"Clan Leader... That fellow from the Ling Family is still at home. Do you think he'll come looking for trouble?" Hai Tian's face was a mask of dark, conflicted emotions. While he had arrogantly told Ling Xiao to have his father come find him, in truth, he had no confidence at all.
The Wulan Clan's power was in no way inferior to the Ling Family's. In fact, the Wulan Clan owned businesses and industries all over the Lanyue Empire, and even held a near-monopoly on the weapons trade in the Imperial Capital.
In terms of economic strength, they were actually stronger than the Ling Family. Otherwise, a situation where a mere Tier Nine Sword Attendant like Wulan Tuo wielded a Third-tier Enchanted Sword would have been impossible.
But Ling Tianxiao was a troublesome character. Hai Tian wasn't sure if Wulan Xiong would be willing to offend a powerful general for his sake.
Wulan Xiong was old and treacherous, so he naturally understood Hai Tian's implication. He certainly had no desire to offend Ling Tianxiao, but Hai Tian had also saved his son. If he failed to protect him, many of the masters supported by the clan would lose heart.
"Elder Hai, you worry too much. I haven't even gone to settle the score with him yet, how could he possibly dare..." Before Wulan Xiong could finish his sentence, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from outside, followed by the frantic voice of the head steward, Wulan Jian. "My lord, my lord... It's terrible..."
Wulan Xiong's brows knitted together tightly. He was already on edge, still unaware of his son's condition inside. 'Why is my normally composed steward acting like he's gone mad?' he thought, yanking the door open. With a grim expression, he barked, "What's all the panic about!"
"Ah... My lord, forgive me! Forgive me!" Wulan Jian had never seen his master this furious and was scared half to death. He knelt there, trembling uncontrollably. On a normal day, Lord Wulan Xiong was a smiling tiger.
"Out with it!" Wulan Xiong snorted, flicking his sleeve as he turned to go back inside. His greatest fear was that his son had lost the ability to carry on the family line. The Wulan Clan had no shortage of male heirs, but he, Wulan Xiong, had only one son.
"My lord, Ling... General Ling Tianxiao is right outside! He brought... he brought two hundred Personal Guards with him! He said if you don't go out immediately, he... he's going to force his way in!" The steward stammered, looking up at Wulan Xiong with a pitiful expression on his face.
"Why didn't you say so earlier!" Wulan Xiong kicked the steward to the ground like an enraged lion, then whirled around to Hai Tian, who was about to follow. "Elder Hai, stay here. It's best your identity isn't revealed! I'd like to see what trouble some old war dog dares to cause at my Wulan Family's estate!"
He stormed off toward the front courtyard. The moment Wulan Xiong arrived, he saw the servants and guards huddled far from the main gate, craning their necks to peek outside. Fury welled up inside him. "What are you all gawking at!" he said coldly. "Get back to your posts! Have you no decorum!"
With that, he started walking toward the main gate. He truly wasn't afraid of Ling Tianxiao. 'This is the Imperial Capital. How could that war dog possibly dare to act so brazenly?'
Just then, the expression of one of Wulan Xiong's Guards changed. He grabbed Wulan Xiong, who was still walking toward the gate, and held him back tightly. Wulan Xiong had only barely reached the level of a Tier One Great Sword Master, and having neglected his cultivation for years, he couldn't possibly sense the impending danger. Though he knew the Guard was loyal, he couldn't help but feel annoyed. "What are you pulling me for—"
Before he could finish, a thunderous BOOM erupted. An immense force slammed into the Wulan Family's main gate—a massive structure over five meters high and ten meters wide. Four fierce streams of Sword Qi, like a hurricane, tore through the air. They instantly riddled the gate with thousands of gouges before blasting the two half-foot-thick, thousand-year-old, copper-clad ironwood doors into splinters, causing them to collapse.
A storm of wood splinters, copper shards, and shattered blue bricks from the gate's frame was whipped into a frenzy by the four unabated streams of Sword Qi, raining down upon the Wulan Family courtyard.
The Guard had known this was coming and immediately threw himself over Wulan Xiong, shielding him with his body. The courtyard descended into chaos as servants and guards scattered like startled chickens. The unlucky ones who were struck by falling debris let out blood-curdling screams.
The large plaque hanging over the Wulan Clan's main gate, a personal gift from the late emperor, was inscribed with the words: Duke Wulan's Mansion!
Yet, it remained completely unscathed. Like a lone autumn leaf, it drifted gently through the air and landed softly in front of Wulan Xiong, who was still being shielded by the Guard.
As the dust settled, a powerful, furious roar echoed from outside. "Wulan, you old bastard! Get your ass out here!"
"Ling Tianxiao, I'll screw your ancestors!" Wulan Xiong, who was, after all, a Great Sword Master, shoved the Guard aside and scrambled to his feet like a madman, his eyes completely bloodshot. He stared at the massive, gaping hole where his gate used to be. The Wulan Clan's gate, built a century ago, had been destroyed just like that. The heartache was so intense he nearly passed out. Wulan Xiong glared outside, his eyes seeming to split with rage. "Ling Tianxiao, you've gone too far! If you don't give me an explanation today, I'll fight you to the death!"
"Save your breath, you old coot." Radiating killing intent, Ling Tianxiao strode in with his two hundred Personal Guards, stepping over the wreckage of the gate. They came to a standstill, facing off against the Wulan Clan's Guards who had rapidly assembled.
"Ling Tianxiao, are you trying to stage a rebellion?" Wulan Xiong growled, grinding his teeth as his gaze swept over Ling Tianxiao's two hundred Personal Guards, none of whom were below the rank of a Tier Six Sword Master.
"I'm not here to debate that with you. Hand over that bastard, Hai Tian!" Ling Tianxiao said, staring coldly at Wulan Xiong.
Wulan Xiong was so furious he nearly coughed up blood. "The thief cries thief! I don't know any Hai Tian! Ling Tianxiao, I'm going to report you to His Majesty!"
"Report me?" Ling Tianxiao snorted. "Be my guest. I'll only ask you one question: Are you handing him over... or not!"
"I have no one to hand over!" Wulan Xiong jabbed a finger at Ling Tianxiao. "Don't push your luck! Let me tell you, my son is still hovering between life and death because of what *your* son did! *I* haven't even come looking for you, yet you have the gall to show up at my door first! Do you really think the Wulan Clan can be bullied so easily?!"
By this time, a large crowd of spectators had gathered outside. The Wulan Clan was a household name in the Imperial Capital, yet today someone had actually demolished their gate. And what was a gate? It was the face of a family! What General Ling Tianxiao was doing was tantamount to slapping Wulan Xiong across the face in front of everyone.
Many who disliked the Wulan Family were watching with unconcealed glee. Some were even placing bets on whether General Ling Tianxiao, in his rage, would tear down the Wulan residence itself...
Ling Tianxiao gave a cold smile. He pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket, balled it up, and flicked it. The paper ball shot toward Wulan Xiong in a perfectly straight line. When a Guard moved to intercept it, Wulan Xiong grunted and reached out, tensing his entire body and bracing for an immense impact. To his surprise, the paper ball simply floated gently into his hand.
Wulan Xiong felt as if he had thrown a powerful punch only to hit a ball of cotton. He shuddered, nearly giving himself an internal injury from his own wasted force.
Ling Tianxiao watched Wulan Xiong with a derisive smirk, his expression clearly saying, 'It's just a ball of paper. Why use so much force? Did you think I was trying to hurt you?'
"You're shameless!" Wulan Xiong hadn't expected that Ling Tianxiao, a dignified Imperial General, would be so devious. With trembling hands, he unrolled the ball of paper. His expression changed the moment he saw it was the Life and Death Contract for the duel between his son and Ling Xiao.
Ling Tianxiao sneered. "It wasn't a fair duel. Wulan Xiong, as the Clan Leader of the Wulan Clan, you're not a stupid man. Do you admit that the duel was unfair?"
"Hmph. Once the Life and Death Contract was signed, it became a fair duel. There's nothing unfair to discuss. If you think it's unfair, you don't have to sign!" Wulan Xiong sneered, but the thought of his son's miserable condition made his anger flare up again.
He had never, ever expected that little piece of trash, Ling Xiao, would actually be able to dodge his son's Third-tier Enchanted Sword, let alone turn the tables and injure Wulan Tuo so severely.
Ling Tianxiao pursed his lips. "A duel with an arbiter. A duel witnessed by thousands. Heh. Your Wulan Clan is so wealthy that a Third-tier Enchanted Sword just happens to appear in the hands of a boy who isn't even a Sword Master, hm? Perhaps we should have a word with His Majesty the King and see if the Wulan Family is truly that generous. A Third-tier Enchanted Sword! *Third-tier*!"
Wulan Xiong's face turned livid. He knew His Majesty's disposition all too well. If this matter reached the throne and the King learned that the Wulan Family possessed a Third-tier Enchanted Sword, he would undoubtedly find a way to claim it for himself.
Under normal circumstances, Wulan Xiong could have deflected with any number of excuses, but not now. Anyone could see that Hai Tian was affiliated with the Wulan Clan, and Hai Tian had been a fugitive wanted by the Empire for sixteen years. The King might turn a blind eye on a normal day, but when there was something to be gained, he would absolutely seize upon the Wulan Clan's violation of the duel's rules to make his move.
Wulan Xiong simply never imagined that Ling Tianxiao, this damn war dog, this crude martial artist, would be as cunning as a fox.
From the outset, he hadn't just shattered the Wulan Clan's century-old gate; he had shattered Wulan Xiong's confidence and obliterated his dignity. Then, with methodical precision, he had cornered him with logic, leaving Wulan Xiong feeling like he was about to vomit blood from sheer frustration.
'I've rarely dealt with Ling Tianxiao before. I had no idea he was this difficult to handle,' Wulan Xiong thought. 'The Imperial Capital's regulations forbid bringing more than two hundred soldiers, so he brought exactly two hundred. He claims he's just here to settle the score because his son was bullied, and every word he says is technically justifiable.'
For now, Wulan Xiong could only grit his teeth and swallow his anger. His eyes were locked on Ling Tianxiao, his chest heaving violently and the corner of his mouth twitching. After a long moment, he forced out, "Younger Brother Ling, why such a temper? If there's an issue, we can discuss it."
Ling Tianxiao let out a long laugh. "Did you think I came here looking for handouts? Wulan Xiong, Wulan Xiong, do you really think everyone is as shameless as you? I came today for one reason: to tell you that the Imperial Capital is not your Wulan Clan's personal playground. And the Ling Family is not some coward that will hide in its shell and take your insults. Don't think you can do whatever you want just because I'm not around. From now on, if I so much as *hear* about the Wulan Family pulling any more of these dirty, underhanded schemes, I swear I'll lead my troops and wipe out your clan's foundation in the Western Province! And don't you dare think I won't do it!"
His words struck like a bolt from the blue. The Wulan Clan's fief was less than a half-day's journey from West Lake. If Ling Tianxiao decided to act, the Imperial Capital wouldn't have time to react!
Wulan Xiong trembled with rage. 'So the Ling Family isn't a bunch of cowards, but my Wulan Family has to endure your humiliation? Ling Tianxiao... you just wait! If I don't get my revenge for this, I, Wulan Xiong, will end my own life before my ancestral tablets!'
Having said his piece, Ling Tianxiao turned and left with his men. At the ruined gate, he kicked a splintered door panel out of his way. A derisive sneer on his face, he called back over his shoulder, "Oh, by the way, isn't the Wulan Family's business always praised for being fair and honest, never cheating anyone? On my way over, I passed your weapons shop and saw that your top-grade Fine Iron Chain Armor was selling for one Silver Coin a set. What a bargain! My Guards were in need of some, so we bought two hundred sets. I must thank the Wulan Clan Leader for his generosity. He knows how tough we soldiers have it on the front lines. Ha, haha!"
That top-grade Fine Iron Chain Armor cost over one hundred Gold Coins per set. Two hundred sets meant a loss of more than twenty thousand Gold Coins! To the Wulan Clan, the money itself wasn't a huge sum, but the loss of face was immeasurable!
"One more thing..." Ling Tianxiao's tone was casual. "Tell that old tortoise Hai Tian, the one who's too scared to show his face, that the only reason I'm not killing him today is because I'm saving him for my son!"
Long after Ling Tianxiao and his men had gone, the Shopkeeper from the weapons store finally dared to run out. He tearfully complained to Wulan Xiong about how despicable that damned group of soldiers had been.
Wulan Xiong listened with a look of utter exhaustion. Just then, someone hurried over from behind and whispered something in his ear. Wulan Xiong's expression froze. His eyes rolled back in their sockets, he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, swayed, and then collapsed.
The Wulan Clan was thrown into utter chaos...
...
At that very moment, Ling Xiao, along with Wang Chao and the others, had already embarked on their journey to the Vendia Great Snow Mountain.