Chapter 20: Ultimatum

Patriarch Liu Feng's face twisted in fury at Li Wei's bold words. His Nascent Soul Realm aura flared, a suffocating pressure spreading across the courtyard. Servants collapsed to their knees, clutching their chests, while elders and young clan members exchanged fearful glances. A duel here, between two Nascent Soul Realm experts, would spell disaster for the Liu clan.

"Darling, please wait!" Lady Chen Xi's usual flirtatious tone was gone, replaced by genuine alarm. But her plea was drowned out as Liu Feng waved his sleeve, sending a gust of wind strong enough to stagger those unprepared.

Li Wei laughed—a rich, mocking sound that carried across the courtyard. "Fight me? Very well. If you win, I'll give you ten Heaven-Grade elixirs. If you lose, I'll slaughter this entire clan." The seriousness behind his words even shocked Leng Yue, who had been hoping that things wouldn't turn violent.

His words fell like thunder. The elders visibly paled, and even Zhou Wen, the schemer who had maneuvered this conversation, felt a pang of fright. No one was prepared for such a vicious response from the seemingly amiable young man that had entered their residence.

Li Wei turned toward Jia Lin, Mei Yu, and Ning Xue, his expression calm despite the chaos he had ignited. "You three, step aside. Leng Yue, make sure they don't get caught up in the collateral damage." The trio were nearly frozen in terror by the catastrophic calamity that was about before their very eyes, in which they had an integral role in.

His tone was so casual it sent a chill down the spines of the onlookers.

Zhou Wen, watching from the sidelines, swallowed hard. 'Just how powerful is his attack if he thinks those three need shielding?' This was not the time to be skeptical, when the likelihood that his words rung true was not in doubt. After all, how many figures could easily gift away Heaven Grade elixirs like cabbages found on the roadside.

Liu Feng's anger faltered for a moment, his thoughts racing. Ten Heaven-Grade elixirs? The absurdity of the offer was overshadowed only by the threat of complete annihilation. The weight of his clan's lives pressed down on him.

"Coward!" Liu Feng roared, his voice shaking with frustration. "Why involve the innocent? If I lose, take my life—leave the clan out of this!"

Li Wei didn't respond immediately. Instead, he calmly drew the Mystic Jade Sword from his spatial ring. Its dark, ominous aura rippled across the courtyard, silencing even the whispers of the wind. For the first time, Li Wei's ever-present smirk faded, replaced by a grim frown.

The shift in his demeanor made the air grow heavier. It was very likely that every Liu clan would breath for the last time, if this sword was to befall them. The baleful aura exuding from the sword was a clear indication that this artifact was familiar with the art of slaughter.

With a graceful motion, he performed a single sword move, the blade slicing the air with deadly precision. When he rested its tip on the ground, the entire Liu clan residence trembled. Cracks spiderwebbed outward from the sword's point of contact, and the resulting shockwave sent everyone below the Core Formation stage sprawling. Only those behind Leng Yue's protective aura remained standing.

Li Wei fixed his cold gaze on Liu Feng. "You wish to be my equal? Fine. I will treat you like all my enemies. Once defeated, I slaughter their entire bloodline to prevent their stupidity from spreading further. This is not malice, it is the will of the heavens."

The courtyard was deathly silent.

From start to finish, every move had been meticulously carried out. Li Wei knew he lacked the power to fairly win a straight fight against the patriarch. But why rely on brute strength when a well-placed bluff and a bit of chaos could achieve the same outcome?

In his heart, Li Wei sneered. 'They'll break before I even lift my sword.'

Zhou Wen, ever the opportunist, seized his moment. He dropped to his knees and kowtowed deeply, his voice trembling with feigned sincerity. "Sir Li Wei, this humble servant begs for your mercy. I do not support Patriarch Liu Feng's actions! I am merely a guest in the Liu clan, and as of now, I sever all ties with them!"

The sight was pitiful—enough to draw disdainful stares from the elders. One shook his head, his thoughts scathing. A snake with such thick skin—how even the dragons in the skies must envy Zhou Wen's shamelessness.

Li Wei's lips curled into a smirk. "You lack talent, but your head is in the right place. Go, then. Step aside before you get caught in my next move."

Zhou Wen scrambled away, his relief palpable. His survival only emboldened the rest. Murmurs rippled through the gathered crowd as panic took root.

"Patriarch, please! Do as he says!" one elder begged, his voice cracking.

"Patriarch, think of the children! They've done nothing wrong!"

"Your father knew when to yield for the clan's sake. Why can't you do the same?"

The cries of his clan fell like hammers on Liu Feng's resolve. He gritted his teeth, fists clenched, his body trembling under the weight of their pleas.

Li Wei's voice sliced through the noise. "I grow tired of waiting. Kowtow and apologize, or I will cripple your cultivation and make you watch as I slaughter your kin."

He turned to Leng Yue with an air of nonchalance. "After I'm done, strip him of his valuables and leave him for the other clans to find. Let them learn from his folly."

The patriarch's shoulders sagged. The choice before him was no choice at all. If he resisted, his clan would die—his legacy more or less reduced to shambles. If he submitted, he would be humiliated, but his people would live to rebuild.

With every eye on him, Liu Feng lowered his head. He knelt, fists pressing into the ground, and spoke through gritted teeth. "This humiliation I will carve into my heart. One day, I will repay it tenfold."

Li Wei's smirk returned, sharp and victorious.