Chapter 30: The Strike

The orders were issued quickly.

The Su family’s powerful members and disciples stationed at various strongholds across the prefecture city were recalled. Some of their business interests were even abandoned entirely. Although most members of the Su family were confused by these orders, they obeyed and remained within the family compound. Meanwhile, the top-tier experts of the Su family waited for news from the Tianyan Palace.

Five days passed in a flash.

At the Pang family estate, the elders and the strongest hired experts gathered, their expressions filled with confusion. They had been locked in a fierce conflict, having killed many of the Pang family’s Sea-Transformation Realm experts in just a few days. Yet, suddenly, the fighting had ceased.

"Several strongholds, including the properties we have been fighting to seize, have all been abandoned by the Su family. Their people have remained in their estate for days without stepping out," one elder remarked. "Are they scared? Are they avoiding battle?"

"Scared?" Pang Shaoqing, the head of the Pang family, sneered. "The Su family was once a top-tier noble house with a Nirvana Realm ancestor. Even though they have declined, the Su family members have pride in their bones. Even when they knew they were weaker than us in terms of top-tier power, they never backed down. Why would they be scared now?"

"Furthermore, during the recent fighting, the Su family gained the upper hand. We lost over a dozen Sea-Transformation experts, including four at the peak of the realm, while they only lost a few ordinary ones. Not a single one of their peak Sea-Transformation experts died! With the Void-Breaking Realm experts not yet involved, the Su family is not much weaker than us in terms of Sea-Transformation combat power. Why would they fear us?"

As Pang Shaoqing spoke, his expression turned grim. In truth, losing a few Sea-Transformation experts was not a disaster, and the death of four peak-level fighters was acceptable. What he could not accept—what actually terrified him—was the individual who had slain three of those peak experts.

Su Xin, the young master of the Su family.

Many eyes in Darkwater Alley had witnessed Su Xin crushing and killing three of his family’s peak Sea-Transformation experts single-handedly. And that was when Su Xin had only just broken through to the early stage of the Sea-Transformation Realm. The combat power he displayed was terrifying—so terrifying that it struck fear into the entire Pang family.

It made them even more desperate to kill him. Pang had previously made plans to send a Void-Breaking expert to finish the job, but who would have thought... forget Su Xin, the entire Su family had locked themselves inside their estate. Under these circumstances, killing Su Xin would require storming the compound and engaging in an all-out war.

"The mysterious swordsman who killed Zhao Tianlei and Pang Shan has yet to be identified, and it is unknown how many other Void-Breaking experts are hidden within the Su family. To force a decisive battle now is too risky," Pang Shaoqing mused.

After a long silence, he looked up again. "Pass the order to seize all of the Su family’s properties in the prefecture city and throughout Yongning Prefecture as quickly as possible. I don't believe they can survive without food or water. Once their assets are seized, they will surely grow desperate. Also, do everything possible to contact our mole inside the Su family to find out what is happening."

"As for Su Xin... we wait. A genius like him possesses extraordinary potential, but what top-tier expert in this world was not forged through endless tempering? If he stays in the Su family without being tempered, he will eventually become mediocre."

No sooner had Pang Shaoqing finished speaking than a cold snort echoed through the hall.

"Hmph, mediocre? Before that boy becomes mediocre, your Pang family will likely be wiped out!"

"Who's there?" Pang Shaoqing’s gaze turned icy. The Pang family experts rose in unison, looking wary.

A burly figure appeared in the hall out of thin air. It was an old man in black robes with a tiger-like frame, his eyes cold and his presence radiating a chilling aura.

"Lord Ancang," Pang Shaoqing said, bowing immediately. The other elders who recognized him followed suit.

Ancang was a top-tier expert from the Situ family. For the past three years, the Pang family had been suppressing the Su family under the Situ family’s direction, and Ancang was their primary liaison.

"Patriarch Pang, my master is very disappointed in you," Ancang said coldly.

Pang Shaoqing’s face changed. "Lord Ancang, my family has followed your orders with all our might for years. The Su family is already on the verge of ruin. I believe it won't be long before we root them out entirely."

"Root them out?" Ancang scoffed. "Patriarch Pang, you are truly standing at death's door without even realizing it."

"Death's door?" Pang Shaoqing’s expression paled, and the surrounding experts were shocked.

"Lord Ancang, what do you mean by that?"

"Do you know why the Su family, who were fighting you so fiercely, suddenly chose to retreat? It is because Su Xin has passed the first level of the Searching Dragon Tower and is about to become a disciple of the Tianyan Palace!"

"What?" Pang Shaoqing’s eyes widened. A Tianyan Palace disciple?

"The Tianyan Palace is too special. Even my Situ family would not easily offend one of their disciples. If Su Xin truly becomes one, dealing with a mere Pang family would be trivial for him."

"The Su family knows this, which is why they have no reason to continue fighting you. They chose to endure temporarily. Once the results from the Tianyan Palace are finalized and Su Xin becomes a disciple, your Pang family will be nothing but meat on their chopping block," Ancang explained.

Pang Shaoqing’s heart trembled. He understood that a Tianyan Palace disciple was destined to become a top-tier power broker in the Tianyan Dynasty. During their growth, many powerful factions would surely court them. Su Xin wouldn't even need to ask; a single word from him would lead many great powers to eliminate the Pang family. Compared to those titans, his family was no more than an ant.

"Lord Ancang, my family has always been loyal to the Situ family. We have exhausted ourselves fighting the Su family at your behest. Now that we are in danger, please, for the sake of our loyalty, save us," Pang Shaoqing pleaded urgently.

"Rest assured," Ancang replied. "My master sees everything you have done. If he intended to abandon you, I would not have come here tonight."

This brought relief to the Pang family members.

"Su Xin’s existence is known to the Tianyan Palace, and their leadership is already discussing whether to grant him a special recruitment slot. This is an immutable fact. Once he is a disciple, even the Situ family would not dare to kill him without leaving absolutely no trace."

"However... before that recruitment slot is officially confirmed, we still have a chance!" Ancang’s voice dropped.

"Lord Ancang, are you suggesting we act within these next few days?" Pang Shaoqing asked, frowning. "But Su Xin will remain inside the Su family compound. To reach him, we would need a full-scale assault."

"Then let it be a decisive battle. Is your Pang family afraid?" Ancang stared him down.

"It is not fear, but one of our Void-Breaking elders was recently killed by a mysterious swordsman. I suspect there are other experts hidden within the Su family," Pang said.

"Hmph, do you think the Situ family is unaware of what is hidden in the Su family?" Ancang sneered. "I can tell you clearly: aside from those who left after the death of the Su ancestor, the remaining Void-Breaking experts all died in a single massacre. There are only two left."

Pang Shaoqing was stunned. A massacre? When?

Ancang did not elaborate. "You don't need to worry about hidden experts. As for whether the old ancestor left behind any trump cards... the family was pushed to the brink during that massacre, and they never used them. It is highly likely they do not exist."

"Therefore, there is only one person we need to worry about: the head of the Su family, Su Baichen."

"Su Baichen?" Pang Shaoqing was baffled. "He is only at the late Void-Breaking Realm, about the same as me. I have fought him before; he is only slightly stronger. With your strength, Lord Ancang, dealing with him should be easy."

Ancang gave him a strange look and laughed. "Patriarch Pang, Su Baichen is not as simple as you think."

"When the old ancestor was still alive, Su Baichen was like my master—one of the top talents of the younger generation of the dynasty. He was qualified to be a Tianyan Palace disciple, but he had a free spirit. After reaching a certain level, he left the dynasty to roam the world."

"He was gone for over a decade. When he returned, he brought a child with him, and soon after, he became the head of the family. Since his return, he has rarely fought, so no one knows the true extent of his strength. But as a peerless genius comparable to my master... even if he is slightly weaker, he is not far off."

"This time, to deal with him, my master paid a great price to request that 'someone' send a unit of the Yinglong Guard to assist us."

"The Yinglong Guard?" Pang Shaoqing gasped. "The most powerful elite force, said to be commanded only by the Tianyan Imperial Family?"

"Correct. So, we cannot fail. If we do not wipe out the Su family now, it will be impossible once Su Xin becomes a disciple."

Pang Shaoqing was both shocked and delighted. He was shocked by Su Baichen’s prowess, but delighted that the Yinglong Guard would make the Su family’s destruction a certainty. As for Su Xin, if the family fell, he would surely die too.

"Patriarch Pang, the Yinglong Guard will arrive in two days. They cannot stay long, so we must strike that very night. Prepare yourselves."

"Understood," Pang Shaoqing said.

The preparations were carried out in total secrecy. Two days later, the Yinglong Guard arrived as scheduled. That night, under the hazy moonlight, dense numbers of figures lay in wait in the streets and alleys near the Su estate.

On the roof of a nearby pavilion, a dozen figures stood in a row.

"Remember, our goal is to wipe out the Su family entirely. If we cannot, we must at least kill Su Baichen and Su Xin!" Ancang said, his voice solemn. "Brother Long Jiu, your Yinglong Guard squad, along with me and Patriarch Pang, will surround and kill Su Baichen. As for the rest of the Pang family's Void-Breaking experts, storm the estate and find an opportunity to kill Su Xin."

"Agreed," the leader of the Yinglong Guard, Long Jiu, nodded slightly.

"Mr. Chang," Pang Shaoqing whispered to his hired expert, "you are the only one besides me at the late Void-Breaking Realm, and you are a master of assassination. Once inside, stay hidden and observe. If no other experts appear, kill Su Xin. If they do, seize your moment."

"Understood."

"Attack!"

With the command, the figures took to the air, rushing toward the Su family compound.

"Who goes there?" The Su family guards were alert and spotted them immediately.

"Hahaha!" A long roar echoed through the night. "Little brats of the Su family, tonight is the day your family meets its end!"

The entire Su estate was instantly shaken.