Chapter 499: The Power of One Arrow

Yuan Hudou suppressed the fear in his heart. His mind went blank for a moment as he weighed the pros and cons, then he immediately cupped his hands and declared loudly, "General, Hudou pays his respects!"

Yuan Hudou feared that Li Xuanfeng would silently kill him and depart. His shout instantly drowned out all other sounds in the courtyard. Those drinking stopped, and those offering congratulations fell silent. Everyone's gazes turned, staring blankly at the platform, and began to whisper: "Who is that person... Is he here to offer congratulations? How can Yuan Hudou treat him with such deference?" "He's a Foundation Establishment cultivator!" "It seems he's not here for good reasons..."

As everyone's eyes turned towards him, Li Xuanfeng stood with his arms crossed. A sharp glint slowly appeared in his eyes. His back was straight, and his broad shoulders cast a dark shadow over Yuan Hudou. His voice was low and his tone steady: "I am unworthy of the title 'General' from Patriarch Yuan. I am merely an official serving in the Southern Border. I heard that a child from my family was wronged, so I came to inquire with Patriarch Yuan."

His words were not loud, but the courtyard was already so silent that a pin drop could be heard. The cultivators, with their keen senses, heard every word clearly. They exchanged glances and then all lowered their heads. Each harbored their own thoughts: some sneered, some were horrified, some worried for the two families, but most were simply gloating—all watching with cold eyes.

'So, it's someone from the Li family!''From what he says... there's a hidden story here...'

Li Xuanfeng's reputation was currently resounding, firstly accumulated from his countless killings of demons and people, and secondly, spread by word of mouth among the direct descendants of the Seven Sects encountered in the Grotto-heavens and overseas.

Although he rarely took action within the country, and most people did not recognize his face or attire, once he spoke, mentioning the Southern Border and identifying himself as a General, everyone recognized him. They all muttered to themselves:

"It's Li Xuanfeng, the Golden Gengstrung... the Divine Bow of the Southern Border!"

Yuan Fuyao's face paled, and he quietly retreated into the crowd. He had long heard that the matter between the two families had become a broken engagement, but Yuan Fuyao had no solution. Yuan Hudou had repeatedly assured him not to worry, but now, looking at the old man in black and gold armor on the platform, he felt increasingly bewildered.

Sweat beaded on Yuan Hudou's forehead. His life was at stake at this moment, and he couldn't utter any harsh words. But if he yielded, he would offend the Li family and then simultaneously offend the Chi family, making his elaborate plan worthless. He could only let out a long sigh and remain silent.

Seeing his silence, Li Xuanfeng said softly, "Your esteemed clan falsely created rumors, publicly shaming my family. Due to the long-standing friendship between our two families, my elder brother did not wish to cause further dispute and disrespect our ancestors. However, I do not possess such magnanimity; this matter cannot simply be left at that."

Yuan Hudou reluctantly met his gaze. He saw a sharp glint in the old general's eyes, a piercing gaze full of warning, yet with little anger, as if he was saying, 'Very well, if you wish to show the Chi family your stance, then I shall let them see it to their heart's content!'

Yuan Hudou understood that the matter would not end peacefully. He could only sigh slowly, recalling his elder brother Yuan Huyu's warning in his mind, and replied, "What does the General intend?"

Li Xuanfeng lightly ran his hand over the black and gold beast-head on his waist, and a large bow appeared in his hand. Yuan Hudou's eyelids twitched slightly at the sight, and those below the platform all recoiled, simultaneously taking a step back.

For no other reason than that the longbow was truly too formidable.

The golden bow was about eight feet long, its tips extending over three feet, displaying both gold and red colors and shimmering with light all over. The golden and bloody aura emanating from it seemed to surge into the sky, making it appear as a murderous weapon responsible for countless deaths of people and demons.

The cultivators below slowly retreated. Only then did they truly understand Yuan Hudou's terror beneath his sweating face. Hearing a reputation was never as impactful as seeing it with one's own eyes. Seeing that Foundation Establishment cultivators were about to fight, some had already cupped their hands in farewell, but more people, unable to resist their curiosity, watched silently.

The Song family patriarch, who was only at the late Qi Condensation stage, trembled with fear and moved away. Li Xuanfeng simply looked at Yuan Hudou and said hoarsely, "I offer the Patriarch two paths."

He slowly leveled the longbow, and the quiver at his waist clanged. "I understand the Patriarch is cautious, always accompanied by cultivators when he goes out," he said. "You can certainly try if the hidden man and demon in the mountains, two Foundation Establishment cultivators, can collectively protect the Patriarch. However, once this Mystic Arrow is unleashed, it is bound to draw blood."

Yuan Hudou secretly let out a sigh of relief, understanding that Li Xuanfeng was ultimately sparing his life and that this arrow was likely for the Chi family to witness. He thought to himself, "No matter how formidable you, Li Xuanfeng, are, what can the power of one arrow possibly do?"

However well he understood the other party's bottom line, he dared not truly provoke him with words. He simply cupped his hands and replied, "Then, General, please unleash your arrow."

Seeing Li Xuanfeng nod, Yuan Hudou unceremoniously rose into the air, carried by the wind. Two talismans in his sleeve rapidly burned, and he sped away like a comet. Two shining shields appeared on his body, looking very reliable.

Following his movements, Li Xuanfeng drew his bow and nocked an arrow. A golden-red spirit arrow leaped from his quiver. Golden light illuminated the longbow, brightening the surroundings, and the smoothly polished stone tiles on the ground sparkled, reflecting a hazy golden glow.

"Buzzzzz..." Everyone felt as if their faces were being cut by knives. The fine wine and delicacies on the tables all began to tremble, clanking and clattering loudly. The golden radiance flowing from Li Xuanfeng's armor grew increasingly brighter as he slowly ascended into the sky.

The arrow on the longbow in his hand was precisely the one that had been refined by the Six Ding Conflation Fire and the "Stop Conflict" technique. Now meticulously crafted and inscribed with complex array patterns, it emitted a brilliant radiance, bursting forth with streams of astral qi.

After counting twenty breaths, the cultivators in the courtyard had already retreated outside. Li Xuanfeng gently released his hand.

"Hum...""Bang!"Numerous jade cups and jade pots on the tables in the courtyard burst apart. Shattered jade and clear wine splattered everywhere, raining down like countless drops. The courtyard seemed to be swept by a violent gale; tables and chairs collapsed, leaving a scene of utter chaos.

As these objects rained down on them, everyone raised their sleeves to shield themselves. But their spiritual senses, which had long been locked onto the golden bow, suddenly felt an emptiness, catching nothing.

"So fast." The golden arrow had already vanished. Everyone could only look up towards the distance, where a dark silhouette in the sky fell dismally like a bird with broken wings. Everyone exchanged anxious glances; Li Xuanfeng, who had been on the platform, had already disappeared.

"Ah?!" Li Xuanfeng was not being arrogant. His Mystic Arrow was now completely different; even without his golden bow, if taken out alone, it was a Foundation Establishment magic artifact.

What was even more remarkable was that it had been tempered by the Conflation Fire. This Mystic Arrow could retain astral qi for a long time and could pre-store Golden Astral Qi. Since Yuan Hudou's immortal foundation, cultivation technique, and cultivation level were all beneath his, Li Xuanfeng could thus determine that this arrow was enough to awe everyone and avenge his past humiliation.

Now that the arrow had been shot, he naturally activated a magical technique and drifted eastward.

"Quick, save the Patriarch!" Everyone feared Yuan Hudou would die there. The Song family patriarch, terrified, immediately rose into the air using wind. Everyone dispersed like scattered clouds in the wind, leaving only Yuan Fuyao and a handful of others standing bewildered in the courtyard.

Yuan Hudou was flying through the wind. Although he believed one arrow from Li Xuanfeng wouldn't be too severe, he was also a cautious person and did not take it lightly. He continuously used two talismans and took out a spirit shield from his storage bag.

Placing the earth-colored spirit shield behind him, Yuan Hudou finally felt a bit of security. A thought crossed his mind: there were still eleven breaths of time left.

"The further, the better!" Relying on his past experience, he pressed forward without pause. After a moment of hesitation, he thought to himself, "After all, he's a direct descendant of the Three Sects; I absolutely cannot be careless."

Yuan Hudou actually reversed his spiritual power. A flush appeared on his face, and his essence and energy surged and receded as he unleashed an escape technique that consumed his essence and vital blood. His figure became a series of bloody afterimages as he sped away.

A buzzing, piercing sound suddenly rang in his ears, and two gashes appeared on his cheeks. Before Yuan Hudou could react with alarm, he felt an emptiness in his chest.

He lowered his head, only to see a gaping hole where his heart and lungs should be. Only then did the sound of his shield shattering reach his ears; the earthy-yellow spirit shield had been sent flying, deeply embedded in the cliff.

Yuan Hudou nearly suffocated and passed out. His eyes stared blankly at the sky, and he spewed out mouthfuls of bloody foam.

His tenacious will saved his life. He forcibly stabilized his cultivation within his body, while the Immortal Foundation's "Fixed Origin Spring," which rejuvenated vitality and maintained the body, rapidly circulated, sustaining his life.

He fumbled for a jade box, crushed it with a bang, and hastily swallowed the glowing spirit flower inside. A flush immediately appeared on his face, and only then did his life hang on.

He quickly drew a breath, but the magical wind beneath his feet had been violently shattered by the domineering golden qi. Unable to spare any spiritual power to control the magical wind, he fumbled for a round object in his storage bag.

This spirit item was vermilion, resembling neither flesh nor earth, yet it ceaselessly twitched. Yuan Hudou stuffed it into the gaping hole in his chest where his heart and lungs had been. Only then did he have the energy to control the wind.

But he was dizzy, only feeling streams of Golden Astral Qi lingering in his body. The wind beneath his feet would form and disperse repeatedly. He paused briefly in the air, breaking countless trees as he fell, and finally landed on the ground with a thud.

His fall knocked down many trees and startled a multitude of birds and beasts. However, being a Foundation Establishment cultivator and having managed to pause twice in mid-air, he did not fall too terribly.

But he was critically wounded. Although this fall wasn't enough to kill him, he still lost consciousness. The spirit shield then flew out from the mountain and landed beside him with a clang.

The onlookers stopped, one by one descending, circling Yuan Hudou. All were too shocked to speak, only sensing his faint breath. Before they could examine him closely, a grey mist had already plunged into the crowd, quickly transforming into a human figure. It picked up Yuan Hudou from the ground and vanished.

This grey mist was naturally the Yuan family's protective demon beast. It didn't forget to scoop up the spirit shield from the ground and thoroughly wiped away the bloodstains on the sand to prevent them from falling into others' hands, then quickly disappeared into the horizon.

The cultivators could only exchange glances and retreat. One of them looked around and sighed, "The power of a single arrow, to this extent!"

The person beside him nodded sympathetically and replied, "I never expected the Li family to still have such a figure after Li Chijing's disappearance! To bully someone's orphaned child... Looking at him barely clinging to life, it's not that he couldn't kill him; he simply spared his life out of sentiment!"

Qingdu Mountain. "Chen Yang... Chen Mufeng..." Li Xijun was sitting at a table, explaining the previous events in detail. Two old men were sitting in front of him.

The elder leading them, dressed in a wide-sleeved Daoist robe, listened carefully with a very gentle expression. He was at the ninth level of Qi Condensation cultivation. The other was one-armed, seemingly of mixed qi, with a serious expression and a head full of white hair.

"Venerable Elders, that is how the matter stands." After Li Xijun finished speaking, the elder in the wide-sleeved Daoist robe sighed and nodded, replying, "I understand."

This person was Chen Donghe. Time had flowed like water, and he had spent another decade or so at Qi Condensation. This elder was diligent and conscientious, with no other hobbies besides occasionally sitting on Xiping Mountain.

As for the other person, he was the oldest elder of the Li family, named Li Qiuyang. He had been injured in the market and also burned by Conflation Fire, but was fully rescued. Now his hair and beard were withered, his eyes dim, and he could barely move his hands.

Yet this elder still nodded and replied, "We shall go to the Chen family now!"

These two were Chen Mufeng's master and an elder of the Chen family, respectively. Li Xijun naturally trusted them and said softly, "It's just a suggestion; you don't need to take it too seriously."

Li Xijun watched as the two departed, then calmly returned to his high seat. Li Yuexiang, who was nearby, blinked and said softly, "Brother takes things very seriously."

Li Chengliao also stood to the side, seemingly having something to report, but he hadn't found an opportunity to speak. Li Xijun sighed, "I see that young man's eyes are unyielding. Although the heir can subdue him... those of us guarding the family cannot let things proceed unrestrained. We naturally need to add a few more chains to feel at ease."

"Chengming Zhouxing's talent is not very high, perhaps it was entirely taken by Zhou Wei alone. If he has to support himself alone, he will inevitably struggle. But if Chen Yang is utilized well, he can be worth dozens of people."

Li Yuexiang nodded slightly without speaking, but Li Xijun, after careful consideration, solemnly beckoned the two over. "Yuexiang, Chengliao, listen carefully."

Li Yuexiang immediately focused her attention, and Li Chengliao also looked over with a solemn expression. Only then did Li Xijun say softly, "Looking at the generations of those in power in our family, how many have died violently, perished, been cursed, or been assassinated? How many have successfully retired? Even ordinary families in town would not have such a succession of sudden deaths generation after generation. Those who sit as the leaders of Qingdu and Zhongdian must be prepared for their own demise and the vanishing of their cultivation."

"I operate in Qingdu, and Chengliao manages the family in Lijing; both must guard against the slightest sign of trouble. But if it comes to trading piece for piece..."

Li Xijun paused, then said gently, "Do not be stingy with your lives, and even more importantly, plan for centuries ahead."

The two nodded. Li Xijun put away the wooden slip in his hand. Li Chengliao stepped forward and said respectfully, "Reporting, Eighth Uncle, Patriarch Xuanfeng appeared at the Song family's wedding, stating that he intends to settle all grievances between the two families!"

"The Patriarch only released one arrow, nearly annihilating Yuan Hudou's body and spirit, leaving him barely clinging to life, sustained by our family's Wanling Flower. He was then rescued by the Yuan family!"

Li Xijun's eyebrows rose slightly upon hearing this. He had known that Li Xuanfeng would certainly go to intimidate them this time, but he hadn't expected his ferocious might to reach such a degree. He said softly to Li Yuexiang, who was beside him, "Little sister, the Patriarch has avenged you!"