44: The powerful families coveted it and secretly tested it.

Lin Jingyu's steps toward the Li Family were not fast, yet they were so heavy they felt like they were treading on everyone's hearts.

With every step, the bluestone ground silently cracked, leaving footprints an inch deep, their edges smooth as if cut by a knife!

The invisible pressure, like tangible leaden clouds, heavily enveloped the Li Family's grand compound as he advanced.

The entire Border Wasteland City was dead silent.

Countless gazes—some terrified, some awed, some greedy, some wary—shot out from street corners, alleys, and cracks in windows, focusing on that imposing, dark-gold figure.

The destruction of the demon lair in the Rotting Bone Forest, casually crushing Li Yuankun in front of the City Lord's Mansion, and blowing up the Blood Grudge Monster... any one of these events would be enough to shake the Border Wasteland, yet now they had all erupted from one person!

“He... he's really going to the Li Family...”

“The Li Family is finished! That idiot Li Yuankun, out of everyone he could provoke, he had to provoke this God of Slaughter!”

“Not necessarily! The Li Family has occupied the Border Wasteland for a century, possessing deep foundations, and they even have a Marrow Cleansing Realm Old Ancestor presiding! How could it be so easy...”

“Marrow Cleansing Realm? What level of power did that Centuries-Old Great Demon from the Rotting Bone Forest possess? Wasn't its head still blown off by this person's single punch?!”

Whispers flowed through the silence, fear and anticipation intertwined.

At the Li Family residence, the vermillion lacquer gates were tightly shut, and the two gilded characters “Li Fu” on the gate tower appeared dull under the dim light of the sky.

Behind the gates, the atmosphere was deathly oppressive.

All the guards and servants were pale, their hands clutching weapons trembling uncontrollably.

An air of despair permeated the atmosphere.

Li Xuanming, the Li Family Head, a gloomy-faced middle-aged man, stood in the front courtyard, his face so ashen it looked ready to drip water, his eyes revealing unconcealable panic.

Beside him stood several Elders whose Auras were similarly strong; all were Meridian Opening Realm Peak or even newly advanced Bone Forging Realm experts, and all were now facing a formidable enemy.

“B-Brother! What do we do? That Fiend Star is here! Elder Yuankun, he...” An Elder's voice trembled.

“Silence!”

Li Xuanming roared, forcefully suppressing the panic in his heart, and swept his gaze over the crowd. “Why panic! No matter how strong he is, he is only in the Bone Forging Realm! How can my Li Family's century-old foundation be meat waiting to be slaughtered? Activate the ‘Thick Earth Profound Light Formation’! Retrieve the ‘Black Tortoise Shield’ left by the Old Ancestor! All clansmen above the Bone Forging Realm, form the ‘Bedrock Battle Array’ with me! I refuse to believe he can break through my Li Family's layers of defense!”

“Yes!” Everyone seemed to grasp a lifeline and forced themselves to cheer up.

**Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!**

Three earthen-yellow light barriers instantly rose from around the Li Family residence, thick and solidified, emanating a steady, earth-like Aura, enveloping the entire compound!

At the same time, an ancient shield, palm-sized, shaped like a tortoise shell, and covered in profound runes, flew out from the Ancestral Hall. It expanded against the wind, transforming into a massive light shield several yards high, hovering above the main gate, radiating an indestructible Spiritual Pressure!

Dozens of Li Family elite Martial Artists with fierce Auras quickly assembled in the front courtyard, using Li Xuanming as the core. Their Vitality and blood connected, instantly forming a large Battle Array with a unified, rounded Aura and defense power multiplied several times!

Everyone's face held determination, but the fear deep in their eyes could not be erased.

Just as the entire Li Family was facing a formidable enemy and standing ready—

The sound of the heavy footsteps stopped ten yards in front of the tightly shut vermillion lacquer gates.

Lin Jingyu stood still.

His imposing body was like a silent, dark-gold deity.

He looked up, his cold gaze sweeping over the layered earthen-yellow light barriers, the hovering Black Tortoise Giant Shield, and the Li Family members on the gate tower who were standing ready but couldn't conceal their fear.

Deep within the Li Family residence, in that secret chamber.

In the corner, the Black Bone Jar's mouth saw the black mist churning even more violently.

The previous rapid, greedy gnawing sounds ceased strangely the moment Lin Jingyu stopped walking.

The jar itself trembled slightly, as if something inside... was holding its breath and listening, and... silently excited.

“Lin Jingyu!”

Li Xuanming's voice transmitted through the Formation light barrier, carrying forced composure and a hint of bluster. “My Li Family has no intention of making an enemy of you! Li Yuankun acted without authorization and provoked you; his death is well-deserved! How about we let this matter drop? My Li Family is willing to offer heavy gifts as compensation! Spirit Stones, precious medicines, Cultivation Techniques—you may choose whatever you like!”

He was attempting a final struggle; if he could pay a price to settle the incident, it would be better than mutual destruction.

Lin Jingyu did not speak.

Lin Jingyu's response to Li Xuanming was the slow raising of his right fist.

His five fingers clenched tightly!

Beneath his dark-gold skin, muscles coiled like Dragon Pythons instantly swelled!

His bones emitted a low hum, like the friction of metal.

A terrifying power—pure, domineering, and seemingly capable of crushing mountains—coalesced on his fist.

There was no Protective Aura released, no earth-shattering Aura.

Only distorted ripples were generated around the fist as the air was compressed by the extreme force!

Li Xuanming's pupils suddenly contracted; his heart nearly leaped out of his chest!

“Form the array! Full defense!” he shrieked, injecting the Marrow Cleansing Realm Protective Aura within his body unreservedly into the Black Tortoise Giant Shield above his head!

The Vitality and blood of the entire Bedrock Battle Array also surged wildly, reinforcing the Thick Earth Profound Light Formation!

The triple light barriers instantly solidified like tangible city walls!

Golden light burst forth from Lin Jingyu's eyes!

“Break!”

A low, sharp shout exploded like a clap of thunder!

He moved!

No movement technique, no skill!

It was purely the eruption of Physical Body strength!

Taking one step forward, the right fist, condensed with terrifying power, struck fiercely toward the tightly shut vermillion lacquer gates like a launched meteor!

It slammed toward the triple-layered defensive light barriers!

It slammed toward the hovering Black Tortoise Giant Shield!

**BOOM—!!!!**

A terrifying roar, impossible to describe in words!

The moment the fist connected!

The Black Tortoise Giant Shield, which was of no ordinary grade and sufficient to withstand a full-strength blow from a Marrow Cleansing Realm Peak expert, was like glass struck by a divine hammer—it couldn't even hold up for an instant!

**Crack!**

The shield face, covered in profound runes, was instantly covered in spiderweb cracks! Immediately after—

**Bang!**

It completely shattered! It turned into fragments of spiritual light that scattered and flew everywhere!

Next, came the triple-layered, thick, and solidified Thick Earth Profound Light Formation!

The first layer silently vanished, like a fragile soap bubble!

The second layer violently shook, its light flashing wildly, holding up for less than half a breath before shattering with a boom!

The third layer only caused the dark-gold fist to pause slightly before it shattered inch by inch, like thin ice crushed by a massive wheel!

The momentum of the punch was not exhausted!

The terrifying aftershock of the punch pressure, like an invisible shock cannon, slammed heavily into the two thick, rune-reinforced vermillion lacquer gates!

**CRASHING ROAR!!!!!**

The two gates, several yards high and weighing over ten thousand jin, exploded instantly into a sky full of wood chips and metal shards, like toys made of paper!

The violent gale, carrying the fragments, surged toward the Li Family Battle Array standing ready behind the gates, like countless sharp blades!

“Ah—!”

Screams instantly rang out!

Several Meridian Opening Realm Martial Artists in the front row were riddled like sieves by the fragments containing terrifying power before they could even react!

Blood mist exploded!

The entire Bedrock Battle Array had its front line directly pierced by this devastating punch!

The Formation was completely broken!

Smoke and dust filled the air, and shattered wood and metal shards rained down.

Lin Jingyu's figure stepped over the threshold of the shattered gates, walking through the widespread debris and blood, and entered the Li Family's front courtyard.

His dark-gold, imposing body was like a descending Demon God in the swirling smoke and dust, completely unscathed.

On the fist that had shattered the triple defenses and the gates, not even a white mark was left!

Dead silence!

A silence even deeper than before enveloped the entire Li Family front courtyard!

Li Xuanming and the surviving Elders and Martial Artists were like ducks whose necks had been squeezed; the color drained completely from their faces, leaving only boundless fear and despair!

The Family foundation they relied on and took pride in was fragile and vulnerable before that absolute power!

That was fundamentally not a person!

That was a Vicious Beast walking among men!

It was the Incarnation of power!

“You... you...” Li Xuanming pointed at Lin Jingyu, his finger trembling like a leaf in the wind, his lips quivering, unable to utter a complete sentence.

All his calculations and all his hopes were utterly crushed by this single punch!

Lin Jingyu's gaze, like a cold searchlight, swept over the Li Family members slumped on the ground, scanning their terrified and despairing faces.

His voice was not loud, yet it clearly entered everyone's ears, carrying a judgment-like coldness:

“The Li Family colluded with demons and plotted against me. They shall be destroyed.”

The moment the word “destroyed” left his mouth, it was like the Grim Reaper's scythe descending!

An even colder, bone-chilling killing intent, like an invisible cold tide, instantly swept through the entire Li Family residence!

At the same time, in the direction of the City Lord's Mansion.

City Lord Zhao Wuji stood on the highest watchtower, watching the smoke rising from the Li Family residence from afar, listening to the earth-shattering explosion, his expression constantly changing.

Beside him stood several old men with steady Auras, all of whom were Family Heads or representatives of the other major Aristocratic Families in the city—Wang Lie, the Wang Family Head; Sun Buer, the Sun Family Old Ancestor; and Qian Tong, the Steward representing the city's largest Merchant Association.

“City Lord Zhao, this Lin Jingyu... isn't he too tyrannical? He wants to wipe out an entire Family over a disagreement?” Wang Lie frowned deeply, his tone carrying apprehension and resentment. If the Li Family fell, the structure of the Border Wasteland would drastically change, and the Wang Family might not be able to remain unscathed.

“Tyrannical? He has the capital to be tyrannical!”

Sun Buer's voice was hoarse, his cloudy old eyes staring at the Li Family direction, filled with solemnity. “One punch broke three layers of Formations and shattered the Black Tortoise Shield... Such mighty Physical Body power, this old man has never heard of it! This child... is certainly no ordinary person! The Li Family has hit a real steel plate this time!”

Qian Tong's eyes flickered, and he whispered, “City Lord, should we... intervene? When the lips are gone, the teeth are cold! If we let him slaughter the Li Family, will we be next...”

Zhao Wuji suddenly raised his hand, interrupting Qian Tong. His gaze was sharp as a knife: “Intervene? With what? To seek death? Li Yuankun brought this upon himself, and the Li Family harbored evil intentions, daring to provoke an evil entity at the City Lord's Mansion! This is the path to destruction!”

He took a deep breath, his tone decisive. “Pass down my order! All personnel belonging to the City Lord's Mansion must strictly guard their posts and not approach the Li Family residence by even half a step! Anyone daring to loot or assist the Li Family will be treated as a traitor and killed without mercy!”

His gaze swept over Wang Lie, Sun Buer, and the others, carrying a warning: “Gentlemen, I advise you, do not bring trouble upon yourselves! This youth acts purely according to his heart, fearing nothing! At this moment... observing the changes quietly is the best strategy!”

The expressions of the various Aristocratic Family representatives changed, and they finally fell silent. Zhao Wuji's words were like cold water being poured over their heads.

Indeed, what could they use to stop that God of Slaughter who broke Formations with a single punch?

That was not an existence they could contend with at their level!

Meanwhile, deep within the Li Family residence, in that airtight secret chamber.

The trembling of the Black Bone Jar in the corner reached its Peak!

The black mist churning at the jar's mouth suddenly retracted inward!

The subtle gnawing sound inside completely vanished... replaced by a spine-chilling... dead silence.

It was as if something had fully awakened, and was greedily “watching” the pervasive, extremely dense... scent of blood and death spreading outside through the invisible walls of the jar.