Harboring Resentment

Although Chen Yuan did not know any lightness skill, the explosive power brought by the Surging Waves, Flowing Clouds Formula was astonishing, allowing him to unleash extreme speed for brief periods.

The Zhu father and son did not know any lightness skill either. After chasing him down one street, they had already lost sight of Chen Yuan.

Neither dared continue the pursuit, afraid Chen Yuan would pull another tiger away from the mountain and return to Zhu Family Manor to assassinate the third son, Zhu Chengze.

By the time they returned to the Zhu Family, they did not even have time to collect Zhu Chengguo's body.

Of course, they could not have collected it anyway.

He had become a pile of human fragments. They would probably have needed a spoon to scoop him up.

When they returned to the Zhu Family, Zhu Chengze was unharmed, but the Zhu Family itself was on the verge of falling apart.

A large number of retainers fled in panic, and Zhu Chengze could not stop them even if he tried.

The two battles today had not broken Zhu Chaofeng, but they had broken the Zhu Family's retainers.

The Zhu Family, which had once lorded over Lone Mountain City, had proven almost utterly vulnerable before a true expert.

Zhu Chengguo, whose strength was second only to Zhu Chaofeng's, had been blasted into minced flesh in two moves. How were they supposed to fight this?

The other party clearly intended to wipe out the entire Zhu Family. They were not surnamed Zhu, so why should they stay and die alongside the Zhu Family?

"Why are you running? I, Zhu Chaofeng, am still alive. The Zhu Family has not fallen apart yet, and you already think we are about to be destroyed?"

Zhu Chaofeng stood before the gates of Zhu Family Manor, glaring viciously at the retainers trying to flee.

"Earlier, I miscalculated. I did not expect the intruder to be so formidable, and that led to the deaths of the second and fourth sons.

"But he will not get another chance! So long as I, Zhu Chaofeng, remain, the Zhu Family will not fall!

"For all these years, the Zhu Family has spent money supporting you. You have eaten well and drunk richly under our banner, yet now, at the first setback, you wish to scatter and flee. Is this how you repay the Zhu Family?

"You may leave today if you wish, but you know the Zhu Family's temper. Once we weather this calamity, do not dream of making a living anywhere around North Sea Market!

"On the other hand, if any of you are willing to share hardship with the Zhu Family, the Zhu Family will likewise never forget the favor you show us today.

"You will no longer be retainers of the Zhu Family, but Attendants and guest elders. We will share ruin and glory alike!

"The martial arts practiced by the Zhu Family will also be opened to you. When my fifth son, Zhu Chengzong, returns from the Radiant Extreme Sect, you will likewise be qualified to cultivate the techniques bestowed by the Radiant Extreme Sect!"

This combination of kindness and intimidation from Zhu Chaofeng truly managed to steady quite a few retainers.

In particular, his promise to open up the martial arts techniques greatly tempted them.

Even so, fewer than a hundred people were ultimately willing to remain.

After suppressing the retainers' rout, the three Zhu father and sons entered the Council Hall, where the atmosphere was oppressive to the extreme.

"Father, can you tell where this man comes from?"

After a long while, Zhu Chengan spoke.

Zhu Chaofeng shook his head. "I cannot, but he is certainly not from the One Qi Piercing Sun Alliance or the Murong Clan.

"Youzhou is only so large, and there are only so many factions beneath those two powers, yet none of them match him.

"But this man is definitely no bottom-rung wanderer of the martial world. To kill the second son in two moves—even if he used some secret method to stimulate his potential—is still exceedingly terrifying."

At this point, Zhu Chaofeng looked at Zhu Chengan and said gravely, "Eldest, from now on, you and I must stay together. We absolutely cannot separate.

"Today, he chose to flee when facing the two of us. That is enough to prove that two Qi Forging Realm martial artists still pose some deterrence to him.

"If we separate, he will surely break us one by one."

Zhu Chengan nodded, his face filled with panic and sorrow. "With such strength, even within the Murong Clan, he would be a core direct descendant. Why must he insist on making trouble for our Zhu Family?"

Even at a time like this, Zhu Chengan and Zhu Chaofeng still refused to admit that this calamity had been brought about because they had destroyed the Chu Family.

"If you ask me, this should be blamed on the fourth son!"

Zhu Chengze suddenly said from the side, "For all these years, the Chu Family had always been honest and obedient, humble beyond measure before our Zhu Family. They did not even dare let out a fart.

"Why did we need to slaughter the whole family of such honest people?

"Was it not because the fourth son took a fancy to the Chu Family's daughter and insisted on marrying her even after learning she was betrothed?

"Rejection was one thing, but he still had to egg you on, Father, to destroy the Chu Family just so he could vent his anger!

"And now look at this. Because of one woman, he dragged our Zhu Family into such a state. What a complete joke!"

Chen Yuan had frightened Zhu Chengze out of his wits, and his tone was full of resentment.

Father doted on the fourth son. Whatever the fourth son said, Father would do.

Back then, he had felt there was no need to destroy the Chu Family. It would only stir up needless trouble and make people say the Zhu Family acted with excessive ruthlessness and tyranny.

But Zhu Chengze had never held much status among the Zhu brothers, so he had not said much.

And now, destroying the Chu Family had brought them this disaster. The Zhu Family was about to be implicated in extermination!

"You beast! Your fourth brother is already dead, and you still blame him?"

Zhu Chaofeng directly hurled the teacup beside him at Zhu Chengze and cursed angrily:

"Over these years, has the Zhu Family destroyed only one Chu Family? How could one allow another to snore beside one's bed? Since the Chu Family dared defy the Zhu Family, they had to be destroyed! Now that we have suffered the slightest setback, you turn to blaming your own family. You will never amount to anything!"

"Father, please calm your anger. Third Brother was frightened too badly and spoke without thinking," Zhu Chengan hurriedly urged.

"Get out! Get the hell out!"

Zhu Chengze knew he had misspoken and did not dare argue. He slunk out of the Council Hall in disgrace.

Zhu Chaofeng panted heavily in rage, but his expression was somewhat complicated.

One reason for his fury was that he was angry at the third son for being so useless, still blaming his own fourth brother at a time like this.

The other was that he truly did regret destroying the Chu Family!

Though he spoke of not allowing another to snore beside one's bed, in truth, just as Zhu Chengze had said, the Chu Family was a group of timid, honest people who would never amount to anything and posed not the slightest threat to the Zhu Family.

So many factions in Linked Mountains City had been destroyed by the Zhu Family, yet they had left the Chu Family alone. Was that not because the Chu Family was obedient and cowardly?

Thus, Zhu Chaofeng had always been indifferent toward the Chu Family. Destroying them was fine, and leaving them alive was fine too—it all depended on his mood.

Had the fourth son, Zhu Chengzu, not been rejected in marriage and wanted to destroy the Chu Family to vent his anger, Zhu Chaofeng would never have touched them.

Had he known that casually destroying one Chu Family would bring such immense disaster, how could he possibly have acted?

"Eldest, what do you think?"

Zhu Chaofeng looked toward his eldest son.

Zhu Chengan's voice was hoarse as he said, "Father, we cannot hold on any longer. Not only is that bastard powerful, his methods are also vicious and unpredictable.

"First, he lured the snake from its hole and killed the fourth son and Uncle Zhou. Then he pulled the tiger from the mountain twice in succession, killing the second son while frightening the retainers out of their wits.

"Though we have temporarily steadied these retainers for now, who knows whether they will run again?

"Against an opponent like this, to be honest, I have no confidence in continuing to fight him. We should ask for help.

"When the fifth son returned last time, we hosted people from several major cities nearby. They all know that the fifth son became a direct disciple of the Radiant Extreme Sect.

"So long as we ask for help, they will definitely give the Zhu Family some face for the sake of the Radiant Extreme Sect.

"The Wang Family of South Mountain City, the Haichang Gang of Dongshan City, the Fish-Dragon Merchant Association of Twin Mountains City—so long as any one of these factions sends a Qi Forging Realm expert, it will be enough to deal with him."

"Those families will not release an eagle until they see the hare. Why would they readily come help our Zhu Family?

"Moreover, the Zhu Family has risen over these years by acting tyrannically. They likely harbor resentment toward us as well.

"Take the Wang Family of South Mountain City, for instance. Strictly speaking, the Chu Family was also related to the Wang Family by marriage. Destroying the Chu Family was no different from slapping the Wang Family across the face.

"If they learned of this matter, they would be too busy enjoying the spectacle. How could they help us?"

Zhu Chaofeng knew perfectly well what sort of reputation the Zhu Family had.

It was only that he had grown accustomed to being overbearing, and he had never considered changing.

"At this point, we can only offer them empty promises."

Zhu Chengan gave a bitter laugh. "Tell them that if they help us now, we will compensate them in the future with the techniques and pills the fifth son brings back from the Radiant Extreme Sect.

"Every one of those families is the sort to abandon righteousness at the sight of profit. They can still tell whether face or profit matters more."

Zhu Chaofeng frowned deeply. "The fifth son has competitors within the Radiant Extreme Sect as well. Those techniques and pills are not freely given; they must be exchanged for sect merit!

"Last time, I told him not to think about the family first, but to prioritize using his sect merit to strengthen himself. Yet now we are going to drag him down!"

"But if we do not do this, our Zhu Family may not survive this crisis!"

Zhu Chengan did not want to die. He earnestly persuaded him, "Father, so long as the green hills remain, there will be no shortage of firewood. Resolving the danger before us is what matters most."

After pondering for a moment, Zhu Chaofeng sighed. "Fine. Go make the arrangements. Since we are asking for aid, we might as well promise them more."

Hearing that his father had finally relented, Zhu Chengan immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

"Rest assured, Father. I will make the arrangements at once. There are still some relatively loyal men among the remaining retainers. To guard against every possibility, I will send extra people to each family."

With that said, Zhu Chengan immediately went out to make arrangements.

Only Zhu Chaofeng remained in the Council Hall, sitting there in a daze.

Losing two sons in a single day was no ordinary blow to Zhu Chaofeng.

He could not understand why the Zhu Family, which had been flourishing and prosperous only yesterday, had suddenly become like this.