Then Let's Cut Them All Down

The valley fell silent once more.

Wu Jiuyan, one of the Wu Clan's Three Great Prodigies, had been the first to be cut down.

Then the Wu Family Head had been cut down too.

Whether for the Five Great Families or the rogue cultivators who had come to watch the excitement, what had happened was utterly shocking.

By now, aside from the rogue cultivators who had come to watch, only the Lin Family and the Wu Clan among the Five Great Families still didn't know Shen Zhou's identity.

After the gathering fell quiet for a moment, an elder among the many fallen Wu Clan members struggled to his feet despite his injuries. He looked at Shen Zhou and asked indignantly, "Who are you, exactly?"

After killing the Wu Family Head with a single sword strike, Shen Zhou had lost his opponent, and the Entry's power had quickly faded away. Though he was only at the Blood Coagulation Fourth Realm, he had fought one battle after another, and was feeling somewhat worn out.

Hearing the Wu Clan elder's question, Shen Zhou simply replied, "Shen Zhou."

The Wu Clan elder's face stiffened.

The crowd around them erupted.

"What? He's Shen Zhou? The Qin Family's Sword Drawer?"

"So it really is him. People have been saying that the Qin Family Divine Weapon can instantly boost the strength of whoever wields it. I guess it's true!"

"Unbelievable!"

The gathering erupted into a commotion.

Lin Yuling, the Lin Family's little girl, gaped in shock. "He's the Qin Family's Sword Drawer?"

Beside her, Lin Fang was dumbfounded.

What?

He was Shen Zhou?

The Qin Family's Sword Drawer?

I even beat him up at the inn earlier.

"Oh no. Is he going to come after me for revenge next?" Lin Fang panicked.

Just then, the Qin Family members entered the scene.

Seeing how tired Shen Zhou looked, Qin Fenglan worried that something might happen to him. She led all the Qin Family members over, then bowed in front of everyone present and called out, "Family Head!"

The Qin Family members followed suit, bowing together.

The sight was deeply shocking and striking.

The onlookers were stunned.

This guy wasn't just the Qin Family's Sword Drawer—he was the Qin Family Head, too?

The Wu Clan elder stared at Qin Fenglan in disbelief and gritted his teeth. "Has the Qin Family really thought this through? He killed our Family Head. This is a blood feud! You're stepping forward now to recognize him as your Family Head. Does the Qin Family want war with the Wu Clan?"

The other families held their breath, waiting to see how the Qin Family would respond.

If Shen Zhou had displayed the strength of a scion of a great family while wielding the sword today, the Five Great Families would undoubtedly have joined forces to suppress the Qin Family and ensure it could never rise again.

But Shen Zhou's full strength while wielding the sword had far exceeded their expectations.

Heavenly Firmament!

No family could afford to underestimate such power.

Even those who had Heavenly Firmament experts of their own had no choice but to take it seriously.

Qin Fenglan, however, stood firm without hesitation. "What our Family Head says goes for the Qin Family. First, your Wu Clan bullied our young Family Head. Then you used your strength to bully someone weaker and attacked him in front of everyone. Even if your Wu Clan is willing to let this go, the Qin Family won't!"

"You..."

The Wu Clan elder trembled.

He hadn't expected the Qin Family's stance to be so resolute.

Even less had he expected them to twist the truth and smear the Wu Clan instead.

Overcome with rage, the Wu Clan elder spat out a mouthful of blood.

By then, Shen Zhou had swallowed some medicinal herbs and refined their energy. He had recovered, and now he looked at the Wu Clan elder and said, "If the Wu Clan still wants to cause me trouble, then let's cut them all down."

As he spoke, Shen Zhou was about to move. The light of the Taixuan Sword flared again.

Those around him shuddered at his words.

Kill more?

You're not leaving them any room at all. Do you mean to wipe out the entire Wu Clan?

The Qin Family members were startled, too. Qin Yuanshan hurriedly urged him, "Family Head, you can't. If you attack now, there'll really be no way back."

Shen Zhou looked at Qin Yuanshan in confusion.

Since the two families were already sworn enemies, why not take the chance to kill a few more and weaken them? What were they waiting for?

Besides, if they didn't act now, would that really undo what had happened?

Perhaps seeing Shen Zhou's confusion, Qin Yuanshan explained, "Family Head, feuds between great families aren't that simple, even when it comes to revenge. For now, don't act rashly. I'll explain it all once we get back."

Shen Zhou shrugged. "I don't mind either way. The Wu Clan will target your Qin Family first when they retaliate. If you're not worried, why should I be?"

Qin Yuanshan said helplessly, "Family Head, it's our Qin Family."

Shen Zhou acted as if he hadn't heard.

The Wu Clan members then struggled to their feet. Those with lighter injuries supported those who were more badly hurt, and they all left together.

Before leaving, the Wu Clan elder declared, "Our Wu Clan will never let this go."

Shen Zhou glanced at Qin Fenglan and asked again, "Are you sure we shouldn't cut them all down?"

She smiled faintly and shook her head.

The Wu Clan elder was genuinely afraid Shen Zhou might ignore everything and attack, so he hurriedly led his people away.

At last, things between Shen Zhou and the Wu Clan were over.

Only then did the Three Little Ones and Dongfang Hongyu dare to emerge from the crowd. They had been afraid the Wu Clan would use them to threaten Shen Zhou, so they hadn't dared show their faces at the gathering.

When they met up, A Dai asked Shen Zhou if he was hurt.

Shen Zhou grinned. "That old Wu Clan dog wasn't strong enough to hurt me."

The Three Little Ones finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The Qin Family members beside them exchanged looks.

What their Family Head said was true, but why did it sound like he was showing off?

Qin Fenglan then said to Shen Zhou, "Family Head, since you're all right, let's head to the Qin Family's area and rest for a while. Next, it'll be our Qin Family's business with the Xu Family."

Shen Zhou nodded; he had no objection. But then he remembered something and said, "Oh, right. Speaking of the Xu Family, someone over there still owes me something. I'll get it back first."

With that, Shen Zhou carried the Taixuan Sword toward the Xu Family's sunshade.

The Qin Family members were taken aback.

Someone from the Xu Family owed him something?

The Xu Family.

Beneath the sunshade.

"Do you think that was all the strength that boy surnamed Shen had?"

Thinking of the Wu Clan's pathetic retreat, the Xu Family Head narrowed his eyes slightly and asked those around him.

The Xu Family members froze at his words.

What did their Family Head mean? Was he saying that the sword strike just now still hadn't been Shen Zhou's full strength?

Xu Baxia knitted his brows and asked, "Father, do you mean the Qin Family Divine Weapon might be able to raise Shen Zhou's strength even further?"

The Xu Family Head said nothing. His expression shifted, making it hard to read what he was thinking.

From the strike Shen Zhou had used to cut down the Wu Family Head, it was clear that no ordinary Heavenly Firmament Realm expert could unleash such power.

The First Heavenly Firmament Realm was Heavenly Firmament.

But the Ninth Heavenly Firmament Realm was Heavenly Firmament, too.

Just how strong could Shen Zhou become while wielding the Qin Family Divine Weapon? It was impossible to estimate.

What if he was stronger than their own Heavenly Firmament expert?

It was a question worth pondering—and a thorny one.

As the Xu Family members weighed the question, someone suddenly spotted Shen Zhou approaching with a sword in hand and cried out in alarm, "Look! That kid's coming over with his sword. What's he planning?"

The Xu Family members looked up abruptly, and quite a few panicked.

A cold glint flashed in the Xu Family Head's eyes. He snapped, "What are you panicking for? Pull yourselves together. If outsiders see you, they'll think the Xu Family is afraid of some young brat."

The Xu Family members hurriedly forced themselves to calm down, pretending nothing had happened.

The Xu Family Head sat in the seat of honor. As Shen Zhou approached, he calmly asked, "The Grand Tournament is about to begin. May I ask why the Young Head of Qin Family has suddenly come over?"

Shen Zhou's gaze swept across the Xu Family crowd. When he spotted Xu Liansheng, he pointed at him. "I'm not here to offer any advice. That guy owes me something, so I've come to collect."

Xu Liansheng was suddenly exposed to the Xu Family's gaze. He looked flustered, then stammered, "I... What do I owe you?"

Shen Zhou gave a cold laugh. He twirled the Taixuan Sword in his hand and said, "Looks like your memory's not so good. Want me to help you remember what you promised when you begged me to spare you on Martial Hall Street?"

Memories of the past came back to attack Xu Liansheng.

Back on Martial Hall Street, when he'd begged for mercy, he'd promised to bring out the second half of the Wild Desolate Art. Shen Zhou had told him he'd ask for it the next time they met—and if Xu Liansheng dared to deceive him, he'd come to collect in person.

Xu Liansheng hadn't expected the guy to actually come asking for it!

He glanced at the Taixuan Sword in Shen Zhou's hand, then thought of the Wu Family Head who'd just been cut down. He immediately fell silent.

The Xu Family Head also recalled that this had indeed happened.

If the incident with the Wu Clan hadn't happened, the Xu Family Head might have treated Shen Zhou as a joke. But now...

After a moment's silence, the Xu Family Head casually waved a hand and took out a book, then tossed it to Shen Zhou with a smile. "The young ones in our clan gave you plenty of trouble earlier. Please accept this technique as an apology to the Young Head of Qin Family."

Shen Zhou caught the manual and saw that it was the complete Wild Desolate Art. Holding the book, he waved to the Xu Family Head and praised him, "Now that's generous, Xu Family Head. You're much better than that guy surnamed Wu. When I fight your Xu Family members later, I'll go easy on them."

Watching Shen Zhou walk away, the Xu Family Head's gaze darkened.

Many of the Xu Family members were furious.

"Damn it, that kid's too arrogant! He actually came to our door and extorted the Qin Family Technique in front of everyone. It's downright despicable!"

"He's only throwing his weight around because of the Qin Family Divine Weapon. Otherwise, I could crush him with one hand!"

Xu Baxia also rose, his eyes flashing. "Father, let me fight him. The Qin Family Divine Weapon may be powerful, but he can't use it without limit, can he? Maybe I can beat him!"

The Xu Family Head was already in a bad mood, but one of his clansmen's remarks suddenly made his eyes light up. "It's only a technique. We can give it to them. This negotiation doesn't matter either. What matters is that one thing you said just now was right: that kid's only so arrogant because he has the Qin Family Divine Weapon. But what if... he no longer had it?

"Or what if the Qin Family Divine Weapon became the Xu Family Divine Weapon? What do you think?"

Xu Baxia and the other Xu Family members all froze at those words.

Did their Family Head mean to...