With the arrival of the cultivators from the Li Family of Huangyun Mountain, the atmosphere instantly went from one of complete joy among the guests to utter silence.
Even though it was the Li Family from Huangyun, what difference did it have with the Qingyun Li Family of the Purple Mansion Family?
The faces of Lin Xianzhi and Lin Houyuan of the Lin Family were extremely ugly, as they naturally would not invite a branch of the Li Family that was oppressive towards them.
Yet the uninvited had come on their own accord.
Moreover, they arrived on a black cloud, bringing Second Rank Spirit Water!
This was a direct slap in the face of the Lin Family, as well as pressure on all the loose cultivators, Qi Cultivation families, and slightly weaker Foundation Establishment families not to side with the Lin Family.
If the Lin Family backed down now, they might leave an impression of weakness and incompetence to the other families.
The move at the Xing County Square Market was pretty much ruined.
And if they were to react too aggressively, let alone facing the Qingyun Li Family, even facing this Huangyun branch in front of them, they were significantly outclassed.
The Li Family cultivators who showed up had not only a late-stage Foundation Establishment, but also two at the early stage and five late-stage Qi Cultivation cultivators.
The gaze of Lin Xianzhi was terribly unsightly, and Lin Houyuan's was even worse.
It was at this moment that Lin Shiming took the initiative to speak:
"May I ask the Li Family friend, arriving on black clouds, have you changed your name to the Black Cloud Li Family, or does the Li Family now bear the sign of black clouds?"
"Teacher Brother Xie An from Qingxuan Sect had come to present a gift, bringing a Third Rank Intermediate Grade Magic Artifact; the Li Family has brought Second Rank Spirit Water. May I also inquire if you are instructing Teacher Brother Xie in what he should do?"
Lin Shiming's words were piercing, aimed directly at the Li Family cultivators.
It caused all the Li Family cultivators to look extremely ugly, being lectured by a young Qi Cultivation whippersnapper—how could they stand it? They were about to get angry.
But then they heard Lin Houyuan's face regain its calm as he slowly spoke:
"It turns out to be friends from the Li Family, distant guests are nonetheless guests, and naturally, everyone can sit down and have a drink!"
"As for the nonsense spouted by my inexperienced son, with your kind disposition and demeanor, there's no need to take it to heart."
The words of Lin Houyuan and his son were clear to the discerning listener, polite on the surface but actually a veiled insult to the Li Family cultivators.
However, the leader of the Li Family, Li Chengli, cast a deep glance at Xie An and did not choose to continue the confrontation. Pretending to not understand, he found a table among the Foundation Establishment families and sat down with ease.
The celebration's minor disruption had completely killed the mood, and after an hour, the banquet ended.
This move from the Li Family was an outright stratagem.
And the Lin Family simply couldn't refuse.
Even with Xie An present.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense.
"My father has just broken through to Foundation Establishment less than a year ago, and his foundation is not yet stable. If we are to have a debate, why not let us have a match at the level of Qi Cultivation? If your Li Family cannot even defeat a young cultivator from the Shiming generation like me, there would be no point in proceeding!"
Just then, Lin Shiming stood up.
Before making this statement, Lin Shiming had naturally sized up the cultivators from the Li Family. Perhaps because their original target was his father, there were no cultivators at the Ninth Level of Qi Cultivation among those who had come.
Instead, there were several junior cultivators from the Li Family, with the highest amongst them only at the late Eighth Level of Qi Cultivation, and two others at the same level as him, still at the Seventh Level.
Upon hearing this, Li Chengli's eyes turned displeased as he looked at Lin Shiming.
Knowing that Lin Shiming was so confident, he was aware there might be a problem ahead; after all, this was a named disciple of the Zi Xuan Hermit and it was normal for him to have some tricks up his sleeve.
But if the Lin Family thought they could use their tricks to retaliate against the Li Family,
Then they would be gravely mistaken. Although they hadn't brought any elite Qi Cultivation practitioners this time, the Li Family, being of the Purple Mansion Family, had several junior cultivators who were all quite capable and fully armed.
"Li Yuhe, why don't you spar with the young friend from the Lin Family? Just remember to go easy; not all cultivators are elites from the Li Family," Li Chengli waved for a Qi Cultivation Eighth Level cultivator to step forward.
This move naturally made many people internally curse Li Chengli for being despicable.
Xie An couldn't stand it anymore, spoke up with a displeased face, and said,
"Li Dao friend, you are sending in Li Yuhe, yet he is at the Eighth Level of Qi Cultivation."
By not taking the Lin Family seriously, Li Chengli was in fact, also disregarding Xie An, particularly as Li Chengli's crackdown on the Lin Family in the Qingyun Square Market had also resulted in greatly reduced profits for Xie An.
"Oh, I didn't notice that this young friend was of a certain age and still at the Seventh Level of Qi Cultivation; my eyes are indeed failing!" Li Chengli suddenly burst into boisterous laughter, then turned to gaze at another youth.
"Li Yucheng, you go. You both are at the Seventh Level of Qi Cultivation, and both from Foundation Establishment families. If you can't control your strength and accidentally injure him, it won't be a problem," he said.
Li Chengli's blatant instruction for Li Yucheng to strike harshly at Lin Shiming immediately had everyone secretly scolding the old man for his shamelessness.
But at this moment, the pressure completely shifted to Lin Shiming.