Chen Tianjing's expression darkened, but he remained silent, launching fierce attacks.
Despite their evenly matched strength, Li Yongfu stayed calm and relaxed.
Winning against Chen Tianjing was unnecessary; as long as his clan members prevailed on the other front, Chen Tianjing would have no escape.
In the midst of their battle, Li Yongfu spotted a figure fleeing in the distance, his face lightened up with joy.
It seemed inevitable that the Chen family would fall.
However, as the figure drew nearer, Li Yongfu's expression gradually faded.
The retreating figure wasn't from the Chen family as he had thought; it was his own fifth uncle, Li Cailiang, who had recently reached the late stage of the Blood Coagulation Realm.
Li Cailiang appeared exhausted and injured, accompanied by other clan members who wore similar worried expressions.
The sight of defeated clan members returning in disarray left Li Yongfu's cautious mind in turmoil.
Yet, he remained entangled with Chen Tianjing, unaware of the unfolding events. Desperate for answers, he asked, "Uncle, what happened? Why are we in such dire straits?"
"There's no time to explain," his uncle urgently replied. "You must leave now, or our clan is doomed!"
Li Yongfu's brow furrowed, but before he could inquire further, battle cries erupted from behind their group. At that moment, Chen Tianjing quietly pulled out a single locust leaf from his pocket.
"Yongfu, run! There's no time!" Li Yongfu's terrified uncle pleaded.
Li Yongfu's expression darkened. What could this late-stage Blood Coagulation Realm uncle be so afraid of---a mere locust leaf?
But when he saw Chen Tianjing crush the leaf and unleash an aura far beyond anything seen before, the truth became clear.
With a single blow, Chen Tianjing annihilated a fellow clan member who had reached the same martial level.
Li Yongfu's lingering doubts vanished in an instant as he witnessed the staggering difference in strength between Chen Tianjing now and their previous encounter, despite the injured clan member.
With the pursuit closing in, Li Yongfu wasted no time and fled for safety.
However, Chen Tianjing, fueled by the power of the locust leaf, swiftly closed the distance with lightning speed.
His mid-stage Blood Coagulation Realm had transformed into a late-stage mastery, becoming an unstoppable force with renewed energy.
Within moments, Chen Tianjing overtook the fleeing group.
Realizing escape was futile, Li Cailiang stepped forward, determination etched on his face.
He addressed Li Yongfu urgently, "Yongfu, our family cannot afford to lose you. Go, I will stop him!"
Li Yongfu glanced back at Li Cailiang before turning away. The chase continued, and the fate of the clan hung in the balance.
Li Yongfu understood that despite the recent defeat, the Chen family persisted, offering hope as long as they survived.
Yet, he remained puzzled by recent events within the Chen clan.
What had transpired in the past few days, and how did the locust leaf factor into it?
But urgent matters took precedence. The clan had suffered a devastating blow, with most of their forces decimated.
Li Yongfu needed to return swiftly to strategize and respond.
As time passed, the sounds of battle from the Chen clan gradually faded into silence.
Several miles away, Chen Qingyu led a group of clan members in pursuit.
Initially, their plan was to chase down the few remaining Li Clan members who had just fled.
As the battle concluded, Chen Xingzhen's voice reverberated behind them, commanding,
"Cease the pursuit. The situation is now under control. Let us return to the clan and plan our next steps."
As Chen Qingyu and the others felt their strength dwindling and their qi and blood depleting, they nodded in agreement
What greeted them upon their return was a grim scene: bodies strewn across the ground, staining the earth with blood.
Most were Li clan members, but some Chen clan members lay wounded, clinging to life, their survival uncertain without immediate care.
Taking in the devastation, Chen Xingzhen fell silent for a moment before issuing a series of commands.
An hour later, all Chen clan members gathered in the Ancestral Hall.
Those who had hidden during the battle had already begun the somber task of cleaning up outside.
"Clan leader," reported one attendant, "we lost three clansmen in battle, and ten are seriously injured. The rest have minor wounds..."
Chen Xingzhen's expression remained calm, showing little emotion. In a clan war, casualties were an inevitable reality.
Yet, beneath his composed facade, turmoil flickered in his eyes.
"Those who sacrificed their lives for the clan will be honoured with a proper burial," Chen Xingzhen declared solemnly.
"Their memorial tablets will be placed in the Ancestral Hall, where future generations may pay their respects."
According to clan tradition, only those who had made significant contributions were granted memorial tablets in the Ancestral Hall.
Given the current circumstances, honouring those who fell in defense of the clan was both a duty and a solemn acknowledgment of their sacrifice.
News of the memorial tablets brought a measure of solace to the grieving clansmen below, offering them a final consolation amid the profound loss.
In recent years, our clan has endured numerous casualties, but the placement of memorial plaques in the ancestral hall remains a rare occurrence.
"Quickly, bring all the seriously injured clansmen here!" Chen Xingzhen's urgent command echoed through the hall.
Soon, several severely wounded individuals were brought forward.
Two among them were fading fast, their life force ebbing away. The others suffered from severe bleeding and dire conditions.
Despite having clan doctors, their resources were depleted.
Herbs had been exhausted during their captivity, and even basic hemostatic medicines were scarce.
Even if they were to venture out to the chaotic burial grounds now, they might not be on time.
The grim reality weighed heavily on the faces of other clan members. These injuries were beyond their resources---even with supplies, saving them would be a daunting task.
As the injured were carried in, Chen Xingzhen's gaze turned to the ancestral tree, a beacon of desperate hope.
With no other options, he placed his faith in the sacred tree, praying for it to intervene and save these lives.
Witnessing this, the clan members understood their only hope lay in Ji Yang. One by one, they knelt and offered prayers to the ancient tree.
Ji Yang sighed inwardly. Though he possessed some remaining life force, it might not suffice to fully heal the gravely wounded. Some injuries were severe.
Yet, despite the slim chances of complete recovery, stemming the bleeding and preserving their lives seemed within reach for the moment.