After Gu Chengkun finished speaking, Wei Linming quickly chimed in, "That’s right, we were never mortal enemies to begin with, why insist on annihilation?"

Liu Zixuan almost burst out laughing at these words. The two of them were now relieved and smiling, but after hearing Liu Zixuan’s terms, they would probably be crying and wailing again.

Sitting in the chair, Liu Zixuan chuckled slowly, "Actually, what I want you to do is very simple: just help connect me to your family’s patriarch on the phone, I have some matters to discuss with them!"

"So that’s all it is!" Gu Chengkun immediately grinned, saying, "No matter what happened before, we can all talk it out, right? It would spare us, who couldn’t even hurt a fly, from being troubled, wouldn’t it?"

Liu Zixuan nodded and handed over the phone, "Well, you go first, Mr. Gu."

"No problem!" Gu Chengkun happily took the phone and directly dialed their patriarch’s number.

In no time, the call connected, and a voice filled with suspicion sounded, "Who is this?"

"Patriarch, it’s Gu Chengkun, Master Xuan wants to have a word with you." Gu Chengkun said excitedly.

The Gu family patriarch paused for a moment, "And who is Master Xuan?"

At this point, Liu Zixuan had already taken the phone, "Sir Gu Patriarch, calling me Master Xuan is too flattering before you; if you wish, you can call me Little Xuan!"

"Liu Zixuan?" The Gu patriarch’s tone immediately turned serious.

"Seems you know who I am. That makes the following conversation easier."

"What? With your funds cut off, you’re preparing to seek refuge with our Eight Great Powers or the Four Great Clans?" The Gu patriarch asked with a half-smile, carrying a hint of smugness. Little did he know, their plan had already failed miserably!

Liu Zixuan chuckled, "Seeking refuge is out of the question; I’m just here to discuss a transaction with your esteemed self."

"You want to negotiate with me?" The Gu patriarch snorted coldly, full of disdain.

"Oh fuck off, I’m respecting you as an elder and you’re shamelessly taking advantage?" Liu Zixuan instantly cursed, "Do you think I’m here to negotiate with you? Do you think merely Gu Chengkun could sever my funds?"

"You!"

"Listen up, you old bastard, I’ll only say this once. Gu Chengkun is in my hands now, his life is mine to decide. If your family wants him alive, send someone with the money by tomorrow evening, or else wait to receive Gu Chengkun’s corpse!"

With that, Liu Zixuan interrupted the Gu patriarch’s words and shouted.

On the other end, the Gu patriarch was so furious he was blowing his beard and glaring. Even the heads of other families had to bow before him, but today he was given a dressing-down by a nameless upstart like Liu Zixuan!

In rage, he yelled, "Liu Zixuan, you’re playing with fire. Do you know that by doing this, you’re becoming an enemy of our Gu family and the Eight Great Powers and Four Great Clans?"

"Screw you and your enmity. I’m not intimidated by big talk!"

Liu Zixuan showed no mercy, speaking politely at first, but now being as forthright as possible. The only way to deal with such people is to curse them so convincingly they have nothing to say!

"I’ll ask you once more, Gu Chengkun, do you want him or not? If you want him, bring five hundred million to Ghost Wood City by tomorrow evening; if not, prepare to hold his funeral on New Year’s Day!" With that, Liu Zixuan hung up the phone directly.

Once the call ended, the relaxed smiles on Gu Chengkun and Wei Linming’s faces vanished, replaced with solemnness and fear!

Liu Zixuan wasn’t joking around!

Moreover, they could imagine that the Gu patriarch, having been cursed out by Liu Zixuan, must already be crazily smashing things and cursing by now!

Liu Zixuan took a deep breath, glanced at Gu Chengkun, and swore, "Damn it, what kind of shitty patriarch do you have, give him some face and he wants more!"

"Xuan..."

"Shut up!" Liu Zixuan again handed the phone to Wei Linming, "Now it’s your turn, pray that your patriarch speaks nicely to me. If he pisses me off like the Gu patriarch, I’ll have to chop off your hands and send them over today!"

Wei Linming’s hands trembled as he reached for the phone. If not for the fear that Liu Zixuan would kill him on the spot, he might have dropped the phone on the ground.

With trembling hands, he took the phone and called, learning a lesson this time. Before Liu Zixuan could snatch the phone, he first informed them of their failure.

Liu Zixuan took the phone with a smile, "You’re the Wei patriarch?"

"Young friend Zixuan, playing like this, it won’t be easy to end things," the Wei patriarch didn’t carry the same domineering air.

It seemed so; the biggest difference between family and power is that family members act more genteel and focus on appearances, while power is, frankly, a bunch of bullies who speak with fists.

Liu Zixuan smiled, "Old Wei, whether or not it ends well isn’t up to you or me."

"You’re an interesting little fellow," the Wei patriarch laughed.

"Don’t flatter me. Listening to you speak is quite pleasant, so I’ll tell you a bit more. Since I returned from Witch Country, passed through the Land of the Far North, and clashed with the Gus, then went to Qian Nanliu Association."

"Let’s be straightforward; through this journey, I, Liu Zixuan, have nothing on my conscience, nor have I mentioned confronting Liu Association or helping Liu Association unify the Martial Realm. Do you agree with this?"

After a moment of silence, the Wei patriarch said, "I agree. Just based on how the founding ancestor of Liu Association praised you back then, I trust your character!"

"Glad you agree. But what did you all do? Just because I didn’t state my position, you’re bent on eliminating me? I haven’t done anything, yet you already cut off my finances? What is it? The Four Great Clans and the mighty Eight Powers don’t have the margin for a little tolerance, only using underhanded and harmful moves?"

Liu Zixuan cursed in frustration.

The Wei patriarch sighed, "Well... indeed, when the decision was made, there wasn’t enough consideration. But young friend Zixuan, we’ve wronged you, but can’t we negotiate? At worst, we’ll offer compensation!"

"No, I don’t dare to take your compensation. What if someday I help you, and when you’re all seated high, you stab me in the back? After the Martial Contest, if I really join those ordinary martial artists against you, it’s because you forced me to."

With that, Liu Zixuan didn’t drag on with the Wei patriarch, shifting the topic, "If you want Wei Linming to return safely, send someone with five hundred million by tomorrow evening, or prepare his funeral for New Year’s Day!"