Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 1598 - 1591: Everyone Turns Their Back

Chapter 1598: Chapter 1591: Everyone Turns Their Back

Huayu Ting stood quietly in place, watching Uncle Yu slowly lose the breath of life, as fresh blood pooled on the ground and quickly seeped into the earth.

Watching the light fade from Uncle Yu’s eyes, Huayu Ting took a deep breath as though relieved of a heavy burden, revealing a slightly weary look in his eyes. He lowered his head to look at his hands smeared with blood and felt an overwhelming fear, not knowing whether it was due to hindsight or the fear of his current self.

Pushing aside these thoughts, Huayu Ting took another deep breath, closed his eyes, and slowly called out, "Come!"

Following his summons, a shadowy figure deftly appeared before him, kneeling on one knee, bowing his head respectfully and clasping his fist, "My Lord!"

"Dispose of Uncle Yu and his family. I do not wish for further complications. No more lives should be lost," Huayu Ting said indifferently.

"Yes..." The person hesitated for a moment before slowly responding.

"Do you think I’m too cruel?" Huayu Ting asked, looking at him.

"I am only loyal to the Patriarch. You are the Patriarch, and you are my Lord," the person replied unhurriedly.

"I always worry that you would do as Uncle Yu did, apparently obedient on the surface but harboring ill intentions in secret," Huayu Ting spoke, then suddenly let out a cold chuckle, "But I almost forgot, you are not just my Shadow Guard, but also my senior brother, right?"

"Now I am a Shadow Guard, and I dare not address myself as your brother," the Shadow Guard said with his head bowed and in a low voice.

"When I joined, you were my senior brother. We practiced together, sharing a bed, you... you understand me, right?" Huayu Ting’s words suddenly seemed somewhat lacking in confidence.

"Yes, I understand. I have witnessed everything myself," the Shadow Guard replied.

"Then please..." Huayu Ting took a deep breath, nodded sincerely and said.

"My Lord overestimates, your servant will take his leave," the Shadow Guard said, then took two steps back and his figure soon disappeared into the woods. Along with him, Uncle Yu’s corpse disappeared as well.

Huayu Ting stood still for a long time before finally getting up and following the path to catch up with the caravan that had already moved ahead.

The Huayu Family’s mansion was not located at Rainbow Government nor within the provincial gathering but was an independent estate called Bicheng Mansion. Bicheng Mansion was situated amidst the fields, surrounded by cultivated lands, and naturally, all these fields were assets of the Huayu Family without exception.

To say Bicheng Mansion was an estate would be somewhat inaccurate; it would be more precise to describe it as a fortified architectural complex. Bicheng Mansion was built against the mountains, facing the water, with towering walls on all sides, and watchtowers and fortresses built on strategic high ground.

To launch a frontal assault on Bicheng Mansion, one must cross the river via a stone bridge, and this spot was exceedingly well-defended. Not to mention a person, even a fly would find it difficult to enter.

The proliferation of cultivators in Kyushu has led to the extremely active form of independent entities centered around clans. These families are nominally under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Court, revering Emperor Wu as the sole Emperor of Kyushu, but in reality, they enjoy a degree of autonomy in both taxation and military power.

Crimes within the influence of Bicheng Mansion are judged not by the laws of the Dongsheng Empire, but by the Huayu Family’s Family Law.

One could say that the current situation in Kyushu resembles the city-states and principalities of medieval Europe, independent of each other, though with a clear sovereign, this does not prevent the families from enjoying an independent system of judicial taxation within their territories.

However, although these families are relatively independent entities, they still need to pay a certain tax to the Imperial Court, which serves as a tacit agreement between these families and the Imperial Court, akin to a franchise fee.

Generally speaking, the Imperial Court is mainly concerned with internal strife between these families to prevent warfare from expanding within the Empire and leading to internal divisions.

Of course, given the current capacity of the Imperial Court, it can only manage conflicts between large families to prevent them from escalating into state-level wars or nationwide conflicts.

As for wars where large families swallow up smaller ones, the Imperial Court lacks the interest and the ability to intervene. Large families often overwhelm smaller ones with their might, prioritizing speed. By the time the Imperial Court receives the news, the battle is typically over, and the smaller family absorbed. Thus, the Imperial Court is essentially unable to interfere under these circumstances.

The struggles of large families, such as the conflict between the Huayu Family and the Wuting Clan, are definitely matters that the Imperial Court would intervene in. Without intervention, such wars often escalate into regional conflicts. And because the relationships between families are intricately complex, regional conflicts often evolve into nationwide chaos, something the Imperial Court would definitely want to manage.

Escorted by the mansion’s guardsmen, the caravan traveled along the road for nearly a day. In the afternoon, after traversing the boundless fields, they crossed the stone bridge of Bicheng Mansion and finally arrived at the gates of Bicheng Mansion.

After a brief exchange, the guards of Bicheng Mansion allowed the convoy to enter. Crossing through the city gate to reach the estate, Huayu Ting was already dressed in formal attire, waiting at the entrance of the main hall for the arrival of the guests.

"I am Huayu Ting, the newly appointed Patriarch of the Huayu Family, welcoming everyone to my humble abode." Even though they had previously met, Huayu Ting still maintained a polite demeanor in this formal setting.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Young Lord," Cheng Ziang alighted from the carriage and returned the salute. Then, he looked around and with a smile said to Huayu Ting, "Young Lord, you move quickly indeed."

"After all, I am a practitioner. Such a skill is really nothing to speak of," Huayu Ting said with a smile.

"Worthy of the Huayu Family from Hua State, indeed magnificent," Cheng Ziang remarked as he gazed up at the grand architecture, unable to help his admiration.

"The Manor Lord flatters me. The guest rooms are all prepared for you. I respectfully invite all to stay," Huayu Ting said, his gaze drifting towards the carriage unintentionally. Inside the carriage were not only saints but also his wives.

"Uh... the saints do not like to show their faces, this..." Cheng Ziang glanced around hesitantly as he spoke.

"Oh, I understand, I understand. I will send the servants away right now," Huayu Ting said as he promptly understood Cheng Ziang’s intention and nodded in agreement.

At that moment, a lovely young lady emerged from the gate. She was dressed in snug fighting attire, which did not seem like that of a sheltered young lady, suggesting that she might also be a cultivator.

The young lady had thick eyebrows, so much so that Cheng Ziang noticed her the moment she appeared. She wore a stern expression with her brows fiercely knitted, as if someone owed her money. Seeing her so unabashed, Cheng Ziang surmised that her identity must not be simple.

"Who are they?" The girl caught a glimpse of Cheng Ziang, and immediately showed a look of disgust because of the mask on his face, turning to ask Huayu Ting.

"They are guests," Huayu Ting said calmly.

"Your guests?" The girl asked coldly.

"Guests of the Huayu Family," Huayu Ting replied with an unwavering expression.

"Hmph," the girl snorted and then shifted her gaze to ask, "Where is Uncle Yu?"

"I have sent him on an errand," Huayu Ting patiently responded.

"I need to see him," the girl declared.

"Let’s talk about it when he returns," Huayu Ting replied.

"I want to see him now," the girl stated unreasonably.

"Huayu Ling, please show some respect to me as the Patriarch in front of the guests," said Huayu Ting, his face void of expression.

"Hmph," this remark seemingly touched a nerve, and the girl instantly bristled up, pointing at Huayu Ting and saying in a harsh tone, "Others may acknowledge you as the Patriarch, but I do not. They might not know, but I do. The deaths of Father and Third Brother must be connected to you. Once I find the evidence, I will make sure to unseat you as the murderous beast you are from the position of the Patriarch."

"Huayu Ling, you are being unreasonable..." Huayu Ting spoke with a grim face, his tone turning exceedingly cold.

"I..." Just as Huayu Ling was about to speak, her vision darkened; Huayu Ting appeared before her in an instant, his teeth clenched as he choked her neck with his hand, his expression fierce and terrifying.

"Young Lord, please calm down, this is not the way, this is not the way..." Seeing this, Cheng Ziang hurriedly stepped forward to mediate.

"Huayu Ling," Huayu Ting ignored Cheng Ziang, and instead spoke through clenched teeth, "Not only am I the Patriarch, but I am also your elder brother. Even if you don’t acknowledge me as the Patriarch, you should still address me as your elder brother. As a member of the Huayu Family, why would you want to make the Family lose face in front of the guests?"

Huayu Ling tried to swallow, but her throat was tightly constricted, and the sensation of being neither able to swallow nor to cough made her feel extremely uncomfortable, so she struggled with force.

But how could she, who had barely begun her practice, be a match for Huayu Ting in the late Jiedan Realm? Her attempts at escape could hardly be called such; it was more like futile flailing, utterly unable to disturb Huayu Ting in the slightest.