The person who arrived was Tang Xueyi. Upon learning that the Tang family intended to deal with Ji Mo, she rushed over immediately.
She had also brought a large contingent of people with her.
Beside her stood an elder with white hair and beard, a highly influential elder of the Tang family and the patriarch of her lineage.
"Yier, your judgment is truly excellent. This young man surnamed Ji is indeed a dragon among men."
The elder smiled as he appraised Ji Mo, nodding frequently, clearly pleased.
He was handsome, a renowned master who had nurtured three exceptional students. He was undeniably outstanding.
"Uncle, what are you talking about? Mr. Ji and I are just friends."
Tang Xueyi explained in a low voice, which only earned her a meaningful smile from the elder.
She stepped forward a few paces and addressed the crowd, "Tan Yun'ao deserves to die. This man is incredibly malicious, having used the Soul Connecting Palm on a young disciple of our Lingxu Sword Sect, stealing treasures and taking lives. Not long ago, Tan Yun'ao committed atrocities, plundering everywhere. I imagine many people have suffered greatly at his hands, their treasures stolen?"
As these words fell, many faces in the crowd changed.
Recently, cultivators from outer regions had indeed been arrogant, openly and covertly seizing many of their treasures.
And Tan Yun'ao was the most greedy and wicked among them. There were victims present in the crowd.
"So, why is it that when Tan Yun'ao killed and plundered, no one upheld justice, yet Mr. Ji, who eliminated a menace for the people, is treated this way? Is there any fairness in this world?"
Tang Xueyi looked around, questioning repeatedly.
Her words were thought-provoking!
"Tang Xueyi, stop with the nonsense. When Floating Peak Mountain is enraged, the land turns to ashes. Tan Yun'ao died in our Chizhang City, and we must give Floating Peak Mountain an explanation. Otherwise, who can bear the wrath of Floating Peak Mountain? My Tang family is acting in everyone's best interest. I believe you all also do not wish for Floating Peak Mountain to unleash a massacre."
Tang Heng knew that arguing with Tang Xueyi on logic and reason was futile, so he directly pointed out the stakes involved.
Everything else was superficial; only interests were real.
"One man's actions, one man's responsibility. If Floating Peak Mountain wants revenge, they can come find me. What are you Tang family members? Are you dogs of Floating Peak Mountain, fawning over them like this?"
Ji Mo spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly, then looked at the surrounding cultivators with disappointment. "It's understandable why other regions of the Xuanling Realm look down on the Southern Domain. Too many of us lack backbone, bowing and scraping, considering ourselves inferior. Why should we endure oppression and suffer in silence? Why should we curry favor and dare not resist? Why should they be high and mighty, taking whatever they please from us? As the heavens move with vigor, the noble man strives ceaselessly for self-improvement. We people of the Southern Domain should stand tall and live with dignity."
These words deeply moved many cultivators in the crowd, igniting their passion.
That's right, why?
Were the cultivators of the Southern Domain destined to be of low birth?
Many eyes blazed with fire, looking at Ji Mo with fervent admiration, feeling they had found their life's faith.
"Well said! We cultivators dare to contend with heaven for our fate, dare to defy the heavens. We should be fearless and forge ahead."
The elder of the Tang family let out a hearty laugh, choosing to stand with Ji Mo.
"Tang Xuan, what do you mean by this? Are you betraying the family?"
Seeing the white-haired elder openly siding with Ji Mo, Tang Heng's gaze turned incredibly cold.
Tang Xuan laughed heartily, "How am I betraying the family? Tang Qian is shameless and wants to fawn over Floating Peak Mountain, but I, Tang Xuan, cannot do such a thing. I will protect Ji Mo."
As he spoke, he waved his hand, and the cultivators behind him blocked the path to the Fulai Inn, confronting the people led by Tang Heng.
Everyone was stunned. Was the Tang family about to have an internal conflict, a schism?
"Tan Yun'ao also killed and plundered within our sect. This enmity is irreconcilable. We support Mr. Ji."
One after another, people stepped forward, choosing to side with Ji Mo.
Several academies allied with Langya Academy, after some thought, also decided to strongly support Ji Mo.
However, most factions remained apathetic and watched from the sidelines, clearly unwilling to offend Floating Peak Mountain for Ji Mo's sake.
Some, accustomed to being dogs, stood with the Tang family, intending to use this opportunity to curry favor with Floating Peak Mountain.
For example, those like Zeng Qiyan and Du Mubai.
Ji Mo looked at the cultivators gathered around, feeling greatly comforted. The Southern Domain still had passionate men with their spirits intact.
Tang Heng looked at these people and let out bursts of triumphant laughter, "You are simply courting death. I won't hesitate to tell you that the forces of Floating Peak Mountain are about to arrive in Chizhang City. All of you who have chosen to stand with Ji Mo will die."
"Why fear death? When a man dies, his soul faces the sky. In eighteen years, he will be a good fellow again."
"I've long been fed up with the smug faces of those outer region cultivators. If you want to be dogs, I want to be a man."
...
Once these people made up their minds, they had already cast aside any fear of death, utterly unafraid.
They pointed fingers at Tang Heng, cursing him, nearly driving Tang Heng to despair.
"A bunch of madmen. I'll just watch how you all die."
Tang Heng's face turned ashen.
News of what happened at the Fulai Inn quickly spread, and cultivators began arriving at the Fulai Inn one after another.
Some of these were filled with righteous indignation, inspired by Ji Mo's integrity. Others harbored deep hatred for Floating Peak Mountain and decided to settle the score.
These cultivators were seen as fools by others, yet they did not realize they had made the most crucial decision of their lives.
...
In a guest room of the Tang family.
"Alliance Leader, the people from Floating Peak Mountain should arrive tomorrow. Shall we wait for them and then activate the killing array to wipe them all out?"
The third in command asked Sun Zhi for instructions.
The people from Floating Peak Mountain were all top-tier experts. Killing them all would undoubtedly greatly enhance the power of the spatial magic artifact.
Sun Zhi's expression was somewhat serious. "It is rumored that the old ancestor of Floating Peak Mountain, whose neck is already buried in yellow earth, has also come. That is an old immortal of the third level of the Mortal Immortal realm, and he might even carry an immortal spiritual artifact with him. We cannot underestimate him. To prevent any unforeseen complications, we will activate the array tonight and slaughter Chizhang City."
The third in command nodded, a cruel smile appearing on his face. "Then we shall proceed to the underground array core to make preparations. Tonight, Chizhang City will be reduced to ashes."
The members of the Seven Fiends Alliance began to act.
No one in the entire Chizhang City knew that a life-and-death crisis had quietly arrived, and someone was maliciously plotting to take the lives of everyone in the city.
Night soon fell.
Fulai Inn.
The proprietress was extremely anxious and went to knock on Ji Mo's door again.
She didn't care about Ji Mo's feud with Floating Peak Mountain. The most important thing now was to quickly persuade Ji Mo to leave Chizhang City.
According to the information she received, those people had already started their move. If he didn't leave soon, he would die here.
The lecherous guests saw this and began to whisper amongst themselves.
"As expected, anyone who provokes the proprietress encounters misfortune or disaster. This fellow surnamed Ji will ultimately be unable to escape, destined for a tragic end."
"Lust is a knife above one's head. Fortunately, we have lustful hearts but not lustful courage; we held back, otherwise, we would be the ones suffering misfortune."
"Alas, Ji Mo is also pitiful. He was already weak, and now he's short-lived. But he is indeed a true man, daring to confront Floating Peak Mountain. Remarkable! From now on, you are not allowed to secretly call him a weakling."
"Bah, you're the one who gave him that nickname, 'Weakling'."
As they chatted, these people became indecent again.
They began discussing why the proprietress was still looking for Ji Mo at this hour.
Could it be that she also admired Ji Mo's integrity and intended to let Ji Mo enjoy one last moment of tenderness, to die as a romantic ghost?
Creak...
The proprietress persisted, and finally managed to knock open Ji Mo's door.