70: Iwa's confession

Inside the Yan Family's deliberation hall.

All the principal members of the Yan Family were present.

The Yan Family Head looked at Yan Ruxue with a deeply furrowed brow.

"Ru Xue, is there really no other way? Can you bear to watch your kinsmen die tragically before your eyes?"

Yan Ruxue's face was as cold as frost, and she said with a sense of helplessness, "Father, I have already made the stakes of this matter very clear. Time is short, you should make a decision soon!"

"Ru Xue, how much credibility do you think Yun Feiyang's words have?"

Suddenly, an old man with grizzled hair, sitting at the head, asked in a calm tone.

"Old Ancestor, I have already told all the elders my conjecture just now. Yun Feiyang might have an even more terrifying existence behind him."

"So, I believe Yun Feiyang is not bluffing."

When the Yan Family members heard Yan Ruxue's analysis, they all panicked.

Suddenly, an almost inaudible voice subtly reached everyone's ears.

"Since that's the case, then hand the person over to him and preserve the family."

As soon as these words were spoken, the previously somewhat noisy hall instantly fell silent.

Everyone's gaze scanned back and forth, trying to find out who had spoken.

Although most of the family members who were not directly involved were thinking the same thing at the moment.

But no one dared to say it out loud; no one wanted to bear the stigma of harming a kinsman.

The Yan Family Old Ancestor's eyes flashed, and he stared at one person in the crowd, saying,

"Old Ninth, if you have something to say, say it loudly. What kind of propriety is this, sneaking around?"

The person who had spoken earlier, hearing the Old Ancestor call him by name and tell him to speak, knew that this was to make him take the lead.

He clenched his fists, took a step forward, ignored everyone's gazes, and said with conviction.

"Old Ancestor, the most urgent task is to hand over the person first and resolve the family's crisis. If we delay any longer, I fear the Yan Family will truly be erased from existence."

"Nonsense, Old Ninth, what do you mean by that? We risk our lives for the family outside, and now that something has happened, you want to use our heads as scapegoats. I refuse."

"That's right, I refuse too."

"It's easy for you to say. If it were you, would you still speak like that?"

Several Yan Family members who had taken action against the Tao Family all started shouting.

Old Ninth saw that several people were on the verge of attacking him if he disagreed, so he subtly looked down at the Yan Family Old Ancestor.

The Yan Family Old Ancestor saw Old Ninth looking at him and nodded, signaling him to continue.

In fact, Old Ninth was also forced into it.

He came from a humble background and never received much resources from the clan. He was still stuck at the early stage of the Spirit Building Realm at over fifty years old.

None of his sons had even broken through to the Spirit Building Realm.

Being at the bottom, he had long cultivated the skill of reading people's expressions.

The Old Ancestor's nod just now made his meaning very clear.

As long as he took the lead and sacrificed himself to help the family overcome the difficulties, the family would not mistreat his sons.

Having received the Old Ancestor's affirmation, Old Ninth no longer hesitated.

He suddenly shouted, "Silence! If the family needs my head, Old Ninth, I will offer it at any time. I will not be like you cowards, only considering your own safety and disregarding the family's survival."

"Anyone can talk big. If you dare to cut off your own head, we naturally won't be stingy with our lives either."

"I just fear that some people only talk big."

Old Ninth saw that several people had taken the bait. He glared at them and said, "Good, for the sake of the family, what does it matter if I, Old Ninth, offer my life today?"

He suddenly drew a long sword and placed it against his neck, making a motion as if to cut it down.

"Father, no!"

Several figures suddenly cried out and rushed towards Old Ninth.

Old Ninth saw his sons rushing towards him and paused his hand movement.

He said with conviction, "No one is allowed to cry. Your father is dying for the family, and he dies a worthy death. From now on, you must all obey the Old Ancestor's teachings."

At this point, he gave his sons a deep look, and a fleeting expression of reluctance flashed in his eyes.

Then he looked at the Yan Family Old Ancestor again.

"Old Ancestor, Old Ninth is gone. I entrust my few good-for-nothing sons to you."

After speaking, he unhesitatingly used both hands to slash, and the long sword left a shocking wound on his neck.

The blood gushing from the wound splattered all over his sons.

Old Ninth fell heavily to the ground, dead.

His sons knelt over Old Ninth's corpse, wailing loudly.

Old Ninth's action shocked everyone.

Those who had clamored for Old Ninth to commit suicide were all stunned in place, silent.

The Yan Family Old Ancestor's face showed an expression of sorrow. He staggered towards Old Ninth's corpse.

"Old Ninth, why did you have to do this?"

As he spoke, he wiped away a tear.

"Come, deal with Old Ninth's body properly. Afterwards, bury him in the ancestral tomb for future generations to worship."

Several Xiao Sis (Attendants) heard this and quickly ran into the hall to carry Old Ninth's body out.

Old Ninth's sons watched as Old Ninth's body was carried away. One of them suddenly stood up and looked angrily at the people who had forced Old Ninth to his death.

"My father could have stayed out of this, but he was forced to his death by you all. Yet, you culprits are now safe and sound."

After his indignant accusation, he turned and knelt, saying again.

"I beg the Old Ancestor to do justice for us, to hand over these people to comfort my father's spirit in heaven, and to resolve our clan's life-and-death crisis."

The Yan Family Old Ancestor, seeing that the time was ripe, dared not delay any further.

"What do you all think now?"

He glared majestically at the people who had forced Old Ninth to his death.

"Old Ancestor, spare our lives! He wanted to die himself; it has nothing to do with us!"

The Yan Family Old Ancestor angrily roared, "Silence! How can my Yan Family have such greedy and cowardly individuals as you? If I don't deal with you today, how can I face Old Ninth, how can I face the Yan Family's millennium-long foundation?"

With that, he no longer gave them a chance to speak.

He merely waved his hand, and a long sword flashed. The several people kneeling on the ground were instantly decapitated.

After completing this set of actions, the Yan Family Old Ancestor put away his long sword and said to Yan Ruxue, "Take these heads and deliver them. You all handle the rest; I'm tired."

Yan Ruxue stepped forward with a pained expression, picked up the heads, and then said to the person guarding Tao Rong.

"Go bring Tao Rong, quickly."

At the same time, outside the Yan Family gates.

Yun Feiyang estimated the time; a quarter of an hour was almost up.

Seeing that the Yan Family still hadn't given a reply, he grabbed at the air, and a green long sword appeared in his hand.

"They really don't know what's good for them. Do I really have to do it myself?"

Just as he was about to cleave open the Yan Family gates with a single sword, two figures suddenly flashed out of the Yan Family and appeared before him.

Yun Feiyang saw that the person was indeed Yan Ruxue. He put away his green long sword and questioned, "Little girl, time is up. Give me your answer."

At this moment, Yan Ruxue held a burlap sack, from which blood was still seeping from the bottom.

She threw the burlap sack in front of Yun Feiyang and said, "These are the heads of the few who attacked the Tao Family. Please inspect them, Senior."

Yun Feiyang ignored the sack at his feet and instead looked at Tao Rong.

"You come and take it. Don't dirty this old man's hands."

Tao Rong, who was still in the dark, stepped forward and grabbed the canvas sack, then stood beside Yun Feiyang.

Yun Feiyang looked up at the moonlight, and said somewhat urgently.

"Let's go. That person might already be impatient from waiting."

With that, he grabbed Tao Rong with one hand and vanished from the spot.