Chapter 773: Chapter 772: The Coalition’s Dilemma
On the official road, Yang Fei, Xu Jian, Wang Lei, and Helian Rong galloped on horseback, racing toward the Langya Wang Family.
After seeing off Tong Yunshu and the others from the Duanmu Family past the Hidden Sect, the four immediately set out non-stop for the Langya Wang Family.
Three days had passed, and they were only ten li away from reaching Langya City, where the Wang Family’s main base was located.
Helian Rong said, "Have you not felt that these past few days on the road have been a bit too quiet?"
Wang Lei nodded solemnly, "I’ve noticed it long ago. It seems all sides have mobilized. I just hope we’re not too late."
Xu Jian offered comfort, "Don’t worry. Ouyang He entered the Hidden Sect World ahead of time. He must’ve relayed the message to your Wang Family by now. We’re on time. So, the Wang Family should be prepared and won’t be caught off guard by a surprise attack. As long as they’re not taken by surprise, there should be no issue."
Wang Lei silently nodded in agreement with this.
Although those high-ranking Family members were arrogant, they were not fools. Knowing that the combined forces of Zhuge, Duanmu, Giant Sword Manor, Ji Family, and the Zhang Family were converging for an attack, the Wang Family certainly wouldn’t sit idly by with tight defenses; they would definitely move the clan and seek to group together with the Poison Sect and Qingtian Sect for warmth.
But without witnessing it himself, Wang Lei still worried about the Wang Family, concerned about whether his parents within the clan were safe.
...
Langya City.
Compared to Muyun City and Nan Zhao City, Langya City is located in the Hidden Sect Central Earth towards the northwest direction, serving as the central hub connecting the northeast, southwest, and northwest. With a population of over a million, it is undoubtedly the most bustling city in the Hidden Sect World.
Three days earlier, when Ouyang He, carrying Wang Chunyang’s jade pendant, came to visit personally, the Wang Family took it with utmost importance.
Aside from Wang Chunyang, three other Divine Travel Realm powerhouses from the Wang Family came forward to receive Ouyang He.
Ouyang He is the current Sect Leader of the Poison Sect, his poison skill is miraculous, and he himself is a Divine Travel Realm powerhouse. His comprehensive combat strength is ranked among the top five tough characters throughout the entire Hidden Sect World. The Wang Family cannot afford to take such a person lightly.
Moreover, he brought with him the personal token of Wang Chunyang, bearing news of utmost importance. How could the Wang Family leaders not personally receive him?
Upon learning that forces such as Zhuge, Duanmu, and Giant Sword Manor had joined together, intending to seize the opportunity to ambush the Wang Family, the three Wang powerhouses were shocked, finding it hard to believe. But Ouyang He came bearing Wang Chunyang’s token to report such a major event; surely, he wouldn’t deceive the Wang Family, right?
Therefore, without much hesitation, the three powerful members of the Wang Family made a bold decision to secretly evacuate all the elite from Langya City.
As for other relatives in the Family, including the old, weak, women, and children, they were not alerted and left in Langya City.
The very next night after the Wang Family powerhouses left, a vanguard force of the alliance army—fifteen Divine Travel Realm experts from the forces of Zhuge, Duanmu, Giant Sword Manor, Ji Family, and Zhang Family—arrived at Langya City overnight.
In the eyes of Zhuge Cang and others, without Wang Chunyang, the Wang Family at most had three Divine Travel Realm powerhouses in charge. With their fifteen Divine Travel Realm experts teaming up, annihilating those three members of the Wang Family would be effortless.
As for the other Innate Realm and below Martial Artists of the Wang Family, to these fifteen, they were seen as negligible—no matter how many they were, they could kill as many as came.
However, when Zhuge Cang and the others reached the Wang Mansion in Langya City and caused a disturbance after killing several people, what emerged were only Martial Artists from the Wang Family at the Mid-stage or even the Early Stage of Energy Transformation.
The Giant Sword Manor had a grudge against the Wang Family and now, in alliance with several other families creating trouble in Langya City and being neighboring to it, Wang Changchun showed no mercy. Intent on destroying the Wang Family elites, upon encountering emerging Innate Realm warriors, he swung his giant sword, cutting down seven or eight people in succession.
This intimidated the people of the Langya Wang Family.
As Wang Changchun prepared to go on a killing spree, someone from the Zhang Family said, "Brother Wang, hold on, something’s not right."
Someone from the Ji Family followed, "That’s right, something’s off. We’ve been here so long, killed several members of the Wang Family, but not only have those three top fighters of the Wang Family not appeared, we haven’t even seen a single head from the Innate Realm warriors of the Wang Family. Look, these people are at most Mid-stage Energy Transformation level. Are the Wang Family’s elite experts really not at home? There’s a problem."
The powerhouses from the Zhuge and Duanmu Families had also realized something was amiss. They immediately began to release their Divine Thought, searching. Zhuge Cang even shouted loudly, "Wang Chunfeng, how long do you plan to play the coward? Do you really believe I won’t completely annihilate your Wang Family?"
There was no response.
At the same time, those Divine Travel Realm experts who had released their Divine Thought to search also showed grave expressions, shaking their heads.
Just then, a booming voice rose, "The Eight Great Families of the Hidden Sect have been living in harmony, each governing themselves, but today you have joined forces to launch a surprise attack on our Wang Family, which is utterly despicable. Hahaha, unfortunately for you, our family’s ancestor and others were already aware of your conspiracy and left early with our elite members. What’s left in our Wang Family now are just the elderly, women and children. If you want to kill, then come and do it."
Enraged, Zhuge Qian flew out and quickly caught a middle-aged man in his forties from the crowd, lifting him like a chicken.
The man’s face didn’t change and he laughed loudly, "If you kill us, our family’s ancestor will be able to annihilate several of your families’ members. At worst, it will be a case of mutual destruction, dying together!"
Upon his words, many a hot-blooded man of the Wang Family immediately started howling:
"That’s right, if you kill us, our family’s ancestor will also go and wipe out all your family members."
"Isn’t it like everyone has relatives? If you dare to slaughter the weak members of the Wang Family today, our Wang Family’s strong will be just as capable of blood-washing your clans and sect gates."
"It’s either mutual destruction or dying together at worst!"
Suddenly, the Wang Family members and the martial artists they supported began to speak up, utterly fearless of death.
They were all martial artists, many of them brave by nature. Coupled with the fact that the Wang Family elite had anticipated the enemy’s conspiracy in advance and left, if the enemy dared to make a move against them, the Wang Family elite could do the same to the enemy’s families. Trading one life for several was considered worth it.
The fifteen Divine Travel Realm powerhouses from the Five Great Forces were baffled by this turn of events.
How could this happen?
Especially the people from the Ji Family and the Zhang Family, who looked towards Zhuge Cang and Duanmu Wugou, among others. Someone questioned, "Didn’t you say we could catch them off guard and break them one by one, ensuring our victory? How could they be prepared in advance?"
"Yeah, what do we do now?"
Zhuge Cang, Zhuge Qian, Zhuge Wei, Duanmu Wugou, Wu Wang, Wuwo, and Wang Chunyang, the seven of them, were also somewhat flabbergasted.
After returning from Divine Continent, they immediately contacted the strong members of the Zhang and Ji Families. Everyone rushed over as fast as they could, hoping to arrive at the Langya Wang Family in no time, but they did not expect such an outcome.
It was as if the Wang Family had activated the Heavenly Eye, being forewarned and gathering their elites to leave, leaving behind only the weak, elderly, women, and children here.
This was tantamount to them hitting thin air.
They did not intend to exterminate the other three powers; their goal was just to execute the top powerhouses of those three powers.
Now, most of the Wang Family was here, and with the capability of their five factions, they could naturally slaughter the entire Langya City.
But what was the point of that?
The Wang Family elite could retaliate in kind and slaughter their family members.
Even if they were prepared, would their family members never leave home from now on?
Why did it turn out like this?
Zhuge Cang was both shocked and angry, his forehead veins popping with rage as he stared at the middle-aged man from the Wang Family held by Zhuge Qian, wishing he could slap him dead, but ultimately he held back, controlling his emotions.
Calm!
You must stay calm!
The situation had not yet reached a point of no return; if they continued the slaughter of the Wang Family, the situation would spiral completely out of control.
Zhuge Cang himself didn’t fear offending the Wang Family, after all, he had already taken the first step, and it was impossible to repair the relationship in the future.
But the other families might not be willing to risk their family members and sect disciples’ lives going all in with him.
Therefore, they had to come up with a foolproof plan quickly, otherwise, their alliance would collapse and become a joke.