Chapter 762: Threat

He picked up the person, tossed him into the hands of a nearby trusted aide, paused briefly, and then ordered: "Send him to Kong Guxi."

The aide led the person away. Only then did a young man, who seemed to have been waiting for a long time, enter from outside the hall. He cupped his hands in greeting as he approached. Li Jiangxia's demeanor softened considerably as he said: "Xuantong, you've arrived just in time."

An Xuantong was the most outstanding person of his generation in the An clan. A year older than Li Jiangxia, he already possessed Qi-refinement cultivation. He had previously been in seclusion in the dense forest, where he cultivated the third-grade martial art, the 'Azure Cliff White Smoke Art,' a lineage of the Jiang family. This practice only became possible after Yuzhen returned and spiritual energy was restored.

He seemed to have just rushed back, dusty from his journey. Cupping his hands, he took a jade pendant from his sleeve and replied: "My Lord, your subordinate has just come from the dense forest. Lord Cui sent a message. This jade has been nurtured by his spirit. If there is any change in the wilderness, crush this talisman, and Lord Cui will come to assist."

"Good." Li Jiangxia tucked the item into his sleeve and stepped out, listening as An Xuantong murmured: "I heard that Xuanyue has lost its influence. Many small clans on the wilderness border are showing signs of wavering, flirting with the Immortal Capital Dao. Neither side is at peace."

Li Jiangxia was unconcerned and replied: "No need to worry about it now. After all, they are still Xuanyue's people. If they truly defect to the Immortal Capital, it would be a disgrace to Xuanyue. My brother is extremely vengeful, and the clan remembers everything. Once things settle down... they'll get what's coming to them."

Instead, he asked: "Lord An... disappeared... and with so many things happening now, has your family been at peace these days?"

An Xuantong replied respectfully: "The An clan has been loyal for generations, serving as old officials for five generations. The entire family is worried about clan affairs. Several younger brothers have emerged from seclusion, and the elders have repeatedly petitioned to come east and fight the Immortal Capital, but unfortunately, they were stopped by the venerable elder..."

Unlike the taciturn An Siwei of previous generations, An Xuantong seemed much more opinionated. Li Jiangxia knew he wasn't just being polite. The An and Chen families were arguably the most deeply intertwined with the Li clan, firmly bound to the Li family's war chariot. Whenever something happened to the Li family, these two clans were the most anxious. Li Jiangxia simply replied: "Elder Zheyuan is old; he doesn't need to take risks anymore. Leave these matters to the younger generation... Has Pei Xie emerged from seclusion? I'll go see him; you handle the matters below."

An Xuantong quickly nodded and replied: "Lord Pei is handling affairs in the wilderness."

Pei Xie was a rogue cultivator in the wilderness and a close friend of Li Jiangxia's, whom he had known for five or six years. This rogue cultivator possessed great talent and was somewhat older. Thanks to the resources provided by Li Jiangxia during their acquaintance, his cultivation had reached the late stage of Qi-refinement.

As Li Jiangxia's most trusted subordinate, An Xuantong had already arranged everything. After reporting the location and seeing Li Jiangxia off, he turned back and sought out another person.

An Xuantong inquired about the previous matter. After listening to his subordinate explain everything clearly, he fell silent for a moment and then sighed: "Good advice is lost on a fool destined to die. That man surnamed Fu was courting death. I repeatedly suppressed him before, but he thought I was afraid of him stealing my thunder. He waited until I was in seclusion and went to court his own demise."

He sneered and asked: "So be it then. Did the Lord send him to the lake... or to Xuanyue?"

"To Xuanyue, my lord."

Upon hearing this, An Xuantong mused: 'This is likely to prevent the Eldest Young Master from making an issue out of Xuanyue... It seems the Third Young Master still pities the common people of the wilderness... So, even if they have to retreat next, they will probably try to hold off the Immortal Capital and bring more people back to the east bank...'

'But this delivery... will make things difficult for Xuanyue... Fu En, after all, was considered loyal, and this might discourage some people.'

Having anticipated this, he immediately began preparations. He consulted some scrolls and instructed several cultivators to take them to his location. After a moment of hesitation, he returned and found someone to send a message across the lake, whispering: "The fall of Xuanyue's main gate and Fu En's sudden death during his breakthrough were already extremely sensitive matters. Now, at such a crucial time, the man named Fu, instead of keeping a low profile, went out and courted death. He's certainly doomed now. The Fu family may not survive. If anyone hopes to intercede on their behalf, our family absolutely must not agree."

***

**The Wilderness.**

Kong Guxi had just returned from the lake, feeling a chill in his feet. Behind him, Kong Qiuyan hurriedly went to instruct the disciples. The sect leader quickly walked to the front of the hall, where indeed a crowd of people awaited him.

Their expressions varied. Some were families of former disciples who had escaped from Shanji, hoping for a place to settle. Others were local cultivators from the wilderness edge whose mountains had been seized by the Immortal Capital Dao, and they came seeking help. There were also people from the Kong clan's main family... Xuanyue's new sect gate was not as spacious as the welcoming peak of their former gate. With so many people now, they were shoulder to shoulder, and upon seeing their sect master, a cacophony of complaints erupted.

Kong Guxi had no time to say more. A grey cloud descended from the sky, and the mountain instantly fell silent. From above, a voice proclaimed: "The Guo clan of Chijiao Island has come to visit the Kong clan! Please make yourselves known!"

Chijiao Island had a bad reputation. At this point, whether they were former clan cultivators or those looking for an easy gain, everyone scattered like the wind. Kong Guxi understood his own predicament: seventy percent of his disciples were half-hearted, yet he hadn't expected the news to leak out so widely that: 'Before anyone had even left... they had already come knocking.'

Then, from the grey cloud, descended a middle-aged man in a splendid red robe. He was at the Foundation Establishment realm, his cultivation having reached its peak. A token hung at his waist, and behind him, a group of Chijiao cultivators formed a procession. Although the man had a somber appearance, his entourage gave him an imposing presence.

"May I ask, esteemed sir..." Kong Guxi stepped forward to greet him, listening as the other man said with a cold face: "Guo Hongjian, from Chijiao Island."

Although Kong Guxi didn't recognize the man, he knew he was from the main lineage. He quickly ushered him to the main seat. Guo Hongjian ignored him, didn't accept the tea offered, and simply asked: "Regarding the Qi extraction, have you consulted with your master, fellow Daoist?"

Kong Guxi's expression suddenly changed. When Chijiao had inquired before, they called it the Kong clan, not Xuanyue. Now, he wasn't addressed as sect master, and the Li family was called "your master"... The implication was that Xuanyue had already fallen, and his Kong clan had become an outsider's surname...

While the reality might not be far off, the Li clan didn't acknowledge it, nor was Xuanyue reconciled to it. All the visiting families showed respect; how could Chijiao Island compare? Kong Guxi was furious but dared not speak his mind. He simply replied respectfully: "Fellow Daoist Guo, I have received a reply. The wilderness is a chaotic battlefield... The Immortal Capital Dao is eyeing Xuanyue covetously, ready to move west at any time. Your esteemed clan needs to extract Qi to build palaces, but I fear the war will spread, making it inconvenient for your sect to proceed."

Guo Hongjian heard this unpleasantly, knowing only that Kong Guxi was implicitly refusing. He cursed: "Your Xuanyue, your Xuanyue! You Xuanyue still need to consult the Li clan! What 'Xuanyue' is there left to speak of? A few remnants, it's good enough that I haven't crushed a few of you to death; yet you're here acting with me!"

Kong Guxi gritted his teeth, but Guo Hongjian stepped forward again and cursed: "You, Kong! Was it not your family who instigated the matter of the Mingfang Heavenly Stone back then? How many times did you stir up trouble from within? When my sister was ordered to enter the inner sea, wasn't it also you who blocked her at Xian Lake... causing her to detour and miss her opportunity? When has Xuanyue ever lacked underhanded dealings over the years? And now you dare to procrastinate with me here, bringing up old scores! A few of you don't even have enough lives to pay for it!"

Kong Qiuyan, standing behind him, turned pale. Kong Guxi, however, whispered: "The matter of Qi extraction is decided by the Lake; it's not something a minor cultivator can decide. You don't need to vent your anger on me, esteemed sir."

"Go and call a member of the Li family!"

Guo Hongjian was no stranger to the Li family. He was an old acquaintance, having fought Li Qinghong during the North-South conflict and later escorted the Mingfang Heavenly Stone in the East Sea, almost catching Li Xijun. His clan sending him here, Guo Hongjian naturally knew the reason. 'It's nothing more than testing Li Xi... Zhenren Zhaojing. I'm afraid it won't cause much trouble!'

He then said: "I see you're just putting on a submissive act. Call a member of the Li family here!"

Kong Guxi silently retreated, whispering: "Go to the dense forest and invite someone."

Only then did Guo Hongjian take his seat. After a short while, a person paced in from outside the hall. With finely arched eyebrows and downcast eyes, they could only be considered somewhat comely, but their temperament was elegant, and they wore a purple robe. Guo Hongjian glanced at them and asked: "Who are you?"

Cui Jueyin had just hurried over from the dense forest. His Cui clan was also a power in the East Sea; how could he not know what people from Chijiao Island were like? The relationship between his Cui clan and Chijiao was not good either. He said calmly: "Cui Jueyin of Wangyue, governing the dense forest and overseeing the eastern wilderness."

Guo Hongjian drank his tea and said: "Not surnamed Li... a Cui is the same. My Chijiao clan wishes to extract Qi in the wilderness; your esteemed clan only needs to yield a piece of land."

The young man opposite him was composed and replied: "It's not that our Wangyue Lake refuses to lend it. Your esteemed clan uses merged flames, and Qi extraction might harm living beings. Moreover, the inner sea is not like the outer sea; such acts that violate the harmony of nature cannot be undertaken lightly. Hengzhu and Jianmen both uphold the righteous path and cannot tolerate such conduct."

Without waiting for Guo Hongjian to erupt, Cui Jueyin continued: "This is our family's consideration, fearing that fellow Daoist might suffer here and damage Chijiao's reputation. If fellow Daoist is unafraid, I can bring this matter up again on your behalf and consult with the Lake."

Guo Hongjian's expression was not pleasant. Seeing Cui Jueyin's calm demeanor, he merely squinted and said: "If Wangyue cannot help with this matter, and I don't receive news within three days, it's not as if I must rely on Wangyue. Once the Immortal Capital crosses the border, Qi can still be extracted in the wilderness."

Listening to Guo Hongjian's threat, Cui Jueyin calmly cupped his hands and replied: "Fellow Daoist Guo speaks truly. Once the Immortal Capital crosses the border, you can extract Qi yourself. When the Immortal Capital enters, if your Chijiao clan intervenes as an accomplice and slaughters everyone clean, let's see how Jianmen and Ziyan react."

"Fellow Daoist, you came to the inner sea; be careful not to cross the line and die in the wilderness. Chijiao won't be able to say anything."

Guo Hongjian, furious, laughed instead and replied: "Very well... I'd like to see who your family uses to defend the wilderness."

Although Cui Jueyin's cultivation was inferior to his, his imposing presence didn't yield an inch. He sneered: "Go ahead, fellow Daoist. But don't laugh too soon, lest a True Man slaps you dead in the wilderness."

Cui Jueyin flicked his sleeve and departed. Guo Hongjian was somewhat uncertain now, as it was a matter concerning his life. He mused: 'I still need to visit Zhenren Ye Gui's sect gate and listen to divine instructions... This man surnamed Cui also seems to have some backing; I should investigate him.'

Guo Hongjian also departed on the wind. The two parted ways unhappily. Kong Guxi, who had been waiting nearby, felt a sigh of relief. He wasn't afraid of the two falling out and arguing; what he feared more was the Li family backing down and negotiating.

Now that the doors were properly shut and the grand formation was operating, Kong Guxi finally said: "Cui Jueyin is firm; the Lake still has trump cards."

Kong Qiuyan nodded, responding with some apprehension: "I hope so."

Kong Guxi sighed: "Now that the sect gate is gone, my Xuanyue truly owes the Fu family. We should take good care of them from now on."

Kong Qiuyan only nodded. Kong Guxi carefully observed the woman's haggard appearance. The past two years of life had clearly tormented Kong Qiuyan's spirit. The unique composure of a noble family's child had slipped away from her, replaced by a cautious trepidation. Kong Guxi felt a bitter taste in his mouth as he replied: "Yan'er, I was also narrow-minded... When the North-South conflict was approaching, and the sect discussed an alliance with the Li clan through marriage, I still clung to the airs of an immortal sect, thinking I shouldn't let you marry down..."

"At that time, when Li Xicheng died, Aunt Tingyun still had you meet Li Xijun once, and you also thought he was a remarkable person. But we old diehards and self-important people completely blocked it... Otherwise... otherwise..."

Kong Qiuyan didn't answer him immediately. After a pause, she said: "Otherwise what? Otherwise, the sect would be much better off now? Or are you saying I would be a widow by now? Although you are devoted to the sect, such words should not be spoken. Qiuyan still has sect matters to attend to, so I will withdraw first."

She exited through a side door. Kong Guxi hadn't expected such a response and was stunned in place, hearing a chaotic, rapid banging from the hall doors.

Kong Guxi's heart still felt empty, but his body reacted sooner, moving to open the door. He saw an old man urgently knocking at the door. Kong Guxi opened it in a daze, seeing a person pressed down in the courtyard below, clad in luxurious robes, their face indiscernible. The old man, Kong Guli, was red-faced and whispered: "Sect Master, Fu Jie instigated trouble with the Third Young Master, intending to harm the direct lineage. He has been subdued and sent here to the hall... The Third Young Master's intention is... for the Sect Master to handle it himself."

Kong Guxi felt his vision blacken and almost fainted. He steadied himself and asked: "Is he Elder Fu En's direct descendant? Fu Jie... yes, I've heard that name before."

Seeing the person beside him nod, Kong Guxi felt his mouth go dry. The man from the Fu family knelt before the hall, still seemingly groaning, murmuring incomprehensibly. Kong Guxi was bewildered. He pulled his brother aside and asked: "Didn't they say... he was quite clever, exceptionally bold, and often spoke astonishing words? How did he end up instigating discord to such an extent!"

No one around him answered, let alone Kong Guli, who wasn't very clear on the situation to begin with. The person on the ground also couldn't speak, just whimpering. Kong Guxi finally found someone from down the mountain to come up. After listening to their report for a while, his heart burned with fury. He grabbed Fu Jie by the collar and said: "Is this the time for you to be clever? You, a child who grew up in the sect, protected for generations, how could you meddle in immortal clan affairs at the Lake... showing off your petty cleverness..."

Fu Jie's chest wound hadn't healed yet, and his pale lips trembled a few times. Fearing he would speak, Kong Guxi quickly threw him heavily to the ground, interrupting his words. With a "clash," he drew his sword and brought it down with full force.

He acted too hastily. With a squelching sound, the person before him was split in two. Red, green, white, and yellow fluids spilled out, splashing onto Kong Guxi's feet. The sect master stepped back, threw down his sword with a clatter, dizzy and unable to look at the remains on the ground. He only said: "Quickly send someone to thank the Third Young Master!"