My Crazy Upgrade System

Cloud Celestial Saint’s reply made them explode with rage. How could this be considered a bargain? They didn’t protect Yunluo Village in the first place, yet they still demanded protection fees. Wasn’t this a total scam?

And now he wanted to take Lian. Wasn’t that an even bigger rip-off?

"In your dreams! Lian will never go with you!" Wang Decuan stood up in a rage, clutching a wooden club. But the club was meaningless against them. The gap in their cultivation levels was so vast that any one of them could crush him with a single finger.

Cloud Celestial Saint completely ignored him, turning to Lian instead. "Make your choice, and make it quick. If you don’t come with me, you can watch them die one by one. If you obey and come with me, I’ll exempt this village from three years of protection fees. What’s more, we won’t conscript any more of your men."

Lian’s cultivation wasn’t weak, but he paid her no mind. The gap between their cultivation levels was simply too vast—he’d known that from the moment she made her move earlier.

Lian clenched her jaw. It had come to this; she had to make a choice. Otherwise, Cloud Celestial Saint would really kill them one by one and still drag her away. She had no other option.

This was the reality of power. The weak were at the mercy of the strong, left with no other choice.

"Lian, let’s fight them! We can’t let them get away with this, even if it means we die!" Wang Decuan’s resolute and handsome face was set with determination. He was afraid of death, but faced with the bandits who had oppressed them for so long, what he felt most was rage.

"Oh? Quite spirited," Cloud Celestial Saint sneered, his face full of contempt. He clearly looked down on them. "But why don’t you ask her if your resistance is of any use at all?"

"We’d rather die than let Lian go with you!"

"You took my son! I still don’t know if he’s dead or alive! I’ll fight you to the death!"

"That’s right! We’ve been oppressed by you for too long! We’ve had enough!"

At this, the other villagers rose to their feet one by one. No one was kneeling anymore. All of them glared daggers at the intruders. Of course, they were afraid of death, but this constant oppression... if it continued, their lives would be no different from death anyway.

"All of you, stop being so stubborn! Just listen to Lord Yun and let Lian go with him! This is a blessing for her!" A sleazy-looking man emerged from the crowd and trotted over to Cloud Celestial Saint’s side. He turned to the villagers and shouted, "Besides, we’ll be exempt from three years of protection fees! That’s never happened before! If it weren’t for Lord Yun’s protection, we would’ve been eaten by Demon Beasts long ago!"

"Niu Zhi, what nonsense are you spouting!?" Wang Decuan roared. "How could they possibly protect us? There aren’t any Demon Beasts around here! We don’t need their protection!"

"That’s right! Niu Zhi, why are you siding with them...? Don’t tell me you’re the one who informed on Lian!" someone immediately pieced it together.

"Informed on them?" Niu Zhi sneered. "I’m just being pragmatic. If we stay trapped here, we’ll starve to death sooner or later! Besides, Lian brought back all that stuff and only gave us a tiny portion. She was hoarding the rest for herself. She’s just a stingy miser!"

The other villagers were so angry they could have coughed up blood. Lian herself was about to explode. It was true she hadn’t given out everything, but she had already distributed most of it. And even if she hadn’t given them anything, so what?

’She barely knew Niu Zhi, so whether she gave him anything was her business. To think there was a traitor among them!’

"I... I never thought you’d be a traitor..." Wu Liquan was so furious he felt like he could spit blood. ’It’s always the enemy from within you can’t guard against.’

"Me, a traitor? Cut the crap. I’m doing this for your own good!" Niu Zhi sneered. "Obeying Lord Yun’s command is the only smart choice here. Do you really think you can defy him?"

He was undoubtedly the traitor. He was the one who had informed on them. Otherwise, how would Cloud Celestial Saint and his men have known about this remote place? It was no wonder Cloud Celestial Saint had returned to collect protection fees in less than half a year. It was all because Niu Zhi had snitched, which was why they had arrived so quickly.

"You... you... I’ll kill you!" Wang Decuan roared, swinging his long club at him, but Lian quickly intercepted him.

"Don’t be reckless! You can’t beat them..." Lian’s eyes were also filled with fury. ’I finally made it home and even gave so much to the villagers, only for a traitor to emerge—and a deeply resentful one at that.’

But it was useless to say anything now. Lian knew this wouldn’t end easily. Cloud Celestial Saint and his men were too strong, and she was powerless to resist.

"It seems you know your place. State your final choice. Frankly, my patience is limited." Cloud Celestial Saint looked down on them, his eyes filled with disdain.

Lian glanced back at the villagers, then gritted her teeth. "Fine. I’ll go with you..."

’She had no choice. What good would refusing do? Before such a powerful opponent, she couldn’t refuse. If she did, her fellow villagers would surely die.’

"Lian, don’t go with them! You bastards, I’ll kill you!" A middle-aged man on a crutch came hobbling out of a house, not moving very fast.

He only made it a few steps before collapsing.

"Dad!" Lian rushed over and helped her father up. "Dad, why are you out here? You’re supposed to be resting in your room!"

"So she’s your daughter. I remember breaking your leg. My apologies. I had no idea you were her father. Had I known, I would have certainly been more merciful." Cloud Celestial Saint gave a cruel smile, showing no sign of remorse. "However, since she has chosen to come with me, I’ll leave behind some healing medicine."

Lian’s body trembled. Of course she knew what had happened to her father. His leg had been broken by Cloud Celestial Saint—it wasn’t due to some serious illness!

"Old Liu, Old Liu, it’s a blessing for your daughter to go with Lord Yun. Why must you be so stubborn?" Niu Zhi snickered, his weaselly expression making one want to slap him across the face.

"You traitor! Get out of my sight!" Old Liu roared. "Don’t let me see you again, or I’ll kill you!"

"Who’d be killing whom is still up for debate. Besides, I’ll be returning with Lord Yun shortly. Why would I stay in this dilapidated dump?" Niu Zhi gloated, the very picture of a petty man who’d gotten his way. His compensation for informing on them was that Cloud Celestial Saint would take him in, which was why he acted so brazenly.

The crowd glared at Niu Zhi, seething with rage. How could their Yunluo Village have produced such scum?

"Time’s up. We’re leaving," Cloud Celestial Saint said gravely.

Lian shuddered. She motioned for some other villagers to come and help her father back inside. Then, she stood up and walked toward Cloud Celestial Saint.

"Lian, don’t go!"

"Lian, come back!"

"Don’t go! I’ll hold them back!"

Cloud Celestial Saint’s men quickly moved to block them, shoving them back with force. The villagers were completely unable to resist.

"Dad... everyone... take care of yourselves..." Lian’s eyes reddened. She could only make this sacrifice.

Watching this scene, Cloud Celestial Saint broke into another delighted smile. He loved nothing more than to witness such moments.

"I’d like to see who dares take you away."

Just then, a familiar voice drifted in from outside. The crowd looked up to see a handsome young man standing there, his gaze as cold as ice.

"Y-Young Master..." The moment Lian saw Yi Tianyun, tears instantly streamed down her face.