Chapter 89: 89. Shangguan family.
"Three Peak Golden Core spirit beasts?"
Shangguan Zhengxu stared at Xu Wenyuan in disbelief.
"...You’re joking, right?"
The man merely shook his head.
"My name didn’t become known throughout the kingdom because I tell jokes."
He slowly set down his wine cup.
"I’m afraid every word I just said is true."
His gaze gradually turned solemn.
"And that’s not even the most shocking part."
He paused for a brief moment.
"Lin Xuan won and beheaded our Peak Golden Core expert with his own hands. The three snake spirit beasts never once interfered with the battle."
Shangguan Zhengxu’s face gradually darkened.
An indescribable fury rose within his heart.
The man before him had come seeking the Shangguan family’s assistance in eliminating the Lin family.
Initially, he had intended to refuse.
After all, why would a dignified Seventh-Rank clan concern itself with crushing a newly promoted Ninth-Rank clan?
However, everything had changed the moment he heard that the operation was backed by the Qin’s, an empire clan.
The potential rewards from a empire clan was enough to tempt even the Shangguan family.
Because of that, he had readily agreed.
Yet only after he had already antagonized the Lin family was he finally learning how terrifying his opponent truly was.
He slowly looked toward the man before him.
A trace of dissatisfaction could no longer be concealed.
"You chose a rather convenient time to tell me all this."
The man met his gaze without flinching.
"I had no choice. I originally thought the Lin family had already exhausted all of their hidden cards during that battle."
He slowly shook his head.
"But after hearing about everything that has happened over the past year... I can no longer convince myself that I truly understand Lin Xuan."
He let out a quiet sigh.
"That young man has already exceeded everyone’s expectations."
Shangguan Zhengxu silently tightened his grip around the wine cup before slamming his wine cup onto the table.
Crack!
The expensive jade cup shattered into countless pieces.
His expression was darker than ever before.
"You’ve truly succeed in your deception."
He slowly rose from his seat, his voice no longer carrying the calmness from before.
"You come to my Shangguan family asking for help."
His gaze became increasingly cold.
"And then only after I’ve already made my move do you decide to tell me that the Lin family might be hiding three Peak Golden Core spirit beasts?"
He let out a cold laugh.
"What a fraud."
The man sitting opposite him frowned slightly.
"Old friend, calm down first—"
"Calm down?"
Shangguan Zhengxu interrupted him without hesitation.
"You expect me to calm down?"
He took a step forward.
"Xu Wenyuan."
His voice echoed throughout the reception hall.
"From this day onward, my Shangguan family will cut all ties with your Xu family."
Xu Wenyuan’s expression finally changed.
"Zhengxu, don’t be impulsive."
"I’m not being impulsive."
Shangguan Zhengxu’s tone was ice-cold.
"I’m correcting a mistake."
He pointed toward Xu Wenyuan.
"You never told me the Lin family possessed strength like this. You described them as nothing more than an ordinary Ninth-Rank clan."
He laughed in anger.
"An ordinary Ninth-Rank clan?"
He shook his head.
"My Shangguan family isn’t powerful enough to provoke a force that may or may not possess three Peak Golden Core experts."
He took a deep breath before continuing.
"If your Xu family wishes to continue this matter, then do so yourselves. As for the Qin family..."
He spread his hands.
"They are a First-Rank clan of the Tianhe Empire. They have Nascent Soul cultivators and countless experts under their command. If they truly want Lin Xuan dead, then let them handle it themselves. My Shangguan family will not become cannon fodder for the Xu family."
Xu Wenyuan’s brows furrowed tightly.
"Zhengxu, you’re overestimating him."
"Am I?"
Shangguan Zhengxu stared directly into his eyes.
"Everything you’ve told me today has only convinced me that I’ve underestimated him."
Xu Wenyuan’s expression darkened.
He slowly rose from his seat and let out a cold snort.
"So be it."
He flicked his sleeve, sending a gust of wind through the reception hall.
"I’ll remember what happened today."
His eyes briefly met Shangguan Zhengxu’s before turning toward the entrance.
"Zhengxu, you’re a filthy hypocrite."
With those final words, he strode out of the reception hall without looking back.
Just before disappearing through the doorway, he muttered under his breath.
"A bunch of cowards."
The heavy doors slammed shut behind him.
Bang!
Silence once again settled over the reception hall.
Shangguan Zhengxu slowly sank back into his chair and rubbed his temples.
"What a troublesome situation..."
He let out a long sigh.
Originally, he had believed provoking the Lin family would be a simple matter.
A newly promoted Ninth-Rank clan was nothing in the eyes of the Shangguan family.
Yet now... the more he learned about Lin Xuan, the heavier the pressure weighing upon his heart became.
"If the Lin family truly decides to retaliate..."
He slowly closed his eyes.
"I’ll have to find a way to mend our relationship."
It was far better to suffer a slight loss today than to invite a disaster that could cripple the Shangguan family tomorrow.
Shangguan Zhengxu let out a long sigh before forcing himself to calm down.
His emotions gradually settled as he leaned back against his chair.
"I’ll have to investigate the Lin family again. The fact that they’ve already secured a channel to obtain Pure Quality pills alone is enough to deserve the Shangguan family’s full attention."
He tapped his fingers lightly against the armrest.
"Whether those pills come from a mysterious master or an unknown alchemist, either possibility is enough to change the balance of power."
A thoughtful expression appeared on his face.
"I need to know exactly what kind of force I’m dealing with."
At the very same time, inside the Zhao family estate, a clan meeting was already underway.
Every elder with sufficient authority had gathered inside the council hall.
The atmosphere was unusually solemn.
Zhao Luhao sat quietly at the head of the hall while the elders exchanged heated arguments.
One elder slowly stood.
"I oppose getting involved."
His expression remained serious.
"This is no longer an ordinary conflict. If we intervene now, we will inevitably become enemies of the Shangguan family as well."
Several elders immediately nodded in agreement.
Another elder rose to his feet.
"I agree. The Zhao family has survived for generations because we know when to advance and when to retreat."
He slowly clasped his hands behind his back.
"The Lin family may have extraordinary opportunities, but opportunities alone cannot bridge the gap between a Ninth-Rank Clan and a Seventh-Rank Clan."
Another elder spoke shortly afterward.
"Our alliance with the Lin family was formed for mutual benefit, not to gamble the lives of our entire clan."
"If the Shangguan family truly marches against them, we should remain neutral."
One vote after another was cast.
Very few chose to support the Lin family.
When the final count was completed, the result was overwhelmingly one-sided.
The proposal to stand aside and observe while the Lin family faced the Shangguan family had won by a landslide.
Many elders breathed a sigh of relief.
In their eyes, preserving the Zhao family was far more important than honoring an alliance with a newly promoted Ninth-Rank clan.
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