Outside the Liu residence, the scene was both bizarre and unsettling. Li Wei stood with his hands clasped behind his back, a faint smirk tugging at his lips as he surveyed the aftermath of Leng Yue's handiwork. Around him lay unconscious, naked guards—their discarded armor and weapons scattered like debris.
Jia Lin, Mei Yu, and Ning Xue stood frozen, their expressions a mixture of shock and dawning realization.
Mei Yu was the first to recover, though her voice was barely a whisper. "He wasn't invited here... was he?"
Jia Lin's face paled. "No. He's waltzing into one of the most powerful clans in Crescent Moon City completely unannounced," she said, her tone edging toward panic. Her eyes darted to the unconscious guards, then back to Li Wei. "This is suicide!"
Ning Xue's reaction was simpler—pure terror. "He must be insane," she muttered under her breath, already scanning for escape routes. "No one sane would pull something like this unless they had a death wish."
Li Wei paid them no mind. His gaze was fixed on the grand gates of the Liu residence, his confidence hardly fazed.
The commotion had drawn a small crowd of onlookers, whispers rippling through the gathering like an undercurrent.
"Those are the Liu Clan's guards," one murmured.
"They're not just anyone's guards. This man must have a death wish," another whispered, shaking his head.
"Or he's someone terrifying," a third said.
Before the drama could boil over, the gates opened again, revealing an imposing squad of warriors. The Black Iron Guards.
Unlike the hapless men now lying unconscious, these guards moved with discipline and purpose, their black armor gleaming in the sunlight. Each radiated the aura of a mid-Core Formation realm cultivator or higher, their presence causing the murmurs among the crowd to swell into worried murmurs.
"They've sent the Black Iron Guards," someone gasped.
"This man is finished." one yelped.
"They'll tear him apart," another muttered, retreating to a safer distance.
The leader of the squad stepped forward, a scar cutting diagonally across his face, and pointed his spear at Li Wei. "The Patriarch has summoned you," he said, his voice gruff and commanding. "Enter immediately."
Li Wei laughed. The sound was rich with mockery, carrying across the courtyard like a slap to the face. "I requested the Patriarch to come out and receive me. Instead, he sends some overgrown frogs in armor. How disappointing."
The leader's face darkened. "You dare insult the Black Iron Guards?" he growled, his knuckles tightening on the shaft of his spear.
Before he could finish, Li Wei turned to Leng Yue, his tone casual. "Leng Yue, clear the field. I find their croaking unpleasant."
Leng Yue gave a small nod. "Understood."
She stepped forward, her movements as graceful as flowing water. The first guard lunged at her with his spear, aiming for her heart, but she moved like a wraith. In a flash, her fingers struck the pressure points on his arm and neck. He collapsed, utterly unconscious before he even hit the ground.
"Take this!!"Another guard charged, his heavy blade swinging in a downward arc. Leng Yue sidestepped with almost lazy precision, her sword still sheathed. She struck with the blunt edge of her sheath, the impact sending him flying into a nearby pillar.
One by one, the Black Iron Guards fell like pillars that lost their bearing. Leng Yue moved with the precision of a seasoned seeker, each strike efficient and devastating. "I-i do not accept this..." a few moments later, the last of the guards crumpled to the ground, his weapon clattering uselessly beside him.
The crowd stared in stunned silence.
"She... she took down the Black Iron Guards," someone whispered, their voice barely audible.
"Without breaking a sweat," another added, awe coloring their tone.
"If she's his subordinate, then how terrifying must he be?"
Leng Yue returned to Li Wei's side, her expression as calm as ever. Li Wei looked thoroughly pleased, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Now," he said, his voice carrying a note of amusement, "let's see if the Patriarch has the spine to greet us himself, or if he'll send more frogs for us to deal with. In the meantime, Leng Yue, strip and loot these fools. They're not using their things anymore."
Inside the Liu residence, the tension was palpable.
Patriarch Liu Feng paced back and forth in the grand hall, his anger a simmering storm. The air around him crackled faintly with his aura, the weight of a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator filling the room.
"What's taking them so long?" he demanded, his voice echoing off the gilded walls.
Zhou Wen, standing to the side, finally decided to speak. "Patriarch, based on what we've seen, I believe the man outside and the woman with him are at least Nascent Soul realm cultivators."
The revelation caused a ripple of murmurs among the elders gathered in the hall.
Chen Xi, standing beside her husband, narrowed her eyes. "You didn't think to mention this earlier?" she asked, her tone sharp.
Zhou Wen inclined his head. "My apologies, Matriarch. My outrage at their behavior clouded my judgment." In truth, he was calculating. A confrontation could work in his favor, and he was more than willing to fan the flames if it served his purpose. Let the chaos unfold. I'll find a way to profit from it, he thought.
Chen Xi turned to her husband, her voice softening. "Husband, if they are truly as powerful as Zhou Wen says, then perhaps we should consider handling this differently."
Liu Feng's face darkened. "You would have me welcome the man who defiled our daughter?!"
"What's done is done," Chen Xi said, pressing a delicate hand to his arm. "If they are truly that strong, then we should consider what benefits this situation might yield. The clan could gain much from forging ties with someone of such talent."
The elders in the hall nodded in agreement, their opportunism shining through.
"She's right," one said aloud. "There's no point risking our lives if we can salvage something from this situation."
Liu Feng glared at the assembled elders. "So you'd have me grovel before him?" he demanded.
Chen Xi's voice remained calm. "Not grovel. Negotiate. We must think of the clan."
Liu Feng exhaled sharply, his rage a barely contained tide. "Fine," he growled. "We'll meet him. But if he tries to walk over us, I'll make sure he regrets it."