"Break?"
Lü Yiwei narrowed his eyes, a sneer on his face. Although he didn't know who these two were, their cultivation was clearly not high. The young sword cultivator looked at most like he was in the fifth realm, while the older one seemed to be at most in the Golden Core or Nascent Soul stage. The establishment of the Danxia Sect was already widely known in the martial world. With the protection of the Mountain Peak Villa, the Fusu Great Wall, and the Qingluan Sect, the Danxia Sect was indeed enjoying a period of great prosperity in the martial world. It was precisely because of this that many scoundrels in the martial world attempted to curry favor with the Danxia Sect, hoping to use their connections to get acquainted with renowned sects like the Mountain Peak Villa and the Fusu Great Wall. These two before him were likely among them.
After Lü Shaoyan, Hu Qi, and the others returned, Lü Yiwei had already ordered the Lü clan in Yunzhou to strictly adhere to etiquette and pretend that nothing had happened. The Lü clan's business, rooted in Yunzhou, was the largest commercial establishment in Tianji City, with intricate ties to the government and various departments. Therefore, Lü Yiwei firmly believed that no one would dare to come to Tianji City to cause trouble for the Lü clan's business. Lü Shaoyan's actions in the Northern Region would be forgotten with the passage of time. Even if people from the Mountain Peak Villa or the Fusu Great Wall came, they would at most be treated with courtesy and offered apologies, and he believed nothing insurmountable would arise.
However, these two scoundrels from the martial world had the audacity to smash the reputation of the Lü clan's business. This was intolerable. Even Lü Yiwei, who was as patient as a clay Buddha, had three parts of anger. Did they truly think the Lü clan's business was made of mud?
Ahead, the Lü clan's army formation, formed by over a hundred warriors, was crafted with the help of an eleventh-realm Military Arts Grandmaster hired by Lü Yiwei. It could condense and channel military luck into combat power. These hundred men could even contend with an eleventh-realm sword immortal, let alone these two.
...
"Clang!"
Huang Tingyu drew his entire sword from its sheath, creating sparks. It seemed only in this way could he prove his extraordinary swordsmanship as the Old Sword Immortal Huang. His blade drooped, and his body slowly ascended. His eyes were filled with a smile as he looked at the formation of warriors before him, speaking to Lin Zhao with his heart: "What do you say, can they be killed?"
"No,"
Lin Zhao replied, "They are merely a group of hired thugs for the Lü clan's business. Let each of them fall by one realm."
"Alright."
Huang Tingyu pointed his blade towards the crowd and chuckled, "You ignorant fools, do you think you can ascend to heaven just by leaning on the Lü clan's business? Alright, alright, this Sword Immortal will teach you today what it means for fortune to lead to misfortune and misfortune to lead to fortune!"
He flipped his blade, and instantly a surge of majestic sword intent shot up into the sky!
"Not good!"
At this very moment, one of Lü Yiwei's spiritual voids began to hum. He realized at this instant that the opponent was suppressing their aura and hiding their true strength. This seemingly unrestrained old man was by no means a mere Nascent Soul sword cultivator. He was very likely in the eleventh realm. But seeing him dare to provoke the warrior formation, could he be a legendary twelfth realm cultivator!?
The next moment, thousands of sword energies poured down from the sky, crashing onto the Lü clan's warrior formation like a colossal hole torn open in the heavens, with countless raindrops pouring down. Instantly, the warriors forming the formation were stunned, their blood qi boiling under the immense sword intent. In the blink of an eye, the military qi realm that had condensed above the formation was scattered by Old Huang's sword energy. This warrior formation could withstand an eleventh-realm sword cultivator, but it could not withstand a twelfth-realm sword cultivator!
"Puff, puff, puff~~~"
The warriors all knelt on the ground, spitting blood continuously. Each one of them had their cultivation reduced by one realm.
Huang Tingyu landed gracefully, holding his long sword, and narrowed his eyes at Lü Yiwei, chuckling, "Go on, why aren't you shouting anymore? Where did your arrogant demeanor from before go?"
"You..."
Lü Yiwei was a man who knew when to bend. Although his reputation had been tarnished and his Lü clan's warrior formation had been broken, the opponent's combat power had clearly surpassed that of an eleventh-realm sword cultivator. They must be high-level cultivators from the mountains. Lü Yiwei's mind raced, and he had already guessed a few things. This old man before him was most likely a twelfth-realm sword cultivator, and he called himself Old Huang, so he was probably the demon immortal Huang Tingyu from the Mountain Peak Villa. And the white-robed sword cultivator, if nothing was amiss, was the legendary Lin Baiyi.
He was filled with regret. He had truly been blind to provoke these two. He had spoken disrespectfully earlier, and now what should he do!? In a flash, countless thoughts raced through Lü Yiwei's mind. In the end, he chose to be adaptable and bowed respectfully with clasped fists: "This humble Lü admits his transgressions. I did not realize that Lord Lin of Snow Domain Heavenly Pool and Old Sword Immortal Huang had graced us with their presence... I beg for your forgiveness for my earlier offense. This matter... is the fault of our Yunzhou Lü clan. I, this humble one, accept the punishment..."
"It is good that you admit it."
Lin Zhao smiled slightly: "Lü Shaoyan committed many evils in the Northern Region. The first crime was ascending Danxia Mountain and deceitfully stealing Xu Ming'an's pill recipe. The second crime was colluding with Sun Tingxuan and forcing a marriage upon Sun Xingchun, knowing full well she did not like him, nearly driving Sun Xingchun to death. Of course, the third crime is even greater. Lü Shaoyan and Hu Qi, along with a group of escorts from the Lü clan's business, attempted to assassinate the head of Jubao Fang, Qingqiu, near Jizi Lake. Although they failed, they still killed many people from Jubao Fang. I will settle this debt with you on behalf of Jubao Fang."
"You..."
Lü Yiwei gritted his teeth, "Lin Zhao, what exactly do you want?"
"Good and evil have their consequences. I am your consequence."
Lin Zhao's smile was radiant, and he spoke in his heart, "Old Huang, Lü Yiwei did not directly participate, so his life should be spared. Crippling his cultivation is enough."
"Alright."
The moment Old Huang responded, a sword energy had already pierced Lü Yiwei's body. The next moment, the head of the Lü clan's business, along with a spray of blood, flew backward. His spiritual void was completely shattered, his Golden Core, Nascent Soul, and everything else vanished. His cultivation was entirely destroyed in an instant, turning him into an ordinary person. His appearance rapidly aged, transforming from a middle-aged man into an old man.
...
Decades of cultivation, destroyed in an instant.
Lü Yiwei's body trembled, as if he had experienced a nightmare. He looked at Lin Zhao and Huang Tingyu, his body trembling, but he forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart and knelt on one knee, saying, "The Lü clan's business will pay for its mistakes. Lü Yiwei and the Lü clan's business have already been punished. I beg the Lord of the Mountain to spare Shaoyan and to stop troubling him. I will discipline him well..."
"There is no need to plead."
Lin Zhao raised his eyebrows slightly and said, "I will not kill Lü Shaoyan. At most, I will hand him over to Jubao Fang for disposition."
"Lü Shaoyan is not at home."
Huang Tingyu had already thoroughly investigated the depths of the mansion.
"Alright, we'll talk later."
Lin Zhao turned and ascended on his sword.
Upon returning to the military encampment, he could not sit still. He immediately took Huang Tingyu and a group of Snow Domain cavalry to the new recruit camp. They began selecting cavalry from the new recruits in the afternoon. Most of the strong young men in Yunzhou were children who had been herding cattle and horses since childhood. Those selected by Lin Zhao were already skilled in archery and horsemanship. With a little training in battle formations, they would become excellent cavalry. According to this standard, the elites among these new recruits could be screened. Chen Xi had no objections to such a selection; she was truly indifferent. After all, at most twenty to thirty thousand of these new recruits from Yunzhou would be assigned to the Cangnan Iron Cavalry. The majority would be distributed to other legions. Rather than handing these young men from Yunzhou over to those incompetent fools in the Ministry of War, it was better to entrust them to Lin Zhao.
...
Night fell.
Amidst the sound of horses' hooves, a group of people rode back to the Lü clan's business. It was Lü Shaoyan, Hu Qi, and the others. They had been out playing and sightseeing the entire day and had finally returned home. As Lü Shaoyan dismounted, a servant rushed forward and whispered something in his ear. Lü Shaoyan's expression changed drastically, and he rushed into the mansion.
"Father!"
When he arrived at the main hall, he saw an aged Lü Yiwei sitting there, a cup of clear tea placed before him.
"Kneel."
Lü Yiwei's gaze was sharp. "Today, the Lü clan's business nearly faced a catastrophe. Lin Zhao and Huang Tingyu of Snow Domain Heavenly Pool came to challenge the Lü clan, yet you were out indulging in pleasure. Do you know your crime?!"
"What?!"
Lü Shaoyan gritted his teeth, "Lin Zhao and Huang Tingyu came to the Lü clan?"
"Otherwise?"
Lü Yiwei's eyes were filled with fury. "You useless wretch, you acted recklessly in the Northern Region. You didn't even inform me about the interception of Qingqiu of Jubao Fang. Now you have brought about this immense disaster, endangering our Lü clan's business. How do you expect to resolve this? With such a vast enterprise as the Lü clan's business, how can I entrust it to your hands? From today onwards, you will remain confined to your residence for self-reflection. You are not allowed to go anywhere. If you cause trouble again, no one will be able to save you!"
Lü Yiwei was somewhat angry and said, "If I had known you were so incompetent, I would not have married your sister off. If she were here, the Lü clan's business would at least have a backbone."
"Father!"
Lü Shaoyan's eyes were filled with anger. "Does Father not fear that your son will be hurt by such words? Aside from being somewhat capable in dealing with people, what else can my sister compare to me? She cultivated earlier than me, yet she is only in the seventh realm. I, Lü Shaoyan, am a genuine Sea-Treading realm martial artist, capable of reaching the Upper Five Realms with the right opportunity. If not me, then who else will you pass the Lü clan's business to?"
"Rebellious son!"
Lü Yiwei roared, "Are you trying to rebel?!"
"Father worries too much."
Lü Shaoyan's gaze was icy. "Since Father's cultivation has already been crippled by Huang Tingyu and he is in poor health, it is not suitable for him to continue managing affairs. However, please rest assured, Father. I will handle the matters of the Lü clan's business. Did Father not send a flying fish letter to ask Sister to quickly return from Yuzhou? It's alright. I will get along harmoniously with Sister and jointly manage the Lü clan's business."
"You..."
Lü Yiwei pointed his finger at his rebellious son.
"Guards."
Lü Shaoyan's gaze was icy. "Escort Father to rest! From today onwards, all major business dealings at the shopkeepers' counters must be reviewed by me. No violation will be tolerated!"
"Yes, Young Master!"
...
In the dead of night.
Lü Shaoyan looked at the moonlight in the courtyard, feeling increasingly melancholic. He said, "Old Hu, I am very troubled. Shall we go for another drink?"
Hu Qi nodded with a smile, "Let's go."