I looked sideways at Shang Xingyan with my hands behind my back, and in that instant, my hair turned completely gray.

Any kind of curse requires the caster to pay a certain price. The nail clipping I took was merely a medium for casting the curse; what I truly sacrificed was my own lifespan.

I gently touched my hair: "I turned my hair white just to deal with you. Call me 'Father'!"

Shang Xingyan shouted hoarsely, "Li Po, how dare you insult this official! This official will definitely..."

"Call me 'Father'!" My voice was already laced with coldness.

The Poisonous Snake Soul-Devouring Curse isn't as simple as having a snake bite someone. Once the curse is complete, the cursed person is like a ghost-possessed, unable to break free and suffering the pain of poisonous snakes devouring their soul every moment.

The Poisonous Snake Soul-Devouring Curse also has another name: "Pit of Worms." It means throwing a person into a pit of worms to suffer the pain of ten thousand snakes devouring their soul. However, a person actually thrown into a pit of worms would die quickly. A person afflicted with the Poisonous Snake Soul-Devouring Curse can't even die if they want to.

Shang Xingyan rolled on the ground in pain but stubbornly refused to yield: "You dare to attack the people of the Duchayuan (Bureau of Investigation)! The Underworld Duchayuan will not spare you..."

I simply stopped looking at Shang Xingyan and turned my icy gaze towards the sorcerers in the field: "I still have nine fingers and ninety years of life to use. If any of you want to try, you are welcome to come forward."

My attack on Shang Xingyan was meant to intimidate the crowd.

I was making it clear to them that I dared to attack Underworld officials and wasn't afraid of eternal damnation. If they really wanted to fight, let's go for mutual destruction.

Someone standing in the crowd said in a deep voice, "Li Po, we have no old grudges and no recent animosity. What exactly do you want?"

I secretly breathed a sigh of relief, finally suppressing the crowd.

The older one is in the martial world, the smaller his courage. If the sorcerers present were young disciples, I would never dare to take such a risky move.

The younger generation is full of vigor and easily angered. When provoked, they will charge forward even knowing they are no match.

These old fellows are different. They are no longer penniless Jianghu (Martial World) sorcerers. Fame, money, and status have long worn away their youthful ambitions. They have too much to consider and won't risk their lives unless absolutely necessary.

I said in a deep voice, "You are right about one thing, that is, we have no old grudges and no recent animosity. Why would I want to make trouble with you?"

"You want to dominate the art world!" Someone answered for me.

I looked coldly at that person and said, "If I wanted to dominate the art world, it would be enough for me to visit each of your homes, using poison and curses. Why would I bother fighting you?"

Before the other person could speak, I raised my knife and pointed at the crowd: "If you doubt my strength, you can come forward one sect at a time. I guarantee I won't use poison or curses. Whoever can beat me, Li Po, I will immediately kill myself here."

I raised the corner of my mouth: "It's not that I look down on you, it's that you are not worthy of my attention."

The faces of the heroes of the art world turned ashen, but no one dared to step forward to accept the challenge.

Two days ago, when I faced the heroes of the art world alone in Yuehai Tower, I had already figured out their weight. In terms of secret arts, they may be above me, but in terms of martial arts cultivation, among the people I have met so far, apart from Ye Yang, I really haven't been afraid of anyone.

Before anyone could speak again, I said, "Xingyan, my son, tell them what happened here."

"You...you're dreaming..." Although Shang Xingyan was no longer rolling around, his hands were still firmly clutching the ground, stubbornly refusing to yield.

I said lightly, "Disobedient children must be beaten to death, or they won't know who their father is."

"A scholar can be killed, but not humiliated!" Shang Xingyan shouted hoarsely. My curse was also activated accordingly. Shang Xingyan trembled all over and collapsed to the ground, unable to even let out a scream.

Real pain can make a person lose their voice, and Shang Xingyan is now in that state.

I looked coldly at Shang Xingyan, who was lying on the ground like a dead dog: "You're right: a scholar can be killed, but not humiliated! But the premise is that you must be a warrior worthy of the opponent's respect. Not humiliating someone like you is simply a failure of heaven. Call me 'Father'..."

I slightly retracted the Dharma seal in my hand, and Shang Xingyan finally recovered a breath: "Father, Father! Please spare your son!"

I glanced at the other party and sneered slightly: "Explain what happened here clearly."

Shang Xingyan said: "Everything here was done by Zhang Fang. He is the true heir of the Mirroring Secret Technique. He set up a trap, wanting to lure all of you into it, and then...then frame Li Po, making all of you owe him a debt of gratitude. By honoring him as your master, he can dominate the provincial capital." Da Feng Novel

As soon as Shang Xingyan said this, there was a commotion. None of these art world experts who had reached the position of sect leader were truly fools.

Perhaps they had noticed clues before, but they simply hadn't thought in other directions. Now that someone had reminded them, all sorts of doubts naturally arose in their minds.

Someone shouted at this moment: "Don't listen to him! Li Po set up a poisonous plan, and Zhang Fang stepped forward to save our lives. How can you doubt Zhang Fang based on a few words? Where is justice? Where is fairness?"