A strong spiritual energy burst out from the palm, tinging the air with a light so brilliant that it was only possible to look at it with partially closed eyes. With a rapid motion, a hand slammed down on the Xian family. Coalescing spiritual energies formed a translucent, white hand that crashed down upon them in a futile attempt at suppression.
"As expected, these must be powerful figures sent by the Great Xia Dynasty to deal with the Xian family!"
Some people jeered and chuckled their loudest, assuming that no one could stand against the power of the City Lord, much less someone as full of himself as the Xian family was.
However, everyone was shocked when the giant spiritual hand did not eradicate the Xian family as expected. The hand came across an unseen force, which stopped it just a step before the door of their house, ending in a tremendous explosion.
Lu Zhui narrowed his eyes and looked at the Xian family closely. Didn't he remember that there was a protective shield around them earlier?
"This is a too narrow space to deserve this severe defense. Is there any relationship between the treasure as indicated?" he thought.
"Hahaha, let's see if your defense is stronger than my fist!" Lu Zhui sneered, getting ready to bring up the level of violence.
Just in the nick of time, as the situation was going to spill out of control, several from Xian family stepped out through the gate. In front were Xian Wu and on either side Xian Zhan and Xian Yue, the young generation of Xian family.
"Why are you attacking my Xian family without reason?" demanded Xian Wu with a firm voice.
If not for Xian Yue's plots, the Xian family might have already been destroyed due to the previous attack!
"It's very simple. I want to get a treasure that belongs to you. Hand it over voluntarily. If you do, then I won't be destroying your little family today. But if you don't. well, your little family will be totally destroyed today!" declared Lu Zhui menacingly.
"Treasure?" Xian Wu raised an eyebrow. The Xian family already had more valuable things in them - flawless spiritual stones and divine power pills, treasures he would never abandon.
"Are you serious about wiping out my family? Let's see how you're going to do that!" Xian Zhan took a step forward, his face shadowed.
He was only practicing when the clan leader interrupted him, announcing trouble brewing at their doorstep.
"Who is he? Never met him in life," one bystander wondered aloud.
"It is Xian Zhan. He left three years ago to train and came back miraculously in body," another replied.
"I heard that he fainted in the Xian household when he came back barely alive. And now he walks in, recovered in days!" someone chimed in with wonder.
"Doesn't Xian Zhan fear him?" they whispered.
Lu Zhui looked over the situation with a sneering mockery. "Soul formation Realm? Boy, you're great and all in this pitiful little town, but you mean nothing to me!"
"I can offer you one final chance: hand over the treasure, and I'll let your pride slide. Or else, even if you are in the Soul formation realm, I can kill you with a wave of my hand!"
"Bring it on!" Xian Zhan shot back.
"You're asking for it! Lu Zhui snarled, losing his temper as he lashed out at Xian Zhan. He swept aside the realm of the Soul Palace altogether. A vast wave of spiritual energy hurtled toward Xian Zhan before his attack could fall.
"You will regret underestimating me!" Xian Zhan retorted, a sword seal appearing between his brows. A sword gesture formed in his hand, a golden sword light erupted, radiating a sharp and transcendent aura. With a decisive motion, he brought his hand down, although he wielded no sword, a clear sword cry was heard filling the air.
In a flash of an instant, a golden sword mark flashed out from the void to stop Lu Zhui's palm mid-strike, leaving a deep crimson gash across his face!
"You dare. "Lu Zhui's eyes went wide with disbelief as shock and fear take their toll. He could not articulate his thoughts before his body split in two, spraying blood in all directions.
"The price of arrogance is steep!" Xian Zhan said icily as Lu Zhui's body crashed onto the ground.
He was still just in the Soul formation realm, but the increment of Eternal Sword Body made a difference, capable of beating even a real giant who was in the Law Manifestation realm.
"This physique must be exceptional!" Xian Zhan thought, staring deeply at his strength and pondering the consequences. "Maybe it's thatImmortal Grade physique?"
"Wow!" those people in the back commented as Xian Lang exclaimed. They all thought they were going to see some good battle and were surprised how easily Xian Zhan defeated his opponent.
"Brother Xian Zhan, how could you get so powerful? I thought that man was mighty, yet you knocked him down with one blow!" exclaimed Xian Ruomeng, staring at him with wide eyes full of admiration. Even though she hadn't sensed the enemy's cultivation level, she knew that the strength he wielded was like nothing they'd ever seen before.
"The clan leader blessed me not long ago, so my power has gone up in the sky. Without that boost, I wouldn't stand a chance against him!" Xian Zhan admitted, acknowledging the significance of the clan leader's support.
"Has he made you stronger or become stronger himself?" Xian Lang asked with curiosity.
Unbeknownst to them, the first-ranked person on the Tiandao Golden List was their clan leader, Xian Yue, who exuded an aura of mystery.
"While the clan leader may have been stronger before, it's hard to say how he compares now," responded Xian Zhan in his thoughts.
"Why not challenge him if you get a chance? It would be quite an experience!" suggested Xian Ruomeng excitedly, her small fists clenched in enthusiasm.
"We'll see when the opportunity arises," Xian Wu interjected, shaking his head. These youngsters had no grasp of Xian Yue's true strength; they existed on entirely different levels!
The elders never told the truth to the younger generation, fearing the words about Xian Yue's power would make them dare-devils thinking themselves invincible. His old people wanted their young ones to grow dependent and know that their family was the grounding where they belonged, but it was not a license for wrong.
Xian Yin came up to them at that moment with something above his head.
"Xian Zhan, do you know what this is?, he asked while showing the astrolabe.
Regrettably, not even Xian Zhan could tell, and thus he finally gave it over to deputy clan head Xian Wu.
As the Xian family was leaving, people who had gloated over their bad luck couldn't get away from a creeping sense of fear. The old man radiated a crushing presence, one that had been too much for even Lu Zhui to handle!
Looking back, many shivered in their skins.
They came to realize that the Xian family was no longer one of the four major families of old. Their ranks hold real strength, and those harboring ill feelings against the Xian family no longer dare linger there. Instead, they have slunk away like scared birds.