Chapter 496 - 333: Reactions of the 3 Major Families

Chapter 496: Chapter 333: Reactions of the 3 Major Families

PS: I really want to post a Chapter explosion... If I had the energy, I definitely would! So please don’t hold back on those monthly tickets, boohoohoo.

The strange grand Array around the Shushan Inner City has been deactivated!

Within just a few days, this news spread like wildfire to every corner of the land. Almost every prominent family and sect paying attention to Ling Xiao and the Shushan Sword Sect received this information!

What did this mean? Had that once incomparably tyrannical Ling Xiao reappeared?

Although countless families and sects had already forgotten a figure like Ling Xiao, those families who held a grudge against him certainly had not!

In the Jingwu Lie Family’s estate, Xie Xiaoyan sat across from Lie Yang. A table laden with exquisite dishes separated them, yet neither had taken a single bite.

"He’s back," Xie Xiaoyan said, her face devoid of expression.

"I know."

Lie Yang’s brow was furrowed, his expression grim. It wasn’t directed at Xie Xiaoyan. Rather, it was because a name he had nearly forgotten had once again reached his ears—the name of a man he found utterly loathsome. Because of Xie Xiaoyan, many in the family were already dissatisfied with him. On top of that, his younger brother, Lie Que, had consistently surpassed him in cultivation over the past few years, leaving Lie Yang in a constant state of frustration.

A hint of madness glinted in the depths of Xie Xiaoyan’s eyes, but her tone was perfectly calm. "Brother Yang, are you upset because of how those in the family treat me? I’m sorry. I’ve dragged you into this. Why don’t you send me back to the Mortal World? There are some things that I must ultimately face on my own."

"That’s not it at all!" Lie Yang hastily refuted. "Xiaoyan, don’t listen to their nonsense! It’s been so many years, Xiaoyan. Don’t you know how I feel about you? How could you say something like that! I’ve told you, the day I ascend to the Patriarch’s seat will be the day of our wedding! Hmph, we’ll see who dares to say a single word against me then!"

Watching Lie Yang’s indignant huffing, Xie Xiaoyan let out a chuckle. "Alright, Brother Yang, I know your heart. But I feel guilty. Because of my vendetta, you’ve been implicated, and you’ve even been surpassed in cultivation by the Second Young Master. But I believe in you, Brother Yang. I believe you will definitely become the Patriarch!"

Lie Yang burst out laughing. He picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and then snorted coldly. "Lie Que and his little schemes... you think I don’t know about them? He wants to be Patriarch? In his next life!" With that, he viciously drained the wine from his cup. 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

A flicker of contempt crossed Xie Xiaoyan’s eyes. ’This man, Lie Yang, is too arrogant, all talk and no substance. Lie Que’s performance has already won the approval of most of the Jingwu Family’s Elders. Otherwise, why would someone not from the direct line of succession be respectfully addressed as the Second Young Master? And how many people truly support Lie Yang, the First Young Master, now?’

Xie Xiaoyan couldn’t help but think of that ever-smiling young man, and a sudden shiver ran through her. ’That Lie Que is far too cunning; even I can’t completely see through him! I always feel like there’s some kind of tacit understanding between him and Ling Xiao, but I can never find any proof!’

As these thoughts ran through her mind, Xie Xiaoyan said softly, "We haven’t seen Ling Xiao in three years. His strength must have improved greatly..."

"Xiaoyan, don’t you worry, I won’t let him get away! No matter what, I will annihilate his damn Shushan Sword Sect! I’ll get revenge for you!" Lie Yang said with a ferocious expression. But deep down, he had his own agenda.

He loved Xie Xiaoyan, there was no doubt about that. But that didn’t mean the First Young Master of the Jingwu Family was an idiot. He knew better than anyone that Lie Que currently had the upper hand. His only advantage, perhaps, was his status as the legitimate heir from the direct line of succession. And yet, Lie Que’s bloodline was also noble! Though not as pure as his own, in the eyes of those old fossils in the family, it wouldn’t be too difficult for Lie Que to replace him as the future Patriarch.

Therefore, Lie Yang’s hand was forced. Even without the matter concerning Xie Xiaoyan, he would have found a way to deal with Ling Xiao!

Three years ago, the Lie Family lost two Sword Emperors to the Shushan Sword Sect. This incident showed countless family Elders the power of Arrays. The reason they hadn’t sent anyone back was that the Elders all recognized how terrifying that Array was. An Elder who knew something about Illusion Arrays had once gone to investigate. He discovered that the Array around the Shushan Inner City was unlike any they had ever known.

If they could learn that Array, it would be of immense significance to the entire Lie Family. If they deployed it around the Jingwu Family’s territory, what other family could possibly be their rival? Furthermore, if a future master from the Lie Family broke through to the Sword Venerable realm and entered the Holy Sanctuary, presenting such an Array would surely delight their ancestors there! As a super-family, the Lie Family knew far more than ordinary families. They were aware that the Holy Sanctuary was, in fact, another world! It had its own families and sects. And, most importantly, not everyone living in the Holy Sanctuary possessed the strength of a Saint Tier expert.

After countless years of development, the Holy Sanctuary also had many new generations! No one was born with immense power...

Therefore, obtaining the secret of that Array and bringing it into the Holy Sanctuary would be an achievement of monumental importance!

The Jingwu Lie Family possessed this knowledge because they had an ancestor in the Holy Sanctuary who was also considerably powerful. That ancestor could, at the cost of consuming their own cultivation, perform a "descent."

This so-called "descent" was a process where the Lie Family’s ancestor would communicate with them by speaking through a descendant. It couldn’t last for long. Of course, the last descent had occurred hundreds of years ago. It was precisely because of this that the Lie Family knew so much about the Holy Sanctuary!