Green Yang City, the Ye residence, the council hall.
Ye Cangqiong, patriarch of the Ye Lineage, sat in the seat of honor, with the elders seated on either side and the younger clansmen standing at the rear of the council hall.
The atmosphere throughout the council hall was exceptionally oppressive.
Everyone's gaze converged on a beam above the council hall, where a blood-dripping bronze token was embedded.
The bronze token radiated an eerie devilish glow, and an ancient character was branded upon it in blood: Refine!
The token exuded a profound devilish nature. Merely looking at it, everyone seemed to see a boundless sea of thick blood appear before their eyes, its nauseating stench drilling straight into their minds.
Most of the Ye clansmen looked slightly pale, their eyes filled with fear as they gazed at the token. Quite a few also instinctively looked toward a delicate-featured youth at the rear of the council hall.
The youth was about fourteen or fifteen, with a thin frame and a bitter smile tugging at his lips.
"The Ancient Desolate Sacred Body is cursed by heaven and earth. Its Wheel Sea lies dormant, harder than divine iron! The Lineage spent countless cultivation resources on me but still couldn't open it. This so-called Ancient Desolate Sacred Body is nothing but a crippled physique now! Blood Refining Hall wants to refine me into blood pills, so let me contribute something to the Lineage!" the youth said self-mockingly, sighing softly.
"Ye Hao, shut your mouth! As long as I, Ye Cangqiong, am alive, the Ye Lineage will never push one of its own into a devil's den!" Ye Cangqiong roared. A vast pressure surged from him, pressing down on everyone present until they could not speak.
A moment later, the Ye Lineage's grand elder asked Ye Cangqiong, "Patriarch, what did the Crimson Flame Ancient Sect say?"
Everyone turned their eyes toward Ye Cangqiong, their gazes filled with anticipation.
Ye Cangqiong drew a deep breath and sighed heavily. "Not long after I reported the matter of the Blood Refining Token, the Crimson Flame Ancient Sect publicly announced that they were severing all ties with our Ye Lineage! We've been abandoned!"
At his words, everyone's expression changed drastically, and cries of alarm escaped them.
"What? That's impossible!"
"The Crimson Flame Ancient Sect demanded so many cultivation resources from us in tribute every year, saying they would protect us. How can they do this now?"
"If the Crimson Flame Ancient Sect abandons us, what will the others who pay tribute think? Aren't they considering the consequences?"
"Daoist Blood Nether sent the Blood Refining Token from ten thousand li away, demanding Ye Hao by name to refine into blood pills! If we refuse, he'll wipe out our entire Ye Lineage! Blood Refining Hall is ruthless and notorious for its brutality! The Crimson Flame Ancient Sect is afraid!"
"Blood Refining Hall's hall master, Daoist Blood Nether, is a Devil Emperor, but the Crimson Flame Ancient Sect's sect master is also an Emperor. They might even have a Venerable Lord still alive! They have no reason to fear Blood Refining Hall!"
"I heard that the Hundred Refinements Devil Palace backing Blood Refining Hall has a Devil God presiding over it. The Crimson Flame Ancient Sect is unwilling to fight Blood Refining Hall to the death for our Ye Lineage, and they're even more afraid of provoking the Hundred Refinements Devil Palace behind it!"
"What a bunch of bastards!"
"All those years of tribute went to the dogs!"
"Even the Crimson Flame Ancient Sect has abandoned us. What should we do?"
Ye Cangqiong raised a hand and pressed it down, silencing the discussion. "No matter when, our Ye Lineage will never abandon a single clansman! Blood Refining Hall will send someone in three days. Presumably, Daoist Blood Nether won't come in person. At most, it'll be a branch master in the Marquis Realm! We may yet have a chance if we stake our lives on it!"
At his words, determination appeared in everyone's eyes.
The Ye Lineage's grand elder said solemnly, "No one in the Ye Lineage fears death! Whatever arrangements you make, Patriarch, we won't so much as furrow our brows!"
The other Ye elders also began discussing the matter. Under the pressure of a colossus like Blood Refining Hall, the entire Ye Lineage displayed unprecedented unity.
Warmth welled up in Ye Hao's heart. Looking at the clansmen ready to stake their lives, he laughed freely. "How fortunate I am to have been born into the Ye Lineage! The kindness the Ye Lineage has shown me weighs as heavily as a mountain. I cannot implicate the entire Lineage! If my life alone can buy peace for the whole Ye Lineage, my death will be worth it!"
Hearing this, Ye Cangqiong shot Ye Hao a glare and barked coldly, "You think you can throw your life away just because you want to? Did I agree? If you die, wouldn't all the cultivation resources our Ye Lineage has poured into you over the years go to waste?"
"Patriarch, just let me go! Between my death alone and the extermination of the Lineage, what is there to hesitate over? If I somehow survive but bring disaster upon the other Ye clansmen instead, I'll never have peace of mind for the rest of my life!" Ye Hao argued.
"Shut up!"
Ye Cangqiong roared, confining Ye Hao in place with an invisible field of pressure and preventing him from uttering another syllable.
Then Ye Cangqiong swept his gaze across the Ye clansmen and said with gratification, "Good! Not a single person suggested handing Ye Hao over. You've all done well!"
At this point, Ye Cangqiong's expression grew solemn, and he said gravely, "We must prepare for the worst!"
"Starting today, all Ye clansmen will scatter and leave the Ye residence. Go as far as you can!"
"I'll stay behind to cover the retreat! You old fellows must stake your lives when the time comes and do everything you can to protect the Ye Lineage's younger generation!"
"As long as our bloodline survives, our Ye Lineage will rise again sooner or later!"
"Whoever manages to survive must destroy Blood Refining Hall for me someday!"
"They dare set their sights on our Ye Lineage? Even if we know we're no match for them, we must tear a chunk of flesh from their bodies!"
All fear left the Ye clansmen, and each of their eyes shone with the resolve to seek life by plunging into death.
Jiang Chen arrived, his body merged with the void, just in time to witness this splendid scene. He could not help clicking his tongue in wonder.
A Lineage this united was truly rare!
Wasn't the protagonist supposed to suffer scorn and ridicule within his Lineage?
Otherwise, how would he slap their faces when he rose from adversity later?
This Lineage's style was a little off!
Still, that said, a Lineage like this really did make it easy to feel goodwill toward them!
"Clap! Clap! Clap!"
Clapping his hands lightly, Jiang Chen stepped out of the void and landed in the council hall. He praised them, "Good! Very good! It's been a long time since I've seen such an interesting Lineage!"
The expressions of everyone from the Ye Lineage in the council hall changed sharply. They stared at Jiang Chen as though facing a formidable enemy.
Quite a few instinctively manifested their True Spirit manifestations. Flames, saber light, sword shadows, and other manifestations gathered together in a magnificent spectacle.
Ye Cangqiong abruptly rose to his feet. A vast domain of flickering flames suddenly surged around him, protecting every Ye clansman in the council hall.
Only then did Ye Cangqiong's gaze settle on Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen wore robes whiter than snow and possessed a bearing as fine as jade. His features were exceedingly handsome, his eyes as deep as the starry sky. A calm, untroubled smile rested on his face, and a fresh, natural Dao resonance lingered around him.
Wasn't Blood Refining Hall a devil sect?
How could it have such a handsome youth?
Everyone's heart was filled with confusion. Ye Cangqiong asked gravely, "I am Ye Cangqiong. May I ask whether you come from Blood Refining Hall?"