Xiao Feng paused. When he saw that Gu Yuexi didn’t act immediately, he quickly upped the ante.
"I can speak for the Jiang Family."
"Whatever your conditions are, the Jiang Family will accept them."
"Spirit Stones, Cultivation Techniques, Elixirs, Magical Treasures—we can negotiate for anything you want."
"Just spare Jiang Qingyao’s life, and everything else is negotiable."
Xiao Feng’s stance was incredibly humble; he was practically begging.
As a fellow scion of the Eight Great Clans, he couldn’t just stand by and watch Gu Yuexi kill Jiang Qingyao. He had to save her.
As for the future grudge between Gu Yuexi and the Jiang Family, as long as they didn’t settle their score in Luoping City, he couldn’t care less what they did to each other.
Normally, after he’d said so much, the wronged party would know to quit while they were ahead.
After all, taking the benefits without making a mortal enemy of a Noble Family was the wisest choice.
Something similar had happened in Luoping City before.
A Loose Cultivator was bullied by the scion of a Noble Family, who broke one of his legs.
The victim was headstrong. He refused to sign a settlement agreement and insisted that the perpetrator be severely punished.
The Law Enforcement Team was indeed impartial, sentencing the Noble Family scion to ten years in prison in accordance with the law.
Aside from getting a moment of satisfaction, the victim received no tangible compensation and made a mortal enemy of that family.
And what was the result?
「The next day.」
The victim’s parents, siblings, and all his relatives and friends were all fired from their respective Sects, shops, and workshops, without so much as an explanation.
Nearly every business in Luoping City was owned by the Eight Great Clans.
Almost everyone in Luoping City, whether directly or indirectly, worked for the Eight Great Clans.
It was far too easy for the Eight Great Clans to trace a person’s entire social network.
Although they were all given severance pay in accordance with regulations, so no laws were broken, they were still left with no jobs and no source of income.
The victim’s family simply couldn’t survive in Luoping City. What would they eat? What would they drink?
In the end, the family was left with no choice but to leave Luoping City to try and make a living elsewhere.
But they hadn’t gotten far from the city gates when they "ran into bandits."
The entire family, more than a dozen people, was slaughtered. Not a single survivor was left.
Everyone knew that Noble Family was behind it.
But without any proof, what could anyone do?
「From then on.」
No victim bullied by a scion of a Noble Family was ever stubborn enough to refuse a settlement agreement again.
Xiao Feng’s words just now were his way of making the consequences of killing Jiang Qingyao crystal clear to Gu Yuexi.
Anyone with a shred of sense would choose to compromise, take the compensation, and walk away.
"Young lady, let it go. Take an old man’s advice."
An elderly Cultivator with graying hair sighed and called out from the crowd.
"That’s right. You can’t expect the weak to overpower the strong. The Eight Great Clans aren’t people we Loose Cultivators can afford to offend."
"Taking some real compensation is much better than holding a grudge. Cultivation Resources are tangible; anger is not."
"I was bullied by a clan scion once, too. I was so angry I wanted to fight him head-on, but I ended up compromising."
"There’s no shame in compromising. Staying alive is what’s most important."
"You’re so young, beautiful, and talented. Your future is boundless. There’s no need to throw your life away for nothing."
Many people in the crowd began to voice their opinions, trying to persuade her.
From the bottom of their hearts, they admired Gu Yuexi’s courage.
To dare confront the young lady of the Jiang Family, and even pin her underfoot... they would never have the guts to do such a thing.
But not one of them agreed with what Gu Yuexi was doing.
’Offend the Eight Great Clans?’
’How is that any different from destroying your own future, or even committing suicide!’
Hearing Xiao Feng and the surrounding crowd all speaking on her behalf, Jiang Qingyao’s tone grew even more arrogant, despite her face still being pressed into the dirt.
"Gu Yuexi, did you hear that?!"
"Everyone but you understands the situation! You’re the only one trying to act tough!"
"If you kill me, the Jiang Family won’t let you get away with it! You won’t even know what hit you!"
"And your entire family, everyone you’ve ever known, will be buried with me!"
"Take your foot off me right now, kneel, and apologize! If you do, I might just grant you a clean death..."
Before Jiang Qingyao could finish her threat, Gu Yuexi’s eyes went cold. She had heard enough.
She channeled her Divine Power, concentrating it all in her right foot, and aimed for Jiang Qingyao’s head.
"Don’t!"
Xiao Feng cried out in alarm.
The Power of Law rapidly coalesced around him as he moved to rush forward and stop her.
The gossiping crowd fell silent, holding their breath in an instant.
Every one of them stared with wide eyes, not daring to make a sound.
No one had expected Gu Yuexi to actually do it!
’Isn’t she afraid of the Jiang Family’s revenge?’
THUMP!
With a sickening thud, Gu Yuexi stomped down without a shred of hesitation, her face an emotionless mask.
Jiang Qingyao’s skull instantly deformed. Her body twitched violently a few times as her life force rapidly faded.
Gu Yuexi had acted too decisively.
Xiao Feng didn’t even have a chance to intervene.
Just when everyone thought Jiang Qingyao was surely dead...
VMMMM—
A soft white light flew out from Jiang Qingyao’s body.
It was a delicate, small, white porcelain bottle.
The mouth of the bottle opened on its own, and a suction force pulled in Jiang Qingyao’s dissipating Divine Soul.
"A Soul Guardian Bottle!!!"
Someone in the crowd with broad knowledge immediately recognized the Magical Treasure and cried out in shock.
"I’ve heard that a Soul Guardian Bottle automatically collects its owner’s Divine Soul at the moment of death, preventing it from being extinguished."
"As long as the Divine Soul survives, a new body can be created. It’s like having a second life!"
"Even though it’s only a Divine Level Lower-Grade Magical Treasure, it costs far more than even a Divine Level Upper-Grade one."
"And it’s priceless but has no market—you can’t buy it even if you have the money!"
"It looks like the rumors were true."
"As expected of the Jiang Family’s most doted-on young lady. To think she was carrying three Divine Level Magical Treasures."
"And each one more precious than the last."
"Well, now Jiang Qingyao won’t die."
Xiao Feng let out a heavy sigh of relief, his heart finally settling.
Even he hadn’t known that Jiang Qingyao possessed such a life-saving Magical Treasure.
Reduced to a mere Divine Soul, Jiang Qingyao let out a shrill laugh from within the Soul Guardian Bottle, her voice dripping with undisguised mockery.
"Gu Yuexi, I told you! You can’t kill me!"
"Just you wait! Once I’ve reformed my body, I’ll make you wish you were dead!"
"I’ll carve the flesh from your bones piece by piece and feed it to the dogs!"
Jiang Qingyao controlled the Soul Guardian Bottle. With a slight wobble, it prepared to fly away.
But just as it rose into mid-air, a hand snatched it firmly.
It was Gu Yuexi, who had reached out and seized the Soul Guardian Bottle.
Inside the bottle, Jiang Qingyao froze for a moment before letting out a cold snort, her tone dripping with contempt.
"This is a Divine Level Magical Treasure. A piece of trash like you from the Divinity Transformation Realm could never destroy it."
"Go on, try and crush it if you have the guts."
"Don’t waste your effort. You’re just embarrassing yourself."
Before she could finish speaking, Gu Yuexi held the Soul Guardian Bottle, briefly sensing the Law Patterns on its surface.
Then, she activated the Space Law. Potent Divine Power surged from her fingertips into the bottle as she squeezed lightly.
CRACK—
A crisp cracking sound echoed.
A fine crack abruptly appeared on the smooth surface of the Soul Guardian Bottle!
Jiang Qingyao’s taunts came to an abrupt halt.
The murmurs from the crowd ceased in an instant.
Everyone stared wide-eyed at the Soul Guardian Bottle in Gu Yuexi’s hand, their faces masks of utter disbelief.
’The Divinity Transformation Realm...’
’...crushing a Divine Level Magical Treasure?’
’How is that possible?!’