As soon as the members of the Han family took their seats, someone from the Hong family stood up and shouted over to them.
"Hehe, Patriarch Han, you've finally arrived. I thought you might withdraw from the battle today."
A middle-aged man, who looked to be around the same age as Han Chi, spoke with a smile, his facial muscles remaining completely still.
"Patriarch Hong, you're overthinking. Since your family wants to maintain a ten-year peace period with the Han family, I naturally have to accept it. Otherwise, wouldn't that be disrespecting the Hong family's goodwill?"
Han Chi lifted his eyelids slightly and said calmly.
"We're all one family, no need to speak as if we're two. Once your two daughters marry into the Hong family, you and I will be in-laws."
Hong Li sneered.
"My two daughters are as beautiful as flowers, like goddesses descended to earth. I just fear that your son might not have the fortune to marry them in this lifetime."
Knowing that they were about to tear off the facade, Han Chi didn't hold back, his tone sharp.
Hong Li's expression darkened immediately.
"Enough, since no one from the Han family dares to step up, don't waste your breath here..."
Hong Chen frowned and got up from his chair. "Do you think you can beat me by sending some nobody?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a faint sound of thunder rumbled, and his figure blurred, appearing on the stage like a phantom.
"Han Chi, is the dowry ready? After this match, my Hong family will come to propose marriage."
Hong Li glanced at Han Chi and sat back down.
Even Demon Snake Xia Mang couldn't withstand a single punch from Lin Xiu. Hong Chen is also a Dou Emperor, how much better can he be?
Han Chi ignored the provocation, sitting down as well. He lightly tapped the armrest with his index finger and looked towards the Sky Stone Stage.
Seeing this scene, Hong Li suddenly felt a bit uneasy. Something wasn't right—why did this old guy look so confident?
He turned to the gray-robed elder beside him. "Elder Shen, could you please take a look at that boy?"
At the request, Shen Yun's brows furrowed slightly with a trace of impatience as he directed his gaze toward Lin Xiu on the Sky Stone Stage.
"Hmm..."
At first glance, Shen Yun sat up a bit straighter. Strange, he couldn't see through Lin Xiu's strength.
"Elder Shen?"
Noticing his reaction, Hong Li's unease grew even stronger.
"No matter, he's just a young man."
Shen Yun's tone remained calm, his expression unchanged.
That boy looks even younger than Miss Feng from Wind Lightning Pavilion. Considering Miss Feng's background, his strength shouldn't be that high.
Perhaps I can't see through him because he's practiced some sort of Dou Technique to conceal his power.
Muttering to himself, Shen Yun slowly closed his eyes again.
"Looks like everything should be fine now."
Hong Li had great trust in Elder Yun, so seeing that he didn't take it seriously, he didn't press the issue further.
On the stage.
Hong Chen glanced at Lin Xiu and sneered, "The Han family sent you as a scapegoat? How careless."
"Are you so sure you've already won before the fight has even started?"
Lin Xiu was a bit exasperated—this was the Central Plains, yet this guy was still so confident.
"Hmph, coming from the Northwestern Region, you wouldn't understand even if I explained. I'll take you down within ten breaths!"
Feeling underestimated, Hong Chen's tone turned cold.
Dou Qi surged out, and the power of a Dou Emperor spread in all directions.
The overwhelming pressure radiated outward, pressing down on the surroundings. The nearby spectators felt the weight of this force, their breathing heavy as if they were affected.
Cries of surprise rang out continuously.
Hearing the commotion, Hong Chen's face showed a trace of arrogance. He lifted his chin and pointed at Lin Xiu.
"Is it starting?" Lin Xiu asked with a smile, seemingly unaffected.
"Yes, show me whatever tricks you've got; if you wait too long, you won't get another chance," Hong Chen said, waving him on.
"You took the words right out of my mouth."
Lin Xiu shook his head slightly and opened his right hand, a hammer falling into his palm.
Since he was about to kill a Dou Ancestor, relying solely on his fists wouldn't be powerful enough—he needed to use a weapon.
"In your next life, don't be so arrogant."
He looked at Hong Chen and spoke each word slowly as his own aura began to build.
Suddenly, the clouds in the sky seemed to be influenced by some force, becoming stagnant, and even the wind came to a halt.
A more powerful and terrifying aura than Hong Chen's spread out from the Sky Stone Stage.
It was like a floodgate had been opened, surging out in all directions.
Everyone around the Sky Stone Stage seemed to have their throats clenched, unable to make a sound. Their gazes were filled with terror as they looked up at the figure on the stage, holding the hammer, their faces pale.
"Dou... Dou... Dou Ancestor? You're a Dou Ancestor?!"
Hong Chen's face was filled with horror. His earlier smugness vanished, replaced by overwhelming fear.
He was indeed a disciple of the Wind Lightning Pavilion and undoubtedly the most outstanding person of his generation in Tian Bei City.
But he was still just a Dou Emperor—absolutely no match for a Dou Ancestor.
At best, he could contend with a peak Dou Emperor, but challenging a Dou Ancestor was out of the question.
Where did the Han family find this person? How could a place like the Northwestern Region produce such a young Dou Ancestor?
Hong Chen's thoughts were in complete disarray. The pressure he felt from Lin Xiu was something even Miss Feng from the Wind Lightning Pavilion couldn't exert.
It was unmistakably the aura of death.
"I surrender, I surrender!"
Hong Chen instantly lost his will to fight, pleading for mercy as he retreated toward the northern seats.
In Lin Xiu's calm eyes, he saw an unmistakable intent to kill.
He knew very well that only Elder Shen Yun, who was also a Dou Ancestor, had a chance of saving him.
However, just as Hong Chen turned around, he felt a gust of wind pressing from behind.
Before he could even scream, a tremendous force struck him, and everything went black as he lost consciousness.
To the onlookers, it seemed as if two figures on the Sky Stone Stage had just flickered, and in the next moment, one of them was sent flying limply, landing motionless on the stage.
"Chen'er?!"
Hong Li suddenly stood up, his face filled with grief and disbelief.
Everything happened too fast—within the blink of an eye, Hong Chen was no longer moving.
"How dare you! Hong Chen is an inner disciple of our Wind Lightning Pavilion, and you dared to strike him down!"
Shen Yun slapped his seat into dust with one palm, lightning flashing beneath his feet as he charged from the northern seats with a rumble of thunder.
Boom!
In the next second, a dull sound echoed above the Sky Stone Stage.
A black figure was sent flying back to the stands at incredible speed, the impact so powerful that it shattered the seating area. Some members of the Hong family, unable to dodge in time, were struck and coughed up blood on the spot.
"Attack! After today, there will be no more Hong family in Tian Bei City!"
Han Yue drew her sword, her killing intent fierce as her cold voice echoed throughout the Sky Stone Stage.
In the next instant, signals flared up throughout the city. Around the Hong family's properties, large forces appeared, all armed with weapons, rushing to slaughter the Hong family members.
"Han Chi! You're courting death!"
At that moment, Hong Li realized that the Han family had come with a conspiracy today.
He quickly retrieved a blood-red jade piece from his Spatial Ring and crushed it with force.
This was the signal to notify the ancestor.
Sure enough, just as the jade shattered, a roar filled with furious killing intent erupted from a corner of Tian Bei City.
"How dare you kill my Hong family members! No matter who you are, today I will tear you to pieces and scatter your bones!"
The thunderous roar echoed across the sky over Tian Bei City.
Han Chi's expression changed, his gaze trembling slightly. "Hong Tian Xiao has come out. This old man is the ancestor of the Hong family, and he's even stronger than Elder Shen Yun of the Wind Lightning Pavilion. Can Lin Xiu handle him?"
Whether today's plan would succeed largely depended on Lin Xiu.
With this thought, Han Chi searched the area and finally settled his gaze on the young man standing in the void.
Lin Xiu's expression was calm, exuding a composed demeanor as if he would remain unshaken even if the sky were to collapse.
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