The Wu family was a large merchant clan, with convenient transportation and abundant resources, situated in the heart of the southwest great plains.
Its strength and status drove the economy of this region, allowing the people here to live very prosperous lives.
Each of the nine great powers occupied territory the size of a prefecture, hundreds of times larger than the biggest cities in this world, to the point it could be considered a small country.
And now, this once most bustling and prosperous great city of the Lei Feng Continent had sealed itself off.
The boundless streaming light formation before them blocked the path of Wan Lei and his companion.
Wan Lei took out his communication jade slip and transmitted a message to the Wu family patriarch, stating that he had arrived at the Wu family and requesting an audience.
Under normal circumstances, if an ordinary envoy from the Lei Di Hall were to arrive, the Wu family would send an elder to receive them. If the Great Elder or Chief Steward of the Lei Di Hall came, according to their status, the Wu family patriarch should emerge.
Now, with Wan Lei, the Hall Master of the Lei Di Hall and the leader of the largest alliance in the Lei Feng Realm, personally gracing them with his presence, it wouldn't be an exaggeration even if the Wu family's Tribulation Crossing Old Ancestor came out to greet him.
But Wan Lei waited for a long time, and there was not a single stir from within the Wu family; not even a reply was given.
"Are they dead set on cutting ties with us?"
Fang Xiaoyu's brows furrowed tightly as he stroked his smooth chin.
"But even if they want to cut ties, shouldn't there at least be superficial courtesy? Don't they have to save face?
Do they really intend to stop cooperating in the future? To sever all ties?
But if that's the case, why wouldn't they just defect to the villainous alliance? Why go through this charade?"
"You're overthinking it. Let's analyze this. When did the Wu family activate their protective array? And when did it become impossible to see inside? Give me this information."
"Hmm... When the demonic race descended, all the major powers raised their protective arrays. The nine great powers, including us, were no exception.
As for becoming impossible to see inside, that was about half a month ago. After the Lei Di Hall battle, the array turned into a streaming light color. We guessed they had strengthened the formation.
Oh, and also, it was about half a month ago that no one saw any Wu family disciples going out, and people from the outside couldn't contact anyone inside.
We speculated that the Wu family had forbidden them from contacting the outside world, gathered all their disciples, concentrated their strength for defense, and disallowed the leakage of family secrets..."
"And you never considered that these people might all be dead?"
Wan Lei's voice was slow, but his eyes flashed with sharp light.
"All dead? How is that possible?"
Xiaoyu exclaimed in surprise.
"What's impossible about it? How could they call back all their disciples? How could every single person be unreachable? How could they even forbid any communication to the outside?
Even if they wanted to protect themselves and stay out of the war, what about their economy? Their trade? Did they stop doing business?
If I were them, the three families, and decided not to participate in the war, I would definitely become a war profiteer, selling weapons to both sides and making a fortune from the war.
After both sides had fought themselves to a standstill and were severely weakened, I would then use my intact strength to clean up the mess and dominate the world.
Even if one family didn't think this way, what about the other two? Did all three families unanimously agree? To order their clansmen home and forbid them from communicating with the outside?
With hundreds of millions of clansmen, how could they possibly control all of them?
I suspect that the people inside have all been killed by the Liu family and the demonic race."
"But we are the enemies of the Liu family and the demonic race. The Liu family has been very quiet lately. Why would they attack these three families?"
"Have you forgotten the Blood Immortal Realm? It's possible that the Liu family and the demonic race sent people to invade the array first, then deceived outsiders and killed everyone inside.
The Blood Immortal Realm needs not only the blood of its own race but also a large number of corpses and vital energy. The stronger the person, the better.
The most suitable people are, first and foremost, us. Secondly, these three families.
We are an alliance. If one family is in danger, the others will immediately know and come to support, making it difficult to attack.
But these three families are different. They each look after their own, no one listens to anyone else, and they are a scattered force. While there are many strong individuals, they are also easy to conquer.
If I were the Liu family, I would also eliminate these weakest major powers first to strengthen myself.
As long as they control their array, block divine sense, prevent transmissions, and their army enters, they can do whatever they please."
"This... this is too incredible."
"I was wondering why there were so few Liu family Demon Marshals and Tribulation Transcenders when I caused trouble at the Liu family. Qianniao also said that most of these Demon Marshals, Tribulation Transcenders, and the demonic armies were not at the Liu family. When I asked him where these people were, he refused to say.
So that's how it is...
They came to destroy these three families."
"But now, we don't have any direct evidence to prove this."
"Easy."
Wan Lei pointed to the protective array.
"I'll try to break this array now. If I can't break it, it means this is a demonic race array. Either they were killed by the demonic race, or they defected to the demonic race.
If I can break it, then..."
"Then it means they aren't dead?"
"Then we have to flee quickly. Who knows how many demonic troops are waiting inside for us to walk into a trap."
Having said that, Wan Lei and Fang Xiaoyu found a secluded spot, crept over quietly, and arrived at the edge of the array.
This area was a residential zone. Because it was a plain and adjacent to the Wu family, the land here was extremely expensive, worth its weight in gold. Those who could live here were all distinguished and noble families.
The two of them crept over, Wan Lei placed his hand on the array, activated the eye of the array, and began to attempt to break it.
After a long while, Wan Lei sighed and lowered his hand.
"What's wrong? You can't break this array?"
"If it were just an array, there's nothing I couldn't break. But this is no longer just an array; it has integrated the Way of Space within it.
It must have been done by the demonic race. They have sealed this place, and the people inside are likely all dead."
"How could that be? Isn't there still a possibility that they defected to the demonic race?"
"If they defected to the demonic race, then the six families plus the demonic race would have simply swept away our Lei Di Alliance, wouldn't they?
And then used our corpses to refine the Blood Immortal Realm, allowing Liu Naiweng to ascend, wouldn't that be enough?
Why would they still hide and be secretive? Wouldn't it be better to crush us with overwhelming force?"
"Alas... The Wu family, having been a peak power dominating the west for fifty thousand years, to think that with the arrival of the demonic race, such a large power could simply vanish."
"Let's go. Before the demonic race inside discovers us, let's go check out the other two families."
Fang Xiaoyu nodded. The two of them quietly flew away and took a teleportation array, heading north towards the Zhou family.