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"Before agreeing to this marriage, I would first like to talk to Yun Tong."
Hun Lian responded to his father to which Yun Huang quickly said
"That's not a problem. Junior Lian can meet my Tong'er anytime."
"Then why delay it any more than necessary? Let's go and meet her right now."
Hun Tai was surprised to see his Son's eagerness to meet the Yun Heiress, but was secretly happy that his cultivation-crazy son at last showed interest in the opposite gender.
"Looks like Junior Lian is quite keen on meeting my daughter. Well, why not? And then you can have dinner with us as well.
Then it's decided!
Brother Tian, let's go"
For Yun Huang, this was the best outcome, and soon the entourage of Hun Lian, Hun Tai, Yun Huang and some elders of the Hun family finally set off towards the Yun family compound.
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15 Hours Ago, in the Xiao Family Hall -
"It's true, Elder Zemin. I saw Hun Lian walking near the Hun Family's market yesterday! Also, I saw no selection committee's travel bird land in the Hun Family.
I think the Pereptuity Sect did not send the recruiting elders this year as well."
A man in a red and black garb was kneeling in front of an old man with a black robe and bald head.
"So it seems. The Perpetuity Sect is a prestigious and mysterious existence. I think if they wanted Hun Lian, he would have been with them by now.
Also, I got a news from my spy in the Yun family that Yun Huang wants to ally the Yun Family with Hun Family through marriage.
It would completely tip the power scale of Neverkeep."
"Then we should not dawdle over this, Grand Elder Zemin. If they are allowed to form their alliance, then they for sure will try to subjugate us! This cannot be allowed to happen!"
Another old man in a grey coloured robe said and soon a middle-aged person came to the family hall wearing a black robe with red trims.
"What is the situation, Zemin? Why have you summoned us all so late in the evening?"
As soon as the middle-aged-looking man arrived, all the three elders present bowed and Zemin said.
"Patriarch Xiao. We have grave news. The Hun Family and Yun Family are planning to form an alliance. I think we should finally take action! If all of us combine our strengths, we can crush the Hun or Yun Family completely."
"Calm down Zemin. Although it's true that we are more powerful than them in terms of martial strength because of our mercenary background, but Yun family operates the Alchemy Hall of Neverkeep. They can't be trifled with or else we won't find even a meter's worth of land in the entire Rizedonia Empire to hide!"
"That's true, Patriarch Xiao. But what I am suggesting is, that we strike the Hun Family. They are predominantly a Merchant family and don't have many people of Transcendent Realm.
Right now, when they are yet to form an alliance, we can quickly strike and remove the Hun Family altogether!
We have the advantage of a surprise attack. If we destroy them, then even the Yun Family will scramble to seize most of the businesses and mines under the Hun Family and won't try to trouble us."
The Xiao Patriarch fell into a deep thought after listening to Xiao Zemin, and said
"Is it a confirmed news that Hun Lian didn't go to the Perpetuity Sect and there are no Elders from the Sect currently staying in the Hun Family compound?"
"Yes, Patriarch Xiao! As you know, every time the elders had come in the past, they would always stay in the Mayor's Residence.
But Mayor Ming has confirmed that no elder had come from the Perpetuity Sect this year as well."
After listening to Xiao Zemin's confirmation, the Xiao Patriarch nodded towards Xiao Zemin and said
"Then tomorrow morning, we will go to the Hun Family! I will finally have my revenge for this scar that Hun Tai gave me five years ago."
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The Hun Family compound was guarded by many Body Tempering Realm cultivators, while at the main gate, there were two Qi Gathering Realm cultivators guarding the door.
These were those people who had either exhausted their talent and had no way to advance any more, or they were the rogue cultivators, who had come to a compromise with the Hun Family to guard them in exchange for their Cultivation Technique.
Most people of the Hun family didn't know why the Yun Family Patriarch had came here and their Patriarch had gone with them.
Many also didn't know why their Young Master was still in their town.
Some young kids were discussing what it was when suddenly they heard a loud bang coming from the main door of their family compound.
"Hurry! Ring the bell. Cultivators from Xiao Family are rushing here with weapons, and even the elders of the Xiao Family, along with their patriarch is with them."
Suddenly, a commotion broke out as a loud alarm started ringing, and many cultivators hired by the Hun Family, along with both elders who had stayed here started coming out of their respective courtyards.
"What is the meaning of this! Does the Xiao Family want a war?"
"Easy there. Even Yun Patriarch had come in the morning. Maybe the Xiao Patriarch also wants to discuss something?"
"Are you an Idiot!? Yun Patriarch arrived in his carriage, without many bodyguards; but the Xiao Patriarch is literally rushing here with a sword in hand-"
Abruptly, a deafening sound was heard and the gate of the Hun Family broke off from its hinges and flew away, while also injuring the two QI Gathering realm cultivators.
"Hun Tai! It is either me or you today."
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Since the Young Master and the Patriarch of their family were going in the enemy territory, 3 of the 5 elders of the Hun Family had insisted to come with them as well and took some guards with them.
Hun Lian had just only reached the Yun Family and saw a young woman watching him from behind a pillar when someone from the Yun Family rushed towards Yun Huang and whispered something in his ears.
"What!?"
Seeing Yun Huang react in such a way, Hun Tai asked
"Brother Huang? Is everything alright?"
With urgency, Yun Huang started speaking about what he heard from his spy network.
"Brother Tai, Soon after we left your Family's territory, The Elders and Patriarch of the Xiao Family along with many cultivators were seen rushing towards the direction of your Family's main compound with weapons in hand!"
Listening to Yun Hunag, suddenly a piece of information surfaced in Hun Lian's mind.
'In the original timeline, The Xiao Family attacks the Hun Family once Hun Lian and Yun Tong fall in love with each other 3 years later and then Hun Lian uses his golden finger grandpa Gu Wanhe to exact his revenge.
But now it has happened so soon, is the butterfly effect that dangerous!?'
Hun Lian became a little restless and soon Hun Tai, along with 3 elders which had come with him, turned around and rushed out of the Yun Family with blinding speed.
Many people from the Yun Family also followed, as now that they were going to support the Hun Family when they were in crisis, then in future when Hun Lian goes to the Perpetuity Sect, they can get benefits easily.
"I am going to kill those bastards!" growled Hun Tai through gritted teeth.
It took them half the time to rush back than it took them to reach the Yun Family, and when they saw the broken gate and the blood splattered on the ground as they entered, their heart sank.
"No….What..Why!? No!"
Hun Family was Hun Tai's bottom line. He was a kind-hearted person and was loved by everyone in the entire town.
As he saw severed limbs and fire in many places, tears started to come out.
Even Hun Lian was about to vomit.
He had never seen such a gruesome scene in his life!
'Calm down, calm down. This world is different, It is normal here. Don't vomit don't vomit.'
"Patriarch! Save…me…"
Cries were coming from everywhere as many people who were busy in helping the injured noticed their arrival and immediately, a young boy came to them with tears.
"Lord Patriarch….My mother…mother…She died..-"
The boy burst into tears and seeing him like that, even Hun Lian started regretting his decision a little.
'No! Don't! I need to change! I need to kill my morality! Don't regret. Self-blame is never good.'
Hun Lian kept repeating it in his head as his eyes turned misty.
He always thought that he can be a ruthless person but it was proving to be a very difficult task.
His subjects were slaughtered and he was feeling partly responsible for not considering it.
"Even -even both the elders died. When they -they came to know that you were not here…and are actually at the Yun estate…-they went to your compound and left soon after."
Hun Tai heard the boy narrating the experience as he saw many bodies with Xiao Family emblem on them.
"Lian'er. Go check on Miss Liu. If any harm has befallen her, then leave us, not even a chicken would be left alive in this town."
Hun Lian nodded his head and went to check on Liu SI Xing.
He knew that nothing can happen to her as she had many treasures on her which were powerful enough to kill cultivators much higher than this place has seen.
Still, he put up an act and went to check on her, and when he saw her courtyard untouched by the chaos of the surrounding, he was still amazed.
It seemed like all the fight and bloodshed was avoiding this place unconsciously and as he approached the door, it opened and Liu Si Xing saw him with a worried face.
"Nothing happened to you, did it?" Hun Lian hurried to her and asked her with a concerned look.
"No. When I arrived here yesterday, I set up an array in this courtyard that makes lower-level cultivators avoid and if need, protect against them."
Hun Lian breathed a sigh of relief, but looking at him so concerned for her instead of his own kin, made Liu Si Xing feel weird.
She had heard the commotion and was going to just deal with it, but then she remembered that her strength was sealed, and hence she could only sit down.
The defensive artefacts on her were limited and the offensive ones needed Qi to operate.
Hun Lian's Qi suddenly started flaring and his face became blank.
Liu Si Xing could feel the anger radiating through his eyes and before she could warn him against doing anything reckless, he was gone.
Yun Huang, along with 5 Yun Family elders had also arrived and was talking with Hun Tai.
"Brother Tai. Let the Imperial Family deal with this. My people have gone to notify the Mayor. He will call the Adjudicators and we will testify.
Please don't do anything reckless, We need to take care of the injured."
A 2-Star Alchemist of the Yun Family was distributing medicines to his students, who then were treating the injured.
Hun Lian on the other hand was on a mission. He was feeling bad now. He thought that becoming a ruthless person was just a matter of choice, but no, now he understood how hard it was to become evil.
He was deeply regretting his carelessness and wanted to take out his anger.
He was rushing out of the Hun Family compound when suddenly a hand on his shoulder stopped him.
"Lian'er! Stop! I understand that you are angry but we have already notified Mayor Ming, we can't fight now."
Although a fire was raging inside of Hun Tai as well, but he still calmed down his son and started walking back towards their home.
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"Don't worry, Patriarch Xiao. The Adjudicators that will come will not trouble you much as long as you can -satisfy their demands…."
A fat middle-aged man with greasy combed hair said to the Xiao Patriarch as he inspected the book with a smile and stored it in his spatial ring.
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"Attention, People of Neverkeep.
With the powers vested in Mayor Ming by the Imperial Family, The town of Neverkeep will be under Marshal Law effective immediately until further notice.
People are to stay in their homes and could only go out under specific conditions."
Announcements after announcements started happening as the Rizedonia Soldiers started to close the streets.
Many kinds of gossip were being discussed, and the tragedy of the Hun Family was also one.
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In a simple drawing room, Mayor Ming and the Xiao Patriarch were sitting and discussing.
"Listen Brother, We will claim that someone wanted to frame you by wearing the Xiao Family clothes to Slaughter the Hun Family.
I will testify that you were with me and some other friends the entire day and it couldn't have happened.
The Adjudicators that will come will investigate, but since you are going to be generous, we will implicate the Yun Family for the crime.
This way, we can transfer the Alchemy Hall's contract from them to you and make your family the boss of the entire Neverkeep in one fell swoop."
The Xiao Patriarch smiled as he listened to his Brother-in-law, Mayor Ming.
It was a secret that they were related and no one knew about it other than a very few people of the Xiao Family.
"I am satisfied with the arrangement brother. My only regret is not killing that Hun Tai and his little runt!"
"Don't worry Brother, Once the Adjudicators leave, we will hire someone from the Black Mountain ranges to clear the leftover weed then."
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In an unusually crowded Infirmary, Hun Lian went up to his father who was personally bandaging the people whom the nursing staff was too busy to see.
"Father, I will go and see if Miss Liu Si Xing needs anything."
Hun Tai nodded to Hun Lian and the latter left the infirmary and went towards Liu Si Xing's compound.
What no one noticed in Hun Lian the entire time, was that the agony of the Hun Family was no longer affecting him.
It was like he was changing inside, slowly becoming numb to the pain of strangers.