Family Cultivation: My entire family are Villains

Chapter 428: 212, Threat

New Yu Era 1322, September 15, Xu hour

The autumn wind swept through, and the night in Jinling County City seemed a bit deserted. There were few pedestrians on the streets, similar to Tongling County, Jinling also had a Shengxin Residence, a Prison Admin Department, and a Holy Church-run County Magistrate's Office, all located at the very center of the city.

As the night was still young, the lights of Shengxin Residence continued to shine brightly, with guests coming and going for lodging and dining, the same was true for the nearby Shengxin Residence and Prefectural Magistrate's Office, though apart from these three places, there was another place that had not completely turned off the lights, and that was the Shen Family.

Being Jinling's only second-rate force at this time, the Shen Family Mansion still had two Eighth Level Body-Opening Warriors watching at the entrance, and guards were positioned every ten steps within and every fifty steps at the outer courtyard, a testament to very strict defenses.

A fine horse galloped from afar. The two guards at the gate originally wanted to stop it, but when they clearly saw the anxious young man in white on the horse, they quickly stopped and opened the gate behind them, turning around to bow to the young man.

"Greetings, Young Master!"

Shen Feitian had no time to care, as he dismounted in the astonished gaze of the guards and almost rushed into the mansion.

"What's the matter, it's late at night, why is the Young Master in such a hurry?"

"Looking at him, it seems like something big has happened."

"What could be so big recently? Many from the Jinling County Prefecture Army have been dispatched, even Zhou Hong doesn't dare act rashly in front of the Family Head, what else could make the Young Master wear such an expression?"

"I don't know..."

...

"Father, there's trouble at Golden House Mountain; a force of three thousand elite soldiers has surrounded the Zhu Clan's hideout. The Zhu Clan has sent people into the city to ask us for help!"

"What?"

In the main hall of the Shen Family, Shen Gufan stared at his son, Shen Feitian, who looked panic-stricken, and stood up in shock from his principal seat, his face filled with disbelief.

Golden House Mountain was located five miles south of the county city, considered a very inconspicuous hill in Jinling County. Not many people visited there on a regular day, but a few in the county knew that it was a stronghold for the Zhu Clan assassins. The Shen Family, having collaborated with the Zhu Clan for many years, was naturally well aware of this.

"Three thousand elite soldiers? Jinling County only has fifty thousand in the Prefecture Army, forty thousand of which have been mobilized by Peng Yuhu, leaving only ten thousand in the county magistrate's office. Where could these three thousand elite soldiers have come from? Impossible!"

"It's true, many people in the city have seen it with their own eyes. The army of three thousand all clad in black armor, with soldiers having at least Seventh Level Body-Opening skills and wielding ordinary precious grade weapons. The Zhu Clan's assassins had nearly no power to resist. Zhu Wuzhen, along with some Zhu Clan members, is now desperately defending. If we delay any longer, those at the Golden House Mountain from Zhu Clan, I'm afraid, will be wiped out..."

Hearing these words from Shen Feitian, Shen Gufan realized the severity of the situation, his expression changed dramatically several times and no longer dared delay, saying, "Quickly summon the family experts and prepare to leave with me immediately for Golden House Mountain to assist the Zhu Clan."

"Yes, Father!"

Over the years, the Zhu Clan had brought considerable profits to the Shen Family, and it was impossible for the Shen Family to sit idly while they were annihilated. Shen Gufan stood still, his expression shifted several times, and for some reason, his mind filled with thoughts of the Hou brothers who had left the city a few days ago.

"Could it be..."

Just as a guess arose in Shen Gufan's mind, he suddenly sensed a powerful presence rushing south from the not-so-far Prefectural Magistrate's Office. His face changed instantly, and without waiting for his son to finish summoning the family experts, his Great Grandmaster-level cultivation activated, and his body instantly transformed into a whirlwind, also rushing towards Golden House Mountain.

...

On Golden House Mountain, the robust qi and blood of Hou Clan soldiers covered the ravine, surrounding thousands of black-clad, masked warriors completely. These warriors tried to break through the encirclement under cover of the night, but the black-armored soldiers attacking them were all too strong; none could escape, and as people kept on getting killed, the encirclement tightened.

A few Warriors of the Gang Qi Realm tried to break through using force, but they were immediately surrounded by Hou Clan's Gang Qi Realm Warriors, making escape hopeless.

A resolute middle-aged voice suddenly echoed through the air.

"Hou Lao Si, upon your conscience, my Zhu Clan has never offended you. What relation then does Qinglong Association have with your Hou Clan, that for the sake of Fang Jinghong, you truly want to bring both our Zhu Clan and yours to mutual destruction?"

Many of the Jinling County Masters hiding nearby suddenly looked up towards the sky, staring at the angry, pale-faced Zhu Clan Leader, Zhu Wuzhen.

"What Qinglong Association, what Fang Jinghong? I know nothing of these. Mr. Hou only knows that your Zhu Clan engages in assassination, is brutal and merciless, wantonly killing the innocent, and has long been unwelcome in Xingnan Prefecture. Now we of Hou Clan are acting for the good of the entire prefecture, to eliminate the scourge that is your clan!"

In front of the Hou Clan army, Hou Yujie, dressed in a dark red fighting robe, looked stern and grim, holding the Qingyu Peak, a sword previously belonging to the ninth Sword God of Wanjian Holy Sect, Gu Chenfeng, initially given by Hou Yuduan. As he spoke, he did not forget to dispatch one black-clad Zhu Clan assassin with each thrust of his sword, and after a brief pause, he continued to speak.

"The fish will definitely die, but whether the net breaks, that's not so certain!"

Zhu Wuzhen, a grandmaster of the Third Realm, felt deeply humiliated by Hou Yujie, who was only at Gathering Evil Phase in cultivation, and was boiling with fury. But witnessing the continuous deaths of Zhu Clan members around him and the suffocating force of the three thousand elite soldiers behind Hou Yujie, smothering half of his own strength, he still had to hold back.