Chapter 36: Harboring Resentment

Although Chen Yuan didn’t know Qinggong, the explosive power brought by the Surging Waves and Flowing Clouds Technique allowed him to burst with extreme speed in a short time.

The Zhu father and son didn’t know Qinggong either; after chasing for a street, Chen Yuan’s figure vanished.

The two didn’t dare to pursue further, fearing Chen Yuan would pull another “luring the tiger away from the mountain” trick and return to the Zhu Family to assassinate the third son, Zhu Chengze.

On their way back to the Zhu Family, the two didn’t even have time to collect Zhu Chengguo’s body.

Of course, it was also because there was no way to collect it.

He had been turned into human fragments; they would probably need a spoon to scoop him up.

After returning to the Zhu Family, Zhu Chengze was fine, but the Zhu Family was on the verge of falling apart.

A large number of Retainers were fleeing, and Zhu Chengze couldn’t even stop them.

Today’s two battles hadn’t broken Zhu Chaofeng, but they had broken the spirits of the Zhu Family’s Retainers.

The Zhu Family, which had previously dominated Gushan City, was almost defenseless against a true expert.

Zhu Chengguo, whose strength was second only to Zhu Chaofeng, had been blasted into minced meat in just two moves. How could they fight back?

He clearly intended to wipe out the entire Zhu Family. They weren’t named Zhu, so why stay and die with them?

“Why are you running? I, Zhu Chaofeng, am still alive, and the Zhu Family hasn’t collapsed yet. Do you think our family is finished?”

Zhu Chaofeng stood before the Zhu Family manor’s gate, glaring fiercely at the Retainers who were about to flee.

“I miscalculated before. I didn’t expect the intruder’s strength to be so formidable, leading to the deaths of my second and fourth sons.”

“But he won’t have another chance! As long as I, Zhu Chaofeng, am here, the Zhu Family will not fall!”

“For all these years, my Zhu Family has supported you with money, and you’ve enjoyed the best food and drink with us. Now, at the slightest setback, you want to scatter and flee. Is this how you repay my Zhu Family?”

“You can leave today, but you know the Zhu Family’s temper. Once we survive this tribulation, don’t even think about surviving in the Beihai Market area!”

“Conversely, if anyone is willing to share these hardships with my Zhu Family, we will not forget today’s kindness.”

“You will no longer be Retainers of my Zhu Family, but Guest Elders. We shall share both ruin and glory together!”

“The Cultivation Techniques known to the Zhu Family will also be open to you. In the future, when my fifth son, Zhu Chengzhong, returns from the Huangji Sect, you will also be eligible to practice the techniques bestowed by the sect!”

Zhu Chaofeng’s combination of threats and incentives actually stabilized many of the Retainers.

In particular, his promise to open up Cultivation Techniques truly enticed them.

However, in the end, fewer than a hundred people were willing to stay.

After suppressing the Retainers’ flight, the three members of the Zhu Family entered the Council Hall, the atmosphere oppressive to the extreme.

“Father, can you see this person’s background?”

After a long while, Zhu Chengan asked.

Zhu Chaofeng shook his head. “I can’t tell, but he’s definitely not from the Yiqi Guanhri Alliance or the Murong Clan.”

“Youzhou is only so big, and there are only so many factions under those two, but none of them match up.”

“However, this person is definitely not a low-level Jianghu person. To be able to blast the second son to death in two moves—even if he used some secret method to stimulate his potential—it’s still terrifying.”

Having said this, Zhu Chaofeng looked at Zhu Chengan and said solemnly, “Eldest son, from now on, you and I must stay together. We must not separate.”

“Today, the opponent chose to flee when facing the two of us, which proves that two Foundation Establishment Realm Martial Artists still have some deterrent effect on him.”

“If we separate, we will surely be picked off one by one.”

Zhu Chengan nodded, his Face full of panic and sorrow. “With such strength, he would have the status of a core direct Disciple even in the Murong Clan. Why must he make things difficult for my Zhu Family?”

Even at this moment, Zhu Chengan and Zhu Chaofeng still didn’t want to admit that it was because they had wiped out the Chu Family that they had brought about this disaster.

“If you ask me, this whole thing should be blamed on the fourth brother!”

Zhu Chengze, who was off to the side, suddenly said, “The Chu Family has been honest and obedient for all these years, never daring to say a word in front of our Zhu Family.”

“With such a family of honest people, why did we have to kill them all?”

“Wasn’t it because the fourth brother took a fancy to the Chu Family’s daughter and insisted on marrying her even though he knew she was engaged?”

“Even if he was rejected, he should have let it go. Instead, he had to egg you on, Father, to wipe out the Chu Family just to vent his anger!”

“Now look at us. Just because of one woman, our Zhu Family has been brought to this state. It’s simply a joke!”

Zhu Chengze had been scared out of his wits by Chen Yuan, and his tone was full of resentment.

Father doted on the fourth brother; whatever he said, Father did.

At the time, he felt there was no need to destroy the Chu Family. It would only create unnecessary trouble and make people say the Zhu Family acted too ruthlessly and overbearingly.

However, Zhu Chengze’s status among the Zhu brothers had always been low, so he hadn’t said much.

As it turned out, destroying the Chu Family had brought about such a disaster that the entire Zhu Family might be wiped out!

“You beast! Your fourth brother is already dead! And you’re still complaining about him?”

Zhu Chaofeng threw the teacup in his hand at Zhu Chengze and cursed.

“How many families besides the Chu Family has my Zhu Family wiped out over the years? How can I allow others to sleep soundly beside my bed? Since the Chu Family dared to defy my Zhu Family, they had to be destroyed! To complain about your own family after a minor setback—you’ll never achieve greatness!”

“Father, please calm down. The third brother was just frightened and spoke without thinking,” Zhu Chengan quickly advised.

“Get out! Get out of here!”

Zhu Chengze also knew he had spoken out of turn. He didn’t dare to argue and slinked out of the Council Hall.

Zhu Chaofeng panted with rage, but his expression was somewhat complicated.

He was so angry partly because the third son was useless and was complaining about his own brother at a time like this.

Secondly, he truly regretted destroying the Chu Family!

Although he claimed he couldn’t allow others to sleep soundly beside his bed, in reality, just as Zhu Chengze said, the Chu Family was just a bunch of cowardly, honest people who posed no threat to the Zhu Family.

So many factions in Lianshan City had been destroyed by the Zhu Family, and the only reason the Chu Family was spared was because they were obedient and cowardly.

Therefore, Zhu Chaofeng’s attitude toward the Chu Family had always been indifferent. He could destroy them or leave them be, depending on his mood.

If it hadn’t been for the fourth son, Zhu Chengzu, wanting to destroy the Chu Family to vent his anger after being rejected for marriage, he would never have touched them.

Had he known that casually wiping out the Chu Family would lead to such a great disaster, how could he have possibly acted?

“Eldest son, what are your thoughts?”

Zhu Chaofeng looked at his eldest son.

Zhu Chengan’s voice was hoarse. “Father, we can’t hold out much longer. That fellow’s strength is not only great, but his methods are also ruthless and cunning.”

“First, he lured the snake out of its hole to kill the fourth brother and Uncle Zhou, then he used the ‘luring the tiger away from the mountain’ trick twice, killing the second brother while scaring the Retainers out of their wits.”

“Although we’ve temporarily stabilized these Retainers, who knows if they’ll run again.”

“To be honest, I have no confidence in continuing to fight such an opponent. Let’s ask for help.”

“When the fifth brother returned last time, we hosted people from several surrounding large cities, and they all knew he had become a direct Disciple of the Huangji Sect.”

“As long as we ask for help, they will definitely give the Zhu Family Face for the sake of the Huangji Sect.”

“The Wang Family of Nanshan City, the Haichang Gang of Dongshan City, and the Yulong Chamber of Commerce of Shuangshan City—if any of these factions sends a Foundation Establishment Realm expert, it will be enough to deal with him.”

“Those families won’t act without seeing a benefit. Why would they easily help our Zhu Family?”

“Furthermore, as our Zhu Family rose over the years, we’ve acted quite overbearingly. I’m afraid they also harbor resentment toward us.”

“Take the Wang Family of Nanshan City, for example. Strictly speaking, the Chu Family is related to the Wang Family by marriage. By wiping out the Chu Family, we’ve also slapped the Wang Family’s Face.”

“If they knew about this, they’d be too busy enjoying the show to help us.”

Zhu Chaofeng was well aware of the Zhu Family’s reputation.

It was just that he was used to being overbearing and had never thought of changing.

“At this point, we can only give them some empty promises.”

Zhu Chengan gave a bitter smile. “Tell them that if they help us now, we will compensate them later with the Cultivation Techniques and Medicinal Pills the fifth brother brings back from the Huangji Sect.”

“Those people are all profit-driven. They can distinguish between what’s more important: Face or interest.”

Zhu Chaofeng frowned. “The fifth son also has rivals within the Huangji Sect. Those techniques and pills aren’t free; they must be exchanged for sect contribution points!”

“Last time, I told him not to worry about the family and to prioritize using his contribution points to improve his own strength. Now, we’re going to hold him back!”

“But if we don’t do this, our Zhu Family probably won’t survive this time!”

Zhu Chengan didn’t want to die. He advised earnestly, “Father, as long as the green mountains remain, there will be firewood to burn. It’s more important to resolve the immediate crisis first.”

After thinking for a moment, Zhu Chaofeng sighed. “Fine, go and arrange it. Since we’re asking for help, we might as well promise more.”

Hearing his father finally relent, Zhu Chengan breathed a sigh of relief.

“Don’t worry, Father. I’ll arrange it right away. There are still some loyal Retainers left. To be safe, I’ll send more people to each family.”

With that, Zhu Chengan immediately went out to make arrangements.

Zhu Chaofeng was left alone in the Council Hall, sitting there in a daze.

Losing two sons in a single day was a massive blow to Zhu Chaofeng.

He couldn’t understand why the once-prosperous Zhu Family had suddenly ended up like this.