Of course, the price of being sealed inside an Ancestral Coffin was that one could no longer cultivate. These elders simply waited out their lives in a slow decline, until the effects of the Dustblood Stones could no longer stave off the passage of ti, until death inevitably ca.
But the benefit was longevity. It gave them more ti to safeguard their families.
Such ancient elders rarely erged. Every ti they left the protection of the Dustblood Stone’s seal, it cost them a significant amount of life span. And since Dustblood Stones were incredibly valuable, most small clans couldn’t even afford them.
Only in a situation nearing annihilation would anyone dare open the ancestral coffin.
“Are you truly certain you wish to oppose our Situ Clan?” the Grand Elder shouted.
“Situ ng, today the Situ Clan will be destroyed,” Wan Cangqiong declared.
“Open the Ancestral Coffin!” the Grand Elder roared.
The pitch-black coffin lid slowly creaked open. A seal that had lasted for decades was finally broken, seeing the light of day again.
A formless pressure gathered in the sky above. A deep sigh echoed from within the coffin.
“So… the Situ Clan has really reached this point?” the voice said.
The man inside didn’t yet know what had happened, but he understood this: the opening of the ancestral coffin could only an one thing, the Situ Clan was on the brink of destruction.
There could be no other reason to disturb his rest.
“Old Patriarch, it is we who failed you,” the Grand Elder said as he knelt before the coffin. “We failed to carry forward your legacy. Instead, we’ve brought it to this crisis.”
“Where is Yuntian?” the voice inside asked again.
“The Patriarch is dead. We still don’t know who the killer is,” the Grand Elder replied honestly.
“Life truly is a dream,” ca another sigh.
Then, with a rustle, the coffin lid fell completely open. An elderly man stepped out.
He had snow-white hair and the face of a child, wearing a light blue robe embroidered with drifting clouds.
Though short and thin, his skin shriveled and clinging to his bones, his eyes shone with brilliance, and a mighty aura surged from him like a rising tide.
His cultivation stabilized at the peak of the True ridian Realm, stopping just short of the Desolate ridian Realm.
People often said walking the martial path was difficult,
As hard as reaching the heavens.
Each step is like scaling the sky.
And it was this very barrier, this tiny mbrane between the True ridian and Desolate ridian realms, that had trapped this man for the rest of his life.
In truth, there were many like him. Without the support of powerful factions, many lone cultivators never even broke through to the ridian Forging Realm in their entire lives.
…
“Situ Yunlei?” Wan Cangqiong looked at the elder in disbelief.
“You brat from the Wan Clan… and you, from the Wang Clan. Not bad,” Situ Yunlei said with narrowed eyes, surveying the encirclent of his Clan estate.
“Elder Situ, we respect you,” Wang Cheng replied, “but there are things we cannot avoid.”
“No need for more words,” Situ Yunlei laughed heartily. “It’s been a long ti since these old bones had a proper stretch.”
His aura exploded outward as he charged directly at Wan Cangqiong and Wang Cheng.
Though both n were at the peak of the True ridian Realm as well, they dared not underestimate him. Situ Yunlei had made his na long before their ti. The two joined forces to fend him off.
“Defend the clan! Charge!” the Grand Elder roared, rushing forward.
The disciples of all three clans joined the fray.
Although the Situ disciples were courageous, two fists cannot fend off four hands. Facing the combined might of the Wan and Wang Clans, they quickly fell into retreat.
Situ Yunlei initially held the advantage over Wang Cheng and Wan Cangqiong, but as the fight dragged on, his stamina began to falter, age had clearly taken its toll.
Half the Situ estate was destroyed in the fighting. Corpses lay strewn about.
Seeing the mounting pressure from his two opponents, Situ Yunlei gritted his teeth and went all in. Ignoring their attacks, he chose to trade injury for injury.
He struck with his Soaring Cloud Palm. Tens of thousands of white clouds condensed, and a terrifying aura burst forth from his palms.
His twin strikes landed directly on Wang Cheng and Wan Cangqiong’s chests. The clouds exploded in a blinding blast, and all three were blown apart by the impact.
The two enemy patriarchs coughed up blood.
Situ Yunlei had also taken a heavy hit, a punch and a kick had landed on him. He swallowed the blood in his throat, but his internal organs were twisting in pain. His face turned pale.
“Do you still want to fight?” he asked, standing tall. His robe fluttered, white hair like snow, voice calm and cold.
“Fight!” Wan Cangqiong roared, wiping the blood from his mouth and preparing to attack again, only to be interrupted by a voice.
“Everyone, can we please calm down and allow a few words?” said Xu Zimo, stepping forward under everyone’s astonished gaze.
The Grand Elder imdiately turned to him. “Young Master Xu, we beg you, please uphold justice for us.”
Wan Cangqiong frowned. “Young Master Xu, are you speaking on behalf of the Sacred Ground?”
“No, no,” Xu Zimo shook his head. “The Sacred Ground doesn’t interfere with fair competition. I speak only for myself.”
“What do you an?” Situ Yunlei asked after a pause.
“This is your clan’s affair. I am, after all, an outsider, intervening wouldn’t be appropriate,” Xu Zimo said with a grin. “However… if the Situ Clan is willing to beco my personal subordinate faction, I’d be happy to help you through this crisis.”
Situ Yunlei was montarily stunned. Without question, this offer would save the Situ Clan.
Not only would they escape disaster, but they’d also gain the protection of Xu Zimo, a rising powerhouse with deep backing. That support could help them grow and thrive again.
But… if the Situ Clan beca Xu Zimo’s vassal, would it really still be the sa Situ Clan?
“In addition,” Xu Zimo continued, “I can help you find out who killed Situ Yuntian.”
“You know who did it?” Situ Yunlei’s eyes lit up.
“I’m not the type to speak without proof,” Xu Zimo replied calmly. “I’ll give you three minutes to decide. No pressure, this is a mutually beneficial deal, nothing more.”
“…I accept,” Situ Yunlei said without hesitation. He had no other choice.
“Then can you tell now, who killed Yuntian?” he asked.
Just as he finished speaking, the three elders of the Situ Clan suddenly struck.
A sword, a fist, and a palm hit Situ Yunlei all at once.
He had no ti to react.
He was gravely injured instantly.
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