The strange thing was that nobody spoke for almost a full minute.
After that, when the silence became unbearable, the eldest son finally broke it.
"Dad, I think we should help the Wang family. They're an old and established clan, while the Hong family is relatively new. If the Hong family's rise is too rapid, it might destabilize the current balance. We don't know how much impact that could have. Also, if we assist the Wang family now, they may become more inclined toward us.
The other families—like the Rong and Bai—are making too much noise. They didn't inform us before taking action, and we don't know what kind of transactions they're involved in. I think we should crush their plans."
The head of the Xiao family, seated in the main chair, turned to look at his other two sons.
The middle child spoke next.
"Father, I oppose taking any action. It's too dangerous. We don't have the full picture. Just because those family heads went to the Eastern Bank doesn't mean the bank will lend them money. There could be other factors—other forces or parties involved.
We shouldn't blindly step into a situation where a member of the Order of Thirty-Three is involved."
Then the youngest son spoke.
"Yes, Father, I don't want us to get involved in this either. We don't know what we'd be stepping into. Furthermore, I've heard there are other movements against the Wang family. That means another influence is surely involved."
The head of the Xiao family looked at his youngest son with a mixture of scrutiny and admiration.
It was impressive that he knew there were other actions being taken against the Wang family—information the Xiao family's own networks hadn't reported. A family like the Xiaos was highly structured; a member only knew what he was permitted to know. So the youngest son had clearly learned this from an outside source.
In truth, this was a delicate situation for the Xiao family.
Whether or not to help the Wang family had never been up for a vote among the sons. The decision had already been made. He had only wanted to hear their thoughts.
Then the head said,
"Alright. We won't help the Wang family. It's not a life-or-death situation for them. They'll survive. You may go."
All three sons replied at once,
"Okay, Dad."
The head of the Xiao family then left the room and walked into a deeper part of the residence. After some time, he entered his father's old study. No one was there.
He pressed a concealed button on the wall. A hidden passage opened.
He stepped inside.
At the end of the passage was a lift. He entered, and the lift began to descend. It sank forty feet underground before stopping.
The doors opened to a vast open chamber. Several cabins lined the walls, but in the center, an old man was seated.
Suddenly, the old man opened his eyes.
A terrifying pressure burst forth from him.
The Xiao family head immediately fell to his knees.
He was a Huajin-level cultivator—but even he couldn't withstand it.
Then the head said with difficulty, "Grandfather, it's me."
Yes, this man was the ancestor of the Xiao family. He had reached the peak of the Innate Realm's middle stage.
"Hmm, I can see that it's you. So why are you here to disturb me?"
"Respected Grandfather, here is the situation—"
He explained everything: the Wang family's predicament and the Eastern Bank's involvement.
Honestly, if it were just the Wang family, there would've been no need to come here. But the Eastern Bank was different. It was one of the Thirty-Three. Any issue involving them required extreme caution.
And then, there was the Gu Empire.
After hearing it all, the ancestor remained silent for a while. Then he spoke:
"Alright. You're right. We should not get involved in this."
The Xiao family head replied, "Although I know this is the right decision for our family, I still feel somewhat unwilling. We possess such great strength—both openly and in the shadows—yet we're forced to back off when facing the Thirty-Three."
He paused, then continued.
"And then there's the Gu Empire. We don't know much about what they're doing. I suspect they've been in contact with some of our family core members, especially my youngest son.
How else would he have known so quickly about the other actions being taken against the Wang family?
I mean, what even is this Gu Empire? They're not listed among the Thirty-Three. Where did they come from?
Once, they might have helped us… but now, it feels like they're holding us back.
If not for the threat they pose, I would've focused entirely on entering the Thirty-Three."
He stopped again, his frustration slipping through. His usual calm was gone—he was venting in front of his grandfather.
The ancestor looked at him with a faint smile, tinged with helplessness.
Then the head continued, "Grandfather, I don't understand this Gu Empire. How powerful are they, really?
Now they want to completely control our family. Why? We built this family with our own hands, nurtured it through hardships, and they think they can control it just by doing us a few favors.
You know I've already reached out to some powers within the Thirty-Three to confront the Gu Empire.
My sons are even working to build marital ties with members of the Thirty-Three.
What do you think?
If we join forces with them, can we resist the Gu Empire?
No matter how powerful they are, surely they can't be that powerful…"
He paused, then added,
"Furthermore, if you can break through to the late stage of the Innate Realm, if my father can break through to the middle stage, and if I can reach the Innate level, we'll have much more assurance."
The ancestor gave him a nonchalant glance and said,
"Don't talk anymore. Leave."
The head gave an embarrassed smile and replied,
"Farewell, Grandfather."
After he left, the ancestor let out a long sigh and pulled out a digital tablet.
It was strange for someone like him to own one, but this tablet was different.
The entire casing was made of gold, gleaming like a priceless artifact.
The screen was of exceptional quality, and engraved on the back was a single number: Thirty-Three.
This was an official device issued by the Thirty-Three.
Very few were ever made. All critical information and orders were delivered through it.
The ancestor powered on the device.
The home screen displayed several buttons. He tapped one.
A list appeared—a list of names:
The Thirty-Three most powerful forces in the world.
Some were known even to ordinary citizens of Country X—
Names like the Zi Family, Han Family, Dongfeng Family, and the Eastern Bank.
Others remained hidden from public knowledge, though they too hailed from Country X:
The Medicine God Sect, the Shenfeng Sect, and the Yang Sect.
In total, seven powers from Country X had made it onto the list:
Three families, three sects, and one bank.
The Xiao family's ancestor stared at the names and let out another sigh.
People believed the Xiao family was powerful, and it was.
But above them… were the names on this list.
Any force that couldn't enter this circle would never be truly secure.
These organizations now controlled nearly 50% of the world's resources.
They influenced governments, commanded military units, manipulated the underworld, and dominated global business.
But their greatest asset was still their supernatural strength.
Take the powers from Country X, for example:
Each of the major sects or families had four to five Innate Realm warriors.
The Zi Family, of course, was a different case.
They had only three Innate cultivators—
But their political, military, and governmental reach made them untouchable.
The ancestor's thoughts paused.
No… they now had four Innate cultivators.
Although there were still some complications with the newest one.
But that woman—that dangerous woman—
She would surely succeed in fully integrating the new Innate into the Zi family.
Truth be told, very few people could earn the admiration of the Xiao family ancestor.
That woman was one of them.
Thinking of her, the ancestor tapped a button on the tablet.
Several images appeared on the screen.
He gazed at one in particular—a woman.
Stunning. Powerful. Dangerous.
Zi Feng—not just a titan in Country X, but one of the most formidable women in the entire world.
Though only at the Dark Strength level, she manipulated the world like a chessboard.
Then his attention shifted to another woman.
She was the second-in-command of the Shenfeng Sect.
Though her position was technically subordinate, the sect master had been in closed-door cultivation for nearly a year, attempting to break through to the Innate Realm.
So, in practice, she now commanded the entire sect.
While the overall strength of the Shenfeng Sect might still fall short of the Zi Family, they remained one of the most powerful forces in the world—after all, they were part of the Thirty-Three.
He scanned some other images in the list.
Each one belonged to a woman.
Each one is a member of the Thirty-Three.
He narrowed his eyes and exhaled slowly.
"Hmm... women are becoming more and more terrifying."