506: Acting on behalf of Heaven

Patriarch Murong Yuan had already led the three Elders onto the city wall. Looking at the dense mass of Cultivators outside the city, his expression was as grave as iron.

Grand Elder Murong Hai, at the Early Spirit Transformation Stage, was in charge of Family discipline. He held a golden law enforcement sword, and his gaze was as sharp as a blade.

Second Elder Murong Feng, also at the Early Spirit Transformation Stage, managed cultivation affairs. Hanging from his waist was the sword "Flowing Cloud," the very same blade he would later pass down to Murong Xuan.

Third Elder Murong Yu, the only female Elder in the Family, was at the Early Spirit Transformation Stage. She specialized in defensive Formations and held a golden shield in her hand.

"Zhao Lie, you have raised an army to besiege my Cangwu City without cause. What is your intent?" Patriarch Murong Yuan's voice was steady and powerful. Golden Spiritual Qi circulated around him, forming a faint protective barrier to resist Zhao Lie's pressure.

Zhao Lie sneered, his voice carrying a bone-chilling coldness: "What is my intent? Patriarch Murong Yuan, you have the nerve to ask! Your Murong Family violated the 'Slave Law' by allowing slaves to read and learn martial arts, nurturing their ambitions and causing surrounding slaves to desert one after another. You have disrupted the order of the world. Do you plead guilty?"

Sun Tao immediately chimed in, his voice shrill: "Patriarch Murong Yuan, Lord Han Fei established the 'Slave Law' precisely to distinguish between the noble and the lowly and to stabilize order! You, on the other hand, treat slaves like human beings, giving them residences and teaching them skills. Is this not inciting slave riots? If this continues, how can the world's Cultivators be respected?"

Lin Yue also stepped forward, his voice like a great bell: "Today, your Murong Family must give the world an account! Either immediately abolish all policies that treat slaves kindly, take back their residences and Cultivation Techniques, and make them return to their place—knowing only labor and nothing else—or else do not blame our three families for joining forces to enforce justice on behalf of Heaven, exterminate your Murong Family, and seize your Spiritual Vein to set things right!"

Patriarch Murong Yuan's brow furrowed, a flash of anger in his eyes: "Absurd! Slaves are also living beings; why can they not read or learn martial arts? My Murong Family treats slaves generously and has never condoned them causing trouble. Instead, we have allowed them to live and work in peace. What is wrong with that? Although the 'Slave Law' has regulations, it also states that 'those who treat living beings with kindness shall be blessed by the Heavenly Dao.' You are merely coveting my Cangwu Mountain's Spiritual Vein and intentionally seeking an excuse!"

"Presumptuous!" Zhao Lie roared. The blood-colored Evil Qi around him surged as a massive bloody palm print condensed and slammed violently toward the city wall. "Patriarch Murong Yuan, you refuse the easy way and choose the hard way! Today's matter is not up to you! Either abolish the policies or face extermination—choose one!"

"Patriarch, you must not!" Grand Elder Murong Hai hurried to dissuade him. "The 'Slave Law' was set by Lord Han Fei. If we openly defy it, we will be making an enemy of the Dharma Sect. Before the three families are even defeated, the Dharma Sect will send troops, and the consequences will be unimaginable!"

Second Elder Murong Feng also nodded: "Zhao Lie is already in the Late Soul Transformation stage. Combined with Sun Tao and Lin Yue, we may not be their match. It is better to temporarily agree to them, abolish the policies, and preserve the Family's Foundation, then plan for the future."

Patriarch Murong Yuan shook his head, his gaze resolute: "My Murong Family's ancestral motto is 'Respect Heaven and cherish all things, treat all living beings with kindness.' How can we abandon this due to intimidation? The slaves work diligently and are loyal to the core. How can I abandon them?"

He turned to look below the city. Over a hundred thousand slaves had already gathered spontaneously on the city streets. Holding hoes, wood-chopping knives, and other farming tools, they looked up at the city wall with determined gazes, without the slightest hint of fear.

Uncle Fu stood at the very front of the slaves. Though elderly, his spine remained straight as he shouted loudly: "Patriarch, the Murong Family has treated us well. Do not invite disaster for our sake. We are willing to go to our deaths!!"

"We are willing to go to our deaths!" Over a hundred thousand slaves shouted in unison, their voices shaking the clouds. Even the Cultivators of the three families outside the city were intimidated by this Aura and involuntarily took half a step back.

Patriarch Murong Yuan said in a deep voice: "Uncle Fu, do you think that if you die, this Zhao Lie will let our Murong Family go? Compromise will only make the opponent more arrogant. Today, we must fight them!!"

Seeing this, a flash of ruthlessness crossed Zhao Lie's eyes: "Fine! What a Murong Family, what a bunch of slaves who don't know the meaning of death! Since you insist on resisting, then don't blame me for being cold-blooded and cruel!"

He raised his hand and waved, giving a sharp command: "Attack! Exterminate the Murong Family, and the Spiritual Vein will be divided equally among the three families!"

Over ten thousand Cultivators immediately launched an attack. Arrows flew like locusts, Sword Qi crisscrossed, and poisonous mist spread, all attacking Cangwu City fiercely.

The Murong Family Cultivators on the city wall also counterattacked immediately. Golden Spiritual Qi collided with blood-colored Evil Qi, poisonous mist, and fist force, erupting in earth-shattering booms. The profound iron city walls were struck until sparks flew everywhere, and defensive runes were instantly covered in cracks.

Patriarch Murong Yuan held the Golden Spirit Divine Sword. A massive golden Sword Qi slashed out, killing dozens of Zhao Family Cultivators. He shouted sternly: "Three Elders, follow me to meet the enemy! Defend Cangwu City to the death!"

"Yes!" The three Elders responded in unison, summoning their weapons and charging toward the three families' Cultivators alongside Patriarch Murong Yuan.

Murong Xuan and A Gu also rushed onto the city wall. Murong Xuan held the Flowing Cloud sword, his golden Spiritual Qi circulating as he slew the Cultivators charging up;

A Gu gripped his refined iron blade. Relying on the powerful physique he had forged through the "Bone Strengthening Technique," he moved through the chaotic battle, protecting the low-level Cultivators and slaves around him.

The battle was exceptionally tragic.

Zhao Lie's combat power at the Late Soul Transformation stage was too terrifying. Every time a blood-colored palm print fell, dozens of Murong Family Cultivators perished;

Sun Tao's poison Formation was even more sinister. Wherever the poisonous mist passed, Cultivators collapsed one after another, their skin festering in unbearable pain;

Lin Yue's "Mountain Splitting Fist" was fierce and overbearing. The city wall's defensive runes constantly shattered under his fist force.

Patriarch Murong Yuan and the three Elders fought desperately, but they gradually fell into a disadvantage.

To protect Patriarch Murong Yuan, Murong Hai was struck by Zhao Lie's blood-colored palm print. His chest caved in, blood gushed out, and he collapsed on the city wall, his breath fading;

Murong Yu's defensive shield was shattered by a punch from Lin Yue, and her arm was broken, yet she still gritted her teeth and persisted, using her body to block attacks. Murong Feng was caught in Sun Tao's poisonous mist; his Spiritual Qi became disordered, and his combat power was greatly reduced.

The slaves below the city did not retreat either. Uncle Fu led the young and strong slaves, lifting huge stones to hurl at the attacking Cultivators;

Green Grain and a dozen or so female slaves gathered around the wounded. Their hands trembled as they cleaned wounds and wrapped them with cloth strips. Their faces were covered in tear tracks, their lips bitten white, and even their breathing carried a sob, yet not a single one moved her feet, let alone thought of running away.

Green Grain carefully bandaged a young Cultivator with a broken leg. Her fingertips were stained with blood, and her forehead was covered in cold sweat. Every time she touched a patient's wound, she couldn't help but shrink back—she had never seen such a bloody scene. The screams in her ears and the groans of the dying haunted her like a curse. But she still gritted her teeth, wiping the blood from the wounded with clean cloth strips over and over, whispering comfort: "Don't be afraid, it will get better. The Patriarch will protect us."

Her voice was as gentle as a spring breeze, but it could not hide the fear in her bones. Her body shook uncontrollably, and even the cloth strip in her hand almost slipped.

But when she saw the despair in the eyes of the wounded, she forced herself to steady her mind.

Just then, a poisoned black arrow suddenly pierced through the chaotic battlefield, heading straight for the medical station like a venomous snake.

It bypassed the Cultivators in front and accurately shot toward the defenseless Green Grain. With a "puchi" sound, the arrowhead entered from her back and exited through her chest, bringing with it a spray of hot blood.

Green Grain's body suddenly stiffened, and the cloth strip in her hand fluttered to the ground.

She lowered her head, looking at the arrowhead protruding from her chest in disbelief. Blood dripped continuously down the arrow shaft, staining the medical table in front of her red.

Green Grain had actually noticed A Gu long ago and knew that A Gu was secretly watching her every day.

She had developed feelings for A Gu.

She wanted to call out A Gu's name, but her throat could only make a wheezing sound. Her vision gradually blurred. With one last look, she gazed toward the city wall, as if seeing A Gu's figure fighting a bloody battle. A faint smile touched the corners of Green Grain's mouth, and then her body went limp, falling onto the blood-stained ground, never to move again.

"Green Grain!" A female slave nearby let out a shrill cry and tried to rush over, only to be killed by another wave of incoming Sword Qi.