"Family Head. This is terrible. Something disastrous has happened."
The cry of alarm instantly shattered the warm atmosphere of the banquet. A Xi Family martial artist rushed into the hall in a state of panic, his steps unsteady and his expression pale.
"What is all this commotion? Calm yourself," Xi Dong said sternly. He then asked in a measured tone, "What happened? Speak clearly."
"Reporting to the Family Head," the martial artist replied as he swallowed hard, forcing himself to steady his nerves. "According to the spies our Xi Family has planted within the Zhang Family, last night Zhang Yuanfeng, the Zhang Family Head, successfully broke through to the Xiantian Realm."
"What?"
"Zhang Yuanfeng has actually broken through to the Xiantian Realm?"
"The Zhang Family has always been our mortal enemy. Previously, because Zhang Yuanfeng and our Family Head were both Half Step Xiantian cultivators, neither side dared act recklessly. That balance kept the peace. Now that Zhang Yuanfeng has entered the Xiantian Realm, he has become the undisputed number one expert in Phoenix Flame City. He will definitely move against our Xi Family."
"This is bad. Truly bad."
The hall erupted into shocked murmurs. The joy everyone had felt from Xi Dong’s recovery vanished in an instant.
Xi Dong’s expression darkened as well. However, as the Family Head, he did not lose his composure. He asked in a deep voice, "Is there any other news?"
The Xi Family martial artist nodded quickly and continued, "Just now, Zhang Yuanfeng sent someone to deliver an ultimatum to our Xi Family. He says we have two choices. First, we submit to the Zhang Family from this day onward, allowing Phoenix Flame City to have only one voice, the Zhang Family’s. Second, in three days’ time, we engage him in a life and death duel. The victor will control the entire Phoenix Flame City, and the defeated party will be expelled from the city."
"Damn it. Zhang Yuanfeng has only just broken through to the Xiantian Realm, yet he is already acting so arrogant and overbearing," someone shouted angrily.
"And who gave him the confidence to behave this way?" another person said with a bitter smile. "A cultivator at the Xiantian Realm stands at the very top of Phoenix Flame City. There is likely no one here who can rival Zhang Yuanfeng now. He is the undisputed strongest expert in the city."
"This Zhang Yuanfeng is truly scheming. He wants to wipe out our Xi Family while paying the smallest possible price."
Hearing these words, a cold glint flashed through Xi Dong’s eyes. As the Family Head, his thinking was far from shallow. He immediately saw through Zhang Yuanfeng’s intentions.
Although Zhang Yuanfeng had broken through to the Xiantian Realm and now stood unrivaled in Phoenix Flame City, the Xi Family was not a force that could be erased so easily. It had existed for over a century and possessed deep foundations. If Zhang Yuanfeng believed that a single breakthrough would allow him to crush the Xi Family effortlessly, then he was being far too naive.
If he launched a full scale assault and the Xi Family resisted with everything they had, the Zhang Family would also suffer tremendous losses.
That was precisely why Zhang Yuanfeng had chosen to challenge Xi Dong to a life and death duel. If he could kill Xi Dong in that battle, the Xi Family would lose its backbone and fall into chaos. After that, destroying them would be simple.
"Father, what should we do now?" Xi Luo asked anxiously.
"Go and tell the envoy sent by the Zhang Family that in three days’ time, I, Xi Dong, will be waiting at the life and death arena in the city," Xi Dong said firmly as he waved his hand.
"Father, Zhang Yuanfeng has already entered the Xiantian Realm," Xi Luo said urgently. "You have only just recovered from serious injuries. Even if you were in your peak condition, you would still not be his opponent. Agreeing to a life and death duel with him is nothing short of courting death. Father, please do not act on impulse."
"I am no fool daughter but I have no choice but to accept this life and death battle," Xi Dong said quietly.
A helpless, bitter smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
Zhang Yuanfeng’s move was no longer a hidden plot but an open challenge. Everyone could clearly see that this so called life and death battle was a trap, yet there was no way to avoid stepping into it.
If he refused Zhang Yuanfeng’s challenge, rumors would spread through Phoenix Flame City by the next day, claiming that he, Xi Dong, feared Zhang Yuanfeng.
Once that happened, the forces allied with the Xi Family would immediately distance themselves and flock to the Zhang Family. The Xi Family would be stripped of its support, weakened beyond recovery, and in the end, it would still be swallowed by the Zhang Family.
Since destruction was unavoidable, it was better to face it head on and fight with everything he had.
Zhang Yuanfeng had only just broken through to the Xiantian Realm, and his cultivation had yet to fully stabilize. He was still far from the level of a truly established Xiantian expert.
If Xi Dong fought with his life on the line, there was a chance he could severely wound Zhang Yuanfeng, or even force him to fall back to the Half Step Xiantian Realm. That alone could buy the Xi Family a slim chance at survival.
Xi Luo was already at the ninth level of the Innate Realm. If he could trade his life for time, the Xi Family could pour all its resources into helping her break through to the Half Step Xiantian Realm. As long as she succeeded, the Xi Family would still have the strength to stand its ground.
With these thoughts, a decisive and ruthless resolve appeared in Xi Dong’s eyes.
He then turned to Li Yun and spoke with an apologetic expression. "Young Master Li, tonight was meant to be a banquet in your honor, but this unexpected trouble has disrupted everything. Please forgive my poor hospitality. Young Master Li, you should return to your room and rest for now. I will find an opportunity to properly repay you in the future."
"Alright," Li Yun replied calmly.
He understood that the Xi Family was about to convene an important discussion, and as an outsider, he had no place in it. With that, he stood up and quietly left the hall.
Night fell, black as ink.
Beneath the cover of darkness, the vast Xi Family manor lay like an ancient giant beast crouched upon the earth. A heavy and oppressive aura spread from it, lingering in the air above the estate and weighing down the silence of the night.
Inside a quiet room, Li Yun sat cross legged on the bed, calmly circulating the Crimson Flame Scripture at the ninth layer. Threads of spiritual energy from the surrounding air flowed into his body as his cultivation continued in a steady rhythm.
"If no miracle appears within three days, then the Xi Family of Phoenix Flame City will likely become nothing more than history," Li Yun murmured softly.
After completing his cultivation cycle, he slowly opened his eyes, his gaze clear and composed.
With his current strength, he had a seventy to eighty percent chance of dealing with an expert who had only just broken through to the Xiantian Realm. Even so, a question lingered in his mind.
Why should he help the Xi Family?
His intervention in the Misty Mountains had been solely for the sake of the red blood jade ginseng. It had been a straightforward transaction. Saving Xi Luo’s life was already fair compensation for such a treasure.
Later, traveling to Phoenix Flame City and curing Xi Dong had already gone beyond what duty or agreement required. That alone could be considered an act of great kindness.
Li Yun had never believed himself to be a benevolent saint who rushed to help anyone in trouble.
"I hope the Xi Family can encounter a miracle and turn calamity into fortune," Li Yun thought quietly and sighing at the end. "But system is heartless and didn’t give me a mission to save them. I guess he wanted the Xi Family to be exterminated as well."
Although he had no obligation to intervene, Xi Dong and Xi Luo had left him with a favorable impression, and he truly did not wish to see the Xi Family fall into ruin like this.
But he couldn’t help them. He needed a reason, an excuse to help them. A reason from a certain system. Even though he didn’t believe himself to be a saint, he wasn’t heartless guy either.
Just then, a notification suddenly appeared before Li Yun’s eyes.
[Quest Level: D]
– Objective: [Help the Xi Family]
– Reward: [A unique cultivation art.]
Li Yun found himself momentarily at a loss for words before he started laughing. "This is what I have been waiting for!"
If earlier he had no reason to intervene in the Xi Family’s crisis, the system had now placed an unavoidable reason directly in his path. With this mission in front of him, refusing to help the Xi Family was no longer an option.
"A unique cultivation art?" Li Yun pondered silently, curiosity stirring in his eyes. "And there is no EXP reward this time. This is the first time the system has done that. It seems this cultivation art holds far greater value than experience points, at least in the system’s judgment."
After a brief moment of thought, he made his decision.
"In any case, I should inform Xi Luo that I will help," Li Yun said softly to himself.
He rose from his seat without hesitation and left the room to seek her out.

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