Charm Clan

Lin Commandery, Shaoyan Mountain.

This was where the Zhang Family's ancestral grounds lay.

Twenty years ago, the decline of the Lin Family had thrown all of Lin Commandery into chaos. Most of the commandery's first-rate powers, each pursuing their own aims, had taken part in the war to topple the Lin Family.

At that time, the Zhang Family had merely been an inconspicuous second-rate force in Lin Commandery.

But after that great upheaval, the Lin Family emerged victorious. The experts of several first-rate powers were wiped out, forcing those powers to flee Lin Commandery en masse and leaving behind vast territories and resources. Forces like the Zhang Family, which had not participated in the war against the Lin Family, profited greatly and rose rapidly.

In recent years, they had flourished. Experts emerged from the clan one after another, while promising talents continually appeared among the younger generation. Everything had been thriving, steadily moving in a better direction amid peace.

Yet today, the Zhang Family's peace was shattered!

A group of mysterious figures cloaked in black forcibly stormed Shaoyan Mountain.

Like they were clearing a passage, they crippled ordinary disciples all the way from the foot of the mountain. After entering the mountain, they maimed the direct-line sequence disciples who came rushing over upon hearing the news, then charged straight into the rear mountain and beat the clan elders until they were still coughing up blood.

Even Zhang Tai, the current Zhang Family Patriarch who had appeared last, was now clutching his chest, his face dark greenish-purple. He had been badly injured.

"Who exactly are you? What business do you have at my Zhang Family?"

Zhang Tai, the Zhang Family Patriarch, clutched his chest and stared at the black-robed figures opposite him as he asked in a deep voice.

These people's strength was unfathomable.

They were at least capable of wiping out the Zhang Family, yet they had only injured people without killing them. Clearly, they were after something.

"Do you recognize this?"

The leading black-robed figure took out a black token bearing the mark of a vicious ghost. At a single glance, an evil aura rushed forth. It was obviously nothing proper.

"The Charm Clan Token!"

The moment they saw the token, both the Zhang Family Patriarch and the clan elders still coughing blood underwent a drastic change in expression.

Within the Zhang Family, there was a great secret passed down by word of mouth.

Only those at the level of Patriarch and elder were permitted to know it.

The Zhang Family's ancestors had once been glorious, but the reason behind that glory would leave them infamous for ten thousand years if it got out—and bring the danger of clan extermination.

Because their ancestors had belonged to a sect that colluded with an alien race.

The Gu Xin Sect was notorious and remained listed on the Xia Clan's Kill List even now.

"Y-you... are you people from the Charm Clan?"

Zhang Tai's voice had turned dry and trembled.

Several centuries ago, after a great upheaval that destroyed the Gu Xin Sect, a group of Zhang Family ancestors had left the sect, concealed their names and identities, and long since cut off all contact with the Charm Clan.

Though they had declined as a result and lost their former prestige, it had not necessarily been a bad thing. It was a new beginning.

Yet somehow, the other side had found their way back to them.

"That's right. We are the Charm Clan."

The black-robed figure nodded and spoke calmly.

"W-what have you come for this time?"

Zhang Tai's expression grew even more grave.

Whatever the alien race had come for, he felt it could not possibly be anything good.

Everything was well with the Zhang Family now, and they were only growing stronger. No matter what had happened in the past, he had no desire to become entangled with an alien race again.

"I am a Charm Clan Protector. By order of the clan elders, I have come specifically to take over the former followers of the Gu Xin Sect, revive the Gu Xin Sect, and bring you back into the embrace of the Charm God!"

As expected!!

The light in Zhang Tai's eyes contracted violently.

The Charm Clan's intentions sent a chill through his heart.

Were they determined not to let the Zhang Family off? Or was the Zhang Family simply too useful, too convenient to use?

They had come all the way to Human Clan territory and sought them out directly.

If you people are so capable, why not find yourselves some new lackeys?

Or go find someone else!

Quite a few people had escaped from the Gu Xin Sect back then.

Several centuries had already passed. Why were they still thinking about the Zhang Family?!

Bastards!

"Before coming here, I reviewed the records. One of your Zhang Family ancestors was, at the very least, one of the pillars of the Gu Xin Sect. How is it that after all these years, his descendants have become so useless? Not to mention a Half-step King, you do not even have a Xiantian Invincible. There is only one Innate Ninth Level. Weak—far too weak!"

The black-robed figure continued, shaking his head in deep disappointment.

Blood surged into Zhang Tai's darkened face, making it look even worse.

Not only were they going to be used, they were going to be humiliated as well.

If he could have beaten them, he would have exploded already!

His temper was not good to begin with!

"Now, you have two choices. First, submit. Second, die!"

"Choose!"

The black-robed figure presented the choices again.

His voice was cold and merciless.

Silence!

The Zhang Family members looked at one another wordlessly.

After a long while, they lowered their heads helplessly, indicating their willingness to return to the embrace of the Charm God.

Circumstances were beyond their control.

With a blade at their throats, they had no choice at all.

"This time, our clan has returned to the Xia Clan in order to use the vast population resources of you Human Clan to lay the foundations of the Great Dao for our clan's ten Holy Sons and Holy Daughters. I assume you have not forgotten what needs to be done?"

The black-robed figure sat in the seat of honor, looking down at Zhang Tai and the clan elders, who stood obediently in two rows below.

Zhang Tai hesitated for a moment, then finally shook his head with a bitter expression.

To be honest.

They did not know what to do!

The cooperation between the Charm Clan and the Gu Xin Sect had been cut off for centuries. So much time had passed that, if Innate experts did not enjoy long lives, perhaps no one would even know of it anymore!

As for the specific details, the generation of the Zhang Family that had participated in the Gu Xin Sect's cooperation with the Charm Clan had treated the matter as taboo and refused to mention it much. After they died, no one knew the details anymore!

"Humph!"

The black-robed figure snorted coldly.

He was dissatisfied that the Zhang Family had forgotten even the task entrusted to them by the Charm Clan, but he did not dwell on it.

He had come to the Zhang Family to make them work. This was not the time to settle accounts.

"Souls brimming with vigorous desire are what our clan needs. I need your Zhang Family to cultivate such souls for our clan outside, then bring them back here once they mature for our clan's Holy Sons to enjoy!"

A ghostly gleam flashed through the exposed eyes of the black-robed figure, carrying an indescribable wickedness.

His voice was grating, leaving people restless and uneasy.

Zhang Tai and the others' hearts all skipped a beat.

Cultivating souls filled with desire—though they did not know how such souls were cultivated, merely hearing the name told them it was no good thing.

And they were meant for the Holy Sons to enjoy. Did that not mean they would be eaten?

If the Xia Clan discovered such a thing, the Zhang Family would truly die without even a burial place.

Sure enough, cooperating with an alien race was no good thing.

"Of course, those who work for the Charm Clan will not be denied benefits. Before long, I guarantee that every one of you present can reach Xiantian Invincible. Even becoming a Half-step King is not impossible!"

If you wanted the horse to run, naturally you had to feed it grass!

The black-robed figure made his guarantee.

Zhang Tai and the others felt slightly better.

Though being forced to work filled them with rage, receiving a sweet date at the end was at least some small comfort.