Purple Sun Sect Arrives

People had reputations as trees had shadows!

The moment a Foundation Establishment cultivator appeared, no one dared ignore him.

The two clan elders almost simultaneously stopped their angry shouting and turned to look at Wei Chengwo.

Seeing this, Wei Chengwo nodded in satisfaction and said, "Please hear me out, you two. You are both descendants of the Zhao Family, bound by blood thicker than water. There was never any deep-seated hatred between you, so don't harm the peace over a mere Foundation Establishment Pill."

At that, he turned to Zhao Jinding and advised, "Jinding, I watched you grow up as well. As both an in-law and an elder, let me speak fairly. Your First Branch has indeed gone too far these past years. In over a hundred years, has the Zhao Family's Second Branch ever received even one Foundation Establishment Pill?"

"That—"

Zhao Jinding had barely begun to argue when Wei Chengwo's Foundation Establishment pressure suppressed him.

"Therefore, I believe that this time, the Foundation Establishment Pill should go to the Second Branch. Jingang has already advanced to Qi Refining Great Perfection. Giving the pill to him would not be a waste in the slightest."

The moment those words fell, everyone in the Second Branch was overjoyed, while every member of the First Branch looked utterly dejected.

At that moment, Zhao Jinding suddenly let out a muffled groan, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

By injuring himself, he broke free of Wei Chengwo's restraint. With fury written across his face, he said, "This is an internal matter of the Zhao Family. Senior Wei, by overstepping your bounds and handling it on our behalf, you have already undermined the fairness of the Cultivation World."

"Hmph!" Zhao Jingang suddenly snorted. "You still know the word 'fairness'? Fairness lies in the hearts of the people! Old Ancestor Wei could not stand the conduct of your First Branch, so he stepped forward to say a fair word. He is right—if it is anyone's turn, then this time it should be our Second Branch's."

"How dare you! Zhao Jingang, you violated the ancestral precepts and brought outsiders into United Hearts Hall. Do you still have any ancestors in your eyes? When you die, how will you answer to the old ancestors?" Zhao Jinding roared, consumed by rage.

The moment Zhao Sheng heard this, he thought, The old ancestors are watching right here. Answer my ass. With the sorry lot of you, it's like rats birthing pups—each litter worse than the last.

Zhao Jingang gave a scornful laugh and was just about to speak.

Just then, three people suddenly entered United Hearts Hall from outside.

Walking in the middle was a middle-aged cultivator clad in a purple robe embroidered with a small golden sword.

He had red hair and a golden complexion, a powerful build, and he made no effort to conceal the formidable pressure of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

To his left stood an old woman with wrinkled skin and hair white as a crane's feathers. To his right was a young man, handsome and dashing, with a sunny and cheerful air. Yet the pair of narrow fox eyes on his face somewhat spoiled that bright, open demeanor.

"A Purple Sun Sect Foundation Establishment cultivator!"

"Wonderful! Jinfu has brought people to save us."

"That's right! With our Jinfu here, let's see how the Second Branch can keep acting so high and mighty."

The First Branch erupted like water poured into a pot of boiling oil. Excitement swiftly appeared on everyone's faces as they raised their heads and straightened their chests.

The reinforcements they had waited so long for had finally arrived! The Second Branch, by contrast, looked as though their parents had died.

Seeing that the young man had arrived in time, Zhao Sheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief. But after observing the reactions of Zhao Jingang and Wei Chengwo, his heart tightened again.

There was no other reason!

The two were far too calm, without the slightest trace of panic.

The newcomer was named Zhao Jinfu. He was a member of the Zhao Family's First Branch and the direct great-grandson of Zhao Zhongge, the Zhao Family's Foundation Establishment cultivator. There was no need to question where he stood.

Zhao Jinfu had been born with Metal, Fire, and Wood Three Spiritual Roots. Of them, his Metal Spiritual Root accounted for a full seventy percent. In the Zhao Family's three-hundred-year history, his talent could be called unparalleled.

Six years ago, he had successfully entered the Purple Sun Sect. At only twenty-eight years old, he had already reached the Qi Refining Seventh Level.

Zhao Jinding waved repeatedly, his expression thrilled. "Jinfu, you finally made it! Did you invite this senior?"

As he spoke, he looked at the Purple Sun Sect Foundation Establishment cultivator with reverence.

Yet there was not the slightest smile on Zhao Jinfu's face.

He coldly questioned, "The Ten Thousand Miles One Line Talisman may only be used at the most dangerous of times. Each family has only one, yet you dared use it without permission over such a trivial matter. It seems I was right—the Zhao Family is rotten to the core."

"Jinfu, you... what do you mean by that?" Zhao Jinding froze upon hearing this and asked uncertainly.

Zhao Jinfu raised his voice and declared, word by word before everyone, "I said the Zhao Family is rotten to the core. There is no point in staying in this family!"

The crowd immediately erupted in uproar, including even the Second Branch.

Argue as they might, fight as they might—when it came down to it, Zhao Jinfu was the only person in the entire Zhao Family with a real chance of reaching Foundation Establishment. The reason the Zhao Family had lived so straitened in recent years was largely because they had poured vast cultivation resources into Zhao Jinfu.

The two clan elders might be on the verge of beating each other's brains out over the Foundation Establishment Pill, but no one in the Zhao Family had any certainty that either of them could truly reach Foundation Establishment.

After all, a one-in-ten chance of Foundation Establishment success was far too low. Not everyone was as "lucky" as Old Ancestor Yu Jie.

At this point, Zhao Jingang suddenly stepped forward to smooth things over. "Jinfu, what are you saying? You are Old Ancestor Zhongge's direct great-grandson. If you do not stay in the Zhao Family, where else can you go?"

Then the old woman with wrinkled skin and white hair suddenly spoke. Her voice contrasted sharply with her appearance, exceptionally crisp and clear.

"He can return to the Wei Family with me!"

The instant Zhao Jinding heard this, he flew into a rage and shouted, "Who are you? This is an internal matter of the Zhao Family. What right does an outsider like you have to interfere?"

Slap! Before his words had even finished, a giant earthen-yellow palm of light flashed past. Zhao Jinding was instantly sent flying by a single slap, crashing to the ground and coughing up blood again and again.

"A Foundation Establishment cultivator!"

No one had expected this unremarkable old woman to also be a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

"How presumptuous!" The old woman finally spat out those two words coldly.

United Hearts Hall instantly fell deathly silent.

Heh heh!

At that moment, the Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Purple Sun Sect suddenly chuckled twice, stepped forward, and said with a beaming smile, "I received a mission from the sect and came intending to provide aid. Before I arrived, I thought your Zhao Family was on its last legs. Now it seems this was entirely a farce!"

At this point, his tone suddenly turned cold as he sternly rebuked them, "Outrageous! Is this how the Purple Sun Sect's Ten Thousand Miles One Line Talisman is meant to be used? Your Zhao Family has disappointed me greatly. For the sake of trash like you, Patriarch Han exhausted every connection and favor he had back then just to secure a two-hundred-year renewal of your lease on Dragon Carp Lake. Looking at things now, that old man was completely wrong!"

"May I ask, Senior, what is your relationship with Patriarch Han...?" Zhao Jingang asked uncertainly.

At this moment, Zhao Jinfu hurriedly introduced, "Martial Uncle Chen's master is the Sword Mad Daoist."

The moment the Zhao Family heard this, they understood everything.

The Sword Mad Daoist was Patriarch Han Xuanwu's eldest disciple. Back then, he had enjoyed a very good relationship with the Zhao Family—or rather, he had been closer to the Second Branch.

Delight appeared on Zhao Jingang's face as he said happily, "So we are family after all! Senior Chen, this junior, Zhao Jingang, comes from the Zhao Clan's Second Branch. I was discourteous just now."

This "Martial Uncle Chen" flicked out a streak of sword light, stopping Zhao Jingang from bowing.

At the same time, he said gently, "Patriarch Han is the person I, Chen Zichuan, admire most. The Second Branch carries that old man's bloodline, so there is no need for such formalities."

Zhao Jingang's expression grew even more excited, and he naturally withdrew from his bow.