You've gone too far

The Qingfeng Sect Elder, who just moments ago was righteously proclaiming to carry out justice on behalf of heaven, now had both his knees embedded in the ground, his old face flushed the color of pig liver.

He wanted to stand up.

But the oppressive aura radiating from Li Fan felt like an invisible mountain, pressing down mercilessly on his spine, making even the twitch of a finger an impossible extravagance.

The Golden Core within his body spun frantically, his spiritual energy surging, yet it could not break through that seemingly invisible but indestructible barrier.

What terrified him even more was that Li Fan's oppressive aura contained a sword intent pure to the extreme.

Unadorned yet concentrated, it felt as if it could sever all things in the world.

Amateurs watch the spectacle, while experts see the technique...

Being a sword cultivator himself, only he truly understood just how terrifying the other party was.

His proud late-stage Golden Core cultivation was as fragile as a thin sheet of paper in the face of this sword intent.

Sword intent!

These two words popped into his mind uncontrollably, making his entire body shudder as his eyes revealed unbelievable horror.

Both were in the Golden Core realm, so why was the gap so massive?

He was clearly an indomitable sword cultivator who had comprehended sword intent, so why would he aid an evildoer, acting as a watchdog for someone else?

The hundreds of guests in the plaza also snapped out of their shock at this moment.

They looked at the Qingfeng Sect Elder kneeling on the ground, and then at the young man sitting in the seat of honor, his legs crossed in a relaxed and leisurely manner.

Making a late-stage Golden Core Elder kneel in public over a simple disagreement?

This... what sheer arrogance!

Su Jiu's hands holding the teacup had knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

Watching this absurd scene unfold before her, her heart betrayed her and began to beat faster.

This guy...

But for some reason, not only did she not feel afraid, she actually felt a secret thrill that even she was unwilling to admit.

"Tsk."

Su Ji smacked his lips, seemingly unsatisfied with this outcome.

He dangled his leg, shifting his gaze away from the Qingfeng Sect Elder and sweeping it across the sect representatives below the stage, who all wore varying expressions.

"You see, I told you I'm a very reasonable person."

"He wanted to kill me, yet I spared his life."

"Repaying malice with virtue."

"Now, this old man has also calmed down."

"We can continue our previous topic."

The crowd below remained as silent as cicadas in winter.

Who would dare to respond?

Who would dare to raise an objection?

How was this being reasonable? This was a naked threat!

"Since no one is speaking up, I'll take it that everyone agrees."

"Then, the auction begins now!"

"The first item up for auction is the crime of 'disrespect' committed by this Qingfeng Sect Elder against me, Su Ji, and my Xiangsi Sect."

He paused, his gaze falling once more upon the kneeling Elder.

"As for the starting price... let's set it at... ten thousand high-grade spirit stones."

"Fellow Daoists, you may begin bidding."

"If no one bids, or if the price doesn't satisfy me..."

Su Ji dragged out his words, the smile on his face growing even more radiant.

"Then I'll have no choice but to personally visit the peaks of your Qingfeng Sect and have a good chat with your Sect Master about life and ideals."

As his voice faded.

The faces of the several Qingfeng Sect disciples who had tagged along to 'see the world' instantly drained of all color.

Ten thousand high-grade spirit stones?

This was practically robbery!

Although the Qingfeng Sect was considered a first-rate sect, all the liquid spirit stones in the entire sect combined probably only amounted to twenty or thirty thousand high-grade spirit stones.

After all, as long as there were enough spirit stones to use, it was fine. What was the point of hoarding so many when they could be exchanged for other resources that provided actual combat power?

But if they didn't pay...

They had no doubt that this lawless madman before them would slaughter them right on the spot.

After all, he might not actually dare to ascend the Qingfeng Sect's mountain, but right now, this was the territory of the Xiangsi Sect.

For a moment, the Qingfeng Sect disciples looked at each other in dismay, sweating profusely from anxiety, yet they didn't dare to speak up—nor did they have the authority to do so...

If the Sect Master were to blame them...

"What's wrong?"

Su Ji raised an eyebrow.

"Think it's too expensive?"

"That's fair. After all, it was just verbal disrespect, so it does seem a bit pricey."

He stroked his chin, putting on a look of serious contemplation.

Hearing this, the crowd below breathed a slight sigh of relief, thinking he was going to relent.

Even the kneeling Qingfeng Sect Elder had a glimmer of hope flash through his eyes.

However, Su Ji's next words plunged everyone into an icy abyss.

"How about this? I have always been honest with everyone and value fair trade the most."

"Ten thousand high-grade spirit stones to buy his life, plus my, Su Ji's, 'forgiveness,' is indeed a bit much."

Su Ji stood up and slowly walked to the edge of the high platform, looking down at the Elder from above.

"Why don't you... kowtow to me."

"For every kowtow, I'll deduct one hundred high-grade spirit stones."

"If you knock your head loud enough and put me in a good mood, maybe I'll deduct even more."

"You see, what a bargain."

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire venue was in an uproar!

Humiliation!

This was naked, undisguised humiliation!

Making a late-stage Golden Core sect Elder kowtow and beg for mercy in front of the entire Great Xia cultivation world?

This was worse than killing him!

"You... go too far!"

The Qingfeng Sect Elder trembled with rage, his eyes bloodshot. Unable to suppress the surging blood in his chest any longer, he violently spat out a mouthful of blood.

He glared fixedly at Su Ji, a look in his eyes that seemed to want to swallow him alive.

Su Ji, however, couldn't care less. He even stepped back half a pace in disgust, as if afraid of getting splashed by the blood.

"Look at you, getting all worked up again, aren't you?"

"I told you to calm down, why won't you listen to reason?"

"I really dislike it when people yell at me."

As he spoke, he shot a glance at Li Fan behind him.

Li Fan understood, and the oppressive aura pressing down on the Qingfeng Sect Elder suddenly intensified!

"Pfft!"

The Elder spat out another mouthful of blood. His entire body was pressed flat against the ground, his cheek tightly pressed against the cold jade stone, lacking even the strength to lift his head.

The extreme pain and humiliation nearly made him pass out.

"Now, can we have a proper chat?"

Su Ji crouched down and looked at him with a beaming smile, looking exactly like a cat toying with a mouse.

"Ten thousand high-grade spirit stones, or... one hundred resounding kowtows."

"Pick one yourself."

"I'll give you three breaths of time to consider."

"Three."

The cold number struck the Elder's heart like a death knell.

He could feel the sword intent pressing down on him growing sharper by the second, as if it would completely shred his Golden Core in the very next moment.

He didn't want to die.

After cultivating for so many years and finally reaching the late stage of the Golden Core realm, he still had a long lifespan ahead of him. He didn't want to die here in such humiliation.

"Two."

Su Ji's voice rang out again.

The Elder's body began to tremble uncontrollably.

Dignity? Face?

In the face of death, these things seemed to become much less important.

"One."

When the final number fell.

"I... I'll kowtow!"

A hoarse, dry voice filled with humiliation squeezed out from between the Elder's teeth.

Under the gaze of everyone present.

This Qingfeng Sect Elder, a man of immortal bearing and high prestige, used all his remaining strength to smash his forehead heavily against the ground.

"Thud!"

A muffled thud echoed clearly across the dead-silent plaza.

The sound seemed to strike not upon the ground, but upon the hearts of every cultivator present.

Su Ji nodded in satisfaction.

"Not bad, quite loud."

"Minus one hundred."

"Continue."

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

Again and again.

The heavy, muffled sounds of kowtowing became the only noise remaining in the plaza.

With every strike, the hearts of the observing cultivators trembled.

Watching the figure sprawled on the ground, continuously repeating the humiliating action, they felt a complicated mix of emotions.

Su Jiu turned her head away.

She felt that Su Ji was taking things too far.

You can beat a man, but you shouldn't strike his face. There was no need to humiliate someone to this extent.