Chapter 477 - 484: Gathering Under the Cliff

"I think Huo Jinchuan has truly gone mad. To throw away his perfect position as the Huo Family’s Young Master and force himself down a dead-end path... I really can’t understand the way these prodigies think."

After all, who didn’t envy Huo Jinchuan for being born into such a great family?

Though his cultivation speed wasn’t extraordinarily fast, it was still a level many could only hope to achieve. Moreover, he was groomed from an early age to be the next Huo Family Head.

As long as he didn’t mess up, he could have lived a comfortable life. But he just had to go and do something wrong, and now, not even the gods could save him.

Everyone couldn’t help but sigh at the turn of events, but they quickly began to spread the news everywhere. With something this sensational, the Huo Family was surely on the verge of collapse.

...

Events unfolded quickly, and soon, the news reached the Huo Family.

Huo Yang, who was already at his wit’s end over Huo Jinchuan, shot to his feet. In the next instant, he vanished from the spot.

By the time the elders rushed in, Huo Yang was already gone.

Their expressions soured, and they snorted coldly.

"Huo Yang thinks he can run? How long can he hide?"

"That’s right. This business with Huo Jinchuan is no longer a simple internal family matter. If we don’t handle this properly, the Huo Family’s reputation will be ruined!"

"Exactly! The reputation our Huo Family has built over so many years cannot be destroyed by Huo Jinchuan!"

"But Huo Yang is already gone. What do we do...?"

"First, Huo Yang hid the resurrection of the dead from us, which brought down Heavenly Punishment. Then, he allowed his son to steal the clan’s treasures. And now, Huo Jinchuan has gone so far as to abduct Cultivators... Each and every one of these incidents is enough to have Huo Yang thrown out of his position as Clan Leader!"

"Indeed. Besides, the Huo Family has been increasingly unlucky lately. It’s probably because of Huo Yang’s bad fortune. If this keeps up, I’m truly worried something will happen to our family."

At these words, the room fell silent.

Though they had their disagreements, they all understood a fundamental truth: they would rise or fall with the family. If the Huo Family collapsed, their own descendants would suffer the consequences.

It was a gamble none of them could afford to take.

And so, a bold idea began to form in their minds.

Meanwhile, Huo Yang was congratulating himself on his quick reflexes. ’If I hadn’t left so fast, I really wouldn’t have known how to handle those elders when they came to force my abdication.’

’Now, if I personally capture Huo Jinchuan and bring him back, then handle things carefully... maybe put on a pathetic display... I might be able to secure my position as Clan Leader.’

But as soon as he reached the area, he ran into quite a few people also searching for Huo Jinchuan. The only thing was, they all looked at him with a strange expression.

Huo Yang frowned, his heart sinking. ’Something about these people feels off,’ he thought.

’Then again, it makes sense. My own son kidnapped people; it’s only natural for them to look at me this way.’

As he was lost in thought, a familiar figure approached him, his eyes filled with unconcealed glee. It was an elder from the Murong Family—Murong Chang, one of his old rivals.

"Tsk, tsk. To think the son of our great Huo Clan Leader would one day do something like this. I hear he even abducted Murong Ling. I’m afraid you’re in for it this time, Huo Clan Leader. The entire Murong Family will not let this rest!"

"However... if you’re willing to beg me, perhaps I could plead with my family to spare his life."

Murong Chang was all smiles, not caring in the least whether Murong Ling lived or died.

After all, the child of a mere City Lord meant nothing to the Murong Family.

’But this was a perfect opportunity—a chance to deal a blow to the Huo Family, and especially to Huo Yang. They had been rivals for years, and now that he finally had an opening, how could he not take the chance to mock and ridicule him?’

"Hmph! I don’t need you to spare his life. I’ll take his worthless life myself!"

’Beg for Huo Jinchuan?’

’I can’t wait for him to drop dead!’

With that, his face darkened, and he flew straight down the cliff.

"You—"

Elder Murong was taken aback. ’He’s so ruthless!’ he thought. ’Don’t the rumors all say he dotes on Huo Jinchuan?’

’This doesn’t seem like it at all.’

He snorted coldly, then leaped, flying down toward the bottom of the cliff as well.

As more and more people flew down toward the bottom of the cliff, Song Wanning’s expression grew increasingly grave.

’If Baili Shang hadn’t already figured out a countermeasure, I never would have dared to lure all these people here.’

’Now, my goal is to force Huo Jinchuan into a corner from which there is no escape. I absolutely cannot give him any chance to make a comeback.’

"When do we go down?"

Baili Shang’s expression was placid, his aura growing even more profound and inscrutable. His successive breakthroughs with Arrays had given him a deeper understanding of himself, and the hot-headed arrogance of his youth was gradually fading.

’There’s always a higher mountain. There is still so much in this world for me to learn.’

"Let’s wait a bit longer. The more people, the better."

Song Wanning’s eyes darkened. "Huo Yang is already here. With a large enough crowd, we might be able to drag him down as well."

’We’ll never be truly safe until Huo Yang is dealt with. But if he personally kills Huo Jinchuan, no one will be able to touch him...’

’They’ll even praise him for his ’righteousness in sacrificing his own family.’ How noble!’

’I can’t let him get off that easily.’

"Alright. Call me when the time is right."

Forgetting to eat or sleep, Baili Shang picked up a classic text and resumed his studies. His diligence was a clear testament to his genuine passion for Arrays.

Seeing this, Song Wanning’s lips curled into a smile. ’Only a genius like him is worthy of Senior Feng Jiuxiao’s legacy!’

「An hour later」

Gradually, the flow of new arrivals stopped. Song Wanning decided it was about time.

’If we wait any longer and Huo Jinchuan decides to take everyone down with him, we’ll be in trouble.’

And so, they too leaped down the cliff.

The terrain below Beheading Cliff was steep, but the area was vast and riddled with caves.

The people who had descended earlier were all searching for any sign of Huo Jinchuan, but so far, they had found nothing.

Huo Yang had a map to guide him, but for some reason, it had stopped working the moment he descended the cliff.

Now, he had no way to pinpoint Huo Jinchuan’s location.

"Useless trash!!!"

’If I’d known it would come to this, I would have killed Huo Jinchuan long ago and avoided this entire mess.’

He took several deep breaths to finally suppress the rage in his heart and resumed his search.

At that very moment, Huo Jinchuan could no longer suppress the Demonic Qi within him. It swirled in his eyes, giving him a bizarre and unsettling appearance.

’I thought I could secretly build up my power and then get my revenge on Song Wanning and Huo Yang. Who would have thought I’d be exposed?’

’They’re all over the place, searching for me. It won’t be long before they find this place!’

"Fine. Since you’re all so eager to deliver yourselves to my doorstep, I won’t be polite."

A flash of desperate madness—the kind that would see the fish die and the net break—glinted in Huo Jinchuan’s eyes. ’So many people, all willing to become my fuel. In that case, I might as well go for broke and absorb all of their fortune!’

"HAHAHAHA—"

The beast that had been caged in his heart for hundreds of years finally broke free, revealing its true face.

"Come! Come on, all of you! Come to me!!!"