The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace-Chapter 46: Don’t Be Arrogant

"This ghost fox has been wreaking havoc in Yunzhang County," Yan Tian said coldly, his sharp gaze fixed on the elder. "It has preyed upon over ten men, draining their life essence. And now you ask us to let it go?"

"Just a few mortals," the elder replied with a slight smile. "Surely that’s no reason for such hostility?"

The casual tone of the elder’s words struck a nerve. To him, mortals were clearly insignificant—nothing more than disposable ants. And yet, as his gaze lingered on the siblings, there was an unmistakable wariness in his demeanor.

Young as they were, these two carried extraordinary potential. The girl, holding a peachwood sword, was clearly at the peak of Breath Embryo Realm Stage Three, a level of cultivation that would make her a prodigy in any prestigious sect or noble family. The elder suspected they hailed from one such lineage. If so, killing them could provoke severe repercussions, far outweighing any personal gain.

A solitary wanderer like him, having spent decades cultivating scraps of immortality arts and painstakingly building his strength, could not afford to make enemies of a powerful family.

"To you, human lives may be nothing," Yan Tian retorted, his tone sharp, "but not to us."

The elder’s expression flickered with confusion at the young man’s words.

"Young friend, you must understand—mortals and immortals are not the same. To us cultivators, mortals are mere ants, their lives as fleeting as morning dew. Why risk opposing me over such trivialities?"

The elder stroked his whisk thoughtfully before continuing. "Perhaps I can offer you something in exchange for the ghost fox’s life? I have a small reserve of spirit stones. Consider it a gesture of goodwill to build a friendly rapport."

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Despite his smile, Yan Tian detected a hint of calculation behind the elder’s offer. The ghost fox was clearly of great value to him. Its strength at Breath Embryo Realm Stage One and the sinister aura surrounding it suggested years of meticulous cultivation.

"No need," Yan Tian said icily. "The lands of Yunzhang County fall under the protection of the Yun Cang Yun Clan. This ghost fox dared to encroach upon our territory, murdering innocents. That’s a challenge to our family’s authority."

His spear flared with concentrated spiritual energy, the air around it crackling with power.

"If you think you can protect it, then try."

Bang!

Yan Tian thrust the spear downward. The force of the spiritual energy erupted like a thunderclap, shattering the ghost fox’s smoky form. In mere moments, it disintegrated into thin wisps of vapor, fading into nothingness.

"Young man, you truly... have no respect," the elder said, his voice chillingly calm.

The amiable smile vanished from his face, replaced by a cold, indifferent expression. His murky eyes now gleamed with a murderous light.

That ghost fox was no ordinary creature. For over a decade, the elder had painstakingly hunted foxes, refining their spirits using secret techniques until he had crafted this entity. Raising it to Breath Embryo Realm Stage One had cost him years of effort, not to mention numerous sacrifices of innocent lives.

As a rogue cultivator, with no sect or family to rely on, the ghost fox had been one of his most valuable tools. It had been his instrument for secretly harvesting the life energy of mortals, a shortcut to advancing his own cultivation.

Now, in an instant, it was gone. His years of labor—his key to surviving in a ruthless world of cultivators—had been obliterated before his very eyes.

All because of these two brash children.

The elder’s heart seethed with anger, but his survival instincts warred with his rage. Killing these two might invite the wrath of their clan, yet the loss of his ghost fox left him with little left to lose.

For now, his hand hovered on the precipice of action.

"Yan Tian, be careful!"

Yun Yan Shuang sensed the overwhelming killing intent radiating from the gray-haired elder. Tightening her grip on the peachwood sword, she stepped to her brother’s side, her expression vigilant.

"Don’t worry," Yun Yan Tian said in a steady voice. "If we work together, we might have a chance."

His spiritual sense remained locked onto the elder, prepared to strike at the first sign of aggression.

Whoosh!

With a flick of his horsetail whisk, the elder sent a gust of icy wind barreling toward Yun Yan Tian.

The wind howled like blades, each current infused with sharp spiritual energy. Yan Tian swiftly parried, his short spear slicing through the icy gusts, scattering the spiritual energy.

Fortunately, the elder appeared to be a rogue cultivator. The incomplete techniques he practiced lacked the potency of orthodox methods. While he was indeed at Breath Embryo Realm Stage Four, his spiritual power was far less concentrated and refined compared to Yan Tian’s. This disparity allowed Yan Tian to neutralize the elder’s initial strike with relative ease.

"Today, you two destroyed decades of my efforts," the elder snarled, his face twisted with rage. "For that, I’ll kill you both, strip you of your treasures, and appease my fury!"

With a sudden burst of speed, the elder closed the distance, his whisk now radiating a cutting spiritual energy akin to a blade. He slashed downward with ferocious intent.

Clang!

The whisk collided with Yan Tian’s short spear, producing a deafening metallic ring and a shower of sparks.

Though Yan Tian managed to block the attack, the immense force behind it rattled his grip. His hands trembled, the impact numbing his fingers, and he staggered backward. For a moment, it seemed the spear might slip from his grasp.

"Hmph! I thought you’d be some skilled scion of a powerful family," the elder mocked, a cruel smirk playing on his lips. "But you’re just a fledgling. Pathetic!"

As he jeered, Yan Shuang seized the opportunity. Her peachwood sword glimmered with spiritual energy as she lunged at the elder from the side.

The elder, however, anticipated her move. With a slight shift of his body, he evaded her thrust. At the same time, his skeletal hand darted out, clamping around her wrist.

With a ruthless flick of his arm, he hurled Yan Shuang through the air. She landed hard in the snow, the impact knocking the wind out of her.

Before she could recover, the elder shook his sleeve, releasing five iron rings. The rings zipped through the air and clamped around her body, binding her tightly to the ground.

"Once I finish off your brother, I’ll deal with you next," the elder sneered. His lecherous eyes gleamed as he added, "Lucky for me, I’ve dabbled in certain techniques. Once I’ve absorbed your essence, I’ll enjoy your power and beauty both."

Yan Tian, seeing his sister bound and helpless, roared in fury. "Old bastard! If you dare harm her, I’ll kill you!"

With a surge of adrenaline, he charged, spear flashing in a blur of motion as he unleashed a relentless barrage of strikes.

Yet, the elder was unfazed. His years of experience allowed him to predict Yan Tian’s every move. Dodging the spear’s shadowy arcs with ease, he countered with a devastating palm strike to Yan Tian’s chest.

The elder’s blow sent a shockwave of spiritual energy surging through Yan Tian’s body, rattling his organs. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he was flung backward, crumpling into the snow like a broken doll.

"Pitiful," the elder scoffed, looming over Yan Tian’s motionless form. "Yun Cang Yun Clan? I’ve never heard of such a name. A minor family dares defy me? Let your death serve as a lesson—arrogance will only bring ruin!"

With a flash of movement, he closed the distance to Yan Tian, raising his whisk for the killing blow. But just as the whisk began to descend—

Whoosh!

From the distance, a single arrow streaked through the air, imbued with immense spiritual energy. It tore through the wind with an unstoppable force, radiating an oppressive aura.

The elder’s eyes widened in terror. He had no time to evade.

Thwack!

The arrow pierced clean through his forehead, its sheer power shattering his skull. Blood and brain matter splattered across the snow as his lifeless body collapsed to the ground.