"Song Changsheng! How dare you treat me like this! I, the Young Master, swear I'll have you torn limb from limb!" Chang Tianhua let out a piercing howl.
But the next moment, Song Changsheng slapped him twice more, and Chang Tianhua's furious roar was cut short.
"Shut your filthy mouth. Say another word, and I'll cut out your tongue." Song Changsheng's tone was as icy as a winter wind.
His eyes were filled with endless killing intent. Chang Tianhua shuddered and ultimately submitted to his overbearing might.
Everyone stared at Song Changsheng as if they had seen a ghost. 'How can he be so brazen in the presence of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator?'
The Earth Fire Sect Elder's expression darkened, and a terrifying pressure radiated from him. But Song Changsheng was unmoved, his back ramrod straight as he met the Elder's gaze without a shred of fear.
A strange silence descended over the scene.
In the end, Song Changsheng was the first to break the silence. "And you are?"
"Hmph. I am Qu Jinsheng. Boy, my patience has its limits. Release Tianhua, or I will kill one of your Song Clan members after a set interval!"
Qu Jinsheng looked at Song Changxiu and the others in a blatant threat.
"If you dare touch a single hair on their heads, I'll immediately send your Young Master down to the Yellow Springs," Song Changsheng retorted, not to be outdone, as he tightened his grip.
Qu Jinsheng suddenly felt caught in an impossible situation. He couldn't help but regret his actions; he had only stepped away for a moment to drive off a Demon Beast, never imagining Chang Tianhua would be captured alive in his absence.
'Why couldn't you have just died!' Qu Jinsheng's gaze toward Chang Tianhua was filled with frustration. If he had been killed outright, today's situation would be far simpler to handle.
But not only was he still alive, he was a hostage!
"Alright, boy. Name your price. What will it take for you to release him?" Qu Jinsheng finally relented.
Song Changsheng eased his grip slightly. "Your Earth Fire Sect trespassed on Song Clan territory and injured our clansmen. You must provide adequate compensation!"
Qu Jinsheng said through clenched teeth, "One hundred Spirit Stones."
Song Changsheng scoffed. He looked at Chang Tianhua in his grasp and said, "I thought you'd be worth something, but you're only valued at one hundred Spirit Stones? For a hundred, I'll return one of his hands, at most."
As he spoke, he made a move to wrench off the arm. Panic flashed in Chang Tianhua's eyes, and he screamed, "Elder Qu, save me! Elder Qu, give him whatever he wants! My father will reward you handsomely."
Qu Jinsheng roared, "Enough! One thousand Spirit Stones! If you get any greedier, I'll kill you, even if it means I have to face punishment when I get back!"
Knowing when to quit while he was ahead, Song Changsheng nodded. "Let me inspect the goods first. If everything is in order, I'll release him."
"Hmph. Let's hope you don't choke on it," Qu Jinsheng muttered, resisting the urge to strike Song Changsheng dead. He pulled a Qiankun Bag from his robes and tossed it over.
Song Changsheng used his Spiritual Power to draw the Qiankun Bag to him. He was just about to open it for inspection when, the moment he glimpsed the Spirit Stones inside, Qu Jinsheng—who had been poised to strike—unleashed a bolt of Spiritual Force straight at Song Changsheng's head.
"Shameless!" Song Changhu and the others cried out in alarm. Just when they thought Song Changsheng was about to be killed, a figure appeared in front of him and, with a wave of a slender hand, blocked the bolt of Spiritual Force.
"It's the Fifth Elder!" Upon seeing the newcomer, the Song Clan Members were overjoyed. The tables had turned; the odds were now even.
Seeing his Spiritual Force blocked, Qu Jinsheng knew at once that things had just gotten complicated.
A smile touched Song Changsheng's lips as he looked at the figure shielding him. He had long suspected the Earth Fire Sect might have a Foundation Establishment Cultivator in their party, so he had sent a call for aid to Xia Yunxue on his way here.
In truth, Xia Yunxue had arrived some time ago. But since the fight had been contained to the younger generation, she had remained hidden nearby, acting as his silent protector.
Song Changsheng had received her signal, letting him know his powerful backing was nearby. Otherwise, he never would have made such a rookie mistake as letting his guard down.
"You old scoundrel! Shameless enough to attack a junior! Is everyone in the Earth Fire Sect so devoid of honor?" Xia Yunxue spat, her beautiful eyes blazing with killing intent as she glared at Qu Jinsheng.
Qu Jinsheng's expression was grim. "Elder Xia," he said coldly, "there's no need for such ugly words."
But her words only stoked Xia Yunxue's Fire Qi further. She pointed a finger right at his nose and berated him, "You old scoundrel! You had the nerve to do it, but you won't let me talk about it? Get over here! I'm taking your miserable life!"
Everyone present felt a strange sense of familiarity. It seemed like someone had said something very similar just a moment ago.
"Do you really think I'm afraid of you? Let's take this to the sky!" Qu Jinsheng was a man of considerable standing in Ling Province. Being cursed so publicly was more than he could bear.
"Get up here!" Xia Yunxue transformed into a streak of light, shooting into the sky with Sword Control. Filled with rage, Qu Jinsheng pursued her.
A moment later, the RUMBLE of their battle echoed from high above. The people on the ground looked up, but all they could see were two streaks of light—one blue, one red—colliding ceaselessly in the sky. Nothing else was clear.
Song Changhu, having recovered slightly, nudged Song Changxiu with his elbow and whispered, "Didn't they say the Fifth Elder was the gentlest of all the clan's Elders? She seems even more hot-tempered than the Second Elder."
Song Changxiu shot him a look. "Changsheng is the Fifth Elder's reverse scale. She won't spare anyone who dares to harm him."
Song Changhu nodded in understanding, sighing to himself once more, 'It really is different when you have a good mother.'
Though the words were the same, the sentiment behind them was completely different this time.
Song Changsheng watched the battle in the sky with apprehension. Both combatants were at the Early-stage of Foundation Establishment; it was impossible to say who would win.
But he had completely underestimated the power a mother could unleash when going all out. An hour into the fight, a brilliant flash of light flared in the sky and then vanished.
A figure plummeted from the sky and slammed heavily into the ground. All eyes snapped to the crater. Once they saw who it was, the Song Clan side erupted in cheers.
In contrast, every member of the Earth Fire Sect looked as if their own father had just died.
Xia Yunxue descended to the ground on her sword. Her breathing was slightly ragged, but she had no visible injuries. It was clearly a decisive victory for her.
COUGH, COUGH, COUGH. Supported by the Earth Fire Sect disciples, Qu Jinsheng struggled to his feet. "They all say the Song Clan's Fifth Elder is nothing but a pretty face, a useless vase," he said bitterly. "It seems the rumors were dead wrong."
"Hmph. Old scoundrel, you'd better give me a proper explanation today, or I'll bury you all here as fertilizer!" Xia Yunxue declared, her domineering aura overflowing.
"I already gave you one thousand Spirit Stones!" Qu Jinsheng said angrily.
"That was to ransom this little brat. You still have to ransom your own lives."
In the end, under Xia Yunxue's fierce pressure, Qu Jinsheng and his men scraped together another thousand-some Spirit Stones and handed over most of their valuables as collateral. Only then were they allowed to save their worthless hides and flee in disgrace, not even daring to utter a threat as they left.
Xia Yunxue took out a portion of the valuables and distributed it among the others, keeping the lion's share for herself. As for the thousand Spirit Stones in Song Changsheng's possession, those were his to keep.
While Song Changxiu and the others were tending to the wounded, including Song Changhu, Song Changsheng spoke with some dissatisfaction. "Mother, why did you let them go? If Qu Jinsheng had died here, it would have been a major blow to the Earth Fire Sect—far more valuable than this loot."
Xia Yunxue poked Song Changsheng's forehead with a finger as slender as a spring onion and rolled her eyes. "Are you lecturing your mother now? Killing Qu Jinsheng would have been easy, but have you considered the consequences? The clan needs to develop peacefully right now. It's not the time to start a major war.
"Besides, I've damaged that fellow's Primordial Qi. He'll be of little use from now on. And that Young Master of the Earth Fire Sect—didn't you play a little trick on him yourself?
"We've profited more than enough today. Let's spare their worthless lives."
...