Chapter 233: A Small Token of Goodwill? Turns Out to Be Literal
"Pfft!"
The Spirit Clan members all coughed up blood as they staggered back.
Every one of them carried a look of horror in their eyes.
Just now, when a hundred Divine Palace Realm experts had struck in unison, although the attack had not been aimed directly at them, because they had been too close to Chu Lingfeng and his servant, they had still been caught in the aftermath.
"Too terrifying…"
Behind the Spirit Clan youth, an elder spoke, his pupils filled with lingering fear. Just the aftermath alone had forced them to expend several of their trump cards to resist.
If those divine techniques had actually been aimed at them, then no matter how many trump cards they had, they would have been utterly meaningless.
"Young Master, this is no place to linger. We had best leave at once."
The elder's thin face was marked with worry as he urged in a solemn voice.
"…Fine."
The Spirit Clan youth's heart was full of unwillingness. He glanced at Li Xun, then at Xiao Fan standing beside him, his mind turning over again and again before he finally let out a helpless nod.
He was very envious of the Saint level cultivation technique and divine technique Li Xun had just acquired. On top of that, the target of his entire trip was standing right here before him—how could he possibly want to give up this opportunity?
But the problem was—
The power Li Xun currently held was far too terrifying. Over a hundred Divine Palace experts obeyed his every word. At this moment, not even an imperial clan like the Xiao Clan could afford to treat this lightly.
To continue opposing Li Xun now would not merely mean failing to leave—it might very well mean leaving their lives behind here.
"Let's go."
The Spirit Clan youth waved his hand, showing no further hesitation, and prepared to lead his people away.
But just as they turned—
Boom!
A blood-colored spear descended from the heavens like a comet, plunging straight toward the Spirit Clan youth. The spear's shaft glowed crimson, its murderous aura bone-chilling and dreadful.
In an instant, the land within a hundred miles boiled over, like great waves surging to the skies. Endless rubble and soil were hurled ten thousand feet high, scattering all the clouds above.
"Crape Myrtle Holy Land—Qin Mofeng, you dare!"
One of the Spirit Clan elders spun around sharply. Seeing the rapidly enlarging blood spear, he thrust out a giant hand. From his palm radiated endless divine light, sealing heaven and earth.
Clang!
"Pfft!"
His hand clashed with the spear.
But due to being caught off guard, he could not withstand its full might. One of his arms instantly exploded into a spray of blood under the crushing force of the spear.
In the distance, many who thought the matter already settled turned to look again, eyes filled with curiosity.
The Crape Myrtle Holy Land against the Spirit Clan—this was no small matter.
Neither side was weak. If they truly clashed, who could say which would prove stronger?
"If I remember right, the Spirit Clan folk earlier were standing with the Great Chu Dynasty. Now that Chu's people are dead, I guess it's their turn."
Some quickly guessed the reason behind Elder Qin of Crape Myrtle Holy Land's sudden strike, speaking in surprise.
"The Spirit Clan shouldn't be in too much danger. After all, they never had any deep enmity with Li Xun—at most they just spoke a few words on behalf of Chu's royal family. That crime isn't worth death."
A wandering cultivator spoke up.
"That all depends on Daoist Li Xun's mood."
Another disagreed.
While the distant onlookers argued back and forth—
Among the Spirit clansmen, a dignified elder strode forward. His name was Ling Cang, an elder of some standing within the Spirit Clan.
His presence immediately eased some of the fear weighing on his people.
"Daoist Qin, my Spirit Clan and your Crape Myrtle Holy Land have never had enmity. For you to strike so rashly today—could it be you intend to provoke my Spirit Clan?"
Ling Cang's face was dark, his voice sharp. Though they were clearly outnumbered, he showed not the slightest weakness in bearing.
"You and the Crape Myrtle Holy Land may indeed have no enmity, but just now you showed disrespect to Daoist Li Xun. Do you really think you can just walk away so easily?"
Qin Mofeng's voice was low and cold.
"Li Xun…"
Ling Cang drew in a deep breath. He turned to glance at the young clansman beside him, then, with no other choice, cupped his hands toward Li Xun and said,
"Daoist Li Xun, just now a junior of my clan acted rudely. I hope you will not take offense."
"It's nothing, merely a trivial matter."
Li Xun's robe fluttered as a faint smile curved his lips. His eyes swept meaningfully over the Spirit clansmen as he spoke with an almost casual air.
Hearing his words, the Spirit clansmen all breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed Li Xun was not going to pursue the matter. That was fortune within misfortune.
Ling Cang immediately added,
"In that case, we shall take our leave first."
At this place, they didn't want to remain a second longer.
Even though Xiao Fan was right before their eyes, not one of the Spirit clansmen dared even glance at him, afraid Li Xun might detect something amiss.
If Li Xun discovered that they had come here for Xiao Fan, and conflict broke out, then none of them would escape alive.
"Who gave you permission to leave?"
Li Xun spoke again.
His voice, calm and unhurried, floated into their ears—and at once, the expressions of every Spirit clansman shifted. Ling Cang's face in particular instantly grew dark.
"Daoist Li Xun, what do you mean by this?"
"I only said it was a trivial matter. I never said I wouldn't hold it against you—and I certainly never said you could leave."
Descending from the heavens, Li Xun walked slowly.
His pace was unhurried, as though strolling leisurely in a garden, yet every step spanned several miles. After only two or three steps, he had crossed dozens of miles of void and appeared directly before the Spirit clansmen.
His sudden arrival was like a great mountain dropping from the sky, its endless weight pressing down on every single one of their shoulders.
At that moment, all of them felt as though they were burdened by a mountain—an unbearable heaviness.
The Spirit Clan youth, especially, whose cultivation was only at the Life and Death Realm, trembled uncontrollably under the crushing force of Li Xun's aura.
"He's actually this strong?"
His face was pale as death, his pupils wide with terror. Without confronting Li Xun directly, one could not possibly imagine just how overwhelming that pressure was.
And yet, not long ago, Li Xun had been just like him, a peerless genius of the younger generation.
But in this short span of time, Li Xun had utterly transformed, now standing shoulder to shoulder with the older generation of powerhouses—while he himself could only stare up at Li Xun's back in despair.
"Cough—"
A flash of cold light passed through Ling Cang's eyes, but he quickly concealed it beneath a genial smile. Removing the storage ring from his hand, he extended it toward Li Xun with a laugh, saying:
"It was this old man's negligence. Our junior offended Daoist Li Xun—how could we simply walk away?"
"This is but a small token of goodwill for Daoist Li Xun. I hope you will not disdain it."
In his mind, Li Xun merely wished to lean on the power of the many experts at his back to extort some resources. Since the Spirit Clan was wealthy and deep-rooted, giving up some resources was no great loss.
So long as they could leave this place alive today, it would be worth it.
But what he had not anticipated was—
Li Xun stood where he was, the corners of his lips curving into a playful smile. Glancing once at the storage ring, he said lightly:
"A small token of goodwill? I hadn't expected you to mean it so literally."
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