The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace

"It's truly... marvelous! Marvelous! Who would have thought that by attending Senior Wang's banquet, we'd witness not one but two younger generation cultivators comprehending sword intent. The newer waves truly push forward, leaving us old folks trembling in awe."

At the banquet, Li Qing couldn't help but marvel as Wang Liyuan revealed his mastery of sword intent, effortlessly defeating Lu Shanglin with a single strike despite the latter's higher cultivation level.

"So, sword intent is that powerful? To take down a cultivator of a higher realm with such ease…" murmured Yun Yanshuang. Her bright eyes lingered on Wang Liyuan in the arena, recalling Lin Tiansheng's earlier display of sword intent.

She couldn't help but feel her heart stir with yearning. When will I also comprehend sword intent?

"Concede!" Wang Liyuan flicked his wrist, sending the glowing sword back into his storage ring. He turned, cupping his hands slightly toward the defeated Lu Shanglin, and walked away without hesitation.

Lu Shanglin, now slumped on the ground, his face pale and drenched in sweat, glared with bloodshot eyes at Wang Liyuan's retreating figure. His heart seethed with rage and humiliation.

The Canglan Ye Clan and the Wangyue Lin Clan had both claimed victories over the Wang family's disciples, yet he, representing the Chuanyin Lu Clan, had been utterly defeated by one of the Wang family's talents.

The disgrace wasn't just personal—it was a stain on the reputation of his entire family. His failure gnawed at him, but his injuries left him paralyzed, unable to rise and challenge again.

"Lin'er!" Lu Zhengqiang, his father, rushed over, his expression alarmed as he knelt to cradle his son.

"Father... I've failed. I've brought shame upon our family," Lu Shanglin choked out, his voice laced with bitterness and regret.

"Say no more. Here, take this healing pill."

Lu Zhengqiang retrieved a pill, guiding it to his son's mouth before handing him over to other family members for care.

Yet, the seething fury in Lu Zhengqiang's eyes did not diminish. He stood, his gaze sharp as a blade, locking onto Wang Qingshan at the head of the banquet.

"Senior Wang, your disciple's strikes were unnecessarily brutal. Isn't this a bit too much?" His voice was laced with accusation.

Wang Qingshan remained composed, sipping his wine with a faint smile. "Lu Clan Leader, if you're displeased, this old man is more than willing to extend apologies on behalf of my younger generation."

"No need for apologies." Lu Zhengqiang's tone grew cold. "Just cripple Wang Liyuan, and I'll let this matter rest."

"Lu Clan Leader, don't you think such a demand is unreasonable?"

"Unreasonable? Your disciple injuring my son is what's truly unreasonable! Has your Wang family forgotten its place?" Lu Zhengqiang's face darkened, his words sharp and confrontational.

"This feud can only end with his death," he spat, locking eyes on Wang Liyuan as the latter was leaving the arena.

With a murderous glint in his eyes, Lu Zhengqiang vanished, reappearing behind Wang Liyuan with a lethal strike ready to land.

"Lu Zhengqiang!" Wang Qingshan's thunderous voice erupted from the head of the table.

The next instant, an overwhelming wave of pressure descended like a tempest. It bore down on Lu Zhengqiang, forcing him to the ground with an earth-shaking impact.

A deafening boom echoed as the courtyard stone tiles beneath Lu Zhengqiang cracked, then shattered, creating a massive crater.

Trapped under Wang Qingshan's spiritual pressure, Lu Zhengqiang coughed up blood, his bones audibly cracking as the force crushed him further into the ground.

"Patriarch!" cried several Lu Clan cultivators from their seats, rising in alarm.

Before they could move, Wang family guards, stationed in hidden vigilance, emerged in a flash. Weapons drawn, they surrounded the banquet with icy gazes, silently promising retaliation if anyone made a move.

Tension gripped the courtyard. The air grew so oppressive it felt ready to ignite at the slightest spark.

In that moment, no one dared act rashly. Wang Qingshan's strength as a recently ascended Foundation Establishment cultivator loomed too large. For now, all they could do was wait to see how this volatile confrontation would unfold.

The tension in the banquet reached its peak as representatives from the various cultivation clans began withdrawing to a safe distance, not wanting to risk being caught in the brewing storm.

"This is the ancestral ground of my Wang Clan, not the territory of your Chuanyin Lu Clan! Do you think I, Wang Qingshan, will allow you to act recklessly under my watch?" Wang Qingshan's voice thundered as his suppressive aura continued to bear down on the immobilized Lu Zhengqiang, his fury barely contained.@@novelbin@@

For Wang Qingshan, Wang Liyuan was not merely a promising disciple but the beacon of hope for the Wang Clan's future. His remarkable potential, now solidified with his mastery of sword intent, meant that his prospects would likely surpass even Wang Qingshan's. How could he tolerate any harm befalling Wang Liyuan?

"Senior Wang, please quell your anger. Lu Clan Leader acted out of paternal instinct, clouded by emotion. I implore you to extend mercy this once," Li Qing, the Imperial Court's cultivation envoy, stepped forward, bowing respectfully.

As a representative of the court, Li Qing sought to de-escalate the situation. A violent clash between the two clans would not only leave devastation in its wake but also further strain the already delicate power dynamics of the region—an outcome the court was desperate to avoid.

"Senior Wang, for the sake of my Wangyue Lin Clan, I ask that you let this matter rest. On behalf of the Lu Clan, I extend my apologies," Lin Yiran, the patriarch of the Lin Clan, also interceded. His clan's marital ties to the Lu Clan left him with no choice but to mediate.

Then came a voice, lazy yet laced with malice. "Senior Wang, if I may remind you, the Lu Clan's ancestor is currently in Yulin County. Should you act rashly and take Lu Zhengqiang's life, a confrontation with the Lu Clan's patriarch is inevitable," Ye Wuwei, the seemingly indifferent patriarch of the Canglan Ye Clan, remarked.

Though phrased as advice, his words carried a veiled threat, coupled with a touch of provocation. Ye Wuwei sought to bait Wang Qingshan into striking, knowing it would ignite a deadly feud between the Wang and Lu Clans—a conflict from which the Ye Clan could only benefit.

"Hmph!" Wang Qingshan's cold gaze swept over the gathered patriarchs before he retracted his oppressive aura. "For the sake of Li Qing and Lin Yiran, I'll spare you this time, Lu Zhengqiang. But do not think that the Wang Clan will tolerate such insolence again."

He calculated the risks. While he had made his point, pushing further might jeopardize the Wang Clan's position. With the banquet's purpose—to demonstrate the clan's strength—already achieved, there was no need to risk open war. The impending imperial decree recognizing the Wang Clan as the fourth great family of Yue Kingdom would solidify their rise. Once they secured control of the Yulin Lake cultivation market and expanded their influence over a decade, surpassing the Lu Clan would be inevitable.

"Wang Qingshan," Lu Zhengqiang rasped as he struggled to his feet, his voice trembling with fury. "Today's humiliation will not go unanswered. There will come a day when your Wang Clan and my Lu Clan meet on the battlefield!"

"Lu Zhengqiang, enough!" Lin Yiran stepped in quickly, placing himself between the two. His sharp glare silenced the seething Lu patriarch. Bowing deeply to Wang Qingshan, Lin Yiran said, "Senior Wang, given the circumstances, my Lin Clan must take its leave. Rest assured, the promises made before the competition will be honored."

Without further delay, Lin Yiran turned and escorted the fuming Lu Zhengqiang away from the banquet.

Seeing the others withdraw, Ye Wuwei rose leisurely. "Well, since things have taken such a turn, it seems it's time for me to depart as well." He offered a half-hearted bow and left with his disciples.

With the three great clans gone, the banquet's tense atmosphere eased slightly. Wang Qingshan turned to his remaining guests, his expression softening into a cordial smile. "Apologies, my friends, for allowing those fools to disrupt our gathering. Come, let us not dwell on this unpleasantness. Eat and drink to your heart's content. Tonight, we celebrate without reserve!"

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The representatives of the other cultivation clans exchanged hesitant glances before cautiously returning to their seats, unsure whether the host's good spirits could be trusted.

As the merriment resumed, Wang Qingshan turned his attention to Li Qing. "Master Li, upon your return, the court…"

"Senior Wang, rest assured that I will report everything to His Majesty. The court will deliberate on this matter," Li Qing responded with a polite smile. However, his tone carried a hint of unease. "That said, I must warn you—the three great clans will likely put immense pressure on the court. The situation may not resolve as swiftly as you hope."

"Let them. The Wang Clan will stand firmly behind the court in this matter."

"And so will we," added representatives of the six allied clans in unison.

"Ha! If the court can rely on the combined strength of the seven clans, then this matter should find resolution," Li Qing replied with a laugh, though the weight of the task ahead was evident in his eyes.

Inwardly, he lamented the court's weakening influence. The three great clans had already grown too powerful for the monarchy to suppress outright. Even with the Wang Clan's recent victories, Li Qing suspected that the court would choose to stall, avoiding any definitive decrees that might provoke further conflict.

This will likely end up on my shoulders again—mediating between forces far beyond my control. Damn it, just thinking about it gives me a headache!