The days following the Xu family's swift action against the poachers rippled through the world like a storm.
In just a matter of days, the once quiet discussions about the Southern Continent had become the talk of every corner of the world, from the bustling streets of the Western Continent to the towering sects of the Eastern Continent.
The news of how the Xu family took decisive action to crush the poachers spread faster than anyone had anticipated.
The story was simple: The Xu family put up missions in the adventurer guild with high rewards, causing adventurers to go on a wild killing spree.
This alone forced many poachers across other continents to go into hiding, fearing for their lives as these adventurers hunted them down.
There was no drawn-out conflict, no prolonged chase. It was a bloody massacre, over almost as soon as it began, and this efficiency made everyone fearful as they realized what it meant to "use a borrowed knife."
Yet, despite the bloodshed, there was little outrage. After all, the adventurers were just doing their jobs—the only difference this time was that the targets were humans.
People spoke in awe of how the Xu family handled the situation. Conversations buzzed in taverns, markets, and cultivation halls across the continents.
"They didn't even let the poachers get close to the Monster Race," a burly adventurer said, lifting his cup in a tavern filled with fellow adventurers.
"From this, you can tell how rich they are, or else the adventurers wouldn't have gone to such lengths.
The plan worked flawlessly, no doubt about that. They took those poachers down before they could even make a profit."
A young cultivator, wide-eyed with admiration, nodded vigorously. "I heard they even sent out a branch of their army, and not one of those poachers made it out alive.
They're really something, aren't they?"
The story hit hardest in the Western Continent, where poaching had been most prevalent. Families that had once considered joining the poaching operations were now reconsidering their stance.
No one wanted to face the wrath of the Xu family.
Chen Zemin tapped his fingers lightly against the polished wood of the table, his eyes narrowing in thought.
"It's not just their organization that concerns me," he said after a moment. "It's the message they've sent to the world.
They didn't just eliminate the poachers—they showed everyone that they have the power and the means to kill anyone who goes against them.
And they did it without mercy, without delay. That's what makes them dangerous."
The elders sighed collectively. They had once believed themselves to be on par with the Xu family, as the Xu family had never shown the full extent of their strength.
As for the Sect, the Empire, and the Chamber of Commerce, while impressive, all these forces consumed vast amounts of resources.
This had been the Chen family's confidence, but now, they realized their fantasies were shattered.
The Xu family's resources and manpower far exceeded their own.
"We've heard rumors about their military strength," Elder Chen Guang added. "It's said they only sent a branch of one of their legions.
A single branch. And that branch alone had enough soldiers to overwhelm most top forces."
Another elder shook his head. "If a branch can do this much, we can only imagine what a full legion could accomplish.
If they were to turn their attention to the Eastern Continent, we'd be in serious trouble."
The room fell into an uneasy silence. The thought of the Xu family expanding their influence into the Eastern Continent was something none of them had anticipated, but it was now a very real possibility.
"We need to be cautious," Chen Zemin finally said, breaking the silence. "The Xu family has shown their strength, and we cannot ignore it.
But we can't afford to sit back and do nothing either. We need to strengthen our position here in the Eastern Continent."