Chapter 1581 – Clan Crisis

In a gloomy residence within the city lord’s estate, Zhao Balong suddenly opened his eyes. “Dead?”

The a.s.sa.s.sin he sent to kill Zhao Feng had actually died? Even if the a.s.sa.s.sin carelessly exposed himself, Zhao Feng only had Song Tingyu at his side. There was no reason for him to die.

But now that the a.s.sa.s.sin was dead, Zhao Balong would find it very difficult to find out how exactly the a.s.sa.s.sin was killed.

“What a pity to lose such a good piece!” Zhao Balong’s face chilled. A peak Divine Transformation Realm expert was extremely important to the Zhao Clan.

Zhao Balong a.s.signed the blame for this to Zhao Feng, and he was determined to settle the accounts one day.

After a long while, he savagely smiled. “It won’t be long until I, Zhao Balong, will have complete control over the entire Zhao Clan.”

A year pa.s.sed in the blink of an eye.

One day, Song Tingyu went to the Zhao Clan and departed with Zhao Feng.

“It seems like Feng’er just didn’t like his previous teacher. Feng’er is much more diligent now!” Zhao Tianlong saw everything and gave a relieved smile.

Zhao Feng rarely cultivated before, but ever since Song Tingyu had arrived, Zhao Feng would frequently go out with her to cultivate.

But Zhao Tianlong had no idea that Song Tingyu had been made Zhao Feng’s disciple and that this was all an act.

“Just who are you?” Song Tingyu asked once they had left the city lord’s estate.

Zhao Feng was definitely no ordinary child, and he even managed to hide all his movements from his parents. Not even the city lord, Zhao Tianlong, sensed anything.

“I’m your master!” Zhao Feng loudly declared.

Song Tingyu immediately clenched her teeth. She had failed to do anything to Zhao Feng in this one year. On the contrary, she had suffered setback after setback.

Of course, as Song Tingyu was willing to spend time with Zhao Feng, she had made a decent amount of money. Moreover, Zhao Feng was thinking about opening branch stores, and as the business was prospering more and more, Song Tingyu was not willing to offend Zhao Feng.

They arrived at Star Peak Auction House, where the auctions were proceeding in an orderly fas.h.i.+on.

Now that he had capital, Zhao Feng had hired some experts to run the auction house, with his only duty being to take the money.

However, to ensure that Star Peak Auction House’s business only increased, Zhao Feng would take out some of the superb products he had personally created at certain intervals and put them up for auction.

The auction was soon over, and the packed crowd began to slowly disperse.

The upper echelon members of the Star Peak Auction House gathered in the conference hall.

On the surface, the boss of Star Peak Auction House was Huo Qingfeng, with Song Tingyu being his deputy. The other elders present were the upper echelon members responsible for various aspects.

“Our auction house has a resounding reputation, but if we want to get bigger, we have to expand. Do any of you have suggestions?” Huo Qingfeng asked.

The upper echelon members were all extremely experienced people, and there were some that were specifically tasked with gathering information.

“This old man believes that, if Star Peak Auction House wants to expand, Sunharbor City is the best location!” An elder stood up. He wore violet robes with golden embroidery. His expression was calm and his eyes were br.i.m.m.i.n.g with confidence and pride.

“Brother Li, why is that? I’ve heard that Sunharbor City is rather average when it comes to major cities, and the Liu Clan controlling it is far inferior to Southcloud City’s Zhao Clan. Is that not the case?” a short elder immediately asked.

Their fortunes were tied to the wax and wane of Star Peak Auction House, so they were all extremely concerned.

The others all looked at the violet-robed elder. Sunharbor City truly wasn’t that prosperous, and it was also rather far from Southcloud City.

“None of you get it. Although Sunharbor City isn’t as prosperous and the Liu Clan controlling it isn’t that strong, the other clan in Sunharbor City has recently been making a name for itself….” Elder Li smugly smiled.

“Give us some more details!” another one of the upper echelon members said.

“Besides the controlling faction, a major city will normally have some other factions, and the Lu Clan of Sunharbor City is second in power only to the Liu Clan. Crucially, two genius daughters have been bom to the Lu Clan, both of peerless beauty and superb talent. This has caused many of the nearby major clans and factions to come with marriage proposals,” Elder Li explained everything in one go.

“This old man has also heard of this matter!”

“I heard that even the royal household of the Azure Net Kingdom has been making some moves!”

The upper echelon members began to converse. If even the royal household had taken notice, these two girls of the Lu Clan were clearly unusual.

Zhao Feng stood on the side, thinking of nothing as he waited for the conference to the end. He had little interest in these two genius girls of the Lu Clan.

“The presence of these two genius girls has greatly boosted the number of people going through Sunharbor City, and the majority of them are n.o.bles and gentlemen. This is definitely the ideal place for a branch of our Star Peak Auction House!”

“Tsk, tsk, who would have imagined that two girls could change the destiny of Sunharbor City?”

“I heard that one of them is extremely talented in the Destiny Dao. Once she matures, she will definitely have an extraordinary career.”

The conversation continued in the conference hall, but the location of the new branch had apparently been decided already.

At this moment, Zhao Feng opened his eyes. “Destiny Dao…!”

Zhao Yufei and Liu Qinxin had been reincarnated in the area, and now, two genius girls had appeared, and one of them was even skilled in the Destiny Dao. When all these clues were brought together, Zhao Feng was basically certain.

“Okay, let’s make it Sunharbor City!” Zhao Feng couldn’t help but smile.

On the side, Elder Li frowned and glanced at Zhao Feng. This was a conference of the upper echelon members of Star Peak Auction House, but each time, this child would be present.

However, Song Tingyu was one of the big bosses of the auction house. If she insisted on bringing her disciple, the others could do nothing. Moreover, Huo Qingfeng had also given his permission.

“Song Tingyu, next time, have your disciple wait outside. This is a secret conference!” Elder Li coldly grunted.

He had a higher status among the upper echelon members, and now that he had provided such important information, his confidence had swelled so much that he wanted to flaunt his power to Song Tingyu.

But Elder Li had just finished speaking when a terrifying energy surged through the secret hall. It was a stifling and oppressive energy that left a p.r.i.c.kly pain on one’s soul.

“This…” Elder Li looked at Huo Qingfeng in shock.

This pressure was being released by Huo Qingfeng. Huo Qingfeng had once more stepped into the Imperishable Realm, and his cultivation far surpa.s.sed everyone else present.

“It is forbidden to mention this matter again!” Huo Qingfeng coldly said. As his sharp eyes pa.s.sed over Elder Li, Elder Li felt like an invisible sword was being plunged into his heart.

“Yes!” Cold sweat drenching his back, Elder Li nodded.

He had never imagined that his words would incite such displeasure from Huo Qingfeng, and next to him, Song Tingyu didn’t seem to care that much. And when he saw the indifferent and nonchalant look on Zhao Feng’s face, he became even more confused, but he did not dare speak out.

The others also became more cautious and curious about Zhao Feng.

A short while later, the conference was ended. It was decided that the new branch would be in Sunharbor City. Everyone dispersed.

“Qingfeng, I plan to personally make a trip to Sunharbor City,” Zhao Feng sternly said.

He could only determine if those two genius girls of Sunharbor City were Zhao Yufei and Liu Qinxin by looking for himself.

The two girls had yet to recover their memories, and things would go poorly if some expert, n.o.ble, or even royal, got to them first.

“Master, are you planning…?” Huo Qingfeng probed.

“I’ll take a look, and perhaps I’ll even propose.” Zhao Feng sighed. Fortunately, the auction house had made him a tidy sum, or else he wouldn’t even have the money for a betrothal gift.

“What…?” Huo Qingfeng’s jaw dropped as he froze to the spot.

Zhao Feng had always been an unfathomable and mysterious expert in his eyes. He never imagined that he would be interested in two genius girls, to the extent that he would even consider a proposal.

Zhao Feng returned to the city lord’s estate in the afternoon.

“Mm?” He immediately noticed that something was wrong.

The number of expert auras in the estate had clearly decreased, and his father was not present.

Upon returning to the city lord’s residence, he found the old steward, a genial elder with a goatee.

“Steward, where’s my father?” Zhao Feng asked.

“The master went to the Bloodfiend Sect. I heard that the Bloodfiend Sect is planning to make peace with Southcloud City!” the old steward immediately replied.

The Bloodfiend Sect was an Evil Dao faction near Southcloud City. It was of equal power to Southcloud City, and the two had been enemies for a thousand years now.

If not for these two factions wearing each other out, they would have both been far more powerful by now.

“Before leaving, the master asked me to inform the young master of a certain matter.” The old steward approached Zhao Feng and whispered into his ear.

“The master said…”

But before the old steward finished speaking, his mouth curled into a wicked and smug smile. Energy gathered into his right hand into a sharp blade that he thrust forward.

Suddenly, the old man’s body s.h.i.+vered and froze.

At some point, Zhao Feng had produced a small sword covered in scarlet veins. This sword had already been stabbed into the old steward’s chest.

“Heaven-level top-cla.s.s…!” The old steward’s body began to shrivel up as his blood and energy were drained away, leaving only a pile of bones.

The old steward was only an initial-level Divine Transformation Realm expert, while not even Imperishable Realm experts possessed Heaven-level top-cla.s.s weapons. Even if Zhao Feng didn’t use the powers of this sword, the sword’s innate sharpness and abilities would have been enough to instantly kill the old steward.

“As expected, something happened!” Zhao Feng sighed.

He sensed something strange in the air the moment he entered the city lord’s estate.

At this moment, as if someone had sent out an order, powerful auras and killing intent exploded from various parts of the estate. Screams and the scent of blood began to rise from various areas. The entire estate began to tremble as a battle ensued.

“Zhao Balong, what’s the meaning of this!?” a resounding voice came from the forbidden ground in the back of the estate, and then a white streak of light flew out. It turned into a white-haired elder who was furiously staring at a certain part of the estate.

“Grand Elder!”

“Grand Elder, clan members have started a revolt!”

Many shouts came from within the estate.

The abrupt a.s.sault of these people had caught the Zhao Clan off guard.

“Haha, old fool, the Zhao Clan is mine!” Zhao Balong charged out of a dark-golden palace, exuding a domineering aura. Mixed with this aura was a chilling fiendish energy.

“You’ve been colluding with the Bloodfiend Sect!?” The Grand Elder grimaced as he loudly accused.

You’ve understood too late!” Zhao Balong heartily laughed.

A blood-colored barrier suddenly appeared around the estate, covered in various wicked and intimidating patterns. “This old man will first execute this traitor!” The Grand Elder charged forward, a broadsword appearing in his hand. Zhao Balong simply floated in the air, utterly unperturbed.

“Oh no!” The Grand Elder suddenly sensed danger and hastily retreated.

Boom! Bang!

A savage blood-colored ghost head charged out of Zhao Balong’s residence, howling as it rushed at the Grand Elder.

The ghost head moved with incredible speed, and the Grand Elder didn’t have time to dodge, causing one of his arms to be bitten.

The Grand Elder instantly cut off his arm, his face hardened with resolve.

As an Imperishable Realm expert, he could swiftly restore any of his lost body parts, but he discovered that a significant amount of his energy had also been devoured.

Thwis.h.!.+

A demon-faced elder wearing blood-colored robes flew out of Zhao Balong’s residence and wickedly laughed. “We meet again!”

“Blood Spirit!” The Grand Elder’s eyes darkened and began to seethe with killing intent.