Family Cultivation: My entire family are Villains

"In Zhaoyang, the common folk have long suffered under the Demon Path. Tonight, we of the Mountain Sword Sect shall act as heaven's agents. Sect members, follow me into Zhaoyang City, slay all the fiends of the Demon Path, and return to Zhaoyang a clear and bright universe..."

"We will follow the Sect Master's command!"

Tian Linong articulated with a resolute righteousness that echoed through the night sky. Over a thousand sect members, each at least at the Three Levels of Body Opening Cultivation, responded instantly. Their vigorous energy surged like columns, shaking the very ground of Zhaoyang City.

Cheng Yue, having retreated in defeat to the city walls, saw the East City Gate being opened. Panic flashed across his face, but turning to see more than eight hundred people behind the gate, he quickly regained his composure, a hint of hope sparking in his eyes.

"The hearts of Zhaoyang's people can be utilized; these martial artists have actually gathered on their own initiative!"

"Protector, these people... did not gather spontaneously. The one leading them was the Fourth Elder of the Hou Family, Hou Yujie; it must be him who has summoned them here."

...

Cheng Yue's expression froze; under the cover of night, his gaze intense, he spotted Hou Yujie standing on the city wall merely ten meters away, his face immediately darkened.

Tonight at the Hour of Hai, the first thing he noticed was not the attack of the Mountain Sword Sect but that audacious Hou Yuxiao had defied him again, taking action against the Flying Eagle Sect and the Green Wolf Gang.

Just as his rage peaked and he was about to intervene, the Mountain Sword Sect's attack commenced!

He considered the connection between these two events, but the situation then and now left no time for further contemplation.

Seeing the sect members of the Mountain Sword Sect about to enter the city, Cheng Yue was extremely anxious. Ignoring his injuries, he took out the Warden Chief's badge and roared like thunder to the crowd.

"The villains from Xuzhou are attacking; Zhaoyang County is in imminent danger! I, the Magistrate, now summon all warriors of the city in the name of the Holy Church to defend against the enemy together. Those who can keep Zhaoyang safe will be rewarded generously by the Holy Church after the battle, I promise you will not be poorly treated!"

...

Cheng Yue shouted vehemently. Embarrassingly, no one below responded, and even Hou Yujie on the city wall let out a sneer.

"Sneer… You've been here for just one afternoon, and you want to summon all the city's warriors! Were you to remain Magistrate for a month, what then? Would you have raised a banner and rebelled!"

Cheng Yue, already injured, felt his blood rush to his face at this comment, turning his face crimson. Clenching his fist tightly, he could no longer hold back his anger and struck out towards Hou Yujie with a palm from afar, sending a blast of Gang Qi across the space.

Ultimately, as a practitioner in the Gathering Evil Phase, even though separated by more than ten meters, Hou Yujie could not dodge Cheng Yue's Gang Qi and was slammed against the wall, his shoulder gruesomely mangled.

"Dare disrupt my arrangements again, and I shall show no mercy!"

After flinging Hou Yujie with a slap, Cheng Yue turned back to the crowd below the wall, his face fierce. He said in a low voice, "Every one of you is registered in the district records of Zhaoyang County. If you dare to flee and cause the fall of Zhaoyang, not only will I not spare you, but the Prison Admin Department of the Holy Church will issue a warrant; within the whole territory of Yongzhou, there will be no place for you!"

If soft approach fails, then let it be hard...

Under normal circumstances, Cheng Yue's mixed strategy might have worked. Unfortunately, from the moment the Mountain Sword Sect attacked at the Hour of Hai, the city's martial artists were already on edge. Combined with the fact that these people had been forcibly recruited by Hou Yujie and Gao Cheng, their resentment was profound.

Cheng Yue's words were like igniting a barrel of oil. Under the cover of night, everyone's breathing grew heavier, and their faces showed anger. Yet, they all feared Cheng Yue's status and the strength he had demonstrated in the battle on the walls, and dared not speak out.

However, there were always two who were impulsive enough not to consider the consequences.

"Why should we defend the city with you? Even if the Holy Church pays us more, we still need to be alive to spend it."

"If the city cannot be defended, what use is there for you as Magistrate?"

"Cheng Magistrate took office in the afternoon and lost the city by evening. How impressive! If word gets out, people all over the world will laugh. You only dare to act fierce in front of us weaklings. When confronting Tian Linong earlier, you ran faster than a rabbit!"

"Yongzhou unworthy! Just a third-rate sect's attack and the Holy Church cannot keep it safe; yet, they want our help. Yongzhou is better off without us."

"What a useless Prison Admin Department Magistrate—big temper, but no real skills!"

......

As soon as the two leading voices erupted, they instantly ignited the collective fury of the crowd below. Emotions ran high, and a wave of ridicule and criticism towards Cheng Yue, the Prison Admin Department, and even the Holy Church swept in.

At that moment, Cheng Yue's expression was rigid. With every jeer, his face grew a shade redder, especially when he heard the mockery towards the Holy Church, his anger boiled over, and he almost jumped down to start a massacre.

"Protector, the wrath of the crowd is tough to quell, we should not provoke them further!"

Hearing a subordinate's comforting words, Cheng Yue's clenched fist finally relaxed slightly, but seeing the sect members of the Mountain Sword Sect fully entering the city, his heart was filled with urgency, and his fist clenched tightly again.

Hou Yujie had now stood up, with Hou Fei already applying medicine to his shoulder. The two looked at Hou Ying and Hou Cun in the crowd, who had led the shouts, and seeing the rigid expression on Cheng Yue, they let out a cold laugh.

"Hou Ying and Hou Cun are pretty clever. This fool, now he can't even get people to help him defend the city. If he annoys these people further, they might even aid the Mountain Sword Sect!"

While Hou Fei took pleasure in Cheng Yue's misfortune, seeing the Sword Sect members who had already completely infiltrated the gate, worry also appeared on his face.