Liu Yu and his companions waited until every building had turned to ash and the flames, left with nothing to burn, had died out naturally. Only then did they advance cautiously.
Twenty zhang from the Milky White Barrier, the sixteen of them stopped and faced the members of the Feng Household.
Liu Yu narrowed his eyes, peering into the Protective Shield by the scattered firelight.
The flickering flames cast shifting light and shadow over his face. Like a reaper come to hunt down souls and claim lives, he struck terror into the surviving members of the Feng Household, filling them with both fear and hatred.
At last, the Feng Household could no longer keep its composure, and someone spoke:
"Fellow Daoist Liu, why have you attacked our Feng Household? If we have done anything wrong, please point it out. We will correct it immediately!"
Although Feng Guangyou was devastated by the terrible casualties among his clansmen, with his lineage facing life or death, he had no choice but to force an ugly smile and try to avert this catastrophe.
"The Feng Household has always known its place and behaved itself. We have never reduced our annual tribute by so much as a fraction. Fellow Daoist Liu, could there be some misunderstanding?"
Feng Tianwei spoke up then. The ancestral hall's protective formation had stabilized, allowing him to spare some attention for the moment.
He walked to the edge of the formation and looked at Liu Yu, surrounded by the others. Guessing that this was the Primordial Yang Sect's Garrison Officer, he cupped his hands and spoke in a humble voice, hoping to bluff his way through.
Feng Tianwei possessed exceptional aptitude. Under his leadership, the Feng Household had risen from the weakest of the three lineages to the strongest in the