Silence!
Ding Zerui's provocative voice transmission entered Su Chen's ears. Su Chen froze on the spot. His face was expressionless, but he couldn't hide the coldness in his eyes.
Li Xinnian and Nangong Qingya had already noticed Su Chen's strange reaction, as well as the cold sneer on Ding Zerui's face.
"You, surnamed Su, are nothing. Even if you rely on the Li family, you still can't take Liu Rusi. With your status, you're just an ant."
That Ding Zerui held his breath, staring intently at Su Chen.
In that brief instant, he actually felt a sense of crisis in his heart. The killing intent blossoming from Su Chen's body made him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cavern.
But he continued sending the secret voice transmission. Even as cold sweat flowed down his forehead, he was also waiting for Su Chen to make a move.
If Su Chen dared to strike, then Immortal Master Qi Yue, who was off to the side, would have sufficient reason to strangle Su Chen in the cradle!
*Crack!*
Su Chen's body was trembling. Inside his body lived an old monster from sixty thousand years ago; if he truly couldn't see Ding Zerui's intentions, then he really would have "lived his life completely in vain".
But he still couldn't suppress the anger in his heart. What Ding Zerui said was half-truth, half-lie, and... this person really was capable of doing it!
"A man must take action. Why fear a petty villain? Kill!"
Just as Su Chen's killing intent erupted.
Someone was faster than him!
"Boom!"
A surge of Golden Core Qi erupted in an instant before the Perennis Immortal Palace. This Qi was gentle, yet did not lack fierceness.
That Ding Zerui's entire attention was focused on Su Chen, but neither he nor Immortal Master Qi Yue, who was ready to strike at any moment, had expected that Li Xinnian would stride out in that same instant, his hand grabbing for the throat!
"What... what kind of spiritual power is this???"
By the time Immortal Master Qi Yue reacted, it was already too late. He saw that the spiritual power Ding Zerui had erupted with in that instant was shattered by Li Xinnian in a flash.
Even though Immortal Master Qi Yue had been at the peak of the Divinity Transformation realm for many years, he was still utterly astonished.
In that split second, he saw Li Xinnian's Dharma Body, which was like that of an ancient, primordial giant.
Inscribed upon that Dharma Body were all sorts of bizarre runes—Underworld corpse-ghouls, Wu Clan totems, sword cultivator immortal swords... all these runes blended together to exude a primordial aura.
Rumor had it that Li Xinnian was merely at the False Core¹ realm, but now it seemed this Li Xinnian had been hiding his true strength all along.
While horrified at the potential of the Li family's new generation, Immortal Master Qi Yue looked over at Ding Zerui, who had been thrown over a hundred meters away and was spitting up fresh blood.
Immortal Master Qi Yue knew that Li Xinnian had held back; otherwise, that instantaneous burst of spiritual power would have been enough to make Ding Zerui, this inner sect disciple of the Aeternus Sect, die!
The disciples from the Aeternus Sect hurriedly went to check on Ding Zerui's condition.
Immortal Master Qi Yue's expression was grim. "Li Xinnian, you've injured a disciple of my sect without any reason. What is the meaning of this?!!"
Faced with Immortal Master Qi Yue's accusation, Li Kuanghua, who had followed them out, felt her eyes turn blood-red.
She hadn't had a fight in decades and really wanted to find out just how big the gap was between herself and a peak Divinity Transformation expert.
Li Xinnian still wore a faint smile. "An inner sect disciple of the Aeternus Sect... what a fine technique he cultivates. That secret voice transmission technique of his almost deceived this junior's ears."
"What?"
Immortal Master Qi Yue's expression changed. All cultivators possess secret voice transmission techniques, but their Aeternus Sect's method was even more covert, capable of shielding heavenly secrets.
He wanted to refute it, but when he thought of that world-rare Dharma Body Li Xinnian had just displayed, he didn't dare say anything.
Ding Zerui had already been carried back, injured by Li Xinnian's spiritual power.
The sudden attack filled him with grief and indignation. Spitting up fresh blood, he still pointed at Li Xinnian, "Li Xinnian, you... You've gone too far!"
Li Xinnian glanced at Li Kuanghua. Seeing his elder nod, he then walked toward Ding Zerui step by step. That Immortal Master Qi Yue wanted to intervene, but Li Kuanghua blocked his path.
Li Xinnian crouched down, staring down at Ding Zerui, his expression full of mockery.
"Here in the Perennis Immortal Palace, even relying on Immortal Master Qi Yue, you wouldn't dare make a move. But if Brother Su had made the first move, that would be another matter entirely.
Surnamed Ding, pulling these kinds of tricks in front of me... You should first take a good look at how much you're really worth."
"You..."
Having his scheme exposed, Ding Zerui spat out another mouthful of fresh blood.
Li Xinnian, however, paid no attention to the man's injuries. Unseen by anyone, Li Xinnian's gaze was now ice-cold, his smile as savage as a fiend's—he was sending a secret voice transmission!
At this moment, a voice actually resounded in Ding Zerui's mind... the voice of Elder Qi Yue!
"Enrage Su Chen, make him attack you. That way, I will have the chance to kill him."
This voice made Ding Zerui feel as if he had plunged into an ice cavern; the wind and snow of Duravia Trade Prefecture seemed to freeze his very Divine Soul.
It turned out that the one who had just sent him the voice transmission wasn't Elder Qi Yue, but... Li Xinnian!
"You..."
Ding Zerui's eyes widened as if they would tear, but the words caught in his throat, unable to come out.
He was terrified. This young master of the Li family, so refined and elegant in the eyes of the world, was, in his view, a complete and utter fiend!
"Surnamed Ding, you'd better understand this clearly: in front of my Li family, you are nothing. I can hurt you if I want to hurt you, and I can toy with you however I want.
Even Immortal Master Qi Yue can only stand by and watch as I humiliate you."
Li Xinnian finished his voice transmission. He slowly stood up, all under Ding Zerui's terrified gaze.
His previously ice-cold and savage expression instantly changed to one full of guilt and apology.
He bowed to Ding Zerui. "Senior Brother Ding, it was this Junior Brother who struck a bit too heavily just now.
It's just... this Junior Brother doesn't want there to be any real misunderstanding.
In a few days, this Junior Brother will have my family elders come to your door to apologize."
Saying this, he bowed to Immortal Master Qi Yue.
"Senior, it was this junior who was reckless. But if my Senior Brother Su had truly become overwhelmed by anger and done something wrong, it would all be irreversible. I ask for the Senior's understanding."
"Hmph!" Immortal Master Qi Yue narrowed his eyes slightly, but he was also left with no recourse.
If he dared to make a move against Li Xinnian, he was certain he would not be able to walk out of this Perennis Immortal Palace.
Immortal Master Qi Yue walked to Ding Zerui's side, only to see him trembling all over.
"Zerui, are you alright? What did that Li Xinnian say to you?"
"N-nothing... he didn't say anything."
Ding Zerui's eyes were practically bulging from their sockets.
He stared deathly at Li Xinnian's retreating back, his insides churning, and desperately gripped Immortal Master Qi Yue's sleeve.
"Immortal Master, let's go! Back to the Aeternus Sect! Immortal Master, send this disciple back quickly!"
Immortal Master Qi Yue frowned. Li Xinnian had clearly held back and hadn't even damaged Ding Zerui's foundation, yet he couldn't understand why this disciple looked as if he had been beaten madly.
In any case, Ding Zerui's injuries truly gave him an excuse to leave, allowing him to get far away from this land of dispute.
After all, in this entire Li family, Li Xinnian was the only junior who spoke with any reason.
He immediately hurried away with Ding Zerui.
Even after boarding the Spirit Ark, Ding Zerui's Divine Soul was still trembling.
Li Xinnian's sinister voice transmission once again entered his soul.
"Very good. I want Liu Rusi safe and sound, and I want you to keep your mouth shut. Otherwise... as vast as heaven and earth are, there will be no place for you."