The atmosphere in the Ma family's main hall grew so heavy that even those at the Qi Condensation realm found it hard to breathe. Zhang Xia stood in the center of the hall, his hands clasped behind his back, his deep blue Daoist robe fluttering slightly beneath the spiritual aura circulating subtly around his body.
The Late Stage Golden Core aura, without needing to be ostentatious, made everyone in the Ma Manor feel a pressure like a mountain pressing down on their chests. Regardless of whether they were stewards, guards, or servants, no one dared to breathe heavily. Even Ma Chao, who had always been defiant toward Zhang Xia, had to frown, not daring to be reckless.
Zhang Xia swept his indifferent gaze around, then slowly spoke:
"The matter of my Zhang family members being assaulted on the lands of Chao An, within the territory we manage, absolutely cannot be dismissed. I have come today, not to argue, but to reclaim justice."
Ma Chao sneered internally but maintained a composed exterior. He knew all too well that "justice" was merely an excuse. In this world, the law of the jungle was immutable. Once one's strength could suppress the other, logic and reason held no weight.
He thought to himself: "We've always struggled in secret, but now that he has broken through to Late Stage Golden Core, he seizes a reason to act openly. It is only to be expected. With that power, what could he not obtain?"
After a few moments of contemplation, Ma Chao lifted his head and asked:
"Then, may I ask what Brother Zhang wishes for?"
Zhang Xia was direct. His profound eyes scanned everyone in the hall, finally resting on Ma Chao.
"Three conditions."
"First: from now on, the Ma family must share sixty percent of the spiritual stones from all trading transactions in the Chao An region with the Zhang family."
"Second: cease direct market competition with the Zhang family in this region."
"And finally..." Zhang Xia's gaze turned frigid: "Hand that boy over, so my Zhang family can handle him ourselves."
Inside the main hall, Zhang Xia's last words were like a silent blade slicing through the layer of false peace that had long enveloped the Ma family.
All the servants, stewards, and guards... were stunned. Even Ma Chao's expression hardened slightly. Silence descended on the surroundings.
He took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice from becoming too heavy:
"This…"
His eyes swept over the Zhang family members standing smugly before them. After a moment, Ma Chao looked up, his gaze steady.
"The third condition... if it is only a servant, we can certainly agree. Although he is a man of this manor, the Ma familywill not stand against a power like the Zhang family for the sake of one person."
He paused slightly before continuing:
"But... the first and second conditions are tantamount to forcing the Ma family to cut off its own lifeline. Spiritual stonesare the foundation for maintaining cultivation, and the Chao An market... is our very sustenance. If we yield everything, how is the Ma family to survive?"
Zhang Xia remained cold, completely unmoved.
Ma Chao managed a wry smile, adopting a seemingly yielding posture:
"Brother Zhang... I know that the Ma family's person was slightly disrespectful this time, whether right or wrong, an apology is due. So, let us agree to this: I will hand the boy over, and simultaneously offer one thousand low-grade spiritual stones as compensation for losses. I hope Brother Zhang will consider the greater good and value brotherhood."
Zhang Xia remained silent.
Zhang Jun, standing nearby, let out a faint snort, his arms crossed, his eyes filled with contempt.
After a long silence, Zhang Xia finally spoke, his voice sinking:
"One word: Do you accept or not?"
Gone was the courtesy, gone was negotiation. His words carried the coercive aura of Late Stage Golden Core, pressing directly toward Ma Chao.
Ma Chao did not retreat, replying solemnly:
"Brother Zhang, the Ma family truly cannot do this."
Zhang Xia nodded slightly, a cold, sinister smile appearing:
"If that is the case... then your Ma family no longer needs to exist."
As the words were spoken, the Late Stage Golden Core aura erupted from Zhang Xia like a surging flood bursting a dam.
The already spacious hall seemed to shrink; the tiles rattled, the ceiling shook, and the wooden pillars groaned. The low-cultivation servants were instantly forced back several steps; some turned deathly pale and could no longer stand firm.
Even Ma Chao was forced to take half a step back, his face instantly turning pale.
When Zhang Xia was still at Middle Stage Golden Core, defeating him was no simple matter for Ma Chao. Now that he was at Late Stage Golden Core, it was obvious that any battle would be extremely difficult for him to handle.
At that moment, Steward Ma, a middle-aged man with a short beard whose expression had been calm until now, could no longer restrain himself. He stepped straight forward, his figure shifting as his Early Stage Golden Core aura burst forth.
"Zhang Xia! Do you think you can do whatever you please just because you have reached the Late Stage?"
He angled his body, shielding Ma Chao, his gaze sharp as a blade:
"This is the Ma Manor, not your Zhang family's territory! Do not rely on your might to bully the weak and act recklessly!"
The spiritual atmosphere in the Ma family's hall, already taut as a bowstring, was now stretched to the absolute limit.
The instant Steward Ma finished speaking, the figure of Old Steward Zhang, standing beside Zhang Xia, flickered. A trace of anger appeared on his haggard face, and then his Early Stage Golden Core aura erupted without reservation.
"How dare you interrupt when my Patriarch is speaking?"
With that, Steward Zhang swung his fist straight toward Steward Ma, his arm tinged with Earth Qi, the force of the punch howling like thunder in the hall. Steward Ma did not hesitate, channeling his spiritual power to meet the attack. Their fists met, a resounding boom echoed, the shockwave cracking the jade pedestal beneath their feet into tiny fissures.
The two men, one on the left, one on the right, traded punches and force, their spiritual power colliding and exploding like descending thunder. Blow after blow, technique after technique, they engaged with the speed of lightning. Each time their shadows clashed, the pillars in the hall trembled, furniture scattered, and dust flew everywhere.
Ten breaths passed, yet neither gained the upper hand. Both of their robes were ripped at the sleeves, their breathing ragged, their eyes cold.
Suddenly, a low, cold scoff echoed through the main hall.
"Enough."
Zhang Xia, who had remained stationary from the start, suddenly raised his right hand to his chest, spiritual power surging out from his dantian like a tidal wave.
"Earth Spirit Body Guard."
In an instant, a layer of Earth Attribute spiritual energy covered his arm. His skin darkened to a bronze color, his blue veins bulged, and his knuckles looked as if they were forged from metal. He swung his right hand, without the sound of wind or any roaring force, just a normal punch, like a mortal striking.
But that very blow caused the eyes of all the Ma family experts to contract.
"Earth Spirit Fist – A Yellow-Level Supreme combat skill."
As the force of the punch erupted, the ground beneath Zhang Xia's feet cracked into spiderweb patterns. The aura, carrying immense gravitational weight, pressed directly toward Steward Ma.
Steward Ma channeled his power to defend, forming protective seals with both hands, but when the fist force struck, his entire protective barrier was crushed like scrap paper. A sound of "pfft" rang out, and his figure flew backward, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood, tumbling down the steps behind him, his face deathly pale.
"Audacity! This is the Ma family!"
Ma Chao roared, his eyes filled with killing intent. No longer forbearing, his Middle Stage Golden Core cultivation erupted, the spiritual power vibrating so intensely that the entire hall seemed to be swept by a whirlwind; tiles shattered, bricks flew, and tables and chairs overturned.
"If your Zhang family insists on fighting, then... don't expect to leave this place in peace!" Ma Chao ground out each word: "So what if he's at the Late Stage? The Ma family is not a soft persimmon to be bullied."
Instantly, all the Ma family experts adopted a fighting stance. Seven Middle Stage Foundation Establishment guards spread out in a circle, and two Foundation Establishment Perfection stewards took their positions. Although Steward Ma was severely injured, the fighting spirit of the entire manor surged heavenward.
Not to be outdone, the Zhang family also unleashed their cultivation. Five Middle Stage Foundation Establishmentguards lined up. Two Foundation Establishment Perfection stewards stepped forward to shield Zhang Xia, and Steward Zhang, after being struck by one move, had killing intent clear in his eyes, his Early Stage Golden Core aura continuing to surge.
Beside them, Zhang Jun, the Zhang family eldest young master, stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes full of conceit, his Late Stage Foundation Establishment aura erupting without concealment.
The moment Ma Chao unleashed his Middle Stage Golden Core aura, the entire hall seemed to be flipped upside down. Neither side exchanged any further words; only killing intent permeated the air, their eyes icy, their fists ready.
Boom!
The first explosion rang out as two Middle Stage Foundation Establishment guards from the Zhang family charged forward. Their Earth Attribute spiritual power gathered into the shape of rock boulders, their fist techniques as heavy as hammering a mountain. Two Ma family guards channeled Wood Attribute spiritual power, their bodies seemingly blending with the aura of life, their moves flexible but their counter-attacks swift as wind sweeping through a bamboo forest.
One side was heavy and concentrated, the other side was fluid and pervasive, making every collision a violent shockwave. The sound of wind, the impact of fists, and the clash of spiritual power echoed like thunder.
Every clash of techniques caused the walls in the main hall to visibly crack, and the rune-carved wooden pillars shook and tilted. The guards and stewards on both sides maintained clear battle lines, fighting with bloodshot eyes, fresh blood splashing, screams echoing throughout the manor.
In the center, Zhang Xia and Ma Chao exchanged no superfluous words, both drawing their life-bound weapons from their storage rings.
"Earth Accumulation Axe!"
A large, earthen-brown axe head, its body carved with ancient runes, the blade vibrating as if ready to cleave the heavens and earth—it was Zhang Xia's Yellow-Level Supreme weapon.
"Wood Spirit Sword!"
A long sword with a green body, the blade slender but not weak. When unleashed, it carried a rustling sound like wind sweeping through a thousand-foot-deep forest—it was Ma Chao's manor-guarding weapon.
Boom!
The axe blade met the sword, spiritual power exploded, and the ground beneath the two men sunken into a hollow pit. Spiritual energy surged like waves crashing against a shore, forcing the Foundation Establishment guards several meters away to retreat.
The battle fell into a deadlock. Although Zhang Xia had broken through to Late Stage Golden Core, the sheer number of experts on the Ma family's side was greater, preventing him from immediately gaining the upper hand.
Amidst the chaotic battle, Zhang Xia's eyes darkened. He transmitted a message to Zhang Jun, his voice cold as a needle:
"That boy must have attained a great stroke of fortune or received guidance from a master to have entered the Middle Stage Qi Condensation in such a short time. Quickly lead men to capture him. The rest... I will handle."
Zhang Jun nodded slightly, a cold look curling his lips. He turned and signaled to Xiao Luzi and two other subordinates, all three of whom were Middle Stage Qi Condensation cultivators, who immediately followed him away from the battlefield, heading straight toward the thatched house behind the Ma Manor, A Long's residence.