Chapter 681 - 448: Changsheng Family, Mere Bandits! (Double-Length)_2
"I will not interfere." The Chu family’s patriarch was the first to make a stance, and after speaking, he took the Chu family members back to the Chu Mansion, shutting the doors and playing ostrich.
Not taking sides, though neither side will favor you afterwards, at least you won’t have to bear the enormous risk of utter disaster.
At most, the hard-earned relationships with the imperial Family and Changsheng Su Family built over the years will be gone, but that is better than stepping into this deep pit and getting severely injured or crippled.
"What does Brother Wang say?" The Meng family’s patriarch looked at the Wang family’s patriarch nearby.
The two families currently have close ties, sharing common interests—a relationship of advancing and retreating together.
"Let’s wait and see..." said the Wang family’s patriarch.
Outside the Prince’s Mansion, seven elder Grandmasters from the Su Family stared at Hu Tomb, already considering taking action.
Buzz!
At this moment, the city defense array of the main city was activated, helping the residents within the city resist the energy torrents flying above.
Simultaneously, Hu Tomb took the lead, grabbing with a large hand, and exhibited a profound Martial Technique. Majestic Gang Qi swept in, instantly entangling the seven elder Grandmasters from the Su Family in front.
The Su family’s elder Grandmasters seemed surprised that Hu Tomb dared to act first, facing them seven alone.
Then, with a loud shout, Hu Tomb dragged all seven, flying them into the sky.
"Bastard!"
The elder Grandmasters of the Su Family flared with anger, opening up a second battlefield for Grandmasters in the sky.
However, this time it was seven elder Grandmasters from the Su Family besieging Hu Tomb alone, a situation that seemed quite dire.
Yet at this moment, several presences stronger than those seven elder Grandmasters emerged from the Su Mansion, causing Song Changming and other beings from the Hu Imperial Family to sink emotionally to the depths.
"If only I had Grandmaster Cultivation..." Hu Fanyi gritted his teeth, watching Hu Tomb fall into danger, unable to do more—recklessly joining the Grandmaster battle would only drag Hu Tomb and Prince Cui down.
At this time, he felt ashamed of his ineptitude.
In the Martial Arts World, the strong are revered, and all power and status are built upon a foundation of one’s adequate might.
The weak can only endure beatings, much like the present predicament of the Hu imperial Family.
With lesser heritage and strength compared to the Changsheng Su Family, a single misstep could lead to a complete downfall.
But Song Changming thought Prince Cui might still have a trump card.
Given his knowledge of Prince Cui and Hu Tomb, they wouldn’t knowingly send themselves to death even if sacrificing a Hu Donghuo.
Yet whether this trump card would be effective was another matter.
After all, this surprise emergence of so many martial arts Grandmaster powerhouses from the Su Family was truly unexpected and nerve-wracking.
Even Song Changming had always underestimated the Changsheng Su Family.
Although it was said to be decaying, it is still more formidable than imagined, with a congregation of powerful beings within the clan, totaling more martial arts Grandmasters than the top-tier Noble Families in Cui Bai Dao; no wonder the Su Clan members are arrogant and disdain others.
Throughout Cui Bai Dao, there truly isn’t any Noble Family power that can compete with them, including the Hu Imperial Family.
Hu Fanyi hated his incapacity to assist Prince Cui and Hu Tomb effectively, while now the help Song Changming could offer was quite limited.
He knew very well that with his current strength, to turn the tide facing the fully activated Changsheng Su Family was extraordinarily difficult.
"Can only do my best..." Song Changming murmured to himself.
Above the clouds, a streak of radiance darted through, speeding across.
Moments later, dozens of streaks of radiance hurriedly followed, disrupting the intense airflow along the way, causing the cloud layers to roll and scatter like waves.
Hu Tomb glanced back at the pursuing Su family Grandmasters, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.
Hu Tomb had encountered an opportunity two years ago, allowing his cultivation to advance early into the Middle Stage of Grandmaster Realm, greatly boosting his strength.
If the opponents were those seven early-stage Su family elder Grandmasters, he believed he could handle them entirely.
However, the truly tricky part was the later emergence of those Su family elder Grandmasters, sharing the same Middle Stage of Grandmaster Cultivation—it was overwhelming!
Just briefly carelessness could lead Hu Tomb directly following in Hu Donghuo’s footsteps.
Fortunately, he managed to escape the encirclement and assassination attempts of those Su family Grandmasters while injured.
Fleeing at full speed down the path, not daring to pause even a moment.
Soon, he reached the border of Cui Bai Dao, faintly glimpsing the endless desolate Red Earth Continent in the distance.
Beyond the Red Earth Continent lay the Abyssal Chasm that Song Changming had crossed years ago.
Suddenly, Hu Tomb heard a piercing sound of something splitting.
Rotating his eyes, he saw a sword thrusting straight toward him from the side.
This sword bypassed the reach of his Spiritual Perception, seeming to materialize out of thin air, shocking Hu Tomb.
Fortunately, his reaction was swift enough, coming to a halt and sidestepping narrowly to evade the deadly stab of the Flying Sword.
Looking down at his chest, the Marshal Armor shattered, blood blossomed, and the Flying Sword left a long sword mark on his chest, piercing an inch into the flesh.
More critically, this delay enabled the Su family Grandmasters behind him to seemingly teleport, reappearing around him in the blink of an eye, encircling him completely.
The foremost was a skinny, skeletal old man, sunken eyes, as if smoked, with white hair scattered wildly.
His name was Su Xiang, the one with the highest strength and seniority among the Su family’s five Middle Realm Grandmasters.
Originally, he had been secluded for many years, solely for breaking through to the Late Realm of Grandmaster.
If not for Su Dong Pill’s return, he wouldn’t have specifically emerged at this time.
Su Xiang, with a cold face, hung his hands and stood before Hu Tomb.
"Considering the difficulty of achieving your cultivation, surrender and kneel, then perhaps a life will be spared. You should know you’re no match for me!"
Su Xiang’s tone was indifferent, carrying a trace of impatience.
He disliked assignments, especially detested being interrupted from seclusion only to act as a high-level henchman.
Within the whole family, only the returning Su Dong Pill could overrule him, commanding and instructing him.
Before Su Dong Pill’s return, he was the elder with the most influence in the family.
"Since you persecuted Donghuo, our two families cannot coexist in Cui Bai Dao!" Hu Tomb said with indifferent expression.
He was stalling for time, trying to restore energy as much as possible, stabilize his wounds, and waiting for reinforcement from his imperial Family.
Indeed, as Song Changming had anticipated, Hu Tomb and Prince Cui had a backup plan, but this plan had yet to arrive.
"Patriarch, no need to speak further; just bind him, utterly abolish his Martial Arts Cultivation and use him to threaten that Prince Cui." Elder Grandmaster Su Muchuan stepped forward, reminding him.
Su Xiang glanced at Su Muchuan, instantly silencing him without advancing further.
Su Xiang wasn’t concerned about what Su Muchuan proposed; he was more bothered that Su Muchuan showed a hint of disrespect, which was among the impacts after Su Dong Pill returned.
These days, Su Dong Pill was the strongest in the family, and Su Xiang had become second—the old times when he reigned are past now, with his family status significantly diminished.
"Changsheng Family?" Hu Tomb sneered upon hearing, "No different from bandits..."
"You!"
"Even now, you still talk tough!"
"No need for the patriarch to act; we can seize him ourselves!"
The Su family’s elder Grandmasters were becoming restless, their collective aura dauntingly terrifying, breath-stopping.
"Remember, keep him alive." Su Xiang stared at Hu Tomb, seemingly discerning something, ceased obstructing fellow elder Grandmasters.
Hu Tomb’s life was more critical, not to be easily harmed like treating Hu Donghuo.
As his words fell, the Su family’s elder Grandmasters promptly moved, summoning various Spiritual Artifacts encased with their Master’s Power, roaring down upon Hu Tomb.
Hu Tomb wielded his sword, charging through their ranks, striving to escape again.
However, the opponents offered no opportunity—once determined, the enclosure crafted by so many martial arts Grandmasters was undoubtedly solid.
Seeing Hu Tomb precarious, at this moment, a rolling red cloud arrived from afar, settling within the enclosure.
The red cloud was Sword Qi, vast enough to render the sky a shade of crimson.
"Who is it?" Su Xiang looked up.
Sword Qi broke their encirclement, revealing a figure standing within the rolling red cloud, next to Hu Tomb.
"Changming..." Hu Tomb gazed at the newcomer, smiling bitterly.