Vermillion Phoenix Dynasty!

Feng Lianhua took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.

'No real harm was done,' she reminded herself.

"No need," she said, her voice cold. "Do not pursue him." But inside, her thoughts churned.

She couldn't let such behavior go unanswered.

She could still remember the look in his eyes—that shameless, lingering gaze.

Her lips curled into a dangerous smile. "Find out where he's headed," she commanded. "But don't confront him yet."

Her mind wandered back to the sensation of his touch, his hand having dared to explore her body without permission.

The memory of his face was clear as day—a mix of confidence and boldness.

She wouldn't forget that face.

'The nerve... thinking he could get away with it just because this is a small country of the Tianlong Dynasty?'

Xiao'er, sensing her mistress's mood, stepped forward and handed her a set of spare clothes. "Miss, I brought these for you."

With a nod of appreciation, Feng Lianhua accepted them. "Good." She cast a glance at the torn remains of her current robes, her cheeks momentarily flushed with the thought of how exposed she had been.

A soft sigh escaped her lips as she stood, a small barrier of light flickering around her, isolating her from view as she changed.

As the fresh robes slid over her perfect, fragnant figure, Xiao'er couldn't help but glance in awe.

'Miss Feng really could be the envy of all the top beauties across the dynasty.'

Her maid was used to seeing her in battle armor, fierce and commanding, but like this—serene, elegant, and powerful—Feng Lianhua was like a heavenly goddess descending to the mortal realm.

Once she finished changing, Feng Lianhua's attention shifted to the approaching figure of a man.

Her brows furrowed in distaste.

It was none other than the Patriarch of the Li family, the man who ruled Red Flame Fortress.

He was an unremarkable, sickly-looking man, his face wrinkled, his frame frail.

His cultivation, although at Nascent Soul, was weak and nearing the end of its lifespan. His sharp, calculating eyes, however, made up for what his body lacked.

He ruled this remote region with cunning rather than power, using his intellect to thrive where stronger men would fail.

"Miss Feng, don't worry. We will do our best to hunt down the rat," Patriarch Li said, his voice low and respectful, keeping his head bowed.

He dared not meet Feng Lianhua's eyes, the difference in their statuses too vast.

"We already have portraits made. He also killed my son, Li Gong, along with our elite guards. He's a user of demonic techniques. The city guards have his portrait ready, and we can hunt him down within a month!"

Patriarch Li's tone was filled with grief, but also barely concealed ambition.

He was a man who knew how to use others as stepping stones, and with the backing of the Vermilion Phoenix Dynasty, he felt confident in tracking down his second son's murderer.

Li Gong might not have been the strongest, but his death had wounded the family's pride, and that was something Patriarch Li couldn't afford.

His first son, however, was another matter. He clenched his teeth in frustration.

'That second son of mine... a complete waste. He's only managed to crawl into the Core Emergence realm because of all the pills I fed him. Useless in combat.'

Compared to his first son, who had brought honor to their family, the younger one was nothing but a burden.

Still, his first son was supposed to be the foundation of their future—free to roam and grow stronger while his younger trash brother inherited the family.

Together, they would raise the Li family to new heights.

But now, that plan lay in ruins.

His son was dead, and Feng Lianhua, the woman they had hoped to align with through friendship, seemed unaffected.

Feng Lianhua's frown deepened. "When did I ever say I was injured by him?" she snapped, her sharp gaze turning on the patriarch. "It was the Silver Wolf that attacked me. If you want to kill something, go and kill it."

Without waiting for a response, she mounted her flying eagle beast, her expression cold, and soared into the sky, her guards from the Phoenix Palace following closely behind.

Patriarch Li stood there, fists clenched at his sides. His expression darkened as Feng Lianhua disappeared into the distance.

'This woman...' he thought bitterly.

She had shown no concern for his son's death and even dismissed his efforts to align their families.

A mixture of resentment and ambition brewed in his heart.

"Wait until the Li family rises... then not just Yue Country, but the whole Tianlong Dynasty will be mine," he muttered under his breath, barely audible but filled with venom.

"Master, should we just let this slide?" asked the chief guard, clearly unnerved by Feng Lianhua's dismissal.

Bam!

Patriarch Li's hand flew out, striking the guard across the face with a resounding slap.

"Didn't you hear Miss Feng?!" he spat, glaring at the guard. "Are you a fool? Suggesting we go against the Phoenix Palace? In broad daylight, no less?"

The guard fell silent, his head bowed in submission.

Patriarch Li's rage was evident, but so was his cunning nature.

He knew better than to openly challenge the Phoenix Palace.

No one in their right mind would oppose a powerhouse like that head-on.

But Patriarch Li wasn't a man to let things slide so easily. He needed to be careful, to wait for the right moment.

The Li family's rise depended on it. At night, he would send word to his first son, the one currently training in one of Yue Country's top sects—the Xiantian Sect. Li Gong's death would surely ignite a fire in his elder brother, even if he had abandoned mortal ties in favor of the pure path of cultivation.

His eldest son might have cut off emotional attachments, but blood was thicker than water.

Knowing his brother had been murdered would awaken a desire for revenge, one that the Li family could use to its advantage.

Patriarch Li's lips curled into a thin smile.

Yes, revenge could be a powerful motivator, and if handled correctly, the death of his son could be the key to propelling the Li family into prominence.

"Patience," he muttered, more to himself than to anyone around him. "The Li family will rise, and when it does, no one—neither the Phoenix Palace nor anyone in this small country—will stand in our way."