175: Chapter 175 Order to Kill

These businesses supported so many Cultivators, sustained so many shops, and maintained so many Families.

City Lord Li Mu, as the City Lord of Long City, had achieved dazzling political accomplishments over these years thanks to these businesses.

The bigwigs in the imperial court took away more Spirit Stones from his hands each year than his own Family assets.

He could not give up, and those behind him could give up even less; once something went wrong on his end, monstrous punishments awaited him.

As the words fell.

City Lord Li Mu's tone became a bit more serious: "With Senior here in person, there is naturally no need to worry about the safety of the Xiao Family members; as for the rest, Senior need not concern yourself too much."

These words were polite, but the meaning was very clear.

Matters of the trial, matters of benefit distribution, and those convoluted entanglements in the imperial court were not for you, Senior Xiao, to meddle in.

You only need to sit in command and protect the Xiao Family members from any mishaps; others will handle the rest.

Supreme Elder Xiao Wancheng's finger-tapping action paused for a moment, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly; it wasn't a smile, but it couldn't be called any other expression either.

He had lived for so many years, struggling from the Qi Refining stage to the Nascent Soul stage; what kind of words had he not heard, and what kind of people had he not seen?

He saw right through City Lord Li Mu's little scheme.

He was afraid that he would interfere with the distribution of benefits, afraid that he would rely on his Nascent Soul cultivation to take more than his share, and afraid that he would ruin the chessboard that those in the imperial court had spent hundreds of years cultivating.

The Xiao Family was not a Sect; it was a Dynasty aristocratic Family.

Supreme Elder Xiao Wancheng knew this better than anyone.

Sects talked about Legacy, about Daoist traditions, and about whoever had the biggest fist having the final say.

Dynasty aristocratic families talked about connections, benefits, and taking sides.

Although he had achieved the Nascent Soul stage and had the right to speak within Sects, within the muddy waters of the Dynasty, he dared not claim he could retreat unscathed.

Those undercurrents in the imperial court, those intertwined forces, those hands he could not see or touch but which truly existed—he did not want to touch them, and he could not afford to.

The faint smile at the corner of Supreme Elder Xiao Wancheng's mouth quickly receded, and he returned to his expressionless face.

Seeing that he had no objections, City Lord Li Mu breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, and cupped his hands: "Then this Junior will take his leave first."

Supreme Elder Xiao Wancheng nodded slightly.

City Lord Li Mu turned around, lifted the tent flap, and walked out. When the tent flap fell, the noise outside was cut off for a moment, and then it became quiet again.

Only the four members of the Xiao Family remained in the tent.

Supreme Elder Xiao Wancheng sat in the grand master chair, his eyes closed.

Xiao Wanshan, Xiao Wanjiang, and Xiao Wanhe stood behind him. After a few breaths of silence, Xiao Wanshan, who was standing on the far left, took half a step forward and spoke in a low voice.

"Grand Elder, I always feel that this trial is not peaceful."

He paused, as if weighing his words, but finally said: "How about we, the Xiao Family, this time..."

The words were left unfinished.

Supreme Elder Xiao Wancheng opened his eyes and glanced at him.

Xiao Wanshan's voice got stuck in his throat; he lowered his head and stepped back, not daring to say another word. Xiao Wanjiang and Xiao Wanhe exchanged glances and also lowered their heads, not daring to make a sound.

Supreme Elder Xiao Wancheng withdrew his gaze.

"I have just achieved a Breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage, and the Family's reputation is at its Peak. Every move we make right now is under the eyes of the other aristocratic families. If the Xiao Family wants to go far, reputation is of the utmost importance."

"You all should proceed as usual."

"At critical moments, if there is truly any anomaly, I will know in advance and order you all to retreat."

...

The next day.

Before the sky was fully bright, the camp was already bustling.

The Qi Refinement Stage Disciples of various Sects lined up in front of their own tents.

Decades of cultivation were all for this very day.

When the sun emerged from the eastern ridge, a long, resonant horn sounded from the center of the camp.

The leading Elders of each Sect waved their hands simultaneously.

Thousands of Qi Refinement Stage Disciples surged out of the camp like a tide, rushing toward Taiyue Mountain.

The colors of their robes spread out on the mountain path like a long, colorful snake, winding into the grayish-white mist.

At this moment.

Deep within Taiyue Mountain, in the Stone Forest.

Mist surged between the stone pillars, shrouding the entire Stone Forest in gray and white.

At the top of a thick stone pillar in the center of the Stone Forest, a flat area had been carved out, covered with a few animal skins, serving as a simple meeting place.

Heiyu crouched on the animal skins, his ink-purple feathers gleaming with a cold luster in the mist. His gaze pierced through the mist, landing on the faint human figures at the foot of the distant mountain, his pupils slightly contracting.

It had been three years.

When Wu Li left, he said he would return soon.

But he had been gone for three years.

Fortunately, after three years, the Crow Flock in the Stone Forest had developed quite well.

Bai Chi crouched to the left of Heiyu, his gray wings folded behind his back. He had handsome features, a slender yet tough physique, and a bone knife tucked into his waist. He had ground it himself from the bone of a Tier 2 Demonic Beast, with a few loops of hemp rope wrapped around the hilt.

Heida and Heier crouched to the right of Heiyu.

Heida's feathers were pitch-black as ink, his build was a size larger than Heier's, and he was taciturn, never speaking much.

Heier was a size thinner than him, but his eyes were sharper, and his claws were pointier, like a blade that had not yet been unsheathed.

Both Yao Beasts were at the Middle Stage of Tier 2, and were among the best fighters in the Stone Forest.

Heisan crouched at the very edge; his build was the most robust of the six Yao Beasts, his muscles knotted, and when his wings were folded, they looked like two thick shields pressed against his back.

Tiger Biao lay lazily to one side, not revealing his Yao Beast form.

Tiger Biao's cultivation was the highest present, reaching the half-step Tier 3. His aura was as steady as a mountain, and just standing there, he exuded a sense of oppression.

"Hoo..."

Heiyu let out a long breath.

"Those Human Race scums have already ascended the mountain."

"The Old Ancestor is not here, but the order from King Cangjiao is to kill every single one that comes."

"What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Chi was the first to speak, his claws touching the bone knife at his waist, his mouth grinning.

"Just kill them."

As the words fell, Heida also raised his head, looking toward the faint human figures in the distant mist, his voice dull: "Also, Boss Heiyu, it seems there is no time left for us to choose now."

His claws pointed toward the periphery of the Stone Forest.

"Those damned Human Race scums have already ascended the mountain."

Heiyu looked in the direction his claws indicated.

In the mist.

Those colorful robes had already surged to the edge of the Stone Forest, scattered and sparse.

He counted; there were nearly a hundred people, all in the Qi Refinement Stage. The leader wore the black robes of the Xuanyi Sect, with a long sword hanging at his waist, his aura at the ninth level of Qi Refining; he should be the head of this group.

Heiyu withdrew his gaze, swept his eyes over the five Yao Beasts in front of him, and his mouth slowly grinned, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth.

"Since that's the case, there's no need to hesitate."

He stood up, his wings unfolding violently, his ink-purple wings cutting a sharp arc in the mist.

Demon Power exploded from his body, his Tier 2 Peak aura released without reservation, causing the gravel beneath his feet to fall with a rustle.

"Order to kill!"

The moment the last word fell, the entire Stone Forest boiled over.

"Caw caw caw!!"

Countless crow cries exploded from between the stone pillars, sharp and piercing, rising one after another.