Chapter 157: Utterly Ignorant of the Vastness of Heaven and Earth

The Liu family manor was exceptionally lively today.

The main living room was almost completely packed. Below the elderly Patriarch Liu Qingfeng sat Liu Ziying, Liu Zihao, Liu Zijie, and even members of the third generation like Liu Qianqian, all attending in order.

There were two groups of guests. The first group consisted of Hua Zhengjun and his daughter, Hua Wu.

The second group required a grand introduction because their identities were extraordinary!

They came from Huangshan Ridge, the Huangshan Sect!

There were three of them in total. The leader had white hair and a white beard, looking to be over eighty years old, yet his complexion was as ruddy as if he applied Estee Lauder moisturizing skin care series cosmetics all year round.

He claimed his surname was Zhong and introduced himself as an elder of the Huangshan Sect. He said his greatest hobby in life was presenting grandfather clocks to people!

For instance, because Hua Zhengjun stubbornly refused to heed his warnings and failed to provide him with any information regarding Chu Tianfeng within the specified timeframe, he intended to present Hua Zhengjun with a standing clock as a token of his appreciation.

The other two looked to be in their fifties or sixties. One had a horse-like face, slightly grey hair, and a medium build, claiming his surname was Mu; the other had a square face, half-grey hair, and a tall stature, claiming his surname was Yang.

Although these three were guests, they sat proudly in the primary seats. Naturally, Elder Zhong sat right in the middle, with the elder surnamed Mu and the elder surnamed Yang flanking him on his left and right.

The members of the Liu family and Hua Zhengjun’s father-daughter duo were seated along the east and west sides as companions. On the eastern side sat Liu Qingfeng, Liu Ziying, Liu Zihao, Liu Zijie, and others; on the western side sat Hua Zhengjun, his daughter, and younger generations like Liu Qianqian.

The living room was quiet, deathly quiet, save for the slurping sounds of Elder Zhong sipping his tea.

"Are everyone here?" Perhaps the Liu family's tea was truly exceptional, but as Elder Zhong spoke, his eyes remained fixed on the teacup in his hand.

It seemed as though bestowing a glance upon people was a favor on his part, a favor he valued too much to squander on extra looks, lest he run out.

"Reporting to Elder Zhong, everyone is here!" Old Master Liu answered respectfully.

Before him also sat a cup of tea, yet he dared not drink it.

First, he lacked the mood; second, he lacked the courage.

Earlier, when Hua Zhengjun had stepped through the door and taken merely a sip—a tiny sip—it had instantly earned him Elder Zhong's warning about the clock.

With the overturned cart ahead serving as a warning for the carts behind, Old Master Liu still possessed that much discernment.

"Mm!" Elder Zhong took another sip of tea, glanced dismissively at the people in the hall, and returned his gaze to his teacup. "Brother Liu, how have you considered the matter?"

"Elder Zhong, one billion is no small sum. Our Liu family runs a modest business and truly cannot raise such a massive amount of capital in such a short time. I hope Elder Zhong can grant us a bit more time," Old Master Liu said, cupping his fists.

"Is one billion considered much?" Elder Zhong gently blew on the tea leaves in his cup, speaking in a leisurely tone. "In over a week, you can't even scrape together one billion? Your Liu family clearly fails to live up to its reputation. What use is there in keeping it around?"

With just these simple words, the expressions of the Liu family members in the hall shifted drastically.

Old Master Liu was so terrified that his entire body trembled. "Elder Zhong, please discern the truth! Prior to the New Year, your esteemed sect and the Hengshan Sect demanded a compensation of one billion. We obediently wired five billion to each of your sects' accounts as requested. Now that another billion has been suddenly added, we truly, truly..."

"Nonsense! Cultivating a martial artist to the Xiantian realm costs at least four to five billion, to say the least. Prior to the New Year, Chu Tianfeng killed three martial artists from our sect—one in the Xiantian realm and two in the Huajin realm." Elder Zhong shifted his gaze away from the teacup and onto Old Master Liu. "Chu Tianfeng crippled the Xiantian cultivation of our sect's Lu Yunlai and crippled our sect leader's beloved grandson as well. Is it really going too far to ask you to pay one billion?"

No one had ever researched exactly how much money it took to cultivate a martial artist, and Elder Zhong certainly wasn't idle enough to do so.

However, from the perspective of the Huangshan Sect, if someone wiped out a Xiantian-realm expert and the compensation was less than five billion, it would simply be too embarrassing to mention.

"Elder Zhong, as you well know, Chu Tianfeng is not a scion of our Liu family. Even if I wanted to shoulder this debt, Chu Tianfeng might not necessarily acknowledge it," Old Master Liu said with a troubled expression.

Old Master Liu felt he was even more wronged than Dou E; Chu Tianfeng had never once called him grandfather, yet he was forced to take the blame and clean up the mess for Chu Tianfeng day after day.

"So you're saying you refuse to pay?" Elder Zhong let out a cold snort. "Don't bother bringing me these excuses. Whether Chu Tianfeng is a member of the Liu family or not, both you and I know the truth in our hearts."

He paused before continuing, "To tell you the truth, when our Sect Leader Mu heard that Chu Tianfeng had crippled his grandson, he originally intended to wipe out your entire Liu family. If you fail to compensate us promptly, I cannot guarantee whether Sect Leader Mu might change his mind once again."

Upon hearing this, the members of the Liu family shuddered once more.

"Our Liu family genuinely cannot produce that much capital right now. How about this? Give us three months, and I guarantee that within three months, we will wire one billion to your sect's account," Old Master Liu pleaded, almost begging.

"Three months?" Elder Zhong offered a cold smile. "I suggest your Liu family prepare your coffins in advance so you won't be flustered when the time comes."

"You—" Liu Zijie, sitting at the very end of the eastern side, could no longer contain himself. "This is outrageous! I am sitting right here, if you have the guts, come and kill me!"

Old Master Liu turned pale with fright and quickly stood up to apologize to Elder Zhong, "I'm sorry, Elder Zhong! I'm sorry, everyone!" Then, turning his head, he roared at Liu Zijie, "Hurry up and kneel to apologize to Elder Zhong!"

"Hmph! What use is an apology?" Elder Zhong gave a disdainful smile and nodded toward the elder with the surname Mu sitting on his left. "The Liu family lacks proper discipline; it is necessary for us to teach them a lesson."

"Very well!" The elder surnamed Mu stood up and strode rapidly toward Liu Zijie.

Seeing this, Old Master Liu rushed to Liu Zijie's side and delivered a fierce kick to him. "You beast, why aren't you kneeling yet!"

Liu Zijie then stood up reluctantly, preparing to kneel.

"Too late!" shouted the elder surnamed Mu harshly. With a wave of his right hand, a streak of true essence hurtled directly toward Liu Zijie's legs with extreme speed!

With a loud bang!

Liu Zijie instantly collapsed!

"Ah, my legs, my legs—"

Liu Zijie lay half-reclined on the floor, clutching his legs.

It was obvious that the strand of true essence from the elder surnamed Mu had broken his legs.

Old Master Liu knitted his brows tightly and shouted at Liu Zihao beside him, "Quickly take Zijie away!"

Liu Zihao had just stood up and was about to walk toward Liu Zijie.

"Hold on!" The elder surnamed Mu waved his hand. "Did I say he could leave?"

Old Master Liu and Liu Zihao had no choice but to retreat back to the sofa, not even daring to breathe loudly.

The elder surnamed Mu swept his gaze across everyone, shifting from the fallen Liu Zijie to Liu Zihao and Liu Ziying, then to Old Master Liu, and finally sweeping across the western side of the living room, passing over the faces of everyone seated there one by one.

His gaze was not only piercing but also chillingly sinister. All the Liu family members and Hua Zhengjun's father-daughter pair felt as though they had been targeted by a venomous snake, breaking out in cold sweat down their spines.

Seemingly satisfied with the terror displayed by the Liu family, the elder finally let his gaze rest upon Liu Qianqian and Hua Wu. "Chu Tianfeng crippled my son. One of you is his sister, and the other is his wife. Shouldn't you two make some gesture as well?"

"What?" Liu Qianqian turned pale with fright, and Hua Wu's face lost all color as well.

What "making a gesture" meant—Liu Qianqian and Hua Wu were not three-year-olds; naturally, they understood completely.

"Elder Mu, they are merely children and should not be held responsible for Chu Tianfeng's mistakes," Hua Zhengjun interjected.

To be honest, he truly regretted it now. Rushing into an engagement between Hua Wu and Chu Tianfeng on the spur of the moment had not only ruined himself but also dragged his beloved daughter into the abyss.

"Hmph! Do you need to teach me how to do things?" The elder surnamed Mu glared fiercely at Hua Zhengjun. "Considering you're about to die soon, I won't bicker with you."

He turned his head back to look at Liu Qianqian and Hua Wu. "Become concubines to this old man, or go to our Huangshan Daoist Temple to work as public relations hostesses—pick one!"

"No! Don't!" screamed Liu Qianqian and Hua Wu in panic.

"That won't be up for you to decide! Who asked you to have such ties with Chu Tianfeng!" the elder surnamed Mu said viciously.

"So what if they have ties with Chu Tianfeng?" Suddenly, a sarcastic voice echoed from outside the door.

Everyone looked over and realized that, at some unknown moment, three people had appeared at the entrance of the living room.

One man, two women.

The man was of medium build, looked quite young, and was reasonably handsome, except that his complexion was somewhat pale, resembling a layer of dead fish skin.

Of the two women, one was exceptionally charming with long, beautiful black hair and a green long dress, looking very dignified and refined.

The other woman had more ordinary features and casual attire.

The two women flanked the pale-skinned young man on his left and right.

"Where did this bastard crawl out from? Asking for a beating?" The elder surnamed Mu was extremely displeased with the newcomer's tone and strode toward the living room entrance.

"No! Hurry and run!" Hua Wu was the first to recognize the voice, jumping up in frantic panic and shouting.

Indeed, the newcomer was none other than Chu Tianfeng wearing a mask!

Accompanying him were naturally Tong Yu and Chen Zhili.

He had originally come to extort the Liu family, but by a twist of fate, he bumped into the three members of the Huangshan Sect carrying three massive bamboo poles and slamming them so loudly that he had heard it from outside the courtyard gates.

"It's fine!" Chu Tianfeng felt somewhat gloomy inside.

He walked slowly into the living room, heading straight toward the elder surnamed Mu.

He had already used his spiritual sense to check the cultivation levels of the three people inside long ago.

The one in the middle was at the early Yuantian realm, the elder beside him was at the late Xiantian realm, and the elder standing right before him had even lower cultivation—merely mid-Xiantian!

Such strength was completely unworthy of his concern.

"Little brat, utterly ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth!" The elder surnamed Mu let out a low bark, raising his right fist high, preparing to strike!

Bang!

With a blur of his figure, Chu Tianfeng lashed out with his right foot, landing a vicious kick straight onto the elder surnamed Mu's dantian!

Against anyone bullying Hua Wu or Liu Qianqian, his strikes—no, his kicks—would definitely hold no mercy!

With a whoosh, the elder surnamed Mu was sent flying instantly, hurtling squarely toward Elder Zhong who sat in the center.

One move! Just a single move!

The mid-Xiantian cultivation elder surnamed Mu had already been defeated, and furthermore, his cultivation was completely crippled!

Fast! Incredibly fast! Even Elder Zhong, who was at the early Yuantian realm, hadn't managed to see it clearly.

However, the situation gave him no time for second thoughts as the elder surnamed Mu was hurled directly at him like a human weapon!

He stood up immediately, crossing his palms at an angle and launching consecutive strikes!

This was a specialized technique relying on momentum and leverage; the angled palm served to reduce the incoming velocity, while the horizontal palm was meant to intercept and halt the target.

Bang!

The elder surnamed Mu was caught securely by him!

"Are you Chu Tianfeng?" Elder Zhong gently shoved the elder surnamed Mu back onto the sofa, taking the opportunity to shake his aching arms.

Hearing this, everyone present was struck with immense astonishment.

Tong Yu and Chen Zhili, standing near the door, were even more shocked, staring at each other in utter bewilderment.

"Heh, you've got good eyesight!" Chu Tianfeng flicked his right wrist, and his flying sword shot out with a swish!

The opponent was at the early Yuantian realm; only a fool wouldn't launch a sneak attack!

"You—" Elder Zhong had intended to hurl a few curses, but to his surprise, this bastard Chu Tianfeng didn't give him the chance!

Swish!

The flying sword moved with terrifying speed, darting ferociously toward Elder Zhong.

Elder Zhong dodged hastily.

Rip!

The flying sword grazed past his right flank, slicing a long tear through his clothing.

"Little bas—" Before Elder Zhong could finish cursing, he heard another swish!

Not good! This hidden weapon was too bizarre!

Terrified, he leaped to dodge to the left once again.

Slash!

How fast was the flying sword? Just as he leaped into the air, the sword swept past his right side!

Ah—

A pale arm flew into the air, accompanied by a splatter of fresh blood!

Employing the Wind-Chasing Technique, Chu Tianfeng flickered and appeared directly in front of Elder Zhong.

Bang!

The exact same kick, landing on the exact same spot!

Elder Zhong was also sent flying like a cannonball, violently crashing down the sofa behind him.

After a chaotic series of crashes, Elder Zhong collapsed into the corner of the wall, a trickle of fresh blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

Old Master Liu and the others looked at each other for a long moment, their faces blossoming with boundless joy and surprise.

Though they didn't understand the specifics of Chu Tianfeng's cultivation level, they knew that with just a few kicks and punches, Chu Tianfeng had easily overturned that once-haughty Elder Zhong!