In a moment, a screen of light enveloped the heavens and earth. Countless esoteric and complex runes appeared, protecting the large number of commoners within the city.
A figure appeared high in the sky. It was the Prefect of Luoxia Prefecture, who was looking down at the several individuals locked in fierce combat below.
However, as the Prefect, he did not immediately intervene to suppress the fight. After activating the grand array to protect the city's populace, he stood alone in the sky, quietly observing the cultivators' battle.
Dozens of feet above the ground, six people were already entangled in combat. Each stood on a magic artifact, unleashing various divine abilities and techniques with every movement.
Furthermore, numerous high-quality magic artifacts streaked through the air, releasing soul-stirring might.
The clash of six cultivators of the third realm, accompanied by unknown beams of light piercing the sky, immediately drew the attention of various forces in the prefecture city.
Within a short period, dozens of cultivators and martial artists arrived, each standing on the rooftops and gazing from afar at the ongoing battle. The weakest among them had already reached the second realm.
"It's the three third-realm experts from the Li family!"
Someone whispered, their face grim.
On the surface, the Li family of the Mingxin Pavilion only had two third-realm cultivators: an elder who constantly guarded the treasury and the current patriarch of the Li family.
Only a very small number of people and factions knew that within the Li family, there was a rising star who had reached the third realm before the age of one hundred.
Facing the three Li family members at this moment were the leaders of three of the thirteen allied forces. Even within the prefecture city, these three sects ranked among the top ten.
As for why the two sides had suddenly erupted into battle, it was likely that no one present was unaware. Many had even been anticipating this for over ten days and were growing impatient.
Now that the two sides had finally commenced their fight, and judging by the intensity, it seemed like a battle to the death. Instantly, the hearts of many factions began to scheme.
Several streets away from where the six third-realm cultivators were fighting, Li Wenqing sat calmly in a teahouse.
He glanced at the commoners gathered on the street, then murmured to himself, "Make your move."
Behind him, the second-realm elder of the Li family nodded and turned to descend from the teahouse.
In just a moment, several constables, holding command tokens, swiftly headed towards pre-arranged locations. They mobilized hundreds of soldiers who had been waiting in formation, pushed aside the gathered commoners, and advanced majestically towards the Li family mansion.
As for the second-realm elder, he led over a dozen expressionless first-realm martial artists to various important businesses of the Li family.
At this moment, throughout the prefecture city, it wasn't just Li Wenqing's people who were in action. The thirteen allied forces had each dispatched a team of twenty to thirty individuals, with their leaders all being at the mid-to-late stage of the second realm, and the rest being at least first-realm martial artists or cultivators.
As if by prearrangement, they proceeded to the Li family's properties in the prefecture city, forming a mutual defense. If one group encountered strong enemies, at least three others could arrive immediately.
These businesses, restaurants, even casinos and brothels, were all private properties of the Li family and had no direct connection to Mingxin Pavilion.
Coupled with the obstruction from the Qian family and the Zhuang family, the Li family was temporarily unable to mobilize the forces of Mingxin Pavilion. They could only face the combined assault of the thirteen forces and Li Wenqing's covert schemes alone.
Moreover, it was likely that more factions, tempted by the readily available immense profits, would soon launch attacks against them!
However, no one expected that in this current situation, the first to make a move would be the Mingjian Division within the prefecture city!
As hundreds of soldiers appeared outside the Li family mansion and were blocked by a crowd of cultivators and martial artists, unable to break in, individuals clad in brocade robes with stern expressions emerged from the street corners in groups.
These were the Sword Bearers of the Mingjian Division. Excluding those on missions, a total of thirty-three were gathered: twenty third-class Sword Bearers and thirteen second-class Sword Bearers.
Under the leadership of Xu Lin, the more than thirty Mingjian Division Sword Bearers simultaneously drew their blades, forcefully smashing through the Li family's main gate and leading hundreds of soldiers inside.
Dozens of soldiers shouted loudly, listing the Li family's crimes and proclaiming the imperial decree for confiscation and arrest issued by the Prefect's office.
The Mingjian Division's declaration was even simpler: the Li family harbored a demon and an imperial fugitive within their residence, and anyone who dared to obstruct them would be killed without mercy!
However, what was initially thought to be mere rhetoric to facilitate the Mingjian Division's actions turned out to be true: the Li family indeed harbored demons and fugitives!
Several powerful demonic energies erupted. The weakest was of the second realm cultivation. Among them, a fox demon had already reached the third realm. Wielding powerful magic artifacts gifted by the Li family, it wreaked havoc within the residence.
In just a moment, three second-class Sword Bearers were severely injured, with one having their cultivation crippled, and their survival uncertain.
Witnessing this, Xu Lin roared in anger. His sword qi surged, carrying a fierce sword intent as he engaged the fox demon in combat.
As they fought, their battle destroyed large areas of houses. Many Li family servants, unable to evade, were either killed on the spot or buried by the collapsing structures.
The entire Li family residence was instantly engulfed in a pungent, thick smell of blood, and the sounds of killing and shouting echoed to the heavens.
"Originally, I thought it might be a bit much to treat the Li family this way."
Ji Yuan stood on the top floor of a tall building in the Qian family's residence, gazing at the blood-red light soaring in the distance. He couldn't help but murmur.
He was well aware of Qian Ni Chang's arrangements and Li Wen Qing's schemes. Even before today, he had felt a degree of reluctance.
But upon seeing the demons harbored by the Li family and the depraved deeds they had committed, which far exceeded what the Qian family had collected and recorded, that reluctance immediately vanished.
"The Li family accumulated wealth through their casinos, pushing people to desperation, forcing them to even sell their wives and children."
Qian Ni Chang stood by the railing and suddenly said, "Then, these women and children were either sent to their own brothels to be trained for prostitution or sold to work in their other businesses."
If any of them showed cultivation talent, they would often be confined, taught cultivation methods, and trained as Li family loyalists, specifically for carrying out unsavory deeds.
And all of this was merely the shallowest layer of the Li family's many depraved acts. If all pretenses were stripped away, their actions were comparable to those of demonic cultivation!
"Now that all of the Li family's forces are under siege, if they have any hidden trump cards, they should be forced out soon."
Ji Yuan mused.
Both the intelligence held by the Qian family and the information leaked from the Prefect's office indicated that the Li family likely possessed a secret trump card.
Especially in recent years, the Li family patriarch had amassed a large quantity of heavenly treasures and resources and had secretly embezzled many items from the Mingxin Pavilion treasury using his authority, as if preparing for something.
Now that the Li family faced imminent destruction, this trump card would surely be revealed.
He wondered what it would be when it was finally presented to everyone.
However, these matters were no longer his concern. The situation had progressed to this point, and they no longer needed to do anything themselves; the various forces in the city would actively handle it.
He and Qian Ni Chang merely needed to wait for the Li family's downfall and then take over their businesses and shares in Mingxin Pavilion, profiting handsomely.
"Fan Yu Qing! Do you truly intend to annihilate my Li family?"
The Li family patriarch roared upwards, his eyes burning as he looked at the figure standing alone in the sky.
However, the latter did not respond, merely watching the unfolding events with cold eyes.
Seeing this, the Li family patriarch knew that the calamity befalling the Li family today was unavoidable. At this point, his concern was not how to preserve his family fortune but how to escape with his life!
He scanned his surroundings. Besides the three third-realm cultivators in front of him, several others nearby were restless. Once he was at a disadvantage, these individuals would not hesitate to strike while he was down.
"Since you wish to annihilate my Li family, then we shall fight to the death!"
The Li family patriarch roared, his heart suddenly hardening. He forcefully clenched his fist towards the light pillar not far away.
Crack!!!
Amidst the booming sounds of battle, a cracking sound inexplicably emerged.
Roar!!!
A beast's roar thundered through the heavens and earth, followed by the sudden collapse of the light pillar. It disintegrated into countless motes of light that dispersed.
Under the gaze of countless eyes, a ferocious tiger, entirely crimson, with a pair of wings on its back and a snake-like tail, flew into the sky with resounding roars.
"Fourth-tier demonic beast, Crimson Feather Evil Tiger!"
A low exclamation broke the brief silence.
Within a few breaths, dozens of auras erupted. Over a dozen third-realm cultivators, standing on their magic artifacts, flew into the sky, their faces grave as they stared at the ferocious tiger with crimson wings.
A fourth-tier demonic beast possessed power comparable to a great cultivator who had formed a Golden Core, even surpassing them in some aspects!
No one had expected that the trump card the Li family had hidden was actually a fourth-tier demonic beast!
Roar!!!
The Crimson Feather Evil Tiger let out a roar. With a flap of its wings, a torrent of blood-red energy surged out, making its crimson fur appear even more vibrant, as if painted with blood.
Even from dozens of feet away, a strong, pungent smell of blood could be detected.
"Damn it!"
"How many people has the Li family actually slaughtered to nurture such an evil creature?"
Angry exclamations echoed through the sky.
The Crimson Feather Evil Tiger was a rare ancient species, difficult to find in the world. To nurture one to adulthood, it had to be fed with the blood of myriad spirits. Among these, the blood of humans was particularly effective.
For a Crimson Feather Evil Tiger that had reached the fourth tier, feeding it solely with the blood of spirit beasts would not be enough. Even the combined wealth of the entire Mingxin Pavilion and Hao Han Tower would barely suffice.
Therefore, the answer was obvious: the Li family had undoubtedly been feeding a fourth-tier Crimson Feather Evil Tiger with human blood over the years!
Just imagining how many lives the Li family had fed into this beast caused everyone present to feel a surge of righteous anger!
"The Li family... shall be annihilated today!"
Fan Yu Qing said in a deep voice from high in the sky.
His voice boomed like thunder, resounding throughout the heavens and earth!