Yaoguang Fairy Path

On the rooftop of the Li family's residence, Li Yunxiao's figure stood out. A hint of sarcasm played on his lips, as if he had already foreseen the outcome of this battle. He stood in mid-air, his right hand clenched into a fist behind his back, a strange light flickering in his eyes.

He muttered to himself, "Ling Zhihong, if you die in this battle, along with your secluded ancestor, then the Ling family will be completely taken by me and the other two families. Oh, this Southern Region will eventually no longer have four great families, but only three. The Ling family's actions over the years have already made them eager to eliminate them!"

At this moment, the Nine Netherworld Dragon's roar resounded through the sky once again, a deafening roar that seemed to tear the entire sky apart. The black mist surrounding it surged like a dark wave, rushing straight into the sky and sweeping towards Luo Yunhan.

Facing the fierce dusk, Luo Yunhan was not affected at all.

He flicked his sleeve lightly, and a powerful gust of air erupted, dispersing the dusk mist without a trace. He glanced coldly at the Nine Netherworld Dragon, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "You little dragon, dare you be so presumptuous in front of me? Could it be that the Ghost Emperor behind you wants me to go to the Nine Netherworld myself?"

The Nine Netherworld Dragon, a giant beast born from the Nine Netherworlds, had long since developed intelligence. However, the moment Luo Yunhan mentioned the words "Ghost Emperor," its body involuntarily flinched twice, and a flicker of fear flashed in its eyes. It was as if these two words, for it, were some kind of unspeakable taboo.

Seeing this, Ling Zhihong's eyes flashed with determination. He was well aware of the Nine Netherworld Dragon's strength and knew that only by relying on this giant beast could he defeat Luo Yunhan. So, without hesitation, he issued the order: "Kill him, Nine Netherworld!"

Upon receiving the command, the Nine Netherworld Underworld Dragon let out a deafening roar, its massive body soaring into the sky, swooping down towards the canopy. In the twilight, its body shimmered with a faint blue light, carrying a deadly venomous aura as it surged towards Luo Yunhan. This venomous aura quickly spread, shrouding Luo Yunhan in pitch darkness.

Luo Yunhan moved, shrinking the ground to an inch. He took a single step forward, landing firmly on the back of the Nine Netherworld Dragon. He was dressed in white, like a lotus flower atop a snowy mountain, unstained by a speck of dust. His overwhelming pressure spread like a violent storm, causing the air around him to freeze.

Luo Yunhan lightly tapped his right foot. That seemingly insignificant movement held astonishing power. Under the impact of this force, the Nine Netherworld Underworld Dragon let out a painful roar, and its massive body instantly plummeted from the air, crashing to the ground like a meteorite. The shock sent many of the surrounding low-level spirit beasts flying, sending them scattering in all directions as if they had encountered an unstoppable natural disaster.

Ling Zhihong's situation was precarious. His halberd seemed powerless against Luo Yunhan's icy blue sword, and began to crumble inch by inch, fragments scattering through the air like meteors. The sword, with its sharp blade, thrust forward, tearing through the air with a piercing whistling sound.

Ling Zhihong was forced closer and closer to the ground by this powerful sword energy. His face turned pale, and a trace of unprecedented fear flashed in his eyes. At this critical moment, he took a deep breath and pulled out a chessboard from his arms. The chessboard exuded an ancient and mysterious aura.

As Ling Zhihong's spiritual power surged, the chessboard instantly expanded, like a massive shield blocking him. With a flick of his finger, the white pieces fell onto the board like meteors, followed by the four symbols of Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermillion Bird, and Black Tortoise. These pieces seemed to be imbued with life, emitting a powerful murderous aura that raged in all directions.

The Azure Dragon coiled, the White Tiger roared, the Vermillion Bird spread its wings, and the Black Tortoise sat firmly. The power of the four symbols intertwined together to form an indestructible defense. Ling Zhihong gritted his teeth and tried his best to resist Luo Yunhan's attack.

Ling Zhihong took a deep breath and growled, "Kill!" Following his command, the phantoms of the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermillion Bird, and Black Tortoise suddenly lit up on the chessboard. As if infused with souls, they each let out a deep, majestic roar. As if summoned by some mysterious force, these phantoms leaped from the chessboard and struck directly at Luo Yunhan's icy-blue giant sword.

They stood in the four directions of east, south, west, and north. Under their shadows, a golden circle gradually formed and launched a fierce attack towards the giant sword. These attacks were as dense as a violent storm, and for a moment, the entire space was filled with intense energy fluctuations.

However, Luo Yunhan just smiled slightly, and he whispered: "The power of this Four Symbols Formation in your hands is limited to this." After that, the spiritual power in his palm surged out again like a flood breaking through a dam, pushing towards the giant sword.

The ice-blue giant sword, infused with spiritual energy, shone with light, its aura reaching its peak. Under this powerful force, the shadows of the four divine beasts gradually dissipated, ultimately vanishing into nothingness. The chessboard also shrank under this blow, eventually falling into Ling Zhihong's hands.

Just as the ice-blue giant sword's energy was about to pierce Ling Zhihong's body, a sudden surge of wind spiritual power rose up like a gust of wind, quickly enveloping him. This wind spiritual power was like an invisible barrier, pulling Ling Zhihong back from the brink of life and death, and carrying him away from the spot, leaving only a faint afterimage that gradually dissipated in the air.

Then, a majestic, aged figure slowly materialized from the void. He wore a simple, elegant robe, his hair and beard white, but his eyes pierced with a gleaming intensity, revealing an indescribable majesty and depth. This was none other than the Ling family's ancestor. His gaze, like a torch, scanned the surroundings, as if he could see everything. His presence heightened the already tense atmosphere.

The old man smiled faintly, his hands slightly bowed, yet beneath that smile lay a deep worry. His palms were already drenched in sweat, for he could not fathom the true power of this mysterious opponent before him. He took a deep breath, calmed himself, and then spoke slowly, "Sir, I, the young man of the Ling family, may have been disrespectful in today's incident. I hope you will forgive me. If you are willing to stop and spare his life, my family will return the favor with a generous gift as an apology."

The old man's voice was filled with sincerity and anticipation. He knew full well that his opponent's strength was unfathomable. If they really came to blows, the entire Ling family would be unable to resist. Therefore, he could only hope that the other party would show some mercy and give the Ling family a chance to breathe.

Luo Yunhan's gaze was as sharp as a torch, his eyes calm and composed, his face as cold as ice, as if nothing in the world could shake him in the slightest. The headband behind him fluttered in the wind, adding a touch of sage-like aura. He spoke calmly, his voice cold and firm: "If I want to kill him, no one in the world can protect me.

Luo Yunhan's tone was icy, with no intention of compromise. "If your Ling family wants to save him, it's not impossible. But I must keep his cultivation. He dared to covet my disciple's divine beast, and this is the price he must pay. From now on, he can no longer serve as the head of the family."

The old man gently wiped the nonexistent sweat from his forehead. Seeing that Luo Yunhan had no intention of killing him, his tense nerves relaxed slightly. He replied respectfully, "Please rest assured, sir. I understand your meaning. Ling Zhihong will no longer be able to take on the position of patriarch of the Ling family, but his cultivation..."

However, when he mentioned his cultivation, he hesitated slightly, a subtle expression that Luo Yunhan keenly noticed. Suddenly, a fierce murderous intent flashed in Luo Yunhan's eyes, as if it could penetrate a person's soul. "Oh? You don't seem willing to destroy his cultivation?"

The old man was frightened by the sudden murderous intent and hurriedly waved his hands to explain: "No, no, no, you have misunderstood. I am willing to, willing to abolish his cultivation." He was afraid that Luo Yunhan would misunderstand, so he hurriedly made his position clear.

At this time, Ling Zhihong heard their conversation from the side and was immediately panicked. He struggled to crawl to the old man, grabbed his robe tightly, and cried, "Ancestor, please don't destroy my cultivation! I beg you, save me!" His voice was full of fear and despair, but in the face of such powerful momentum, he seemed so powerless.

The Ling family patriarch's eyes flashed sharply beneath his loose eyelids. He glared at Ling Zhihong fiercely, fearing he would say something displeasing to him. He shouted, "Shut up!" His voice was filled with authority and anger.

Then, he sent a voice transmission to Ling Zhihong, his voice low and serious: "Even I can't see through that person's cultivation level, and you dare to provoke such a terrifying enemy for the Ling family! Do you know that your actions almost pushed the entire Ling family into an irretrievable situation? Although I can do my best to save your life, your cultivation level is the result of your own actions. You have to bear it yourself!"

The old ancestor's words were full of disappointment and anger. He didn't expect Ling Zhihong to be so reckless and make such a decision without regard for the safety of the family. At this moment, his heart was full of blame for Ling Zhihong, but he also understood that things had come to this point and he could only try his best to save the situation.

When Ling Zhihong heard the ancestor's decision, his legs instantly lost strength, and he nearly collapsed to the ground. His eyes were filled with fear and despair. He turned and wanted to flee, but he knew that running away would only make him more embarrassed. However, the moment he turned, the Ling family ancestor closed his eyes, steeled his heart, and slapped Ling Zhihong on the back.

As a powerful wave of energy surged, Ling Zhihong's cultivation was instantly destroyed. His aura instantly weakened, and his skin gradually became loose after losing the support of his cultivation. He seemed to have been drained of all his energy and spirit.

The Ling family patriarch's face was expressionless, as if what had just happened had nothing to do with him. He took a deep breath, calmed his mind, and then pulled the Four Symbols Formation Chess from Ling Zhihong's arms. This was the Ling family's treasure. He then took out a faintly luminous, top-grade spiritual weapon, ten high-grade defensive magic tools, and even Ling Zhihong's storage ring. He threw them all into the air and slowly pushed them towards Luo Yunhan.

"I hope you can accept these and not embarrass us in the future because of what happened today." The voice of the Ling family's ancestor was low and firm. He understood that the concessions and compensation at this moment were to preserve the future of the entire Ling family.

Luo Yunhan flicked his sleeve lightly, pocketing the pile of treasures before him. These treasures were of no practical use to him, but the thought of giving them to his young apprentice as toys made his lips curl slightly. He nodded and gestured to the Ling family, signaling that they could leave.

Although Luo Yunhan had spared the Ling family, he hadn't guaranteed his young disciple would relinquish her guilt. He knew her temper well; she wouldn't give up easily when it came to the coveted divine beast. However, this was her own matter, and Luo Yunhan wouldn't interfere. He would simply silently support her decision, and whether she chose to forgive or pursue the matter, he would stand by her side.

When the Ling family's ancestor saw Luo Yunhan nod, he felt relieved, but he did not dare to be negligent in the slightest.