Chapter 47: Fractured Alliances
Within the vast and imposing main hall of the Jiang Clan, a dense heaviness filled the room, weighing upon everyone present like an invisible shroud. The flickering lanterns cast long, wavering shadows upon the gathered elders and high-ranking members, every face etched with wariness and barely suppressed anger. Though the hour had long since passed midnight, no one made a move toward rest—tonight, the affairs of the clan allowed for no sleep.
Jiang Hongyi, the venerable Grand Elder, broke the tense silence. His words, though spoken softly, carried a chilling edge. "Clan Head, what happened today cannot be overlooked. Both the Lei Clan and Wu Clan have pushed us to the limits of forbearance." He paused, his fury barely contained. "Our Jiang Clan's dignity was trampled. Even when you appeared to intervene, Wu Lingtian showed no fear, continuing to press us further at every turn. Tell me, does the world now see the Jiang Clan as so easily bullied?"
A nearby elder scoffed loudly, his disdain clear. "And what of the Lei Clan?" He shook his head, voice growing sharper. "They no longer so much as pretend to respect us. Need I remind everyone—when the Lei Clan approached us for cooperation, their condition was simple: they would not meddle directly in the conflicts of Wu City, except that their younger generation will humiliate Wu juniors in the duel ring. This was their own proposal, and we agreed on this line in full."
The elder's words became more forceful as he continued. "Yet today, in front of the entire city, they shattered that agreement. They declared open war against the Wu Clan—ignoring every rule they claimed to honor—and in doing so, forced our hand as well. Who among the other great clans of Wu City would not see this as recklessness, as a provocation that could someday threaten them too? Our position, so carefully cultivated over years, now hangs by a thread thanks to their impulsive move."
A tense hush gripped the hall as his words sank in. Everyone present understood: the Jiang Clan's hard-earned balance—alliances painstakingly managed, rivalries meticulously contained—was suddenly in jeopardy. The actions of the Lei Clan, rash and unrestrained, threatened to unravel everything.
Jiang Hongyi's face darkened even further, his eyes never leaving the Clan Head as he spoke again. "Clan Head, we can no longer ignore what is plain to see. If the Lei Clan will not honor their own promises, if they act without restraint or foresight, then we must question our partnership. At the rate things are unfolding, they may well drag our Jiang Clan into disaster, robbing us of any chance to ever command Wu City. Our plan was always for the Lei Clan to stay out of the light, to let us manage the public while they worked from the shadows. Together we would sway the city's opinion and, given time, wear down the Wu Clan's strength. But they have failed even at the task they selected for themselves—the Wu Clan's juniors remain unshamed, and our own reputation has become a laughingstock for all of Wu City."
His voice hardened with resolve. "It is no longer wise to rely on them. We should decisively set our own plans into motion—without counting on the Lei Clan a moment longer."
Seeing the elders seething with fury, their eyes practically spitting fire, Jiang Zhaoxu let out a slow sigh.
"I understand. I'm well aware of the situation—that's why I've been trying to let the Lei Clan step forward on their own rather than forcing us to say it outright. There will be some consequences for us, yes, but at least the Jiang Clan will avoid taking the brunt of the blame. Now, the Lei Clan can't accuse us of abandoning them, and that gives us an advantage for any future collaboration.
I know many of you don't wish to work with them anymore. But if we act alone with only our current strength, the price we'll have to pay will be far too high. With the Lei Clan's help, we can at least minimize our losses. Everything that happened today was because the Lei Clan's Second Elder lost his son—otherwise, I doubt they would have acted so recklessly.
For the next few years, neither they nor we can afford to stir up unnecessary trouble in Wu City. If Wu Lingtian truly alerted the Verdant Royal Family, any new incident will draw their intervention—and that would bring real disaster upon the Jiang Clan, escalating into a war that crosses the mountains. So, for now, focus on cultivating diligently. When the time comes, we will strike like a lightning bolt—swift and decisive."
Still, many elders remained unconvinced. But since the Clan Head had spoken and clearly had his own plans regarding the Lei Clan, they were in no position to question him further. One by one, they bowed and withdrew from the hall.
The Jiang Clan hall fell into silence. No one could predict when this seemingly quiet night would give way to a blast powerful enough to shake the very foundations of Wu City.
Elsewhere, other clans were holding their own discussions.
Inside the Mu Clan hall, Mu Rong said solemnly, "Today, Wu Lingtian truly demonstrated his intelligence. With just a few well-placed words, he has pushed any large-scale conflict in Wu City back by at least five to ten years. That will give Wu City ample time to prepare—and now, they also know exactly who their opponents are."
"So, Clan Head, what should be our Mu Clan's next step?" asked Grand Elder Mu Tao.
"As we discussed, we will wait and watch," Mu Rong replied. "Since Wu Lingtian has bought this time, we should use it as well. From this moment on, begin cultivating with full force. The next time the Jiang Clan moves, it will be a bloody war—one in which no one in Wu City will be spared."
Similar to the Mu Clan, the Tu Clan—and even the Shan Clan—reached the same conclusion. The Shan Clan, in fact, didn't even bother to visit the Jiang Clan this time.
Inside the Lei Clan's temporary courtyard, the air was thick with fury.
Crash!
Lei Fengzhan smashed a table into splinters before finally sitting down, his eyes burning with rage. "Fifth Elder, why did you stop me today? I would have made the Wu Clan understand that they cannot trample on the Lei Clan! How can they kill my son and expect to get away with it?"
Fifth Elder Lei Jinghong's gaze hardened. "Second Elder, I always thought your bloodline was the most cool-headed in the Lei Clan, the ones who knew how to use their brains. But today, you abandoned all reason and acted like a mindless beast, charging to challenge the Wu Clan without thinking."
Lei Fengzhan's fists clenched. "What are you trying to say, Fifth Elder? My son died such a cruel death, and I can't even take revenge?"
"Hanwu's death shocked us all. We are just as saddened," Lei Jinghong replied evenly. "But tell me—how can you be certain it was the Wu Clan who killed him?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Lei Fengzhan shot back. "Other than the Wu Clan, who else would benefit from killing Hanwu? Who else has enmity with us?"
"You have a point," Lei Jinghong admitted. "But I don't think Wu Lingtian is foolish enough to do such a thing within Wu City. Everyone would immediately suspect them, and then the Wu Clan would be forced to shoulder the responsibility. That's why I believe it's very unlikely they were behind Hanwu's death."
Lei Fengzhan's breathing slowed as he considered this. "You're right… the Wu Clan isn't that stupid."
"I suspect it was a third party—someone who wants to push us into conflict with the Wu Clan," Lei Jinghong continued. His eyes narrowed. "And I know one clan with both the motive and the cunning to do it."
Lei Fengzhan's pupils contracted, and he blurted out, "The Jiang Clan."
The sudden exclamation sent a wave of shock through the entire Lei Clan hall.
Lei Zhenyu's face paled. "How… how could it be the Jiang Clan?" he asked, voice trembling with disbelief.
Lei Fengzhan's eyes blazed. "Why not? Think about it carefully. After our juniors failed to defeat the Wu Clan, the Jiang Clan themselves were humiliated instead. Do you think they would stomach that? No—they would scheme. Rather than openly breaking with us, they set the stage so we could no longer retreat."
He slammed a fist onto the armrest, the wood groaning under his strength. "From the beginning, our agreement was that we would remain in the shadows while the Jiang Clan handled matters in front. But now? After Wu Yuan crushed you all in the duel ring, the Jiang Clan lost all confidence in our line. So they pushed us out into the open! If we want revenge for Hanwu, we must expose ourselves as well. That's their trap!"
His furious gaze snapped toward the juniors standing by the wall. "And you… all of you bear the blame. Had you not lost to that boy, none of this would have spiraled out of control. Your weakness… your failure… do you realize? You may as well have placed the dagger in Hanwu's chest yourselves!"
The juniors stiffened, their faces paling. Shame weighed on their shoulders like iron chains. Heads bowed one after another, not daring to meet Fengzhan's eyes. For a chilling moment, each of them feared the Second Elder's wrath might spill into execution.
But he only glared, trembling with rage and grief. They were lucky—this time—that Hanwu's death had consumed all his fury.
Before anyone else could speak, Lei Xueyin, the Third Line Elder's daughter, stepped forward. "Perhaps we're wrong," she said softly, but her words cut through the tense air. "Maybe it was the Wu Clan who killed Senior Brother Hanwu. As you guessed earlier, Second Elder… perhaps that's exactly what the Wu Clan wants—to drive a wedge between us and our ally, the Jiang Clan. That way, they can sit back like fishermen, reaping all the benefits without lifting a hand."
A murmur ran through the room. The five elders of the Lei Clan exchanged uneasy glances, while the juniors shifted uncertainly. What Lei Xueyin said made sense… but so did Lei Fengzhan's earlier suspicion. Which was it?
Could it be the Wu Clan's trap? Or had the Jiang Clan truly betrayed them?
…Or perhaps, someone else entirely had struck down Hanwu in the shadows.
Lei Fengzhan turned sharply toward the Third Elder. "Did you find any clues where you discovered Hanwu's body? Anything that might tell us who killed him?"
The Third Elder shook his head. "No, Second Elder. There were no traces—no Qi fluctuations, no lingering energy signatures. And… given that some time had already passed since Hanwu's death before I arrived, whatever traces there might have been were long gone."
The hall fell silent again. No one had an answer, and the uncertainty gnawed at every mind present.
Finally, Lei Fengzhan's voice broke the stillness. "No matter who killed Hanwu… the Wu Clan cannot be left unpunished. And neither can the Jiang Clan—not after trying to push everything onto us today. But…" His eyes narrowed. "We can't openly break with them yet. Wu Lingtian will be alerting Verdant Peak, and until the royal family's eyes turn away, we must keep every plan buried deep. For now… we endure."
He rose to his feet, his expression hard but tinged with sorrow. "We leave Wu City tomorrow morning. Prepare yourselves."
With that, the Second Elder turned and left, carrying Hanwu's remains with him, his steps heavy with grief.
No one spoke after his departure. The Lei Clan members simply exchanged silent glances before dispersing one by one to prepare for the journey home.