After scrambling and crawling out of the rear courtyard, the gratitude on the old man's face vanished in an instant, replaced by a savage, sinister look. Even the aura around him changed with it.
But that change flashed by and was gone. The old man returned once more to the image of a marketplace merchant, his smiling expression restored, as if nothing had happened just now.
In the east of Pingyang City stood a complex of pavilions and courtyards backed by mountains and bordered by water, occupying nearly one-fifth of the city's eastern district. Above its imposing main gate hung a plaque, written in small seal script with the words "Zhou Mansion."
The renowned Divine Blade Zhou Family of Shanxi's martial world was located here, its legacy having been passed down for more than two hundred years.
The current family head, Zhou Wenyuan, had surpassed his predecessors. Not only did his martial prowess awe all quarters, he had also managed the Zhou Family with remarkable success, turning it into one of the ten great martial families and the undisputed foremost power in Pingyang's martial world.
And yet the Zhou Wenyuan of the moment wore a bitter expression, without the slightest trace of his usual high spirits.
"I invited you all here today because I'm sure everyone understands the situation. Both the orthodox and unorthodox sides are arriving one after another. Our peaceful days are over.
"The bloody storm of the jianghu has already swept in. The Mount Heng Sect has chosen to avoid the brunt for now, and Pingyang will soon become a battlefield where the orthodox and unorthodox sides clash.
"If we continue to remain neutral, I fear we'll suffer attacks from both sides. If we want to preserve our legacies in these chaotic times, we have only