Chapter 780: Chapter 779: Is it really you?
Yang Fei, Wang Lei, Helian Rong, and Xu Jian were startled, then their eyes lit up.
Unfamiliarity with people?
Backstabbing and ambushing?
Combining this with the scene of Zhuge Cang and Wang Changchun severely injured and using shields that they themselves had run into, the four gradually surmised many things.
The group looked towards Sect Master Zhang.
Sect Master Zhang, attacked verbally by Zhuge Cang, was not angered but simply smiled faintly and said, "From the beginning to the end, there was never any real cooperation, so where does the talk of betrayal and ambush come from?"
Wang Changchun sighed sadly, "Yes, from the beginning to the end, all of this was your conspiracy. So ruthless! Too ruthless!"
At this point, Yang Fei could no longer restrain himself and bowed his fist in salute to Sect Master Zhang, "Elder, the junior, Yang Fei, pays his respects here."
Upon hearing this, Sect Master Zhang immediately showed a gentle smile, waved his hand, and said, "My nephew need not be overly courteous; you should actually call me ’uncle master’. We are family."
Yang Fei was stunned. Uncle master?
He’s taking advantage of me right from the start?
"Ahem, well, what exactly is going on here?" Yang Fei, not bothering about whether this newly emerged uncle master was real or not, prioritized understanding what exactly was the cause of this grand battle.
Upon hearing this, Sect Master Zhang smiled and said, "You missed quite a spectacle."
Right then, Sect Master Zhang opened up and began explaining the ins and outs of the grand battle between the two forces to Yang Fei and the others.
It turned out that this grand battle took place this morning.
Yang Fei and his group, hurrying along, were actually about three days slower than the Five Families’ Alliance, but in reality, the confrontation between the two forces was delayed until this morning. The reason was simple: when Zhuge Cang and the allied forces of the five powers arrived at Qingtian Sect, the Poison Sect, Langya Wang Family, and Qingtian Sect had already prepared their defense.
Not only that, the three powers had also summoned the elite warriors from other Hidden Sects that were affiliated under their banner.
Thus, the opposition managed to gather twelve Divine Travel Realm warriors. Compared to the Five Families’ Alliance, there was a mere difference of three top-tier warriors.
Moreover, since this was Central State City, the stronghold of Qingtian Sect, if a full-scale battle ensued, the Five Families’ Alliance hardly had any chance of winning.
Therefore, the Five Families did not initiate combat immediately but waited nearly three days, until this morning when all the elite reinforcements they could call upon had arrived. In terms of the number of Divine Travel Realm individuals alone, the Five Families reached a total of twenty-one, almost double their opponents.
The number of warriors at the Late-Stage Innate Realm Peak was even more impressive, totaling over ninety, along with Unique Tier elite masters, the entire alliance army was nearly two hundred strong.
Such an elite team could indeed traverse horizontally across the Hidden Sects; even facing the combined defenses of the Poison Sect, Qingtian Sect, and Wang Family, the Five Families’ Alliance was confident enough to believe they could decisively settle the universe and completely change the future structure of the Hidden Sects.
Thus, this morning, the Five Families’ Alliance launched a magnificent assault on the gate of the Qingtian Sect.
At the beginning, the elite masters of the Five Families’ Alliance faced the defense of the three families and advanced like a hot knife through butter, sweeping forward irresistibly.
Although they encountered various toxins from the Poison Sect, those attacking were the cream of the crop, many of whom were well-prepared with all sorts of detoxification powders. Thus, when the alliance penetrated into the headquarters of Qingtian Sect, their losses were minimal.
But the enemies suffered few casualties too, seemingly overwhelmed by the formidable momentum of the Five Families’ Alliance or perhaps realizing they couldn’t resist, those high-ranking experts assigned to the defensive points hardly resisted and fled in disarray.
The Five Families’ Alliance advanced like a hot knife through butter, sweeping across to the inner sanctum of the Qingtian Sect’s gate in less than the time it takes for one incense stick to burn.
On the vast martial training square, the Divine Travel Realm experts from the Poison Sect, Qingtian Sect, and Langya Wang Family all gathered here.
Besides them, top-tier experts from some sects or aristocratic families affiliated with these three families also converged, readying their formation, seemingly determined to take on the Five Families’ Alliance in this spacious square.
There was almost double the number of top-tier experts on the other side, and in terms of momentum, the Five Families’ Alliance was clearly dominant.
In the arena, already returned Helian Zhan and Wang Chunyang stood at the forefront, alongside Ouyang He and Qingtian Sect’s Zhao Wannian, Gong Haichao, and Qin Sizhong.
The other Divine Travel Realm experts from the Langya Wang Family and Poison Sect took their positions in the back row, standing with the second-tier aristocratic families or sect experts who were also affiliated with the three families.
Zhuge Cang, full of vigor, looked at Helian Zhan, Wang Chunyang, and Ouyang He, saying, "I didn’t expect you to react so quickly, guessing that we would form an alliance against you and preparing in advance. But even so, you cannot change the fate of your three families’ demise."
Duanmu Wugou, also radiating an energetic red glow, loudly said, "That’s right, although your three families have not been defeated individually, but rather gathered together, at most it only prolongs your inevitable demise by a few days.
Those affiliated with the Poison Sect, Qingtian Sect, and Langya Wang Family, listen up, today these three families must perish. If you are willing to surrender, to shift your allegiance to our Five Families’ Alliance, I can guarantee your safety and promise not to pursue you afterwards.
But if anyone refuses, don’t blame us for being ruthless and employing our thunderous extermination methods."
Wang Changchun along with a few top elites from Zhuge and Duanmu aristocratic families all spoke up, supporting what Duanmu Wugou had said.
Rather than pushing forward now to annihilate these three rebellious forces, they preferred to see those affiliated with the three families defect during the battle.
However, amidst the hopeful gaze of the Five Families’ Alliance, not a single person on the opposing side betrayed.
Duanmu Wugou felt he couldn’t save face, his expression darkened as he snapped, "How is it? Do you really want to follow these three families down a doomed path? Or are you worried about defecting now, fearing retaliation from the powerful experts of those three families? Rest assured, with us here, as long as you come over, your safety is guaranteed."
"That’s right, the Poison Sect is a heretical outsider, having used poisons to harm countless innocents and exploited alchemy to plunder Hidden Sect resources, already losing the hearts of the people.
Qingtian Sect and Langya Wang Family actually colluded with the Poison Sect, just like followers of the Demon Path, acting vilely. Today, we are carrying out divine justice, exterminating the rogue and sinister factions." Wang Changchun declared loudly.
However, after their words fell, still, no one from the other side was willing to defect.
This caused Duanmu Wugou, Wang Changchun, and Zhuge Cang to lose face, filled with humiliation and rage, Duanmu Wugou said, "Fine, since you remain delusional, insisting on allying with these demons, then do not blame us for our merciless actions."
"Hahahaha..."
Just then, amid the opposing camp, a robust laughter broke out.
Yet the speaker was not Ouyang He, Helian Zhan, or Wang Chunyang, these top-tier experts, but rather a mostly unrecognized, unfamiliar face.
As this person laughed, he stepped out from behind Helian Zhan and Ouyang He. He had a beard on his face, appearing to be in his fifties or sixties, yet also seemed as if he could be seventy or eighty, making it difficult to discern his actual age.
He was dressed in a simple Taoist robe, his hair tied in a Taoist bun, his eyes bright and spirited, giving off somewhat an immortal-like aura.
Within the Five Families’ Alliance, most did not recognize this Taoist-dressed man, but a few changed their expressions drastically, only to hear Zhuge Qian exclaim in shock, "Is it really you? Huang Chengcheng!"
"What? Huang Chengcheng, the once elusive Taoist disciple?"
"Is it that legendary Taoist inheritor who defeated various sect masters and clan leaders more than thirty years ago, who disappeared after being severely wounded by several powerful attackers?"
Among the crowd, a very few elder Divine Travel Realm experts murmured in shock.