Chapter 269: The One Who Breaks the Deadlock

Sanyang City, inside the City Lord's Mansion.

As a prominent family with a thousand-year heritage, the Fan family of Xingzhou took Li Yi's affairs with the utmost seriousness. Three months ago, several Qi Refining experts from the Fan family had already taken control of the City Lord's Mansion. Among them was the current head of the Fan family, Fan Wentian. Furthermore, the talented younger generation of the Fan family had also arrived in Sanyang City.

And it wasn't just the Fan family; the Meng family of Qingzhou, the Zhao family of Yanzhou, and the Qi family of Jinzhou had all dispatched people as well.

Of the Eight Great Families, a full four had arrived.

The remaining four families weren't unwilling to come; rather, the four major families had intentionally blocked the news. The other families had no idea about this matter and were still being kept in the dark.

"Li Yi has already arrived. He is indeed a man of his word."

Fan Wentian sat in the main seat, a faint smile on his face as he said, "Meng Que, I don't understand. It's just a bit of life force from a mere Sanyang City; if you wanted to give it, you could have just given it. Why sacrifice Meng Changfeng, that thousand-year-old Yin Spirit? And Meng Kuohai of your Meng family died so unjustly—he didn't even make it within a hundred paces of his opponent before being killed. Now, he has completely become a joke."

Every time this was mentioned, he found it amusing. It wasn't just him; the elders of the other two families couldn't help but laugh as well.

Meng Que's expression was somewhat unsightly. He said, "My Meng family waded into these muddy waters for your sake. Without our Meng family testing this Li Yi, how would you have taken this small fry from Sanyang City seriously?"

"This Li Yi is no longer a small fry now."

Zhao Mingyue, an elder of the Zhao family from Yanzhou, said slowly, "Just now, when Li Yi entered the city, a young disciple of my Zhao family threw a punch at him without holding back, all nine meridians resonating. The result, however, was that he was defeated by a single punch, and not even the Yin horse he was riding was harmed in the slightest."

"He has reached Qi Refining?" Meng Que asked in shock.

Three months ago, he could be certain that the opponent relied on some kind of high-powered hidden weapon to kill Meng Kuohai, not his own strength. That was why the Meng family had miscalculated and sent Meng Changfeng, that thousand-year-old Yin Spirit, to intercept him. Who would have thought that Li Yi had a backup plan? Not only did Meng Changfeng die, but the vengeful spirits and fierce ghosts on Ghost Street were completely wiped out.

A certain unknown and terrifying power made the Meng family feel fearful and uneasy.

"Li Yi did not obtain the method for Qi Refining; he should still be in the Meridian Cultivation Realm. However, this person's strength cannot be measured by his realm. When he first entered Sanyang City, he was already able to kill Meridian Cultivation experts across three realms. Doesn't your Meng family have a young female martial artist named Meng Cai? Her potential was good, but in the end, wasn't she worn down by him until her blood and Qi were exhausted, dying beneath Great Qingshan? Moreover, this time Li Yi came to the Four Seas and Bazhou, he did not bring that weapon from last time. You might want to think about what that means," Fan Wentian said, his smile fading as he spoke seriously.

A Qi Refining elder from the Qi family tapped his chair and said, "Although this Li Yi lacks the name of Qi Refining, I fear he possesses the reality of it."

"No, more than that."

Fan Wentian continued, "The Meridian Cultivation martial artists who died beneath Great Qingshan were not just Meng Cai; there were five of them. Although three died under that weapon, Meng Cai and Meng Yanwei were the ones who fought their way right up to Li Yi."

"I examined the bodies of those two. Meng Yanwei was beaten to death by a few punches. As for Meng Cai... she even used her heart's blood, yet when Li Yi left, Fan Zhizhou did not see a single scratch on him. This means that two Meridian Cultivation martial artists working together could not take down the Li Yi of that time. One-on-two is not his limit; he still had strength to spare."

Meng Que couldn't help but close his eyes. He took a deep breath and said, "Understood. This Li Yi can not only fight across realms, but he is also invincible across realms. If he has the strength of Meridian Cultivation, he is invincible among Meridian Cultivation experts. If he has the strength of Qi Refining today, I fear he is invincible among Qi Refining experts."

"To move against this person, at least a Soul Transformation expert must strike, and it would require more than one."

Fan Wentian laughed, "Therefore, Li Yi cannot be moved against. Don't forget, how did your Meng Changfeng perish? To this day, the cause of death hasn't been investigated clearly; we only know that after that day, Ghost Street was wiped clean. And even if we did take down this Li Yi, so what? If experts from his world were to kill their way over, all of our great families would be wiped out."

"I was just saying. My Meng family has no intention of making a move. This time I came to offer an apology," Meng Que said. "And the gift this time is heavy enough; I believe it will satisfy the other party."

"That's more like it. It is better to resolve grievances than to harbor them. However, your Meng family is still a bit short-sighted," Fan Wentian said.

Meng Que frowned, "How so? Does Family Head Fan have some profound insight?"

Fan Wentian looked at the others, then lowered his voice, "This Li Yi is a fierce dragon crossing the river. He arrived here by crossing dimensions by accident and will not stay here for long. To us great families, he poses no threat, and he has no intention of competing with us for power. Such a person is destined to roam in a much broader world. For us, this is at best an inn where he is stopping to rest."

"That makes sense. Continue," the Qi family elder on the side nodded.

"Why don't our four family heads fully support this person, bow down to him, and grant whatever he needs? We can raise this young dragon, and when he flies to the nine heavens, that will be the day our four great families rise," Fan Wentian said.

The Qi family elder hesitated for a moment, "Although Li Yi is strong and can reign supreme in the Qi Refining Realm, to have our four great families bow down to him in one go... Family Head Fan, isn't that a bit spineless?"

Fan Wentian merely laughed, "You must know, a subject does not serve two masters. Recognizing one master is better than recognizing a group. What do you all think?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the others immediately reacted.

Meng Que stood up abruptly, looking at him with suspicion and shock, "You want to use Li Yi's hand to break the deadlock of the ghosts and gods?"

"Our Eight Great Families cannot resist the ghosts and gods. No matter which family, none can produce a Dharma Aspect Realm figure. Cultivation to the Soul Transformation Realm is the limit. Whoever dares to break through the realm must die. Our Fan family ancestors were like this, and your Meng family's Meng Changfeng was the same. We are trapped in the game and are powerless. To break the deadlock, we can only rely on someone from outside the game," Fan Wentian said.

"And after Li Yi breaks the deadlock, do you think that with his temperament, he would care if our families had a few more Dharma Aspect Realm experts?"

Everyone was silent.

They never expected that the head of the Fan family would have such courage.

But upon careful reflection, this deal doesn't seem like a loss after all.

If Li Yi failed, they would at most lose some resources. If he succeeded...

"This matter is of great importance. We must return to our clans to discuss it." Meng Que, as well as the two elders from the Zhao and Qi families, dared not make a decision at this moment.

Fan Wentian said, "Then be quick, because I cannot be certain how long Li Yi will stay in the Four Seas and Bazhou. Once he leaves, the next time he returns, he might already be in the Soul Transformation Realm. By then, our meager support will be worth nothing in his eyes. After all, you have seen how terrifying his cultivation speed is."

"I will use the Dream-Entrusting Technique to contact my family head now," Meng Que said, and without looking back, he walked out of the hall.

"I will also use the Dream-Entrusting Technique." The two elders from the Zhao and Qi families were also impatient. Ignoring everything else, they rushed out of the hall and soon disappeared.

Seeing this, Fan Wentian merely smiled and did not stop them.

After the people from the three families left, the elders and disciples of the Fan family walked out from the back hall.

"Family Head, do you think they will agree?" a Qi Refining elder couldn't help but ask.

"A great change unseen in a thousand years. If their family heads aren't stupid, this matter has an eight or nine out of ten chance of succeeding."

Fan Wentian drank his tea slowly and said, "Besides, which of the Eight Great Families hasn't been bullied by the ghosts and gods? A thousand years of hatred, a thousand years of resentment—it only lacks a catalyst. And they know very well that if this succeeds, even if Li Yi becomes the co-lord of the Four Seas and Bazhou and sits on the golden throne, he won't care about this small patch of land. Just as Zhizhou said, the world outside is too vast. Such a strong person cannot be confined to a corner. By then, won't it be us who manage things?"

"If the other families don't put enough chips on the table this time, once Li Yi breaks the deadlock, the Eight Great Families will be relegated to history."

"Bet, and you won't lose. Don't bet, and they are all finished. Moreover, our Fan family has a backup plan this time. If Li Yi is unwilling to take over the Four Seas and Bazhou in the future, we still have the hope of Zhizhou. He will definitely follow Li Yi across dimensions this time. If he achieves success in his cultivation in the future, he will also be the key to breaking the deadlock."

"It's just that time waits for no one. Li Yi's momentum is about to be formed; he is ultimately much more reliable than Zhizhou."

After these words, the Fan family elders present were all convinced.

"It's a bargain for them this time," a Fan family elder sighed.

"More people make it safer. I'm afraid it would be a bit difficult for our Fan family alone to support Li Yi, but if we use the strength of the four continents, it will be secure," Fan Wentian said. "Alright, prepare the banquet. Tomorrow at noon, I will host Li Yi at the City Lord's Mansion."

"Elder Fan Gao, I'm sorry to trouble you tonight. Take the elders of the Qi and Zhao families to visit Li Yi and experience the demeanor of this person known as the most courageous in history, so as to completely dispel the doubts of those two families."

"I understand, Family Head, please rest assured," Fan Gao said.

Fan Wentian reminded, "Be careful, don't die. This person's punch is not easy to take."

"Understood." Fan Gao nodded solemnly.

Li Yi did not know anything that happened in the City Lord's Mansion. At this moment, a banquet was being held inside the Zhao Martial Arts School, filled with laughter and joy, and it was very lively.

This banquet lasted until the evening. When Zhao Ge saw that Li Yi was a bit tipsy, he let Rong Niang and Zhao Qian arrange a carriage to send Li Yi back to his residence for a good rest.

And in the carriage.

Zhao Qian and Rong Niang had flushed faces, and their eyes revealed a look of shyness.

Long before Li Yi came to the Four Seas and Bazhou, Zhao Ge had already instructed the two of them that if they saw Li Yi in the future, they should follow him and serve him well, without asking for any status. Li Yi was a man who valued emotion and righteousness and would not treat the two of them poorly.

At that time, the two of them, as if by some strange fate, didn't know how they had agreed to it.

But now that Li Yi had really returned, they didn't know what to do. ===== CHAPTER 270 =====