It was only when Li Shichuan stood up that the crowd finally understood what true disaster looked like. The heavy thud of Li Lang hitting the ground echoed in the hearts of everyone present, striking them with fear.

But Kang Dehui, still struggling on the floor, suddenly wore an expression of inexplicable excitement. After the initial shock, he felt a thrill. Now that Xu Ke has made a move, won't Li Shichuan have to step in and punish him? Even if Wong Qifu wants to protect Xu Ke, it'll be impossible. The Li Family might not be as powerful as the Wang Family, but that doesn't mean the Wang Family can openly defy the law, right? When that time comes, he, Kang Dehui, can kill with a borrowed knife without lifting a finger!

"Ah..." Li Lang screamed miserably from the ground. Xu Ke's kick had nearly paralyzed him.

With a dark expression, Li Shichuan rose to his feet. "Who did this?"

He was enraged. He had assumed Li Lang could handle the disturbance at the door by himself. He had only looked down for a moment to handle some business. When he looked up again, his son, who had been full of life just moments before, had been kicked right into the room. This scene left Li Shichuan both shocked and furious.

How dare they touch my son while I'm here? If I hadn't been here, wouldn't Li Lang have ended up just like Li Jun?!

"Dad..." Li Lang forced two words through his clenched teeth. "Xu Ke."

At those two words, Li Shichuan's expression froze instantly.

Xu Ke! It's Xu Ke again!

With a gloomy face, he strode out of the private room where Xu Ke stood waiting, his face an emotionless mask. The atmosphere immediately became unbearably oppressive. The onlookers didn't dare speak, didn't even dare breathe too loudly, terrified that the slightest noise would draw Li Shichuan's attention and bring trouble upon them.

Kang Dehui, however, stared at Li Shichuan with eager anticipation. I can't wait to see how he's going to humiliate Xu Ke.

Seeing Li Shichuan approach, Xu Yi clutched Xu Ke's sleeve, her face etched with worry.

But what happened next was completely unexpected.

"Xu Ke, what on earth do you want?" Li Shichuan asked slowly.

Everyone was stunned. How is this so different from the storm we expected? Shouldn't Li Shichuan, whose son was just kicked, charge forward and kick Xu Ke in retaliation? Why is he just standing there questioning him? What does he want? Isn't it obvious he wants to beat up your son?

But what shocked the crowd even more was Xu Ke's response.

He looked Li Shichuan in the eye. "Li Shichuan, I'll give you a chance. Make your son kneel and apologize to my sister within one minute, and I can forgive you." He paused. "Otherwise, I'll cripple him today."

As his words fell, everyone's faces went pale with shock. Did Xu Ke just dare to address Li Shichuan by his full name and threaten him so brazenly?

Kang Dehui inwardly screamed that Xu Ke was an idiot. How dare he act so tough at a critical time like this? Who does he think he's talking to?! This is a death wish.

As expected, Li Shichuan's anger finally boiled over. "Xu Ke, you are too arrogant! Do you think Tianhai is your personal backyard?"

"Shouldn't you be asking your son that question?" Xu Ke sneered. "What, you think you're untouchable, huh? Forcing my sister to drink with you in broad daylight? I'll say it again. You have thirty seconds. If you don't make your son kneel, I will cripple him. If you object, we can discuss it with Alliance Leader Chen."

Upon hearing this, Li Shichuan's complexion changed drastically. Seeing Xu Ke continue to threaten the head of the Li Family, the crowd's faces filled with utter disdain. Does this guy really think he's somebody?

If the situation weren't so serious, Kang Dehui, still lying on the ground, would have burst out laughing. Is something wrong with Xu Ke's brain? Thirty seconds? Kneel? Is he daydreaming?

But just then, Li Shichuan's expression flickered between anger and uncertainty. Looking at Xu Ke, he forced out a few words. "Li Lang was just joking, Xu Ke. Please let him off the hook... The magnanimous do not dwell on the transgressions of the petty..."

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire hall fell into a deathly silence. The gloating look on Kang Dehui's face froze, and the disdain on the crowd's faces turned to stiff disbelief. They were utterly astounded.

What is happening?! What in the world is going on?! Why is Li Shichuan so afraid of Xu Ke? Can he really try to brush off something that demands a kneeling apology as just a 'joke'?

Everyone felt their understanding of the world collapse. At that moment, Li Shichuan was drowning in humiliation, but he had no choice. Even after his son had been violently kicked, even in front of so many people, he had to plead with Xu Ke. He had no other option. If this got back to the Martial Alliance, the consequences would be catastrophic.

If this were the old Xu Ke, Li Shichuan wouldn't have been so terrified. But after recent events, everyone knew that he and Yuan Shang were as thick as thieves. They had even received intel that in the provincial capital, Chen Xiong himself was arranging for Xu Ke's participation in the Martial Alliance Leader selection tournament. From the looks of it, Xu Ke was the golden boy of the Martial Alliance. If Xu Ke mentioned what Li Lang did to Alliance Leader Chen, the Li Family would be finished.

But despite Li Shichuan's plea, Xu Ke's eyes remained like ice. "Twenty seconds."

Seeing Xu Ke remain relentless even when begged, the onlookers were completely aghast. What gave him the confidence to challenge the head of a major family like this?

Seeing this, Li Shichuan closed his eyes and said nothing.

"Fifteen," Xu Ke stated indifferently.

A sense of overwhelming urgency gripped Li Shichuan's heart.

"Ten, nine," Xu Ke counted down without a shred of mercy.

This even made Xu Yi, standing beside him, begin to panic. If Li Lang doesn't kneel, is my brother really going to cripple him? That would be a true disaster!

"Five!" Xu Ke continued his countdown.

Xu Yi glanced at the silent Li Shichuan, then hastily grabbed Xu Ke's clothes, wanting to step in as a peacemaker. Her classmates were completely silent. The scene before us has surpassed our entire understanding of Tianhai. This is a battle on a whole other level.

"Four."

"Three."

"Two."

Xu Ke kept counting down, his face a cold, emotionless mask as the True Qi began to surge violently within him. Clearly, he was about to make his move.

Just then, Li Shichuan finally spoke, his voice strained as he gritted his teeth, interrupting Xu Ke's countdown. "Li Lang, get over here!" he roared. "Kneel!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Li Lang struggled painfully to his feet. Without a word of protest, he walked directly in front of Xu Ke.

THUD!

His knees struck the floor.

Li Shichuan squeezed his eyes shut in utter shame.

"I'm sorry, Brother Xu... It... it was my fault."

His chest burned with pain, but Li Lang's heart was filled with an even greater, all-consuming humiliation. This was the gap between them and Xu Ke.

At that moment, the entire crowd's jaws hung open. They were so shocked they were rendered speechless. The mighty Li Family... had truly knelt.

As for Kang Dehui, watching Li Shichuan endure repeated provocations only to force his own son to kneel and apologize, not daring to resist... his heart turned to ice.

He finally understood what kind of immovable force he had provoked.

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