The Might of the Profound Martial Realm, the Li Family's Allegiance

A roar went off in Li Yuan's head, as though something had exploded.

He stared fixedly at the flying sword suspended in the air, his blood turning cold.

True Essence? That was True Essence!

Kaiyang City... no, the Lin Family had someone who had broken through the barrier between realms and entered the Profound Martial Realm?

The hall fell deathly silent.

Li Yuan stood rigid. The three elders behind him had gone deathly pale, their eyes full of horror.

"Now, Master Li, you should be able to give this serious consideration."

Lin Chen's tone remained calm, but his words brought Li Yuan to a sudden realization.

The Lin Family's invitation today had never been about bargaining over the mineral vein.

They had invited the Li Family not to negotiate, but to witness this with their own eyes...

After that, the Li Family could only yield and choose from the terms they were offered.

No wonder Lin Hai had spoken so boldly. With a Profound Martial Realm warrior in his residence, he had every reason to!

Li Yuan stared at the azure flying sword for a long time. Then he drew a deep breath and spoke hoarsely.

"Lin Chen... might I experience the power of the Profound Martial Realm for myself?"

His startling request made the Li Family elders' expressions change. They were about to urge him against it, but Li Yuan raised a hand to stop them.

"I have been trapped at the Tenth Level of the Spirit Martial Realm... for thirty-two years."

Li Yuan spoke slowly.

"For thirty-two years, I have trained without missing a day, yet I have never even touched the threshold of the Profound Martial Realm. The barrier to liquefying my spiritual energy has always loomed before me like an impassable chasm."

"Yet in the end, someone of the younger generation surpassed me and crossed that chasm. Lin Chen, you have my admiration."

"But I am the head of the Li Family. I cannot simply withdraw like this, so I ask you to grant me an exchange."

"If I can withstand even a single move from you, I hope the Lin Family will not make things difficult for us when we leave Kaiyang City..."

Li Yuan paused, then said each word with care.

"If I cannot, the Li Family will pledge itself to the Lin Family from this day forward, with no thought of betrayal."

"Family Head, this..."

One elder looked troubled and wanted to object, but in the end, he fell silent.

The moment the Lin Family gained a Profound Martial Realm warrior, the balance in Kaiyang City had been broken.

Against absolute strength, nothing else mattered. They could only accept it.

Lin Chen watched Li Yuan quietly. After a moment, he gave a slight nod.

"Very well. As you wish."

With that, Lin Chen flicked a finger.

The azure flying sword's imposing aura abruptly receded.

It became a plain three-foot blade, unadorned save for the swordlight that sent a chill through the heart.

Li Yuan drew a deep breath and planted his feet apart. He slowly raised both palms, pouring in his spiritual energy at the Tenth Level of the Spirit Martial Realm until it formed a thick, pale-gold shield of light.

This was the Li Family's signature technique, the Golden Bell Shield, a high-grade Spirit-tier martial art that Li Yuan had cultivated to an exceptionally advanced level.

"Come!"

Li Yuan gave a low shout, his gaze blazing.

Lin Chen tapped a fingertip, and the flying sword descended.

It did not fall particularly fast, yet Li Yuan felt an invisible force lock onto him. The air around him grew as solid as a mountain, leaving him unable to move even half a step.

At last, the sword's edge touched the golden shield.

There was no earth-shaking explosion, only a faint sound. Like a hot knife cutting through butter, the sword pierced half an inch into the golden shield that held the power of Li Yuan's lifetime of cultivation. It had not gone through in an instant, but cracks had appeared.

The flying sword did not stop. It continued downward.

Li Yuan's pupils contracted. With a roar, he turned his blocking palms into a push, sending out a torrent of spiritual energy to hold the sword tip at bay.

"Get back!"

Veins bulged on Li Yuan's forehead and his face flushed red as he poured out every last bit of his spiritual energy at the Tenth Level of the Spirit Martial Realm.

But how could a mantis stop a cart?

The force from the flying sword seemed boundless, like a towering mountain bearing down. The stone slabs beneath Li Yuan's feet shattered. Despite giving it his all, he could not budge the sword. Instead, its force drove him back a step.

Bang... bang, bang, bang, bang!

The flying sword pressed forward slowly. With every inch it advanced, the pressure on Li Yuan multiplied. He gritted his teeth and resisted with all his might, but his feet kept retreating beyond his control.

One step, two steps, three steps... all the way to the seventh!

By the time he had taken the seventh step back, Li Yuan was almost at the hall doors.

His face had gone pale, his arms trembled violently, and his spiritual energy was beginning to scatter. Yet the azure flying sword still hovered before his palms.

Azure light flickered at its tip. Though it had stopped advancing, the vast True Essence within it remained. It clearly had power to spare.

If Lin Chen wished, a single thought would be enough to break through Li Yuan's failing defense.

One sword. I couldn't even withstand one sword! Was the gap really this vast? Li Yuan's thoughts roared. Just as his strength gave out and his arms were about to go limp, the azure flying sword stopped dead, then flew back.

Lin Chen lowered his hand, his expression calm.

The flying sword settled quietly beside him, its radiance contained and its aura hidden. Nothing about it suggested that mere moments ago, it had driven one of Kaiyang City's former two greatest fighters into such a desperate state.

"Haha... cough, cough..."

Li Yuan laughed, then coughed twice and wiped away the trace of blood at the corner of his mouth, brought on by the violent shock to his spiritual energy.

"I retreated seven steps and still could not stop the sword... Had you not shown mercy, Lin Chen, I would be dead."

Li Yuan looked at Lin Chen.

"Between the Spirit Martial Realm and the Profound Martial Realm lies only a word, but in truth, they are worlds apart. I... accept my defeat completely."

With that, Li Yuan solemnly straightened his robes. Ignoring the turmoil in his body, he bent in a deep bow before Lin Chen.

"From this day forward, the entire Li Family pledges itself to the Lin Family. We will serve at your command, with no thought of betrayal!"

The three elders behind him were still shaken to their cores by what they had just witnessed. Seeing their family head bow, they dared not object and hurriedly bowed deeply as well.

"Good. You've made the right choice."

Lin Chen nodded.

"Since the Li Family knows where it stands, the Lin Family will treat you fairly. My father and Master Li can discuss the details."

With that, Lin Chen took his leave, departing without another word about his achievement.

Only after Lin Chen had disappeared did Li Yuan turn to Lin Hai. "Brother Lin, from now on... I hope you'll look after us."

Lin Hai stepped forward and helped him up. "Brother Li, you've seen the bigger picture. With our two families working together, Kaiyang City has a bright future."

Li Yuan nodded. After a moment's silence, he lowered his voice. "Your son... he isn't thirty yet, is he?"

Pride flashed in Lin Hai's eyes. "That's right."

Li Yuan sighed deeply, his feelings mixed.

"A Profound Martial Realm warrior under thirty... Even across Cloud Province, there can't be many. The Lin Family truly is on the rise."

He paused, a glint appearing in his eyes. Then he leaned closer and said quietly:

"Old Lin, the Li Family has a daughter of the direct line. She's sixteen, lovely and accomplished, and not that much younger than your son. What if..."

"Get lost!"

The smile on Lin Hai's face froze, and he snapped at him.