Li Xiaotian and his group slowly ascended the mountain, followed by his wife and daughter, the Tian Fu family, Long Yi, and some warriors from the Dragon King's Hall.
Meanwhile, the Li family members and the guests of the day were rapidly descending from the summit. They were a formidable force, their presence creating a great stir.
Both groups spotted each other. Li Xiaotian's reaction was indifferent, for in his eyes, all members of the Li family were already as good as dead.
The Li family members, however, were seething with rage. Li Xiaotian's brazen ascent was, in their view, a disgrace to the Li family. Never before had anyone dared to provoke them so openly!
Li Bing, leading the Heavenly Army contingent, accelerated their pace, fearing that Li Xiaotian might turn and flee upon seeing their imposing formation.
In the blink of an eye, the two groups met, separated by a mere fifty meters!
Li Bing raised his hand, and the entire Heavenly Army instantly halted, their discipline absolute.
Li Xiaotian also stopped, his gaze fixed on Li Bing, a flicker of murderous intent in his eyes.
"Li Xiaotian! Do you know your crime?" Li Bing roared, a powerful aura erupting from him.
Following suit, the four thousand Heavenly Army warriors joined Li Bing in a thunderous shout, their combined voices shaking the very mountain.
"Li Xiaotian! Do you know your crime?"
The chorus of four thousand voices seemed to make the entire East Mountain tremble.
Behind Li Xiaotian, aside from Long Yi and the Dragon King's Hall warriors who remained impassive, Ye Qingmei, Tian Fu, and the others turned pale.
However, they did not consider retreating, standing silently behind Li Xiaotian.
Li Xiaotian raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting from Li Bing to Li Weihai, who had just arrived behind him. His voice was chillingly cold as he spoke.
"Li family! Hah, after today, the capital will have no more Li family!"
"Audacious!!"
"Presumptuous!!" Li Bing's face immediately contorted with fury and murderous intent. He couldn't comprehend what gave the other party the audacity to speak such arrogant words at this juncture.
"You beast, do you know what you are saying? Do you have any idea that your fate has long been sealed!" Li Weihai was also furious. The family was paramount in his eyes, and Li Xiaotian's words were a direct challenge to his limits.
"Bold Li Xiaotian, daring to speak such nonsense even as death approaches! Why do you not kneel and confess your crimes!"
"Li Xiaotian, you are destined to die today, and no one can save you!"
The Li family members chimed in with their own reprimands, their faces etched with anger.
"Li Xiaotian!! Return my son's life to me! Today, I will make you taste the agony of losing a child!" Li Zhi's face contorted grotesquely, his eyes blazing with madness.
Li Xiaotian's gaze snapped towards him. A formidable aura emanated from his body. Behind him, Long Yi and the others tensed their muscles, ready to strike at any moment, for they knew their King was enraged.
"Are you all in such a hurry to die?" Li Xiaotian gritted out, his eyes swirling with murderous intent, as if ready to unleash slaughter at any moment.
They should not have used his daughter to threaten him!
However, his words only served to enrage the Li family further. Li Bing took a step forward, staring intently at Li Xiaotian, and bellowed in fury.
"Li Xiaotian! Do not think that because you have suddenly acquired some men, you can contend with our Li family. In my eyes, you have never been a threat, because in my eyes, you are not even as good as an ant!"
"Now! Kneel before me!! Otherwise, I will make your loved ones and friends die before your very eyes!"
"Kneel!!" The four thousand Heavenly Army warriors echoed in unison. At that moment, all their gazes were fixed on Li Xiaotian, their eyes cold and furious. If looks could kill, Li Xiaotian would have long been reduced to dust.
Amidst the crowd, members of the various influential families invited to the Li family that day felt a surge of shock and turmoil within them.
Four thousand elite soldiers demanding an individual's account – who wouldn't be terrified?
"Brother, I can't take it anymore! Let me go out first and take down a few hundred of them!" Long Yi gritted out, his heart filled with fury at the audacity of the Li family's mere Heavenly Army to disrespect his elder brother so.
Li Xiaotian waved his hand, signaling Long Yi to hold back. Then, he turned to face the assembled crowd and spoke unhurriedly.
"Do you truly believe you have victory in your grasp?"