Chapter 291 - 274: Strict Clan Laws

Chapter 291: Chapter 274: Strict Clan Laws

In the Qi Cultivation Stage, the physical body’s foundation is especially important.

Once the body sustains such grievous injuries, not only does the possibility of reaching Foundation Establishment become virtually nil, but even advancing through the minor realms will face immense obstacles.

In other words, having lost their arms, their path of Cultivation was now fraught with impassable hurdles. Their quality of life would even fall below that of a common mortal.

For these two, this fate was undoubtedly worse than death.

Jiang Xu had actually considered killing them outright. However, an ironclad rule existed within the Sun Immortal Race: clan members were strictly forbidden from killing one another.

The Sun Clan had established an internal mechanism similar to the Profound Origin Sect’s Law Enforcement Hall: the Clan Elders’ Pavilion.

This body, composed of well-respected Law Enforcement Clan Elders, was responsible for adjudicating all disputes within the clan.

No matter the depth of the grudge, all conflicts had to be resolved through the clan’s internal legal process.

No one could kill a fellow clan member on their own authority, or they would face severe punishment from the clan.

It was precisely this rule that had allowed Liang Fan to survive this long in the harsh environment of the Sun Clan.

After all, relying solely on his mother, who was in the Foundation Establishment Realm, was far from enough to guarantee his long-term safety.

The complex internal struggles and the powerful clan laws were the real reasons Liang Fan had managed to escape one life-threatening disaster after another.

If Jiang Xu killed these two now, it wouldn’t be long before the Clan Elders’ Pavilion came looking for him, which would be a huge hassle.

Jiang Xu watched dispassionately as the two armless men writhed and wailed in agony on the ground.

He walked straight into the house, casually brought out a relatively intact stool, and sat down, coolly observing their agonized struggles.

Seconds ticked by. After a long ordeal, the two men in agony finally began to acclimate to the searing pain from their severed arms.

They realized that if they didn’t do something quickly, their very lives would be at risk.

Despite having no hands, their will to survive drove them to rack their brains.

Finally, through a clumsy combination of their toes and remaining arms, they painstakingly opened their Storage Bags, carefully retrieved Healing Elixirs, and applied them to their stumps.

As the medicinal power seeped into their wounds, their pain finally subsided a little.

The tall, thin man gritted his teeth, about to let fly another volley of curses, but was cut off by Jiang Xu’s nonchalant voice:

"Oh? You think losing two arms isn’t enough? You want to see what it’s like to lose two legs, too?"

Hearing this, the two men’s faces went pale. They fell silent instantly, not daring to utter another provocative word.

A few breaths later, as if waking from a nightmare, they scrambled to escape.

But having lost their balance, they struggled to their feet only to fall over and over, cutting a pathetic figure.

Eventually, they stumbled out of the courtyard and vanished into the night.

Jiang Xu wasn’t the least bit worried about them seeking revenge later, or going to the Law Enforcement Clan Elders.

After all, they had broken clan law by invading Liang Fan’s home.

Liang Fan’s special status didn’t change that fact.

If they took this matter to the Law Enforcement Clan Elders, they wouldn’t get off lightly either.

’If they try to take revenge themselves, I’m even less concerned,’ Jiang Xu thought.

’And if a Law Enforcement Clan Elder really does show up in the end...’

’...I’ll just run for it.’

’The Law Enforcement Clan Elders aren’t the Clan Leader; their Cultivation isn’t at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage. I’ll sense them if they get close.’

’I now understand the peculiarity of the Sun Family’s Array. I can use the Spirit-Devouring Insects to get out.’

’Those clan elders won’t even realize I’ve escaped.’

Only after the two had left did Jiang Xu stand up, mulling over how to execute his plan for revenge.

’Becoming Liang Fan was just a way to successfully infiltrate the Sun Family and secure a stable identity within it.’

’It doesn’t mean I have to remain as Liang Fan the entire time.’

’As Liang Fan, I’ll hardly have a chance to get close to Sun Zixuan.’

’But as someone else in the Sun Family... that’s a different story.’

A corner of Jiang Xu’s mouth lifted into a smirk as his figure slowly vanished.

...

"Boss! Are we just going to slink away like this?!"

The short, stout man limped after the taller one, his face a mask of pain and anxiety as he asked resentfully.

Though he was missing an arm and beads of sweat poured down his forehead from the pain, the tall, thin man’s eyes burned with rage. He gritted his teeth and cursed:

"Damn it, you think I’m going to let this go?! That little bastard must’ve used some dirty trick to get so strong all of a sudden. Right now, the two of us are no match for him!"

"Then what’s the plan? You want to find someone to help us deal with him?" the short, stout man asked tentatively, understanding his companion’s implication.

"Exactly!"

The tall, thin man clenched his remaining fist, hissing through his teeth:

"Even if I have to spend my entire fortune, exhaust every connection and resource I have, I will make that Seed of Evil pay the ultimate price—with his life!"

Meanwhile, Jiang Xu had already concealed himself and was tailing the two men, listening to their conversation with great interest.

’From the sound of it, the tall one has someone to rely on.’

’And this someone is willing to kill a fellow clan member for the right amount of Spirit Stones.’

’I wonder who in the Sun Clan would dare run such an operation, right under the nose of the Clan Elders’ Pavilion.’

To avoid letting other clan members see their grievous injuries, the two were extremely cautious, deliberately avoiding crowds and sticking to deserted paths.

Otherwise, if anyone found out they’d lost their arms for trespassing, they’d likely face punishment under clan law.

At last, they arrived before a solitary courtyard tucked away deep within a grove of trees.

The architecture was simple and unassuming, and the compound was shrouded in dense vines and trees, making it extremely secluded.

A cruel smile played on the tall, thin man’s lips, as if he could already picture Liang Fan’s tragic end.

He gestured with his empty sleeve and strode through the gate first, commanding in a low voice:

"This is the place. Follow me!"

The tall man pushed open the creaking gate and led his companion inside. The courtyard was sparsely furnished, yet an unspeakably sinister aura permeated the air.

A faint light glowed from a single dim room, its windows covered by thick curtains that blocked all sight.

The tall man’s lips twisted into a cold smile as he abruptly shoved the door open.

Inside sat a burly, grim-faced middle-aged man. A powerful pressure radiated from him—he was an expert at the Foundation Establishment Realm.

When the middle-aged man saw them, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes. He then asked coolly:

"What brings you here?"

The tall man answered through gritted teeth:

"To have someone killed!"

"Kill someone?" The middle-aged man’s expression instantly grew serious, and he straightened up from his casual posture. "A clan member?"

"Yes!"

HISS—! The middle-aged man sucked in a sharp breath, his brow furrowing. "You’d better be sure about this. Killing a clan member is no small thing. If things go wrong..."

"I want Sun Fan dead!"

"Sun Fan? That Seed of Evil? Didn’t he already leave the clan? What, he’s back?"

"That’s right! Not only is he back, he’s gotten stronger! He’s the one who cut off my arm, and my brother’s!"

The tall man hesitated for a moment, then added through gritted teeth:

"I think Sun Fan must have had some kind of fortuitous encounter in the day he was gone. His return... I’m afraid there’s more to it!"

He then leaned in and whispered, providing a detailed account of what had happened and of Jiang Xu’s strength.

A flicker of surprise, nearly imperceptible, crossed the middle-aged man’s eyes. After a moment of silence, he slowly nodded, his voice low and firm:

"Rest assured. As long as you’re willing to pay the price, no one escapes me. But this needs to be handled discreetly. We can’t let the Clan Elders’ Pavilion find out, or none of us will come out of this well."

The tall man was overjoyed, but his expression faltered when the middle-aged man added:

"However, in addition to the Spirit Stones you must pay, I want everything on Sun Fan—including whatever fortuitous encounter he may or may not have had."