Chapter Twelve: A Battle of Sorcery in the Night

At this moment, the solid dharma body of City Lord Zhao’s father drew a talisman in mid-air. Soon, a charm inscribed with mysterious purple runes condensed and shot rapidly toward Old Master Li.

Old Master Li sensed a terrifying fluctuation of power emanating from the talisman. He grabbed his only heir, Li Dan, and leaped into the sky, yet he could not shake off the talisman’s pursuit.

"Zhao Yuan, do not forget that your son’s life is still in my hands. Do you really want to fight me until one of us is dead?" Old Master Li cried out, seeing that the talisman was about to strike.

"Release my son now, and I will spare your life. I can see that you are the type of person who would sacrifice everything just to survive. Your family is merely a stepping stone on your path of cultivation; you could go much further, so there is no need to court death." As Zhao Yuan spoke, he moved his mind, and the purple talisman instantly dissolved into nothingness.

Seeing the talisman vanish, Old Master Li finally exhaled, relieved that his life was spared, while inwardly acknowledging that Zhao Yuan’s strength far surpassed his own. To Old Master Li, as long as he remained alive, he could always establish a new family.

"Cough, cough! Father, kill this old dog to vent my anger! I am willing to sacrifice everything for you!" Having returned from the brink of death, the City Lord roared like a madman.

Zhao Yuan sighed at his incompetent son and turned to threaten Old Master Li: "The events of today must not be known by a fourth person. Do you understand?"

Old Master Li nodded repeatedly, promising he understood what to do next. Satisfied with the answer, Zhao Yuan’s dharma body dissipated into ash, scattering into the wind.

Old Master Li then waved his wide sleeve, generating a powerful suction that pulled all the surrounding mansion guards into it. The "World within a Sleeve" technique was indeed effective. Liu An remained unaffected, standing silently as he watched the guards struggle in vain.

When only five people remained before the Li mansion, Old Master Li waved his sleeve and asked in a calm tone: "Young friend Liu An, would you be willing to let me place a brand upon your soul? Do not be nervous; it is merely to ensure that today’s events do not leak. You know what Zhao Yuan’s orders were, so you see..."

He waited for Liu An to make his choice. Liu An was deeply conflicted. Though he did not know if the brand would harm him, based on his brief impression of Old Master Li, he was highly resistant. Looking up at the old man, Liu An replied politely: "This junior is willing to swear by my master's name. How about that?"

Old Master Li’s face turned gloomy instantly. "Refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit. Since you refuse to obey, I can only kill you, then flee overseas. I do not believe that the Master—"

"An old dog riddled with evil karma dares to threaten my junior brother? Behold the sword!"

A pitch-black sword, wreathed in the forces of wind and thunder, arrived at Old Master Li’s neck in an instant from thousands of miles away. Old Master Li’s reaction was extremely swift; he transformed into a wisp of green smoke to escape, but he was not faster than the sword’s light. A cut appeared on his neck, drawing a few drops of blood.

Old Master Li felt a profound sense of humiliation. Having just broken through his cultivation bottleneck, he had been bullied twice in succession. Even a clay figurine has a temper.

Before he could act, however, the black sword instantly transformed into a hundred-meter-long black dragon, coiling in the sky. Its massive body exerted a terrifying pressure that shook the souls of every living creature in the city.

Old Master Li’s jaw dropped in shock, and even the hand holding his son trembled. "This is a true dragon manifesting! How can I possibly fight this?"

Amidst this shocking scene, a figure dressed in Confucian robes, holding a scroll, quietly appeared behind Liu An and patted him on the shoulder.

"Junior brother, do not be surprised. That is merely a black dragon; it is only a single opportunity away from leaping over the Dragon Gate."

Hearing the whisper, Liu An was initially tense, but relaxed upon hearing the words. He turned, bowed, and offered a salute: "Greetings, Senior Brother."

Seeing his junior brother was so well-mannered, Jian Yi’s impression of him improved.

Before they could speak further, the black dragon let out a cry of agony that shook the heavens. Seeing the dragon in distress, Jian Yi’s expression turned serious. He leaped into the air, brought his left index and middle fingers together, and drew them across his forehead. A scarlet eye suddenly opened within the flesh of his brow.

"Return!" With that command, the black dragon transformed back into a sword and flew into Jian Yi’s hand.

Old Master Li, who had been gaining confidence as he drove the dragon back, was shocked again by the eye on Jian Yi’s forehead. "You possess a Heavenly Eye? To which sect do you belong?"

Jian Yi could not be bothered to waste words. He channeled his power and swung three sword beams in rapid succession. Old Master Li once again felt the threat of death. Each beam carried the power of wind and thunder, blocking all paths of escape; he had no choice but to face them head-on.

Releasing his son, Old Master Li joined his palms, and a twelve-foot golden dharma body enveloped him—the "Immovable Mountain" golden form.

Though Old Master Li had activated his ultimate defensive posture, when the sword beams struck, the golden body offered no resistance, slicing through like a knife through tofu. One strike severed the head, one pierced the heart, and one struck the soul.

Though filled with resentment, Old Master Li’s figure slowly dissipated into nothingness.

Yet, just as Jian Yi believed he had slain his foe and returned his sword to its sheath, Old Master Li’s son, Li Dan, burned his blood essence at the moment of his father’s death, teleporting thousands of miles away to a dense forest. To be safe, Li Dan used a transformation technique, turning into a bird perched on a branch.

"That was close, that was close..." Before he could celebrate his survival, an unexpected event occurred.

"Son, do not resist. Open your mind and let your father in."

Though confused, Li Dan cautiously refused: "Father, you have already lost your physical body. Why struggle? Place your hopes in me instead; I will surely restore the glory of the Li family and avenge you."

"Ungrateful wretch! You dare defy my will? You are truly beyond saving."

A long, agonizing roar echoed through the forest.

Back to Liu An. Jian Yi, who had intended to close his Heavenly Eye, suddenly opened it wide again, glaring at a pavilion.

"Have you seen enough? Why hide? If you do not reveal yourself, I shall see to it that your soul is utterly destroyed."

"Oh, what bold words. Even if the Master himself were here, he would still show me a modicum of respect. Why is your heart so filled with the desire to kill?"

The doors and windows of the pavilion flew open. A woman dressed in graceful, flowing silks drifted into the sky, light as air, toward Jian Yi.

As she drew closer, her appearance became clear: she wore sheer, layered gauze with fluttering ribbons, and her figure was alluring. Four white tails swayed behind her in the wind, and a small bell was tied to the ankle of her long, fair leg.

The woman stood in the air, facing Jian Yi. With every step she took, lotus flowers bloomed in the void.

Liu An felt he had learned a great lesson today, realizing his own insignificance. Even with connections, without true strength, one was still at the mercy of others.