Li Tan’s eyes instantly turned icy cold, and an uncontrollable murderous intent seeped out in threads. On the way here, he had kept hoping his suspicions were wrong, but the scene before him now completely shattered his illusion. What had been hope was now an impossible wish.
Entering the main hall, he yanked the dagger off the ancestral tablet with a clatter, flinging it aside carelessly. Then he picked up the letter. Its contents were almost exactly what Li Tan had anticipated.
In short, it stated that Li Yang and Li Jiaying were in their hands. If he wanted both to survive, he must go alone to the racetrack woods outside the city by midnight.
Li Tan sat down, his frost-like expression slightly subdued as he calmed himself and analyzed the current situation carefully.
First of all, the black-robed men had specifically invited him alone, evidently out of fear of Tang Leyin, whose true strength remained unknown. Their strategy was to separate and defeat them one by one. Consequently, they must have stationed formidable experts in the racetrack woods—individuals they were confident could surely kill Li Tan. These were most likely cultivators at the peak of the Xiantian stage. If he charged in recklessly, Li Tan feared he would truly be walking into grave danger.
Although he possessed spiritual power that surpassed his current cultivation level, along with exceptional combat experience and timing, his actual cultivation base was only at the peak of the Houtian stage. His martial art, the “Cosmic Starry Technique,” currently amounted to little more than an impressive-sounding name, performing no better than an ordinary Yellow-tier martial skill.
In an actual fight, he would inevitably be at a disadvantage.
Even so, Li Tan still had no choice but to go to the racetrack woods, for the lives of Li Yang and his daughter left him no other option.
What he was now considering was not whether to go, but rather, how to ensure the safe escape of Li Yang and his daughter once he arrived.
After pondering many scenarios, none offered a hundred percent guarantee of safely rescuing Li Yang and his daughter. Either he would hold off the enemies while they fled, or attempt a forced rescue that might fail, resulting in his own humiliating escape.
Gritting his teeth in frustration, Li Tan continued to consider other possibilities. Time passed quickly, and the streets grew emptier until everything became eerily quiet—it was nearing midnight.
In the end, Li Tan didn’t seek help from Tang Leyin regarding this matter. With almost no preparation, he went alone to the racetrack woods outside Linjiang City.
The racetrack woods were on the outermost edge of the Fallen Immortal Domain. Due to their remote location, they were sparsely populated, and few ever visited, especially at midnight. Even if the sky fell, no one would likely know. The black-robed men had indeed chosen an excellent location.
When Li Tan arrived, the racetrack woods seemed completely deserted. In the distance, he could hear the low, dangerous growls of wild beasts, and the entire forest was eerily quiet.
Li Tan, however, remained vigilant. With a slight shift of focus, his spiritual sense scanned the area, and he immediately detected something suspicious in one of the trees.
“Come down!”
Li Tan’s icy voice squeezed out from between his teeth.
The large tree rustled, and three dark figures dropped down in unison.
Upon closer inspection, one could actually see five people—two were tightly bound with ropes and cloth, barely able to move.
“Second Uncle, Yi’er!”
Recognizing the two figures, Li Tan’s heart clenched instantly.
“Kid, are you Li Tan?”
A low voice came from the man at the front.
Li Tan’s murderous gaze shifted to him as he angrily asked,
“Was it you who kidnapped my second uncle and Yi’er?”
“Don’t put it so harshly. We merely invited them as guests. As long as you behave yourself, nothing will happen to them.”
The man’s words made his intentions clear.
If he wanted the two to stay alive, he had to obey! What would his command be?
The answer was revealed.
“It’s your time to perform. Within a tea’s time, destroy your own cultivation, or I can’t guarantee they’ll still be standing here.”
The man’s words were laced with mockery. He seemed to be eagerly anticipating Li Tan’s reaction, clearly enjoying the other’s suffering.
Li Tan made no move, only staring coldly at them.
The leader of the black-robed men, as previously suspected, was at the peak of the Xiantian stage. The two holding the struggling Li Yang and Li Jiaying were the same underlings from their previous encounter.
In a fair fight, if unbound, Li Tan might have a chance. But with Li Yang and his daughter in the enemy’s hands, he was helpless.
“Ten, nine, eight…” The black-robed man cackled cruelly, beginning a merciless countdown.
Li Yang’s face was filled with anxiety and regret, making muffled sounds, likely urging him to run away.
Would Li Tan really flee?
If he intended to, he wouldn’t have come here in the first place.
But he certainly wouldn’t obey and destroy his own cultivation. He wasn’t an emotional person; he clearly understood that even if he did destroy his cultivation, the black-robed men would never honor their promise.
“Seven, six, five…” The countdown edged closer to zero. Li Tan’s spiritual energy surged forth without reservation, concentrating fully on the black-robed men. The leader felt a strange sensation and paused momentarily, but dismissing it as an illusion, he continued his countdown.
“Four, three, two, one, zero!” As the sound of “zero” had barely begun, the Li Tan he thought he was watching closely suddenly appeared beside him without warning, seemingly teleporting.
“Step martial arts, and of no low rank.”
Indeed the leader of the black-robed men, he immediately made the correct guess and responded accordingly. Unfortunately, it was already a moment too late.
A spiritual storm was unleashed almost at full strength, causing the three black-clothed men to feel dizzy for nearly three seconds before regaining their senses. By then, Li Tan had already distanced himself from them. He knelt on one knee, panting for breath, with Li Yang and his daughter freed and protected behind him.
Li Yang’s face was full of regret, and Jiaying’s eyes brimmed with tears, but she held back her fear and didn’t cry. Seeing this, Li Tan felt as if his heart were being cut by a knife.
Li Tan had originally planned to use the Dragon Coiling Fist to instantly kill one of the black-robed men, but was once again sabotaged by the Creation Starry Art. It failed to provide sufficient energy, preventing him from executing the move immediately.
At this moment, Li Tan truly regretted his past choices, but regret was of no help now, and this was not the time for it.
Although Li Yang and his daughter had been rescued, the level of danger had barely decreased at all.
While keeping a close watch on the black-robed men, Li Tan urgently and quickly instructed,
“Uncle, take Yi’er back to Linjiang immediately. Remember not to go home. Go to the inn in front of the Pill Pavilion and find a girl named Tang Leyin. If she asks who you are, just mention my name, and she will understand everything.”
“But—” Li Yang’s expression was conflicted, his whole body trembling. He was extremely reluctant to leave, yet after only a moment’s hesitation, he nodded firmly.
“I understand. Remember to come back safely. Tomorrow, Uncle will treat you to some barbecue and tell you some things I’ve been hiding.”
“Brother Li Tan—” Without another word, Li Yang hugged Li Jiaying and ran off at his fastest speed. Watching Jiaying’s tearful, reluctant expression, Li Tan clenched his fists tightly.
The gears of fate had finally begun to turn, correcting everything that had deviated from its course.
Now…
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