Securing Thirty Thousand Spirit Stones!

"Ta-da!"

Li Yao's voice rang out before the deserted gates of the Lin Family estate, carrying a hint of mockery.

"Well? Do you like the two gifts?"

The smile Lin Yuntian had maintained shattered the instant he saw the two figures, one tall and one short.

When he saw that their limbs had been broken and their cultivation sealed, just like Lin Yun's, he erupted in curses.

"Li Yao! Are you courting death? Men!"

Lin Yun was a son he had taken in for convenience, a blade he meant to use against Li Yao. These two elders were different.

They were the backbone of the Lin Family.

He had thought they had merely been held up. At worst, they had failed to overcome Li Yao's backup plan and fled.

So he had not been particularly concerned—until he saw their wretched state with his own eyes.

He could no longer hold back. He wanted to strike.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

At Lin Yuntian's call, several figures shot out of the Lin Family estate like ghosts.

An overwhelming pressure swept toward them.

Li Yao immediately felt as though he could barely stay on his feet.

Just then, two equally formidable waves of pressure surged from behind him to meet it.

They dissolved the hostile pressure completely.

Li Yao took the chance to edge back without drawing attention.

"Uncle Fu, Uncle Ming, if things go south, we run."

Li Yao leaned toward them and spoke in a low voice.

"Yes."

"Yes, young master."

Lin Yuntian's gaze turned frighteningly grave.

This is bad. Those two behind Li Yao are at least at the Martial King Realm.

Damn it! Wasn't the Li Family supposed to have no experts above Ninth Rank Martial Master in the Imperial Capital? What the hell is going on?

Lin Yuntian cursed inwardly, but his expression did not change.

"Patriarch Lin, what's the meaning of this? If you don't like my gifts, I'll take them back. Why bring out the blades?"

Li Yao spoke at an unhurried pace, as though the pressure had not affected him at all.

In truth, his heart was pounding.

Holy shit. The Lin Family has quite a few Martial Kings stationed in the Imperial Capital. Looks like I've kicked an iron plate this time.

His face, however, remained as calm as a cloud drifting through a clear sky.

The sight of him made Lin Yuntian grind his teeth.

"Li Yao, you beat my son and two of my elders into this state, then came to the Lin Family gates to flaunt your might. Do you think we're easy to bully?"

"Patriarch Lin, that's not fair."

Li Yao spread his hands.

"I came to bring you gifts. How did that become flaunting my might?"

"Your son colluded with the Yang Family to kill me. Not only did I spare him, I brought him back to you. Your two elders helped a tyrant do evil, so I taught them a little lesson while I was at it. Isn't that generous enough?"

Li Yao's eyes brimmed with sincerity as he spoke.

He looked as though he had truly come to do a good deed.

Lin Yuntian was so furious he nearly laughed.

"You!"

He pointed at Li Yao, unable to get another word out.

"Attack!"

After struggling for words, those were the only two he could force out.

The figures behind him were about to step forward and test their techniques against Li Fu and Li Ming.

"Uncle Fu, Uncle Ming, get ready to run."

Just then, an elderly voice entered Lin Yuntian's ears through sound transmission.

"Yuntian, don't act rashly. Swallow this insult."

It was Lin Chen.

Lin Yuntian froze.

"Dad, Li Yao has gone too far."

"Yuntian, don't be impatient. In a month at most, Li Fuhai will be dead, and the Li Family will be ours for the taking. Then you can deal with that little beast however you like. But now is not the time to act."

"Then what do we do? Just let this go?"

"Endure it for now. Li Yao wants Spirit Stones, doesn't he? Give them to him. Think of them as being held in his keeping."

Lin Yuntian was unwilling, but he knew Lin Chen was right.

He drew a deep breath and suppressed his anger.

"Come back!"

The figures paused. Though they did not know why the patriarch had changed his mind, they said nothing and silently returned to his side.

Lin Yuntian then forced out a smile uglier than a grimace.

"Young Master Li, since you say you've brought gifts, I'll accept them. What price have you put on these two?"

Li Yao, who had been ready to flee, was stunned.

What's going on? Why did they suddenly stop?

But he recovered quickly.

He looked at Lin Yuntian with an embarrassed expression.

"Patriarch Lin, I've always been fair. Your son tried to kill me, so I broke his limbs. You're compensating me with One Hundred Thousand Spirit Stones, and that makes us even."

"As for these two..."

Li Yao deliberately drew out the words.

"Ah, how about this? One price, no haggling: one hundred thousand apiece. How does three hundred thousand sound?"

Li Yao even leaned forward a little after saying it, staring straight into Lin Yuntian's eyes.

"That wouldn't be too difficult for you, would it?"

At the mention of three hundred thousand Spirit Stones, Lin Yuntian's mouth twitched.

He had never seen anyone open a lion's mouth quite so wide.

"Give it to him."

Lin Chen's voice sounded again.

Lin Yuntian felt as though his heart were bleeding, but he had no choice but to obey.

"Fine. Three hundred thousand Spirit Stones. I'll give them to you."

He forced the words through clenched teeth, then waved to someone behind him.

"Go to the storeroom and bring out three hundred thousand Spirit Stones."

"Yes, patriarch."

A gatekeeper answered and ran into the estate.

Li Yao watched, secretly delighted.

Three hundred thousand Spirit Stones. I've made a killing this time.

Before long, the gatekeeper returned with several servants carrying a few large chests.

"Young Master Li, here are the three hundred thousand Spirit Stones. You can count them."

Lin Yuntian gestured to the chests. The smile on his face had stiffened beyond recognition.

"No need. I trust your character, Patriarch Lin."

Li Yao waved a hand, then signaled to Li Wenbin.

Li Wenbin stepped forward and placed the chests in his Storage Ring.

"In that case, I won't trouble you any longer."

Li Yao turned to leave.

"Young Master Li, a word of advice: too large an appetite is no good thing."

Lin Yuntian spoke suddenly, a hint of threat in his voice.

Li Yao stopped, looked back at Lin Yuntian, and smiled.

"Patriarch Lin, what can I say? Young men have healthy appetites."

With that, Li Yao gave Li Fu a look.

Li Fu understood at once. A gentle current of Spiritual Power enveloped Li Yao and Li Wenbin.

They rose into the air and vanished from the spot in an instant.