Bu Kuangfeng said darkly, "Since Honored Elder Mei is so interested in the Palace Master's methods, why not try it yourself? I trust Honored Elder Mei will find the experience quite different—at least different from what we brothers might offer." His words were laced with a distinctly mocking tone, leaving even Li Juetian puzzled as to his true meaning.

But high above in the distance, Honored Elder Mei’s anger began to flare. His black robe billowed as if ready to strike, but after a moment, he regained his composure, stating calmly, "The Hidden Immortal Palace. I will go there eventually! I will let your Palace Master know precisely what the end of a hypocrite looks like!"

Before Lei Baoyu could speak, Honored Elder Mei cut him off: "Today, if the two of you intend to join the fray, then come forward; if you are merely here to witness, then stand aside immediately! I have no interest in trading barbs with you two! Stand down!"

"Very well, since we are here to bear witness," Lei Baoyu replied with a grim face, "then Honored Elder Mei, perhaps you should lay out the terms."

"Simple enough: three battles to decide the victor! The first, a battle of legions—that is, the formation currently arrayed before us; the second, a duel of leaders; and the third, a decisive clash of the peak! If you win," Honored Elder Mei snorted, "we beasts of Heavenly Punishment will retreat deep into the forest and never reappear. If you lose, there are three conditions: First, Li Juetian must surrender the Leopard King's Mystic Elixir. Second, from this day forward, no Xuan Practitioner on the continent is permitted to enter the Heavenly Punishment territory. Any violation—one person entering, and I claim ten thousand lives from the continent as recompense; two people entering, and it’s twenty thousand lives! This includes the entire extended clan of those who enter! Third, I demand both legs of Li Juetian’s son. He was the catalyst for this entire conflict, and thus, it must end with him!"

"Those terms are grossly unfair!" Bu Kuangfeng sneered. "If you lose, you merely have to retreat. If we lose, we face three conditions? Honored Elder Mei, don't you think that is excessive?"

"If you never entered Heavenly Punishment, how would this dispute have arisen? Why did the Leopard King’s Mystic Elixir end up in Li Juetian's belly? Bu Kuangfeng, are you deliberately twisting the truth?" Honored Elder Mei roared in indignation.

Li Juetian stepped forward, his voice sharp. "This entire matter was instigated by your Heavenly Punishment Forest. What has it to do with my son and me? Now that we are at this impasse, you seek to confuse right and wrong and push all the blame onto us? Honored Elder Mei, if anyone is guilty of distorting the facts, it is surely you! Moreover, what bearing does the peak battle have on my son? Why must the third condition target my son’s legs? What power does my son possess to provoke such an upheaval? Don't you think you are pushing things too far? Your reasoning is absurd!"

Li Zhizun felt rage boiling within him, mingled with the crushing realization that he had inadvertently hoisted himself by his own petard. Jun Wuyi, whom he had sent onto the field, was only there at his son’s insistence, equipped with merely the weaker contingent of four thousand troops—a force clearly sent to perish. Any observer could see this battle was a guaranteed loss, with no chance of victory.

But now, with Honored Elder Mei’s terms laid out, the outcome of this single battle directly risked his own son’s legs. Li Juetian found himself completely paralyzed. Hadn't Li Tengyun’s machinations, while targeting Jun Wuyi, ultimately engineered the sacrifice of his own son’s limbs?

In that case, what significance remained even if Jun Wuyi died?

"I am a reasonable man. If Supreme Being Juetian truly cannot agree, then there is no issue. I will simply march my army against the continent immediately. As for the utter devastation of the mortal world's populace, you cannot blame me. I offered a perfectly peaceful resolution; if you refuse it, I can do nothing!" Honored Elder Mei regarded Li Juetian with calm amusement. To him, whether Li Juetian agreed or not was irrelevant.

The display of power by Heavenly Punishment was inevitable this time.

"These three conditions stand, unalterable! Do you agree or not?!" He would not believe that even Li Juetian, the Second Supreme Being, would dare defy the will of the masses like this. And even if he refused, they could simply fight until he acquiesced!

"I do not agree!"

"I agree!"

Two fiercely contradictory voices rang out simultaneously, one from Li Juetian and the other from Lei Baoyu.

"Protector Lei, this matter... requires careful consideration," Li Juetian gasped, nearly spitting blood, yet knowing that the Hidden Immortal Palace was not something he could afford to antagonize. Despite his esteemed rank as the Second Supreme Being in the secular realm, Li Juetian was acutely aware that this title meant very little in the eyes of the Hidden Immortal Palace. Without mentioning others, he doubted he could best either Lei Baoyu or Bu Kuangfeng in a direct confrontation.

"No consideration is needed. This decision comes directly from the Palace Master's decree," Lei Baoyu interrupted, waving a hand dismissively, then leaning in with a low chuckle. "Brother Li, calm yourself. If we do lose, Honored Elder Mei holds such a high station—would he truly trouble himself over your young master, a mere junior? Even taking the most extreme view, your son would lose his legs, but his life would certainly be safe! However, if you refuse Honored Elder Mei’s terms, this catastrophe of the Xuan Beasts will require someone from the Three Great Holy Lands to bear responsibility, won't it? And then, Brother Li... hehe."

"But..." Li Juetian started to object, wanting to protest that he had already swallowed the Leopard King’s Mystic Elixir and couldn't possibly regurgitate it. The truth was, he had used a profound technique to draw the elixir into his Dantian, planning to consume it later with the Bear Heart Pellet. Thus, the elixir was technically still intact within him. If Lei Baoyu and Bu Kuangfeng discovered the elixir was whole, what would their reaction be? Li Juetian judged them by his own standards; if he were in their position, he would certainly try to seize it. And how could he, currently, contend against the combined might of these two established Supreme Beings?

Seeing Li Juetian fall silent, Lei Baoyu and Bu Kuangfeng assumed he had acquiesced. They turned to Honored Elder Mei. "Honored Elder, may we commence the battle now?"

Honored Elder Mei nodded slowly, dispensing with further words. With a flick of his wrist, a small golden sword flew out, instantly emitting a high-pitched wail in the air, much like a sudden gale—the sound of the sword slicing through the void.

Logically, a sword capable of such a tremendous sound should move at incredible speed, perhaps approaching the speed of sound, but in reality, it advanced slowly, moving perhaps even half the speed of a common arrow. However, behind the golden blade, a vast, magnificent ribbon of golden sword-light grew increasingly thick, spanning the plaza between the two mountains like a serpentine golden dragon hanging from the heavens. It finally anchored itself onto a large stone on the far side, still emitting a sound like the roar of a dragon.

The command to battle!

Simultaneously, Li Juetian raised his right hand, and a signal flare rocket burst with a sharp pop in the sky. A cruel expression crossed his face. He charged forward first, followed by the colorful formations of tiger, leopard, and bear Xuan Beasts, led by their respective Beast Kings, surging out like a swift wind and an overwhelming tide.

Exactly four thousand Xuan Beasts—no more, no less!

On the opposite side, Jun Wuyi rapidly waved his command flag. The four thousand-man formation transformed in an instant into a sharp, conical spearhead, holding its ground under orders to remain stationary.

Originally, Jun Wuyi was completely unaware of the hidden machinations, but he knew that his four thousand men were at an absolute disadvantage against the opposing four thousand Xuan Beasts. The gap in power was several times over; engaging in a head-on confrontation would not be a battle, but a massacre.

His initial plan accounted for pre-dug traps ahead. Once the beast horde approached, the four thousand men would simultaneously launch their concealed weapons, eliminating some of the weaker Xuan Beasts, and then use concentrated force to achieve a breakthrough. This meant committing his strongest experts—seven or eight men grouped together—to relentlessly surround and kill a portion of the beasts, while the rest focused on stalling for time until the primary engagement concluded, at which point they would rush to support.

This strategy, while still demanding inevitable sacrifice, offered a substantial increase in their odds of success, at least ensuring significant casualties among the enemy beasts. As for the final victory or defeat, Jun Wuyi hadn't dwelled on it. Even if they died, they would die gloriously!

It must be admitted that even facing such a formidable contingent of Xuan Beasts, Jun Wuyi’s strategy was quite sound—perhaps even the most optimal arrangement possible. Executed as planned, even if total annihilation was the result, it promised major achievements: inflicting maximum losses on the beasts. Optimistically, they might take nearly half the enemy contingent down with them. To challenge an equal number of beasts whose combat power was several times greater and manage to inflict a fifty percent loss would, by any measure, be counted as a human victory.

However, even the most perfect strategy and the most brilliant plan become mere theory if the executioners are compromised! Could anyone expect the soldiers taking the field to obey Jun Wuyi’s command? Especially when many of those very individuals had received instructions specifically intended to ensure Jun Wuyi’s death—and these individuals constituted the vast majority of the human side's strongest experts!

The massacre, which could have been delayed, descended instantly.

"Cowering here waiting to be charged down—isn't that just inviting death? Brothers, ignore that coward general’s damned strategy! Follow me and charge! With our strength, we can easily take down six or seven-rank Xuan Beasts. If each of us takes down one or two, victory is practically in our hands!"

A riot broke out in the rear ranks as the seven hundred men from Blood Soul Manor suddenly surged forward. Positioned at the very back, their sudden rush completely shattered the meticulously arranged front line of Jun Wuyi, causing the formation to dissolve before the fighting even began. The seven hundred from Blood Soul Manor charged forward recklessly, led by the three Divine Xuan Realm experts affiliated with the manor, plunging headlong into the fray.

(A loud laugh, I am drunk today! Questioning heaven and earth, having no regrets facing up or down! Yesterday is like the wind, tomorrow like water; Days gone leave no trace, the future can be chased! Those who read my book are my brothers and sisters; Who in this world deserves to insult or curse me? Trivial clowns, I pay them no mind! With my heart, I spill my wisdom; Written for all of you, to share this intoxication! The ugly things of this world persist, never retreating; Covering my ears, I tire and sleep; The human world is vast and fleeting, who offers comfort? The network is illusory, but you all accompany me! No regrets in writing, maintaining my proud stance! Tomorrow we shall see, a thousand colors and wonders! Today I vent my gloom and frustration, May you all look on with amusement, pay no heed. The drunken words are finished; time to make the bed and sleep. Hoo-hoo, I’m asleep... (To be continued)