With the Tian Family Head's loud shout, an old man indeed flew over from the distance.
"Master, this is bad, it's the Soul Formation stage."
Sensing the opponent's oppressive aura, Yun Man hurriedly warned Qin Xiao.
"This level is beyond our capability. Later, both of you find an opportunity to escape. If I unleash my full speed, I can stall for a little while. If escape seems impossible, hide inside the formation from earlier. The world is vast, and this old fogey might not necessarily find you."
Qin Xiao had not expected Chen Lou capable of inviting a Soul Formation expert to intervene; he had been careless after all. He could only let his disciples flee first. Fortunately, he still possessed the Saint Origin Spirit Fruit. At a critical juncture, producing this item might just preserve his life.
After all, such a treasure held immense temptation for a Soul Formation cultivator, giving him a high chance of survival. Once his disciples escaped, this Soul Formation expert would surely not dare offend the Tianyuan Sect, not to mention having to face Ye Qiuyue's wrath.
"Trash. You cannot even handle a few juniors and yet require this old man to step in."
Arriving beside the Tian Family Head, the old man produced a pill, had him swallow it, and slowly walked toward Qin Xiao and his companions.
He had previously remained stationed on the perimeter to prevent outsiders from intruding into the area. Naturally, a few juniors did not warrant his personal intervention; he was merely there as a safeguard against accidents. He simply had not anticipated an accident arising so swiftly.
"Senior, is there perhaps some misunderstanding? What benefits has Chen Lou offered you? I can offer you double."
Seeing the old man approach, Qin Xiao spoke up at once.
"Boy, save your breath. What he offers, you cannot match."
The Tian Family Ancestor replied indifferently.
"Senior, must it truly come to this? We are Personal Disciples of the Tianyuan Sect, and my father is the Sect Leader himself. Regardless of what promises that City Lord made you, if you kill us, you will not live to enjoy them under the wrath of the Tianyuan Sect."
Realizing that soft and hard words were alike ineffective, Lin Shimeng revealed their Tianyuan Sect identities.
"What? Personal Disciples of the Tianyuan Sect?"
Hearing this, the Tian Family Ancestor felt as though the heavens had collapsed. Chen Lou, are you trying to destroy my entire Tian Family?
"Indeed. We trust Senior was merely deceived. If this matter ends here, we guarantee we will not pursue it further. Naturally, we can also offer Senior suitable compensation."
Glancing at the four slain Tian Family elders, Lin Shimeng spoke with a trace of apprehension.
"Can this matter truly be dropped just like that?"
The Tian Family Ancestor was deeply tempted. This concerned the very survival of his clan! Whether or not Chen Lou had known their identities, he had failed to inform the Tian Family, clearly intending to leave them to bear the consequences alone. Since the three had not yet sustained injuries, cutting losses now seemed prudent.
"Ancestor, regardless of whether these three are truly Tianyuan Sect Personal Disciples, we have already passed the point of no return. Do you genuinely believe they will pretend nothing happened once they return to their sect? By then, our Tian Family will truly be finished. Only by fulfilling the City Lord's demands can we secure his protection. As long as it is done discreetly, leaving no trace that we were involved, everything will be fine."
Noticing the Ancestor wavering, the Tian Family Head hastened to steady his resolve. Now that the other party's identity was known, they could afford to leave no survivors.
"True. Had we not struck yet, a retreat might still be possible. But blood has already been shed, and our family has lost four elders. This old man has no choice but to gamble-gamble that no one discovers the truth, and gamble that the City Lord keeps his word and elevates the Tian Family to the leading clan."
Calmed by these words, the Tian Family Ancestor realized he was walking one road until dark.
"Good grief, I thought these lackeys knew who we were and still intended to kill us. They actually had no idea? How awkward-we should have flashed our identities before fighting."
Qin Xiao was somewhat bewildered. Who initiates a murder without knowing the victim's identity? What if they struck the wrong person?
"My apologies, several of you. This old man has no alternative, and my family has no way back. Rest assured, I shall grant you a swift death."
Having hardened his resolve, the Tian Family Ancestor addressed Qin Xiao before his spiritual pressure surged violently.
"Old ghost Tian, how dare you harm my Junior Brother!"
Just as the ancestor prepared to strike, a flash of sword Qi cleaved through the air at terrifying speed.
Witnessing the incoming attack, the Tian Family Ancestor's expression shifted drastically as he hurriedly threw up his full strength to block.
A figure materialized before Qin Xiao and the others.
It was none other than Ye Tianyi.
Having monitored the City Lord Manor earlier without finding any irregularities, she had initially suspected her concerns were groundless. However, shortly afterward, another disciple reported abnormal behavior: the Tian Family gates remained tightly shut, their shops closed, and their Nascent Soul cultivator had departed the city before dawn.
Piecing these reports together, Ye Tianyi sensed danger and immediately pursued them out of the city.
Fortunately, she had arrived in time.
"Senior Sister, why are you here?"
Qin Xiao asked, looking somewhat surprised.
"I sensed something amiss and investigated, discovering that the Tian Family's Nascent Soul elders had left before you. Realizing something was wrong, I went to the Tian Family for an explanation, only to find even this old ghost missing. I rushed here immediately. Fortunately, I am not too late."
Ye Tianyi explained briefly.
"Pavilion Master Ye, this is a misunderstanding. This old man concedes."
Upon sighting Ye Tianyi, the Tian Family Ancestor lost all inclination to resist. Since the three juniors remained unharmed, a trace of maneuvering room still existed.
"Ancestor, we cannot concede! If we do, the Tian Family is finished! Ye Tianyi merely broke through to the middle Soul Formation stage recently, while you reached it over a century ago. Why should you fear her?"
Unreconciled, the Tian Family Head pressed on. Success meant the Tian Family would claim supremacy.
This had become his inner demon; for centuries, the Tian Family had languished in second place despite all efforts. This was their singular opportunity, and the Ancestor could not afford to yield.
While the Tian Family Ancestor harbored no fear of fighting Ye Tianyi, he knew he lacked the means to trap her. If even a single person escaped, the Tianyuan Sect would learn of the Tian Family's treachery and obliterate them utterly-even the City Lord could not shield them against such a legitimate pretext.
"Trash, silence! Do you intend to destroy the entire clan?"
Though aware of the stakes, the Tian Family Ancestor saw no alternative; he simply could not detain her.
Stepping forward slowly, he approached the group with a placating expression.
"Three of you, this old man was in the wrong. Afterward, the Tian Family will dispatch proper reparations."
With his aura entirely suppressed, he appeared utterly harmless.
Believing the adversary had backed down, Ye Tianyi lowered her guard.
It was the precise moment the Tian Family Ancestor had awaited. A vicious Primordial Spirit attack lashed out instantly, catching Ye Tianyi completely off guard and striking her squarely.
"Though this descendant of mine is somewhat useless, he spoke truly. Matters having reached this pass, our family has no retreat. How was this old man's performance just now?"
Straightening his posture, the Tian Family Ancestor spoke with evident pride.
His entire charade had been staged to deliver a Primordial Spirit strike. A conventional physical injury would not guarantee her containment, but damaging her Primordial Spirit would cripple her combat capability and potentially cause her realm to drop, ensuring her doom.
"Old ghost Tian, I have marked you."
Seizing a momentary lapse, Ye Tianyi shoved an item into her mouth and hurriedly began to refine and absorb its power.
It was the Saint Origin Spirit Fruit Qin Xiao had given her. She had intended to save it for a cultivation bottleneck, but using it for emergency healing was her only recourse now.
"Haha, and what if you remember me? Today, all four of you must die. The Ye Family loses you, while the Tian Family gains the backing of the City Lord. Soon enough, we shall be the true masters of Tianyi City."
Driven to a fever pitch of madness, the Tian Family Ancestor laughed aloud.
""Good grief, they truly are of the same family."
Qin Xiao glanced from the recovering Tian Family Head back to the old man, marveling at how uniquely twisted their logic was-willing to cast away their lives for the sake of empty supremacy.
"Enough. Only you shall die today, boy. The two women belong to the City Lord, while Ye Tianyi shall be delivered to the Grand Commander. With his backing, what can your Tianyuan Sect possibly do?"
Unwilling to trade further words, the Tian Family Ancestor gathered his strength. Having suffered slight backlash from his sudden Primordial Spirit assault-the reason he had allowed Qin Xiao to prattle on-he had now recovered sufficiently to end the matter.