A/N (Rant): Im sorry for the delays. For the past two weeks I have been working 12 hour shifts with no week offs. VERY frustrated.
Have decided to change jobs. If you guys know about opening in L&D in India. Do let me know.
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As the remnants of fire and wind dissipated in the air, the Zhou and Peng clans stood frozen, staring at the Li Clan's impenetrable barrier. The sense of disbelief and frustration thickened in the air, hanging like a suffocating blanket over the battlefield. Zhou Feng's fists, still smoldering from his devastating Fire Fist, clenched and unclenched as he struggled to contain his fury. Peng Yue, wiping sweat from his brow, couldn't comprehend how their combined might had failed to even scratch the surface of the defensive array.
Behind them, their soldiers, who had once been so confident of victory, shifted nervously, their expressions ranging from bewilderment to outright panic. The younger cultivators, many of whom had only recently advanced to the Qi Condensation realm, murmured to one another, their fear palpable.
"This is madness," one muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "How can a clan like the Li's have such a powerful array?"
Another nodded in agreement, his face pale. "We've thrown everything we have at them, and it's still standing. What kind of monsters are hiding behind those walls?"
Peng Yue overheard the murmurs and spun around, his eyes flashing with anger. "Silence, all of you!" he barked, his voice a sharp command that silenced the murmurs instantly. His chest heaved as he struggled to regain his composure. He couldn't allow his men to lose faith, not now. They had come too far to turn back.
But despite his fierce words, the doubt gnawed at him. How had the Li Clan, a family that had once been little more than a joke in the region, acquired such power? There was something deeply unnatural about the situation, and the longer they stood outside the barrier, the more it felt like they were being toyed with.
Zhou Feng, on the other hand, wasn't content with silence. His mind was racing, his thoughts darkening with each passing second. Every second they stood outside the Li Clan's walls was another second of humiliation. His pride, as the head of the Zhou Clan, couldn't tolerate this mockery. Yet, the solution to their predicament remained elusive.
"How?" Zhou Feng spat, his voice a low growl. He glared at the barrier, as if sheer force of will could shatter it. "How is this possible? That barrier… it's not natural."
Peng Yue shot him a glance. "You think the Li Clan is hiding some secret weapon? A hidden master, perhaps?"
Zhou Feng didn't answer immediately. His eyes narrowed as he studied the shimmering barrier, the faint glow of its energy a constant reminder of their failure. "No," he said finally. "If they had a master powerful enough to create such a barrier, they wouldn't have stayed hidden for so long. No, this is something else. A treasure, perhaps. Something they've stumbled upon by pure luck."
Peng Yue scoffed, though his expression was far from confident. "Luck or not, it's standing between us and victory. We need to break through it, and we need to do it soon. The longer we wait, the more likely word will spread of our… difficulties."
Zhou Feng's eyes darkened at the mention of word spreading. He could already imagine the whispers, the rumors that would circulate if they failed to breach the Li Clan's defenses. The Zhou and Peng Clans, two of the most powerful families in the region, bested by a clan they had once considered beneath them. It would be the talk of the southern continent. Their reputations, carefully cultivated over decades, would be in ruins.
A murmur rippled through their forces again, this time louder than before. The soldiers were growing restless, their morale dangerously low after the repeated failures.
"We can't keep doing this," one of the soldiers grumbled. "We've been at it for hours, and we're no closer to breaking through."
Another soldier nodded. "The longer we stay out here, the more vulnerable we become. What if the Li Clan has reinforcements on the way?"
Zhou Feng's patience snapped. He whirled around, his eyes blazing with fury. "Enough!" he roared, his voice echoing across the battlefield. The soldiers immediately fell silent, cowed by the raw anger in their leader's voice. "Do you think the Li Clan is invincible? Do you think we, the Zhou and Peng Clans, will be bested by a barrier? They are hiding behind their walls like cowards because they know they cannot defeat us in open battle. We will tear them down."
But even as Zhou Feng spoke, his mind raced for a solution. Another frontal assault would be pointless, and they couldn't risk wasting more time. They needed a new approach. Something that would force the Li Clan's hand. Something that would break their morale from the inside.
Beside him, Peng Yue frowned, sensing his counterpart's inner turmoil. "Zhou Feng, what are you thinking?" he asked, his voice low and wary.
Zhou Feng's gaze flicked toward the city beyond the Li Clan Estate, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "The city," he muttered, more to himself than to Peng Yue. "If we can't break the barrier directly… then we force them to come out."
Peng Yue's eyes widened as he realized what Zhou Feng was implying. "You mean… the mortals?"
Zhou Feng's jaw tightened. "We didn't want to involve them, but we no longer have a choice. If we threaten the city, the Li Clan will have no choice but to come out and face us."
Peng Yue hesitated, his conscience warring with his desire for victory. They had originally planned to avoid harming the innocent citizens of Maple City, focusing their efforts solely on the Li Clan. But now, after hours of frustration and failure, the prospect of attacking the city's population didn't seem so unthinkable. The Zhou and Peng Clans' reputations were on the line, and they couldn't afford to walk away empty-handed.
"But…" Peng Yue started, his voice wavering slightly. "If we do that, we'll be seen as tyrants. The people—"
"The people are nothing," Zhou Feng interrupted, his voice cold. "They are insignificant in the grand scheme of things. We came here to crush the Li Clan, and we will crush them. If the citizens of Maple City get caught in the crossfire, that's their misfortune."
Peng Yue nodded slowly, though he still looked uneasy. The Zhou and Peng Clans had always prided themselves on their strength and honor, but Zhou Feng's words sent a chill down his spine. This was no longer about honor or power. It was about desperation.
With a deep breath, Peng Yue steeled himself. If this was the only way to break the Li Clan's defenses, then so be it. "Very well," he said. "We'll threaten the city. But we need to make sure the message is clear. If the Li Clan doesn't come out… the citizens will suffer."
Zhou Feng's lips curled into a grim smile. "Exactly. Let's see how long they're willing to hide behind that barrier when their people are being slaughtered."
Inside the Li Clan Estate, Li Bao sat at the head of the table, his eyes closed as he listened to the elders debate their next course of action. The tension in the room was palpable, but Li Bao remained calm, his thoughts already several steps ahead of the conversation.
Li Jun was the first to speak. "We can't let them attack the city," he said, his voice low but firm. "The Zhou and Peng Clans have already shown their willingness to escalate this conflict. If we don't act soon, they'll start targeting the citizens."
Li Leyue, always cautious, nodded in agreement. "We've bought ourselves time with the barrier, but we can't hide behind it forever. The longer we wait, the more desperate they become."
Li Runchu, the strategist, tapped his fingers on the table thoughtfully. "The array has done its job so far, but we can't rely on it indefinitely. If they start attacking the city, we'll be forced to come out and fight."
Li Bao opened his eyes and looked at each of the elders in turn. "Let them tire themselves out," he said calmly. "Their frustration will be their downfall. They are on the verge of breaking, and once they do, we will strike."
"But what about the city?" Li Jun asked, his brow furrowed with concern. "We can't just sit by and let them destroy it."
Li Bao's gaze remained steady. "They won't destroy the city. Not unless they are truly desperate. And when they are, that will be the moment we strike. For now, we wait."
Outside the estate, Zhou Feng and Peng Yue stood at the front of their forces, their expressions grim but resolute. The time for subtlety was over. If the Li Clan wouldn't come out to fight, then they would force their hand.
Zhou Feng raised his hand, signaling his soldiers to gather. His voice, cold and commanding, rang out across the battlefield. "People of Maple City! Hear me! We have given the Li Clan ample opportunity to face us in honorable combat, but they continue to cower behind their walls. If they do not surrender by sundown, we will bring destruction upon this city. Every man, woman, and child will suffer for their cowardice."