Family Cultivation: My entire family are Villains-Chapter 555 - 259, Chaos Begins to Emerge_2

Even the prospect of boundless futures mattered little now—the Old Devout Woman was someone for whom you'd thank the heavens if she hit you less. Hou Yuxiao criticized her inwardly but did not continue the conversation, noticing that the trio seemed to have finished talking. Zhuang Feicheng was about to leave when he ran into Hou Yuxiao and exchanged a few perfunctory pleasantries. Obviously, Hou Yuxiao had no intention of embarrassingly asking them to stay.

Indeed, Zhuang Feicheng did not linger. He turned back, signaling his departure to Zhan Taiqing and the man in the black robe, and swiftly left. Along with him went all the experts from the residence and everyone from the Saint Heavenly Fist Sect outside.

They must have struck some sort of deal, right?

The Saint Heavenly Fist Sect not cooperating with Qinjian Villa was a favor shown to Zhan Taiqing. No sooner had those eight people left than Zhuang Feicheng immediately went to see Zhan Taiqing. The implications of collusion were all too apparent, and Hou Yuxiao could naturally see through it.

Although curious about what Zhuang Feicheng had discussed, Hou Yuxiao, after spending so much time with Zhan Taiqing, knew better than to ask if she did not bring it up herself. Doing so would be asking for a beating, so he had to suppress his doubts.

After Zhuang Feicheng's departure, the main hall instantly fell into silence. Zhan Taiqing and the other person in black remained quiet, and Hou Yuxiao was about to speak up to break the silence when he suddenly felt a gaze fixed intensely upon him. Realizing it belonged to the man in black standing behind Zhan Taiqing, he instantly tensed.

Just from a glance, he couldn't determine the man's cultivation; however, judging by the pressure, this man in black might be no less formidable than Zhuang Feicheng. And Zhuang Feicheng was a remarkable power in his own right, which was quite terrifying.

The man in black, his face obscured, stood behind Zhan Taiqing...

Taking the current situation into account, Hou Yuxiao quickly contemplated the man's identity in his mind. Suddenly, inspiration struck, and he bowed respectfully to the man in black, saying, "Subordinate Hou Yuxiao, greets Left Protector!"

That's right, that's right—during the chaos in Tongling, Huangfu Xing appeared in the same guise, his features also indiscernible. Zhan Taiqing had mentioned that Duanmu Hong had already been waiting in the capital. The banquet in the capital had ended, so it made sense that Duanmu Hong would come south to meet with Zhan Taiqing.

"Huangfu Xing was right; indeed you're as cunning as a fox. Your cultivation might not be much to speak of, but you have plenty of tricks up your sleeve. Young man, you should focus on improving your strength earnestly. Engaging in constant machinations for temporary benefits is unwise; in the end, this world values true power above all," said the Left Protector.

"The Left Protector's lesson is well taken, I will remember it well!" Hou Yuxiao responded, despite not understanding why he was being lectured up front. The lecture alone had made it clear that the Left Protector didn't have a high opinion of him, and contradicting him now would likely lead to unpleasant consequences.

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A wise man does not fight against insurmountable odds; strength dictates right, and whatever you say is correct!

"You say that now, but is that really what you're thinking?"

"Subordinate dare not."

Duanmu Hong let out a cold laugh, not giving him the chance to respond, and instead turned to Zhan Taiqing, bowing with a look of respect, "Miss, Great Jin and Qinjian Villa will soon be sealing off the north. It's not advisable for us to remain here any longer. Let's hurry back to Yongzhou. Huangfu Xing has sent word that there's new information from our Headquarters!"

Upon hearing this, Zhan Taiqing gently shook her head and said, "Not so fast. The three great demons have just awakened and restoring their strength will take at least a few years. They won't dare to cause any conspicuous trouble while hiding from Great Jin, and Great Jin will not be quick to seal off the territory to avoid alerting the demons."

As she spoke, she paused, then frowned and asked with a cold tone, "Headquarters, what's happened?"

"Peace has returned to Nanjiang, and Sikong Yue wants to return to the Headquarters. Sikong Xingzhou is preparing to hold the Rakshasa grand ceremony and has already summoned orders to the three paths and eight provinces; all forces must participate. If things go as expected, he likely wants to establish his daughter, Sikong Yue, as the next Sect Hierarch by capitalizing on her victory in pacifying the south," Duanmu Hong explained.

Bang...…

Zhan Taiqing's hand smashed the table in front of her into pieces, her eyes filled with a chilling frost. Even though she remained silent, the temperature in the main hall dropped instantly.

Duanmu Hong, anticipating her reaction, kept silent.

Though Hou Yuxiao remained composed, his thoughts were in turmoil.

Firstly, judging by the exchange between Zhan Taiqing and the protectors, their relationship was clearly not what he had previously thought. He had believed that the protectors were merely supporters of Zhan Taiqing, but Duanmu Hong's reaction plainly showed a relationship akin to that of a servant or even a slave.

Secondly, hadn't those men in black said that Zhan Taiqing was to be the next Hierarch of the Rakshasa Holy Sect? Sikong Xingzhou was trying to establish his daughter, Sikong Yue, as the next Hierarch, openly commanding the forces of Yongzhou, which meant that the conflict between the two parties had obviously escalated to a critical point.

Zhan Taiqing looked like he was going to face off with Sikong Xingzhou and his daughter, backed by two of his protectors. This return to Yongzhou is sure to stir up great troubles within the Headquarters, and moreover, it concerns the vital matter of succession for the Holy Church. It will undoubtedly spill over to affect the three Dao and eight Prefectures, as well as all the counties.

Hou Yuxiao's mind was in turmoil, not at all aware that Zhan Taiqing's cold gaze was silently watching him.

"Weren't you in a hurry to escape? The people from Qinjian Villa have already left, and Saint Heavenly Fist Sect won't trouble you anymore. What are you still doing here?"

"Ah..."

Hou Yuxiao was stunned for quite a while before he realized that Zhan Taiqing was indeed speaking to him. It took him more than a dozen breaths to react. At first, his expression brightened, but then he immediately remembered the conversation he had just overheard. Knowing that he couldn't show joy now, he quickly darkened his expression, leaned in, and whispered, "If there's trouble at the Headquarters, and Master has any need for the Hou Clan, please say the word. Even if it means climbing mountains of swords or plunging into seas of flames, Mr. Hou would not hesitate. Please rest assured, Master, and Protector."

It's none of my business whether you lot live or die. Once I return, I'll cut ties with the Headquarters right away. Best if you both suffer losses, splitting Yongzhou's governance. Hexi is within Yongzhou on the Western Frontier. I'll side with whoever takes control of the west then.

If none of you are reliable, it'd be perfect to turn to Ziqing Holy Sect. Ziqing Holy Sect, far away in Jiaozhou, can't reach this place. In contrast, the Hou Clan could gain the protection of a Holy Land out of thin air. It's a win-win...

These thoughts were just for Hou Yuxiao to ponder in his heart. There was no way he could speak them aloud. To be honest, seeing Zhan Taiqing's mocking expression, he highly suspected that the old devout woman didn't believe a word of his pledged loyalty.

"The little schemes in your mind can't be hidden from anyone. Hou Yuxiao, I warn you, taking advantage of the chaos within the Holy Church and wavering between sides is not necessarily wrong, but only if you're on the right side. If you choose the wrong side and do something bad, I'll be the first to not spare you. Let me tell you, the tactics I've used in the past two months are just the beginning..."

Feeling the profundity in Zhan Taiqing's words and seeing her intentional gesture of raising her palm, Hou Yuxiao's heart trembled, and a hint of fear crept into his pupils. Steeling his heart, he knelt to the ground.

"Mr. Hou is utterly loyal to Master, with no second thoughts!"

"Go away. Keep a close watch on your Hexi Four Counties. No matter what happens at the Headquarters, you are to stay out of it. As long as the Hou Clan can stick to this, I can guarantee the safety of the Hou Clan."

"Thank you, Master. Then Mr. Hou will... take his leave now!"

With utmost reverence, Hou Yuxiao bid farewell and turned to leave, and only after he had left the Yunding Gang's territory did the tension in his heart finally ease.

Looking back at the place where he had stayed for more than two months, and recalling the days he had spent with Zhan Taiqing, he wished he could scream out loud, if not for the fear of Zhan Taiqing's scrutiny, to relieve the pent-up tension.

He left unobtrusively. With upheaval in the north, the great Holy Lands in the south would surely react soon. And of utmost concern to the Hou Clan was the imminent internal strife within the Holy Church. He didn't have much time to waste; he needed to rush back and make preparations.

...

After his departure, in the main hall of the Yunding Gang, the coldness on Zhan Taiqing's face slowly vanished. She turned to look at Duanmu Hong and whispered softly, "I can't return to Yongzhou for the time being, not until at least September!"

Duanmu Hong looked puzzled. "Why not?"

Zhan Taiqing didn't speak, but she flicked her sleeve lightly, and a layer of phosphorescence fell off her body. Whatever that substance was, it seemed to have been concealing something.

"This... Who... Miss, shall I kill him?"

The instant the phosphorescence vanished, Duanmu Hong's black robe shook violently as if the Yunding Gang's headquarters were experiencing an earthquake. Although his face was still obscured by the black robe and not visible, his gaze was fixed intently on Zhan Taiqing, his voice filled with shock and horror.

Zhan Taiqing didn't respond to Duanmu Hong, only a trace of sorrow and a rare softness appeared on her face, followed by a brief glance in the direction Hou Yuxiao had left.

Despite Zhan Taiqing's extremely subtle motion, Duanmu Hong still noticed it. He wanted to say something, but seeing the trace of softness in Zhan Taiqing's eyes, he fell into silence. After a long while, he let out a soft sigh.

"Miss, you are being foolish..."