Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 1637 - 1630: Return in Frustration

Chapter 1637: Chapter 1630: Return in Frustration

After a pause, he continued, "Earlier, you kept calling them Saints, and now you’re casually referring to them as Western Continent people. That change in attitude is a bit too quick, don’t you think?"

"You keep saying that sheltering the Saints would offend the Wu Family, but I don’t see it that way. Do you really think the Wu Family would offend my Huayu Family over a second-rate clan like yours? That would be a joke."

"You, do not insult my clan."

Wuting Yan was seething with rage, pointing at Huayu Ting, his eyes nearly shooting flames.

Not only was Huayu Ting exceptional in martial arts, but his verbal skills were sharp, making his insults seem logical and irrefutable while difficult to accept.

And Wuting Yan’s fury revealed one undeniable fact: Huayu Ting had hit straight on what was lurking in his thoughts.

Wuting Yan’s petty schemes weren’t just exposed—they were publicly unveiled by Huayu Ting, making him feel utterly humiliated.

When one considers it carefully, ever since Hua State was divided, the Huayu Family had always been the largest noble family in the region. Despite numerous efforts, the second-place Wuting Clan could never match up to the Huayu Family.

Mention Hua State to outsiders, and the Huayu Family immediately comes to mind. Yet few would even recall that the second-largest family in Hua State is the Wuting Clan.

This feeling of perpetual subordination—a humiliation embedded deep in the hearts of each Wuting Clan Patriarch—had twisted their psychology over generations, leading them to vehemently deny the Huayu Family’s status as Hua State’s premier noble household and to aggressively promote their own clan.

Regrettably, this approach not only failed to give the Wuting Clan the respect it sought but also made them the target of ridicule among other noble families. In their eyes, the Wuting Clan had become the butt of the joke—a complete fool.

Thus, in their pursuit of status, the Wuting Clan decided to join forces with the Wu Family without hesitation, willingly becoming their pawn to expand the Wu Family’s influence in the borderlands of Hua State.

It must be noted that neither Kyushu nor the Imperial Court recognized the Wu Family as an official organization.

Unlike the Wen Family, which had firmly entrenched itself in the political arena and controlled administrative power from the central government to local jurisdictions, the Wu Family was more akin to a nominal martial alliance leader—a concept without tangible structure or clear directives.

Its members varied: some staunchly opposed the Wen Family, serving as the Wu Family’s solid foundation; others were just there for recognition, aiming to build reputations that they couldn’t live up to.

Then there were even worse sorts—those who abused the Wu Family’s influence to act recklessly, assuming the Wen Family couldn’t touch them.

In reality, these reckless deeds hadn’t triggered any substantial reaction from the Wen Family, as such actions were entirely within their expectations.

The truth was, these individuals were eroding the Wu Family’s reputation. The Wen Family, with deliberate restraint, allowed these antics to continue until the Wu Family’s name was irreparably tarnished.

Of course, not everyone within the Wu Family was incompetent; a handful of far-sighted individuals had recognized the problems the Wu Family faced and initiated reforms.

Yet, for the mammoth Wu Family, the reforms were negligible—like trying to extinguish a blaze with a thimble of water. In some areas, they even caused more chaos, making the situation worse than no reform at all.

In any case, while the Wu Family wasn’t highly favored, the practice of cultivation was deeply ingrained across Kyushu. This entrenched culture ensured the Wu Family’s legitimacy; as long as cultivation remained prevalent, the Wu Family would endure.

The Wuting Clan’s decision to align with the Wu Family was similarly motivated by a desire to bolster their own reputation. Ironically, because the Wu Family’s reputation was already bad, their association only seemed comical to outsiders.

The Wuting Clan’s current operation to retrieve the Advance Team members was an attempt to score major points. If they succeeded, it would be a significant achievement, allowing them to earn favor with the Wu Family and boost their standing.

It was precisely for this reason that the Wuting Clan dared to offend the Huayu Family, dispatching elite forces to demand the return of the captives.

But as the confrontation escalated to this point, even Wuting Yan could no longer ignore the obvious—the Saints had absolutely no intention of leaving with him.

The problem was precisely as Huayu Ting had pointed out: the Saints didn’t want to leave, Huayu Ting refused to drive them away, and Wuting Yan couldn’t invite them to depart.

Huayu Ting wielded a blade capable of slicing through steel like butter—the weapon of the White Tiger under the Saints. This alone signaled the Saints’ stance, which obviously aligned with the Huayu Family.

Given the situation, taking the captives was clearly out of the question, and so Wuting Yan’s priority now became figuring out how to make a dignified exit.

After all, he himself was injured, and many of his soldiers had perished. While he didn’t care about their lives, his reputation had taken a hit—it couldn’t be tarnished further.

"Manor Lord," Huayu Ting said calmly, twirling the blade in his hand with effortless grace. "The fight has been fought, people have died generously—don’t you think it’s time to return?"

"If you’re coming to visit Bicheng Mansion, I would gladly host you. The Huayu Family is wealthy and expansive; entertaining a few hundred men is no problem, even if you bring three thousand. Huayu Ting is more than capable of showing hospitality."

He turned his back and walked away slowly, hands clasped behind him. Though he appeared young, Huayu Ting had fully demonstrated the bearing of a Patriarch.

"Huayu Ting, today’s events are far from over. The Wuting Clan will remember this humiliation!" Wuting Yan pointed at him, furious.

Anyone with sharp eyes could tell that Wuting Yan was merely putting on a show—trying to bolster his courage.

Despite being in the Golden Core Realm, he wouldn’t dare fight Huayu Ting again.

It would be fortunate to escape with another hand crippled; if he lost, both his name and the Wuting Clan’s reputation would be utterly destroyed.

Huayu Ting was, after all, a Dual Dao Cultivator. Even as a Golden Core Realm practitioner, Wuting Yan wouldn’t make another reckless move.

"Come anytime you’d like," Huayu Ting replied nonchalantly. "Should the Manor Lord approach with courtesy, this junior will naturally host with proper manners. But if you come with hostility, then don’t blame this junior for acting without decorum."

His tone remained composed, as though Wuting Yan’s coarse threats couldn’t stir any anger within him.

To Huayu Ting, there weren’t many things in this world that could provoke real anger. Family and children, perhaps, were exceptions.

He wasn’t even particularly concerned about others vilifying the Huayu Family. As long as no one objected, he wouldn’t bother to intervene—he wouldn’t even bother to listen.

"Just wait—The Wu Family won’t let you off easily."

Left cornered by Huayu Ting’s attitude, Wuting Yan scowled, dropped one final threat, and retreated with his followers in defeat.

Watching the Wuting Clan’s troops withdraw, like a receding tide, Huayu Ting finally exhaled and revealed a slightly weary expression.

He reluctantly examined the blade in his grip, particularly drawn to the engraved character "Feng" near the blade’s base.

Sighing softly, he tossed the blade towards Feng. Feng deftly caught it, blade facing upward, before sheathing it slowly.

"The Wu Family is certainly forthright about their ambitions," Hu Daoke remarked from the city wall as he watched the Wuting Clan retreat with a shake of his head.

"After all, they are crude people. Do you think every cultivator has the refinement of Huayu Ting?" Cheng Ziang withdrew his gaze and shook his head.

"With the Wu Family so eager to confront us, might we face further trouble on our journey?" Tangmo asked with concern.

"I doubt they’ll target us," Cheng Ziang replied, shaking his head. "If I were to guess, their interest in us largely stems from the presence of a Nascent Soul expert—a Demigod."

"But the Wen Family also has their eyes on us. Could it be that these scholars are just as interested in our Demigod?" Hu Daoke asked, puzzled.

"Unlikely..." At that moment, Luo’er, who had remained silent, suddenly spoke up.

As agreed, Luo’er was the Saint while the others were his subordinates. When Luo’er spoke, Cheng Ziang and the rest immediately ceased their conversation, respectfully bowing their heads to listen to his insight.

"The Wen Family craves forces capable of reforming the current system. With Kyushu firmly under their control, I suspect they’re worried we might disrupt the stability they’ve worked so hard to establish," Luo’er said methodically.

"What makes you think that?" Luo’er’s party exchanged questioning looks.

"The Wen Family’s adversary is the Wu Family, and their goal is to dismantle the Wu Family’s grip on Kyushu. From what I see, they’ve done well so far."

Continuing his explanation, Luo’er added, "After coming to power, the Wen Family implemented numerous reforms aimed at undermining the Wu Family. I doubt all of these changes were altruistically motivated—for instance, liberating members of the Demon Clan. Yet in their calculated approach, these reforms are steadily eroding the Wu Family’s influence. At this crucial juncture, they undoubtedly wish to avoid external forces, especially those from cultivation circles, from coming in and stirring things up."

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