Chapter 25: Adding fuel to the fire

“Li Daming, we have no grudge against you! Why kill our Luo family members?”

A Luo disciple, the first to react, shouted angrily, his voice trembling.

The others drew their weapons, faces wary.

“Li Daming” didn’t respond, merely glancing at the corpse at his feet.

“I’m talking to you!” the disciple roared, his aura flaring.

Finally, “Li Daming” looked up, his gaze icy: “Luo Jiutian has joined our Li family.”

The brief sentence struck like thunder, shocking the group.

“What did you say?” “Impossible!” “Nonsense!” Cries of disbelief erupted, their faces filled with shock.

“Li Daming” ignored them, continuing: “You tried to kill him, making an enemy of the Li family. As the leader of this secret realm expedition, I can’t stand by. I’m here to settle the score for him.”

The group laughed in outrage.

“Even if you want justice, you don’t just start killing!” one fumed, face flushed. “Is the Li family always this overbearing and unreasonable?”

“So what if we are?” “Li Daming’s” eyes flashed coldly. “Does the Li family need to explain itself to small fries like you?”

His words were like a stone tossed into water, sparking a tidal wave.

“You think we’re pushovers?”

“He killed our people and still acts so arrogant—let’s take him down!”

“Together!”

With that, six Luo disciples attacked, sword lights and spells exploding in the forest, their killing intent surging toward “Li Daming.”

“Overestimating yourselves.”

Instead of retreating, “Li Daming” stepped forward, his figure blurring.

The first disciple’s sword energy barely formed before a fist smashed his face, caving in his skull, killing him instantly.

The second roared and charged, his artifact just activating when an elbow crushed his ribs, sending him flying. He hit the ground, twitched, and went still.

The third tried to retreat but was kicked in the knee, collapsing. His throat was crushed before he could scream.

The fourth raised a talisman, only for “Li Daming” to snatch and hurl it back. With a boom, the disciple and his protective aura were blasted to bloody bits.

In moments, four lay dead.

The remaining two—one’s sword fell, the other curled up on the ground—stared at “Li Daming” in terror.

“We’re done… we underestimated him…”

“I never heard of him beating anyone… how’s he this strong?!”

“Li Daming” withdrew his fist, voice calm: “Tianyuan Kingdom only knows names like Xiao Yan and Luo Jiutian, but true strength doesn’t need fanfare.”

He stepped forward, crushing leaves underfoot, the sound sharp in their ears.

“I, Li Daming, may not be famous, but that doesn’t mean I’m weak. Fame is for fools, not proof of power.”

The two disciples, fighting fear, kept stiff faces while secretly channeling spiritual energy.

“Li Daming” rambled on: “Today, I’m teaching the Luo family a lesson… that’s why… so…”

He closed in, his tone growing colder.

When he was less than three steps away, the two exchanged a glance and struck.

One flicked his sleeve, a talisman bursting into blinding light.

The other cast a spell at the ground, kicking up dust and debris.

Light and dust clouded the scene, plunging the forest into chaos.

“Li Daming’s” vision went white, his sight momentarily lost.

“Run!”

The two shouted, fleeing without looking back.

They had no hope of winning against this brute—just surviving mattered.

By the time “Li Daming” regained his senses, they were gone.

He stood, not angry but smirking.

Yes, he’d let them escape on purpose.

One of them held the recording stone.

He’d rambled to buy them time to prepare, ensuring the “message” got out.

Now, they were likely racing to Luo Chen.

“Li Daming” glanced at the four corpses, then began looting their spoils…

…

Soon after, at Luo Chen’s group’s location.

Luo Chen, Luo Yuanshan, and Luo Yan were counting their haul of spirit stones.

These were mined from a nearby vein, a sizable amount split into two piles.

Luo Chen picked up a gleaming stone, inspecting it with satisfaction: “This trip was worth it. These stones will get me to Golden Core.”

Luo Yuanshan and Luo Yan worked silently, sorting stones without a word.

Suddenly, two stumbling figures approached, breathless and covered in dirt.

“Young Master, trouble!”

One, pale and frantic, knelt before Luo Chen, gasping.

Seeing their state, Luo Chen’s face darkened: “What happened?”

The man gritted his teeth: “We ran into Li Daming… he attacked without warning, killed four of our brothers. Only we escaped.”

Luo Chen’s face grew darker: “How dare he?!”

The other added: “He said… Luo Jiutian joined the Li family, and he’s here to settle the score.”

Luo Yuanshan paused but kept sorting stones, head down.

Luo Yan frowned, gazing into the distance, silent.

Luo Chen stared at them, his gaze icy: “Luo Jiutian joined the Li family? Li Daming said this himself?”

“Yes!” one nodded frantically. “I heard it myself. He said the Luo family must answer for our actions, then killed them.”

“How’d you escape?” Luo Chen asked quietly.

The man hesitated, then confessed: “We couldn’t fight him. We used a talisman and spell to cover our escape.”

Luo Chen didn’t press further, falling silent, processing the news.

Suddenly, the kneeling disciple remembered something, pulling a recording stone from his robe and offering it.

“Right, Young Master, this is from what’s-his-name. He said it might not be needed, but… it came in handy.”

“What’s-his-name?”

“Yeah, what’s-his-name.”

Luo Chen took the stone, infusing it with spiritual energy to activate it.

A shaky projection appeared, but Li Daming’s voice was clear:

“Luo Jiutian has joined our Li family…”

“You tried to kill him, making an enemy of the Li family…”

“…I’m here to settle the score.”

Combat sounds and screams followed. The image of Li Daming crushing a skull silenced the scene.

Luo Chen watched, squinting, until the projection faded.

After a long pause, he pocketed the stone, saying: “The Li family. Well played.”

His voice was low, killing intent rising.

Li Daming’s actions not only weakened the Luo family’s strength but slapped the Young Master’s face.

His fists clenched, knuckles cracking.

Suppressing his rage, he turned to the survivors: “Find a spot to recover.”

They nodded, retreating to heal.

Luo Yuanshan approached, voice low: “Young Master, what now?”

Luo Chen didn’t answer immediately.

He scanned the area, eyes passing over the spirit stones and the horizon.

Then, coldly: “Gather everyone.”

“The Li family wants justice?” His gaze sharpened. “Let’s go have a ‘talk.’”