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...
The main hall of the Silver Winged Family was a cavernous expanse of silver and shadow, its towering walls adorned with intricate tapestries that chronicled the clan's storied past.
The ceiling arched high above, supported by thick columns carved with the likenesses of winged beasts, their eyes glinting in the flickering light of ornate braziers.
At the heart of the chamber, Sikong Yi sat upon a throne forged of dark iron and polished silver, its high back etched with the emblem of a soaring thunderbird.
His weathered hands rested on the armrests, fingers drumming a slow, deliberate rhythm as he gazed out over the assembled guards and advisors. The air was thick with tension, a palpable weight that pressed against the polished stone floor.
He had just received word from the guards stationed at Nie Li's guest courtyard, a breathless report delivered by a young soldier whose armor still bore the dust of haste.
"Lord Patriarch," the guard had said, bowing low, "Young Master Nie Li has left the courtyard. He's moving beyond the clan boundaries. We don't yet know his intentions, but it seems he may be departing. His companions remain in their mansion, so we believe he'll return."
Sikong Yi's sharp eyes narrowed, a flicker of calculation passing through them. He leaned forward slightly, the throne creaking under his weight, and turned to his daughter, Sikong Hongyue, who stood at his side.
She was a striking figure, her brown hair cascading over her shoulders, her posture rigid with the pride of her lineage. Her dark robes shimmered faintly, embroidered with subtle threads of gold that caught the firelight.
"Hongyue," he said, his voice low but firm, "go after him. Catch up quickly, offer to guide him, show him the territory. Use this chance to build a connection. We need him tethered to us."
Hongyue nodded, her expression composed, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of reluctance. She adjusted the sword at her hip a ceremonial piece, more symbol than weapon and took a step toward the hall's grand doors.
But before she could depart, she paused, turning back to her father with a question that had gnawed at her since Nie Li's arrival.
"Father," she said, her tone measured but edged with frustration, "should we send warriors to surround his friends? Hold them as leverage? The way things stand, we're at his mercy, a position our clan has never endured. When have we ever suffered such agony, bending to another's will?"
Sikong Yi's gaze hardened, but he shook his head slowly, his silver-streaked wings shifting with the motion.
"No," he replied, his voice a gravelly rumble. "A man like Nie Li doesn't leave unless he's certain of their safety. He must have some defense in place, something we can't anticipate. Even if we captured them, it would backfire. Someone of his caliber could turn a potion into poison, subtle enough to evade our best alchemists. If we retaliate and fail, what then? We might blackmail him, yes, but what would we gain? Hurt his friends, kill them even, and our fate is sealed alongside theirs. We lack the strength to end him outright but he, he could destroy us without lifting a finger. His alchemy strength alone would draw every rival family down upon us like vultures."
Hongyue's lips pressed into a thin line, her fingers tightening briefly around the hilt of her sword. "What about house arrest, then?" she pressed, her voice quieter now, testing the waters. "Keep them confined, limit his leverage?"
Sikong Yi's eyes softened, a rare hint of weariness breaking through his stern facade. "They barely leave the courtyard as it is, and I doubt they would now. Don't worry, my daughter. If you succeed in winning him over, all our problems will resolve themselves. Turning against him is our last resort, but rest assured, I'm prepared for that too."
Before Hongyue could respond, the heavy doors of the hall swung open with a groan, admitting a sudden flurry of movement.
A group of guards marched in, their silver armor clanking with each step, followed by Elder Sikong Yan, a towering figure whose presence filled the room with an almost tangible heat. His dark eyes blazed with fury, his broad shoulders squared as if ready to charge into battle.
His son, Sikong Han, was not with him a fact that only deepened the scowl etched across his weathered face. Behind him trailed a single guard, his posture stiff with unease, his gaze flickering between the elder and the Patriarch. (Image)
"Patriarch!" Sikong Yan's voice boomed through the hall, reverberating off the stone walls as he strode forward.
"That insolent brat dared to attack one of our own unprovoked! My son lies wounded, perhaps dying, because of him. I demand we take up arms! Imprison his friends, torture them until that wretch bows before us. We cannot let this stand!"
Sikong Yi's brow furrowed, confusion flashing across his features. He raised a hand, silencing the elder's tirade, and turned to the guard who had entered with him.
"Explain," he commanded, his tone sharp as a blade.
The guard stepped forward, bowing deeply, his voice trembling slightly as he recounted the tale. "Lord Patriarch, it happened at the outskirts. Nie Li was leaving the territory, and Sikong Han, Elder Yan's son tried to stop him. He insisted Nie Li return, offered escorts, said it would shame us if he left unattended. But Nie Li… he didn't hesitate. He kicked Han square in the chest, sent him flying dozens of feet. His armor shattered and he fell unconscious, he's alive, we think, but gravely injured. Then Nie Li turned to us, his aura spiking with thunder, so fierce we couldn't move. He said, 'Don't confuse my role in your clan. I am not your hostage. Next time anyone comes in my way, I'll rip your head off. I'll leave when I leave and come when I wish.' He pointed at two of us, ordered us to guide him, and we had no choice but to obey."
Sikong Yi's fist clenched, the armrest beneath it splintering with a sharp crack as his rage surged. The sound echoed through the hall, a stark punctuation to the guard's words. His chest heaved, his livid eyes boring into the messenger as if he could will the situation to change.
But slowly, deliberately, he forced his anger down, swallowing it like bitter medicine. His jaw tightened, the muscles flexing beneath his weathered skin, but his voice, when he spoke, was steady. "Where is he now?"
"He's left the clan territory, Lord," the guard replied, his head still bowed. "Accompanied by the two guards he chose. They're with him now, guiding him as he demanded."
Sikong Yi leaned back in his throne, his fingers steepled before him as he processed the news.
"This is a warning," he said at last, his tone heavy with reluctant clarity. "We can't act, Yan. I understand your pain your son's blood cries out for justice, but we must remain calm. If Nie Li wanted Han dead, he wouldn't be breathing now, let alone receiving treatment."
Sikong Yan's fists clenched at his sides, his voice rising in defiance. "We are not cowards, Patriarch? We are the Silver Winged Family! We do not bow to threats, we fight! That brat must pay for his arrogance!"
Sikong Yi surged to his feet, his roar cutting through the hall like a thunderclap. "I don't care about fighting!"
The words echoed, silencing the murmurs of the gathered guards.
He stepped forward, his silver robes billowing, his presence towering over the elder. "As Patriarch, as a son of this family that has suffered a cruel fate for centuries, I care about survival! We stand on the brink of a cure a chance to end our torment and you would have us throw it away for pride? We must act with cunning, not recklessness. Our future hangs by a thread, and I will not let it slip through our fingers!"
Sikong Yan's fury faltered, his shoulders slumping slightly under the weight of his Patriarch's words. The hall fell silent, the tension thick as the guards and advisors watched the exchange with bated breath.
Sikong Yi's chest rose and fell, his anger simmering but contained. "I won't let this matter rest," he continued, his voice softer now, laced with a promise. "But patience is key. We wait, we plan, and we endure until the disease is cured."
He turned to Hongyue, who had lingered near the throne, her expression unreadable.
"Stay here," he said, recalling his earlier order. "He's left two of our own with him, a message that he hasn't abandoned us yet. And his friends remain in the courtyard, a sign he's testing us even as he cements his hold. He's daring us to falter, to give him reason to turn away. We cannot fail not now, not before we're free of this curse."
Hongyue nodded slowly, her sharp eyes glinting with a mix of frustration and resolve. She stepped back, resuming her place at her father's side, her mind already turning over the implications of Nie Li's actions.
Sikong Yi sank back into his throne, his gaze distant as he stared at the shattered armrest, a physical reminder of the rage he could not unleash. The hall remained quiet, the weight of his decision settling over them all like a shroud.
The Silver Winged Family stood at a crossroads, their fate intertwined with a young alchemist whose power they could neither fully grasp nor oppose. For now, they would wait watching, planning, and praying that their patience would yield the salvation they so desperately sought. The once proud and arrogant Silver Wing family is left hostage to Nie Li's will, a fate tormenting them and torturing their very noble pride.
...
The air beyond the Silver Winged Family's territory was crisp and heavy with the scent of pine and earth, a stark contrast to the stifling confines of the clan's hidden enclave.
The forest stretched wide before Nie Li, its towering trees rising like sentinels, their gnarled branches weaving a canopy that filtered the sunlight into dappled patterns across the mossy ground. His boots crunched softly against the undergrowth, each step deliberate, unhurried, as he moved forward with an air of unshakable confidence.
Flanking him were two guards of the Silver Winged Family, their silver armor glinting faintly in the fractured light. Their faces were pale, their postures rigid with barely concealed fear, their eyes darting nervously toward the young man who had so effortlessly asserted his dominance over them.
Nie Li's sharp blue gaze flickered over the pair, assessing them with the cool detachment of a predator sizing up its prey.
Silently, he activated his AI chip, its familiar hum resonating in his mind as it scanned the guards' stats with mechanical precision.
[Beep! Silver Wing Family Guard! 2-Star Gold Rank. Physique: 2.1, Soul Force: 0.8]
[Beep! Silver Wing Family Guard! 3-Star Gold Rank. Physique: 3.4, Soul Force: 1.3]
(Image)
The numbers flickered across his vision, and Nie Li's lips curved into a faint, contemplative smirk. The body cultivation of the Silver Winged Family was indeed exceptional.
These two guards, likely no older than thirty, were mere foot soldiers yet they had already reached two- and three-star Gold rank in physical strength. It was a testament to the clan's rigorous training and perhaps their bloodline's inherent resilience. But their soul cultivation told a different story lagging far behind, weak and underdeveloped.
'Their disease must play a role,' Nie Li mused inwardly. 'It claims their strongest members around sixty, culling them before they can refine their soul force further. A powerful clan, hobbled by its own curse.'
He noted the scarcity of demon spirits in their arsenal, a critical weakness. Without them, even their Legend rank experts were little more than glorified fighters formidable, yes, but no match for a true Demon Spiritualist like Lord Ye Mo of the Snow Wind Family.
Nie Li's confidence swelled. With his Shadow Devil demon spirit granting him unparalleled mobility and his inventory as a failsafe retreat, he could evade or outmaneuver the combined might of this realm's so-called elites. Even if all multiple Legend rank experts surrounded him, he'd slip through their grasp like smoke.
"Explain the general situation of this realm and the surrounding families," Nie Li said abruptly, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. His tone was calm but carried an undeniable weight, a command rather than a request.
The two-star guard flinched slightly, his hands tightening around the spear he carried. He bowed his head, his voice trembling with deference as he spoke. "Reporting to Young Master. There are thirteen families in total within this mountain realm. Their relationships are… complicated. Some have forged alliances, binding their fates through trade or mutual defense, while others nurse grudges and stand alone, fending for themselves. The strongest three are our Silver Winged Family, the Divine Flames Family, and the Ash Wolves Family. Each boasts a Legend rank expert, a pillar of power that sets them above the rest. The other ten families mostly field Black Gold rank experts formidable in their own right, but not on the same tier. Still, they've survived here for centuries, so they must have tricks hidden up their sleeves."
The three-star guard chimed in, his voice steadier but no less respectful. "Beyond the families, there are scattered villages nestled in the valleys and foothills. Their strongest warriors rarely exceed Gold rank. These villages are forced to offer tribute food, resources, sometimes their own people to avoid being raided. If they resist or fail to comply, one of the thirteen families sweeps in, capturing them as slaves to toil in the mines or serve the clans." A hint of pride crept into his tone, his chest puffing slightly as he spoke of his family's dominance.
Nie Li listened in silence, his expression unreadable. Three Legend rank experts and a host of Black Gold rank fighters a formidable roster, yet diminished by their lack of demon spirits.
Compared to the powerhouses of Glory City, these families were shadows of what they could be. His thoughts drifted to Lord Ye Mo, whose mastery as a Legend rank Demon Spiritualist could crush any of these so-called titans.
Nie Li's own arsenal the Shadow Devil's stealth, the Abyss Regal Lion's versatility, Tempestfang dragon's ferocity, gave him an edge they couldn't hope to counter. If it came to it, he could face them all and walk away unscathed.
He glanced at the guards, their proud postures belying the cruelty he'd witnessed in their clan's mines.
"Hmph," he muttered under his breath, his disdain masked by a neutral tone. The Silver Winged Family's arrogance grated on him, their self-righteous rule built on the backs of slaves and subjugated villages. He had no fondness for them yet outright elimination wasn't his call to make.
That privilege belonged to Duan Jian, whose vengeance burned like a forge waiting to be unleashed. Still, it would be a waste to simply erase such a clan.
'Tamed, they'd make exceptional slaves,' Nie Li thought, a cold smile flickering in his mind. 'A taste of their own medicine. Glory Academy could use some guards, and whatever's left after Duan Jian's done with them will suffice.'
The families had carved out their dominion over this mountain, proclaiming themselves lords without challenge. Their unchecked power bred corruption, a cycle of abuse Nie Li had seen too often. He tilted his head slightly, his voice casual but laced with intent.
"Which faction opposes the Silver Winged Family most?"
The guards exchanged a wary glance, suspicion flickering in their eyes. The three-star guard shifted uncomfortably, his grip on his spear tightening, but under Nie Li's piercing blue starebcold and unrelenting they had no choice but to answer.
The two-star guard swallowed hard before speaking, "Reporting to Young Master, our greatest adversary among the thirteen is the Divine Flames Family. Their strength is second only to ours. They're a pack of cowards, though fearing the Silver Winged Family's might, they've rallied four other families into an alliance to oppose us. Their goal is control over the trading town."
Nie Li's brow arched slightly, curiosity piqued. "Trading town? What's that?"
The three-star guard stepped forward, eager to elaborate despite his unease. "The thirteen families share a trading town, Young Master—a neutral ground where goods and resources are exchanged. It's a chaotic place, left unattended for too long, with no clear ruler. Our Lord Patriarch is the most qualified to govern it, to bring order. But eleven of the other families banded together and handed jurisdiction to the damned Divine Flames Family instead. They outvoted us, the spineless fools."
Nie Li's eyes glinted with interest, though his expression remained impassive. A trading town chaotic, contested, a hub of power and resources. It was a piece of the puzzle he hadn't yet considered. He straightened, his voice firm. "Tell me more about this realm. What resources do these families fight over?"
The two-star guard hesitated, then spoke, his tone cautious. "The mountain's rich with many gems and crystals, Young Master mined by slaves and held by all thirteen families. They're the lifeblood of cultivation here, strengthening physiques and fueling breakthroughs. Beyond that, there's rare herbs in the deeper forests, guarded by demon beasts, and mineral veins, iron, silver, even traces of spirit-grade ore. The families clash over mining rights and trade routes, food resources especially to the trading town."
Nie Li nodded, filing the information away. "And the Divine Flames Family, what drives them against you?"
The three-star guard answered this time, his voice tinged with bitterness. "They've always envied our dominance, Young Master. Their Legend rank expert is cunning, not just strong. They want the trading town to choke our supply lines, weaken us over time. Their alliance gives them numbers, but they lack the raw power to face us head-on."
Nie Li's mind churned, piecing together the dynamics of this fractured realm. He took a step forward, his gaze sweeping the forest ahead.
"One more thing," he said, his tone deceptively light. "How far is this trading town from here?"
The guards blinked, caught off guard by the question. The two-star guard recovered first. "It's about 3 hours march southwest, Young Master, through the ravine paths. The terrain's rough—demon beasts prowl there but the route's well-traveled by other families as well."
"Good," Nie Li said, his voice final. He turned to the pair, his blue eyes narrowing slightly, a silent command in their depths. "Lead me to it. I want to see this trading town for myself."
The guards stiffened, their fear resurfacing as they realized the implications. The three-star guard opened his mouth as if to protest, but one look at Nie Li's unrelenting stare silenced him.
"Yes, Young Master," he said, bowing his head. "We'll guide you."
Nie Li nodded, satisfied, and resumed his stride, the guards falling into step behind him. The forest loomed ahead, vast and untamed, its secrets whispering on the wind.
As they walked through the shadowed forest, Nie Li reached into his sleeve, producing two small jade bottles that glinted faintly in the dim light. With a casual flick of his wrist, he tossed them to the guards, who fumbled briefly before catching them, their eyes widening in surprise.
The two-star guard hesitated, then uncorked his bottle, bringing it to his nose. A rich, invigorating scent wafted out, carrying a surge of deep, refreshing soul force that made his weary body tingle with renewed vigor.
The three-star guard followed suit, his expression shifting from suspicion to awe as the elixir's potency washed over him.
Nie Li glanced at them, his tone cool but not unkind. "Those are your rewards for answering my questions. They'll boost your strength consider it a taste of what I can offer."
The guards exchanged a quick look, then bowed deeply, their voices overlapping in gratitude. "Thank you, Young Master!" the two-star guard said, clutching the bottle like a lifeline. "Such a generous gift, we're truly honored!" the three-star added, his earlier fear replaced by fervent appreciation. They straightened, their steps lighter, their service subtly deepened by the unexpected boon.
Nie Li didn't care for their suspicions or their trembling loyalty, only the knowledge they offered and the path they could pave. The trading town beckoned, a new thread in the web he was weaving, and Nie Li intended to unravel its worth with his own eyes.