Chapter 63: Conspiracy

Just as those Plum Blossom Gang disciples were stunned by their gang leader, Xu Ziyan had already rushed into the crowd. Like a fierce tiger among sheep, her fists and feet moved so fast they left afterimages. With her cultivation at the peak of the Eleventh Layer of Houtian, how could disciples below the Tenth Layer of Houtian resist her?

In just a few dozen breaths, the ground was already covered with fallen Plum Blossom Gang disciples. Amid the scattered bodies, Xu Ziyan stood calmly and composed.

Xu Ziyan glanced at the gang leader lying on the ground, who was still glaring at her angrily. She frowned slightly, really not in the mood to speak with her. She walked over to Xu Hualing and looked down at her, saying coldly:

“You all are so impressive, gathering a crowd to attack me. Do you really think I wouldn’t dare kill you?”

A flicker of fear appeared in Xu Hualing’s eyes. She helplessly turned her gaze toward the gang leader lying not far away, as if to say:

“Boss Ziyan, I didn’t want this either—it was the gang leader who led us to do it!”

Ignoring her pleading look, Xu Ziyan gritted her teeth and said coldly, “Speak! Why did you attack me?”

Before Xu Hualing could answer, the gang leader lying on the ground yelled bitterly, “Xu Ziyan, you saved us at Tongyou Valley, but we haven’t provoked you. Why… why are you bullying us so badly?”

Xu Ziyan turned her head toward her in confusion, not knowing when she had bullied her. But seeing the grievance and anger in her eyes, which didn’t seem faked, she asked coldly:

“What’s your name?”

“Xu Huniu,” Xu Huniu said defiantly, glaring at Xu Ziyan.

“Huniu! Hmph, you really are a tiger in temper!” Xu Ziyan secretly laughed to herself, but kept a stern face and asked solemnly:

“So, Huniu, tell me now—how did I bully you? I don’t recall doing anything to you.”

By now, Xu Huniu had been subdued by Xu Ziyan and could do nothing against her physically, so she spoke hotly with words:

“Our gang leader sacrificed herself for the clan at Tongyou Valley—you saw that yourself. But now that you’ve become an idol in the clan, you’ve gone too far. Before our gang leader’s bones are even cold, you’re trying to steal the Plum Blossom Gang from us.”

Xu Huniu’s voice grew shriller, nearly out of control. “Even if you want to take over our Plum Blossom Gang, you shouldn’t be so ruthless! You even declared that if any of us refuse to submit, you’d beat her until she’s crippled! You villain—now that we’re in your hands, if you’re not afraid of the clan punishing you, go ahead and strike!”

Thinking back to the moment Xu Dongxue had died in Tongyou Valley, sorrow welled up inside Xu Huniu. Her heart ached, and tears streamed down her face.

Xu Ziyan stood there stunned. The other Plum Blossom Gang disciples lying on the ground saw her standing with a dark expression and thought she was considering how to attack them, growing increasingly terrified. They exchanged glances from where they lay and began begging for mercy one by one. Seeing them grovel to Xu Ziyan, Xu Huniu was so furious her heart nearly burst. She shouted at them with all her might:

“You heartless cowards! The gang leader treated you well while she was alive—now, before her bones are cold, you’re begging our enemy for pity! You don’t deserve to be Plum Blossom Gang disciples!”

The disciples all looked ashamed but neatly pretended not to hear Xu Huniu’s scolding. Instead, they pleaded even louder to Xu Ziyan, partly to bolster their own courage, partly to drown out Xu Huniu’s voice.

Finally snapping out of her shock, Xu Ziyan felt both wronged and angry. She had to clear this up—she wasn’t afraid of trouble, but she didn’t want to bear the blame unfairly. Glaring darkly, she yelled:

“All of you, shut up!”

At her sharp command, the clamoring disciples immediately fell silent. Xu Ziyan swept a cold gaze over the people on the ground, finally fixing on Xu Huniu as she said sternly:

“Huniu, I, Xu Ziyan, swear on my character—I didn’t do this. Ever since I returned to the clan, I’ve been in Closed-Door Cultivation. I only just finished today—I had no time, let alone any desire, to do such a thing! Besides, Xu Dongxue sacrificed herself for the clan. I, Ziyan, am not so despicable as to try and steal the foundation she worked so hard to build before her bones are cold!”

Xu Huniu said resentfully, “Hearts are hidden behind ribs—who knows what you’ve done or not done?”

But Xu Hualing, who had been listening, paused. Gradually, trust showed in her eyes, and she asked softly, “You didn’t do it?”

Xu Ziyan looked back at her with complete honesty and said firmly, “I didn’t do it!”

Seeing the clarity in Xu Ziyan’s eyes, Xu Hualing believed her. She looked at the ground covered with her own gang’s disciples and smiled bitterly with sorrow:

“We were wrong. We shouldn’t have listened to others’ rumors. Xu Ziyan, I understand now—someone like you, who would risk your life for others, wouldn’t do something so vile.”

Having said this, Xu Hualing looked at Xu Ziyan sincerely and said, “But since we did wrong, we must face punishment. Xu Ziyan, go ahead—do as you wish with us.”

Beside her, Xu Huniu noticed Xu Hualing’s change in attitude and seemed to realize something as well. She lowered her gaze and said nothing more.

Xu Ziyan scanned the crowd and saw regret on their faces but also a trace of hidden anger. Puzzled, she finally focused on Xu Hualing in front of her. Reaching down, she pulled Xu Hualing up from the ground and asked softly:

“What exactly happened?”

Xu Hualing looked up, her eyes dim as they briefly met Xu Ziyan’s before she lowered them again. In a quiet voice, she explained the whole story to Xu Ziyan.

The tension eased as Xu Ziyan lifted Xu Hualing to her feet. The Plum Blossom Gang disciples scrambled up from the ground, watching Xu Ziyan with lingering fear.

It turned out that ever since Xu Dongxue’s death, Plum Blossom Gang had no one at the Twelfth Level of Houtian to lead them. The strongest among those left was Xu Huniu at the Eleventh Layer of Houtian.

Because of this, Xu Gan, leader of Brave Gang, Xu Wen of Splendid Gang, and Xu Tianxiao of Soaring Sky Gang all saw a chance to expand their own gangs’ strength, and so they all targeted Plum Blossom Gang like a piece of rich meat.

Meanwhile, the disciples of Plum Blossom Gang were still grieving their leader’s death. Without a powerful figure to rely on, they felt lost and helpless. Right at this time, Xu Gan, Xu Wen, and Xu Tianxiao each sent people to persuade Plum Blossom Gang disciples to join their gangs.

Most of Plum Blossom Gang’s disciples were female. How could they agree to throw themselves into those wolves’ dens, where they’d long been eyed with desire? So without hesitation, they rejected the offers and quickly elected Xu Huniu, who had the highest cultivation among them, as the new gang leader.

But what awaited them was news that left them utterly horrified…