URBAN VILLAIN SYSTEM

After few hours...

India... Mumbai...

The dark metallic war jet smoothly glided through the clouds and touched down on the private airfield of the Clark family estate.

The engines let out a low roar before completely shutting down, leaving a heavy silence over the runway. Tony Clark walked down the boarding ramp with his usual slow, lazy steps, his dark cloak brushing against the cold metal.

Directly behind him, Elsa followed like a shadow. Her violet eyes were calm, and her face carried a serene, pleasant smile that showed complete, absolute devotion to him. The Heavenly Imperial Soul Subduing Art had completely re-engineered her mind, transforming the dangerous Demonic Sea Princess into a perfectly loyal tool.

The moment Tony stepped into the main courtyard of the estate, he felt an incredibly heavy, tense atmosphere. Usually, the courtyard was quiet at this hour, but today it was packed.

His father, Patriarch Ryon Clark, was standing at the front with a deeply worried look on his face. Behind him stood almost all the major elders of the Clark family, their expressions grim and their bodies radiating a restless, angry energy. Several younger disciples were gathered in the background, holding their communication devices and whispering frantically among themselves.

Tony immediately realized that something went wrong while he was away at Mount Meru. He activated his Truth Eye for a split second, scanning the crowd.

He noticed that their internal energies were highly chaotic, a clear sign of deep psychological stress and panic. Before Tony could even say a word, one of the senior elders stepped forward, holding up a glowing crystal tablet that displayed the regional martial network.

"Tony! You are finally back!" the elder shouted, his voice shaking with a mix of anger and fear. "Look at the martial network! The entire continent is in an absolute uproar because of you! There is a massive, highly viral post circulating across every single major faction, and it is destroying our family’s reputation by the minute!"

Tony casually glanced at the screen of the communication device. A bold, massive title was pinned to the absolute top of the global martial network: "Dirty Criminal Tony Clark Exposed: The Great Fraud of the Century."

The source of the post was highly authoritative, officially verified by the grand seal of the 9 Lotus Academy. Academy Master Da Vinci, who had been brutally blasted thousands of miles away by Tang Zi’s spatial snap, had clearly wasted no time in using his massive political influence. Since he couldn’t beat Tony in a physical fight, he decided to completely destroy his standing in society.

Da Vinci had posted a massive, detailed article claiming that Tony Clark had secretly broken into the sacred 9 Lotus Academy treasury with the full backing and military support of the Clark family, stealing countless ancient resources.

To make the news even more damaging, Da Vinci had explicitly written that during the previous World Tree tournament, Tony had used forbidden, underhanded cheating methods and hidden soul poisons to steal the World Tree Blessing from the other young geniuses.

The article painted Tony as a completely ruthless, shameless criminal and described the Clark family as a den of thieves trying to overthrow the balance of the empire. Because it was posted directly by an Academy Master, the news was spreading like wildfire, and millions of cultivators online were already screaming for Tony’s execution.

"Tony, is this true?!" Patriarch Ryon Clark asked, his voice booming across the courtyard as he stepped closer to his son. His face was pale, and his hands were clenched into tight fists.

"The Imperial Family is already sending investigation envoys to our gates, and the surrounding families are threatening to cut off all trade with us.

The entire martial world is condemning your name! You must give the elders and the family a clear, absolute explanation right now!"

The elders began talking over one another, their voices rising in a wave of chaotic panic. "We need to issue an official statement!" one screamed. "We should hand over the treasures he took to appease the Academy!" another suggested. The crowd was completely losing its composure, terrified of a multi-family war.

Tony, however, simply stood there with his arms crossed over his chest. His expression was completely blank, and he didn’t show even a fraction of anxiety or fear. He let out a soft, lazy yawn, completely ignoring the angry demands of the elders. He had no intention of wasting his breath explaining the complex details of cosmic travelers and upper realms to people who couldn’t even comprehend them.

"Quiet down, all of you," a deep, incredibly ancient voice suddenly echoed from the back of the courtyard. The voice wasn’t loud, yet it carried an absolute, world-suppressing power that instantly crushed the chaotic noise in the area.

The space directly beside Tony rippled, and Ancestor Kent Clark slowly materialized from the shadows. His wise, ancient eyes swept over the panicked elders, making everyone instantly close their mouths and lower their heads in deep respect.

Kent then turned his gaze onto Tony, and then onto the completely submissive Elsa standing behind him. A tiny, knowing glint flashed across the old ancestor’s eyes. He could easily feel the lingering, majestic traces of an upper-realm spatial law surrounding Tony’s body.

"All elders, including the Patriarch, leave this courtyard immediately," Ancestor Kent commanded calmly, his tone allowing absolutely no room for argument. "Go to the front gates and handle the imperial envoys. Do not issue any statements to the martial network. I will speak with Tony personally in the inner sanctuary. Nobody is allowed to disturb us under any circumstances."

Patriarch Ryon Clark looked at his father, then at Tony, and let out a heavy sigh. He nodded respectfully and turned around, leading the frustrated, murmuring elders out of the courtyard.

Within a minute, the entire area was completely cleared, leaving only Tony, Elsa, and Ancestor Kent.

"Okay... How bad it is?" Kent asked as he lit up the cigar with a serious look.

"Not at all bad... I hit real Jackpot!"