124. Conflict

However, once they heard that Tong He possessed tens of thousands of jin of force, and saw Qi Fei’s indifferent expression, the surrounding Innate realm experts who had been watching the spectacle with amusement quickly withdrew their mocking grins. Shock washed over their faces. Where had this arrogant youth sprung from? Was he just bluffing? If he truly were a martial artist with tens of thousands of jin of force, wouldn’t he be on the verge of breaking through to the ninth level of the Innate realm?

If that were the case, he would be on par with the City Lord of Yunshan City. If they were to engage in a formal duel, winning might be manageable, but what if they lost? How would they answer to the City Lord afterward?

None of those standing by dared to ask a question. In such a situation, it was not their place to intervene.

Qi Fei merely gave a disdainful smile, his expression shifting slightly before he raised his eyebrows, signaling the three burly men to continue.

Clearly, the points Qi Fei had fabricated had once again captured the attention of Master Li. The three burly men, however, had no thoughts of their own; they acted based on Master Li’s reactions. Seeing Master Li remain unmoved and signal them to proceed, the lead brute snorted instantly and said, "Hmph, you old beggar, what right do you have to negotiate terms with us? What is your status? You aren't even qualified to spar with us. If it weren't for the City Lord’s birthday, I’d slaughter you bumpkins from the countryside right here. You dare talk to us about rules? In a moment, I’ll throw you all out myself and see if you still ask about rules then!"

Before the words had even faded, ignoring Qi Fei’s attitude, the men grabbed Tong He’s arms and shouted in unison, intending to fling him far away just as they did to others in their daily routines.

However, how could these mere first-level Innate practitioners shake a mountain like Tong He?

Tong He let out a cold snort through his nose. As they exerted their strength, the burly men felt as if their hands had suddenly latched onto tens of thousands of galloping horses. The rebounding force from their own full-blown effort, combined with Tong He’s intentional desire to teach them a lesson, caused them to scream in agony. They crashed onto the ground with a thud, left only to wail in pain.

This sight caused Master Li’s expression to change drastically. Although he held some status in the eyes of others, he knew his own standing—he was someone who had clawed his way up from the bottom, and thus, he was always exceptionally cautious. Given that Tong He had inadvertently revealed a trace of an expert’s aura while punishing the brutes, Master Li didn't bother with the men on the ground. Instead, he wiped away his arrogance, bowed respectfully to Tong He, and said, "My eyes were blind, and I failed to recognize a true master. Please, forgive my offense. Given that we are all here to celebrate Elder Ma’s birthday, let us consider this a case of meeting without knowing one another. Can we let it pass?"

Master Li’s words were threefold: first, to apologize and humble himself; second, to remind Tong He not to escalate the situation, as it was Li Lianliang’s birthday, and disturbing the host would be unsightly for everyone. Third, it was a subtle hint that if Tong He made any unreasonable demands, he would not comply. Someone who had crawled up from the bottom possessed this kind of intuition, capable of shifting with the wind. Tong He, an old fox, understood perfectly. However, seeing the hidden warnings in the other man's tone, he just snorted coldly.

"Where did this piece of garbage come from, daring to lecture me?" Tong He snapped. "Hmph, get lost and stand to the side to serve me. If you dare sit down before I finish eating, don't blame me for breaking your dog legs!" With that, Tong He ignored this "big shot" and started shouting at the staff to bring the food.

Seeing Master Li’s face darken again after Tong He’s demand—surprised that his humility was met with such blatant disrespect—the young man, wary of the aura Tong He had displayed, could only suppress his rage. He moved to the side as instructed, catching the endless stream of dishes and arranging them on the table. However, since the banquet had begun and everyone else was seated, the sight of Qi Fei’s group standing or lying about naturally drew stares.

Within the time it took to finish a cup of tea, news seemingly traveled, and an elderly man resembling a steward emerged from the inner residence. He scrutinized the situation at Qi Fei’s table, then frowned and asked the middle-aged man, "Master Li, what is this performance? You know today is our master’s big day. If this reaches his ears, and the dignitaries find out, you had better be careful."

Clearly, the steward knew Master Li, and their relationship seemed quite familiar.

Seeing the steward was like seeing a relative; Master Li became emotional. He looked at Tong He, who was still guarding the table of food, and felt a burning hatred for the humiliation of being forced to stand. Hearing the steward, he immediately cried out, "Steward Ma, these ruffians are causing trouble at the birthday banquet! Not only did they beat my men, but they are using force to make me stand here and serve them. They even said they wouldn't bow to anyone, not even Master Ma!" The first half of his statement was close to the truth, but the latter was pure provocation.

Because of their familiarity, the steward naturally sided with Master Li. Hearing this and seeing that Tong He did not bother to refute him—not even sparing him a glance—the steward sneered, "Fine, you’ve got some nerve. A few country bumpkins daring to cause trouble at the Ma residence? If you have the guts, keep eating. I want to see just how bold you really are to stir up trouble at the master’s banquet."

Without dealing with the situation immediately, the steward turned and headed back into the inner residence.

"Bold, indeed? I don't see any here," Qi Fei said, turning to watch the steward. As Tong He stuffed his face, he added a string of sarcastic remarks that turned reality upside down. The irony was so divine it left the onlookers speechless. Tong He wiped his greasy mouth while speaking, making it clear to everyone that he held the Ma family in utter contempt.

Perhaps sensing that Tong He was intentionally looking for a fight, the courtyard went silent. Then came the sound of rustling as guests—full or not—quickly abandoned their seats, distancing themselves from the table. Those eating at the public banquet were mostly small-timers who knew better than to stay near a fire that might burn them.

In an instant, the table where Tong He and Qi Fei sat was left deserted, save for them, the standing Master Li, and the groaning men on the floor. It was a bizarre sight.

The departed guests didn't go far; they gathered in groups to watch the drama unfold. Perhaps the situation was too strange, or perhaps the steward had found backup quickly, but within a minute, a large group of martial artists dressed as guards poured out of the inner residence. They didn't attack immediately but moved to encircle the group.

Master Li retreated slightly, wearing a smug expression that suggested the tables were about to turn. However, before he could relax, Tong He suddenly looked up at him. His voice was calm, yet filled with a chilling intensity. "What kind of bird dares to chirp here? I told you to get lost, and yet you didn't even know to come over and pour me a drink. It seems you’ve forgotten what happened earlier. Do you need me to tighten your skin for you? If so, I’ll have to leave a little something on you."

As he spoke, his hand, which had been holding a bamboo chopstick, flicked suddenly. The chopstick was hurled out with such speed that most people didn't even see it fly. They only heard Master Li let out a piercing shriek as he collapsed, a chopstick having completely pierced through his right knee joint. To see a chopstick penetrate bone left even the ignorant shocked, while those skilled in martial arts felt a chill run down their spines.