The Elder

A row of clansmen knelt on the spot, creating an atmosphere so bizarre it was suffocating. The Third Elder was already frowning and said in a deep voice, "Old Four, according to our family rules, what is the consequence for betraying the clan and plotting a rebellion?" The Fourth Elder replied softly, "Death without mercy!" "Very good!" the Third Elder exclaimed loudly, his gaze settling on Li Yi from a distance, seemingly to see if Li Yi was satisfied with such actions, "All of you watch carefully, the clan can give you everything, but if you betray the clan, then you will lose everything." Having said this, the Third Elder took a machete from a guard and slowly approached a kneeling man. The man, looking terrified at the Third Elder, pleaded, "Third Grandfather, it's me, Xing'er! Your most beloved Xing'er! Please beg for mercy from the clan leader, please spare me." He then turned and kowtowed repeatedly towards Li Han's direction, "Clan leader! Li Xing has always been loyal, please discern the truth and spare my life!" As his words fell, the other clansmen, their energies sealed, also began to beg for mercy. However, Li Qiao, his face deathly pale, remained kneeling without moving. Li Han sneered internally, knowing well the events of last night. Though these people might not have participated, they certainly knew something about it. But he just shook his head slightly and said with a smile, "You don't need to beg me. The punishment is up to the elders. I usually don't interfere in these matters. If the elders decide to spare you, I have no objections. Elders, isn't that right?" Seeing Li Han's indifferent expression, the elders felt a chill in their hearts but dared not show it, merely nodding slightly. Moments later, the Third Elder sighed deeply and said in a heavy voice, "If only you had known this would be the outcome, why did you do it in the first place!" With that, he raised his hand, and as his machete swung down, a head fell to the ground. The pleas for mercy grew louder and more numerous, but the Third Elder seemed to see and hear nothing, continuing his grim task. In the end, only Li Qiao remained kneeling. Sensing his impending death, Li Qiao showed no fear, merely looking up at the Third Elder and said coldly, "Third Grandfather, if you had acted earlier, perhaps this chance would not have been lost. With your actions today, you will never achieve anything in the future. And do you think they will easily let you off? I'll go first and wait for you down there!" The Third Elder shook his head slightly, looking at the side-branch genius he had once had high hopes for, and sighed, "Victors become kings, and losers become bandits; this has always been the case. Don't you understand this, even at the point of death?" Li Qiao sneered and said, "I understand, and I accept my fate... But my end is your tomorrow, Third Grandfather. I'll be waiting for you!" With a "puff," the final blow was struck, and Li Qiao's head soared into the air, a fountain of blood spraying from the gaping wound, drenching the Third Elder in red. However, the Third Elder seemed unfazed. He simply saluted Li Han with a cupped fist and said calmly, "Clan leader, the execution is complete. You may continue." Li Yi's indifferent gaze fell on the Third Elder, surprised that without his own orders, the Third Elder managed to handle the situation so cleanly and efficiently. It seems he would have to be more careful with the three Old Coots in the future, lest they turn against him at some point. The scene before them quieted the clansmen, the meaning behind it left for each to interpret. "Alright," Li Han said indifferently, as if blind to the corpses around him, "Since this matter is settled, the next important task is to open the Martial Arts Pavilion. As you all know, this Pavilion is the foundation of our Li family's power in the empire, hence it's always heavily guarded and only opens for a limited time each year. You have three days; what you gain depends on your abilities. However, there's one thing you must be aware of: if anyone remains inside after the time limit, they will be killed on the spot. If anyone is found hoarding secret techniques or scrolls, their families will be punished! Be mindful not to let greed blind you and lead you to regrettable actions." "Yes!" came a unified response, much calmer than before, clearly influenced by the bloody scene. "Then, let's begin," Li Han nodded, turning to face a cliff on the side of the clearing, his expression unspeakably solemn, "I respectfully invite the elders to open the Pavilion!" With his command, the smooth cliff surface suddenly rippled like water waves. To everyone's astonishment, the waves parted like curtains, revealing a huge portal on the cliff face. The portal, built directly into the cliff, likely led to structures within the mountain. A large bronze door sealed the entrance, with three powerful and vigorous characters written on it: "Martial Arts Pavilion." Li Yi smiled faintly, seeing the shock on everyone's faces, "This Martial Arts Pavilion is the greatest secret of our Li family. This place was personally established by our ancestor, a Martial Emperor. These three characters on the door were left by him. It is said that comprehending the secrets of these characters can lead one to breakthrough to the Martial Emperor level." Hearing this, many looked intently at the three characters, silent as if trying to uncover their secrets. Li Han, watching this scene, smiled knowingly. He too had once looked up at this door, yet to this day, he had not unraveled its mysteries.

Li Yi's gaze also fell on the crooked and twisted three characters, and frankly, the handwriting of this Li family ancestor was not particularly impressive. However, for some reason, these crooked characters exuded an astonishing aura that commanded respect. This feeling left Li Yi quite astonished. "Tsk tsk, young one, it seems your Li family's ancestor was quite remarkable!" Just as Li Yi was marveling, the voice of the Venerable Serpent echoed in his mind, laced with undeniable surprise. Li Yi was slightly startled and quickly asked in his mind, "Old Coot, what do you mean?" The Venerable Serpent exclaimed, "This handwriting left by your Li family's ancestor must be several hundred years old, yet the energy contained within it is still strong, as if something is sealed within. If I'm not mistaken, your ancestor put great effort into this seal. If the Li family ever faces a calamity, this seal could lead to a resurgence." Li Yi, knowing the Venerable Serpent's discernment was unlikely to be wrong, asked further, "Old Coot, can you tell what is sealed inside?" After a moment's hesitation, the Venerable Serpent replied, "Unless forcefully broken, who knows what's inside? But I believe it could be either a powerful technique or a legacy that greatly enhances one's strength. Only that would make sense... And young one, your ancestor, to leave this Dou Qi (Martial Qi) seal... he was probably not just a Martial Emperor..."

Above a Martial Emperor? A Martial Venerable?! That was an existence everyone in the Tianfeng Empire looked up to. While Li Yi was taking sharp breaths, a dull booming sound was heard, and the iron gate slowly rose, revealing an extremely dark cave within. As the gate opened, an overwhelming pressure burst forth, causing the faces of the younger generation present to pale. Some with lower cultivation even stepped back, blood seeping from the corners of their mouths. Even Li Yi couldn't help but shiver, and Li Nana beside him turned pale, clearly affected by the sudden outburst. After a while, the intense aura slowly dissipated, and footsteps were heard. Two elders, one with white hair and the other in a white robe, emerged from behind the Martial Arts Pavilion. These two looked exceedingly ordinary, likely to go unnoticed on the street. But upon seeing these two elders, Li Han, the three elders, and other high-ranking Li family members all bowed respectfully, saying in unison, "We greet the Elders."

The two Elders, referred to as such, nodded slightly. The Li family juniors could see that these two had a status even higher than the clan leader. They all bowed respectfully. The two Elders stood there indifferently, the one on the left with slightly squinted eyes, looking drowsy, while the one on the right frowned slightly, glanced at the blood on the ground, and said indifferently, "Next time you kill, do it far away from here. If this happens again, you won't need to enter the Martial Arts Pavilion anymore." Without giving Li Han and the others a chance to explain, as if the internal struggles of the Li family meant nothing to them, his gaze slowly swept over the younger members of the Li family before nodding, "This time's candidates are not bad, some are quite promising. Li Han, you should nurture these young ones well. You've wiped out the Ah Da lineage, so if you don't cultivate more talent, won't the Li family's strength weaken?" Li Han smiled wryly, "Elder, I understand." The Elder nodded, "Good... Then enter..." With that, the two Elders slowly walked back in.

Li Han glanced at the dazed youngsters, coughed, and said, "What are you waiting for? Go in!" As his words fell, they quickly followed, even the girls who had been around Li Yi excitedly walked over. In a short while, the once crowded clearing was nearly empty. Watching the diminishing crowd, Li Yi smiled faintly, turning to Li Nana, "Let's go, Nana, let's see what remarkable things are inside this Martial Arts Pavilion." Knowing that the Li family's ancestor might be above a Martial Emperor, Li Yi was even more expectant of the Pavilion. Li Nana, having cast aside her gloomy mood, smiled sweetly and quickly followed.

Watching the two approach, Li Han's gaze held a trace of strangeness. He quickly glanced towards the Martial Arts Pavilion before stepping swiftly to Li Yi's side and whispered, "Yi'er, remember, the higher you go inside, the more advanced the techniques and martial arts will be. But those are ordinary things. The real treasures are in the hands of those two Elders. If you can gain their favor, the benefits are unimaginable... Remember, both Elders are Martial Kings. You must be careful not to offend them!" A Martial King? It seems these two Elders are also part of the Li family's trump cards. Li Yi thought to himself, at this moment, even a Martial Warrior was an existence he had to look up to. Seeing Li Han's expression, Li Yi nodded slightly, showing a light smile, "Father, I understand."