Chapter 18: To Kill! Just Kill!

"Fifth Elder, please return for now. The Life-and-Death Stage does not permit outside interference."

The Law Enforcement Elder spoke calmly from the side.

"The rules of the Life-and-Death Stage cannot be broken."

Hearing the Law Enforcement Elder speak, the Fifth Elder could only cast a glance at Li Xing behind him before silently returning to the spectator stands.

He did not dare to challenge the rules of the Life-and-Death Stage.

This stage had existed since the very founding of the Lin Estate, and its rules had remained unchanged for a thousand years. No one dared to challenge them—not even the Lord of the Lin Estate, let alone the Fifth Elder.

He could only obediently return to the stands.

"Chu Fengmian, if you spare Xing'er's life today, I promise you a massive fortune. How about that?" the Fifth Elder called out, looking toward Chu Fengmian.

"But if you truly dare to kill Xing'er! I, Li Fu, guarantee that I will hunt you down! It will be a fight to the death!"

The naked threat in the Fifth Elder's voice was no longer concealed.

"Is that so?"

Almost the instant the Fifth Elder finished speaking, Chu Fengmian's sword descended.

Li Xing's throat was pierced by the blade.

"What!"

As if stung by a needle, the Fifth Elder's figure surged toward the Life-and-Death Stage. He injected a burst of spiritual energy into Li Xing's body, but the energy sank like a stone into the ocean, yielding no response.

He was dead.

Under that single strike, Li Xing had been slain, devoid of all life.

The Fifth Elder, who had been checking Li Xing's body, suddenly looked up. A surge of spiritual energy condensed in his right palm, transforming into a ferocious tiger that lunged toward Chu Fengmian.

"You little bastard! I'll kill you!"

"Fengmian!"

Almost simultaneously, a figure suddenly appeared before Chu Fengmian, blocking the Fifth Elder's palm strike with a single move.

"Lin Yan, you old rogue! You actually dare to oppose me!"

Looking at the Third Elder standing before Chu Fengmian, the Fifth Elder pointed at Chu Fengmian and roared in fury.

"This little beast disregarded the bonds of the Lin Estate and dealt a lethal blow to my grandson! How can such a person be allowed to leave!"

"Get out of the way! Today, I will kill this little beast to avenge my grandson!"

"Fifth Elder, Li Xing was the one who initiated this on the Life-and-Death Stage, and he was the one who launched the sneak attack just now. What? Because his skills were insufficient and he died, you intend to step in and interfere?" Chu Fengmian looked at the Fifth Elder and sneered.

This was the Life-and-Death Stage. In front of so many Lin Estate elders, Chu Fengmian truly did not fear that the Fifth Elder would dare to move against him.

"You!"

Hearing Chu Fengmian's words, the Fifth Elder was consumed with rage, yet he found himself speechless, his face turning a deep crimson from suppressed fury.

Indeed, everyone knew that Li Xing had been the one to provoke Chu Fengmian. The life-and-death pact had already been made; on the Life-and-Death Stage, life and death were left to fate—that was the long-standing rule.

Furthermore, Li Xing had been the one to launch the sneak attack to kill Chu Fengmian. Li Xing's death at Chu Fengmian's hands was nothing more than karmic retribution.

"Chu Fengmian, you are a junior! How dare you speak to an elder like that? Moreover, this is the Fifth Elder!"

A fat old man on the stands suddenly spoke up.

This fat man was the Fourth Elder of the Lin Estate. He shared some friendship with the Fifth Elder, and seeing Li Xing killed, his expression was also extremely grim.

"Even if it is on the Life-and-Death Stage, you and Li Xing are both members of the Lin Estate. Killing a fellow clansman is always wrong! Apologize to the Fifth Elder immediately! Furthermore, surrender one year's salary and go to the Gray Mine to work for a year as punishment!"

Hearing the Fourth Elder's words, Chu Fengmian burst into laughter.

"Hahaha... Fourth Elder, although I am a junior, I am also the Great Steward of the Outer Estate of the Lin Estate. The Lin Estate, its Outer Estate, and its Inner Estate exist in an equal relationship. You are not qualified to command me."

Chu Fengmian spoke indifferently, his eyes filled with mockery as he looked at the Fourth Elder, leaving the man sputtering in indignation.

"Besides, Li Xing died on the Life-and-Death Stage. Does that mean Li Xing had to live while I died on this stage?"

Chu Fengmian spoke nonchalantly, showing absolutely no respect for the Fourth Elder.

This caused the Fourth Elder's face to tremble with rage.

As the Fourth Elder of the Lin Estate, not only within the estate but in the entire Linwu City, almost no one dared to speak to him this way. Everyone treated him with utmost respect.

Now, a junior like Chu Fengmian—whom he considered a mere waste—actually dared to speak to him like this.

The layers of fat on his body began to quiver from his anger.

"Arrogant junior! Truly insolent! You have no respect for hierarchy! This Chu Fengmian has slaughtered a fellow clansman; he is completely unworthy of being the Great Steward of the Outer Estate!"

The Fourth Elder roared angrily, turning to the middle-aged man sitting in the highest seat on the stands and speaking respectfully.

"Lord, I request that you strip Chu Fengmian of his position as Great Steward of the Outer Estate. Such an ungrateful person has no right to hold that post!"

"Correct, Lord! Strip this boy of his position!"

The Fifth Elder also roared. He had lost his grandson and could not kill Chu Fengmian to avenge him. If Chu Fengmian truly lost his position as Great Steward, he would become like a lump of dough, to be squeezed and manipulated however the Fifth Elder wished.

"Lord, Chu Fengmian's position was personally appointed by the previous Lord," the Third Elder said anxiously from the side.

He had not expected Chu Fengmian to actually show no respect to the Fifth Elder and kill Li Xing right in front of them. However, for now, he could only speak in Chu Fengmian's defense.

"The previous Lord? We have spent so many years feeding wastes; we have already repaid enough favors! Are we really going to let this boy ride over our heads?" the Fifth Elder bellowed.

"Silence!"

Amidst the arguing, the middle-aged man sitting at the highest point finally spoke.

With a single word, the entire area fell into dead silence.

Though the Fourth and Fifth Elders were arrogant and overbearing, they did not dare to make a scene in front of the Lord of the Lin Estate.

The Lord of the Lin Estate spoke coldly.

"Chu Fengmian's position was personally appointed by the previous Lord. The previous Lord bestowed great kindness upon our Lin Estate; therefore, the position of Great Steward of the Outer Estate belongs to him."

The Lord of the Lin Estate turned to look at Chu Fengmian.

"However, Chu Fengmian, you have gone a bit too far. How about this: you apologize to the Fifth Elder, and we shall consider this matter settled?"

An apology, and the matter would be over.

Everyone present could tell that this was an attempt to provide a way out for both Chu Fengmian and the Fifth Elder. Even though Li Xing had died on the Life-and-Death Stage, he was still a member of the Li family and the beloved grandson of the Fifth Elder.

An apology would be the reasonable thing to do, and it would be enough to let the matter pass for now.