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The battle at Falling Eagle Gorge.

Though it was a covert confrontation, apart from the few noble families involved, others knew nothing about it.

Yet, the undercurrents were so turbulent, and the change in the situation seemed to have just begun.

These past few days.

Rumors about Ancestor Hua Ye’s severe injury and imminent death in Changning Guard spread tumultuously thanks to some instigators, sparking endless debates.

Some say Ancestor Hua Ye was exploring the Outer Domain seeking opportunities and unfortunately encountered a Tier Five ferocious beast. After a fierce battle, both were heavily injured, and Ancestor Hua Ye retreated gravely wounded, on the brink of death.

Yet others claim it was due to a rift between Ancestor Hua Ye and the Jiaolong Gang, resulting in a fierce battle with Vice Gang Leader Sikou Luoxia, a renowned expert, with both sides suffering heavy injuries.

And some say...

There are no less than five or six versions of the "rumors" about Ancestor Hua Ye’s battles with various experts.

In short, each version is described as if witnessed firsthand. The only consistent detail among these versions is that Ancestor Hua Ye is gravely injured, teetering on the edge of death, with uncertainty about when the injuries might take a fatal turn if they are not controlled.

Being part of the two Celestial Human Families in Changning Guard, the Huangfu Clan was naturally outraged by such numerous unfavorable "rumors."

While they publicly "debunked" the rumors, they dispatched household generals, clan members, and even hired many loose cultivators to "extinguish" the rumors everywhere, even violently attacking and warning several groups discussing the matter.

They attempted to use such a simple and crude method to stamp out and suppress the rumors.

Unfortunately, if they were still in their once strong heaven-covering level, even the Celestial Human Lei Family wouldn’t dare provoke them at their true wrath.

But for this matter, the true mastermind was Wang Shouzhe.

Although he wasn’t a fervent bystander in his past life on Earth, his extensive passive exposure made him well-versed in various insidious schemes.

Before long, fires erupted everywhere in Changning Guard, with endless and vivid "exposes" blasting forth.

For example, the Huangfu Family’s bullying and domination, extorting and seizing businesses.

Another example being Patriarch Huangfu Jinhuan’s oppression of declining noble families, using power to seize two direct vein clan members as concubines.

One scandal after another seemed to unveil the "filthy" and "unbearable" scene beneath the glamorous surface of the Changning Huangfu Family, leaving people in "awe."

Was this the true moral standard of a Celestial Human Family? 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The Daqian Imperial Court’s intent in granting noble family status was for them to explore and hold the land, securing the nation and the people, not for them to dominate and oppress the good local populace.

Hence, the court expects certain standards of conduct from noble families. Should public dissatisfaction grow rampant, they might face reprimands, at worst a downgrade in rank, or even removal of their noble family status and decree.

While the Huangfu Family was in a state of chaos, the Celestial Human Lei Family delivered another heavy blow.

Upon "hearing of" Ancestor Hua Ye’s injury, Lei Family’s ancestor personally invited Gu Hanyu, the best physician in Changning Guard, to diagnose Ancestor Hua Ye.

Gu Hanyu was originally a loose cultivator with a unique wandering doctor heritage, different from other loose cultivators.

She wasn’t stationed in Changning Guard, only invited by the Purple Mansion Academy this year to control the pestilence due to severe flood disasters. She was known for her kindness, often sending disciples to treat refugees for free, earning her a great reputation.

Besides her medical prowess, she was skilled in pill refining, known as the Dual Excellence of Alchemy and Medicine.

Although only possessing Middle Tier Spirit Platform Realm cultivation, her fame in Changning Guard was considerable, with many followers, a prominent figure. In terms of pure reputation, she was second only to the two Celestial Human Ancestors and Xiahou City Guard.

Nearly on par with Wang Shouzhe and Beichen Ancestor.

Her intervention in diagnosing Ancestor Hua Ye put him in a situation where avoiding was impossible, and avoiding was impossible. He realized there was no hiding it, so he simply let her diagnose and treat him, as her medical skill was unparalleled in Changning Guard now.

The diagnosis results made the Huangfu Family both worries and a little relieved. Gu Hanyu’s intervention did temporarily alleviate some of Ancestor Hua Ye’s injuries.

But she indicated that the root of Ancestor Hua Ye’s injury was exotic sword qi from the Purple Mansion Realm infiltrating his body, exacerbated by using secret techniques to forcibly escape, causing great harmful consequences.

With her skills, she could only provide slight relief and suppression, but driving out the exotic sword qi completely would take decades.

The best approach would be to seek treatment at the Purple Mansion Academy, likely needing Changchun Ascendant from Eternal Spring Valley to personally treat him, which might achieve full recovery within a few years.

Moreover, during this period, it’s best not to engage in combat, as it would worsen the injuries and potentially affect his lifespan.

This was a glimmer of hope for the Huangfu Family. The issue was that Changchun Ascendant, being a renowned old Purple Mansion, was not easily approachable.

What’s more, even if Changchun Ascendant agreed to treat him, it would take several years, and he certainly wouldn’t do it without compensation.

However, Ancestor Hua Ye was the pillar of the Huangfu Family. The family’s current grand establishment, along with the suppression and offenses of many families behind the scenes, would face destruction if anything happened to the ancestor.

The true details of Ancestor Hua Ye’s injuries soon "unintentionally" spread across Changning Guard. Just as the Huangfu Family feared, some families and forces once suppressed and bullied began to stir.