Chapter 146 of Volume Three: The Battle of the Clan

Yu Mu briefly recounted what had happened and then said, "You wait here for a moment and take this time to steady your condition. I will go outside to check the situation and make a decision when I return."

"Alright."

"Be careful of the teleportation array."

"I know."

Before Shi Dali could finish speaking, Yu Mu had already transformed into a tunneling thief, vanishing into the soil and leaving a dumbfounded Shi Dali behind.

Tracing his path back, he quickly reached the surface. As soon as he poked his head out, the sounds of battle and cries of killing echoed across the entire Jiang estate.

Battles were raging both in the sky and on the ground, with the fiercest clash centered around the main hall. The powerful energy fluctuations erupting periodically clearly indicated that a brutal slaughter was underway there.

After observing the battle situation and forming a rough judgment, Yu Mu burrowed back to the cell along the same path.

Shi Dali, who had been sitting cross-legged in meditation before the teleportation array, immediately stepped forward and asked, "How is the situation?"

"The Shi family has sent people to provide backup. We are leaving right now. However, the other side of this teleportation array leads to the Jiang family head's living quarters. Although he is currently out fighting the enemy, we cannot rule out the possibility of other experts standing guard. Therefore, we must be extremely cautious when we step out."

"Very well, I will follow your lead."

Although Yu Mu's cultivation level could not be compared to his, the magical abilities Yu Mu had displayed time and again left Shi Dali deeply impressed. He no longer looked down on Yu Mu as he once did; on the contrary, he now displayed a strong tendency to obey every instruction.

Shi Dali was a typical stubborn and self-opinionated person who rarely thought much of anyone. Yet once such a person placed their trust in someone, they would prove equally steadfast.

Much like a spirited steed, the wilder its temper, the more loyal it became once tamed. Of course, the two of them had not yet reached that level, but at least they now shared the mutual trust of comrades-in-arms.

They stepped into the teleportation array together. With a flash of flowing light, they arrived in an unfamiliar room. The moment their figures materialized, a flying blade came directly at them.

Just as Yu Mu had anticipated, the teleportation array was indeed guarded by an expert.

However, the two were well prepared. The instant Yu Mu appeared, he opened his mouth and spewed out a ball of raging flames, while Shi Dali simultaneously threw a palm strike.

The ambushing guard did not expect Yu Mu to have such a trick up his sleeve and was immediately engulfed by the flames. However, this person was a mid-stage Nascent Soul expert, and Yu Mu's wine-fueled fire could not burn through his protective spiritual Qi. Even so, it successfully severed his spiritual sense and connection with the outside world.

This provided Shi Dali with an opening. The palm strike he had originally prepared to deflect the incoming blade suddenly transformed into a grasping motion, and he managed to catch the blade right in his hand.

As it turned out, this weapon was the very same short blade wielded by the grand chieftain. After Shi Dali was captured, the short blade had been confiscated, only to end up in the hands of this guard.

Shi Dali had spent over a month refining this short blade, whereas this guard had possessed it for merely a few days. Therefore, in terms of spiritual affinity, Shi Dali's connection was vastly superior. Coupled with the fact that the wine-fire had severed the spiritual bond between the man and his weapon, Shi Dali reclaimed the blade with ease.

The moment the blade entered his hand, it flashed outward again just as the remaining power of Yu Mu's wine-fire burned out. The guard, whose spiritual sense had only just recovered, instinctively tried to recall the short blade. But when he realized the blade was right upon him and completely beyond his control, he knew things were taking a disastrous turn.

However, trying to dodge at that moment was already far too late. With a flash of blade light and a dull thud, the man's head soared into the air. Immediately following that, another flash of blade light split the airborne head in two.

The man's Nascent Soul did not even have time to escape before it was executed.

Having learned his lesson once, Shi Dali would never give an enemy the chance to detonate their Nascent Soul.

With the short blade back in his hands, Shi Dali's combat power instantly doubled. This guard had truly been unfortunate to meet such a muddled and unjust death at their hands.

After slaying the guard, Yu Mu promptly retrieved his Nine-Dragon Jade Seal, which had been prepared for An Shu.

Approaching the window, he saw that the battle outside was in full swing. In the center of the battlefield, two elderly men in their twilight years were facing off.

Through Shi Dali's prior introduction, Yu Mu learned that these two were the heads of their respective clans: Shi Gengxin and Jiang Yidao. Both possessed cultivation levels at the mid-stage Soul Formation realm, and a single move from either of them carried the momentum to shatter mountains and split the earth.

Yet the most ferocious fight was not between those two, but rather another pair of elders. This was primarily because one of them looked utterly unhinged, fighting with a desperate, do-or-die attitude that made the clash exceptionally brutal.

While launching a frantic assault, the elder roared in fury, "Shameless Jiang family! You secretly captured my grandson and yet dare not admit it. Acting so brazenly, you are utterly shameless! Hand over my grandson Shi Dali immediately, or else I will slaughter your entire Jiang family down to the last dog and chicken!"

"Old bastard, talk nonsense! When has my Jiang family ever captured anyone from your clan? On the contrary, members of my clan died in the Black Desert, and we have confirmed it was the work of the Shi family. We haven't even come to settle accounts with you, yet you brazenly march to our doorstep—tell me, who is the shameless one?"

The two fought fiercely while hurling insults at each other. The moment Shi Dali laid eyes on the older man, his face was already covered in tears.

Without asking, he knew this man was his own grandfather.

Hearing the opponent insult his grandfather was something Shi Dali simply could not tolerate. He picked up the corpse from the floor, hurled it toward the elder, flew out of the room, and shouted angrily, "Third Elder Jiang, this young master has already escaped. Let's see what else you have to say!"

Not knowing what object was flying toward him, Third Elder Jiang flicked his hand and blasted the corpse away with a palm strike. When everyone managed to clearly identify Shi Dali and the body, they froze in place.

"Jin'er—!" Third Elder Jiang let out a cry of grief upon batting the corpse away and lunged toward the remains.

However, the body had already been shattered by his own strike, dissolving into a muddy pulp of flesh.

Having inadvertently destroyed the remains of his own kin, Third Elder Jiang let out a heaven-shaking roar: "Shi Dali, I will tear you to a thousand pieces!"

Now, it was his turn to go mad.

Shi Dali's grandfather immediately stepped in front of his grandson, saying coldly, "You deserve it! He who commits many injustices will surely perish. Who asked you to imprison our Dali? This is only retribution."

"Shi Dali, you killed two members of my Jiang family. Whether to the ends of the earth or the corners of the world, I, Jiang Yidao, swear I will not rest as a human until I kill you!" Standing nearby and looking at the minced flesh, Jiang Yidao radiated boundless killing intent.

As soon as these words left his mouth, the members of the Jiang family were filled with a unanimous hatred for the enemy. Third Elder Jiang roared even louder, "Today I will slaughter every last person of the Shi family to avenge my Jin'er! Go to hell, all of you! Kill, kill, kill..."

With that, the two elders clashed once more, and a frenzied slaughter erupted all over again.

Jiang Yidao's gaze turned icy as he slowly closed in on Shi Dali. Shi Gengxin hurriedly flew forward to intercept him, and before the two Soul Formation experts even struck, the color of the heavens and earth had already shifted.

At that moment, two figures hurriedly flew over from afar. Yu Mu took one look and thought to himself, "It seems an even greater storm is about to arrive."

The two arrivals were guards of Jiang Jialang, and clearly, they had already discovered his corpse. They flew straight to Jiang Yidao's side and whispered a few words into his ear.

True to expectation, a fierce light flashed in Jiang Yidao's eyes as he threw his head back and laughed maniacally, "Good, very good! Your Shi family has added yet another debt of blood to my Jiang family. Today, none of you will leave this place alive. Kill them all!"

With that, he lunged forward in a frenzy. With the family head fighting desperately, the entire Jiang family erupted into a murderous rage. Backed by their home-court advantage, their combat power doubled, and they immediately seized the upper hand across the board.

Seeing that the situation was turning unfavorable, Shi Gengxin immediately shouted, "Everyone retreat from the Jiang family, fall back!"

At his command, the clan members began pulling back, while the Jiang family pursued them relentlessly.

Seeing that the Shi family was retreating, Yu Mu promptly stepped into the teleportation array and returned to the cell. From there, he tunneled back to the surface, vaulted over the back wall, and hurried away.

By the time Yu Mu returned to the Shi estate, all the Shi family members had already fallen back. Unexpectedly, the Jiang family did not launch an all-out assault on the Shi estate; after pursuing them for a short distance, they withdrew.

However, because the two estates were not far apart, they remained locked in a distant standoff.

In the grand hall of the Shi family, the clan's upper echelons were gathered to discuss the events of the night. As soon as Yu Mu returned, he was brought directly there.

Upon entering the hall, Yu Mu discovered that An Shu was also among those seated. Seeing that she was safe and sound, the stone in his heart finally settled.

First, all the members of the Shi family expressed their gratitude to Yu Mu for his rescue. Shi Dali's grandfather, in particular, was moved to tears of thankfulness.

Once everyone was seated again, Shi Gengxin suddenly asked, "Little friend Yu Mu, I heard from Shi Wen that you are heading to Dragon Fall City?"

Uncertain why the clan head was suddenly asking about this, Yu Mu nodded and replied, "That is correct. However, before going there, I must first visit a place called Golden Scale Mountain to search for someone."

Shi Gengxin smiled faintly and said, "The places you are heading to are infested with bandits and exceedingly dangerous. I plan to have Dali accompany you on this journey. I wonder if you would be willing?"

Hearing this, Yu Mu was both startled and delighted. Having an expert like Shi Dali by his side was naturally more than he could ask for. However, the Shi family was currently in a period of crisis; how could he possibly have the heart to take him away right now?

He hurriedly replied, "Thank you senior for your kind intentions, but..."