"Eliminate future troubles?"
"Li Taiyi, what do you mean by that?" someone asked.
"The gates of the Upper Realm have opened, and the two worlds have merged into one. A battle between my Li Heavenly Clan and the Chu Heavenly Clan is inevitable. If we don't eliminate him now, when will we?" Li Taiyi said coldly.
"This…"
The crowd, which had originally intended to mediate, fell silent — not because they had given up on persuasion, but because, having learned Li Taiyi's true motive, they knew their words would fall on deaf ears.
For Li Taiyi, the treasures here were probably less important than killing the Chu Heavenly Clan Master.
After all, once the Chu Heavenly Clan Master fell, the Chu Heavenly Clan would be leaderless, and no one would be able to stand against the Li Heavenly Clan. The Great Thousand Upper Realm would become theirs for the taking.
But someone still spoke up — the Wuma Heavenly Clan Master.
"Brother Li, Brother Chu has been a close friend of mine for many years. Even if you two are destined to go to war in the future, while we are on my Wuma Heavenly Clan's territory, could you give this old man some face?" The Wuma Heavenly Clan Master stepped forward as he spoke, positioning himself in front of the Chu Heavenly Clan Master and shielding him.
At that moment, a faint smile tugged at the corner of the Chu Heavenly Clan Master's lips.
Adversity reveals true character. Though the Wuma Heavenly Clan Master was typically stingy and harsh, stepping forward like this proved that he valued loyalty and righteousness.
"Brother Wuma, it's not that I won't give you face. But opportunity knocks but once — since he's delivered himself right to my doorstep, how could I possibly let him go?" Li Taiyi sneered coldly. He had no intention of granting the Wuma Heavenly Clan this favor.
"Brother Li, if you insist on making your move, then my Wuma Heavenly Clan will absolutely not stand by and watch," the Wuma Heavenly Clan Master declared.
"Brother Wuma, I don't mean to look down on you, but you ought to ask yourself — even if you want to protect him, can you actually do so?"
As Li Taiyi spoke, a vast aura surged outward from his body.
Sixth rank Venerable — Li Taiyi was a sixth rank Venerable.
Both the Chu Heavenly Clan Master and the Wuma Heavenly Clan Master were fifth rank Venerables.
The Wuma Heavenly Clan Master indeed could not withstand Li Taiyi.
"Hmph." However, faced with such arrogance, the Wuma Heavenly Clan Master merely let out a cold snort. He then turned to the crowd and said, "Everyone, we owe our successful arrival here to Lord Liangqiu Chengfeng above all. But without young friend Chu Feng breaking through the other main formation array, even Liangqiu Chengfeng could not have brought us here."
"And now, Li Taiyi would attack the Chu Heavenly Clan Master for nothing more than personal gain. Do any of you think that is right? If Lord Liangqiu Chengfeng were not injured and unconscious, would he allow such behavior?"
"This…"
The crowd fell into deep thought.
Everyone had witnessed Liangqiu Chengfeng's favoritism toward Chu Feng. Had he not been unconscious, he would certainly never have permitted Li taiyi to lay a hand on the Chu Heavenly Clan Master.
"Elder Li, we are allies for the time being. Why not leave the matter between you and the Chu Heavenly Clan Master for another day?"
"Exactly. With Lord Liangqiu Chengfeng gravely wounded, we need unity now more than ever. How can we afford internal conflict?"
Several people chimed in.
"Let me make this clear — whoever stands in my way today had better not blame me for being ruthless," Li Taiyi said coldly.
The moment he finished speaking, the oppressive aura radiating from his body was felt by everyone present. The sheer pressure was terrifying.
In an instant, those who had been trying to intervene fell silent.
Li Taiyi was notoriously ruthless — he wasn't merely making empty threats. He would absolutely follow through, and no one was willing to risk their life for the sake of the Chu Heavenly Clan Master.
"Li Taiyi — what would you say if this old man stood in your way?"
Just then, a grey-haired elder stepped out from the crowd and positioned himself before both the Chu Heavenly Clan Master and the Wuma Heavenly Clan Master.
Upon seeing this figure, the Wuma Heavenly Clan Master and everyone else lit up with delight.
The elder's name was Song Boqiu. He belonged to no faction — a lone wanderer — yet his strength was truly formidable.
Among those present, aside from Liangqiu Chengfeng, the only one who could stand against Li Taiyi was presumably him.
And upon seeing Song Boqiu step forward, Li Taiyi's brow furrowed slightly before his eyes filled with killing intent. "Song Boqiu, this matter has nothing to do with you. I advise you not to interfere, lest you bring trouble upon yourself."
"Ha ha! This old man has roamed the Ancestral Martial Starfield for so many years — the one thing I fear least is trouble finding me." Song Boqiu let out a hearty laugh. Then, as his robes billowed outward, a vast and powerful aura erupted from his body.
In that moment, forget the bystanders — even Li Taiyi's expression shifted.
The aura emanating from Song Boqiu was several times more overwhelming than Li Taiyi's own. This Song Boqiu had already reached the seventh rank Venerable stage.
"Li Taiyi, do you still want this old man to bring trouble upon himself?" Song Boqiu asked with a mocking tone.
Li Taiyi's face turned ashen. In the end, with a flick of his sleeve and a cold snort, he said nothing more.
He was thoroughly frustrated. He had thought he could eliminate the Chu Heavenly Clan Master right here and now, only for Song Boqiu to intervene. The man had absolutely no prior connection to the Chu Heavenly Clan Master — and moreover, Song Boqiu had always been a cold, detached figure who never meddled in others' affairs. He was notorious for standing by and watching others perish without lifting a finger.