“Young Master, after Song Zhiyuan brought Li Wu to Tianya Pavilion, he left with Miao Xingyun.” Zhong Shuhui replied.
“Left? It is just as well that he left.” Li Feng breathed a sigh of relief. At this moment, he truly had no mood to talk with Song Zhiyuan. However, Song Zhiyuan managing to capture Li Wu was an unexpected gain.
Yet Li Feng could not understand how Song Zhiyuan had captured Li Wu so easily. What about the experts protecting Li Wu? Why were they not by his side? If they had been, the people Song Zhiyuan brought would not have been a match for Li Wu’s men.
“Young Master, Li Wu and Xu Yang are locked in the basement. Do you want to see them?” Zhong Shuhui asked.
“No need. I am not in the mood to see them now.” Li Feng shook his head. Although he had captured Li Wu, he had not yet decided how to handle him. Seeing Li Wu now, he worried he might not resist slapping him dead with one palm.
If he truly killed Li Wu with one slap, becoming the family heir would be impossible. Otherwise, one could simply kill all siblings to become heir.
But doing so would truly doom the family.
Thus, in the great families, there was an unwritten rule: one could not directly kill competitors.
If he had killed Li Wu tonight without Li Wu falling into his hands, Li Feng would have faced no consequences. But killing him now was impossible.
Was this not a dilemma Song Zhiyuan had set for him?
Only now did Li Feng react. If Song Zhiyuan had let Li Wu go this time, he would not be troubled over how to dispose of him.
He had unexpectedly been played by Song Zhiyuan.
At this thought, Li Feng gave a bitter laugh. He was certain this was very likely the dilemma Song Zhiyuan had created for him.
“Zhong Shuhui, it is less than two hours until dawn. You all go rest first. No one will dare cause trouble now. Other matters can wait until tomorrow.” Li Feng said.
Zhong Shuhui and the others nodded and left the conference room one by one.
Li Feng did not linger in the conference room. He called Hu Yuanyuan to report he was safe, then returned to his bedroom to heal and rest.
After a night of fighting, Li Feng was physically and mentally exhausted.
While Li Feng was healing and resting, in a basement somewhere in Tianhai City, several people sat together discussing something.
“Zhao Xingping is dead.”
“Liu Dongjian has fallen into Li Feng’s hands.”
Seeing these two freshly received messages, the group fell silent, shock flashing in their eyes.
“What do you think?” a middle-aged man asked gravely.
“Li Feng killed my family head and now my family’s young master too. The Zhao family and Li Feng are irreconcilable enemies.” The speaker was an elder, none other than the Zhao family’s grand elder, Zhao Wu.
“Li Feng killed two young masters of my Liu family and now has captured our head. The Liu family and Li Feng are irreconcilable. This matter cannot end like this.” Another elder said. He was the Liu family’s second elder, Liu Xingwei.
“So you plan to seek revenge on Li Feng?”
Zhang Yunhao looked at Zhao Wu and Liu Xingwei, sneering inwardly. Zhao Wu had been Zhao Xiu’s great rival in the Zhao family. When Zhao Xiu was alive, Zhao Wu had often opposed him. After Zhao Xiu’s death, he had suppressed Zhao Xingping even more. Now he hypocritically wanted revenge for Zhao Xiu and Zhao Xingping. Was there anyone more shameless?
As for Liu Xingwei, he was similar. Technically Liu Dongjian’s second uncle, he had been suppressed by Liu Dongjian’s father and unable to raise his head. After Liu Dongjian took control, monitoring eased. Yet Liu Xingwei was an ingrate. When Liu Dongjian targeted Li Feng, he had dragged his feet. Now, with Liu Dongjian captured and the grand elder dead in battle, Liu Xingwei clearly wanted to seize control of the Liu family eagerly.
“Yes, this vengeance is irreconcilable and must be avenged.” Zhao Wu nodded. “However, Li Feng is powerful. We cannot act rashly. This needs long-term planning.”
Zhang Yunhao sneered disdainfully. Those words were as good as saying nothing.
“You are right. Revenge cannot be rash. Li Feng is no ordinary man. If he were easy to deal with, he would have died long ago. From tonight’s events, even if our four great families joined forces, we might not take him down unless the Venerable Lord acts.” Qu Xiuwen spoke at this point.
Hearing this, Zhang Yunhao’s expression grew solemn too. Their Zhang family had also lost a ninth-level acquired ancient martial artist to Li Feng.
“Brother Qu, how is the Venerable Lord?” Zhang Yunhao asked.
“The Venerable Lord will not act at this time.” Qu Xiuwen replied.
“Why?” Zhang Yunhao, Zhao Wu, and Liu Xingwei looked at Qu Xiuwen puzzled.
“Because of the Fist King Championship.” Qu Xiuwen said gravely.
“If the Venerable Lord does not act and we are no match for Li Feng, are we just letting this go?” Zhang Yunhao said gravely.
“Let it go? How can we?” Zhao Wu objected first. With Zhao Xiu and Zhao Xingping dead, he wanted his branch to control the Zhao family. Though no one in the Zhao family would oppose, killing Li Feng would consolidate their position further.
Moreover, Zhao Wu felt that even if he did not trouble Li Feng, Li Feng would not spare the Zhao family. With such strength, defence was impossible. The only way was to strike first.
“Our Liu family will not let it go either.” Liu Xingwei said. Though he wished Liu Dongjian would die at Li Feng’s hands, dealing with Li Feng had already cost the Liu family over half its strength. If Li Feng retaliated, what could they use to resist?
“What then? Do you have a way to deal with Li Feng?” Zhang Yunhao sneered.
“Zhang Yunhao, what do you mean? Do not forget, Li Feng is the enemy of our four great families. He seems to have killed a ninth-level acquired ancient martial artist from your Zhang family too. Is your Zhang family going to cower like a turtle?” Zhao Wu sneered at Zhang Yunhao.
“You old fool, what did you say?” Zhang Yunhao could not tolerate the mockery and flew into a rage.
“What? Want me to repeat it?” Zhao Wu stared coldly at Zhang Yunhao. When Zhao Xiu was alive, he sometimes swallowed his pride due to strength. But now Zhao Xiu was dead, and his own strength was the greatest here. He had nothing to fear.
“You…”
As Zhang Yunhao was about to retort, Qu Xiuwen stopped him. “Enough. At a time like this, you are still bickering. Zhao Wu and Liu Xingwei are right. We cannot let matters with Li Feng end like this. If we do, how will the world view our four great families?”
“Brother Qu, do you have a way to deal with Li Feng?” Zhang Yunhao asked gravely. He did not want to spare Li Feng either, but with so many falling to him tonight and the Venerable Lord unwilling to act, he did not know what to do.
Though the Zhang family had lost a ninth-level acquired ancient martial artist to Li Feng, without a way to counter him, Zhang Yunhao could only swallow his anger.
“There is a way to deal with Li Feng.” Qu Xiuwen said.
“Qu Xiuwen, you really have a way?” Liu Xingwei asked quickly.
“Look at tonight’s intelligence. Have you not noticed anything?” Qu Xiuwen pointed to the intelligence on the table.
“Intelligence?” The group was stunned. They had read it, but apart from Li Feng’s great strength, there was nothing special.
“Brother Qu, you do not mean to borrow a knife to kill, do you?” Zhang Yunhao said gravely.
“Borrow a knife to kill? Qu Xiuwen, you mean use Hongmen?” Zhao Wu thought of something and smiled. “Yes, that is a good method. Tonight’s events were started by Hongmen people, but they failed. Hongmen will not let it rest. Chen Junyi, to avenge his son, will surely send people against Li Feng again. If we fan the flames, using Hongmen against Li Feng is possible.”
“Hongmen?” Qu Xiuwen gave a disdainful snort. “What, you want to invite wolves into the house? Tianhai City is our four great families’ territory. If large numbers from Hongmen enter, do you think we can make them leave later?”
“With the Venerable Lord, what is there to fear?” Zhao Wu said unconcerned.
“The Venerable Lord? Do you think they would intervene in such a trivial matter? Remember, below innate realm, the Venerable Lords will not act. Moreover, we cannot handle one Li Feng now. Later against Hongmen, with our four great families’ current state, could we match them?” Qu Xiuwen sneered.
The four great families dominated Tianhai City because each had two or three ninth-level acquired ancient martial artists, totalling over ten. This was more than enough against forces below innate realm. Above innate, their Venerable Lords behind them handled it.
But now, due to Li Feng, at least a third of their ninth-level acquired ancient martial artists had been killed. Strength greatly reduced. If Hongmen invaded in force now, they could not suppress them.
“Then what?” Liu Xingwei asked.
“The key to dealing with Li Feng lies with Li Wu.” A glint flashed in Qu Xiuwen’s eyes as he looked at the others. “Now Li Wu is in Li Feng’s hands. If we send someone to kill Li Wu and frame Li Feng, heh heh…” At this, Qu Xiuwen laughed sinisterly.
Zhang Yunhao, Zhao Wu, and Liu Xingwei heard this and also laughed sinisterly.
