Seeing that matters were nearly settled, Yu Qing of the Eternal Clan finally stepped forward and revealed their purpose.
Ling Que was, after all, a sequence prodigy endowed with fine natural talent. To the Spirit Clan, this was a blood debt that had to be repaid, and only the Eternal Clan possessed the clout to hold them back. Yet Lu Yuan knew all too well that the Eternal Clan would never resolve such an affair out of the goodness of their hearts.
From the very beginning, he had harbored no desire for deeper involvement. Upon hearing her words, a smile finally appeared on his face as he said calmly, "I am indeed grateful for your help in resolving this grudge. However, that does not mean the grudge ever posed any threat to me. The Eternal Clan truly had no need to go out of its way. Therefore, as for any gesture expected in return, I hope you will not ask for too much."
Lu Yuan had never taken offending the Spirit Clan to heart, possessing absolute confidence in his own might. Even if the powerhouses of that race were to descend in the future, he could face them alone. Thus, the mere resolution of the grudge held little interest for him, nor did he need it—especially when tied to conditions. That was why he spoke up, stating his position with unmistakable clarity.
Beside him, Jiang Haokong could not help smiling at the exchange, having anticipated such an outcome. Knowing that the Eternal Clan never wasted effort without a purpose, their true motive had finally been laid bare.
Before Yu Heng could say another word, Yu Qing's brow furrowed, and she snapped coldly, "We showed you goodwill and resolved this feud on your behalf, yet now you claim you will not accept it? Where under heaven does such a bargain exist? Right now, you have only one choice: accept our goodwill and align yourself with the Eternal Clan from this day forth."
The woman spoke with overbearing arrogance, adopting a haughty demeanor. Yet this was no empty bluster. Coming from the Eternal Clan, she possessed both the power and the confidence to back it up. In fact, on Mount Huang today, she could speak those exact words to almost anyone, and even the Celestial Clan would not dare push back.
Unfortunately, she was facing Lu Yuan. Hearing this, his gaze turned tranquil as he replied in an unhurried voice, "I recognize the Eternal Clan's goodwill, but I never asked you to act. As I said, I appreciate the mediation with the Spirit Clan, and I have no desire to make an enemy of your people. However, I will not be pushed into anything on conditional terms."
By now, Lu Yuan could see through their intentions completely. They wanted to recruit him, or rather, compel him to submit to the Eternal Clan—no different from what the Yin Sparrow Clan had attempted before. True, the disparity in strength and heritage between the two clans was vast, but Lu Yuan had no interest in being controlled. Were it an alliance like the one he shared with Jiang Ningxian, he would consider it, even welcome it. But these people were far too calculating; dealing with them was no different from bargaining with a tiger for its hide. Naturally, he would not agree.
"Does that mean you have no intention of complying?" Yu Qing spoke once more, a sharp edge gleaming in her eyes as she prepared to press further.
Yu Heng quickly waved a hand to stop her. Wearing an easy smile, he continued, "You have spent your entire life within the Milky Way Star Sector and have never ventured beyond. It is only natural that you are unaware of the origins and influence of our Eternal Clan. No matter—I can explain them to you, and it will not be too late for you to make your choice afterward."
Though he smiled, his demeanor differed markedly from before, tinged with a condescending air. Indeed, when the Eternal Clan offered to cooperate with an outsider, few outside the top ten factions of the top hundred star sectors dared refuse—least of all an unaligned individual. Lu Yuan's reaction had already displeased him, yet he held his temper in check and spoke with forced patience.
Lu Yuan merely shook his head. "I know of the Eternal Clan, but my decision remains unchanged." His patience was also running thin. Since the other party clearly intended to strong-arm him, he saw no point in mincing words.
Yu Qing took a step forward, the divine halo behind her head pulsing violently as she demanded once more, "I will give you one last chance. Will you cooperate, or will you not!"
Her implication was unmistakable: if he refused, she would not hesitate to strike.
"A chance?" Lu Yuan chuckled softly. "My apologies, but I have no need for one." With that, he paid the Eternal Clan no further heed and turned away.
Behind him, Zhu Qingyu and the others grew anxious; by now, they too could tell that these visitors harbored ill intent.
"You court death!" Yu Qing finally snapped, lunging forward with a sudden step. In an instant, a formidable power surged from her body, at the very pinnacle of the Void Saint Realm. The divine halo behind her flared with blazing light, resembling a radiant sun as it unleashed an overbearing might. Her figure blurred into a phantom, appearing before Lu Yuan in the blink of an eye. Without a single wasted movement, she raised her hand to strike him down.
Yet Lu Yuan had already attained the Demi-Saint Realm, possessing combat prowess far beyond the ordinary. A brilliant glint flashed in his eyes as he reached out a single hand to meet the blow.
"Watch out!" Yu Heng had tacitly approved of Yu Qing's attack, wishing to teach Lu Yuan a lesson and demonstrate the Eternal Clan's supremacy. But the moment he sensed the terrifying depth of Lu Yuan's power, far exceeding his expectations, he shouted a warning—yet it was already too late.
Lu Yuan's hand clamped onto Yu Qing's wrist in a flash, channeling his boundless golden vitality to suppress her completely. With an entire realm separating them, she stood no chance of resisting, her strength thoroughly quelled.
Unable to move a muscle, she glared at Lu Yuan, her eyes burning with fury. "What kind of creature are you to dare lay hands on me? Let go this instant, or you will make an enemy of the Eternal Clan—a price you cannot bear!"
As a daughter of the Eternal Clan, when had Yu Qing ever suffered such humiliation? Her words carried not the slightest shred of restraint.
"It seems you still fail to grasp your situation," Lu Yuan said, his gaze cool and impassive. "Was your little gesture just now meant to slap me across the face?"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than he raised his palm and swung it hard across Yu Qing's cheek.
*Smack!*
The slap was crisp and resounding. In terms of appearance, Yu Qing was an extraordinary beauty, second only to Zhou Yunqiong among those Lu Yuan had seen—excluding Jiang Ningxian, of course. Yet even before such a woman, he showed not the slightest hint of tender pity as his palm came crashing down.
Blood splattered through the air, and Yu Qing's fair cheek swelled into a fiery red welt, a handprint clearly stamped upon her skin.
For a moment, all the onlookers stared at the scene in stunned disbelief, their expressions utterly frozen.
Chapter 265