Chapter 488 - 329: Hatred (Part 2)

Chapter 488: Chapter 329: Hatred (Part 2)

They never expected Ling Xiao to have so many enemies. Both the Qin Family and the Jingwu Lie Family had sent people here. Worse, the one from the Qin Family was utterly evil, going so far as to absorb a Child’s Essence Blood! The members of the Zhe Family had noticed this but chose to ignore it, as it wasn’t their concern. To their surprise, this very act had ended up exposing everyone.

Zhezhong Tang was furious. ’That Ling Xiao certainly has his methods,’ he thought. ’His followers are fiercely loyal. Their strength might be lacking, but when we were searching for them, it would have been one thing if one or two weren’t afraid of death, but every last one of them was utterly fearless. It was truly shocking. If this boy is allowed to continue developing, it might not take many years before all of our great families—be they a hundred years old, a thousand, or even the super-families passed down from antiquity—are overshadowed by the brilliance of this Shushan Sword Sect! We’ll be forced to live in their shadow!’

It might sound unimportant—the hidden families could just develop on their own and avoid each other. But Zhezhong Tang knew very well that among the truly large hidden families, the clandestine struggle for resources was incredibly fierce!

As things stood, the families and sects across the continent had more or less solidified their positions, and their spheres of influence were clearly divided. This was a major reason why it was so difficult for the lesser families and sects to advance.

There was no room!

But this Ling Family was like a dark horse, bursting onto the scene out of nowhere and carving out a path for themselves. They had amassed incredible power in a short time! If this continued, it wouldn’t be long before the entire landscape of hidden families and sects was rewritten!

When that time comes, a family like the Zhe Family, which already holds a grudge against the Ling Family, will surely be the first to bear the brunt of the impact!

’So, we must take this chance while Ling Xiao is away and destroy his base!’ Zhezhong Tang thought. His reluctance to harm the innocent wasn’t because he was kind-hearted. It was because Penzes City wasn’t like the territories of the hidden families and sects; news of their actions here would likely spread before long.

That would be another major blow to the Zhe Family’s reputation. Besides, what was the point of killing a group of ants?

"Patriarch... there’s something strange in there. It’s what the Old Ancestor fell victim to," one of the Zhe Family’s Sword Emperors said cautiously.

The Zhe Family had suffered a devastating blow in Penzes City, a true tragedy for the clan. The Old Ancestor’s significance to the entire Zhe Family was immense. Although Zhe Wushuang had also advanced to the Sword Venerable Realm, the outside world still recognized the Zhe Family primarily because of their Old Ancestor, Zhe Wanqian!

Now, with the Ancestor having died right here, Zhezhong Tang’s eyes glinted as he stared into the seemingly unchanged Inner City. He then asked, "Did those two Sword Emperor Powerhouses from the Lie Family get trapped in there as well?"

"That’s right. The three of us watched with our own eyes as they pursued them inside and just... vanished!" another Zhe Family Sword Emperor said, still shaken. "Luckily, we knew what happened to the Ancestor..."

Zhezhong Tang was deeply shaken. ’To think Ling Xiao truly possesses such an incredible ability,’ he thought. ’In that case, Ling Xiao himself might not be that strong. He must be relying completely on this thing!’

"The blue light outside is gone!"

A Zhe Family Sword Emperor pointed to the sky, where the shimmering blue curtain of light had completely vanished. Zhezhong Tang let out a long breath, then stared intently at the Ling Family’s Inner City and said, "There’s no point in staying. We’re leaving!"

In truth, the three Zhe Family Sword Emperors had long since lost their will to fight. They never imagined that even with Ling Xiao absent, his domain would be as solid as a fortress, making it impossible to inflict any real damage.

But to return just like this...

One of the Sword Emperor Powerhouses mustered his courage and said, "Patriarch, why don’t... we go inside for a look?"

"A look? My ass!" Zhezhong Tang’s voice turned frigid as he barked, "Do you possess the Ancestor’s power? Even the Ancestor didn’t make it out! Who do you think you are? I thought we could use a surprise attack to kill a few of Ling Xiao’s core followers, but I never expected that old bastard from the Qin Family to be more of a hindrance than a help! Now, they’re certain to be on high alert. Another chance for a sneak attack is basically impossible! A gentleman’s revenge is never too late. We’re leaving!"

Just then, Shangguan Yutong’s cold voice suddenly echoed from within the Array. "People of the Zhe Family, the Shushan Sword Sect will remember today’s humiliation. And as for the time your family wiped out another to steal their Secret Manual—we will repay that debt in full one day!"

A glint flashed in Zhezhong Tang’s eyes as he unleashed an incredibly swift slash of Sword Qi toward the source of the voice. However, the Sword Qi vanished without a trace.

Zhezhong Tang snorted. "The Zhe Family will be ready for you!"

"What do we do now?" the Fourteenth Master asked in a low voice.

The Thirteenth Master and Fourteenth Master looked at Shangguan Yutong. Inside the Array, the two of them and Tiger didn’t dare to move recklessly, staying close behind Shangguan Yutong, the only one who understood formations. A flash of pain and guilt crossed her eyes. ’I’m sorry, Ling Xiao. I failed to protect our home!’

She gritted her teeth. "Let them go! Otherwise, if they run into Elder Quefeng and Elder Su, our elders will surely be at a disadvantage!"

A low growl rumbled in Tiger’s throat, his eyes turning crimson. The emotional expression of a Beastman was simple. Ling Xiao had shown immense kindness to the entire Beast Race, so Tiger naturally regarded him as his master. To see his master’s territory ravaged by enemies, yet be unable to kill them for satisfaction, was an incredibly stifling feeling.

Forgoing his usual demeanor, the Thirteenth Master’s eyes also blazed with fury. He patted Tiger’s shoulder. "Easy there, Big Tiger. We’ll get our chance."

Tiger nodded heavily. The sound of his grinding teeth made Shangguan Yutong and the others uneasy. Suddenly, with a furious roar, a red halo of light erupted from beneath his feet with a loud BANG!

Immediately after, a powerful aura shot up into the sky from within the Mist Array! The few powerhouses from the Zhe Family, who were just about to depart, all froze. Zhezhong Tang stomped his foot in frustration. Anyone could see what was happening: one of their enemies had achieved a breakthrough at this critical juncture!

A sense of foreboding crept into Zhezhong Tang’s heart. He knew that the Zhe Family’s future... would surely be filled with more hardship than peace.

After sensing that the Zhe Family’s experts had left, Shangguan Yutong and the other three silently emerged from the Mist Array. They stared at the former battleground, now a complete ruin. Wisps of smoke rose from the rubble, and they could occasionally hear the CRACKLING of falling debris. Shangguan Yutong’s face was already streaked with tears. The Thirteenth and Fourteenth Masters had also shed their usual playful demeanors. Tiger, meanwhile, was like an enraged beast, pacing restlessly.

Just then, High Priest Su Xue and Quefeng flew back from a distance. Quefeng looked drained, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. The High Priest’s white robes were stained with large patches of blood, though it was unclear if it was from a wound or blood she had coughed up.

The High Priest and Shangguan Yutong exchanged a look, the light in both their eyes dimming. Establishing a sect was truly far more difficult than they had imagined! With Ling Xiao away, they could only do their best to guard this foundation he had built. Yet, after more than half a year of painstaking work, they had still been successfully ambushed.

This made it clear the enemy had been lurking in the city for more than just a day or two and knew the surroundings in detail. The two Zhe Family Sword Emperors trapped in the Mist Array, on the other hand, had fallen prey to their own carelessness.

High Priest Su Xue’s voice was faint, as if she were severely injured. "That old monster from the Qin Family... he’s a powerhouse at the Sword Venerable Realm! He was either in seclusion or cultivating; whatever the case, he didn’t seem interested in killing us. Otherwise, it would have been very difficult for the two of us to get back."

Quefeng nodded slightly. "The aura he gave off was extremely malevolent; it can easily throw one’s mind into chaos. We must be wary of this when we face the Qin Family in the future."

Su Xue looked at Shangguan Yutong. "What happened on your end? Why is it like this?" she asked, glancing at the surrounding ruins.

Shangguan Yutong replied grimly, "The Zhe Family... they had a Tier Six Sword Emperor lying in wait! We were ambushed. Many soldiers of the Lightning Legion are dead."

Su Xue’s eyebrows shot up, her voice turning icy. "The Zhe Family!"