"Ji Wuqing!
You joined the Torch Society, violated the statutes of the Holy Dragon Society, colluded with rebels, nurtured dangerous elements, and executed numerous righteous Peace Force soldiers!
Today, if you do not surrender, you will be executed on the spot. The Ji clan will pay a grievous price for your actions!"
Roaring sound waves echoed again and again across the Ji Family Ancestral Land.
From one city to the next, countless Ji clan members looked up.
The thunder of war drums on the clouds, and the dense ranks of Peace Force soldiers, imposed a heavy pressure on everyone.
The Ji family reacted quickly.
Defense troops, Patrol Battalions, and the clan's protection army in each city responded, preparing for battle.
Facing the Peace Bureau's vast army at their border, the cultivators within the ancestral land also rose up.
Many figures began to take to the sky.
Various formations, spiritual treasures, mounts, and war pets were activated.
Before the battle even began, smoke and tension already filled the air.
"The Peace Bureau is here to arrest the Young Miss!"
"The Young Miss is innocent and carefree, straightforward and just. She often speaks up for us. What crime could she have committed?"
"Hmph, does the Peace Bureau need a reason to arrest someone? If they say you're guilty, then you're guilty!"
"They say the Young Miss is part of the Torch Society. I've heard of that organization — the Holy Dragon Society has labeled it the primary reactionary group in the Celestial River local galaxy!"
"How could the Young Miss join the Torch Society? This must be a mistake!"
Debate spread throughout the ancestral land.
Those who had meant to fight the Peace Bureau were suppressed by a flying order from Wan'an City before anyone could act.
"Everyone stop! The Ji family will never oppose the judicial authority of the Holy Dragon Society! Trust that the Peace Bureau will handle this fairly! Everyone perform your duties and do not act rashly!"
The order drifted through the air above the ancestral land as written words.
The soldiers and cultivators who saw the order could only exchange helpless looks.
To disobey a command from the family would be betrayal; what were the Peace Force troops compared to that?
Above Wan'an City.
A jade platform carried the Ji family's high-ranking members into the sky.
Family head Ji Baiming, Grand Elders Ji Qiancheng, Ji Qianlang, Ji Qianmiao and the other top ten elders, along with hundreds of esteemed Ji family figures, officials, and powerful cultivators, stood atop it.
Under the oppressive clouds and the army at their border, Ji Baiming took a humble position and bowed deeply toward the sky.
"I am Ji Baiming, requesting a word with whoever is in charge of this action."
The colored clouds opened a passage, and a golden avenue unrolled downward.
A Holy Dragon Clan man sat atop a four-wheeled pure-gold war chariot drawn by eight white unicorn pegasi, riding down the golden avenue. He wore white robes and had an Oriental dragon head on his crown.
This man was the deputy director of the Celestial River Peace Bureau.
He had a more widely known title.
"The Ji clan greets Immortal Lord Jin Hai!"
Ji Baiming and the other Ji family leaders bowed in unison.
Immortal Lord Jin Hai smiled kindly, baring a dragon-like grin.
"No need for formalities, Family Head Ji. Haven't we not seen each other for two hundred years?"
"It has indeed been over two centuries since you last came to Vermilion Violet Star on official business. I had no knowledge of your visit this time, I failed in my hospitality."
"Hahaha, Family Head Ji, you flatter me. On Vermilion Violet Star alone there are seven or eight human forces that can match the Ji family, and the non-human great clans far outnumber them. This landowner title doesn't even belong to your Ji family to claim."
"Yes, yes..."
"Enough small talk. Hand your daughter over, or I will be forced, for the sake of peace in this galaxy, to remove the Ji clan from existence."
As he spoke, his smiling mouth stretched even wider, adding a sentence.
"It won't just be those surnamed Ji on Vermilion Violet Star — there will be no Ji anywhere in the Celestial River local galaxy."
A cold sweat trickled down Ji Baiming's face.
"Immortal Lord, could there be a mistake? My daughter is mischievous, but how could she join the Torch Society? With her temperament she's ill-suited for such affairs; she'd only make things worse."
"Hahaha! Family Head Ji, you know nothing about your daughter. She did not merely make trouble — she used the Ji family's resources to cultivate many enemies for us!"
At that declaration, Grand Elders like Ji Qiancheng all turned to look at Ji Baiming.
Some elders hurriedly distanced themselves.
"Immortal Lord above! We knew nothing!"
"Yes! This Ji Xiaoyue... oh, the one you call Ji Wuqing. She is the family head's eldest daughter; normally no one in the clan dares to cross her. That is why sometimes she called on major clan resources and none of us suspected!"
"Immortal Lord, please believe us. Most of the Ji family knew nothing, but we will investigate thoroughly! We will arrest everyone who assisted, sheltered, or allied with her! Hand them over to the Peace Bureau!"
While these people conversed, you, Ji Wuqing, and Ji Xiaosong listened on Ancient Cloud Mountain.
At your cultivation levels, even at a great distance you could still hear them, unless they intentionally muffled their voices.
You asked with some confusion,
"Why are these Ji elders so cowardly? They won't defend you at all?"
Ji Wuqing sighed.
"This is the Peace Bureau. Behind them is the Holy Dragon Society — the Immortal Emperor! The sole Immortal Emperor of the Celestial River local galaxy!"
"I thought that, as an ancient clan, the Ji family would have some backbone..."
"In the face of the Holy Dragon Society, everything is illusion. Even if all human forces united, they couldn't match a single direct organization under the Holy Dragon Society. Within just the Peace Bureau, the number of Immortal Lords far exceeds all human forces combined."
Ji Baiming is also an Immortal Lord, but Immortal Lord ranks have nine tiers, and each tier differs greatly — practically the difference of an entire great realm.
As a leading human force, the Ji family's highest visible realm is Immortal Lord, but generally at low tiers.
But this Peace Bureau deputy director is a ninth-tier Immortal Lord!
Thus, the non-human races' suppression of humans persists.
On third-class stars they make humans slaves.
On second-tier stars they prevent promising humans from cultivating.
On first-tier stars, the suppression is less obvious, but non-human forces are stronger and naturally limit human power.
On special-tier stars, there's no trace of humans at all.
You stop thinking and take Ji Wuqing's hand.
"Come on, I'll take you away!"
Ji Wuqing pulled her hand free.
"I can't leave. They've sealed off the entire ancestral land. Whatever method I use to leave, they'll detect it."
"What do you want to do?"
"I have to go."
"Are you insane? If you go it's a path to death!"
"Then I'll go anyway! I won't let my family suffer for what I did!"
"You care so much for your family, but your family doesn't seem to care for you."
"They are only protecting themselves, and that is not wrong. Have you forgotten what the Torch Society's purpose is?"

Comments

Loading...