After tossing and turning all night, the sky gradually brightened.
Today was the day of the memorial sacrifice for the eldest son and the eldest grandson of the Duke's senior branch.
Xu Feng's memorial service was being held alongside it.
Both of them had died at Li Hao's hands. It could be said that the Duke of Dingguo's enmity toward Li Hao at this moment exceeded even Red Moon's hatred of him—at least from the Duke's Residence's perspective.
Just as Li Hao despised Red Moon, they yearned to devour Li Hao's flesh raw.
Such was the jianghu.
You kill me, I kill you; feuds and grudges were inevitable.
Thus, even though the Xu family hated Li Hao to death, Li Hao paid it no heed. Just as Ying Hongyue probably didn't care whether Li Hao hated him or not, since ancient times, victors became kings while the vanquished were deemed bandits. If the Xu family captured and killed Li Hao, or if Li Hao slew Ying Hongyue, the hatred would naturally be extinguished.
As daylight broke, the Duke's Residence grew bustling with activity.
Voices drifted in from the plaza outside.
The Duke of Dingguo loved to project an image of being close to the people, building a recreational plaza right outside his doorstep. Even though his son and grandson were dead, it remained open to the public just the same. A man this hypocritical was truly rare. Of course, if he ultimately won and claimed the realm, it wouldn't be called hypocrisy, but true virtue and benevolence.
People like this were sometimes quite frightening.
Li Hao lay inside Black Panther's belly. The hound's belly was actually quite spacious and not all that filthy. The beast's internal organs were practically refined steel, devoid of any bloody, messy entrails.
At this moment, Li Hao was still fixated on their treasury.
Should he just swindle the Wind-Chasing Boots and flee, or loot the whole place clean?
That was what Li Hao was pondering.
If he merely tricked them out of the Wind-Chasing Boots, he might be exposed in a matter of days, but it would be much safer and allow him to leave the Duke's Residence smoothly.
However, their lending conditions came with requirements.
The Mount Kui Serpent King couldn't possibly send five Rising Light great demons, let alone a massive amount of the Spring of Life as interest. Within three to five days, the lie would surely be punctured.
Still, that was plenty of time for Li Hao to make his escape.
"Should I take a risk, or just take the Wind-Chasing Boots and run?"
Li Hao asked himself. There was no one else to consult. Perhaps feeling uncomfortable sleeping with someone in its belly, Black Panther rolled back and forth on the ground, tumbling Li Hao around and unsettling his thoughts.
"If the Duke's Residence doesn't descend into chaos, even if I manage to trick them out of the Wind-Chasing Boots, I'll have exposed far too many cards... Xu Qing might personally set out to hunt me down."
"Today, experts from every province across the east are gathering here. The Duke's Residence having me attend is likely to use me to intimidate them..."
They wanted to use Mount Kui to cow certain factions.
Mount Kui was undeniably powerful. Publicly, it had one Transformation phase powerhouse, several Rising Light great demons, and numerous Three Suns demons. For an ordinary province, it was an enemy they could never afford to provoke.
"Intimidation... That means the Duke's Residence's grip on the east isn't as ironclad as people imagine. Among these visitors, there are even factions that can stand on equal footing with them."
"The strongest overlord in the east is the Xu family, but there seem to be several others capable of rivaling them. If the Xu family could truly suppress all twenty-one provinces, they would have long since established total dominion and severed all ties to rule independently."
Thoughts flashed rapidly through Li Hao's mind.
Just then, voices called out from outside.
"The Director of the General Administration Bureau of Dingbian Province has arrived!"
Outside the main gate, the Duke's Residence herald was announcing the guests.
Since those attending the memorial were all dignitaries, their arrivals naturally had to be proclaimed aloud to showcase the Duke's Residence's prestige and connections.
Dingbian Province lay right under the nose of the Duke's Residence, so its administration naturally belonged to the Duke's faction. The Director of the General Administration Bureau here was merely a figurehead, but even a figurehead held immense status; across the billions of li of the Heavenly Star Dynasty's vast realm, there were only ninety-nine such directors.
Arriving so early was clearly to lend face to the Duke's Residence.
Li Hao listened in silence without making a move.
Xu Xing had told him to rest a while and said someone would be sent to invite him over later. By Li Hao's deduction, the Xu family would probably wait until everyone had arrived before bringing him out to catch everyone off guard.
...
Outside the Duke's Residence.
One car after another came to a slow halt.
Naturally, there were also those who did not travel by conventional means. Armor-clad experts arrived mounted atop beasts—some riding demonic beasts, others atop ordinary steeds of astonishing size.
Other experts arrived directly piloting Origin God Armaments.
There were flying ships, and there were flying palanquins.
Most of these people possessed considerable strength, and none of them were weak.
Aside from Dingbian, there were twenty other provinces. Each vast province boasted hundreds of millions of people. The east was exceptionally prosperous and rich in mysterious energy; in sheer numbers of experts, it easily surpassed the north.
Aside from a few old schemers in Silver Moon, judging purely by surface strength, the northern continent was the weakest of the four quadrants.
Today, powerhouses from every province had gathered.
While not every attendee was the highest-ranking official or the strongest expert of their region, almost every delegation was led by a Rising Light expert—either a high-ranking provincial official or the spokesperson of a local hegemon, each a formidable figure.
In some provinces, the top official had even arrived in person.
The Duke's Residence had suffered a series of devastating setbacks.
Many of their experts had perished—a staggering nine Rising Light experts had died. This had stirred restless ambitions among several provinces that had previously been suppressed, and some had come in person to gauge how much strength the Duke's Residence still possessed.
Nine Rising Light experts was no small figure.
Furthermore, even the weakest among them, Xu Feng, possessed mid-stage Rising Light power.
Though the Xu family possessed deep foundations, suffering the sudden loss of so many experts even surpassed the number of powerhouses Red Moon had lost in Silver Moon recently.
Outside the Duke's Residence.
A black car came to a slow stop.
Inside the car, aside from the driver, sat two passengers: an elderly man and a middle-aged man.
The elderly man had white hair and appeared senile and frail.
The middle-aged man, however, possessed a burly, muscular build, though concealed beneath military attire, making it rather inconspicuous.
"Father, we have arrived," the middle-aged man whispered.
The old man opened his eyes and looked outside toward the Duke's Residence, gazing at the large characters inscribed upon the massive gate tower. He said softly, "Who knows what tricks Xu Qing will try to pull today? Once we go in, listen more and speak less."
"Understood, Father." The middle-aged man nodded.
The two hailed from Huoming Province, one of the eastern region's most powerful provinces. Due to the abundance of volcanoes within its borders, it produced numerous formidable fire-attribute supers.
Huoming Province was also a thorn in the Xu family's side.
Unlike other regions, the true ruler of Huoming Province was the Director of the Inspectorate—the white-haired old man sitting before him, who had taken command of the entire province's military forces decades ago.
The old man had clashed with Xu Qing many years prior and was a thorn the Xu family had long sought to pluck. However, the old man was exceptionally strong; having stepped into the super realm early on, he had now reached the Transformation phase. As an extraordinarily potent fire-attribute super, his combat prowess was terrifying.
Under his command was the fiercely loyal Huoxing Army, packed with formidable experts, making the Xu family hesitant to act against him rashly.
This time, the old man had insisted on attending the Xu family's grand memorial in person. The middle-aged man had been vehemently opposed, but unable to dissuade his father, he had accompanied him.
Seeing his father prepare to alight from the car, the middle-aged man voiced his concern once more via voice transmission: "Father, I worry the Xu family will make a move against you. I should have come in your place..."
"Enough. When achieving great things, one cannot be timid and hesitant at every turn! The Xu family is strong, but today is a public memorial. They might try to intimidate us, but they lack the guts and audacity to strike me down in broad daylight. A man like Xu Qing won't stick his neck out first. If the other three quadrants haven't fallen into chaos, having the east erupt into turmoil first is the last thing he wants to see."
Besides, he was far from the only one opposing him.
There were plenty!
For Xu Qing to unite the east was simply impossible, at least for now.
With these thoughts in mind, the old man said nothing more and strode toward the Duke's Residence. At the entrance, the herald's expression shifted slightly before he promptly shouted, "The Director of the Inspectorate of Huoming Province has arrived!"
This proclamation instantly drew the attention of many onlookers.
Several experts exiting behind the old man turned to look at the entrance upon hearing the announcement. Seeing the old man, some were surprised, while others showed subtle smiles. With this figure present, they could play things by ear.
Opposition to the Xu family required a bellwether.
In the east, three factions possessed the standing and strength to confront the Xu family directly. Huoming Province was one. The second was Dongji Province, another vast territory with a massive population and an abundance of experts.
Dongji Province operated under a slightly different system. Much like Dingbian, a great aristocratic family held sway there—the domain of the Marquis of Dongji. While not as renowned as the Duke's Residence, they were nonetheless founding nobility from the dawn of the Heavenly Star Dynasty.
Beyond Huoming Province and Dongji Province, the third major power opposing the Xu family was not a provincial government, but an organization known as the Sacred Sun Society.
The Sacred Sun Society had also been established long ago, second only to the Three Great Organizations. However, it had not expanded as rapidly as the Three Great Organizations, remaining rooted in the east without branching outward. Yet within the east, its power was immense, having absorbed countless rogue cultivators. None of the Three Great Organizations operating alone in the east could rival it.
Members of the Sacred Sun Society were spread throughout the east, with some holding prominent stations. Rumor had it that even provincial governors had joined its ranks, backed by numerous figures of actual authority. Just as the Xu family secretly supported the Three Great Organizations, the Sacred Sun Society was financed by multiple wealthy patrons.
Some provinces, daring not to openly defy the Xu family, backed the Sacred Sun Society in secret to safeguard their own positions.
Over the years, the Dingguo Army's military campaigns had largely targeted members of the Sacred Sun Society.
The old man's arrival at the gate immediately drew the gaze of many.
From behind, experts from other provinces hurried forward to offer warm greetings: "Director Yu has arrived as well! Had I known, I would have traveled alongside Director Yu. With Director Yu present, the journey would have been far safer."
The old man turned, smiling with a nod. "We can return together on the way back."
"Then I shall impose on your generosity!"
The group gathered at the entrance, chatting and laughing, displaying none of the solemnity expected of mourners.
Before long, Xu Xing personally came out to receive them. Seeing the old man, a hypocritical smile surfaced on his face. "Director Yu has arrived. Please, come inside..."
As soon as the words left his mouth, his smile vanished, replaced by profound grief. "My elder brother met an untimely end this time, putting everyone to the trouble of traveling so far."
The speed of his change in expression was astonishing.
The smile was courtesy; the grief was for his elder brother and nephew's deaths. After all, today was a memorial ceremony, so decorum had to be observed.
The old man reined in his smile as well, sighing, "My condolences! Who could have foreseen that Bright Light Sword and the others would be so brazen, and that Li Hao would be so ruthless? For someone as benevolent as the Duke of Dingguo to suffer the tragedy of burying his own children and grandchildren... I only hope the Duke takes care of his health and lives to a ripe old age of a hundred. He must not let grief harm his body."
Xu Xing cursed inwardly!
Hypocrite!
Of course, wishing someone to live to a hundred was not inherently an insult. Even after becoming martial masters or supers, people did not necessarily live long lives. Without addressing the frailty of the five internal organs, a hundred years was often the limit.
Thus, the words carried little direct sarcasm, but coming from this man's mouth, they sounded deeply grating.
"Please, Director Yu, come in!"
Xu Xing did not wish to speak further, vowing inwardly that they would soon learn that even with heavy losses, the Xu family was still far beyond their reach.
Previously, when Mount Kui had yet to arrive, he had felt some trepidation.
Now, having reached an understanding with Mount Kui, which boasted numerous great demons and plenty of Rising Light experts—and whose Serpent King, though in the Transformation phase, possessed powerful demonic bloodline and a formidable physical body far surpassing ordinary Transformation experts—he felt secure.
Just wait until you discover that our Xu family has allied with the Mount Kui demon race! Let's see if you can still smile then!
The old man said no more, leading his son and several experts from other provinces inside. Once through the gates, servants of the Duke's Residence naturally guided them toward the ancestral hall.
At the gate, the herald spotted another arrival. His expression shifted slightly, and he glanced at Xu Xing with hesitation, unsure whether to announce him.
Xu Xing looked up as well, his eyes flickering slightly.
He shook his head subtly.
Evidently, he was signaling not to call it out.
The newcomer's identity was not something that could be brought into the open light. Although everyone knew of their existence, no one would intentionally advertise it.
The man exuded a fierce, rugged aura. He was not alone; behind him trailed a sizable group of rough, disorderly followers, all led by this bearded expert.
The bearded man wore short-sleeved rough clothing, having made no effort to spruce up even for an occasion like this. Traces of blood seemed to cling to his person. From far away, he bellowed, "Is the venerable Duke of Dingguo holding up all right? That Li Hao brat is audacious beyond measure! When the chance comes, I'll chop off his head to offer as a sacrifice to the Eldest Young Master!"
The bearded man's voice was deafening, catching the attention of many.
Xu Xing forced a smile and stepped forward. "Island Master Hu has arrived. Please, come inside!"
The bearded man addressed as Island Master Hu continued in a booming voice, "With the Eldest Young Master dead, does that mean the Second Young Master will be the Little Duke from now on? Congratulations!"
Xu Xing's brow furrowed at once.
Even if that was what he thought in private, it was improper to speak of it on such an occasion. Was this bastard doing it on purpose?
Of course, he did not want to offend the man.
On the surface, he was the master of an island in the East Sea. In truth, who among the eastern provincial powerhouses did not know that he was the chieftain of the East Sea's greatest pirate crew, cut from the same cloth as the Starlight Pirate Crew of the North Sea?
However, while the figure backing the North Sea's Starlight Pirate Crew was mysterious, anyone with eyes knew that the man behind the East Sea's pirates was none other than the Duke of Dingguo.
Yet, though people had known about it in the past, the two sides had maintained their distance.
Today, the man had brazenly shown up in person.
Some looked solemn, some sneered in contempt, and others burned with indignation!
The coastal provinces were frequently harassed by this bearded man and his crews, clearly at the Duke of Dingguo's behest to whittle down their strength. Seeing the bearded man now, some wished nothing more than to step forward and strike him dead!
Certain experts communicated secretly via voice transmission, sneering cold laughs. "The Duke of Dingguo has truly... lost his mind! A disreputable scoundrel like this shouldn't be allowed into polite society, yet just to intimidate everyone, he even called over the Red Beard Pirate Crew."
"What can you do? Red Beard is immensely powerful and publicly claims to be an East Sea island master. Everyone knows he's a pirate, but the authorities have never formally labeled him as such. On the surface, he remains an upstanding citizen."
"This Red Beard is bold indeed, daring to come ashore..."
"Are you going to go kill him?"
The speaker fell silent.
Red Beard was exceptionally powerful, rumored to have perhaps entered the Transformation phase as well. Moreover, he hadn't come alone; he was flanked by several capable experts. Who would dare attack him recklessly?
Leaving aside whether they could succeed, if word got out, it could easily provoke a siege from the Duke's Residence.
"We'll find a newspaper to expose him afterward..."
"That requires finding a newspaper that dares publish it. Even if they print it, will it ever reach people's hands? Besides, even if the common folk knew, what could they do? What would change?"
Silence fell all around, and the whispers ceased.
Up ahead, Red Beard chuckled hearty and loud until a cultivator under his command whispered a few words via voice transmission. Only then did Red Beard wipe away his grin and put on a look of sorrow. "The Eldest Young Master's passing is truly an outrage against gods and men, an event that grieves heaven and earth alike. Second Young Master, please accept my condolences. If you have time in the future, come visit my island to unwind. The sea may not be like the mainland, but we have everything you could desire... and places to vent your frustrations..."
With that, a meaningful grin crossed his face before vanishing just as quickly.
Xu Xing pretended not to notice, maintaining his mournful demeanor as he exchanged pleasantries and ordered servants to lead him into the Duke's Residence.
Following him, local dignitaries filed in one after another.
There were also experts of mysterious origins who were not announced by the herald, yet received Xu Xing's utmost attention, being guided inside by attendants.
Toward the end, several figures clad in black robes bearing a blazing sun insignia on their chests walked up. Xu Xing's expression shifted slightly. The Sacred Sun Society!
The Xu family had not invited them.
Yet they had shown up uninvited.
This was truly something; across the entire eastern territory, with the exception of a rare few, virtually everyone had come. Even the three major opposing factions had arrived. Evidently, all of them wanted to probe the depth of the Duke's Residence's strength.
Soon, Xu Xing greeted them briefly, but ordered men to keep a tight watch on them as they were ushered inside.
...
Meanwhile, Li Hao was observing from afar.
Counting them one by one, he was inwardly appalled.
So many powerhouses!
Across the twenty-one provinces, including Dingbian Province where other experts aside from the Xu family had arrived, nearly every delegation featured a Rising Light expert. Factoring in experts from other factions, some provinces had sent more than one!
Counting them off one by one... Li Hao's teeth ached.
Thirty-two Rising Light experts had entered.
Terrifying!
And the Duke's Residence originally had plenty of Rising Light experts of its own: the Three Great Generals, the Second Steward, and several consecrated guest elders—over a dozen whose radiant auras could be seen.
Adding martial masters whose light clusters were not visible...
All at once, nearly fifty Rising Light combatants were gathered here.
Frightening!
Of course, this was not a single faction, but the gathered elite of the entire east. Twenty-one provinces was more than the entire north combined. Silver Moon alone harbored multiple experts surpassing Rising Light; with the east's rich mysterious energy, having so many Rising Light powerhouses was only natural.
"Indeed, if one doesn't venture out, one never realizes how vast the heavens and earth are..."
With so many experts gathered, he had actually contemplated plundering the place by force earlier!
The difficulty was no different from scaling the heavens.
Even if many did not belong to the Xu family, if he attempted robbery, someone would surely curry favor with the Xu family by intervening. Having presided over this region for centuries, the Xu family couldn't possibly be surrounded solely by enemies. If not half, at least a third of the twenty-one provinces supported them; otherwise, the Xu family would never have had the confidence to seek dominion over the east.
Yet with so many people arriving, Li Hao hesitated. It seemed deceit was indeed the better option.
Forget it, he would observe the situation first; he still didn't know where these people truly stood.
If they all ended up clashing with the Xu family... that would be ideal, allowing him to fish in troubled waters.
As he was thinking, the effeminate Second Steward knocked on the door.
"Envoy, the memorial ceremony is about to begin. The Second Young Master invites the Envoy to the ancestral hall to pay respects... May I ask if the Envoy..."
"Coming!"
Black Panther rose, and the door swung open on its own.
Led by the Second Steward, the man and hound walked toward the Xu family ancestral hall. The hall was located within the Duke's Residence grounds, not far away.
Before they even arrived, Li Hao felt waves of formidable auras surging.
There really were countless experts.
For the Xu family's memorial sacrifice, outsiders did not enter the ancestral hall, remaining outside instead. Nor were these dignitaries made to stand. Times were different now, and old etiquette no longer applied; back when the imperial family ruled the realm, visitors paying condolences at the Duke's Residence could only stand.
Now, however, seats had been arranged for key figures.
Naturally, not everyone had a seat; those of lesser status received none.
At this moment, the grand doors of the ancestral hall stood wide open, filled with Xu family members. The Xu clan was not limited to Xu Qing and Xu Xing; there were numerous descendants of concubines, and Xu Qing had brothers and sisters whose names were simply uncelebrated and ignored.
Now, the ancestral hall was packed shoulder-to-shoulder with Xu kin.
Only at times like this did one realize how populous a family with two hundred years of heritage truly was. This was not an era of monogamy and single-child generations; the Duke's Residence had plenty of wives and concubines, with some patriarchs siring a dozen or two dozen offspring. Among the male descendants eligible to enter the hall, no fewer than a hundred stood inside.
And likely many more lacked the qualification even to step across the threshold.
The moment Black Panther appeared, it seized the attention of everyone outside. Several people's expressions shifted.
A demon!
At this moment, whether it was the representatives of Huoming Province or those from the Marquis of Dongji's residence in Dongji Province, odd expressions flickered across their faces.
First pirates, and now a demon...
The Duke of Dingguo was truly audacious!
Where did this demon come from?
Its strength wasn't particularly impressive—merely Three Suns. Among the outsiders present, aside from the Xu family members, virtually no one who had gained entrance was below the Three Suns level.
Black Panther swaggered forward with an arrogant, heedless strut, looking supremely conceited.
In truth, Black Panther's legs were trembling slightly, as were Li Hao's.
There were simply too many powerhouses!
Being stared down by so many experts, it would be unnatural not to feel one's knees go weak. But as the supposed descendant of an ancient demon who had seen grand occasions, he had to put on an overbearing front even if he had to fake it. Though Black Panther shivered faintly, Li Hao projected his mental ripple with utter arrogance: "What are you looking at, you bunch of trash? Stare any longer and I'll gouge your eyes out!"
The moment these words rang out, many faces darkened!
Quite a few glanced at the Second Steward beside him, their expressions turning ugly as they awaited the Xu family's reaction.
Over by the ancestral hall, Xu Xing hurried out, groaning inwardly. He had forgotten just how arrogant this great demon was.
Never mind that it was only at Three Suns... it was truly insufferably arrogant!
Those who knew the inside story understood where its arrogance stemmed from. The terror was that someone unaware might become enraged and strike down this Three Suns demon right here. If that happened, the Duke's Residence would be in catastrophic trouble.
He hurried forward with a forced smile. "Pray forgive it, everyone! This demon envoy's customs differ from us humans; it meant no offense... Allow me to introduce to you all: this is the Dragon God Envoy from Mount Kui! Not only is the Envoy an emissary of Mount Kui's demon race, but it is also... the descendant of an invincible entity, possessing exalted status!"
At these words, several faces changed.
The Mount Kui demon race!
Of course, some had already guessed as much, since there were only a handful of places in the east where demonic beasts gathered. But what did the latter sentence mean?
Descendant of an invincible entity?
What kind of powerhouse warranted such a description?
In the crowd, Red Beard rolled his eyes and asked with apparent brashness, "Second Young Master, in this day and age, who dares call themselves invincible?"
"Hmph!"
Li Hao scoffed coldly. "Red-haired trash, how dare you act impudent!"
Red Beard flew into a rage!
Xu Xing lamented his luck and hurriedly intervened, "Envoy, please calm yourself! Island Master Hu, you as well! This is the descendant of an ancient demon—an *ancient demon*... do you understand?"
He looked toward the crowd. "The Envoy is of direct ancient demon lineage... and the Envoy's progenitor is still alive!"
Do you understand now?
The instant those words dropped, the color drained from several faces, including Red Beard's.
Could this be real?
These were all figures of consequence; how could they fail to grasp the implications? A wave of shock washed over them. How was that possible?!
A great demon from the ancient civilization era, still alive?
Just how many years would that have lived?!
Dynasties had risen and fallen, seas had turned to dust, and supers had emerged barely twenty years ago. Compared to those ancient great demons, everyone knew that any entity capable of surviving until the present day had to be terrifying beyond measure...
Still, it was hard to believe!
Could the Xu family be intentionally trying to scare them?
Did they just find some random demon to intimidate everyone?
Mount Kui was undeniably powerful, but a Transformation phase expert paired with several Rising Lights, while formidable, did not mean they were utterly untouchable. However, if an ancient demon were factored in... that was an existence no one could ever afford to provoke!
At this moment, even Red Beard's face tightened. He said nothing more, though suspicion lingered in his eyes.
He glanced at Xu Xing, unable to tell whether the man was bluffing or telling the truth.
Furthermore, how could a direct descendant of an ancient demon be so weak?
Merely mid-stage Three Suns!
He truly wasn't afraid of Mount Kui; he was a Transformation phase expert himself. If he killed this little demon, he could simply retreat to the sea. Mount Kui was landlocked; if they dared venture onto the waters, he would show Mount Kui that the East Sea was nothing like dry land.
Yet if an ancient demon truly lived... it was best not to seek death.
Li Hao was actually on edge, but seeing Xu Xing laying the groundwork for him, he relaxed slightly and breathed a sigh of relief. He shouted with renewed arrogance, "Listen well! Our Mount Kui lineage is about to reenter the world! You lot had better obey obediently, or don't blame our demon race for being merciless!"
Anger flickered across several faces!
Xu Xing groaned inwardly and sent a secret voice transmission: "Envoy, human customs differ from demonic ways. There is no need for Mount Kui to provoke too many foes; the Envoy need not lower yourself to argue with them..."
His eyes shifted as he added via voice transmission, "Among these people, the others respect Mount Kui, but a select few frequently speak ill of Mount Kui. That fire-attribute old man is an expert from Huoming Province named Yu Qiao—a total scoundrel.
"And the one wearing the ceremonial coronet is the eldest son of the Marquis of Dongji from Dongji Province. The Marquis once openly stated that he would sooner or later eradicate the Mount Kui demon race.
"And those black-robed men with the blazing sun emblem belong to the Sacred Sun Society; they have secretly hunted many demons..."
At this moment, he thought of diverting disaster toward his rivals.
This great demon possessed a foul mouth.
It would be best for it to antagonize those few factions first.
When that happened, even if it wanted to ease relations, it wouldn't be able to, leaving it with no choice but to cooperate wholeheartedly with the Xu family.
Better yet if a fight broke out on the spot... giving this demon a harsh lesson, after which the Xu family could intervene to mediate and save it. That would be far more entertaining. Numerous schemes crossed Xu Xing's mind in an instant.
Meanwhile, Li Hao caught on immediately!
These three factions were all enemies of the Duke's Residence.
What a fine turn of events!
In the very next moment, Li Hao targeted the white-haired old man directly: "Hey, old bastard! Little Xingxing said you bragged about slaughtering my demon race! Quite gutsy of you! This king would love to see what capital you have to act so arrogant!"
Xu Xing froze, cursing inwardly.
*Fuck!*
I didn't tell you to blurt it out directly! Was this demon doing it on purpose, or was it truly so devoid of tact?
Had he known, he wouldn't have said a damn word.
Though he knew relations were strained, it had always been beneath the surface without open confrontation. Now, thanks to this great hound, everyone knew the Xu family was covertly—no, *openly* instigating conflict.
Xu Xing was dying of regret. While he wasn't afraid, it was excruciatingly humiliating and cost the Xu family immense face. Having his instigation called out to his face by the demon was practically social suicide.
Li Hao refused to let up. "And that marquis monkey over there—when the dragon god's away, the monkeys play king!"
The eldest son of the Marquis of Dongji's face tightened, glancing at Xu Xing without saying a word.
Yu Qiao also frowned slightly and remained silent.
Li Hao turned his gaze toward the Sacred Sun Society members. "And you fellows wearing that red dot insignia—how dare you secretly hunt demons! Just you wait until this king returns to the mountain to report to the Dragon God; we'll settle accounts with you!"
"..."
Xu Xing gave up entirely and hurriedly spoke up: "The Envoy speaks candidly and bluntly. Please do not misunderstand, everyone—it's all in jest..."
The crowd looked at him.
Several cursed in their hearts!
Misunderstanding?
Any idiot knew you had just sent voice transmissions to stir up trouble, and this simpleminded demon had blurted it straight out.
The three factions called out remained completely silent.
Some were pondering the ramifications of an alliance between the Xu family and Mount Kui.
Others were harboring grim thoughts.
This great demon... held significant backing. If it died right here in the Xu Residence, that might make things truly interesting.
Judging by Xu Xing's demeanor, it didn't look feigned.
He was genuinely wary and visibly helpless before this golden beast. That meant its background was genuinely profound. If so, should this demon be slain right here, could they drive a wedge between Mount Kui and the Xu family?
Killing intent flickered briefly across several people.
Li Hao seemed to sense it.
Startled, an idea gradually took shape in his mind a moment later.
*Someone wants to kill me...*
He pondered, ideas blooming in his mind.
The Xu family definitely wouldn't dare let him die here.
Once the Xu family was utterly convinced of his identity, even if Xu Xing were to die, Xu Qing wouldn't dare let him perish here, lest they face retribution from Mount Kui.
If... he provoked a clash with these people, the Xu family would protect him, wouldn't they?
Thinking this, Li Hao felt a shiver of excitement.
What... what a thrilling sensation!
If the Xu family ignored him, he would be doomed.
Of course, if the Xu family stepped in and protected him... that would be fascinating. He might even be able to actively manufacture massive chaos.
Those three factions likely all wanted to kill him and pin the blame on the Xu family.
However, they probably wouldn't dare strike openly.
So it remained merely a thought for now.
Yet what if he took the initiative to provoke them and repeatedly stir up havoc?
Idea after idea surfaced, only to be dismissed by Li Hao. Being overly deliberate wouldn't do.
Moreover, he had yet to see the Wind-Chasing Boot.
At the very least, he needed to see it and verify its authenticity before doing anything; otherwise, it would be reckless.
As he was thinking, Xu Xing led him to a special seat. It was not a chair, but a golden throne resting low against the ground, seemingly forged overnight by the Xu family.
Black Panther sprawled lazily atop it, finding it quite comfortable.
Meanwhile, the others kept casting sideways glances toward Black Panther.
Seeing this, Xu Xing breathed a sigh of relief. As long as this great demon kept its mouth shut and served as a backdrop to intimidate the onlookers, all would be well.
He transmitted his voice to Li Hao again: "Envoy, I shall enter the ancestral hall first to preside over the memorial sacrifice..."
Black Panther waved an impatient paw. Xu Xing quickly turned and returned to the hall.
Li Hao rather brazenly extended his mental power into the ancestral hall to probe around. Many looked toward Li Hao once again, inwardly astonished by such sheer audacity. Yet the Xu family members appeared completely oblivious, or tacitly accepted it.
They were letting this demon inspect freely!
At this moment, it seemed even further proof of the demon's exalted status, daring to probe the Xu ancestral hall directly at such a time.
Li Hao scanned the interior and saw no Wind-Chasing Boot.
Near the upper dais of the hall stood an altar-like pedestal. Judging by its shape, it was likely where the Wind-Chasing Boot was ordinarily consecrated, but at present, it was empty.
Hadn't they said that during grand family ceremonies, the Xu family would display the Wind-Chasing Boot for three days of consecration?
Were they not displaying it this time?
Meanwhile, inside the ancestral hall, Xu Xing paid no more mind to anything else. With measured cadence, a mournful cadence of sorrow, and a voice weeping tears of blood, he began reciting the eulogy: "Ancestors above, the Xu family has endured for centuries, dedicating our lives to the nation and the people, exhausting ourselves unto death for the state and the realm's commoners... Yet, my elder brother Xu Zhen died a tragic death at the hands of treacherous villains from Silver Moon, and traitors slaughtered commanders of our army..."
Each word was deliberate, enough to wring tears from listeners.
Naturally, Li Hao and Bright Light Sword were the treacherous villain and the murderer.
Among the onlookers outside, some wore expressions of compassion, some bowed their heads in sorrow, and some ground their teeth... How much of it was genuine and how much was pretense, only they knew.
"Unworthy descendants have brought shame, allowing our ancestral heirloom to be seized by treacherous rogues... We descendants hold this as our greatest disgrace and shall surely reclaim the ancestral treasure..."
Xu Xing continued reciting for a while longer. Just at that moment, an uproar stirred from the rear.
Li Hao turned to look as well, startled. An elderly man was striding forward. By rights, he should not appear at the memorial sacrifice for his son and grandson, yet at this moment, Xu Qing had arrived.
Behind him trailed several exceptionally powerful generals.
Not only that, but in his hands, Xu Qing held a single boot. With a frigid, resolute expression, he walked toward the ancestral hall step by step, his voice echoing across the courtyard: "Your descendant Xu Qing is incompetent and has disgraced our ancestors! One of the Wind-Chasing Boots was lost, leaving only one behind. I lacked the face to present it, shaming our forebears!
"Yet the Xu family stands tall in the east, knowing shame and drawing courage from it! With this single Wind-Chasing Boot before our ancestors, the Xu family swears to reclaim the other, slay our enemies, and wipe clean this disgrace!"
With those words, he had already entered the ancestral hall holding the Wind-Chasing Boot, reverently placing it upon the altar.
In that instant, the eyes of many onlookers lit up.
Li Hao was even more direct, sweeping his spirit intent straight toward it!
Others lacked the courage, but he had no fear. Xu Qing seemed to have anticipated this and made no move to stop him; he knew that once the Wind-Chasing Boot appeared, this great demon wouldn't be able to resist.
After all, this was what the demon had come for.
Li Hao investigated in haste, wrapping his spirit intent around it. He had truly feared encountering a fake, but being able to examine it openly like this was perfect. An ordinary person naturally couldn't tell the difference, but Li Hao possessed the other boot.
Whether the Wind-Chasing Boot was genuine or counterfeit could be determined by the unique energy inside.
Such a thing was exceedingly difficult to forge.
After a close inspection, Li Hao couldn't fully confirm its authenticity from this distance, but without standing on ceremony, he sent a direct message to Xu Qing: "You are the Duke of Dingguo? That object is too far from me. May this king inspect it personally to verify if it is truly the item my Mount Kui lineage requires?"
Xu Qing remained impassive, replying via voice transmission, "Naturally. However, pray wait a moment, Envoy. Once the memorial ceremony concludes, the Envoy may inspect it freely."
Although Li Hao could hardly wait, he held back for the time being.
Then he would wait!
Countless thoughts surfaced in his mind once more. Knowing that the alliance with Mount Kui hinged upon this boot, the Xu family most likely wouldn't dare forge a counterfeit.
Once verified as genuine... should he snatch it immediately?
Or keep waiting?
As thoughts churned, Li Hao suppressed his restlessness and began observing the super energy fluctuations of the others. The energy of several individuals was undulating violently, suggesting their emotions were far from calm. Were it not for the Xu family's terrifying strength, someone might have already charged forward to seize the treasure.
...
At this moment, Li Hao was not the only one staring.
Though the experts outside dared not release their spirit intent or mental power to probe, their eyes flickered as they fixed their gazes upon the Wind-Chasing Boot. Rumor had it that this item was an ancestral treasure of the Eight Great Families.
The Li family's divine sword had recently revealed some of its abilities, captivating countless people.
If this Wind-Chasing Boot was truly one of those treasures, did it possess similar powers?
As he observed, Yu Qiao frowned slightly, sensing a provocative wave of mental power or spirit intent. Glancing sideways, he saw the golden hound glaring at him with vicious eyes, its mental ripple ringing directly in his mind: "What the hell are you looking at? The Xu family is gifting this thing to our Mount Kui lineage! What's the point of you staring?"
Yu Qiao's heart stirred.
At this moment, he was not the only one who heard it; several others caught the transmission as well. Surprised, none spoke up.
So that was it!
The Xu family had traded the Wind-Chasing Boot in exchange for Mount Kui's cooperation... No wonder there had been so little movement previously; it had all been for this.
Innumerable thoughts raced through Yu Qiao's mind.
Mount Kui needed the Wind-Chasing Boot... What if the boot went missing?
And what if this great demon died?
Wouldn't that mean the Xu family would not only lose the foundation of their alliance with Mount Kui, but also suffer Mount Kui's wrath?
At this moment, thousands of thoughts tangled in his mind.
Under no circumstances could Mount Kui and the Duke of Dingguo be permitted to join hands! Otherwise, with Mount Kui boasting so many great demons and an ancient demon to boot, everyone else would have no choice but to bow their heads and submit. Who would dare resist?
He looked toward the eldest son of the Marquis of Dongji, then toward the vice chairman who had arrived from the Sacred Sun Society. The three exchanged glances, seemingly understanding each other's thoughts at once.
They could not let this alliance succeed!
Otherwise, there would no longer be any place for them to stand in the east!
Chapter 191