Lizarius hovering, slowly turning visible and returned to his normal, formidable size. His golden eyes glowed with a predatory gleam.
Hmm, mid stage he thought, a thrill running through him, so I'm able to kill the human at the 5th Layer? If so, let the hunt begin!
With a silent command, Lizarius unleashed his spiritual energy. The potent aura immediately rippled across the estate.
The Patriarch's Awareness
In a quiet room, an old man sat in a meditation pose, his eyes snapping open.
This was Li Tianyuan, the Grand Patriarch of the Li Clan. At 112 years old, his cultivation was at the 5th Layer Foundation Establishment. An aging yet sharp-eyed patriarch, he held the declining Li Clan together through sheer discipline and quiet authority.
Though perhaps not the strongest in terms of raw power, his presence alone commanded unwavering respect within the region.
"Hmph," Li Tianyuan scoffed, a faint frown on his face. "To think a demonic beast made its way into the Li estate. And at 3rd Layer Foundation Establishment, no less—not weak." He closed his eyes briefly. "The elders are already on their way. They'll handle it."
The First Strike
Lizarius, still hovering above the ground, his golden eyes glowing, finally detected a voice. Finally!
"A mere beast dares charge into the Li estate? How bold!" The voice boomed from above, and a figure swiftly descended, approaching with incredible speed.
Lizarius sensed the incoming attack and swiftly turned his head, only to see a blade wreathed in fire swinging directly for him.
Lightning crackled across his body as he moved with blinding speed, dodging the strike.
The blade slammed into the ground where he had just been, the force creating a concussive blast that shredded the earth and raised a thick cloud of dust. It was like a bomb had detonated.
Lizarius hovered near the ground, away from the dust cloud, his eyes fixed on the figure within.
A loud laugh, "Hahaha!" echoed through the air as the figure swung his blade, parting the dust. Standing in the center of a newly formed crater was an old, muscular man.
This was Li Feng Wei, the Second Elder of the Li family. Aged 103, his cultivation was at the 3rd Layer Foundation Establishment.
"You're quite fast," Li Feng Wei admitted, a dangerous glint in his eye...
"You fool!" another voice sharply interjected.
"Do you want to bring the entire estate crashing down with your reckless attacks?" A middle-aged woman landed gently beside the crater, her expression stern.
This was Li Zhao Ling, the First Elder of the Li family, at 94 years old with a cultivation of Foundation Establishment 4th Layer.
Four more old men appeared, materializing around the crater. One, at the 3rd Layer, frowned. "What kind of beast is that? I've never seen or heard of a beast like this before."
"It might be a mutated beast," another, a 2nd Layer cultivator, chimed in.
"3rd Layer Foundation Establishment… strong," said a third, also at the 2nd Layer. "But if that's where your confidence comes from, sorry. Now that you're here, don't think of leaving."
Lizarius, seeing them all gathered, opened his maw. Blue flames began to gather, swirling violently within his throat before he launched a torrent of fire directly towards the group of elders.