Prison Suppressing Pearl

Chapter 24: Prison Suppressing Pearl

"Street gossip—how could one possibly trust it?" Chang Tianxiong said with a smile. "Our Chang Family ancestor did indeed obtain some cultivation methods, but he himself came from a wealthy household. How could he have been some mountain village peasant?"

"But I heard that your Chang Family ancestor obtained more than just a few cultivation methods," Xu Zimo said with a smile.

Chang Tianxiong's hand, which had been holding his wine cup, suddenly paused. He smiled. "Rumors always grow more fantastical the further they spread. They cannot be taken seriously."

"I heard that your Chang Family ancestor also obtained a Heavenly Bead," Xu Zimo said with a smile. "Since I can speak of this matter, I naturally have solid proof."

Upon hearing Xu Zimo's words, Chang Tianxiong's thoughts instantly became clear.

Xu Zimo had come for the Heavenly Bead, but that bead was a matter from several centuries ago.

Other than the head of the Chang Family in each generation, no one should have known about it. How had Xu Zimo learned of it?

Their Chang Family ancestor had always left behind an ancestral instruction, saying that several centuries later, a Person of Destiny would arrive.

When that time came, the Chang Family was to present the Heavenly Bead to the Person of Destiny, then bring the entire clan to seek refuge with him.

That Person of Destiny would one day ascend to become a Great Emperor, and their Chang Family would also shine brilliantly in this era.

Chang Tianxiong had no idea whether Xu Zimo was the Person of Destiny, and he had a feeling that Xu Zimo was not the person they had been waiting for.

"What Heavenly Bead is Young Master Xu referring to? I truly do not know," Chang Tianxiong said, shaking his head.

"Why must Family Head Chang be so stubborn?" Xu Zimo said with a smile. "The Heavenly Bead may be good, but one must have the life to take it.

"Do not bury the Chang Family's centuries-old foundation over some insignificant object."

"What does this young master mean?" the Chang Family's First Elder said from the side. "Could it be that over some bead you made up out of thin air, your True Martial Sacred Sect intends to destroy our Chang Family? Our Chang Family has always supported the Sacred Sect. If, in the end, we are met with such a fate merely because of some baseless accusation—

"Then this old man will surely announce this matter to the world and let everyone judge the Sacred Sect's conduct.

"Or perhaps this matter has nothing to do with the Sacred Sect and is merely your own personal scheme."

Xu Zimo understood clearly now. He had no just cause, so the Chang Family felt secure and even wanted to wield righteousness under heaven as a shield.

"You misunderstand," Xu Zimo said with a smile. "Our Sacred Sect governs the ten thousand miles of rivers and mountains in this Far West Land. All of you who live in the Far West Land are subjects of the Sacred Sect.

"We cannot protect you quickly enough, so how could we harm you?"

"Then what did Young Master Xu mean by those words just now?" Chang Tianxiong asked.

"I meant nothing. I merely wonder whether Family Head Chang has considered such a possibility," Xu Zimo said with a smile after draining a cup of wine. "Today, I came to visit the Chang Family. We had a delightful conversation, and then I left the Chang Family.

"That night, a Man in Black suddenly arrived, slaughtered your Chang Family to the last man, and snatched away the Heavenly Bead.

"That matter would have nothing to do with our Sacred Sect. If anyone claimed that I ordered it, they would need to produce evidence. Otherwise, it would be slander.

"After some time passed, I captured that Man in Black and took the Heavenly Bead back from him.

"In the end, the Heavenly Bead would still return to my hands. The process would merely be a little more tortuous."

Hearing Xu Zimo's words, Chang Tianxiong's expression changed slightly. What he feared was neither hypocrites nor true villains.

What he feared were those who clearly held great power in their hands, yet insisted on refusing to follow the rules of the game.

This was a threat, a naked, undisguised threat.

If he did not hand over the Heavenly Bead today, a Man in Black would come tonight and wipe out the Chang Family.

Chang Tianxiong had not expected the other party to state it so brazenly, while leaving him unable to claim it had been done by someone from the Sacred Sect.

Willing to stop at nothing to achieve his goal, even despicable and shameless, yet exceptionally confident—this was Chang Tianxiong's impression of Xu Zimo.

"What does Young Master Xu mean by this?" Chang Tianxiong asked with an ugly expression.

"Nothing, nothing. Thank you for Family Head Chang's hospitality. I am full, and it is time for me to leave," Xu Zimo said as he rose to his feet. He then said to Feng Buyu, "Senior Brother Feng, go notify the people of the City Lord's Mansion. Tonight, no one is allowed to leave Tianjian City.

"Shut the city gates and wait until tomorrow morning."

Seeing that Xu Zimo was about to leave, Chang Tianxiong instantly panicked. He stood up and hurriedly said, "Young Master Xu, I suddenly remembered that our Chang Family seems to have a Round Bead, though I do not know whether it is the one you seek.

"If you need it, I will fetch it for you at once."

"Is that so? Family Head Chang, do not force yourself. I cannot rob others of what they love," Xu Zimo said with a smile.

"No, no. Wait here. I will fetch it immediately," Chang Tianxiong said before hurrying outside.

His heart was in turmoil. The moment Xu Zimo left, he suddenly felt as though a great calamity was about to descend upon him.

Although the ancestral instruction left behind by their forefather was important, he could not allow the Chang Family to be destroyed in his hands.

Otherwise, he would become the sinner of the entire Chang Family.

Not long after Chang Tianxiong left, he returned carrying a box.

The box appeared ancient, and an image of a suit of armor was painted upon it.

The box was deep black. Chang Tianxiong handed it to Xu Zimo and said, "Young Master Xu, have a look. Is this the one you wanted?"

Xu Zimo opened the box. Inside lay, unexpectedly, a dark yellow Round Bead, its surface carved with countless chaotic, tangled patterns.

Lin Ruhu looked at the bead and asked curiously, "Why does this bead look so familiar? It feels like I have seen it somewhere before."

Xu Zimo merely smiled without speaking and put the bead away.

Of course it looked familiar, because this bead's true name was the Prison Suppressing Pearl.

Back when Xu Zimo was in the Gravity Tower, he had seized a Prison Suppressing Pearl from Cui Yuan.

This was the second one.

Xu Zimo nodded and said with a smile, "Then I must thank Family Head Chang."

"It is nothing, it is nothing," Chang Tianxiong said hurriedly, shaking his head with a smile. "This bead has remained in our Chang Family for centuries, yet no one knew what use it had.

"Now that it has fallen into your hands, Young Master, perhaps it will shine brilliantly."

Afterward, Xu Zimo bade Chang Tianxiong farewell and left the Chang Family with his group.

As Chang Tianxiong watched their departing backs, he slammed his palm heavily onto the table beside him.

With a bang, the table shattered into pieces. The teacups atop it crashed into fragments, and Chang Tianxiong's expression was dark and terrifying.

After leaving the Chang Family, Xu Zimo was in high spirits. This item was of utmost importance to him, and now he was close to gathering them all.

He said to Hei Shisan, "Before the sun rises tomorrow morning, I do not want to see the Chang Family still existing in this world."

Hearing Xu Zimo's words, everyone around him was shocked.

"Junior Brother Zimo, didn't the Chang Family already give you the Heavenly Bead? Why do you still want to wipe out their entire clan?" Guan Zhenhai asked hesitantly from the side.