“Whoever dares to touch him must first get past me!”
“And us!”
Over a dozen espers from the Changsun family and people from the Hunter’s Alliance arrived in quick succession. From a distance, they saw Xu Mu being surrounded and immediately reacted, voicing their support.
Changsun Wuji didn’t know how this benefactor had escaped the great demon and arrived here before them, nor did he know what had happened here. He only knew that this benefactor was powerful, and he happened to need such a strong ally.
In his heart, Xu Mu was an aloof master living in seclusion, who had come for the sacred relic and coincidentally saved his children.
This was a momentous opportunity for him. The Changsun family’s situation was extremely precarious, and he was just worrying about how to get closer when he saw someone giving Xu Mu a hard time.
Regardless of whether those lords were opponents of this senior, Changsun Wuji stepped forward immediately, making his stance clear.
“The former royal Changsun family, and the Hunter’s Alliance?”
Eunuch Huang’s expression turned grim, unable to believe what he was seeing. Why would these two factions show up, and why would they call Xu Mu ‘senior’?
If Xu Mu had come from Gui Ye and had good relations with the Demon Eradication Division, it would have been understandable for them to fight for him.
But the Changsun family was the former royal family, and the Hunter’s Alliance held a very high position in the martial world. Neither of them operated in the Gui Ye region. How did Xu Mu befriend them!
“He is the enemy of the Wang family’s Old Ancestor, are you sure you want to help?”
A eunuch with a similarly hoarse voice shouted sternly. What were so many lords compared to that? The Wang family’s Old Ancestor was a domain lord, and he didn’t believe these people dared to offend him!
“The Wang family’s Old Ancestor?”
Changsun Wuji, clad in a yellow imperial robe and exuding an imperial aura, had been smiling at Xu Mu a moment before. But the next second, upon hearing that name, his expression changed drastically.
The man squinted and then noticed the old man standing behind those eunuchs.
He was robust, his back broad as a bear, full of vitality, and his presence was like a tiger.
An old man who could be described with these adjectives could only be one person in the entire world: the Wang family’s Old Ancestor mentioned by the eunuch.
Changsun Wuji’s heart skipped a beat. He never expected that these eunuchs were here to seek retribution. The senior he was trying to curry favor with was actually an enemy of the Wang family’s Old Ancestor!
“Patriarch, this matter…”
Someone walked up to Changsun Wuji and tugged at the sleeve of his arm.
They had no dealings with the Wang family, but this old monster who had lived for so long was at the Domain Lord realm. That wild-looking senior’s status and position were clearly inferior. To offend the Wang family for him was truly losing sight of the bigger picture.
Changsun Wuji understood this truth perfectly well, but he remained unmoved.
At this point, if he retreated halfway, wouldn’t he offend both sides?
So the man turned, glanced at Xu Mu, whose expression was calm, then gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice:
“I have no intention of being enemies with the Wang family.”
“However, this senior behind me has truly shown kindness to my Changsun family. If possible, Duan Xiao and I could act as witnesses. How about you two bury the hatchet?”
Hearing his words, everyone in the vicinity was somewhat surprised. They hadn’t expected Changsun Wuji to be so stubborn and make such a choice.
Beside him, Duan Xiao, the helmsman of the Hunter’s Alliance, also spoke:
“Yes, this person has shown us kindness. We, too, do not wish to easily offend the Wang family’s Old Ancestor.”
“Why don’t you two state your grievances? Whatever compensation is needed, I, Duan Xiao, will provide it!”
“This is Xishan, and internal strife among our human race is not a good thing…”
After speaking, the two exchanged a knowing glance and breathed a sigh of relief in their hearts.
According to their estimations, with their combined efforts, they should be able to resolve this matter. The Wang family should still give them face.
Eunuch Huang thought the same. He sent a telepathic message, shocked and enraged:
“What exactly did this Xu Mu do to make a former royal family and a super faction with a status no less than the Demon Eradication Division willing to intervene for him.”
“And why did those people call Xu Mu ‘senior’? What unspeakable secrets are hidden here?!”
“How would we know.”
The other eunuchs also had grim expressions. They hadn’t expected things to turn out this way. Under the pressure from these two factions and the secretly present Demon Eradication Division, even the Wang family’s Old Ancestor would likely be wary and hesitant to act rashly.
And they, who were the first to jump out and make a move, would become Xu Mu’s hidden enemies.
In terms of strength, the Changsun family alone was enough to suppress them. As they were the former royal family, they practiced imperial techniques, which naturally suppressed them, the eunuchs from the palace.
They would rather offend the Demon Eradication Division than the Changsun family. But in the current situation, what should they do?
…
Before they could figure it out, the most crucial person in this incident, the Wang family’s Old Ancestor, spoke.
“You surprise me.”
The old man took a deep breath, his voice slightly louder than before.
“If you had revealed these trump cards at the beginning, I might have given you some face and settled the score.”
Hearing this, everyone’s hearts sank.
Starting with ‘if’, what would the following words be?
“But the problem is, I have lived for over two hundred years, and the thing I hate most is people cursing me to die!”
The old man’s words were heavy, like a mountain, like a vast ocean.
Everyone who heard them was suppressed by an extreme weight. The weaker ones, like Changsun Weiying and others, had their bodies almost crushed. Fortunately, the lords timely activated their domains.
The Wang family’s Old Ancestor suddenly applied pressure, and a sense of inexplicable fear began to spread among the crowd.
They knew this was the influence of a domain lord’s ability.
This legendary old man was finally about to make a move!
In front of Xu Mu, Yin Zhongxiu’s legs bent involuntarily, and the long spear in his hand even embedded itself into the ground, unable to be pulled out no matter how hard he tried.
The old man of the Tree Dwelling had retreated behind Xu Mu, opening a lotus flower for him. However, this lotus flower did not shield him, so he, who was acting as a shield, bore the brunt of the pressure.
“Senior, calm down, we can discuss any conditions!”
Duan Xiao’s scalp tingled. He hadn’t expected their grievances to be so severe that they were unwilling to give face even to their two major factions.
“Duan Xiao, withdraw, do not interfere.”
At this moment, a clear, cold female voice entered his ear. It was an order with no room for refusal.
The man was stunned. He looked around and then, in an inconspicuous spot, found that familiar figure.
Duan Xiao’s pupils suddenly constricted. She was here too? Why hadn’t he received any prior notice?
“Wuji, retreat.” Changsun Wuji also received a telepathic message from an unknown entity. After hearing who it was, his expression twitched. Then, with a wave of his hand, he said, “Everyone, retreat!”
Thus, the Changsun family members and the espers of the Hunter’s Alliance all retreated a hundred meters away.
In front of Xu Mu, only Yin Zhongxiu remained.
“Now, is there anyone helping you?”
The old man spoke faintly. Every word he uttered seemed to bring a great mountain crashing down upon them. Yin Zhongxiu’s face turned red, and blood even spurted from his ears and nostrils under the immense pressure. It was terrifying.
Xu Mu, in the Heavenly Palace, was extremely anxious and quickly urged:
“Quick, have the Tree Dwelling also cover him!”
The grey-eyed elder shook his head:
“You don’t understand, I am helping him break through.”
“The rules in the core of Xishan have changed. This is his opportunity. Whether he can break through depends on himself now.”
“I’m done,” Xu Mu’s body responded. He wanted to see what the Wang family’s Old Ancestor could do to him.
Then the Wang family’s Old Ancestor nodded, and with a touch of emotion, extended a finger:
“Then you may die.”
…