On the eighth day, the eighth day Zhong Shan's body had been soaking in lightning.
In Xuan City, within the Zhong Mansion of the Great Kun Kingdom.
In the hall in front of Zhong Shan's seclusion chamber, Yinglan paced back and forth, her brows tightly knitted, listening to the butler's report.
"You say the royal family and the Four Great Families have mobilized an army of 800,000? Is it truly 800,000?" Yinglan asked, her tone extrely grave.
"Yes, 800,000 troops are closing in on Xuan City from all directions. The citizens of Xuan City are in a state of panic," the butler replied, his face filled with worry.
"How are the defenses in Xuan City?" Yinglan inquired.
"Xuan City is entirely under the control of the Zhong Mansion. All city guards and soldiers obey our orders, but we only have 8,000 soldiers defending the city. This ti, however, we face an army of 800,000," the butler said, terror evident on his face.
"What about our uncles and cousins?" Yinglan asked.
"According to reports from carrier pigeons, twenty-three young masters have already been assassinated. Those outside the city have been notified to stay vigilant and return as soon as possible. Miss, should we still tell them to co back? With the army at our gates, will they dare return?" the butler asked, his face full of concern.
"Notify them. Have all the young masters return to resist the enemy together. No matter what, once Master Zhong exits seclusion, he will surely turn the tide. Have them return and also help Master Zhong by identifying who is truly worthy of being his adopted sons," Yinglan said, her voice icy cold.
"There are citizens in the city who are afraid and want to flee. What should we do?" the butler asked worriedly.
"Hmph, enforce martial law throughout the city. Deploy 3,000 soldiers to patrol everywhere. Anyone inciting panic or committing cris will be executed on the spot. The citizens of Xuan City owe Master Zhong a great debt. It's ti for them to repay it. No one is allowed to leave the city, and anyone entering must be thoroughly vetted. Except for our uncles, no one else is permitted entry," Yinglan declared, her voice filled with murderous intent.
In front of Zhong Shan, Yinglan was always sweet and charming. However, faced with such a critical situation, she transford into a different person, resembling a general commanding an army of a million.
"Yes, Miss," the butler responded imdiately.
The young lady indeed resembled Master Zhong, equally ruthless and decisive.
"Also, deploy all the Eight Ox Crossbows. Master Zhong had long established positions for these crossbows throughout Xuan City. Ensure everyone is ready and waiting in three shifts, maintaining peak condition to face any incoming threat," Yinglan ordered again.
"Understood," the butler nodded promptly.
Within the Kaiyang Hall of the Kaiyang Sect, the first-generation disciples—Tianxingzi, Gushuangzi, and Xuanxinzi—stood alongside another woman. Clad in a green robe, she appeared to be around thirty years old, exceptionally beautiful.
However, despite her beauty, the woman's face was filled with rage as she pointed directly at Tianxingzi, as if she wanted to tear him apart alive.
Faced with the woman's fury, Tianxingzi displayed an unusual lack of anger, instead wearing a look of sha. Gushuangzi, standing beside him, showed a deanor of indignation, as if she was ready to confront the woman. anwhile, Xuanxinzi furrowed her brows, clearly displeased with the woman's mockery of the sect master.
The woman's face twisted with anger as she continued to point at Tianxingzi, her expression filled with resentnt. "Tianxingzi, what else do you have to say? Back then, my sister ignored our parents' strong opposition, even betrayed our family and clan, just to follow a useless coward like you. Do you have any idea how much my sister sacrificed for you? Why wasn't it you who died instead of my sister? Why are you still alive? How did you protect my sister? Do you think you can redeem yourself just because you've aged a bit? How did my sister beco so blind to fall for you?"
The woman angrily accused Tianxingzi, as if demanding him to atone for his sins with his life.
Unable to tolerate any longer, Gushuangzi finally spoke up. "Enough! It's been eleven days, and you've been berating the sect master every single day. Do you feel satisfied? Yes, the sect master's wife is dead, but you've been inford of the circumstances. The sect master's wife died willingly, died content, for the sake of the sect master. Have these years been easy for the sect master? Was his aging intentional? If it wasn't for the sect master's wife's dying wish for him to live well, could he still be alive? Could he have raised Ling'er?"
Upon hearing Gushuangzi's words, the woman's eyes widened, holding back her breath, her anger reaching its peak.
"Sister, please stop. She's right. I should have died long ago. I should have gone to find Wuyou," Tianxingzi said, tears of deep sorrow streaming down his cheeks.
"Brother, it wasn't your fault back then. You should continue living and avenge Nie Wuyou in the future," Xuanxinzi gently interjected.
"Avenge? How can I avenge when I don't even know who that person is?" Tianxingzi said, his voice tinged with madness.
Seeing Tianxingzi's reaction, she understood his circumstances back then. However, regardless of the clarity, the fact remained that her dearest sister had died decades ago, and her dying wish was for Tianxingzi not to inform the family. She entrusted her life to Tianxingzi, but he failed to protect her.
"I'm asking you, where is Ling'er? If you couldn't protect my sister, are you going to let Ling'er face danger as well?" the woman demanded angrily.
"Ling'er, I entrusted her to soone reliable. With him around, she'll be safe," Tianxingzi replied promptly.
"Soone reliable? Who? What's his cultivation level? Is it Tian Sha?" the woman pressed on.
"Not Tian Sha. It's a newly promoted disciple nad Zhong Shan, at the Third Level of Innate Realm," Tianxingzi explained.
"Third Level of Innate Realm? You call that reliable? Have you ever cared about Ling'er? Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!" the woman shouted in anger.
"I said Ling'er is safe, so she must be safe!" Tianxingzi suddenly raised his voice, as if he couldn't contain himself anymore, or perhaps the woman's words had touched a nerve.
"Dad~~~~~~"
Outside the Kaiyang Hall, suddenly ca the sound of Tian Ling'er's crying. It sounded so weary, so desperate.
Hearing this, Tianxingzi was shocked. Without even bidding farewell to the others, he swiftly flew out.
How could this be? Why is Ling'er making such a sound? She must be extrely weak and exhausted.
Gushuangzi and Xuanxinzi also dashed out, while the woman seed to realize who was calling out and swiftly followed.
The mont Tianxingzi exited the hall, he saw a disheveled figure, hair unkempt, face dirty. The previous lightning strikes and crying had caused Zhong Shan's disguise gel to dissolve, making his face appear dirty and nothing like its original porcelain doll-like beauty.
However, Tianxingzi still recognized Tian Ling'er at a glance. Oh God, how could Ling'er end up like this? Why is she so disheveled? Her entire body's vital energy is on the verge of depletion. How could this happen?
Tianxingzi rushed forward to hold Tian Ling'er, pouring his vital energy into her body, and quickly took out a pill to put into her mouth.
Zhong Shan? What has he done?
The girl in green saw Tianling'er in such a sorry state, and her heart tightened. Was this really her niece? How did things co to this? Goodness, how could Tianxingzi bring Ling'er like this?
Ling'er pushed away the dicine Tianxingzi held out and imdiately said, "Quick, quick, save Zhongshan, hurry!"
Tianling'er cried while shouting desperately. It seed like every mont spent taking a pill would delay saving Zhongshan.
"Zhongshan? Take this pill first, then slowly tell ." Tianxingzi urged anxiously. How did his daughter beco like this? What happened?
"No, don't, hurry, in that valley with thunderflowers, quick, dad, save Zhongshan, please, save Zhongshan quickly." Tianling'er refused to take the dicine, continuously pleading.
"Alright, you stay here to recover. Junior sister, take care of Ling'er. I'll go find Zhongshan." Tianxingzi didn't hesitate at all, completely disregarding what exactly had happened. He was distressed about his daughter and didn't dwell on it further.
"No, don't, I want to go too, I want to go too. If Zhongshan dies, I... I don't want to live anymore." Ling'er imdiately cried out.
At this mont, everyone knew the situation was dire. Regardless of what had happened, they had to go to the place Ling'er ntioned as soon as possible.
"Let's go." Tianxingzi carried Ling'er and was about to fly out of Kaiyang Sect.
Widow Zi and Xuanxinzi naturally followed.
The girl in green, witnessing this scene, felt a tug at her heart. This was her sister's daughter, how did she end up like this?
As everyone flew out of the Kaiyang Sect's grand array, the girl in green suddenly called out to the sky, "Qing'er."
"Hummm~~~"
Suddenly, a lodious and piercing cry ca from the sky, followed by a black dot rapidly flying towards them, arriving in front of everyone in an instant.
Qingluan, a huge Qingluan, hundreds of zhang in length, incredibly vast, was exactly the one Zhongshan's group saw before entering the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation.
"Get on, Qing'er is faster than all of you." The girl in green imdiately called out.
Tianxingzi didn't hesitate, quickly stepping onto Qingluan's back.
"Qing'er, this matter is extrely urgent, I'm counting on you." The girl in green said.
"Yes, rest assured." Qingluan unexpectedly spoke.
Then, guided by Tianxingzi, they swiftly shot off in one direction.
At this mont, Tianling'er seed to finally see the girl in green. With a quick glance, she couldn't help but softly call out, "Mother, is that you?"
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