Just as the Third Elder was still attempting to exchange a few words with the Solitary Falcon, a sound suddenly swept across the courtyard.
It was not loud or harsh, but it was ancient.
The voice seemed to seep out from the very air, as though heaven and earth itself carried it. It reverberated from all directions at once, yet no one could identify its source. It was like a whisper from the void, yet heavy enough to crush one's heart.
"Falcon… why are you wasting your time with these petty insects from Silver Blizzard City? Hm? Why have you not thrown them out yet?"
The Solitary Falcon's entire body stiffened at once. His unruly aura, his domineering arrogance, all of it deflated in an instant. He quickly cupped his hands toward the air and bent forward with rare humility.
"Senior, they are guests… they were received personally by the Third Master Jun. I dared not act on my own."
"Guests?" The voice echoed again, each syllable dripping with disdain. The ancient tone deepened, curling like thunder hidden in the clouds. "Guests, are they…? Then tell me, what did that little piece of filth you just struck do to my disciple?"
The Solitary Falcon's face turned ashen, his jaw tightening in shame. "It was my negligence, Senior. That old bastard offended without measure… but I have already taught him a lesson."
A cold, derisive snort resounded through the courtyard. The air itself seemed to tremble.
"Hmph! I know. If you hadn't… I would have already made plans to kill that trash myself!"
The Third Elder's pupils shrank violently. His body stiffened as though pierced by invisible needles.
After all, he already had this feeling at that moment.
The Solitary Falcon, that roaming madman whom countless feared, had submitted to someone else, and that person was currently staying in the Jun Family.
The sweat began to slide down the Elder's back in thin streams. If his suspicions were true, then the Jun Family now possessed not only the Solitary Falcon but also the support of this unfathomable being.
His thoughts were shattered when the voice once again rang out, this time drilling directly into his mind.
"Is this how the so-called Elders of Silver Blizzard City behave now? So rude… so shameless? Good that Han XiaoYao is long dead… or else, with that temper of mine, I would have snapped his neck clean on the spot!"
'Han… Han XiaoYao?'
The Third Elder nearly stumbled as his mind buzzed violently.
That name… it was the name of the ancestor of the Silver Blizzard City, the one who actually established it!
He had lived over two centuries, and yet the way this mysterious voice addressed him so casually, so disdainfully made it clear that they had once met.
Which meant… this existence before him was at least three hundred years old!
The Elder's forehead drenched with sweat, his lips trembling as he bowed hastily. "Th-this old one greets Senior…!"
The voice sneered, low and contemptuous. "The generations have declined. Not one among you is decent. And you, already past fifty, yet showing off before a junior and a crippled man? Childish… ridiculous… rubbish!"
Each word landed like a hammer, and the Third Elder's face twitched uncontrollably under the invisible blows. His complexion shifted from red to pale, then pale to blue, shame and rage clawing at his chest, but he dared not utter a single word in protest.
The voice grew colder still, laced with killing intent.
"From this day forward, aside from that Sky Xuan brat and the little girl, none of you will set foot into the Jun Residence again. If anyone dares to come and make trouble…"
The tone sank to a depth that chilled the marrow.
"…then I will kill that bastard with my own hands, and drag his nine generations of ancestors out of their graves to dance naked on the streets. Now… roll."
As the final syllable fell, the oppressive presence evaporated, leaving only the lingering echoes within the courtyard walls.
The Third Elder stood frozen, his back soaked with cold sweat, his heart hammering wildly. The fear in his eyes was naked, raw, and undeniable.
Because in that short exchange, he had already understood one thing: The power behind the Jun Family was something his mind could not even begin to fathom.
The Third Elder's eyes flickered as he cast a glance at the Solitary Falcon. The hawk-eyed master responded with only a faint wave of his hand, a silent signal asking him to take his people and leave.
The Third Elder's jaw tightened. His aged face turned ashen and ugly, but he did not argue. Even if he had a thousand grievances bottled up in his chest, now was neither the time nor the place. With a suppressed sigh, he turned away and motioned Mu Xue Tong to carry the bloodied Sixth Elder.
Han Yan Meng, pale-faced and biting her lip, followed reluctantly.
The small group made their way toward the manor's exit. The air was heavy, charged with unspoken words. Just as the Third Elder reached the doorway, he halted. His feet stopped, but his heart pounded faster. Slowly, he turned back, his cloudy eyes narrowing on the Solitary Falcon's unbending figure.
His voice was calm, almost too calm, yet each word carried the weight of steel:
"There is one more matter I had no intention of saying… but as a guest, I must report. According to our sources, the master of the Xue Hun Manor took a fancy to a woman during his last visit to Tian Xiang City. He has been coveting her ever since, intent on taking her as his concubine. That woman… happens to be the Jun Family's daughter-in-law, Guan Qing Han. She resides here, under this very roof. Since Master Falcon is staying here, I advise you to make your preparations early. The Xue Hun Manor is not… as cultured as my Silver Blizzard City."
His eyes were sharp, his tone deliberate. He was testing, probing, eager to see the hawk's reaction.
For a long breath, silence reigned.
"Ha ha ha ha!"
A laugh burst out, wild and unrestrained. The Solitary Falcon's hair swayed in the breeze, his long black robes snapping like a banner in the storm.
"Of course, I know about it," The Solitary Falcon sneered, his eyes flashing like cold lightning. "After all, my Master is quite fond of Miss Guan. And since Master has already spoken…"
His voice dropped lower, heavier, every syllable like a hammer striking an anvil. "…Li Jue Tian will be dealt with personally by him."
The words rang out like a verdict.
The Third Elder's heart clenched violently, his back stiffening where he stood. A tremor ran through his old bones as he recalled the overwhelming, formless pressure from just moments ago, that mysterious master's voice, which had reduced even the proud Solitary Falcon to silent reverence. Compared to that existence, even the greatest forces of the continent seemed laughably small.
'So this is it… the Jun Family, of all places… Xue Hun Manor has kicked an iron plate this time. No… not just an iron plate... this is a mountain of steel that will crush them to dust.'
His lips pressed together, his mind replaying the Falcon's tone, the lethal certainty in his laughter. The Third Elder could almost smell blood, rivers of blood, the kind that would drench the lands when titans clashed.
As he finally turned back toward the door, his body felt colder, his steps heavier. The Jun Manor, so quiet on the surface, had revealed a sliver of its depths. And that sliver alone was enough to shake him to the core.
'Heaven help the Xue Hun Manor. Their end will not be clean.'
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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