Vol. 1 - Ch. 30 - Li Yongcheng's Doubts

The battle was imminent, but Ji Yang refrained from using the Lunar Eclipse Technique to absorb the moonlight. He feared the glowing effect would reveal his position to the enemy during the battle. Safety took precedence over maximizing his Blood and Qi absorption.

With everyone in hiding, the only sounds in the Chen clan compound were the falling raindrops, masking their breathing. 

Ji Yang's roots extended beyond the Ancestral Hall, allowing him to sense the hidden positions of several clan members.

Chen Qingyu had chosen to hide on a nearby rooftop while two other clan members were hiding in a basement not far away.

However, in the midst of this awareness, Ji Yang suddenly noticed two familiar figures in a corner. 

His disbelief soared as he recognized them---none other than Chen Qinghe and Chen Qingmeng, who were supposed to be hiding in the secret passage.

Earlier, Chen Xingzhen had instructed that all the early-stage Body Tempering Realm warriors should be sent to the secret passage. 

The reason for this decision was twofold: first, most of these warriors were relatively young, and second, their combat effectiveness was limited. Involving them in the family conflict would do more harm than good.

Now, the two figures before Ji Yang were clearly the ones who had secretly slipped away while the others were distracted. 

Under the circumstances, Ji Yang couldn't inform Chen Xingzhen. He could only hope that luck would favor them; otherwise the Chen family would suffer more casualties.

"Qingmeng, once the battle begins, don't leave. I won't be able to protect you!"

Chen Qinghe, who was hiding behind Ji Yang, whispered urgently. 

Qingmeng nodded in response. "Understood."

Both felt a mix of nerve and determination. When they left the secret passage earlier, their hearts had been filled with determination---they too were determined to save their family!

In this shadowy corner, as they waited, the eagerness within the two teens gradually faded, replaced by a growing sense of fear and anxiety. The brutal reality of the family conflict weighed heavily on their minds.

Both of them were only early-stage warriors of the Body Tempering Realm and in a battle between martial artists, there was no room for error. A single misstep could lead to their demise under an opponent's fists or feet.

Now, with no retreat possible, they faced an inexorable situation.

...

Outside the Chen family compound, Li Yongcheng and his group had arrived at the gate. However, the usual guards were absent, leaving the entrance eerily deserted.

As Li Yongcheng surveyed the interior, a family scout materialized in front of him.

"Greetings, Clan Leader."

"How is the situation?"

Li Yongcheng's gaze remained fixed on the door.

"Clan Leader, there was some activity earlier, but now it's completely quiet."

"I wanted to investigate, but I fear that it might be a plot by the Chen family."

Without waiting for Li Yongcheng's answer, a burly man nearby snorted disdainfully.

"A conspiracy? The Chen family is nothing but a bunch of losers. What kind of tricks could they play? Even if it is a plot, what do we have to fear? Don't you all agree?"

"Fourth Uncle is telling the truth."

"Absolutely."

The other clan warriors chuckled, their expressions relaxed. They had always had the upper hand in their previous clashes with the Chen family. If not for the Chen ancestors, they would have wiped out the Chen clan long ago.

Li Yongcheng's brow furrowed slightly, but he refrained from commenting further. He also didn't believe that the Chen family had any elaborate plans. The power disparity between the two was considerable.

However, being cautious, even if the Chen family tried to flee en masse, Li Yongcheng thought it prudent to investigate thoroughly.  He spoke up.

"For the sake of safety, I think we should remain vigilant."

"In my opinion, we should go directly into the enemy's territory, find the Chen family's secret passage, and pursue them all the way. I'm willing to take the lead."

The burly man spoke casually.

"Fourth Uncle, let's listen to the clan leader's opinion," the middle-aged man beside him said. Sᴇaʀch* Thᴇ NƟvelFɪre.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Seeing Li Yongcheng's grim expression, the burly man fell silent.

"Second Uncle, take some people through the back door of the Chen family."

"Fifth Uncle, take a group through the side entrance."

Li Yongcheng quickly made arrangements, dividing the family members into four teams. Each team with two martial artists of the Blood Coagulation Realm.

They would surround the Chen family from all four directions.

This way, even if the Chen family had any plans, they could be blocked and reinforcements would arrive immediately.

Additionally, he ordered the blocking of all exits to prevent anyone from escaping.

After organizing the teams, Li Yongcheng felt more at ease. When they split up, he reminded everyone, "Elders, be careful while searching. Don't overlook any place."

"Understood," they all nodded in agreement. Soon, the groups slowly entered the Chen family's compound.

Even though the Chen family was a small clan near Chaotic Burial Mountain, their territory was vast. Even with four teams searching, it would still take some time.

Li Yongcheng and his companions carefully explored, examining the remnants left behind by the Chen family during their escape.

They saw numerous fresh animal bones, confirming that the Chen family did indeed have a secret passage leading to the outside.

No wonder there had been little activity in the last few days.

The only escape attempt was probably meant to confuse him. However, he couldn't understand why the Chen family decided to leave through the secret passage now instead of waiting for a night.

Perhaps they were taking advantage of the current weather conditions?

As Li Yongcheng looked at the light rain falling from the sky, he knew that it wouldn't affect a warrior much.

But just as he was carefully searching the area, a loud noise echoed nearby.

His heart skipped a beat. Could this really be an ambush?

His companions were on high alert, ready to rush to the source of the sound. Then, a commanding voice rang out from the distance,

"Chen Clan scion, come out and meet your doom."

Li Yongcheng recognized the voice all too well. It belonged to his fourth uncle, who had initially obeyed orders.

However, as Li Yongcheng led the family to victory and gradually weakened the Chen Clan, his uncle became increasingly defiant.

Arrogantly relying on his seniority and cultivation level, he no longer treated Li Yongcheng, the current clan leader, with respect.

If it weren't for their ongoing conflict with the Chen Clan, Li Yongcheng would have found a way to put him in his place.

The situation is indeed delicate.

However, Li Yongcheng didn't rush forward. Instead, he continued to search the surroundings.

Meanwhile, the burly man swung his fist with a surge of internal energy, smashing the raindrops and a nearby wooden house.

After a cursory inspection, he nonchalantly remarked, "Why bother searching room by room? My fists can do it more efficiently."

Despite searching several rooms, they found nothing and the man's patience was wearing thin.

Then his eyes brightened. He waved at a fellow clan member and asked, "If the Chen family has secret passageways, where would they hide them?

"Well," the clan member replied, "if it were me, I'd definitely choose the Ancestral Hall.

"Hahaha! Just as I thought!"

"Alright, let's go straight to the Ancestral Hall!"