Refusal

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Zhang Yunhao smiled—a deeply mocking smile. "Have you all changed your minds?"

The Clan Leader and Liang Dong both looked somewhat embarrassed. They had just said they wouldn't regret it, and now their words had come back to slap them in the face!

The Clan Leader was thick-skinned. "We do regret it. We were in the wrong before, and we'll certainly compensate you."

"Sorry, I don't want your compensation. And your regret has only just begun! You'll have plenty of chances to regret this in the future!"

Zhang Yunhao snorted and declared resolutely, "I said it already: from today on, Zhang Yunhao has nothing to do with the Zhang Clan. I'm no longer one of them! And I won't be joining the Heavenly Fist Sect!"

Everyone was stunned. Zhang Yunhao was still choosing to leave the Zhang Clan? And he was even refusing to join the Heavenly Fist Sect so decisively?

The Clan Leader's expression turned cold. "You were raised by our Zhang Clan. Everything you have belongs to the Zhang Clan. Are you really going to leave us and repay our kindness with betrayal? Think carefully. There's no going back!"

Liang Dong's face was equally gloomy. "You'd better think it through. Joining the Heavenly Fist Sect isn't something you can do whenever you want, and leaving isn't something you can do whenever you want, either!"

"You tried to kill me before. Now that you've seen me join the Demon Extermination Alliance, you're trying to win me over—and even threatening me. Who do you think you are? And who do you think I am, that you can order me around and bully me as you please?"

Zhang Yunhao first sneered, then spoke with ringing conviction. "I practice martial arts to live freely and settle my grudges. If I submit in a situation like this, what the hell am I practicing martial arts for?"

The Clan Leader was so furious that he shouted, "Fine, Zhang Yunhao! You've latched onto a powerful patron and betrayed your family! You're a heartless ingrate, a traitor to your ancestors! In my capacity as Clan Leader, I'm striking your name from the clan register! From now on, you're a beast without ancestors!"

Liang Dong said coldly, "Zhang Yunhao, you'll regret this."

"What a little beast!"

The Great Elder was also blazing with fury, his eyes full of Killing Intent. In their minds, treating Zhang Yunhao unfairly and even trying to kill him were only natural. But if he dared defy them, then he was lower than a dog or a pig!

Zhang Yunhao was livid and was about to curse them out when Lei Nu suddenly stepped forward and stared coldly at the Clan Leader and Great Elder. "You seem to have a problem with someone from our Demon Extermination Alliance?"

At the sight of Lei Nu stepping in, the Clan Leader and Great Elder—no matter how furious and resentful they were—could only lower their heads and keep their mouths shut. Even Liang Dong could only stay silent.

Lei Nu snorted at their reaction. "I'm warning you: Zhang Yunhao is now one of ours. If anyone dares harm him, the Demon Extermination Alliance will show no mercy."

The Clan Leader, Great Elder, and Liang Dong gritted their teeth in secret, their hearts choked with frustration, but they didn't dare object. "We wouldn't dare!"

After intimidating the three, Lei Nu turned back and nodded at Zhang Yunhao, his manner warm and amiable.

The Demon Extermination Alliance was a complicated organization. Although Lei Nu and Nangong Ru had come to save Zhang Yunhao, if he chose to stay with the Zhang Clan, they would have left it at that and done nothing more.

But now Zhang Yunhao had severed ties with the Zhang Clan, and that changed things. He could become one of their true allies. Besides, the two of them were quite pleased by his unyielding nature!

"If you don't have even a shred of backbone, what's the point of practicing martial arts?"

"Third Uncle's got a disciple at last. What's the Zhang Clan, anyway? I'll find you a Great Grandmaster to be your master!"

Nangong Ru was very pleased. If anyone knew what she was thinking, they would all have been astounded. Above the Divine Sea realm came the Xiantian realm, and above that came the Grandmaster and Great Grandmaster realms. Even the Heavenly Fist Sect's leader was only a Great Grandmaster. Zhang Yunhao could actually have a Great Grandmaster as his master? What an incredible stroke of fortune!

If one could become a Great Grandmaster's disciple, what did it matter if one betrayed the Zhang Clan? Everyone would leave the clan at once!

Of course, no one—not even Zhang Yunhao—knew about this yet. Zhang Yunhao first thanked Lei Nu, then sneered at the Great Elder. "I told you that you wouldn't be able to kill me today!"

The Great Elder's face flushed red with rage, his veins bulging, but there was nothing he could do. This time, he truly couldn't kill Zhang Yunhao!

Quite a few people nearby wore mocking expressions. Weren't you, Great Elder, so capable? How come you were so pathetic now?

Just then, Liang Dong spoke up. "Constable Lei, there's something I don't understand. Since Zhang Yunhao is with the Demon Extermination Alliance, why did he hide his identity and take part in the Zhang Clan's contest?"

Members of the Demon Extermination Alliance were naturally free to join other sects, and the various sects would welcome them. But hiding their identity was another matter.

Lei Nu smiled. He had already prepared a suitable excuse before coming, but at that moment, Zhang Yunhao suddenly said, "Of course it was for official business!"

As he spoke, Zhang Yunhao suddenly leaned close to Lei Nu's ear and whispered something. Lei Nu was taken aback. "Is that really true?"

Zhang Yunhao stepped back and cupped his fists. "Constable Lei, I'll stake my life on it!"

Lei Nu didn't waste words. He used his lightness skill, his tall, burly body flying toward the spectator seats as if it weighed nothing. He pressed down with one large hand, and fierce internal energy enveloped Zhang Zhiyan and the other two. They felt as if a mountain were bearing down on them; even before his palm reached them, they could barely breathe.

This was the pressure of a Xiantian expert!

"Lei Nu, what are you doing?"

The Clan Leader and Great Elder were both furious, but they had no time to come to the rescue. Faced with the terrifying force that could wipe them out completely, Zhang Zhiyan and the other two couldn't think clearly. They immediately used everything they had to try to save their lives!

Their greatest weapon was their demonic art. Three streams of demonic energy rose from their bodies, helping them resist Lei Nu's pressure!

"So they really are demons! Thunderclap Palm!"

Lei Nu was a little surprised. He gave his palm a light shake, and his internal energy exploded like rolling thunder. All three let out shrill screams, spat blood, and collapsed.

The three who rushed over were all dumbfounded. Zhang Zhiyan and the other two were actually members of the Demon Sect? How was that possible? This was going to be a serious problem!

"They hid their identities to avoid alerting the enemy!"

Lei Nu motioned for Nangong Ru to come arrest the three, then addressed the Clan Leader and the others in an official manner. "This is official business. One of the three is a collateral member of your Zhang Clan. The Demon Extermination Alliance needs to search the Zhang Clan and see whether there are any other members of the Demon Sect."

The Clan Leader and Great Elder's faces darkened. Zhang Zhiyan was a collateral member of the Zhang Clan, so the Demon Extermination Alliance's search was entirely justified. They couldn't stop it.

But the search would cost the Zhang Clan a great deal of face. And if they found anyone else practicing demonic arts, it would be even worse.

In the Martial Immortal Empire, members of the Demon Sect were always killed to the last. In fact, even if the search turned up nothing else, the Zhang Clan would still have to pay a heavy price. After all, Zhang Zhiyan was a collateral member!

Just then, Zhang Yunhao walked over, looking kindly concerned. "Now you know what we came here to do, right? Although I'm no longer one of the Zhang Clan, you don't need to thank me for helping you catch a demon. This is what our Demon Extermination Alliance is supposed to do."

"You little beast..."

The Clan Leader and Great Elder nearly exploded with rage and glared at Zhang Yunhao. He ignored them and stood straight at Lei Nu's side. The Clan Leader and Great Elder were burning with fury, but there was nothing they could do.

Zhang Yunhao was no longer someone they could casually crush to death.