Chapter 108: Brothers United

"Submitting to a master? Accepting a legacy?"

To be honest, Qin Feng had little interest in this behemoth. Why? Because this primordial beast was simply too savage. Every time it appeared, it required the flesh and blood of ten people as a sacrifice before it would obey. Such a bloodthirsty creature did not align with Qin Feng’s principles.

Although he had killed many in his time, those were people who deserved to die. This beast, however, was a creature of pure, unprincipled slaughter, driven only by the instinct to hunt. It stood against the bottom line Qin Feng held for himself.

"Damn it all! I never expected you two to discover the secret here!"

Across from them, Li Haoran finally regained his composure. He glared at Qin Feng and his companion, his eyes blazing with fury as if he wanted to tear them limb from limb. They had appeared at the worst possible moment, clearly intent on ruining his plans. His face was twisted with malice.

After being rescued, Huo Siyan had immediately had her binding shackles severed by Qin Feng. Once freed, her gaze remained fixed on him, filled with a mixture of gratitude and confusion. However, when she caught a glimpse of the Seven-Eyed Cangni, a flash of hesitation crossed her eyes. A myriad of thoughts flickered through her mind, but in the end, she fell silent and stood obediently behind Qin Feng. Qin Feng, entirely focused on Li Haoran, remained oblivious to her behavior.

Every time Qin Feng looked at Li Haoran’s silver eyebrows, he felt a wave of nausea. The fire of slaughter ignited in his eyes.

Li Haoran himself was not the threat; the true danger was the middle-aged man standing behind him, as straight as a sword. With a cold gaze and a terrifying aura of profound energy, the man was clearly an expert at the early Earth-Gang Realm, likely at the first stage.

Zhan Bai frowned and asked coldly, "Li Haoran, you know the secret of this place?"

Li Haoran let out a maniacal laugh. "Of course I do! What is my status, and what are you? Besides, given your current standing, Father no longer trusts you. Don't even think about getting your hands on a single shred of the inheritance here. Hmph!"

Though Li Haoran spoke with scorn, Zhan Bai’s expression darkened. Qin Feng understood that it wasn't the insult that bothered Zhan Bai, but the lack of trust from Li Xingjian. To Zhan Bai, his master was like a father; he had looked up to Li Xingjian his entire life. Yet now, in Li Xingjian’s eyes, there was only his own good-for-nothing son. Because of the incident with Fang Xinyi, Li Xingjian refused to even look at Zhan Bai.

Li Xingjian surely knew something of Li Haoran’s depravity—especially the lewd activities he conducted in the tunnels beneath Sword Origin Peak. After that mysterious attack, it would have been impossible to hide; so many female disciples had died that Li Xingjian could not have ignored it. Yet, despite his son’s debauchery, he was still his own flesh and blood.

He was infinitely more valuable than an outsider like Zhan Bai. That was the message Li Haoran was trying to convey.

Qin Feng sneered from the side. "Give it a rest, Li Haoran! With your trash-like character, you have the nerve to lecture others? I know every dirty thing you’ve done! You’re certainly a credit to your father, Li Xingjian. They say like father, like son—while your father may not be as depraved as you, the title of 'hypocrite' fits him perfectly. It’s a pity for Zhan Bai, stuck with such a worthless, immoral master. Ha! The Shu Sword Mountain is just a nest of rot; it’s absolutely pathetic!"

Before Qin Feng could finish, Li Haoran was already spitting fire, and the middle-aged man beside him radiated killing intent, his aura locked firmly onto Qin Feng. Qin Feng was insulting them to their faces, father and son alike. Li Haoran could not argue back, because everything Qin Feng said was the truth.

"You mongrel, you’re courting death!" Li Haoran stared at him with murderous intensity.

"Hmph, finally showing your true colors! But a loser like you has no right to say that to me. Someone who brings a dog along everywhere for protection, only to act tough while hiding behind them—I’m standing right here. If you have the guts, come and try to kill me yourself!"

Qin Feng laughed coldly. Even with an Earth-Gang expert present, he didn't necessarily have to fight to the death; he could always run. He had no reservations about cursing Li Haoran. Li Haoran, however, had no confidence of his own and relied entirely on the man beside him.

"You!" Li Haoran was nearly choked by his own rage. In truth, he was terrified of Qin Feng. The power of that punch from before was a recurring nightmare. He knew that in a real fight, he would likely lose to Qin Feng. It was his greatest weakness: his actual combat strength was abysmal. At Shu Sword Mountain, he had always been suppressed by Zhan Bai, a mountain he could never climb. Then came Qin Feng, another nightmare. He hated them both with every fiber of his being.

Fortunately, he wasn't alone. Li Qi, standing beside him, was one of the "Ten Shadow Swords" secretly trained by his father. As the seventh in rank, known as the "Wind Sword," Li Haoran knew exactly how formidable he was. Remembering this, Li Haoran’s rage turned into a wild, arrogant laugh.

"Qin Feng, don't forget you are still a disciple of Shu Sword Mountain! By the authority of the Sect Master, I command you: kneel!" Li Haoran pulled a token from his storage bag, brandished it before Qin Feng, and barked the order.

Qin Feng laughed, a sound full of mockery. "How ridiculous! Li Haoran, I’ve already insulted your father, Li Xingjian—do you really think I intend to stay at Shu Sword Mountain? I, Qin Feng, hereby sever all ties with the sect! From this moment on, I have nothing to do with Shu Sword Mountain!" With that, he tore the 'Shu' emblem from his chest and threw it to the ground.

Li Haoran’s expression plummeted. "Fine, in that case..." He turned the token toward Zhan Bai. "Zhan Bai, by the authority of the Sect Master, I order you to execute this traitor, Qin Feng, right here!"

Zhan Bai shook his head, his sword remained sheathed.

"Zhan Bai, do you intend to rebel as well?" Li Haoran roared.

Zhan Bai replied coldly, "I was born a member of Shu Sword Mountain and will die one; I will never betray the sect. But I act with integrity and refuse to associate with scum. I will obey righteous commands, but I cannot comply with this one."

"You...!" Li Haoran’s face turned a shade of bruised purple.

"Li Qi, go! Kill them both!" Li Haoran had lost his mind with rage. He cared nothing for the consequences. In his eyes, Zhan Bai and Qin Feng were both dead men. He was the young master; Zhan Bai was, at best, a dog kept by his father. Killing him would, at worst, earn him a reprimand. As for Qin Feng, no one would care if he died.

Only the cold glint in Huo Siyan’s eyes, lingering on him from behind Qin Feng, made him feel uneasy. *You little bitch, once I kill those two, we’ll see how I deal with you.*

Li Qi nodded and stepped forward. With every step, his aura swelled, and by the time he reached them, the oppressive weight of the Earth-Gang Realm bore down upon them.

Despite his bravado, Qin Feng felt a deep sense of caution. The pressure alone was enough to make it hard to breathe. He was only at the third stage of the Human-Gang Realm. Zhan Bai was better off, at the seventh stage, and with his mastery of the Ghost Sword, his mysterious techniques, and his superior-grade treasures, he remained composed under the pressure.

Qin Feng was startled. *What a man, Zhan Bai!*

In that moment, a strange feeling washed over him. He realized that perhaps, if he and Zhan Bai worked together, they might actually have a chance at slaying this Earth-Gang expert.