STOMP, STOMP, STOMP.

Under the immense pressure, Shi Hongda's body almost bent double as he staggered backward, taking eight consecutive steps, a truly pathetic sight.

Seeing this, Tang Yingchang and Wang Wu finally stopped.

At this moment, Shi Hongda experienced a humiliation and frustration he had never felt in his life. He had successfully broken through his closed-door cultivation and should have been able to hold his head high, strutting about and flaunting his power.

But what about now? He was being thoroughly humbled right here.

Show off for five minutes, eat humble pie for two hours!

Seeing the situation, the Zhuge elders became furious and spoke in unison, "Tang Yingchang, Wang Wu, you have no martial ethics."

"How dare you strike first! That was a sneak attack!"

Wang Wu scoffed. "Shi Hongda did the exact same thing a moment ago. Why didn't I hear you accuse him of lacking martial ethics then?"

"We didn't see that," Zhuge Changyang and Zhuge Changyin replied.

Wong Qifu looked at them coldly. "Blindness can be treated. And if you keep your mouths shut, no one will assume you're mute."

Their faces turned so dark one could have squeezed ink from them.

In the viewing area, the crowd exchanged uneasy glances, remaining silent. In the current situation, no one dared to offer pleasantries to smooth things over. The Wang Family's aggressive posture had completely silenced the Long Capital Martial Alliance.

It seemed there was no way to resolve this unless Shi Hongda harmed himself.

"I'll say it again." Xu Ke stared at Shi Hongda, whose face was a mask of venomous resentment. "Either you maim yourself, or you get in the arena."

"If you refuse to choose, I'll have Uncle Wu and Elder Tang pay you a visit every single day. They'll use their auras to crush you, day after day."

"After all, according to what you just said, the most the Martial Alliance will do is punish me with a few days of confinement and a fine."

At these words, not only Shi Hongda, but the members of the Huang Family also had their expressions change drastically.

How could they possibly withstand Xu Ke's tactics?

Huang Zhendong bellowed, "Xu Ke, don't push it! Do you really think the Huang Family is a pushover?"

"Do you think two Innate Great Perfection experts are enough to let you do whatever you want?"

"Escalating this will do no family any good!"

Shi Hongda has only just broken through; my bringing him here doesn't mean our Huang Family only has one expert at the Innate Great Perfection realm. If Xu Ke really shows up at our door and a war breaks out, the victor is still far from certain!

Hearing this, the crowd began to murmur in agreement.

"That's right, the Huang Family has more than one Innate Great Perfection expert."

"And look, isn't the Qin Family here too? If they team up, even if Xu Ke brings two Innate Great Perfection experts to their door, won't he be crushed and forced to flee?"

"This Xu Ke is still too young. It's one thing to be arrogant here, but does he really think he can take the fight to their home?"

The crowd sneered.

But Xu Ke simply nodded. "You're right. Two Innate Great Perfection experts indeed can't act arrogantly."

Hearing this, everyone assumed Xu Ke was about to back down.

But Ye Yunfeng, who was watching the drama unfold from the side, and Huang Sheng, standing behind Huang Zhendong, both had their expressions flicker.

They remembered someone…

Xu Ke stated calmly, "Since two aren't enough, I'll bring three to your door.

"If three aren't enough, I'll bring four!

"Regardless, if Shi Hongda doesn't maim himself and apologize to Qi Ya today, I'll be moving into the Huang family home.

"Did you hear me?"

Hearing this, the crowd in the viewing area was stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"Talk about a bluff!"

"He just got the upper hand, has victory gone to his head?"

"Does he even know what he's saying?"

"Three Innate Great Perfection experts? And then four?"

"Who does he think he is?"

If the Wang Family really had that many Innate Great Perfection experts, wouldn't they have been running rampant long ago?

But the laughter in the viewing area abruptly died.

One by one, their smiles froze on their faces. They were like ducks with their necks wrung, unable to make a sound.

They noticed that the members of the Huang, Ye, Kang, and Qin families, as well as the Long Capital Martial Alliance, were not laughing. They were deathly silent.

Not only were they not laughing, but they were all staring at Xu Ke with grim, heavy expressions...

This left the audience in the viewing area dumbfounded.

What's with their reaction? Wasn't Xu Ke bluffing? Why are they all acting as if he really *could* bring that many Innate Great Perfection experts to the Huang Estate? Could it be...

They froze, their expressions suddenly shifting in horror.

Don't tell me... he can actually bring that many experts to their door?!

…

Huang Zhendong's teeth were grinding so hard they might turn to dust. Before, he would have laughed along with the spectators and mocked Xu Ke. But not now. Now, he knew that Xu Ke really could bring several Innate Great Perfection experts to his doorstep. Forget everything else, the black-robed elder who appeared during the two previous kidnappings was an Innate Great Perfection expert. That made three already! Who the hell knew how many more Innate Great Perfection experts Xu Ke had at his disposal?

But those present couldn't understand.

On what grounds? How could Xu Ke possibly have so many Innate Great Perfection experts? Where did they all come from?

Huang Zhendong's expression shifted.

He recalled the message Chang Yi sent before he died. Could Xu Ke really be the Medical Saint's disciple?!

…

As Huang Zhendong's expression wavered, Xu Ke's patience wore thin. Seeing the group's silence, he repeated, "I asked you, did you hear me?"

Huang Zhendong's face turned a livid shade. "Must you be so ruthless?"

Hearing these useless words, Xu Ke turned to Shi Hongda. "Well? Are you going to choose or not?"

At these words, Shi Hongda's face turned ashen. He stepped forward, took a deep breath, and said, "Fine! I'll maim myself!"

"I will strike myself with one palm as an apology to Wang Qiya."

The circumstances were against him. Xu Ke had made his position crystal clear. If he didn't submit now, he would become an enemy of the Huang Family, not to mention he would know no peace from this day forward.

"Do it," Xu Ke said indifferently.

GRIND.

After Xu Ke spoke, the sound of grinding teeth was audible. He wasn't sure who it came from, but seeing their faces turn livid with suppressed fury, he didn't need to guess. It was probably the collective sound of the whole group.

The spectator area fell completely silent. In all their years in Tianhai, they had never seen someone force a powerful expert to harm himself.

What was even more inconceivable was that he had succeeded! Right before everyone's eyes, the next moment—

Shi Hongda raised his palm and slammed it into his own chest.

BANG.

SPURT.

Shi Hongda grunted and spat out a mouthful of blood. He looked up, his gaze filled with venom. "Is that enough?!"

His voice was as abrasive as sandpaper on wood, grating and laced with boundless hatred.

He fixed his gaze on Xu Ke.

I have to memorize this face!

He roared internally. I will kill you! I will definitely kill you!

But Xu Ke didn't even glance at him, turning instead to Wong Qifu. "Is that sufficient?"

Wong Qifu replied, "Ask Qi Ya."

Wang Qiya nodded vigorously, like she was pounding garlic. "That's enough!"

A tempestuous sea was churning in her heart. She had always thought the exchanges between the six major families were civilized, limited to verbal sparring at worst. But after witnessing Xu Ke's methods today, she finally came to a stark realization… Words aren't the primary tool of communication. Fists are!

As Wang Qiya nodded, Xu Ke finally looked at Shi Hongda and suddenly said with a wide smile:

"That's enough, that's enough!

"But Elder Shi, you're getting old, and it seems your hearing isn't what it used to be.

"I told you to harm yourself, not to beat yourself until you coughed up blood...

"So inflexible. You don't know how to hold back at all.

"Next time I ask you to harm yourself, try not to be so forceful, alright!"

At this, the crowd was utterly dumbstruck.

What in the world is he talking about?