Meanwhile, elsewhere.
Deep within the Zhao Household's estate in Zichuan City, inside a magnificent hall.
The Zhao Household patriarch sat upright in a wooden chair, dressed in luxurious robes. His face was grim as he silently regarded the many Zhao Household elders.
Only moments ago, news of the Zhao Household's defeat in Qiao Town had spread through its affiliated forces that had fled ahead of time.
Now, all of Zichuan City, including the Zhao Household itself... had descended into utter chaos!
Many residents of Zichuan City had begun leaving in droves. Amid the chaos, martial artists were killing and setting fires, while others took advantage of the disorder to steal and plunder...
The Zhao Household had lost control of Zichuan City.
After all, its defeat in Qiao Town also meant that the Lin Household would soon march into Zichuan City.
According to past custom, whenever forces fought one another, the capture of an enemy's town would be followed by a great slaughter.
"Patriarch, Qiao Town is only a few hundred li from our Zichuan City... Two days have passed since the news reached us."
"The Lin Household could arrive in Zichuan City at any moment. Our Zhao Household must make plans early."
"This time, our Zhao Household has lost nearly twenty thousand armored guards and more than ten immortal cultivators... We can safely say the tide has turned against us!!"
"If we stay here waiting for death, I'm afraid even our lineage will be wiped out!"
A Zhao Household immortal cultivator at the Skin Refining Realm stepped forward and spoke, his face full of terror.
As soon as he finished, the other Zhao Household immortal cultivators and many of its elders all voiced their agreement.
"Patriarch!!"
"The situation is against our Zhao Household. Our only choice now is to abandon Zichuan City and move our people at once."
"This old woman suggests leaving some of our people in the city as bait to draw the Lin Household's attention."
"As for the rest, it would be best to split them into several groups and send them in every direction... Let each group flee for its life!"
"As for how many of our people can ultimately be saved, let heaven decide."
An elderly Zhao with graying hair stepped forward and calmly laid out a plan.
Hearing this, the Zhao Household patriarch sighed and spoke with a hint of despair.
"It's too late..."
"By now, I'm afraid plenty of forces are keeping watch outside Zichuan City. If our Zhao Household dares to leave, we'll be stopped by forces from every side in an instant!"
"Especially those immortal cultivation forces that didn't follow our Zhao Household. They certainly won't stand by and watch our people leave..."
"With our Zhao Household in decline and the Lin Household rising, they happen to need a pledge of loyalty, one that will quickly show the Lin Household their submission and let them continue to survive on this land!!"
"And that pledge is the blood and heads of our entire Zhao Household..."
The Zhao Household patriarch's voice was low. He saw everything with perfect clarity.
The laws of this land were just that cruel.
When forces fought, a loss... was a total loss!
No matter how glorious or powerful one had once been, when the wall fell, everyone would rush to give it a shove.
At this, the Zhao Household patriarch braced himself against his wooden chair. It was as though all the strength had been drained from his body. With great difficulty, he straightened up and continued.
"If we leave Zichuan City now, our Zhao Household will only perish faster..."
"Do you know why?"
Most of the Zhao Household elders looked bewildered at his words.
They had become birds startled by the mere twang of a bowstring, thinking of nothing but fleeing for their lives at every moment. If not for their fear of the Zhao Household patriarch's fearsome reputation, built up over many years, and his Bone Refining cultivation... they would have fled long ago!
Only a few of the Zhao Household elders remained calm, but even they did not quite understand what the patriarch meant.
"Alas..."
The Zhao Household patriarch let out another long sigh, a trace of melancholy appearing in his eyes.
"Because of the Lin Household..."
"Those forces are wary of the Lin Household. Otherwise, they would have stormed into Zichuan City long ago and plundered the foundations our Zhao Household has accumulated."
"They've surrounded Zichuan City and won't let our people escape. Before the Lin Household arrives... no one should even think of leaving Zichuan City."
"Our Zhao Household's nearly twenty thousand armored guards and more than ten immortal cultivators... have yet to return. They are almost certainly lost."
"With the little strength our Zhao Household has left, we cannot fight our way out..."
"The Bai Household, the Xu Household and the Zhou Household all have Bone Refining Realm cultivators holding the fort. Do you really think I alone can hold off at least three Bone Refining Realm cultivators?"
As the Zhao Household patriarch's voice echoed through the hall, it fell so silent one could have heard a pin drop.
A dead end... The Zhao Household had truly reached a dead end!!
Only after a moment did another Zhao Household elder speak.
"Our Zhao Household was too arrogant, too careless..."
"When you sent the third elder out, saying you wanted to annex Qiao Town, I was against it from the start!!"
"Whatever else you say about the Lin Household, it once produced an Organ Refining Realm cultivator, and it has always had countless ties to the Falling Rosy Clouds Sect."
"Even if the current Lin Household ancestor had terrible aptitude and only entered the Falling Rosy Clouds Sect thanks to an Immortal Ascension Token, and was even driven out of the sect... who can guarantee the Lin Household has no other foundations to draw on?"
"Now it's all over! Our Zhao Household has finally brought a great disaster upon itself!!"
"The household's entire foundation has been destroyed by your hands!"
The Zhao Household elder who spoke was agitated. His whole body trembled, as though he might faint at any moment.
Faced with his scolding, none of the Zhao Household elders, including the patriarch, argued back.
What he said was the truth.
"Enough. The fault is all mine... all mine!!"
The Zhao Household patriarch gritted his teeth. He did not shirk any of the responsibility.
At this point, there was no longer any meaning in shirking it.
But the next second, the Zhao Household patriarch abruptly changed tack. As though he had suddenly thought of something, he spoke in a hoarse voice.
"Pass down my order. Mobilize all the strength of the household... and hold Zichuan City at all costs!!"
"I'll write a letter at once and send word to the Song Household!"
"Our ancestor once did the Song Household patriarch a favor. As long as the Song Household patriarch is willing to intervene and mediate... our Zhao Household will lose Zichuan City at most, and there is still a chance we can preserve our lineage."
A clamor erupted!!
The moment the Zhao Household patriarch finished speaking, the ashen-faced elders seemed to have grasped their last life-saving straw!
The Song Household of Thousand Rocks City! It was a household that had produced a Spirit Nourishing cultivator! Its power was also several times greater than the Zhao Household's.
The Song Household controlled three cities! Thousand Rocks City alone had a population of three hundred thousand!
The Song Household's sphere of influence stretched across nearly two thousand li, and the total population under its rule... exceeded four million at least!
"That's wonderful!"
"If the Song Household intervenes, the Lin Household surely won't dare touch our Zhao Household!!"
"Patriarch, please send word at once."
A Zhao Household immortal cultivator at the Skin Refining Realm was brimming with excitement.
He was still young, and there was a good chance he would reach Blood Refining, Bone Refining... or even Organ Refining in the future!
He had yet to enjoy the beauties of the world, power or wealth. Of course he was unwilling to be buried alongside the Zhao Household.