97: Chapter 97 Junior, Surrender!

"Senior Brother!"

Qin Muchuan stepped forward quickly, looking Lu Jinghan up and down. Seeing that although his complexion was still a bit pale, his spirit was full and his aura was vigorous, he immediately let out a sigh of relief.

"Are you alright?"

Lu Jinghan nodded slightly, his gaze falling on the three boxes on the stone platform.

"Go collect those boxes, we are preparing to leave."

Qin Muchuan and Su Fuguang exchanged a glance and walked quickly toward the stone platform.

The three boxes were all carved from fine green jade, with intricate runes engraved on the lids. Spiritual light flowed over them; they were clearly not ordinary items.

Qin Muchuan put all three boxes into his Storage Pouch and turned to look at Lu Jinghan.

"Senior Brother, let's go."

Lu Jinghan nodded. He took one last look at the skeleton sitting on the stone chair in the cave and bowed slightly.

This was a sign of respect for the Senior.

The three of them walked up the stone steps. When they reached the end of the steps, Lu Jinghan stopped.

At the cave entrance, the light of the Formation Plate was still flowing; that invisible barrier isolated the entire Immortal Cave from the outside world.

He raised his hand and waved. The Formation Plate flew up from the cave entrance and landed in his palm.

The barrier dissipated, and a fresh night breeze poured in from outside the cave, carrying the scent of grass and trees, as well as a faint, imperceptible aura of danger.

Lu Jinghan's gaze sharpened. The moment his Divine Sense probed outside the cave, his expression suddenly sank.

On the hillside outside the cave, more than a dozen figures stood in confrontation.

One side was Dynasty Lord Zhou Shanhe, followed by several Imperial Dynasty retainers, their expressions solemn, spiritual power surging around them.

The other side was the group from the Liuli Sect. Great Elder Liu Qianqiu and Second Elder Li Wuxie stood with their hands behind their backs, their expressions indifferent.

Elder Yin Buer, Li Tianxiong, and Zhuge Yun stood behind them, their auras released, swords drawn and bows bent.

The two sides were in a standoff, and neither side made the first move.

But the murderous aura in the air was already so thick it had almost solidified.

The moment Lu Jinghan stepped onto the ground, dozens of gazes fell upon him simultaneously.

Great Elder Liu Qianqiu glanced sideways, his gaze sweeping over Lu Jinghan, a faint curve appearing at the corner of his mouth.

"The heart-cleansing bamboo is on this brat."

Elder Yin Buer pointed at Lu Jinghan and said in a low voice.

Great Elder Liu Qianqiu nodded slightly, but he did not make any move.

Dynasty Lord Zhou Shanhe had arrived too quickly. Although he and Second Elder Li Wuxie did not fear Dynasty Lord Zhou Shanhe, there were still two Mahayana Early Stage cultivators, which was troublesome.

Second Elder Li Wuxie stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze moving away from Lu Jinghan and falling on Dynasty Lord Zhou Shanhe. His voice was hoarse and low: "Dynasty Lord Zhou, this old man will say this one last time: this matter has nothing to do with the Zhouwu Dynasty."

He paused, his tone becoming colder: "Elder Yin Tianzheng was killed by Ancestor Zhou Huaixu. The Liuli Sect has yet to settle this debt with you."

"If you interfere again today, it means you are intentionally making an enemy of the Liuli Sect."

"When that time comes—"

Second Elder Li Wuxie's voice paused, and cold light shot from his turbid eyes, "The Liuli Sect will not mind bringing our forces to the Southern Wilderness to hold the Zhouwu Dynasty accountable."

As he finished speaking, Second Elder Li Wuxie also erupted with the pressure of a Mahayana Late Stage cultivator.

Behind Dynasty Lord Zhou Shanhe, several Imperial Dynasty retainers' expressions changed slightly, but none of them retreated.

They were all veterans of the Zhouwu Dynasty, having walked step by step from humble beginnings to where they were today; what great storms had they not seen?

No matter how strong the Liuli Sect was, it was only a power from the Western Regions. This was the territory of the Zhouwu Dynasty; it was not an outsider's place to act wildly.

Dynasty Lord Zhou Shanhe's expression did not change. His gaze swept past Second Elder Li Wuxie and fell on Great Elder Liu Qianqiu.

"Are you finished?"

Dynasty Lord Zhou Shanhe finally spoke. His voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable majesty.

He looked directly at Second Elder Li Wuxie, enunciating each word: "Since you are finished, it is time for Me to speak."

He took a step forward, and the aura of a Mahayana Peak cultivator erupted, rising like a towering mountain, instantly crushing the pressure of Second Elder Li Wuxie and Great Elder Liu Qianqiu, pushing it back.

Second Elder Li Wuxie's expression changed abruptly, and his body swayed slightly, actually forced back half a step by that aura.

Great Elder Liu Qianqiu's brows finally furrowed, a trace of solemnity flashing in his eyes.

"This is the territory of the Zhouwu Dynasty, not the Liuli Sect." Dynasty Lord Zhou Shanhe's voice was steady as a mountain, every word like iron.

"I do not care what rules you have in the Western Regions. Once you arrive in the Zhouwu Dynasty, you must follow the rules of the Zhouwu Dynasty."

He raised his hand and pointed in the direction of Lu Jinghan and the others, his gaze like a knife: "Young Friend Lu and his companions are honored guests of My Zhouwu Dynasty. If you move against them, you are making an enemy of Me, and an enemy of the entire Zhouwu Dynasty."

Second Elder Li Wuxie's face turned livid, and he said coldly: "Dynasty Lord Zhou, do you truly intend to break ties with my Liuli Sect for the sake of a few irrelevant juniors?"

Dynasty Lord Zhou Shanhe did not answer; he simply raised his hand and struck out with a palm.

This palm strike had no testing, no holding back.

The vast spiritual power of a Mahayana Peak cultivator was like a raging sea, carrying the momentum to destroy heaven and earth, crashing down toward Second Elder Li Wuxie.

Second Elder Li Wuxie did not have time to say more; he struck out with both palms, resisting with all his might.

"Boom—!"

Second Elder Li Wuxie was shaken back several steps, his blood and Qi churning.

Just at this moment, Great Elder Liu Qianqiu moved.

His figure flashed and disappeared into the Void Realm, and when he reappeared, he was already at the side of Dynasty Lord Zhou Shanhe.

He struck out with a palm. The wind from his palm was silent, yet it carried a chilling, icy force that made one's heart tremble.

Dynasty Lord Zhou Shanhe's expression did not change; he tilted his body slightly and met the strike with a palm of his own.

Dynasty Lord Zhou Shanhe's figure swayed slightly, but Great Elder Liu Qianqiu was shaken back two steps.

"Mahayana Peak, truly lives up to its reputation."

Great Elder Liu Qianqiu steadied his figure, a trace of solemnity flashing in his eyes.

Although he was the Great Elder of the Liuli Sect and his cultivation had reached the Mahayana Late Stage for many years, he still felt powerless when facing an existence like Dynasty Lord Zhou Shanhe, who stood at the Mahayana Peak.

However, he did not need to defeat Dynasty Lord Zhou Shanhe; he only needed to hold him back. A moment would suffice.

"Wuxie!"

Great Elder Liu Qianqiu let out a low shout, his voice condensing into a line and entering Second Elder Li Wuxie's ears.

"Attack! Suppress that brat and bring him back to the Liuli Sect!"

Second Elder Li Wuxie understood. His figure flashed like lightning as he bypassed Dynasty Lord Zhou Shanhe and pounced toward Lu Jinghan and the others.

Dynasty Lord Zhou Shanhe's gaze sharpened, and just as he was about to move to intercept, Great Elder Liu Qianqiu's figure had already stuck to him like a ghost, both palms striking out, the wind from his palms like a tide, entangling him.

"Dynasty Lord Zhou, your opponent is this old man."

Great Elder Liu Qianqiu's voice was hoarse, his palms striking continuously, each strike carrying bone-chilling, icy spiritual power.

Dynasty Lord Zhou Shanhe snorted coldly, his palm technique changing. He no longer tried to shake off Great Elder Liu Qianqiu but instead attacked him with all his might.

"Since you want to block me, then let's see how long you can hold out."

Subsequently, the two figures crisscrossed and flashed in the Void Realm, each collision erupting with a deafening roar.

Great Elder Liu Qianqiu's expression became increasingly solemn. Dynasty Lord Zhou Shanhe's offensive was sharper and more tyrannical than he had expected; each palm was like a mountain pressing down, forcing him to respond with all his strength.

But he did not retreat. He knew that for every extra breath he held out, Second Elder Li Wuxie would have one more chance.

On the other side, Second Elder Li Wuxie had already pounced in front of Lu Jinghan and the others.

"Junior, surrender!"

Second Elder Li Wuxie let out a low shout, and a giant palm of spiritual power descended from the sky, grabbing toward Lu Jinghan.