew the Thunder Sound Staff.

"If we're going to fight, are we comparing who has more people?"

Su Youqian did not stand on ceremony and immediately summoned his Iron Guard.

The experts of the Grandmaster Mansion let out a sudden shout, and dozens of them swarmed over.

In an instant, the atmosphere between the two sides grew tense to the breaking point; a great battle was on the verge of erupting.

"Enough—"

A deep shout, like a thunderclap exploding, surged with the might of the Great Dao, instantly suppressing the scene and knocking the men of both sides off their feet.

Whether it was the Iron Guard or the experts of the Grandmaster Mansion, all were suppressed.

"Grand Marshal—"

Everyone was shocked; the man had not yet arrived, but the might of his Great Dao was already making it impossible for them to breathe.

"Today is for deciphering the Divine Tablet!"

The Grand Marshal did not show his face, but his words were filled with majesty.

"Deciphering the Divine Tablet is one thing, but is this the Grandmaster Mansion's way of treating guests?"

The Grand Marshal's Great Dao might was terrifying, but Liu Chengfeng remained composed.

"My subordinates are crude, young friend, do not take it to heart. Please, decipher the Divine Tablet."

Grand Marshal Ye Ziyang still maintained a condescending attitude, his tone that of a command, and his Great Dao might pressed down with an air that forced compliance.

Liu Chengfeng's gaze narrowed.

"So, if I don't decipher it, I shouldn't even think about leaving this place."

Liu Chengfeng let out a cold laugh.

"That is the agreement."

Ye Yiqing also looked coldly at Liu Chengfeng.

"Fine, then I will decipher it."

"Can you really decipher it, young friend?"

Liu Chengfeng was so straightforward that even Ye Ziyang was suspicious; he was one of the three strongest experts in the Qiuchi Kingdom, and even he could not comprehend it.

"Is it really that difficult? Isn't the Grandmaster Mansion filled with geniuses? You can't even solve this?"

Liu Chengfeng cast a mocking glance at Ye Yitian and the others.

Ye Yitian, Cheng Nan, and the others all changed color; they were all hailed as geniuses of the younger generation.

"Shameless boasting. Even if you were given a month, you wouldn't be able to decipher the Thunder Fire Divine Tablet."

Cheng Nan sneered; he did not believe a brat from the Treasure Mountain Divine Treasury could solve it.

"A month? Are you all that stupid? I don't even need half a quarter of an hour."

"Half a quarter of an hour?"

Not only did Ye Yitian and the others not believe it, but even the Grand Marshal Ye Ziyang found it unbelievable.

"Young friend, do not make empty boasts."

"Such a simple thing, why would I need to boast? I can solve it with a wave of my hand."

Liu Chengfeng's words gave Su Youqian a massive fright, and he desperately tried to signal Liu Chengfeng with his eyes.

He knew Liu Chengfeng was a once-in-a-millennium genius, but the Grand Marshal had been unable to decipher the Thunder Fire Divine Tablet despite studying it for so long.

For Liu Chengfeng to claim half a quarter of an hour was an incredibly bold boast; he shouldn't put himself in a position where he couldn't back down later.

"What a big mouth, solving it with a wave of your hand! If you can really do that, I will..."

"Kneel down and call me father? No, I don't have such a pathetic son."

"You—"

Cheng Nan was so enraged his face turned red and he began to tremble.

"What, you want to bet but don't have the guts? Are you that cowardly?"

Liu Chengfeng cast a cold, sidelong glance at him.

"Fine, if you can solve it with a wave of your hand, I will kneel and kowtow to you. Otherwise, I will sever your head and forge it into a chamber pot."

Cheng Nan was an alchemy genius, respected everywhere he went; when had he ever been humiliated like this?

"It's a deal."

"It's a deal! I've already claimed your head!"

Murderous intent surged in Cheng Nan's eyes; if he didn't kill Liu Chengfeng, he would never be able to extinguish the hatred in his heart.

"This is not child's play, nor is it a matter of impulse. The Thunder Fire Divine Tablet is of great importance; you have plenty of time to decipher it..."

Ye Yiqing grew anxious; she was the last person who wanted to see this kind of wager, as this matter concerned her own future.

Ye Yiqing's words were cut short, stopping abruptly.

Because at that moment, Liu Chengfeng reached out and pressed his hand onto the Thunder Fire Divine Tablet, his mental cultivation technique spinning, his blood energy circulating, and the Divine Tablet began to manifest thunder and fire.

On the Divine Tablet were carved divine scripts that pierced through the stone and into the earth.

At this moment, every divine script lit up, flickering with flames.

"Go—"

Following a deep shout from Liu Chengfeng, the thunder and fire condensed, and the divine scripts instantly pierced through the ground. With a muffled "boom," the entire earth let out a low rumble.

Brothers, I'm holding you up to rob you of your monthly tickets, recommendation votes, and tips.

Thank you all!!!!