Vol. 1 - Ch. 79 - The Liu Clan Attack
"Take me to Lord Qingling."
In the courtyard, Elder Shengrong knelt in prayer before the clan totem, his weathered face solemn as he completed the ritual.
Rising slowly, he turned his gaze to Liu Zishan and asked, "Does the Chen clan have any Innate Realm martial artists?"
Liu Zishan shook his head.
"I don't think so, but the Chen clan has a sacred tree. We don't know the nature of its divine power."
Elder Shengrong listened to Liu Zishan's account of the day's events—the investigation of the Chen clan and their limited understanding of the holy tree’s power.
Shengrong smiled faintly, waving a hand dismissively.
"Since they have no Innate Realm martial artists, there's no need for such worry. Time waits for no one. We'll take the clan members and strike tonight."
He continued, "The clan totem won’t last much longer. The sooner we seize the Blood Spring, the sooner we can revive the totem."
Liu Zishan hesitated for a moment. Attacking without fully understanding the Chen clan's defences, especially the power of their sacred tree, could lead to unnecessary casualties.
But as he looked at his great-uncle, now in the mid-stage of the Innate Realm, his concerns faded. The strength of a seasoned Innate Realm martial artist would far outweigh any potential threats the Chen clan might possess.
If the Chen clan had such strength, they wouldn’t be in their current state, Liu Zishan thought.
"Very well, Great Grandfather, I’ll gather the clan members now."
…
Inside the temple of the Chen clan, Chen Xingzhen recounted the day’s events before the Divine Tree and the gathered spirits of the ancestors. Chen Changming, along with other elders of the past, wore grim expressions.
The Liu clan’s visit had made one thing clear—they had discovered the location of the Blood Spring. However, their actions indicated that they weren’t there to negotiate. The Liu clan was preparing for something far more dangerous, and the Chen clan would have to brace for an imminent confrontation.
The spirits of Chen Xingzhen's ancestors, though wise and experienced, were now mere ghosts without physical bodies. They could not physically defend the clan. The clan would have to rely on the Divine Tree’s protection and the warriors within the clan.
Upon hearing Chen Xingzhen’s description, Ji Yang opened his own panel:
[Name: Ji Yang]