Chapter 546

Such a vein of ore is no longer something a small family at the Purple Mansion realm could possess.

High above, Fang Yu continued studying these Ji clan elites; what had been left behind by a Primordial Spirit True Person had become the Ji clan's immortal fortune—but if their cultivation base was insufficient, this immortal fortune would become a great disaster.

Now, if the Ji clan makes even one misstep, their entire clan will be wiped out.

"I'm not afraid of anything else—I'm afraid of Snow Longshan. Our Yan Mountain's Snow Longshan is merely a branch; behind it lies the main sect of Snow Longshan, a major Men Sect with a Primordial Spirit True Person in residence. I suspect that by now, the branch cultivators of Snow Longshan have already sensed the changes here."

The clan leader named Ji Ji Jiuhuo wore a very solemn expression.

"According to the Great Xia Dynasty's rules, since this Xu Yuan Qi vein lies near our Ji clan's Ten Thousand Swords City, it belongs to us. But we likely can't hold onto it. Still, the Great Xia Dynasty has another rule: we can transfer this Xu Yuan Qi vein to the Great Xia Dynasty. In return, our Ji clan retains thirty percent, while the Great Xia Dynasty takes seventy percent—and we gain the Great Xia Dynasty's protection, so there's nothing to fear."

Another person spoke up—an old woman, also at the Purple Mansion realm, clearly an ancient elder of the Ji clan.

"This isn't so simple. First, we must report this to the Great Xia garrison in Yan Mountain City. Only then will they send someone to inspect our Ji clan's territory. Only after confirming the existence of this vein will they sign the contract. This back-and-forth will take at least three days. Our enemies won't give us three days—we'll be wiped out within those three days!"

The Ji clan leader shook his head.

A perfectly ordinary tribe had produced a genius, Ji Ning, whom they had planned to nurture diligently, guiding him to strive for cultivation until one day he surpassed the Purple Mansion realm and broke through into the legendary Ten Thousand Phenomena True Person realm—when suddenly, disaster struck, and this disaster would annihilate the Ji clan within three days.

Not a single chicken or dog left alive!

He had to make a decision immediately.

At that moment, a voice rang out.

"How will your Ji clan proceed?"

It was Fang Yu's voice.

His body materialized from the clouds.

"Who are you?"

Ji Ji Jiuhuo's expression changed instantly—he saw two identical young men standing calmly high above, not far off, radiating an unmistakable aura of immortality, ethereal and fluid, yet every soul could feel the terrifying power emanating from these two young men.

They were unquestionably great cultivators beyond the Purple Mansion realm!

But was this great cultivator friend or foe?

Immediately, Ji clan leader Ji Ji Jiuhuo bowed deeply: "I pay homage to the elder. I am Ji Ji Jiuhuo, leader of the Ji clan. I offer this entire Xu Yuan Qi vein to the elder—only ask that you protect the safety of our Ji clan."

"Oh."

Fang Yu listened to the Ji clan leader's words and nodded. "Your willingness shows you are a worthy leader—you haven't been blinded by this wealth. Though these veins mean little to me, I'll reluctantly accept them."

"Thank you, elder!"

As soon as Fang Yu spoke, the Ji clan leader's face lit up with overwhelming joy—it was better to surrender this Xu Yuan Qi vein early than to keep it and risk total annihilation.

This was the wisest course.

At that moment, a massive curtain swiftly flew toward them, upon which stood five men and women, each radiating an extraordinary aura.

The leader wore a black robe adorned with a blood-red Eight Trigrams diagram, exuding a chilling aura.

"Dong Dong Ziqi!"

Ji Ji Jiuhuo's expression darkened slightly.

"Elder, that is Dong Dong Ziqi of Snow Longshan's Yan Mountain branch—his cultivation base ranks first among the six great powers of Yan Mountain."

Ji Ji Jiuhuo urgently whispered to Fang Yu. "He's come here for this Xu Yuan Qi vein."

"That's not the issue. Deal with him first."

Fang Yu sent out a mental command.

"Yes."

"Ji Ji Jiuhuo, you've done well. Your Ji clan has done well indeed—how did you manage to acquire such a vast Xu Yuan Qi vein? Had it not been for the violent fluctuations in heavenly Qi, we'd never have known. Have you already been secretly mining Xu Yuan Qi? How bold of you."

After the five Purple Mansion cultivators arrived, they loomed above, clearly regarding the Ji clan with utter contempt.

Among them, the leader—"Yan Mountain's Number One Expert"—Dong Dong Ziqi, fixed his chilling gaze upon the Ji clan leader, as if contemplating whether to strike down the entire clan immediately.

These words struck the Ji clan members, filling each with fury—but Ji Ji Jiuhuo still transmitted orders via Qi, forbidding any movement.

"Brother Ziqi, my Ji clan only just learned of this."

Ji Ji Jiuhuo's face wore a smile.

"Just learned? Do you even know the size of this Xu Yuan Qi vein?"

Dong Dong Ziqi scanned the Ji clan's group.

"No. We only know it's a rich vein."

Ji Ji Jiuhuo still smiled.

"Since you don't know, I'll be generous and tell you—this Xu Yuan Qi vein spans over four thousand li in diameter and plunges more than three hundred li deep! Such a vast vein is far beyond your tiny Ji clan's capacity to handle. My presence here means this vein belongs to Snow Longshan. If you refuse, I'll wipe you out immediately. Do you understand?"

"What?"

Ji Ji Jiuhuo's face flushed with rage; the other Ji clan cultivators, too, were furious and frantic—they had never imagined Snow Longshan would arrive and immediately seize the vein, threatening them outright, treating them as if they were nothing.

"Brother Ziqi, isn't there another way?"

Ji Ji Jiuhuo finally suppressed his fury.

"Of course there's another way—such as surrendering your Ten Thousand Swords City's vassal token. According to Great Xia Dynasty rules, this Xu Yuan Qi vein then belongs to Snow Longshan, with no claim left to your Ji clan. You may still reside in Ten Thousand Swords City—that's another option."

Dong Dong Ziqi paused, then smiled coldly and darkly.

"Surrender the vassal token?"

Ji Ji Jiuhuo turned pale.

Ten Thousand Swords City had always been the Ji clan's. Even if they theoretically should have claimed this rich vein, they could have simply ignored it—as if they'd never seen it. But now, Snow Longshan's Dong Dong Ziqi demanded their vassal token.

What was the vassal token? It represented a clan's foundation. The Ji clan held authority over Ten Thousand Swords City precisely because they possessed the vassal token—everything discovered nearby was, by right, theirs.

Now Snow Longshan wanted the vassal token—meaning Ten Thousand Swords City would henceforth belong to Snow Longshan, and all nearby Xu Yuan Qi veins would be theirs too.

In this case, the Ji clan would gain nothing—not even their own city.

This was too much.

This was unbearable oppression.

All members of the Ji clan were furious, each brimming with rage, obvious to anyone.

"Audacious! Are you the Ji clan rebelling against Snow Longshan?"

Dong Ziqi, the top expert of Yan Mountain, seemed to sense the Ji clan's resentment; he let out a cold laugh and roared: "I give you two choices: first, resist us, and your entire clan will be exterminated! Second, hand over the Vassal Token of Ten Thousand Swords City, and Snow Longshan will allow the Ji clan to continue living here—once we've exhausted all the Yuan Stone veins, we'll return the Vassal Token. This is my promise, Dong Ziqi's word—do you not believe it?"

Promise?

Empty words to swindle the innocent.

This promise is certainly bullshit.

How could we possibly hand over the Vassal Token of Ten Thousand Swords City for such an empty promise?

"What? Ji Ji Jiuhuo, are you truly unwilling to live? Do you choose annihilation? Your life or death rests entirely in your hands—if you choose annihilation, my Eight Trigrams Blood Dragon Array is already starving for blood."

"Senior Brother Ziqi, exterminate them! This Ji clan is hesitating—wipe them out completely!"

"Exterminate them! Must exterminate them!"

The other four Purple Mansion cultivators beside Dong Ziqi also glowed with murderous intent; two of them shouted out, as if ready to strike at any moment.

"Oh? I'd like to see how starving your Eight Trigrams Blood Dragon Array really is—and how exactly do you plan to exterminate them?"

Fang Yu's body reappeared once more.

At Fang Yu's realm of cultivation, his divine abilities flowed freely—so long as he did not wish it, Purple Mansion cultivators could not perceive him.

Now, he decided to let Dong Ziqi and these Purple Mansion cultivators see him—and so Dong Ziqi saw Fang Yu.

"What? Who are you? Esteemed fellow, this is Snow Longshan's affair with the Ji clan—none of your business. Surely you know that behind Yan Mountain's Snow Longshan stands a Primordial Spirit cultivator."

Dong Ziqi's gaze instantly snapped to Fang Yu nearby; his face twisted in shock—this man had been here for a long time, yet he had never noticed him, proving the man's immense strength.

Instantly, Dong Ziqi knew this man was extremely powerful—likely stronger than himself—and without hesitation, he named his patron.

The main sect of Snow Longshan was a prestigious sect housing a Primordial Spirit Daoist!

Anyone who heard that would grant them face.

"Snow Longshan? I didn't know—thought I'd run into a disciple of Weitaiyi Sect."

Fang Yu's face showed a faint sneer—every world had villains like Weitaiyi Sect; these Snow Longshan disciples now embodied Weitaiyi disciples perfectly—opening their mouths with extermination.

In this regard, Weitaiyi disciples seemed even slightly better than Snow Longshan disciples, because Weitaiyi disciples at most yelled, "You're done! Do you know? No one in heaven or earth can save you!"—targeting individuals—while Snow Longshan cultivators opened their mouths with "exterminate the clan."

This kind of influence was simply too terrible.

They spoke of extermination at every turn—and they weren't just talking; these cultivators were fully capable of carrying it out for these Yuan Stone veins.

Comparing them, Fang Yu felt Weitaiyi disciples were just a tiny bit better than Snow Longshan disciples.

Of course, this didn't stop Fang Yu from slaying Weitaiyi disciples.

Fang Yu simply reached out with one hand—summoning a storm of Wind and Fire Tribulation Clouds. His cultivated Black Sun Wind Calamity and Great Sun Fire Disaster had fused in this world; no need to cast each technique separately—he summoned the Wind and Fire Tribulation Clouds directly.

Winds swept across the sky, shredding the cultivators' bodies, while the terrifying Great Sun Fire Disaster obliterated everything.

Whether Dong Ziqi, Yan Mountain's top cultivator, or the other four Purple Mansion cultivators of Snow Longshan—all were instantly reduced to ash by Fang Yu's Wind and Fire Tribulation Clouds, utterly annihilated.