Chapter 679: This Is Outright Robbery!
The 20,000 soul cultivators surrounding the Chen Clan radiated intense murderous auras that combined into a soul-crushing pressure that enveloped the entire clan.
Everyone was left trembling, and had faces as ashen as death. That was true even of the clan chief and clan elders, all of whom felt sensations of intense, deadly crisis.
As Bai Xiaochun strode toward them, a vicious expression appeared on the clan chief’s face, and he shouted, “Don’t push things too far, Bai Hao!!”
Bai Xiaochun stopped walking, a cold glint in his eyes. He had anticipated a reaction like this from the Chen Clan. After all, this was the same clan that had dared to forge a forbidden banner, a heinous crime that angered gods and men alike.
They really had only two choices. Either fight to the death in resistance, or… stoop low and capitulate.
From the look of things, the Chen Clan wanted to choose the former option…. Or perhaps it was the choice of the clan chief. After all, he had come very close to killing Bai Xiaochun with his forbidden banner in their last encounter, and was convinced that he could finish the job if fighting broke out now.
“What gall!” Chen Hai said in a voice like thunder, aware that the time had come for him to intercede. He even took a step forward. At the same time, all of the Nascent Soul experts who were guarding Bai Xiaochun looked over at the clan chief with brightly shining eyes. [1]
The clan chief shivered in reaction to Chen Hai’s shout and the killing intent of the Nascent Soul experts. As for the clan elders, they were also shocked.
Bai Xiaochun looked coldly at the clan chief for a moment before coldly saying, “So, is this how you Chen Clan people want to do things?”
His casually spoken words, coupled with the killing intent of 20,000 soul cultivators, crushed down onto the Chen Clan like boulders. As for the clan chief, he was left panting, his eyes completely bloodshot. He knew that although this Bai Hao might not be capable of exterminating the entire clan right now, if fighting broke out, he himself would surely die!
The clan chief couldn’t forget the lengths Bai Hao had gone to try to kill him back in the chase in the city. If the patriarch hadn’t interfered to save him, the clan chief wouldn’t have just lost an arm; he would have perished! Furthermore, the Myriad Children Blood Banner was something detestable to gods and men alike, condemned by all creation.
“We already sent all of our reserve savings out of the clan,” the chief said, “along with all important clan members with potential for future growth. I've done everything I can for my clan. With our patriarch incarcerated, it doesn’t really matter whether we here survive or not. As the final clan chief, I am proud to lead the entire clan into a bloodbath! That way, we will go out in a blaze of glory instead--”
Before he could finish speaking, the clan’s grand elder stepped forward.
“Greetings, Majordomo Bai!” he said, clasping hands and bowing deeply. Trembling, the other members of the clan also bowed in greeting.
When the clan chief saw what was happening, his face turned ashen, but he didn’t dare to continue to curse at Bai Xiaochun, and instead bowed his head.
As for Bai Xiaochun, his eyes glittered, and the smile stayed on his face as he looked down imperiously at the Chen Clan.
“Since I’ve come here in my role as majordomo, I assume you know what that means for you?”
“Of course we do, Majordomo Bai. The Chen Clan has plenty of treasures available for your study.” The grand elder had noticed early on that the clan chief was acting strangely, but had never imagined that he would intentionally infuriate Majordomo Bai. The consequences of such an action were too terrifying to contemplate.
“Trying to drag us down with you into death…?” the grand elder thought, casting an icy glance at the clan chief. Then, he quickly passed down orders to have large amounts of treasures brought over.
Soul medicine, vengeful souls, multi-colored flame, spirit enhanced treasures, flame formulas, and all sorts of other items soon began to pile up. There were even some unique treasures that cast dazzling light up into the sky, illuminating the clouds above.
Although there appeared to be quite a collection of treasure, it was really only a small portion of the Cai Clan’s wealth. Bai Xiaochun’s face immediately darkened.
“That’s it?”
The grand elder smiled wryly, but unfortunately was out of options. The reserve savings had been taken away, a fact that he was not quite willing to explain clearly. Even as he stood there hesitating, the clan chief laughed coldly.
“After this calamity, our Chen Clan will be left completely destitute. If you don't believe us, go search for yourself. If you find anything you like, just take it!”
Chen Hai could sense the open scorn in the clan chief’s words. Looking over at Bai Xiaochun first, he snorted and waved his hand. Immediately, soul cultivators poured into the Chen Clan’s city to search it.
Bai Xiaochun simply remained in place, hands clasped behind his back as he waited for Chen Hai to finish with the search. Before long, the soul cultivators were done with their work, and were recalled by Chen Hai. At that point, Chen Hai approached Bai Xiaochun, face grim. Lowering his voice, he said, “Majordomo Bai, the Chen Clan prepared well in advance… there’s nothing here.”
Bai Xiaochun nodded, but didn’t say anything. He simply remained in place, hands clasped behind his back, waiting. Time ticked by, and the silence in the Chen Clan became a weight that grew heavier with each passing moment. The Chen Clan cultivators’ terror grew, and to them, the pressure they felt from Bai Xiaochun felt like the weight of the heavens, something that could crush them out of existence in the briefest of moments.
Even the clan elders’ auras were fluctuating uncontrollably from anxiety. Only the clan chief stood there, sneering madly, seemingly ready to throw caution to the wind at any moment and start fighting.
At a certain point, a smile suddenly broke out onto Bai Xiaochun’s face, and he turned to look off into the distance. At that point, Chen Hai and the grand elder also seemed to sense something. Moments later, something like a black cloud could be seen on the horizon.
More and more people noticed, and before long, all eyes were turned in the direction of the black cloud. As it approached rapidly, it soon became obvious that it was a group of more than 10,000 soul cultivators.
Leading them was a young man with a proud expression and a murderous aura. He was none other than… Zhou Yixing.
It only took a few breaths’ worth of time for him to reach the Chen Clan, whereupon the soul cultivators he led spread out to join the forces which had surrounded the clan. As for Zhou Yixing, he hurried forward, looking neither left nor right as he approached Bai Xiaochun.
Chen Hai’s expression flickered with unease, but after looking over at Bai Xiaochun, did nothing to block Zhou Yixing’s path. Soon, Zhou Yixing was in front of Bai Xiaochun, hands clasped and bowing deeply.
“Mission accomplished, milord. All of the reserve savings that the Chen Clan moved out of the clan have been recovered. Please take a look, sir!” With that, he waved his sleeve, causing a massive amount of treasure to spill out of his bag of holding.
Soulhoarding pagodas, multi-colored flame, spirit enhanced treasures, and even ten jade bottles that each contained copious amounts of Heavenspan River water…. Even more astonishing were two crystal boxes that clearly contained valuable treasures!
There were other items which Bai Xiaochun didn’t recognize. Altogether, this collection was exponentially more valuable than what the grand elder had produced before. In fact, it was no less valuable than what he had acquired from the Cai Clan, assuming the spiritjade statue was left out of the picture.
As the treasures appeared out into the open, a look of complete madness overtook the clan chief’s face. The clan elders began to pant in astonishment, and the other ordinary clan members stared in abject shock. Not everyone had been privy to the information about smuggling the reserve savings outside of the clan, but as of this moment, everyone could see!
Despite having just seen a similar scene play out in the Cai Clan, Bai Xiaochun was still moved by what he saw. And yet, his facial expression was as calm and collected as ever. Swishing his sleeve, he coolly said, “Take them away. Since the Chen Clan didn’t bother keeping these things around, I guess I’ll take them. Many thanks, Clan Chief.”
As he laughed heartily, Chen Hai gasped in shock. As for Zhou Yixing, he voiced his assent, and then quickly began to arrange to take away everything which had been piled up.
The clan chief’s face was as ashen as death, and his mind was spinning beyond control. As for the clan elders, despite the fury which raged in their hearts, the sensations of deadly crisis they felt ensured that they didn't dare to even look up. However, there were some younger, hot-headed clan members who, used to their clan being strong and uncompromising, could not hold back from shouting out in anger.
“I can’t believe you people!”
“This is outright robbery, Bai Hao!!”
The clan elders’ faces fell, and they immediately turned to stop the younger clan members’ outburst. However, they were too late. Seeing a chance to intervene, Chen Hai waved his finger through the air, his eyes burning with killing intent.
Rumbling sounds echoed out as the two younger clan members who had just shouted out suddenly found bloody holes in their foreheads. The rage could still be seen in their eyes as their bodies then flopped down to the ground, dead.
With a cold snort, Chen Hai glared out at the rest of the Chen Clan. “What outrageous gall! None of you have the right to casually speak the name of Majordomo Bai out loud!”
1. This chapter is a perfect example of how shared surnames don’t necessarily indicate any relationship. Chen Hai has the same surname as the clan, but clearly is not a member of the clan.