Chapter 170: The Lan Clan Elegy (Part Two)

The Lan clan was a third-rank noble family in Xinyue City, situated in the city's northern district about two thousand miles away from the central metropolis. The Lan estate was built against the mountains and beside the water, sprawling across hundreds of miles and self-sufficient in food and provisions. While not among the supreme aristocratic families in the capital, the clan was nonetheless renowned and influential. Today, the area outside the Lan residence bustled with its usual prosperity, yet deep within the inner halls, a heavy atmosphere of doom and gloom hung thick.

Inside the council hall sat more than a dozen men and women. Among them was Uncle Jiang, who had recently returned from the Gazing Star and Greeting Moon Tower. Standing at his lower left, a young man listened to Uncle Jiang’s detailed account, his eyes overflowing with fierce hostility. With a defiant expression, he blurted out, "Father, Uncle Jin, Uncle Jiang, why are you all trembling with such panic over a mere female cultivator at the Condensation Realm?" Even if she hailed from the Jade Emperor Palace, so what? Could people from the Jade Emperor Palace slaughter an entire family for no reason? If this woman truly dares to come knocking with Lan Mo, we shall simply annihilate her!

This arrogant youth was Lan Yunting, the youngest son of the current Lan clan head, Lan Tianfang. Now over eighteen hundred years old and already a Void Return cultivator, he had spent many years training in the outside world and had only recently returned to the clan. Belligerent, violent, and excessively conceited, he felt little fear despite Uncle Jiang’s description of Ji Mo potentially being a direct disciple of the Jade Emperor Palace.

"Yunting, hold your tongue!" Sitting in the primary seat, Lan Tianfang frowned and glared at his younger son. Lan Tianfang was a middle-aged man with dark whiskers who had reached the peak of the Void Return realm. While Lan Yunting was ignorant of the Jade Emperor Palace's might, how could Lan Tianfang not know? Although he was considered a person of consequence in Xinyue City, if he truly provoked the wrath of the Jade Emperor Palace, it would take no more than a single Unity Realm cultivator from their ranks to easily wipe out the entire Lan clan.

To sects beneath the third rank, a Unity Realm cultivator was a creature of legend. Yet in a supreme sect like the Jade Emperor Palace, there were no fewer than a hundred Unity experts. After all, someone from the Jade Emperor Palace ascended to the immortal realms every single century.

"According to Father's logic, what should we do then? Are we really expected to commit suicide before that cheap wench?" Lan Yunting demanded angrily.

"The Ancestor is currently petitioning for an audience with the reigning Holy Emperor. If His Majesty is willing to intercede on our behalf, perhaps the Jade Emperor Palace will grant him some face. Let us wait a little longer," Lan Tianfang said, closing his eyes slightly before speaking in a slow voice. At that moment, profound regret filled his heart. Had he known things would come to this, he never should have allowed that girl Lan Mo to leave Xinyue City alive all those years ago.

"Lan Tianfang, Uncle Jiang must have delivered my words to you by now. Have you made your decision? Will you take your own life, or shall I do it for you?"

About a quarter of an hour later, a cold and clear voice resounded across the sky above the Lan estate. Following the voice, three young women appeared in the air above the manor, riding upon a majestic Qilin beast.

"Who goes there? Such incredible audacity, daring to act so wildly right outside the Lan family's gates!"

The moment the voice faded, it immediately provoked countless angry curses. Simultaneously, several Nascent Soul cultivators surged out from the Lan estate, flying into the sky to surround the trio completely. These three women and one beast were, needless to say, none other than Ji Mo and her companions.

"Hmph!" Seeing this, Lan Mo, seated atop Little Jin, let out a cold snort. Those Nascent Soul cultivators only had time to catch a blur of blue shadow before discovering that their bodies had been struck and sent flying by an irresistible, colossal force.

"Lan Mo, how dare you! To behave with such unbridled lawlessness right before your own ancestral home!"

No sooner had those people been knocked away than a fiercely aggressive young man flew out. The moment he appeared, his cold and piercing gaze locked tightly onto Lan Mo.

"Lan Yunting!"

Upon suddenly laying eyes on him, Lan Mo felt the killing intent in her eyes surge dramatically. With a sharp cry, she lunged straight toward him.

Lan Yunting had advanced to the Deity Transformation realm over three hundred years ago. He cultivated both spirit and physical body; though his body refining was inferior to Lan Mo's, he had nevertheless reached the sixth tier of True Condensation. Seeing Lan Mo—who had just stepped into the eighth tier of True Condensation—hurtle directly toward him without a word of warning, his eyes flashed with intense hostility. He let out a soft huff, refusing to dodge or evade, and violently threw himself forward to meet her head-on.

*Bang!*

Upon impact, Lan Mo retreated three steps, whereas Lan Yunting was sent flying like a kite, coughing up a stream of blood mid-air. In the end, Lan Tianfang appeared silently, catching him mid-flight and carrying him before Lan Mo.

"You—how could you possibly be this strong?"

Struggling to suppress the turbulent blood surging in his chest, Lan Yunting stared at Lan Mo as if he had seen a ghost, his face a mask of utter disbelief.

"Lan Tianfang, you've finally shown yourself."

Casting an icy glance at Lan Yunting, Lan Mo tightened her clenched fists but did not strike again. Shifting her gaze to Lan Tianfang, she spoke coldly.

"Lan Mo, I am very glad to see you achieve such accomplishments. If your parents' spirits have awareness in the netherworld, they too would be proud of you."

Lan Tianfang met Lan Mo's gaze with an expressionless demeanor. Seeming entirely impervious to the bone-chilling cold and killing intent radiating from her, he spoke with the tone of an affectionate elder.

"Heh. Lan Tianfang, if I remember correctly, ever since I gained memories, today is the very first time you have ever dared to call yourself my grandfather! My apologies—in the heart of Lan Mo, aside from my father, not a single person in the Lan clan has the slightest connection to me. I have already stated: out of respect for my father, if you are willing to commit suicide on the spot and personally execute every single person who persecuted my parents back then, I might spare your Lan clan. Otherwise—" Lan Mo emitted a strange, mocking laugh before continuing coldly.

"Otherwise what? The two of you have already lawlessly slaughtered Princess Chixia, and now you want to eradicate the entire Lan family for no reason. Could it be that you truly intend to declare war against all the noble houses and the imperial court of the Lanfeng Empire?"

Just as Lan Mo's voice trailed off, a middle-aged, beautiful woman appeared by Lan Tianfang's side, staring fiercely at Lan Mo as she spoke. This woman was a Void Return cultivator, and she used immortal energy to project her words so that they carried far into every corner of Xinyue City.

Hearing this, Ji Mo narrowed her eyes slightly. This woman possessed quite some cunning; with a single sentence, she attempted to provoke a confrontation between Ji Mo's party and the entire imperial court and noble families of Xinyue City.

Before her thoughts could settle, however, a majestic and dignified voice echoed across the entire sky above Xinyue City: "Princess Chixia was arrogant, tyrannical, and committed numerous evils—she deserved to die! The Crown Prince lacked moral virtue and failed to properly discipline his daughter; he is sentenced to confinement in the Heart-Prison Cave for five hundred years! The internal grievances of the Lan clan shall be resolved by themselves; no outsiders are permitted to interfere."

Upon hearing these words, Lan clan head Lan Tianfang turned abruptly pale, his legs stumbling as he nearly collapsed to the ground. Beside him, the middle-aged woman lost all color in her face as well.

After a full several breaths had passed, Lan Tianfang finally steadied his mind. Slowly turning his head, he cast a sorrowful gaze upon his youngest son.

"No! Father, Mother! The Holy Emperor only decreed that other factions are not allowed to interfere; he didn't say we aren't allowed to fight back! There are only three of them—as long as we kill these three right here..."

Meeting his father's gaze, Lan Yunting felt a surge of shock and terror, and he could not help crying out loudly.

*(To be continued...)*