Li Xuan smiled as the Night Emperor appeared.
Just moments ago, Li Xuan's spiritual sense had detected a subtle change, and within that change, he felt a familiar presence.
Clearly, the Night Emperor had returned.
Though the Night Emperor inquired how Li Xuan had discovered him, he simultaneously waved his hand, dissipating Guan Tong’s attack.
"Holy cow, Young Master, why do you look like a child's fight interrupted by an adult?" the voice of the Heavenly Dao Brush echoed in Li Xuan's mind.
Li Xuan's face darkened at the remark. This troublesome brush, just as Cang Ling Pagoda had said, should just shut up if it didn't know how to speak.
"Who are you?" Seeing her attack so effortlessly nullified by the Night Emperor, Guan Tong's expression became solemn.
The Night Emperor smiled and said, "This Emperor owes this person a favor, having once promised that as long as this Emperor was present, he would be unharmed. Had this Emperor not returned so swiftly, I fear this debt would have lasted a lifetime. Therefore, I believe it is best for you to die."
As the Night Emperor finished speaking, an invisible force instantly bound Guan Tong. Furthermore, Guan Yu, standing nearby, was also lifted into the air.
Both Guan Tong and Guan Yu wore expressions of terror. The Night Emperor's strike had left them utterly unable to resist.
At this moment, Guan Tong understood that she had kicked an iron plate.
*Bang!*
With a bang, Guan Yu’s body exploded into a mist of blood. Guan Tong’s expression was about to shatter upon seeing this, but the invisible force rendered her immobile.
Zhao Gongde and the other two were greatly alarmed. They had clearly not anticipated that someone as powerful as Guan Tong, an Eternal Realm cultivator, would be so utterly defenseless against the Night Emperor. For a moment, their gazes shifted to Cai Kaiji.
After all, since his appearance, Cai Kaiji had sided with Li Xuan. At this moment, the three of them deeply regretted their choice, wishing they had known earlier, and never would they have chosen to align with Yihua Palace and sever ties with the Cai family.
"The Young Master actually has such a powerful expert behind him!" Fu Xiong swallowed hard, looking at the Night Emperor with shock. The Star Radiance Auction House was not without Eternal Realm cultivators. But one who could suppress Guan Tong, an peak Eternal Realm cultivator, was something else entirely.
"I beg you, Sir, to show leniency." Just then, a voice sounded from afar, drawing closer. The next moment, a figure appeared before them.
The newcomer was none other than Guan Qin, whom Li Xuan had met before.
"No need to look at this Emperor. Whether she lives or dies, you'll have to ask that young fellow." The Night Emperor ignored Guan Qin, his gaze shifting to Li Xuan.
"It's you?!" Guan Qin’s eyes followed the Night Emperor's gaze to Li Xuan, and upon seeing him, she was taken aback. Clearly, Guan Qin remembered Li Xuan.
"Palace Master Guan has a good memory." Li Xuan nodded with a wry smile.
"Can you grant me this favor? She is, after all, the Great Elder of my Yihua Palace," Guan Qin said after a moment of silence, looking at Li Xuan.
Li Xuan shook his head. "Palace Master Guan, it's not that I'm unwilling to grant you face, but her son has already been killed by me. Do you think she will let this matter rest? No. On the contrary, she will seek revenge against me by any means necessary."
"Moreover, given that fellow's dissolute nature, if he didn't have her backing, he would have died countless times already. To know that one's child is a menace and yet fail to discipline them, the parents also bear responsibility."
"Therefore, why should I leave myself with trouble?"
Guan Qin fell silent. What Li Xuan said was indeed true. Even she herself would likely not leave such a problem unresolved.
Besides, Guan Yu had indeed caused a lot of trouble. If not for Guan Tong's constant protection, and if others hadn't dared to speak out of respect for Yihua Palace, he would have been killed long ago.
Even Guan Qin herself had heard, more or less, that Guan Yu had harmed many maidservants within the palace, not to mention what else she was unaware of.
"My Yihua Palace will not interfere in this matter. I ask that you understand, Young Master," Guan Qin said, glancing at the Night Emperor before gritting her teeth and speaking to Li Xuan.
Facing the Night Emperor, Guan Qin understood that even if she intervened, she would not be a match. Furthermore, this could bring ruin upon Yihua Palace. At their level of cultivation, their perception of danger was exceptionally keen.
"Rest assured, this matter will not involve Yihua Palace," Li Xuan nodded, understanding that Guan Qin had made the decision to sacrifice a pawn to save the king.
"I trouble Senior Night Emperor," Li Xuan said, looking at the Night Emperor and cupping his hands.
The Night Emperor smiled, then waved his hand, instantly obliterating Guan Tong. Of course, Guan Tong's storage ring floated in mid-air. Li Xuan beckoned, and it entered his hand. Guan Qin's lips twitched slightly, but she did not intervene.
"Young Master, their mother and son are both dead. However, their father is the chief steward of the Domain Lord's Mansion. If questioned about this matter, this old woman will have to answer truthfully." Guan Qin said, looking at Li Xuan after some thought.
"The chief steward of the Domain Lord's Mansion?" Li Xuan frowned slightly at this.
"Simple," the Night Emperor smiled, then looked at Li Xuan and said, "Lend me your sword for a moment."
Li Xuan was puzzled but still tossed the Shi Sword over.
"Go," the Night Emperor toyed with the Shi Sword for a moment, then flicked his wrist, sending it flying.
The next instant, the Shi Sword vanished into thin air.
Southern Domain, Domain Lord's Mansion.
*Yin!*
Accompanied by a sword's cry, a beam of sword light instantly enveloped the Domain Lord's Mansion.
"Presumptuous!"
A middle-aged man, who had been meditating in seclusion, suddenly opened his eyes. The next moment, he appeared in mid-air.
"Domain Lord!" Countless figures surged out from all directions, bowing respectfully to the man.
"Attack together!" The man glanced at the spiritual sword above his head, his eyelids twitching, and then spoke.
In the next moment, countless streams of spiritual energy shot towards the sky. Just then, the spiritual sword descended.
*Boom!*
As the spiritual sword fell, an area of hundreds of miles was reduced to flat ground. xxs
"That... that's the direction of the Domain Lord's Mansion?!" Guan Qin seemed to sense something and suddenly looked towards the north.
*Whoosh!*
At this moment, a piercing sound echoed, and the Shi Sword reappeared in the Night Emperor's hand.
Guan Qin swallowed, looking at the Night Emperor with a face full of horror. But soon, she withdrew her gaze, a dreadful thought forming in her mind.
"Alright, that so-called chief steward is dead. And I've also conveniently wiped out the Domain Lord's Mansion. Now, there shouldn't be anyone bothering you," the Night Emperor said, tossing the Shi Sword back to Li Xuan with a wave of his hand.
Li Xuan was stunned. It was all gone just like that?
But he had to admit, this was truly a foolproof solution.
"Young friend, if you have free time in the future, you are welcome to visit Yihua Palace," Guan Qin said with a wry smile. Her dreadful thought had indeed come true. However, she had no desire to linger here any longer. Who knew if the Night Emperor might have a whim and annihilate her too.
"Uh, okay." Li Xuan snapped back to attention and nodded in agreement.
"Patriarch Cai, thank you for just now," Li Xuan said with a smile, turning to Cai Kaiji after Guan Qin departed.
Cai Kaiji suddenly clasped his fists in trepidation. "Young friend, you are too kind."
Li Xuan nodded, then looked at the Night Emperor and said, "Senior, would you like to join me for some tea?"
The Night Emperor thought for a moment and then nodded. "Certainly."
Soon, Li Xuan, the Night Emperor, and Fu Xiong and others departed.
After Li Xuan and his group left, Cai Kaiji’s face broke into a look of ecstatic joy.
His gamble had paid off!