The Respect for the Strong

With that fierce shout, it seemed as if the entire hall trembled. Those with insufficient cultivation were shaken to the core, their faces turning pale. As everyone looked towards the source of the sound, they saw the Great Elder, like a ghostly apparition, flash towards Li Yi. Li Han, prepared for this, coldly laughed and followed suit, seizing the opportunity to strike at the Great Elder, whom he had long intended to kill. The remaining three elders of the Li family also rushed towards Li Yi, understanding that if the Great Elder were dealt with by Li Han, the collateral branch would be suppressed by the direct line for decades to come.

"This old man really dares to attack!?" Li Yi's eyes twitched as the Great Elder's imposing aura nearly made his feet give way, while the killing intent from the three following elders was overwhelming. However, at this moment, Li Yi's heart was unusually calm, having prepared to face the Great Elder head-on, though he hadn't expected it under these circumstances. Suddenly, a booming voice resonated in his mind, the voice of the Serpent Venerable, thunderous, "Foolish boy! Relax your body and accept my Dou Qi! Otherwise, you're dead today!" Li Yi shuddered, his mind slightly relaxing, and he immediately felt a surge of Dou Qi spreading from the Yunhuang Ring on his hand, blending seamlessly with his own. His eyes brightened, feeling an unprecedented sense of power, several times stronger than his peak in his previous life.

With such strength, it was possible! The ferocious face of the Great Elder was already in front of Li Yi. His palms were a whirlwind of flames, forming a series of fire serpents howling towards Li Yi... "Fiery Tenderness!" Li Yi's long sword shifted from his left to his right hand, and a chilling Dou Qi burst from him, stirring the natural energy of the entire hall. He seemed to be enveloped in a black flame. Feeling the boiling Dou Qi, Li Yi advanced instead of retreating, cutting through the Great Elder's presence like a streak of light, his sword's Dou Qi faintly visible, meeting the Great Elder's palm.

A thunderous explosion filled the hall, and everything seemed to tremble. The stone-paved ground cracked, and a whirlwind burst forth, causing those with lower cultivation to stagger back, bleeding from their orifices. The clash between Li Yi and the Great Elder was momentary, but in the aftermath, the hall was eerily silent. Li Han's expression was indescribably strange, even slightly dazed, while the three Li family elders suddenly stepped back, their faces turning extremely dark. Mo Yi and Long Fei stood up in shock, their eyes filled with disbelief and denial.

Li Yi spat out a mouthful of blood, stumbling back, his left hand hanging eerily. His right chest was charred, revealing a black palm print on his shirt, his complexion as pale as death. The long sword in his hand trembled and silently shattered into pieces. In front of him, the Great Elder maintained his striking pose, his hateful gaze fixed on Li Yi. His left hand covered his throat, blood seeping through his fingers.

"You... you managed to withstand a full strike from a Warrior? How... how is this possible!?" In that instant, Li Yi's left hand had deflected the Great Elder's palm with a Backwind Palm. Although hit, he had diverted the fatal blow, and in turn, his sword had slashed across the Great Elder's throat. Li Yi weakly smiled, extending a middle finger to the incredulous Great Elder, his voice low and deep, "Just a Warrior, that's all..."

"Just a Warrior, that's all!?" These words triggered a strange feeling in the Great Elder's heart. His trembling left hand slowly released his throat, seemingly trying to grab Li Yi, but suddenly a spurt of blood burst forth, and his head flew into the air like a firework. The headless body of the Great Elder swayed slightly before collapsing into a pool of blood, becoming an oddity among the scattered heads on the ground. Li Qiao, driven to madness, lunged at Li Yi like a madman. Heavily armed and physically disabled, he still managed to reach Li Yi, grabbing his leg and trying to bite down. Li Yi coldly kicked Li Qiao away, his gaze then slowly settling on the remaining three Li family elders.

The three elders were in disbelief, but at this moment, they lacked any intention to fight. The Great Elder, a Seven-Crystal Warrior and a cunning leader among the elders, was now dead by Li Yi's hand. The remaining three were no match for Li Han, let alone Li Yi, who seemed like a fiend. The faces of the collateral family members of the Li lineage slightly changed, but no one dared to make a move in this bizarre situation, not daring to do anything unnecessary.

Long Aotian's face was a picture of extreme panic. He finally realized that Li Yi was none other than the mysterious man in black from that day. A fear like no other surged within him, nearly driving him to turn and flee. However, his legs seemed to have lost all strength, unable to even twitch.

In the deathly silent hall, a faint clapping suddenly echoed. Mo Er Ye, seated at the head, clapped lightly, his demeanor warm and inviting. He skillfully masked the trace of killing intent in his eyes, praising loudly, "Truly a young hero. With such a son, the Li family will surely be a force to reckon with in Wanchao City. As a son-in-law of the Mo family, he is a blessing from a previous life. From now on, the Li and Mo families will be as one. The Mo family's business will eventually be in the hands of our capable son-in-law. I'm sure Brother Li wouldn't disagree."

Saying this, Mo Er Ye raised a cup of wine and flicked it towards Li Han, who caught it smoothly. Mo Er Ye then raised another cup and drank. Li Han's eyes flashed with a cold smile, replying lightly, "I dare not. The daughter of Brother Mo is the future head of the Mo family, how could she marry into my Li family? Brother Mo, it's better not to force such matters. The century-old foundation of the Mo family cannot be wasted!"

Mo Er Ye laughed heartily, "How can a woman lead a family? Wouldn't that be a joke? Besides, Yi and Rouxin are mutually affectionate. As fathers, we can't stop them from being together. Someone, go invite the young miss, tell her Master Li Yi has come to propose!"

Mo Er Ye's shamelessness was evident, quickly adopting an overly familiar tone with Yi, appearing very affectionate. This address made Li Yi sneer coldly. However, having killed the Great Elder, many things were already set in stone, and he didn't bother explaining further.

The crowd was just recovering from the shock. Moments ago, Mo Er Ye was coercing the Li family with the four elders, but now, after Li Yi's display of power and the Great Elder's demise, the collateral branch of the Li family seemed insignificant. The direct line would once again secure control of the family, prompting Mo Er Ye to change his stance as if the previous events never happened. Such turnarounds were not surprising on the Dou God Continent, where the strong are revered. Li Yi's ability to kill a Warrior, even as a mere Fighter, meant no one dared belittle him.

Mo Er Ye would have to be foolish to act as if he'd forgotten his previous actions. Even though Li Yi appeared gravely injured, Mo Er Ye had no intention of testing whether he could take Li Yi down on the spot, especially with Li Han around.

The Long and Mo family members looked at Li Yi with awe, while the Li family members had mixed expressions, their once-shamed member now revealing such strength. Li Han's inscrutable gaze briefly lingered on Mo Er Ye, before he shook his head and said, "My son Yi is not the junior patriarch of the Li family. The elders do not recognize his status. How could such a person be worthy of Miss Mo?"

Mo Er Ye shook his head, smiling, "It doesn't matter. I'm not concerned with Yi's status as the future patriarch. His achievements at such a young age suggest a promising future. The Mo family will surely benefit from this." His gaze subtly shifted towards the remaining three elders of the Li family.

The three elders, having recovered from their shock, stepped forward, bowing and saying, "Lord Patriarch, Young Patriarch, if anyone dares to question the Young Patriarch's status in the Li family, they will have to contend with us!"

Li Yi was speechless at their shamelessness, thinking how quickly they had changed sides. Even the freshly deceased Great Elder seemed forgotten.

Long Fei, pulling Long Aotian out of his shock, said with a smile, "Master Li, don't be modest. With a talent like Li Yi, he is indeed a rare gem in Wanchao City. If he isn't fit to be the patriarch, then I doubt anyone is."

Soon, the hall filled with congratulatory voices, the previous deadly atmosphere completely dissipated. Li Yi, his expression worsening, had no choice but to show strength. He coldly moved towards the Li family's seats. Li Nana followed, her eyes sparkling with admiration for Li Yi's actions today, leaving an indelible impression on her. In Wanchao City, perhaps even in the entire Tianfeng Empire, who else could match such bravery and spirit, except Li Yi?

Mo Er Ye clapped his hands lightly, and guards rushed in to remove the heads and bodies scattered around. The injured Li family members were helped back to their seats, and the blood was cleaned, but the thick scent of blood in the air couldn't be concealed.