Who Gave You Such Audacity?

Yu Bo's chest heaved slightly as he slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air. His gaze, which had been relatively relaxed at first, gradually grew solemn. Having witnessed the majestic grandeur of the Great Xia Sword Sect, what he had originally envisioned had gone off course. *So... is this their true show of strength?* He had assumed they would be negotiating on equal footing, yet now... The elder's gaze swept casually across the seven major peaks surrounding Tianjian Peak. From every single main peak emanated a faint yet formidable aura! The same was true even within that verdant peak. Only, the person currently residing within Tianmu Peak was not Yu Mu, but Ling Daoyan, whom Li Guanqi had brought back as a captive. Yu Bo was thoroughly awed by the foundation and aura of the Great Xia Sword Sect. Especially when he had passed the more than thirty colossal statues arrayed across the square! From the statues alone, he could perceive a boundless momentum! When the elder looked upon several of those statues, his pupils could not help but constrict sharply! Tumultuous waves surged within his heart! *S-Statues of ascended mighty figures...!* *This Great Xia Sword Sect... is truly extraordinary!* Not only him, but all the clansmen following behind the elder were craning their necks, looking all around with eyes brimming with shock. Wu Bing was very pleased with this reaction. Before long, he led the group to the main sect hall. Stopping in his tracks outside the entrance, Wu Bing bowed respectfully and announced, "Disciple Wu Bing requests an audience on behalf of the Spirit Fish Clan." Hearing this, even Yu Bo unconsciously straightened his stooped posture. The expressions of the people behind him grew even more solemn, each anticipating that once the doors opened, they would behold the Sect Master of the Great Xia Sword Sect. Yet to their surprise, a youth's slightly deep voice echoed from within the hall. "Enter." Yu Bo's expression shifted slightly, for he recognized whose voice that was! *Creak!* The hall's hundred-foot-tall red-lacquered doors slowly swung open, revealing a white-robed young man seated upright in the center of the grand hall. He was the sole figure within the vast chamber. When Yu Bo clearly saw who sat inside, his heart skipped a beat. The impression Li Guanqi gave him was even more terrifying than during their last meeting! That inexplicable sense of oppression caused everyone's breath to hitch slightly. However, this strange pressure was something only the few Soul Formation Realm cultivators could truly perceive. Seeing only a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old youth inside the hall, Di Cheng's brow furrowed at once. He could not help snorting coldly, "Hmph! The Great Xia Sword Sect looks down on our Spirit Fish Clan far too much! "Dispatching a so-called chief disciple to receive us was one thing, but now they send a mere boy to negotiate? "Does the Great Xia Sword Sect not have a single grown man left to oversee matters?!" *Smack!!* Before Di Cheng could say another word, Yu Bo wheeled around and dealt him a savage slap across the face. The strike was so heavy that several blue scales on Di Cheng's cheek were sheared off, and blood immediately trickled down his cheek. Clutching his face, Di Cheng stared in utter disbelief, while Yu Bo's eyes flashed fiercely as he barked: "Silence!! "Insolent brat! Who gave you permission to speak here?!" Di Cheng turned to look at Li Guanqi, then back toward the elder, wanting to protest, but Lan Xun stopped him. Just an instant earlier, she had distinctly felt Li Guanqi's gaze sweep over Di Cheng! Terrified, she hurried to pull Di Cheng down into a bow. At the same time, she sent a frantic voice transmission to Di Cheng: "Have you lost your mind?! "Do you even know who that blind man before us is?! "He is Li Guanqi! Formally bestowed the title of elder by the Great Xia Sword Sect just two days ago, holding status equal to any peak master of the seven peaks! "Third on the Tianji Rankings! "If you want to die, don't drag the clan down with you!!" Li Guanqi looked entirely aloof, remaining seated in his chair without showing the slightest intention of rising. Yu Bo cupped his hands in greeting, and the crowd behind him promptly bowed in unison. "This old man has brought his clansmen specifically to the Great Xia Sword Sect to discuss our incorporation. "Might I ask if my young friend could notify Sect Master Lu?" No emotion rippled across Li Guanqi's face as he murmured, "The Sect Master is in seclusion. As for the matter of incorporation... there is no rush to speak of that." With those words, Li Guanqi raised his hand slightly. Instantly, pitch-black rifts tore open across the void in the hall. From within the rifts, three white jade seats emerged beside the elder. The implication was crystal clear: aside from the three Soul Formation cultivators, no one else was qualified to sit. A flash of fury passed through the eyes of a resolute-faced man beside Yu Bo, but he suppressed it nonetheless. "Sit." Li Guanqi's voice was utterly calm, yet carried an air of absolute finality. The elder's expression remained unchanged as he chuckled softly, "Haha, let us sit, let us sit. We shall talk seated." Once the three had taken their seats, Yu Bo briefly introduced the two companions beside him. Li Guanqi had seen the white-bearded old man to Yu Bo's left before. Back when he had inadvertently saved that little girl, Xuan Qing, this old man had accompanied Yu Bo. His name was He Ying, at the early Soul Formation Realm. As for the man with the resolute face and defiant scowl, he was Yu Bo's son, Yu Han. He too was a cultivator at the early Soul Formation Realm. However, because the Spirit Fish Clan possessed a natural affinity for the world's spiritual energy, the demonic qi on their bodies was not heavy. Without looking at their ears and the scales on their cheeks, they were virtually indistinguishable from humans. As for the crowd of clansmen standing behind the trio, Li Guanqi did not spare them a single glance. Paying no heed to whatever thoughts were running through their minds, Li Guanqi spoke bluntly: "Regarding the Spirit Fish Clan's desire to merge into the Great Xia Sword Sect, I have full authority over the matter from this moment forth." The moment the words left his mouth, Yu Han sneered, "In a matter of such magnitude, on what grounds does a greenhorn like you have the final say?" Li Guanqi glanced at Yu Han. Immediately afterward, an overwhelmingly terrifying pressure erupted with a roar! Slamming directly down upon him, the chair beneath Yu Han abruptly shattered into splinters, and he crashed violently against the cyan stone pavers of the floor! *Crash!!* With downcast eyes, Li Guanqi looked down at Yu Han and murmured, "On no grounds at all. If you do not wish to merge, you may take your people and leave right now." His voice was as placid as water, sounding as though he were speaking of something entirely trivial and detached. Yu Bo's expression shifted slightly. As primal energy surged within him, the two of them strained against Li Guanqi's pressure. After helping his son back to his feet, this succession of humiliating displays had ignited a spark of anger within the elder's heart as well. Suppressing the indignation smoldering in his chest, he fixed a heavy gaze on Li Guanqi and said in a deep voice: "If the Great Xia Sword Sect has no desire to properly negotiate this matter, then so be it! There is no need to resort to this!" Hearing this, Li Guanqi let out a derisive sneer and said indifferently, "No need to resort to this...? I would like to ask, just how has the Great Xia Sword Sect mistreated you? "With everyone else in seclusion, does dispatching the designated successor to the position of Sect Master of our Great Xia Sword Sect count as snubbing you? "Or perhaps... "On what basis... do you believe your standing with the Great Xia Sword Sect is equal, or that you can even look down upon us? "Who gave you such audacity? Solely relying on you three Soul Formation cultivators?" *Boom!*