"Patriarch Jiang, are you truly intent on clashing with my Li Clan today?!"
Li Jingtian's eyes narrowed into sharp slits, his voice calm but laced with barely restrained fury. "If our two families go to war, the entire Immortal Realm will be thrown into chaos!"
Across from him, Jiang Xundao slowly withdrew his hand. He tossed the unconscious Li Kun and the battered protector toward one of his elders before stepping forward with a faint smile.
"Patriarch Li, you misunderstand," Jiang Xundao said mildly. "There's no need for such harsh accusations."
"Misunderstand?" Li Jingtian's eyes gleamed coldly. "Then what do you call it when you seize my son and detain my people?"
Jiang Xundao chuckled, his tone laced with irony. "Didn't you say it yourself—that it was just the younger generation sparring? Yet your clan's heir struck first against my son. Shouldn't I be allowed to teach him a little lesson?"
Li Jingtian's lips pressed into a thin line. He knew very well his side was in the wrong this time. No excuse could cover for his son's arrogance.
"Patriarch Jiang," he said at last, his voice deep and steady, "it is indeed our fault. I will apologize on behalf of my clan."
Jiang Xundao laughed, his gaze sweeping over the gathered immortals from countless sects and clans.
"In that case," he said, "I'll let the matter rest—with one condition. Use the True Dragon's Blood and the Divine Phoenix Feather to ransom your son."
The crowd drew in a collective breath.
Even the surrounding mountains seemed to tremble.
Li Jingtian's expression froze. Though Jiang Xundao's tone was casual, everyone could hear the mockery in his words. Those two treasures were the foundation of the Li Clan itself—priceless beyond measure.
The True Dragon's Blood was a supreme essence used to temper the body. Anyone who refined it could obtain a physique comparable to that of a true dragon. Within the blood slumbered traces of draconic will—if fortune favored you, you might even awaken an ancient Dragon Art.
And the Divine Phoenix Feather… it was rarer still. Said to contain the power of rebirth, it could restore the dead to life, regrow flesh from bone, even bring back one's shattered soul.
To hand them over was tantamount to carving the heart from the Li Clan's chest.
But Li Jingtian had no choice.
Li Kun was still in Jiang Xundao's grasp, and any rash move would only worsen their humiliation. Though he knew Jiang Xundao wouldn't dare kill Li Kun outright, he also knew—if he failed to retrieve his son today, the Li Clan's prestige would crumble overnight.
With a heavy sigh, Li Jingtian took out a jade vial filled with liquid gold and a crimson feather glowing with divine light. He gazed at them one last time, his jaw tightening, then hurled them toward Jiang Xundao.
"Here! Now release my son."
Jiang Xundao caught the treasures, examining them carefully. Only after confirming their authenticity did he nod in satisfaction and casually fling Li Kun's limp body toward the Li Clan.
"And the protector," Li Jingtian said coldly. "Release him too."
Jiang Xundao's expression hardened. "I only promised to return the boy. As for this old dog who dared strike at my son—he no longer has the right to draw breath."
Before anyone could react, Jiang Xundao's palm descended.
Boom—!
The protector's head exploded like a ripe fruit. His soul shot from the corpse in terror, fleeing desperately into the sky.
But Jiang Xundao merely raised a single hand. The air quivered—and the fleeing soul froze midair, as if caught in the palm of heaven itself. A flicker of divine flame burst forth, and the spirit screamed in agony as it was reduced to ash.
A heartbeat later, a low, sorrowful cry echoed through the heavens.
Then—rain began to fall.
Each droplet shimmered with Daoist rhythm, resonating with the laws of heaven and earth. The world itself was weeping.
In the barren mountains, ancient trees stirred. Buds bloomed in an instant. Grass gained consciousness. The fall of a Supreme had stirred the Dao to life.
Li Jingtian clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. The rage in his chest burned hotter than dragon fire. Yet he said nothing. With a cold flick of his sleeve, he turned away.
"Let's go!"
In a single step, he shattered the void and vanished with his remaining Supremes.
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Only when the echo of Li Jingtian's voice faded did a young cultivator whisper, "The Li Clan has lost all face today…"
High above, the guardians of other young prodigies shared the same unspoken thought—
The Jiang Clan truly deserves to be called the foremost immortal family of the realm. Their dominance is absolute.
Jiang Xundao turned back toward his son, his eyes softening. Before the crowd of astonished cultivators, he handed Jiang Wang the vial of golden blood and the gleaming feather.
"Wang'er," he said with a smile, "this True Dragon's Blood will help you reach new heights. The Phoenix Feather—keep it close. It may save your life one day."
Jiang Wang accepted them reverently. Even through the sealed vial, the blood pulsed with searing vitality, as if a dragon's heart still beat within.
To think that the essence of an ancient creature, slain eons ago, could still be so alive—it was beyond comprehension.
He bowed deeply. "Thank you, Father."
Jiang Xundao patted his shoulder, pride flickering in his eyes, before returning to the great hall.
The mood in the Jiang residence shifted. What had begun as a confrontation ended as a declaration of supremacy. One man's might had crushed an entire clan's dignity.
News of the incident would soon sweep across the Immortal Realm.
Even as envoys from countless sects rushed to curry favor, sending saints and goddesses to charm Jiang Wang, his heart remained calm.
Their beauty was fleeting. His mind lingered only on one image—Luo Qingqiu, that breathtaking vision from his past life.
As the laughter and music filled the air, a familiar mechanical chime echoed in his mind.
> [Ding! Congratulations, Host! For publicly humiliating the Li Clan and defeating Li Kun before the gathered powers of the Immortal Realm, you have seized 10,000 Luck Points and obtained a reward: Eighth-Grade Immortal Pill — Shengsheng Jumo Dan!]
Jiang Wang's heart stirred. "An eighth-grade immortal pill…"
Among the six tiers of medicinal rank—Spirit, Profound, Immortal, Sacred, Creation, and Divine—each tier held ten grades. To receive an eighth-grade Immortal Pill was no trivial reward; it was nearly on par with a Saint Pill.
In the entire Jiang Clan, there existed only one Holy Pill—and it had been left behind by his late mother, Chu Yunwan.
But still… he frowned slightly. "System, why are all your rewards related to demons? The Wanyuan Demon Fist, the Chaotic Demon Body, and now the Shengsheng Demon Pill… Are you trying to tell me something?"
> [Host, this System is designed exclusively for the Supreme Villains of the Universe. And what is a villain, if not a Demon Lord in disguise?]
Jiang Wang: "…"
Fair enough.
Three days later, after all the visiting powers had finally departed, Jiang Xundao summoned his son once again.
"Wang'er," he began, eyes gleaming, "I invited every prominent force in the realm this time. Among the goddesses and saintesses you've met, is there anyone you find… suitable?"
Jiang Wang nearly laughed. His father's expression was earnest—too earnest to mock. So he simply furrowed his brows, pretending to ponder.
Several faces flashed through his mind.
Shen Ruyan, chief disciple of the Ten Thousand Swords Immortal Sect—aloof, unapproachable, and bearing the Immortal Sword Bone.
The Saints of Fuyao and Kunlun—each so radiant that a mere glance could steal one's breath and sanity.
But after some thought, Jiang Wang spoke calmly.
"Father, I believe Shen Ruyan of the Ten Thousand Swords Immortal Sect would be the most suitable."
Seeing the joy spark in Jiang Xundao's eyes, Jiang Wang quickly added, "However, Father, I'm still engaged to Li Qingxuan. Until that matter is resolved, I cannot entertain new alliances."