Chapter 104: The Dialogue of the Strong, Xian Tian Prohibition

"Wei Xinghe, your half-month deadline has passed. Have you made your decision? Will you surrender—or continue to cling to that treasure, dragging your entire Wei Family into oblivion with you?"

The voice thundered like distant storm clouds, its power immense—only a true top-tier martial cultivator could command such presence.

The faces of the Wei Family Head and the Grand Manager paled instantly.

Wei Xinghe was, in fact, the Wei Family Head’s name.

The Wei Family Head drew in a breath, his voice ringing out clearly in return:

"Enough talk. If you're truly confident, then come forth yourself. To seize our family’s fortune, you’d better prove you have the strength to back it up!"

His reply carried equal power, standing firm against the voice outside.

He, too, was a formidable martial cultivator of the highest rank.

"Ha ha… Wei Xinghe, you truly are stubborn to the point of foolishness. Do you really not fear that we’ll wipe out your entire residence—leaving no dog or chicken alive?"

The voice continued, smug and cruel.

"Then come and try!" Wei Xinghe retorted without flinching.

"Say what you will, but if you have the courage, step inside and face me!"

A pause followed—long and heavy. The voice seemed surprised. It hadn’t expected Wei Xinghe to remain so defiant at this stage.

Silence reigned. No one dared intrude on the exchange between two supreme martial masters.

After a moment, the voice resumed:

"Wei Xinghe, you still cling to the illusion that your family’s Ancestor still lives. Let me be frank—your Ancestor’s vital meridians have been pierced by the Xian Tian sword qi of that master. He cannot survive. Surrender the treasure now, and we may still allow your family to live on. Otherwise… expect your lineage to vanish without a trace."

Yet Wei Xinghe remained unmoved.

He spoke coldly:

"One question—do you fight or not? If not, then shut your mouth. A coward hiding in the shadows, daring to threaten us with mere words—how dare you think we’d bow to such nonsense?"

The voice faltered. It hadn’t expected such unyielding defiance—no matter the threats, Wei Xinghe showed no fear.

The insult stung. The voice burned with fury. As a Zong Shi-level cultivator with inner organs perfected, he was no mere man of petty temper.

But he remembered the orders of the master above him—and suppressed his rage.

A cold laugh followed:

"Wei Xinghe, continue your stubborn stand. Your courage only stems from the fact that you’ve already sent your wife and child beyond the city walls, free from worry. But tell me—do you truly believe they’ve made it safely to the provincial capital?"

The words struck like a dagger.

Wei Xinghe’s composure cracked.

His face twisted with alarm, his voice rising in anger:

"You, a Zong Shi-level master, a man of honor, would stoop to threaten women and children? Is this not beneath you?"

"Ha ha ha!" The voice erupted into wild laughter.

"You just called me a rat a moment ago, now you’re calling me a man of honor? How inconsistent, Wei Xinghe. Guess—will you see your wife and child’s heads displayed at the gates of your residence by this time tomorrow?"

With that, the voice faded slowly—then vanished entirely.

"Wait!" Wei Xinghe called urgently.

But no reply came. Whether the voice had left or simply refused to answer, he could not tell.

Only silence remained—along with the Wei Family Head’s desperate shouts.

"Master," the Grand Manager asked, voice trembling with anxiety, "what now? The underground passages were dug deep, and the exits were hidden—how could they have found them?"

"There are only two possibilities," Wei Xinghe said, forcing calm into his voice. "First, an insider within the family betrayed us—our people’s movements were exposed."

"That’s impossible!" the Grand Manager insisted. "The Lady of the Wei Family and the Young Master’s departure was my own arrangement. The guards protecting them were among our most loyal. They would never betray our family."

"Then there’s only one other explanation," Wei Xinghe said, his expression darkening.

"We underestimated the power of a Xian Tian cultivator. We thought our tunnels could hide us—but perhaps from the beginning, our every move was already known to them."

The Grand Manager fell silent.

If that were true, they were truly helpless.

The Xian Tian realm was legendary—its abilities beyond comprehension. Even the Wei Family’s own Ancestor never revealed such secrets.

"How about the Lady and the Young Master?" the Grand Manager asked. "Have they truly been captured?"

"No," Wei Xinghe replied. "If they had been, the enemy would have used them as leverage earlier. They only issued threats—meaning they’ve sensed our people’s trail, but haven’t caught them yet."

Wei Xinghe was no ordinary man. Though shaken by the enemy’s words, he quickly regained his clarity—detecting the subtle clue.

"Should I send someone to aid them, Master?" the Grand Manager asked quickly.

"No," Wei Xinghe said decisively. "You must stay. The Yin Yue Zhan Zhen can only function at full strength under your command. If you leave, our defensive power drops by half. That’s likely why they told us—so they could lure you away."

"But the Lady and the Young Master—"

"Only fate can decide now," Wei Xinghe sighed. "As members of the Wei Family, we must be ready to sacrifice ourselves at any moment. If they cannot escape… then it is their destiny."

The Grand Manager said nothing. He didn’t fully understand why the Master insisted on holding the ancestral residence—why he refused to retreat. But as a Wei Family man, his strength and honor were gifts from the family. And so, he would obey—without question.

"Master," the Grand Manager added after a pause, trying to comfort, "perhaps it’s not as dire as it seems. The guards escorting the Lady and the Young Master are Nei Fu Jing-level cultivators. Under Pang Zhan’s leadership, combined with the Yin Yue Wei, they can form the Yin Yue Zhan Zhen. Even against a cultivator at the peak of inner organ cultivation, they might hold firm."

"The decree of Wang Du forbids Xian Tian-level beings from attacking those below Xian Tian—unless in extreme circumstances. As long as the enemy’s Xian Tian cultivator doesn’t act directly, there’s still hope."

Wei Xinghe sighed, the weight of the moment pressing on him.

"It’s all we can hope for," he said.

Yet he knew the odds were slim. The Yin Yue Zhan Zhen was powerful—but the enemy was numerous, and strong. The one who had spoken to him was far beyond the reach of Pang Zhan and his men.

Now, all he could do was pray that the pursuers didn’t include anyone with inner organs perfected or above.

In the agonizing wait, the night dragged on.

The next day, at the same hour, the courtyard outside remained silent.

Wei Xinghe exhaled—relieved. If the enemy had captured them, they would’ve made their victory known with a display of heads. The arrogance of the previous day made such a moment too tempting to miss.

Another day passed. Still no movement.

Wei Xinghe’s heart sank into relief.

His wife and child… they had likely escaped.

Even the Grand Manager relaxed, his shoulders loosening.

The Lady of the Wei Family had once saved his life. Now that she and the Young Master were probably safe, his anxiety finally eased.

Throughout the city, local factions watched closely.

Two days ago, the clash between the Wei Family Head and the mysterious cultivator had echoed across the entire county.

Everyone knew someone was hunting the Lady and the Young Master.

They waited, tense, for the morning when they might find their bodies—or their heads—displayed at the gates.

But nothing happened.

No enemy appeared. Not even the mysterious voice returned.

Could it be… the Wei Family had actually escaped?

The thought crept into every mind.

"Zhi Rui," the county magistrate—a dashing man with a pair of phoenix-like eyes—sat at a chessboard, holding a piece between his fingers, and asked the man across from him. "Do you think the Lady and Young Master of the Wei Family truly escaped? Or were they captured?"

"You, the county magistrate, don’t know—how could I?" the man in plain robes replied, calm and distant.

"Come now," the magistrate smiled. "Who doesn’t know that Tian Ji Lou’s intelligence network is unmatched? Nothing escapes your eyes. Compared to you, I’m just a petty official."

He placed the piece on the board.

"Tian Ji Lou’s intelligence is vast," the man said, "but we never meddle in the conflicts between families and sects. So don’t waste your time asking me."

The plain-clothed man placed his own piece, unfazed.

"Then why are you here?" the magistrate asked, his tone slightly sharper now, ceasing his game.

"Relax," the man said. "My presence here has nothing to do with you. I have no interest in your affairs."

The magistrate’s expression eased. He knew this man never lied. If he said it was unrelated, then it truly was.

"I’m here for one thing," the man continued.

"Sheng Shan once issued a law: Any cultivator above the Xian Tian realm must not attack those below it without cause. Nor may they fight in crowded places, causing unnecessary bloodshed."

"I’ve come to test that rule," he said. "To see if anyone dares break it."

The magistrate’s face grew serious.

This law was not widely known. Only the great families and hidden sects knew of it.

Yet its weight was immense.

The power behind it—no one dared oppose.

"Does that mean… this disturbance in the county was orchestrated by a Xian Tian cultivator?"

The magistrate asked cautiously.

"Yan Canghai," the man replied coolly, "don’t pretend ignorance. This is obvious. Let’s not insult each other’s intelligence with lies."

"Ah, I only asked because the movements of Xian Tian cultivators are beyond our reach," the magistrate said, not offended. "I’m merely curious. Zhi Rui, tell me—what led someone to try to kill the Wei Family’s Ancestor? And what treasure lies within their residence that would make a Xian Tian cultivator debase himself to target mere children?"

"Are you trying to provoke a reaction?" the man glanced at him. "Do you really want them to hear you?"

The magistrate stiffened—then relaxed, feigning nonchalance.

"With you here, who could harm me? What would a Xian Tian cultivator care about a small official like me?"

He spoke lightly—but dared not press further.

"You’d do well to curb your curiosity," the man said, picking up another piece. "If you hadn’t been so inquisitive back then, you wouldn’t have been exiled to this remote post."

The magistrate chuckled nervously.

He knew the truth—had it not been for this friend’s intervention, he might never have held this position.

But now, his mind was at ease.

For days, the burden had been heavy. So many martial cultivators had flooded into the city—some even stronger than he. If they fought openly in the streets, countless civilians would die. As magistrate, he’d bear the blame.

Now, with this man here, whether he could stop the battle or not—his hands were clean.

He hadn’t failed. He was simply powerless against a Xian Tian cultivator’s designs.

They sat in silence, playing the game.

Then, suddenly, the magistrate couldn’t help but ask:

"Zhi Rui… tell me one more thing. Has the Wei Family’s Xian Tian-level Ancestor… truly died?"

The man lifted his head.

His gaze was quiet—unfocused, yet the magistrate felt a chill crawl up his spine.

He waved his hands frantically.

"Never mind! I won’t ask! I won’t ask!"

The man stared a moment longer—until the magistrate’s nerves frayed.

Then, finally, he spoke:

"There is one thing I can tell you."

"Yes?" the magistrate leaned forward.

"The Lady of the Wei Family and the Young Master… are not captured."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end