Volume Two: The Anbei Consortium Chapter Thirty: Sweeping All Before Them

"Arrogant!"
"Sharp-tongued!"
The two elders shouted angrily in unison, then attacked Li Yu from left and right.
Their moves were swift and sudden; the seven or eight meters between them vanished in an instant. One aimed for the upper body, the other for the lower.
"Interesting, a coordinated attack?"
Li Yu took a slight step back, effortlessly dodging their assault. He didn't retaliate, only acting when he couldn't avoid a blow or wanted to test their strength.
"As expected, all bluster and no bite!"
Xie Hongda felt his spirits lift as he saw the young man forced to defend himself, and his worries eased considerably.
Only An Kangyu, who watched with focused attention, noticed something unusual.
The two men in the arena understood clearly.
"This kid is toying with us!"
The short, stout elder muttered, and his tall, thin companion, with years of mutual understanding, immediately grasped his meaning. The two attempted to disengage.
"Don't leave just yet!" Li Yu changed his stance, switching from defense to offense, entangling them both.
"What is happening?"
Xie Hongda heard the elders' words, then watched as the situation shifted abruptly—Li Yu suddenly struck out, overwhelming both men.
His mind struggled to process what he saw.
It wasn't until the tall, thin elder took a punch and spat blood that Xie Hongda truly understood. He gritted his teeth and shouted,
"Everyone, charge! Whoever lands a hit gets half a million from me!"
At those words, a crowd of thugs behind him raised their weapons and surged forward with a howl.
Seeing this, Li Yu no longer held back.
So, in just over a minute, the ground was littered with moaning, fallen henchmen. Li Yu's clothing was only slightly rumpled, not a drop of sweat on his body.
Bear in mind, he wasn't dressed for combat. The garments of the Qing clan were adorned with tassels and other decorations at the waist and corners.
Despite these cumbersome trappings, he remained completely unscathed.
"Let's talk, let's talk!"
Xie Hongda called out anxiously.
Li Yu kicked the two elders to Xie Hongda's feet. Xie Hongda glanced down, swallowed hard, then looked up, "It's a misunderstanding, I'm from the Xie family."
Unable to win, he could only reveal his identity.

The Xie clan, though not based in S City, wasn't far away—just across the province border in Jiangjin. Within Jiangjin, the Xie family was among the foremost noble houses, boasting two grandmasters and a gathering of many experts in the secret arts.
"So what? You think I need to know which family you belong to?" Li Yu shook his head.
He couldn't even recognize all the local families, so what threat could an out-of-town clan pose to him?
"Well... Can I pay you, then?" Xie Hongda's expression brightened as he asked.
"How can I accept that?" Li Yu mused for a moment, then said, "Name your price."
He spoke calmly, stepping closer, his face serene, even friendly, with a smile. His clothing, dominated by blue hues, was embroidered with the Qing clan emblem.
Xie Hongda's gaze lingered on the symbol, "What family or organization does that represent?"
He was puzzled, never having seen it before. After a moment, he looked away and said, "Two million! What do you think?"
"Not bad. Is that your final offer?"
Why ask me again? Isn't it normal to haggle for a higher price?
Xie Hongda found it odd but didn't dwell on it, assuming that Li Yu, though not saying so, must fear the Xie family somewhat. He nodded, "That’s the price!"
If you’re foolish enough not to negotiate, it’s not my fault for offering so little, Xie Hongda thought to himself. His true estimate was over ten million, but price negotiations always involved back and forth. Since Li Yu didn’t push, he was happy to settle.
"Transfer the money to this account."
He quickly took the offered card and began the transfer. Suddenly, anguished cries erupted nearby, startling him.
He looked up.
Li Yu was smiling as he lifted his foot off the tall elder’s leg, then kicked the short elder’s arm, exposing it.
"What are you doing?"
Before Xie Hongda’s wide eyes, Li Yu stomped hard on the elder's left arm, the crunch of bones echoing.
"You get what you pay for," Li Yu said with a smile. Two million couldn’t buy them intact.
"You..."
Now Xie Hongda understood why Li Yu had asked if he was sure about the price.
The tall elder’s specialty was his legs, so Li Yu crippled them. The short elder trained his hands, so Li Yu broke his arm. It was a warning.
With this act, Li Yu made it clear that any future revenge would come at a price.
Xie Hongda’s heart bled. These two were skilled, their combined techniques formidable, yet now both were ruined simply because he tried to save money.
What a loss!
His earlier satisfaction vanished entirely. Looking at the young man before him, he felt as though he faced a standing demon.
"Let’s go."
Once the transfer was complete, Li Yu waved his hand. An Kangyu and the others, who had been watching from the sidelines, came over, and they left together.

Passing by a youth unconscious on the ground, An Kangyu snorted coldly and stomped hard on the young man's head.
Xie Hongda opened his mouth but dared not say a word.
...
After leaving, without hesitation, An Kangyu transferred several million to each companion, allowing them to depart freely.
After a simple bandaging, he and Li Yu went to a tavern.
An Kangyu drained his cup in one fierce gulp, "Ah... All gone in a single night."
His most trusted adopted son had betrayed him, many of his men had defected. Just these two blows had left his organization shattered. Of his loyal followers, only a few remained after today’s confrontation. Even if he could rally the peripheral members, it would be difficult to achieve anything significant.
Not to mention the Scorpion Gang lurking outside, watching hungrily.
"But you’re still alive," Li Yu shook his head. The dispersal of followers after a leader’s fall was no great matter. An Kangyu’s skills in the secret arts were formidable; if he wished, he could still stand firm.
Death was the only true end. Think of those in the Stone Village of the other world: whatever their achievements, now nothing remains. Lin Sanjin, for instance, committed countless crimes, but now not even the spark of life is left.
He didn’t even have the ability to rise again!
But... Li Yu suddenly thought of Mu Yinhua. He wondered how she was doing.
"Who would have guessed that my most cherished adopted son was a planted agent," An Kangyu growled in anger, needing time to collect himself. "Anyway, I still have some money left. I’ve decided—I'll retire and live out my days in peace."
Li Yu understood.
This incident had drained An Kangyu’s spirit, prompting thoughts of withdrawal.
Li Yu nodded, "That’s not a bad idea. Stop worrying about meaningless things. If you focus, your martial arts might even advance further."
He could see at a glance the change in An Kangyu’s martial arts. The realm that had stagnated before had become unstable during the elders’ attack; he was just one step away from entering a new world.
"Young Master Yu, your insight is remarkable!"
An Kangyu was surprised, not expecting Li Yu to so easily discern his cultivation. But, thinking it over, it made sense—Li Yu’s abilities were so deep that those whom An Kangyu could barely resist were mere playthings for him.
If not for a stubborn spirit within him, he would have already lost today.
"Picking up what was set aside years ago isn’t so bad!" An Kangyu laughed. Many years ago, after founding the Anbei Group, he lost his passion for martial arts. Now, stripped of everything,
He felt the stirrings of ambition again—the possibility of advancing boldly.