Chapter 109: Kneel!

Behind Xu Haoran, from behind a wide screen, a floor panel silently slid open. Xu Ziyan and Xu Haoliang quietly climbed out and hid behind the screen.

Xu Haoran stared fearfully at Brother Tang, his mind in complete chaos. Brother Tang was very satisfied with Xu Haoran’s reaction and said lightly:

“Our Huayang Sect has already launched an attack on the Taixuan Sect. Right now, they were forced to seal their Mountain Gate. Our Family Patriarch was personally leading Huayang Sect’s disciples to break the Taixuan Sect’s protective Grand Array. Once the Taixuan Sect’s protective Grand Array was broken, the Taixuan Sect would be like clay chickens and pottery dogs, easily wiped out by a wave of our Nascent Soul Patriarch’s hand. After this, there would no longer be a Taixuan Sect in the Northern Region.”

Han Kui said to Xu Haoran with a bitter smile: “Brother Xu, now you know why our Han Family suddenly went back on our alliance agreement! Tell me, how could someone like the Huayang Sect, the number one major sect in the Northern Region, be fooled by a few lies from you and me?”

“Brother Han, when I was discussing with you how to deceive the Zhou Family and the Yang Family, you already knew about this situation?” Xu Haoran said, his voice trembling.

“Yes!” Han Kui nodded, then continued: “I was fortunate to meet Brother Tang seven days before going to Zhongdu City.”

“Then… you still pretended like nothing happened?” Anger flashed in Xu Haoran’s eyes.

Han Kui said with a bitter smile: “Brother Tang didn’t let me say anything.”

Xu Haoran turned his puzzled gaze toward Brother Tang. Brother Tang chuckled and said: “It’s nothing. Just playing with you Mortal World ants, having some fun!”

As soon as Brother Tang’s words fell, Xu Haoran’s face changed dramatically, turning a purplish-red color. It was hard to tell if it was from anger or shame. Yang Rui, Zhou Ba, and Han Kui’s faces also showed awkwardness and bitterness. But what could they do? They might seem very powerful in the Mortal World, but in the eyes of a sect like Huayang Sect, they were just like ants. Aside from enduring it, what else could they do?

The purplish-red color on Xu Haoran’s face gradually faded, replaced by the same bitterness as Yang Rui and the others. He knew in his heart that this time the Taixuan Sect was probably in great danger. There was a huge chasm between the Nascent Soul Stage and the Core Formation Stage. Core Formation Stage Cultivators were like ants in front of Nascent Soul Cultivators. In the Northern Region, only the Taixuan Sect and the Huayang Sect each had one Early Nascent Soul Stage Family Patriarch overseeing things. Now that the Taixuan Sect’s Nascent Soul Family Patriarch had Fallen, then from now on, the Northern Region would probably be the Huayang Sect’s domain alone.

No wonder Han Kui suddenly changed his stance and sided with the Huayang Sect. So, should he also side with the Huayang Sect? If he fought stubbornly against the Huayang Sect, without a doubt, his Clan would be instantly wiped out, and there would be no more Xu Family Clan in the Northern Region from then on.

At this moment, behind the screen, Xu Haoliang already had a dazed look on his face. But Xu Ziyan, because she was new here, didn’t feel much fear towards those Sects in her heart. As the saying goes: ignorance makes one fearless!

Xu Ziyan quickly thought in her heart. She also believed that what Brother Tang said was probably the truth, with no deception at all. For such a major matter, as a major sect in the Northern Region, the Huayang Sect wouldn’t lie, and there was no need for them to lie. If the Taixuan Sect wasn’t as they described, and the Taixuan Sect sent people later, wouldn’t they have done all this work for nothing! So, what should they do now?

“What should we do?”

Xu Haoran also asked himself again, but it seemed there was only one path left for him: surrender! Otherwise, the only result was destruction. But after he surrendered, how would the Huayang Sect deal with his Clan? After all, his Clan was the last one to choose to surrender. Thinking of this, Xu Haoran looked toward Brother Tang with a frightened gaze.

Brother Tang looked at Xu Haoran with a smile. He suddenly shook his arms, and a mighty power abruptly burst from his body. An irresistible Mighty Pressure came from him, directly making the several people present hunch over, cold sweat flowing down their faces like a waterfall. Before Brother Tang released his Mighty Pressure, Xu Ziyan keenly sensed the change in the Breath-Concealing Talisman on him. With a thought, she immediately pulled Xu Haoliang and hid in the Secret Passage, closing the sliding cover of the Secret Passage again.

Even so, the mountain-like Mighty Pressure still seeped down from above, directly pressing Xu Haoliang and Xu Ziyan down to sit on the ground. The two of them sat there silently in the darkness, looking at each other, only able to see the other’s eyes gleaming.

In the Main Hall, Brother Tang slowly withdrew his Mighty Pressure. Looking at the four Clan Leaders of the major Clans of the Northern Region, whose faces were still pale, he felt very pleased. Looking at Xu Haoran’s sweaty face, he said lightly:

“You all are truly weak!”

At this moment, sensing that the mountain-like aura had completely disappeared, Xu Ziyan climbed up from the ground again and crawled toward the entrance of the Secret Passage. Xu Haoliang behind her pulled Xu Ziyan back, gesturing to her with his eyes, meaning: don’t go up again. Going up wouldn’t help anyway. At this point, Xu Haoliang had completely lost the confidence to resist, because from the Mighty Pressure Brother Tang had released earlier, it far exceeded the Mighty Pressure from their own Family Patriarch. How could he have any thought of resistance left?

Xu Haoliang quietly crawled to Xu Ziyan’s side, putting his mouth close to Xu Ziyan’s ear. Even so, he still used the Sound Transmission Secret Art to say:

“Yan’er, you should stay here. If something happens to the Xu Family Clan, wait until everything is over before going out. Then leave the Northern Region and escape to survive on your own.”

Xu Haoliang’s words warmed Xu Ziyan’s heart a little. She hadn’t expected that at a time like this, Xu Haoliang would care about her. Her perception of Xu Haoliang greatly changed in her heart. She thought to herself, could it be that when a person is about to die, their words become kind? Seeing that Xu Haoliang had finished speaking and let go of her, retreating backward into the Secret Passage, she gently grabbed Xu Haoliang and transmitted her voice:

“Ninth Uncle, where are you going?”

“I’m going out to see if I can secretly hide some of the Clan’s young elites, or let them leave the Xu Clan first and hide outside.”

“It’s no use, Ninth Uncle. They must have made complete preparations. If you don’t act, it might be better. But if they discover your actions, they might start the massacre earlier.”

“What should we do then?”

“Ninth Uncle, stay here. I’m going up to take a look!”

After speaking, Xu Ziyan carefully opened the Secret Passage entrance and crept out cautiously. Xu Haoliang behind her thought for a moment, then also crept out following Xu Ziyan. The two of them once again hid behind the screen, eavesdropping on the conversation in the Main Hall.

In the Main Hall, Brother Tang was speaking in a scornful tone: “What? Family Head Xu, do you also want to join our Huayang Sect?”

Xu Haoran’s voice sounded with difficulty: “Brother Tang, Haoran is willing to lead everyone in the Xu Family Clan to submit to the Huayang Sect.”

“Hahaha…” Brother Tang chuckled and said: “You want to join the Huayang Sect, but have you asked for my opinion?”

“Then… may I ask Brother Tang’s opinion?” Xu Haoran helplessly asked in a humble tone.

“Kneel!” Brother Tang’s face suddenly darkened as he shouted sharply.

※※※

Taixuan Sect.

Outside the Mountain Gate.

A middle-aged looking man stood with his hands behind his back, hovering in the air. Outside the Taixuan Sect’s Mountain Gate, dense crowds of Huayang Sect’s disciples were using Sword Flight in the air, attacking the Taixuan Sect’s protective Grand Array in an organized manner. The man standing with his hands behind his back kept searching over the protective Grand Array while occasionally giving a few instructions. Under his guidance, the protective Grand Array was slowly weakening. It looked like after a few more days of attack, it would collapse.

The man standing in the Void was none other than the Huayang Sect’s Nascent Soul Patriarch, Xiang Ziyun. Standing beside him in the air was the Huayang Sect’s Sect Leader, Li Mai. At this moment, Li Mai’s face was full of smiles. Seeing that the Taixuan Sect’s protective Grand Array was about to be breached, at that time, relying on the power of the Family Patriarch Xiang Ziyun alone, they could slaughter the entire Taixuan Sect. From then on, in the Northern Region of the Vast Expanse Continent, there would only be the Huayang Sect as the major sect.

Suddenly, Xiang Ziyun next to Li Mai froze, raising his eyes to look at the sky above the Taixuan Sect. Seeing the Family Patriarch’s action, Li Mai was also stunned, following the Family Patriarch’s gaze toward the sky above the Taixuan Sect. This one look was startling; he felt a shock in his heart. A wave of Aura Pressure came from the sky, nearly causing Li Mai, at the late stage of the Core Formation Stage’s Tenth Layer, to fall from the sky. He struggled to steady his mind, pushing his Cultivation Level to its peak before stabilizing himself in the air again. Then he heard the Family Patriarch’s voice sound by his ear:

“Huayang Sect disciples, listen to my order! Stop all actions, land on the ground, and properly contemplate the Heavenly Dao!”

After speaking, Xiang Ziyun descended from the air, taking the lead to sit cross-legged on the ground and close his eyes. The Huayang Sect’s Sect Leader quickly followed the Family Patriarch down, sitting cross-legged behind the Family Patriarch. He said somewhat uncertainly:

“Family Patriarch, could it be that someone inside the Taixuan Sect has broken through the Core Formation Stage and reached the Nascent Soul Stage?”

The Family Patriarch did not open his eyes but nodded slightly and sighed softly, saying:

“The Taixuan Sect’s luck is not yet exhausted. Judging from the aura, it was that Liu Qinghan who broke through to the Nascent Soul. It seems the Northern Region will still maintain its original structure. Sect Leader, don’t regret it. Some matters depend on human planning, but success lies with the heavens. Quickly take this opportunity during Liu Qinghan’s breakthrough to contemplate the Heavenly Dao; it has very important benefits for Mental State Cultivation.”

After speaking, he said no more, releasing his Spiritual Power, extending it into the sky to comprehend the Profound Truth of the Heavenly Dao.

At this moment, all the Huayang Sect’s disciples used Sword Flight to land one after another, sitting cross-legged on the ground, closing their eyes, releasing their Spiritual Power, and striving to grasp the Heavenly Dao hidden within the Heavenly Tribulation.

※※※

Xu Family Clan.

Central Plaza.

An uneasy and restless atmosphere stirred in the air, but everyone was still trying hard to control themselves, waiting for the final result of the negotiation inside the Council Hall.

Council Hall.

Brother Tang’s single word “kneel” made Xu Haoran’s face stiffen right there. Brother Tang looked at Xu Haoran’s stiff face and sneered:

“What? Unwilling? Does kneeling to me, someone at the 11th Layer of Foundation Building Stage, really humiliate you?”