Executions

"Nothing could be better!" How could Yu Xiaogui fail to see that Wu Shaobai held a grudge against the Li family? Overjoyed, he nodded repeatedly and raised a hand in gesture. "Please!" With that, both men took to the wind together, their figures vanishing faintly beyond the horizon. Yu Mugao remained bowed for a long time before finally straightening. His eyes flickered with indecision, and he muttered hesitantly, "Li Chijing has returned... Why hasn't Muxian sent any word? Muxian is clever and shrewd; I must ask him." He stepped forward to the jade desk on the raised platform. Dipping his brush in ink, he wrote carefully, the bristles sweeping across the paper: "To my esteemed brother: Father returned today... and there are many doubts... Could it truly be that Li Chijing has returned from Nanjiang? I hope you will thoroughly investigate Li Chijing's affairs. When did he return? When was word received? ...If there exists an ability in this world capable of bewitching the mind of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, what kind of spell would it be?" After writing several hundred words in fluid prose, Yu Mugao sealed the letter with wax and set it on the desk. Stroking his chin, he pondered for a moment, then broke open the envelope again, picked up the brush, and added a line: "Postscript: Rumors long had it that the Li and Xiao families share old ties. Please also inquire whether Li Chijing had any martial brothers from the Xiao family. This matter is of paramount importance; make certain to ascertain the truth." Only then did he enclose the letter once more and seal it carefully. Yu Mugao looked gloomily toward the horizon, sensing an ominous storm brewing in the air. *** "Ha!" A cultivator clad in light armor bellowed in fury, magic power surging as he brought his saber slashing down. Before him, the youth in black stood firm and unmoving. A grayish-white sword ray rose from his sword, and with an upward parry, a tremendous force slammed into the armored cultivator. The saber flew from his grasp, trailing droplets of blood. The youth in black took another step forward, slashing his sword. His soul nearly scared out of his body, the cultivator scrambled back in terror, slapping down a talisman to block. He barely averted a lethal blow, but a massive gash was carved across his waist. "I—!" Too late for regrets, the cultivator opened his mouth to beg for mercy, but the sword ray on the blade flared once more. A thrust drove straight into his chest and abdomen. With a wretched scream, his limbs convulsed, and he slumped limp to the ground, whimpering as he spat out mouthfuls of blood. Li Yuanjiao drew out his bloodstained sword. Watching the man slowly collapse before him, he shook the blood from the blade. At last, no standing enemies remained. He looked around: crimson painted the ground everywhere, strewn with prostrate figures. Across the field, there were either trembling captives who had surrendered or corpses lying scattered in disarray. Having grown accustomed to such sights during the campaign against the Shanyue, Li Yuanjiao did not find it particularly bloody. He merely raised an eyebrow, looked around, and asked, "Where is Qinghong?" Xu Gongming, standing nearby, hurried forward and said in a low voice, "Young Master, the young lady has already fought her way to the summit of Mount Huazhong. She is in the main hall with the Patriarch and the others." "Oh." Li Yuanjiao nodded slightly and said, "Her spear fights with wide, sweeping strokes; she takes to battlefields like a fish to water. Naturally, she would be much faster than us." He took a step forward, and the ranks of armored soldiers behind him followed in unison. Ascending to the highest terrace, he saw a towering, magnificent palace with upturned eaves like soaring birds—a truly lavish sight. Li Yuanjiao sneered, glancing back as he remarked, "Looking at this palace, it could never have been built without several generations of effort! It is plain to see that the downfall of the Ji and An families stems from deep-rooted corruptions built up over years. They cannot blame unfilial descendants when their forebears set such a fine example!" Li Yuanjiao waved his hand, and the armored soldiers filed in behind him, replacing the An family guards one by one. Knowing their cause was lost, those guards offered no resistance. Stepping into the palace grounds, he saw Li Qinghong standing gracefully outside the hall, spear in hand. At her feet lay a pile of severed heads frozen in various grimaces, blood pooling in puddles. Li Yuanjiao sheathed his sword and asked in bewilderment, "What is going on here?" "Hmph." Li Qinghong slightly raised a shapely eyebrow and said nonchalantly, "Grandfather is killing people. The An family." With her slender hand, she twirled her spear and pointed toward the pile of heads, explaining, "Weighing those long-pampered pigs of the An family. The hall's guards know best what these people have done; they are prostrate inside, crying out their grievances. Everything is being handled by our family's laws. "Those who bullied others and seized farmland are flogged; those who did nothing are sentenced to hard labor; the tyrannical and arrogant are tattooed; and those who engaged in cannibalism alongside An Zheyu were subjected to the death of a thousand cuts. Urine and excrement cover the floor, and the hall reeks of blood and filth. I couldn't stand the smell, so I came out for some fresh air." A flicker of trepidation passed across Li Qinghong's face as she leaned closer to Li Yuanjiao, whispering, "I have no idea who provoked Grandfather. He has always been good-tempered, yet today his face is dark and murderous. You had better watch yourself." Li Yuanjiao nodded repeatedly. Li Qinghong smiled faintly and continued, "Uncle Xuanfeng had An Zheyan persuade the people on Mount Yuting to surrender. He just returned with Uncle Donghe and the others and went inside moments ago." "That is excellent." Hearing that Mount Yuting had surrendered so easily, Li Yuanjiao was also rather pleased. Li Qinghong blinked mischievously and asked, "Do you want to go inside and take a look?" Knowing Li Tongya was furious, why would Li Yuanjiao dare set foot inside? He waved his hands in refusal, which brought a radiant smile to Li Qinghong's face. Li Yuanjiao gripped his hilt, pondering, *I wonder what the Patriarch is thinking, but this is a prime opportunity to establish deterrence. It should be put to good use.* Li Yuanjiao gestured for Xu Gongming to come over and instructed, "The An family has many cultivators; mortals cannot keep them under control. Summon a few of our cultivators to go inside and lend a hand, so as to spare the Patriarch from doing everything himself." Having just heard Li Qinghong's warning, Xu Gongming was already on edge. With a bitter face, he accepted the order and backed away, thinking to himself, *I must bring along the cultivators from the other families too, so I won't have to tremble in fear alone.* Watching Xu Gongming retreat, Li Qinghong burst out laughing and said to Li Yuanjiao, "Brother Jiao, you are truly wicked, scaring them like that for no reason." Li Yuanjiao waved his hand and replied casually, "It's good for them to fear us!" As the two were speaking, Mount Huazhong suddenly shook violently as a resonant, icy voice boomed from the skies above, echoing across the entire peak: "The An family is a brother clan to my Yu family! By storming Mount Huazhong and slaughtering its people, does the Li family hold any regard for my Yu family?!" Li Yuanjiao's expression instantly turned solemn. Looking up toward the figure high in the sky, he frowned. "It's the Foundation Establishment immortal cultivator, Yu Xiaogui!" Yu Xiaogui's appearance was unremarkable, but he exuded an aggressive aura. Standing amidst the clouds with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttered as he looked down disdainfully. The entire Mount Huazhong fell still. Then, a beam of golden light surged into the sky. A young man carrying a golden bow stood aloft, his expression calm and devoid of respect. He said indifferently, "So it is Senior Yu. The An family was overrun by bandits, and we came at the invitation of the An family patriarch, An Zheyan, to help him suppress the crisis. Senior speaks of brother clans... yet we only saw your clan standing by without lifting a finger, and now you come to berate us... Could it be that those bandits were actually Yu family members in disguise?" Li Xuanfeng's words were dripping with sarcasm. When had Yu Xiaogui ever suffered such humiliation? Moreover, Li Xuanfeng was merely a Qi Refinement cultivator, yet dared to utter such brazen insolence! Stunned for a few breaths, Yu Xiaogui finally roared, "Nonsense! Audacious insolence! What right do you have to speak?!" Li Xuanfeng merely crossed his arms and looked on disdainfully, which instead made Yu Xiaogui hesitate, wary of hidden traps. Li Xuanfeng curled his lips and continued, "Could it be that Senior is worried a strand of sword intent might fly from the south and snuff out your life and cultivation in an instant? If you already knew my family is sheltered by a Sword Immortal, why bother making this trip at all?" "How dare a junior like you?!" Shocked and enraged, Yu Xiaogui knew that if he did not act now, he would become a laughingstock. With a harsh snarl, he unleashed a palm strike toward Li Xuanfeng across the empty air, roaring, "Such insolent madness!"