Martial Arts: I Have a Wilderness World

Chapter 497: Chapter 270: Kill Me Now, If You Dare

Half an hour later, Liu Song arrived at the entrance of the Li Courtyard with a younger man.

The man was in his early thirties, only about ten years younger than Liu Song. But there was a clear difference in their status.

Liu Song walked half a step behind the man, his expression deferential. He looked at the main gate of the Li Courtyard and said softly,

"Elder, we could have just refused this mediation from home. Why did we have to make the trip?"

The man smiled faintly. "I just wanted to see for myself. Besides, we have to give the Li Family some face. The Li Courtyard is stepping in to mediate. If we don’t even show up, it becomes an issue of attitude. And if our attitude isn’t right, won’t we be made to suffer for it?"

Hearing that last sentence, Liu Song’s face stiffened. He lowered his head, not daring to say more, but a flash of hatred showed in his eyes.

Soon, led by the Li Courtyard guards, the two arrived at the reception hall in the rear courtyard.

As Liu Song and the young Elder entered, they saw the man in the host’s seat, all smiles, chatting with two other men seated below him.

The sight brought a flicker of doubt to the young Elder’s eyes, but he didn’t ask any questions. Instead, he and Liu Song clasped their hands in unison and said, "Patriarch Liu Song of the Liu Family and Elder Liu Qingfeng greet Lord Li."

After the formalities, Liu Song and Liu Qingfeng took their seats opposite Li Xuejin and Zhou Zhendong.

The two sides made eye contact, then calmly looked away, their gazes settling on Li Mingxin in the host’s seat.

Li Mingxin then explained the situation once more, concluding, "Although the Li Family’s rules allow us to mediate disputes, we understand that this is only a temporary solution. Therefore, the specific outcome will depend on the terms you both agree to."

"Patriarch Liu, the Cheng Family’s proposal is a two-month truce. If you still can’t reach an agreement after two months, then you’ll settle it with strength. At that point, my Li Family will no longer be involved."

"Two months?" Liu Song scoffed at Li Xuejin. "The tide of battle can turn in an instant. Give your Cheng Family two months to find reinforcements? Do you take us for fools? Impossible!"

Seated beside Liu Song, Liu Qingfeng frowned upon hearing this.

’This brainless fool. Did he really have to be so blunt?’ But he had no intention of correcting him and continued to listen quietly.

Li Mingxin simply let the comment go in one ear and out the other. How they negotiated was their business. He was merely here as a mediator representing the Li Family.

In this situation, Li Xuejin didn’t let Zhou Zhendong speak. Facing someone as dim-witted as Liu Song, he didn’t waste time wondering whether the man had become Patriarch out of necessity or simply because no one else was available. He had to make Liu Song agree, so he spoke up himself:

"Patriarch Liu is correct. Opportunities in battle are fleeting; even a day or two can change the entire situation. But my Cheng Family has no need to seek outside help. The two months are just for us to handle some internal matters. After two months, we can absolutely let our strength do the talking."

"Then why are you still..."

Li Xuejin didn’t give Liu Song a chance to speak. He was well aware that this mediation was simply to buy a month or two. With Li Mingxin acting as guarantor, any agreement made here would be binding. To break it would be a direct slap in the face to the Li Family—a transgression far worse than offending a Middle Third Grade Family, as it would mean flouting their very rules.

Therefore, this time, he was going to force them to agree!

They wanted the secret of the Wilderness Rice, so they had to agree! And bringing them here was also for the purpose of having the Li Family act as a guarantor!

So, after cutting Liu Song off, he stared at him with a chilling gaze and said, "You have a Fourth Grade Martial Artist, who is very strong. But the Cheng Family’s Main House has one as well. Still, how many people can a Fourth Grade Martial Artist kill in the short time it takes to drink a cup of tea?

"The Cheng Family was able to kill the Sixth Grade Martial Artist, He Shujun, back then. So it wouldn’t be difficult for us to dispatch two hundred Martial Artists to tie down your Fourth Grade Martial Artist while we burn Tiantuan Village to the ground. And before all our men are dead, we could also kill some of those poor fools who are being used as cannon fodder and will get nothing out of this.

"At that time, our casualties will be heavy, but some of the important people in your Liu Family will be dying along with us!

"Of course, it doesn’t matter even if we fail.

"Once Young Master Cheng, who serves as a Steward in the procurement department of the Da Yi Commerce Association, returns, we can easily spend money to hire some Innate Experts from the Commerce Association. I imagine no one could survive an assassination attempt by an Innate Expert, right? What do you think, Elder Liu?"

For the last sentence, he turned his gaze to Liu Qingfeng.

"What are you trying to say?!" Liu Song’s whole body had gone numb from Li Xuejin’s stare, and hearing his words made his heart plummet into an abyss.

’Take out the one being used as cannon fodder? This bastard is staring right at me. Is he saying he’s going to kill me?’

Meanwhile, Liu Qingfeng was also terrified by Li Xuejin’s final words.

’Hiring an Innate Expert would cost a fortune, but forget the money—if an Innate Expert targeted me, even nine lives wouldn’t be enough to save me!’

’Are the people from the Cheng Family this insane? We haven’t even discussed terms, and he’s already threatening the worst-case scenario?’

He didn’t know if the Cheng Family would actually do it, but he didn’t dare to take that chance!

"Lord Li, is this their attitude for a mediation?" Liu Song asked Li Mingxin. "This is completely unreasonable!"

Even Li Mingxin was taken aback by the ruthlessness of Li Xuejin’s threat.

’Not only burning down Tiantuan Village, but also fighting to the death, and even hiring assassins! These are all blatant threats!’

But Li Xuejin just smiled. "No, we are following the rules. We came here to abide by the Li Family’s rules and handle this according to your procedures. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have come here tonight; we would have gone to the Da Yi Commerce Association.

"As for what I just said, that is merely the alternative if you refuse to mediate. Even a cornered dog will leap over a wall. When people are pushed to the brink, they are capable of anything—aside from, perhaps, the things in the math books our Boss gave us. Unless, of course, one is a brainless fool who is happy to be used as cannon fodder."