Chapter 96: Shock

Because of something like this happening, Xu Haocang, the Punishment Hall Master, was dumbstruck. He did not know how to handle this situation. The Xu Clan had never experienced something like this. Not to mention hitting an elder, even scolding an elder would lead to execution. But execute Xu Ziyan? Was that realistic?

He turned his troubled gaze towards Clan Leader Xu Haoran. Xu Haoran was also troubled at this moment. As the clan leader, he naturally knew the clan rules. Now, Xu Haoliang was acting like a madman and seizing on this point, truly making Xu Haoran unsure how to handle it. Looking at the crazed Xu Haoliang and the calmly standing Xu Ziyan, Xu Haoran couldn’t help but frown in distress. Punish Xu Ziyan? Currently, Xu Ziyan’s value was greater than anyone present, even exceeding his own. But if they did not punish Xu Ziyan, if Xu Haoliang made a fuss, it would be a huge problem. After all, he was the second strongest expert in the clan, just below himself. In the clan’s current dangerous situation, he was also a very important combat force.

As he was worrying, he heard Xu Ziyan say coldly, “Xu Haoliang, do you admit defeat or not? If you don’t, we’ll continue fighting. However, next time, I cannot guarantee I can spare your life. If I strike too heavily and take your life, don’t blame me!”

As soon as she finished speaking, the talismans around Xu Ziyan suddenly accelerated their rotation. Waves of overwhelming aura pressure spread out around them, one wave stronger than the next. Instantly, everyone present felt that suffocating aura pressure.

“You…” Xu Haoliang was so angry he choked.

“Yan’er!” Xu Haoran suddenly shouted. He was also very dissatisfied with Xu Ziyan’s attitude at this moment. But he did not know that Xu Ziyan was equally dissatisfied with his hesitation.

“Patriarch Xu!”

Xu Ziyan no longer called Xu Haoran “Eldest Uncle,” nor “Clan Leader,” but directly called him “Patriarch Xu.” Hearing this, Xu Haoran and everyone in the main hall were stunned. Even the crazed Xu Haoliang was stunned and closed his mouth.

“Patriarch Xu, I don’t know why the Xu Clan wants to punish me! If it’s just because of Xu Haoliang that you punish me, doesn’t that go against your Xu Clan’s rules?”

Hearing Xu Ziyan’s words, Xu Haoran’s expression froze. He had a bad feeling, but he couldn’t quite grasp what it was. However, Xu Haoliang reacted first. Pointing at Xu Ziyan, he shouted sharply:

“Xu Ziyan, as a disciple of the Xu Clan, you actually… violently… attacked an elder.” When he said this, Xu Haoliang also felt embarrassed, but he couldn’t care less now. He only wanted Xu Ziyan dead. So, with a red face, he continued shouting:

“Someone as treasonous and immoral as you, isn’t your death deserved!”

“Sorry, Xu Haoliang. You’re wrong. I am not a member of your Xu Clan,” Xu Ziyan said coldly.

“Nonsense!” Xu Haoliang was so angry his whole body trembled. His finger pointing at Xu Ziyan shook uncontrollably. “You ungrateful wretch! Your father is my younger brother. He is a member of the Xu Clan. How can you not be a member of the Xu Clan?”

“Yan’er, don’t talk nonsense!” Xu Haoran also glared at Xu Ziyan.

“Hahaha…” Xu Ziyan threw her head back and laughed wildly. When the laughter gradually faded, Xu Ziyan said with a sarcastic tone:

“My father is a member of the Xu Clan? How do I remember that if a Xu Clan disciple cannot break through to the Fifth Layer of Houtian before the age of fifteen, they are no longer considered a member of the Xu Clan. They can act autonomously, leave the Xu Clan at any time, and the Xu Clan will no longer provide any life support to such a person. If they voluntarily stay in the Xu Clan, although they are still considered a member, they can only serve as slaves or maids!”

Xu Ziyan’s gaze swept over each person in the main hall one by one. She continued coldly:

“My parents are not your Xu Clan’s slaves or maids now, so they don’t count as your Xu Clan members, right?”

“You…” Xu Haoliang was suddenly choked up. His finger pointed at Xu Ziyan, not knowing what to say.

“Yan’er, even if what you say makes sense, you are still a disciple of our Xu Clan, right?” Xu Haoran had already realized something at this point, and his face changed. He did not want to lose Xu Ziyan, this powerful helper, while the clan was in crisis.

“Patriarch Xu, how do I remember I am only a Guest Elder of your Xu Clan? I can leave at any time. So, as a Guest Elder, I defeated Xu Haoliang. This does not violate your Xu Clan’s rules, right? I don’t know what reason you want to use to punish me. Now, I am dissatisfied with your Xu Clan. I have decided to resign from this Guest Elder position. From now on, I have no connection with your Xu Clan.”

As soon as Xu Ziyan’s words were spoken, everyone in the main hall was stunned on the spot. Since the Battle of Tongyou Valley, the Xu Clan thought Xu Ziyan had died fighting for the clan. Xu Haoran had announced Xu Ziyan’s identity and also announced her parents to the entire clan. He also told the clan’s higher-ups, including Xu Haoliang, that Xu Ziyan was a Guest Elder of the Talisman Hall. At that time, everyone regretted losing such a talisman crafting expert.

But when Xu Ziyan returned from Cangmang Mountain, in their joy, everyone forgot about this status of Xu Ziyan’s. They just thought that since Xu Haoguang was a member of the Xu Clan, then Xu Ziyan naturally was also a disciple of the Xu Clan. Now that Xu Ziyan brought it up again, everyone felt lost. Just a moment ago, they were angry about Xu Ziyan’s attitude towards them, the clan elders. But now, they were afraid of losing Xu Ziyan, who could provide strong help to the clan. Their hearts couldn’t help but hang in suspense, becoming bewildered and at a loss. Xu Haoran’s face changed even more drastically. He said urgently:

“Ziyan, the clan has always regarded you as a disciple of the Xu Clan. We gave you all the help the clan could provide. How can you just say you’re leaving now?”

“Right!” Xu Haoliang said hatefully, “You gained benefits from the Xu Clan, and now you want to leave? Do you think the Xu Clan is a place you can come and go as you please?”

“Benefits?” Xu Ziyan gave a cold laugh. “What benefits did your Xu Clan give me? In the over half a year I’ve been in the Xu Clan, I only received a few Spirit Nurturing Pills from your Xu Clan and read the books on the first floor of the Library Pavilion. But what did your Xu Clan get from me? Just talking about the talismans I made for your Xu Clan on time every month, if I were in any other clan, what I would have received would be far more than this!”

She swept her gaze over everyone in the main hall and continued, “In Tongyou Valley, I risked my life to save several hundred of your Xu Clan’s elite disciples. That value is probably enormous, right? Also, outside Zhongdu City, on a snowy night, I ensured the safety of your Xu Clan’s undercover agents in Canglang City and Nanlin City. This allowed your Xu Clan to promptly receive the news that Canglang City and Nanlin City were allying against the Xu Clan, enabling your Xu Clan to prepare in time. Otherwise, I’m afraid even when facing clan extermination, you would still be kept in the dark! How should we calculate the value of that? I wonder which Guest Elder of your Xu Clan can make so many contributions to the clan. And now you say I gained benefits in your Xu Clan? You really have the nerve to open your mouths!”

Xu Ziyan’s questioning left everyone in the main hall speechless. Only then did everyone remember the terrible consequences of the clan losing Xu Ziyan. Everyone had just witnessed the power of Xu Ziyan’s talisman array. It easily defeated the second strongest expert, just below the clan leader, while Xu Ziyan herself was not injured at all. In the clan’s current situation, possessing this ability was incredibly precious! Moreover, what Xu Ziyan just said was not an exaggeration at all; every word was true. Just think, for someone who had made such contributions to the clan, if they wanted to leave now, what reason did they have to keep her? It could only be said that their clan lacked the tolerance and drove her away. If this spread, the clan would lose all face. More importantly, would anyone still come to join their clan in the future?

Xu Haoliang, who had been standing in the center of the main hall, also thought about the impact Xu Ziyan leaving would have on the Xu Clan. His gaze turned fierce, and an evil thought arose in his heart. He said to Xu Ziyan in a sinister voice:

“Since you don’t admit to being a member of the Xu Clan, then you are an enemy of the Xu Clan. Leave your life here today!”

Everyone in the main hall looked stern. Some people’s faces clearly showed hesitation, and their gazes towards Xu Ziyan gradually turned fierce. Xu Ziyan knew she had to show off her strength with high profile at this moment, to suppress those twisted thoughts in their hearts. Otherwise, if everyone in the main hall harbored this idea, even if Xu Ziyan could kill them all, she wouldn’t be able to explain it to her father.

With a wave of her hands, the surrounding Third Grade top-tier talismans immediately disappeared, retracted into Xu Ziyan’s storage pouch. Everyone in the main hall was stunned. They thought, is Xu Ziyan scared? Is she planning to yield? Hmm, that must be it. No matter how powerful she is, she’s just a fifteen-year-old girl, and only at the First Level of Qi Refining Stage. She only relies on talismans. If we all attack together, her talisman array definitely won’t hold. Thinking this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing how powerful Xu Ziyan’s talisman array was earlier, they really didn’t want to face such an array from the bottom of their hearts.

Seeing Xu Ziyan retract the talisman array, Xu Haoliang, standing opposite her, was just about to mock her when he saw Xu Ziyan wave her hands. Thirty Fifth Grade top-tier talismans instantly flew out of her storage pouch. They began to float regularly around Xu Ziyan, seemingly adjusting their positions and distances relative to each other. In just a few breaths, those thirty Fifth Grade top-tier talismans began to rotate in a pattern. A talisman array even larger than the previous one formed around Xu Ziyan.

An aura pressure countless times more powerful than the previous talisman array emanated from it, directly making everyone in the main hall feel suffocated. They involuntarily stepped back. Xu Haoliang, standing opposite Xu Ziyan, was even worse off. His body staggered backward, bumping into several chairs, and he only managed to stand still after putting more distance between them.

“Xu Haoliang, you can try. See if you can keep me here? Will I die in this main hall, or will your Xu Clan be destroyed before Canglang City and Nanlin City even arrive?” Xu Ziyan’s voice was filled with bone-chilling coldness.