C26 Falling out of Line!

Golden grains of sand cascaded from the palm of a member of the Huang family, like a fine mist of gold.

Ann Ziqing looked up to the sky, her face etched with terror as she screamed, "Help!"

"Huang Tianyi!"

Yu Cann clenched his teeth, his voice heavy with resentment as he bellowed, "Have you no shame?"

Yu Lili's face shifted with alarm as she watched the golden sand rain down. Quickly, she swung the Black Dragon Scissors.

"Shhh!"

Ribbons of spiritual light unfurled from the Black Dragon Scissors, weaving a net in the void.

The golden sand, caught in the net, seemed to dissolve as if it were ice meeting the sun.

On the Huang side, a towering elder known as Huang Tianyi, clutched a yellow pouch. Following the family head, Huang Fann, he stepped forward with a stony expression.

His target was the Yu family.

Huang Fann, head of the Huang family, had come to confront City Lord Yuan Lianyao, while his brother, Huang Tianyi, had the Yu family in his sights.

Both were at the Profound Break Stage.

Yu Yuan had descended from the high platform and now stood quietly next to Yu Wei.

"How's the Old Master?" Yu Wei asked, his expression grave.

He was concerned that Yu Lili, Yu Yuan, and the others might be at a disadvantage.

Yu Yuan offered a reassuring smile. "All is well."

Yu Wei, unaware of the particulars, felt a weight lift from his shoulders at his nephew's confident demeanor. This nephew, whose recent odd behavior had puzzled him, was now showing that many of the family's challenges no longer needed to rest on his shoulders alone.

Yu Yuan was sharing the load.

"The audacity of the Huang family!" Old Master Yu Cann trembled with rage. "A Huang dies, and you talk of rebellion? What if it had been my grandson, Yu Yuan?"

Expressions of shock crossed the faces of many from the Yuan and Zhao families, who seemed to struggle to grasp the situation.

Was the Huang family really challenging the Yuan family, the rulers of Darkmoon City?

Otherwise, why would they be so brazen?

"Exactly!" Huang Tianyi, enveloped in a shimmering golden aura, declared, "Because it was a member of our Huang family who perished, it is unacceptable!"

With that, the other Huang family members assembled at Jewelry Mount also showed their displeasure.

"The Huang family is staging a rebellion over Huang Bin's death?" Lih Feng's face turned ashen after his initial shock, realizing the gravity of the situation. "Elder Fu?"

Yuan Fu, a respected elder of the Yuan family, was known for his reticence. It was only upon catching Lih Feng's desperate look that he narrowed his eyes and spoke deliberately, "If the Huangs are seeking their own demise, then we shall let them."

"I'd like to see who in the Yu family dares to stand in my way!" bellowed Huang Tianyi.

His cultivation had reached the early stages of the Profound Break Stage, and until now, he had merely been testing the waters. With the Yu family lacking any Profound Break-level combatants, no one could match him. Even Yu Lili, at the late stages of the Yellow Court and wielding the Black Dragon Scissors, would only last so long.

"I'll give it a shot."

Out of nowhere, a formidable figure emerged before the Yu family members, who were in a state of panic, like a tumbling boulder.

"Zhao Dongsheng!"

Huang Tianyi halted abruptly, glaring at the burly man who had just appeared. Annoyed, he demanded, "What business does the Zhao family have with the Huang and Yu family feud?"

From the Zhao clan's side, Zhao Xi turned and quizzically asked, "Girl, what's your father up to?"

"What else? He's obviously siding with the Yu family, supporting Yu Yuan," Zhao Yafu replied nonchalantly.

"Why?" Zhao Xi asked, his face a picture of bewilderment. "Don't tell me Yu Yuan and Lim Zhuyun have called off their engagement to have him marry you?"

"Uncle, you never say anything nice, do you?" Zhao Yafu said with a sweet smile. "Brother Yu's engagement to Lim Zhuyun hasn't been called off yet."

"So why should our Zhao family get involved on behalf of the Yu family?" Zhao Xi's eyes then fell on the Black Dragon Scissors in Yu Lili's grasp, prompting him to ask, "And what's the story with those Black Dragon Scissors?"

Yu Lili had only drawn the Black Dragon Scissors after Huang Tianyi made his move.

Zhao Xi was well aware that the Black Dragon Scissors were a spiritual weapon. Yu Lili had once aspired to purchase it upon his arrival at the Spirit Treasure Building, but had to reluctantly pass due to a lack of funds.

"The Black Dragon Scissors could very well be a love token from our Zhao family," Zhao Yafu said with a playful stick of her tongue, teasing him on purpose.

Zhao Xi scratched his head, growing more bewildered by the moment.

"The Huang family has violated Darkmoon City's laws and plotted rebellion. They must be punished by all!"

Just then, the City Lord, without regard for fairness, pinned the blame squarely on the Huang family. "Huang Fann! Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

Addressing Huang Fann, the current head of the Huang family and a peer of her father, Yuan Qiufang, by his given name signaled the loss of all formal respect.

"Our Huang family has broken the rules?"

Huang Fann, pushed to the brink of anger, responded with a bitter laugh. "The real breaker of rules here is you, City Lord! Don't assume that just because you're the City Lord of Darkmoon, you can act with impunity! Our Huang family may be weak, but we refuse to accept this insult!"

"I'll insult you and the Huang family if I want to. What are you going to do about it?" Yuan Lianyao was done mincing words, tearing off the pretense. "From this moment, I don't speak for Darkmoon City. I speak as the head of the Yuan family, and today, I will see the Huang family eradicated."

"Include the Zhao family in that," interjected Zhao Zhenghao, the diminutive figure among the Zhao clan, seizing the pivotal moment to speak up. "Zhao men, prepare yourselves. We'll take the Huang family down first."

His words prompted the Zhao family members who had come to Jewelry Mount to rise in unison.

Many Zhao clan members were in the dark about the actual situation, finding the unfolding scene bizarre.

Yet, as the current patriarch of the Zhao family and father to Zhao Dongsheng and Zhao Xi, his long-established authority meant the Zhao clan didn't need explanations, only his decisive stance.

"Old man, what are you doing?" Zhao Xi gasped in shock.

"The Huang family will be expunged from Darkmoon City," Zhao Zhenghao declared coolly.

On the Yu family's side, Yu Cann, who had been fraught with anxiety, watched as Zhao Dongsheng made an unexpected entrance and the Zhao family patriarch took a stand. Yuan Lianyao's relentless pressure suddenly made him feel at ease.

The Huang family had somehow managed to provoke both the Yuan and Zhao families, leaving Yu Cann utterly baffled by the situation.

Moments before, the Huang family members had been bristling with aggression, but the unfolding events quickly cooled their ardor. Confusion was evident in their eyes as they turned to Huang Fann and his brother Huang Tianyi, silently pleading, "What now?"

Huang Tianyi, poised to strike against the Yu family, was nursing a headache from the unexpected interference of Zhao Dongsheng and the Zhao clan. He cast his eyes skyward, irritation clear in his voice, "The timing is all wrong. We've only just concluded the initial battle of the Pulse Opening Stage's three-way contest!"

"City Lord, I demand clarity on this matter!" Huang Fann's inner turmoil was palpable, but with the tide of the battle turning and the sky unchanged, his urgency was evident. "What transgression has the Huang family committed to warrant such a united front from the Yuan and Zhao families, intent on expelling us from Darkmoon City?"

Yuan Lianyao was about to respond when Yu Yuan's voice cut through the tension. "City Lord, my sister, let's not afford them any further delays." He warned, "The day is ours, but nightfall could complicate matters considerably."

In an instant, the murderous glares of Huang Fann, Huang Chen, and Huang Tianyi zeroed in on Yu Yuan. "You're asking for it, kid!"

Huang Chen, closest to Yu Yuan, reacted without hesitation. He transformed into a bolt of golden lightning and lunged forward.

Meanwhile, Huang Fann remained silent, his gaze locked on Yuan Lianyao.

Yu Yuan's statement had laid bare a harsh truth to the Huang family's inner circle—their secret plot with the Blood God Cult was no longer secret.

With their plans unraveling, they wasted no more time and initiated their attack prematurely.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" The ground shook as Jewelry Mount itself seemed to come alive.

From its midsection, caves erupted, spewing forth ominous blood-colored streamers. These streamers painted the already darkened sky a more sinister shade of crimson, casting a palpable gloom over all.

In the valley, those of lesser strength, particularly at the Pulse Opening Stage, found their breathing labored, as if the very air had grown heavier.

"The Huang family, in league with foreign powers, plotting to drench Darkmoon City in blood—you are beyond redemption and deserve death a thousandfold!" Yuan Lianyao proclaimed, her gaze fixed on the sky. With a deep breath, she confirmed the accuracy of Yu Yuan's judgment without a shadow of a doubt.

She had given up on harboring any illusions about the Huang family.

Vivid red lotuses blossomed at her feet, their brilliance captivating.

...

"Crack crack!"

Jewelry Stones split from the ground with Huang Chen's movements.

The shimmering stones hurtled towards Yu Yuan like artillery fire.

Yet, more stones followed, emitting even shriller screeches.

"Bam!"

High above, the Jewelry Stones burst apart, releasing droplets of blood that seemed to seek out Yuan Lianyao with a life of their own.

The blood droplets, resembling red agates, were crystal clear and pulsated with terrifying spiritual power.

"Yu Yuan!"

Yu Wei, the eldest uncle, called out as he positioned himself protectively in front of him. His body radiated with spiritual power, shattering the incoming Jewelry Stones.

"Huang Chen isn't after me," Yu Yuan said coolly. "His assault is merely a diversion. He's in cahoots with Huang Fann, the patriarch of the Huang family—they're plotting to assassinate the City Lord!"

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