Family Cultivation: My entire family are Villains

Chapter 295: 165. Xu's army arrived

Maiden Hong's background, Hou Yuduan certainly knew more than himself, this much Hou Yuxiao was crystal clear about. Looking at Old Fifth's expression right now, it was clear that what Master Fanyin had revealed were all true.

Suddenly, a passage of text popped into Hou Yuxiao's mind:

"In the 153rd year of Wuzong, there was great chaos in the world, and bandits attacked Zhaoyang. The last County Lord, Hong Zhanpeng, would rather die than surrender, leading the city's able-bodied in resistance. Seven days later, the city was breached, and the eighteen hundred thousand inhabitants, including the young and old, women and children, were all slaughtered, their bodies strewn over ten miles, blood flowing like driftwood."

There were those who doubted, suggesting that Hong Zhanpeng, in pursuit of a hollow reputation, disregarded the lives of others. In reality, during the late years of Wuzong, when the people could barely survive, martial artists commonly used the living to supplement their qi through cultivation. Whether they surrendered or not, death was the only way out. Hong Zhanpeng could have survived by himself, yet he chose to share life and death with the citizens. Such loyalty in the final years of Wuzong was both heartening and lamentable...

Which means that the story recorded in the Annals of Zhaoyang County was true.

Hong Zhanpeng had a son and a daughter, the son being Hong Xiufu, who died defending the city;

and the daughter being Hong Linger, who fell into the hands of the bandits, with her whereabouts unknown.

The man before them, Ji Yanzhi, was none other than Hong Xiufu, while Maiden Hong was Hong Linger.

According to what Master Fanyin just said, the so-called capture of Hong Linger by the bandits, was in fact her elder brother Hong Xiufu sending her into the bandits' hands to preserve Zhaoyang County. One could only imagine the fate of such a stunning beauty as Hong Linger when falling into the hands of a group of bandits.

In other words, Hong Xiufu, in order to be loyal to the Great Yu Dynasty, chose to sacrifice his blood sister, Hong Linger. In an era of military turmoil and rampant resentful spirits, Hong Linger, betrayed by her kin, fused her towering hatred with those spirits and, using a millennial locust tree as her vessel, became a demon. That must be the sequence of events...

Hou Yuxiao sorted through his thoughts, and suddenly, remembering how Tian Honglu was personally killed by his elder brother Tian Fazheng during the Zhaoyang Disturbance last year, a strange smirk appeared on his face.

Truly, if not of one family, then not through the same door.

This master and disciple pair, one sent his sister to the bandits, and the other directly killed his sister personally—both utterly ruthless...

Suddenly recalling the chaos of the Zhaoyang Disturbance, Hou Yuxiao looked up sharply, his gaze toward the endless red light in the sky, and then he had a sudden realization.

So that's how it is, so that's how it is.

He understood...

The killing of Tian Honglu half a year earlier during the Zhaoyang Disturbance had been in the plans of Tian Fazheng, or rather, Ji Yanzhi all along. They were intent on resurrecting the Blood Demon.

Tian Fazheng did not hesitate to kill Tian Honglu personally, conspiring with his own brother and father, Tian Honglu's overflowing resentment perfectly fulfilled the conditions for the Blood Demon's resurrection.

Seizing Zhaoyang was merely a side quest; their goal, from the very beginning, was to resurrect the Blood Demon, to aid Ji Yanzhi's breakthrough and enlightenment.

Which means, could it be that this plan hadn't just started during the Zhaoyang Disturbance, but from June last year, someone had already been plotting it all?

Hou Yuxiao, looking at the dazzling red and white spiritual lights clashing in the sky, felt the hair on his back stand on end. It took a long while for his face to finally reveal a cold smirk, and he said, "We originally thought that the Mountain Sword Sect returned from the Zhaoyang Disturbance utterly defeated, turns out, we were too naive. What these people wanted was never Zhaoyang in the first place. I fear since June last year, when I went to Tianling County, I was already being used by them."

"Not since last June, but rather, six years ago..."

Suddenly, the angry-faced Hou Yuduan quietly murmured.

Hearing 'six years ago', Hou Yuxiao's expression froze, and he turned to look at Hou Yuduan, then glanced around cautiously before transmitting his voice to ask, "What do you mean?"

Hou Yuduan's fists were still clenched, just as he was about to reply.

Suddenly, a surging tide of qi and blood came rushing from the east.

Accompanying this tide of qi and blood was a sequence of slightly orderly footsteps. The rhythm was not fast, but the sound was incredibly heavy, each step seeming to tread on everyone's hearts...

Whether it was the six grandmasters in mid-air, including Master Fanyin, or those on the ground like Hou Yuxiao, Hou Yuduan, Zhao Qingxue, the Buyu Monk, their respective groups of monks and daoists, as well as the over three thousand men of the Hou Clan, and the over ten thousand Mansion Army led by Fan Longhe and Gui Yutang, everyone sharply turned to look eastward:

That was an endless Silver Armored Army, whose military steps were in unison, and although they had not a single fine horse, their collective qi created a rainbow-like, overwhelming momentum.

With the naked eye, it was impossible to discern how many there were, but judging from this overwhelming momentum, there were at least forty thousand...

"The Xuzhou Army has arrived!"

"The Silver Armor, it's the Silver Armor Army of the Wanjian Holy Sect, how could there be so many, did Wanyang County really deploy its entire force..."

"The Wanjian Holy Sect controls Xuzhou with the Wan Jian Army, which is divided into the Jinjia Army and the Silver Armor Army. The Silver Armor Army governs the prefectures and counties, while the Jinjia Army protects the regions. This armament is of the Silver Armor Army, and if the Silver Armor crosses the border, then the treaty between the two states is..."

"Completely torn apart!"

......

Hou Yuxiao stood in place, ignoring the discussion buzzing around his ears, his demeanor grim, watching the approaching Xuzhou Army.

Seeing the young Confucian Scholar in white leading the way, and the middle-aged man beside him with a drawn sword and elegant attire with a peaceful face, a shadow crossed Hou Yuxiao's expression.

"That middle-aged man is Lu Guanqing, a Copper Badge Sword Bearer from Wanyang County!"

A woman's voice entered his ear. Hou Yuxiao was taken aback and glanced in the direction of the Ziqing Holy Sect members. Seeing Zhao Qingxue at the forefront, who winked at him from across the space, he quickly showed appreciation and clasped his hands towards her in thanks.