C26 A Ripping of the Face!

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

Ann Ziqing looked up to the sky and screamed in terror, "Help!"

"Huang Tianyi!"

Yu Cen, clenching his teeth, bellowed with resentment, "Have you no shame?"

Yu Lili's expression shifted. As the golden sand rained down, she quickly brandished the Black Dragon Scissors.

"Shzzt!"

Ribbons of spiritual energy burst forth from the Black Dragon Scissors, weaving a net in the void.

The golden sand, upon touching the net, seemed to dissolve like ice in the sun.

On the Huang family's side, a towering elder named Huang Tianyi, clutching a yellow pouch, followed the family head, Huang Fan, stepping forward with a stern countenance.

—He had come for the Yu family.

Huang Fan, patriarch of the Huang family, sought to confront Mayor Yuan Lianyao with accusations, while his brother, Huang Tianyi, had set his sights on the Yu family.

Both were of the Veil Breaking Realm.

Yu Yuan had descended from the dais and stood quietly next to Yu Wei.

"How is the Old Master?" Yu Wei asked with a grave look.

He feared for Yu Cen, Yu Lili, and the others, concerned they might be at a disadvantage.

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

Yu Wei, unaware of the specifics, felt a weight lift from his heart at the sight of his nephew's confident demeanor.

This nephew had been behaving oddly of late, puzzling him deeply.

Yet, he was coming to realize that Yu Yuan's presence meant he no longer had to bear the family's challenges alone.

Yu Yuan was sharing the load.

"The Huang family sure has a lot of nerve!" Old Master Yu Cen quivered with rage, "Your Huang family member dies, and you think to revolt? What if it had been my grandson, Yu Yuan?"

Expressions of shock crossed the faces of many from the Yuan and Zhao families, seemingly at a loss to grasp the situation.

Was the Huang family challenging the Yuan family, the rulers of Asvetaesi?

Otherwise, why would they be so brazen?

"Indeed!" Huang Tianyi, enveloped in a soft golden glow, declared, "Because it was our Huang family member who perished, it's unacceptable!"

With his movement, the rest of the Huang family members assembled at Mount Aureum also wore looks of hostility.

"Is the Huang family truly planning a rebellion? Just because Huang Bin is dead?" Le Feng's face turned pale after a brief moment of 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 Le Feng's desperate look that he narrowed his eyes and spoke deliberately, "If the Huang family seeks death, then we shall let them meet their fate."

"I'd like to see who in the Yu family can stop me!" Huang Tianyi bellowed.

His cultivation at the early stages of Veil Breaking had been merely a warm-up. Now, as he approached, it seemed no one in the Yu family, lacking the combat prowess of Veil Breaking, could withstand him. Even Yu Lili, in the late stages of Golden Sanctum and wielding the Black Dragon Scissors, would only manage to hold out for so long.

"I'll give it a shot."

Suddenly, an imposing figure appeared before the startled Yu family members, rolling in like a thunderous sphere.

"Zhao Dongsheng!"

Huang Tianyi halted abruptly, fixing his gaze on the large man who had burst onto the scene. Annoyed, he demanded, "What does the conflict between the Huang and Yu families have to do with the Zhao family?"

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

"What else could he be doing? He's obviously supporting the Yu family, helping Yu Yuan," Zhao Yafu replied nonchalantly.

"Why?" Zhao Xi looked puzzled. "It's not because Yu Yuan and Lin Zhuyun have called off their engagement to marry you, is it?"

"Uncle, you really can't expect pearls of wisdom from a dog's mouth," Zhao Yafu said with a sweet smile. "The engagement between Yu and Lin Zhuyun hasn't been called off yet."

"Then why should our Zhao family get involved in helping the Yu family?" Zhao Xi's gaze then shifted back to the Black Dragon Scissors in Yu Lili's grasp and he inquired further, "Also, what's the story with those Black Dragon Scissors?"

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

Zhao Xi was well aware that the Black Dragon Scissors were a spiritual weapon. When he first came to the Vault of Wonders, Yu Lili had been eager to purchase them but, due to a lack of funds and much to his chagrin, he had been unable to do so.

"The Black Dragon Scissors might be a token of affection that our Zhao family gave him," Zhao Yafu said with a playful stick of her tongue, teasing him intentionally.

Zhao Xi scratched his head, growing even more bewildered.

"The Huang family has violated the laws of Asvetaesi and plotted rebellion. They must be punished by all!"

At that moment, the mayor indiscriminately pinned the blame on the Huang family. "Huang Fan! Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

Addressing Huang Fan, the current head of the Huang family and a peer of her father Yuan Qiufang, she dropped all formal titles, signaling a loss of respect.

"Our Huang family broke the rules?"

Huang Fan's anger turned to laughter. "It seems you, the mayor, are the true rule-breaker! Don't assume that just because you are the mayor of Asvetaesi, you can act with impunity! The Huang family may be weak, but we refuse to accept such an insult!"

"What if I have insulted you and the Huang family? What can you do about it?" Yuan Lianyao, tired of the back-and-forth, cut to the chase. "From this moment, I don't need to act on behalf of Asvetaesi. As the head of the Yuan family, I will extinguish the Huang family today."

"Include the Zhao family in this," interjected Zhao Zhenghao, the diminutive figure seated amidst the Zhao clan, at the most crucial juncture. "Zhao men, prepare to make an example of the Huang family."

With his declaration, the Zhao family members who had come to Mount Aureum rose in unison.

Many Zhao family members were actually clueless about the real situation, finding the unfolding events bizarre.

Yet, he was their current patriarch, the father of Zhao Dongsheng and Zhao Xi.

His years of established authority meant that the Zhao family members didn't need to know the reasons; they only needed to understand his decisive stance.

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

"The Huang family will be erased from Asvetaesi," Zhao Zhenghao stated coldly.

Yu Cen, previously anxious, suddenly felt a wave of relief wash over him as Zhao Dongsheng stepped forward and the Zhao family patriarch spoke out, with Yuan Lianyao pressing the issue aggressively.

The Huang family had somehow managed to offend both the Yuan and Zhao families, and Yu Cen couldn't figure out why. Moments before, the Huang family members had been full of bluster, but now, faced with the unfolding situation, they cooled off. Confused looks were exchanged, and eyes turned to Huang Fan and his brother Huang Tianyi, silently pleading for direction.

Huang Tianyi, who had been ready to confront the Yu family, now faced a thorny problem with Zhao Dongsheng and the Zhao family's unexpected interference. He gazed skyward, his frustration palpable. "The time isn't right. The first battle at the Spirit Channel level has only just concluded!"

"Mayor, I need to understand what's happening here," Huang Fan demanded, his irritation mounting. With the situation deteriorating and the sky unchanged, he pressed urgently, "What has our Huang family done to warrant such a united front from the Yuan and Zhao families, intent on expelling us from Asvetaesi?"

Yuan Lianyao was about to respond when Yu Yuan's voice cut through the tension. "Sister Mayor, don't allow them any more time to stall. It's daytime now, but come nightfall, things will be much more complicated."

In an instant, the fierce glares of Huang Fan, Huang Chen, and Huang Tianyi landed on Yu Yuan. "You're asking for trouble, kid!"

Huang Chen, closest to the action, transformed into a bolt of golden lightning and launched himself forward without hesitation.

Huang Fan remained silent, his gaze locked on Yuan Lianyao. Yu Yuan's words had brought a stark realization to the Huang family's core members—their secret plot with the Colddeath had been revealed.

With no room left for doubt, they acted without further delay.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" The ground shook as Mount Aureum trembled. From its flanks, numerous caves spewed forth terrifying blood-red beams of light. The crimson beams painted the overcast sky a deeper shade of red, casting a suffocating pall over the land.

In the valley, those of the Spirit Channel Realm, already of lesser power, found their breathing labored, as if the very air had grown heavier.

"The Huang family has conspired with outsiders, plotting to unleash a bloodbath upon Asvetaesi. Your crimes are unforgivable!" Yuan Lianyao declared, her gaze fixed on the blood-red sky. Taking a deep breath, she confirmed without a doubt that Yu Yuan's assessment had been spot on.

She had abandoned all hope for the Huang family.

Bright red lotuses bloomed beneath her feet, their brilliance captivating.

...

"Crack crack!"

Aureum Stones fractured and burst forth in response to Huang Chen's movements.

The stones, gleaming like gold, hurtled towards Yu Yuan like cannonballs.

Yet, more stones followed, emitting even shriller screeches.

"Bam!"

The Aureum Stones high above exploded suddenly, releasing droplets of blood from within. The droplets, as if guided by sight, flew towards Yuan Lianyao.

The blood droplets, resembling red agate, were crystal clear and pulsated with terrifying spiritual energy.

"Yu Yuan!"

His uncle, Yu Wei, called out softly as he positioned himself in front of Yu Yuan. His body radiated with spiritual energy, effortlessly pulverizing the incoming Aureum Stones.

"Huang Chen's real target isn't me," Yu Yuan said calmly. "His assault is merely a diversion. He and Huang Fan, the patriarch of the Huang family, are conspiring to assassinate the mayor!"

​