Chapter 104: A Conversation Between Powerhouses, The Primal Ban

"Wei Xinghe, the half-month deadline I gave you is up. Have you thought it over? Will you surrender, or will you stubbornly guard that treasure of yours and let your entire Wei family be buried with it?" The voice rumbled like rolling thunder, and one could tell from its immense aura that it could only belong to a true top-tier martial arts master.

The faces of the Wei family patriarch and the chief steward changed color slightly.

Wei Xinghe was, indeed, the name of the Wei family patriarch.

The Wei family patriarch took a deep breath and replied in a loud voice, "Enough with the nonsense. If you truly have the confidence, then come on in. If you want to seize my Wei family's wealth, let's see if you have the capability to do so!"

The patriarch's response carried a powerful aura, not inferior to the person outside.

He, too, was an incredibly formidable martial arts master.

"Hehe, Wei Xinghe, you are truly stubborn to the bitter end. Don't you fear that we will slaughter everyone in your Wei family, leaving not even a chicken or dog alive?" The voice continued.

"If you're so confident, then by all means, come in and give it a try!" Wei Xinghe retorted, showing no signs of backing down.

The voice fell silent for a moment, as if surprised that Wei Xinghe remained so defiant even at this juncture.

At this moment, the room was enveloped in silence, as no one dared to interrupt the conversation between these two top-tier martial arts masters.

After a while, the voice spoke again, "Wei Xinghe, you're just deluding yourself, hoping that the elder of your Wei family is still alive.

Let me tell you the truth—your Wei family's elder had his heart meridian struck by that expert's innate sword qi. There's no way he could have survived. If you know what's good for you, surrender and hand over the treasure. That's the only way to leave a way out for your Wei family.

Otherwise, be prepared for the Wei family to be wiped out!"

However, the Wei family patriarch remained unmoved.

He said calmly, "It's simple—are you going to fight or not? If not, then shut up! You're nothing but a rat, hiding in the shadows and not even daring to show your true self. Do you think a few words will make my Wei family surrender?"

The voice hesitated, not expecting Wei Xinghe to be so stubborn and unfazed by threats.

Hearing the contempt in the other party's tone, he felt anger rising within him, and he almost wanted to ignore everything and engage Wei Xinghe in battle.

As an Internal Perfection-stage Grand Master martial artist, how could he not have a temper?

However, he suppressed his anger upon recalling the words of that expert.

Instead, he coldly laughed, "Wei Xinghe, go ahead and keep up your stubborn act. The only reason you're so fearless is that you've sent your wife and children out of the city, so you have no worries. But do you really think they can escape to the provincial capital safely?"

Hearing this, the Wei family patriarch could no longer maintain his calm expression.

His face paled, and he shouted angrily, "You dare to threaten women and children? For someone at the Grand Master level, a well-known figure, isn't that beneath you?"

"Hahaha..." The voice laughed arrogantly, "But a moment ago, weren't you calling me a rat? And now I'm a well-known figure? Wei Xinghe, guess whether you'll see the heads of your wife and children displayed at the entrance of your Wei family's mansion by this time tomorrow."

After speaking, the voice gradually faded away, and there was no further response.

"Wait!" The Wei family patriarch shouted urgently.

But the voice did not return, and it was unclear if the person chose not to pay any more heed or had already left.

Only the Wei family patriarch was left, shouting futilely.

"Master, what should we do now?" The chief steward beside him also looked anxious, his mind filled with confusion. "The secret underground passage in the mansion is dug very deep, and the exit is extremely well-hidden. How could they have found out about it?"

"There are only two reasons," the Wei family patriarch said, taking a breath to calm his mind and think. "The first is that there's an insider in the mansion who leaked the information about An'er and their whereabouts."

"That's impossible!" The chief steward refuted firmly. "I personally oversaw the arrangements for the departure of the mistress and the young master, and the guards protecting them are the most loyal ones in the mansion. They would never betray our Wei family!"

"Then, it must be the other reason."

The Wei family patriarch's face showed a complex mix of emotions. "We've underestimated the capabilities of Innate Realm beings. We thought we could hide from them with the secret passage, but perhaps our plans were never out of their sight from the very beginning."

The chief steward fell silent.

If that was the case, they truly had no recourse.

The Innate Realm was always shrouded in mystery, and their abilities were beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

Even they didn't fully understand what kind of capabilities Innate Realm beings possessed.

Chapter: The Veiled Threat

"Old Ancestor never showed these to us either."

"Then what about the Madam and Young Master? Did they really fall into their hands?" The Chief Steward asked.

"They probably haven't, otherwise, that person would have used An'er and the others to threaten us by now. It's clear that they've only sensed their trail but haven't captured them yet."

The Wei family patriarch was indeed no ordinary man. Though his mind had been shaken by the mysterious figure's words, he quickly calmed down and noticed something amiss.

"Then, should I go and support the Madam and the others, Master?" The Chief Steward asked urgently.

"No, the mansion can't do without you. The Silver Moon Battle Formation must be led by you to maximize its power. If you leave, our strength will be halved at least." The Wei family patriarch decisively replied, "Perhaps, that was the reason why that person deliberately mentioned An'er and their whereabouts, they want to lure you away!"

"But what about the Madam and the Young Master..."

"They can only rely on their own luck now! As members of the Wei family, they should always be prepared to sacrifice themselves for the family. If they really can't escape, then so be it." The Wei family patriarch sighed.

The Chief Steward fell silent. He didn't quite understand why the patriarch insisted on defending the ancestral home, choosing to fight to the death instead of retreating.

But as a member of the Wei family, the honor and martial arts he possessed were all thanks to the family. Since the patriarch had given the order, he would obey without question.

"Master, perhaps the situation isn't as dire as we think. The head guard escorting the Madam and the Young Master, Pang Zhan, is also an Internal Perfection-stage expert. With his leadership and the Silver Moon Guards, forming the Silver Moon Battle Formation, even an Internal Perfection Grand Master would find it hard to deal with them.

There's an edict from the provincial capital stating that Innate Realm beings are not allowed to attack those below their level. As long as the Innate Realm expert on the other side doesn't make a move, perhaps the Madam and the others still have a chance to escape."

After a moment of silence, the Chief Steward spoke up, offering a glimmer of hope.

"That's all we can hope for now." The Wei family patriarch sighed.

However, he knew that this hope was slim. While the Silver Moon Battle Formation was powerful, their opponents were also numerous and included several strong cultivators.

Just the mysterious figure from the other day was beyond the capabilities of Pang Zhan and his guards.

Now, they could only pray that those pursuing An'er and the others did not include Internal Perfection Grand Masters or higher. Otherwise, the patriarch wasn't sure what difficult choice he would have to make.

In the midst of anxious waiting, the Wei family patriarch endured an agonizing night.

The next day, when there was no unusual activity outside the mansion, he breathed a sigh of relief.

He knew that his wife and children were likely still safe, as the mysterious and arrogant figure from yesterday would have surely flaunted his triumph if they had been captured.

Another day passed without incident, and the patriarch's worries lessened significantly.

He was almost certain that his wife and children had successfully escaped.

Even the Chief Steward relaxed, his face reflecting his relief.

The Madam had once shown him great kindness, and now, knowing that she and the Young Master were likely safe, the anxiety that had filled his mind finally eased.

The influential powers within the county had also been closely monitoring the situation at the Wei mansion over the past two days.

The conversation between the Wei family patriarch and the mysterious figure had resonated throughout the city.

Everyone knew that someone was pursuing the Wei family's Madam and Young Master.

Speculation ran rampant as to whether they would wake up one morning to find the bodies or captives of the Madam and Young Master displayed outside the Wei mansion.

Surprisingly, two days passed without any signs of trouble.

Even the mysterious figure from before had not reappeared.

Could it be that the Wei family's Madam and Young Master had actually escaped? Everyone began to wonder.

"Zhirui, what do you think? Did the Wei family's Madam and Young Master successfully escape, or were they captured?"

In the County Governor's mansion, a handsome middle-aged man with phoenix eyes sat at a chess table, a chess piece pinched between his fingers as he addressed the man sitting across from him.

"How would I know when even you, as the county governor, are unaware?" the man in plain clothes sitting across from him replied indifferently.

"You're being too modest. Everyone knows that your Sky Tower has the best intelligence network in the world. There's nothing that escapes your eyes. Compared to you, my position as a county governor is insignificant." The phoenix-eyed man smiled as he placed the chess piece on the board.

"While my Sky Tower does have extensive intelligence, we never interfere in the disputes between families and sects. So, you won't find any useful information here."

Chapter: The Mysterious Figure's Intentions

The man in plain clothes remained expressionless as he made his move.

"If you're not going to interfere, then why are you here?" The middle-aged man with phoenix eyes asked, his gaze unwavering.

"Rest assured, my presence here has nothing to do with you, nor do I have any interest in your trivial matters." The man in plain clothes replied, his tone unchanged.

"Oh? Then, what brings you here?" The middle-aged man inquired, his curiosity piqued.

"I'm here to confirm something," the plainly dressed man stated.

"There is a decree from the Sacred Mountain: All martial artists above the Innate Realm are forbidden from attacking those below without just cause, and they must never engage in battles that would cause indiscriminate slaughter among the populace."

"I'm here to see if anyone dares to defy this decree."

The middle-aged man's expression turned solemn at these words.

The decree mentioned by the plainly dressed man was unknown to most in the world.

Only the truly powerful clans and sects, those who kept themselves hidden from the world, were aware of its existence.

But that did not diminish its weight.

On the contrary, all who knew of this decree also understood the immense power of the entity that had issued it.

They were a mysterious force that commanded respect from all.

"So, you're saying that a certain Innate Realm expert is behind the unrest in this county seat?" The middle-aged man asked cautiously.

"Yan Canghai, there's no need to feign ignorance here," the plainly dressed man said flatly. "It's obvious to both you and me; there's no need to pretend otherwise and insult our intelligence."

"Hehe, I'm just uncertain because the actions of those in the Innate Realm are beyond the perception of us in the Postnatal Realm," the middle-aged man replied, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Zhirui, can you tell me who wants to see the Wei family's old ancestor dead, and what treasure is hidden within the Wei mansion that would make an Innate Realm expert stoop so low as to bully the younger generation?"

"Are you not afraid of being overheard by the person you're badmouthing?" The plainly dressed man glanced at him.

The middle-aged man stiffened for a moment before relaxing.

He casually replied, "With you here, what is there to fear? Would a lofty Innate Realm expert really bother with a small fry like me?"

His words were casual, but he dared not pursue the matter further.

"You should curb your curiosity; if it weren't for your strong curiosity, you wouldn't have been demoted to this remote place as a small county governor." The plainly dressed man picked up a chess piece and placed it on the board.

"Hehe," the middle-aged man chuckled awkwardly, no longer daring to ask further questions.

If not for his friend's help, he might not even have retained his current position due to the mistake he had made.

However, his friend's words also eased his mind.

He had indeed been under a lot of pressure lately.

With so many martial artists flooding into the city, some of whom were even stronger than him, he couldn't help but worry about the potential casualties among the civilians if a battle broke out.

As the county governor, he would undoubtedly be held responsible for any fallout.

Now, with his friend here, even if he couldn't stop the impending clash, at least he would have a witness to attest that he hadn't been negligent but simply powerless to intervene.

The schemes of an Innate Realm expert were beyond what a small fry like him could hope to counter.

The two men played in silence for a while.

Then, the middle-aged man asked, unable to contain his curiosity any longer, "Zhirui, can you tell me one more thing? Did the Wei family's Innate Realm ancestor really die?"

The plainly dressed man looked up, his gaze calm but piercing.

Though his eyes didn't seem extraordinary, the middle-aged man felt a chill run through his body.

He quickly waved his hands and said, "Never mind, I really don't want to know!"

The plainly dressed man looked at him for a moment, his gaze making the middle-aged man's heart pound.

Then, he spoke, "There is one thing I can tell you."

"What is it?" The middle-aged man asked eagerly.

"The Wei family's Madam and Young Master have not been captured yet."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end