The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace

"Senior, I am not lying. I swear on my Dao heart—if I've spoken a single falsehood, may I die a miserable death!"

Ye Xiaolin was painfully aware of the chaos he had caused by plotting to target Wang Liyuan.

Initially, his plan had been simple: if Wang Liyuan died, the Wang family would crumble, much like the Xia family, and become the next target for the combined forces of other clans.

But Wang Qinglin, that madman, was far more ruthless than his brother Wang Qingshan. Unlike his cautious predecessor, Wang Qinglin showed no hesitation in facing the Upper Three Families head-on.

Indeed, while the combined strength of the Upper Three Families could easily defeat the Wang family, such a victory would come at a significant cost. Even if they won, their respective clans would be left severely weakened.

It was this very reality that had caused Ye Wansheng, the patriarch of the Ye family, to tread carefully around Wang Qinglin. Ye Wansheng had no desire to engage in a costly battle that would drain his clan's resources.

With all this in mind, Ye Xiaolin had no choice but to shift the blame onto the Qishan Wen family.

"You brat from the Ye family, dare to spout lies again, and I'll crush you with a single palm!"

The Wen family patriarch, his face dark with rage, stepped forward as if preparing to strike Ye Xiaolin down.

"Old Wen, don't think you can act recklessly while I'm here!"

Ye Wansheng's voice boomed, his own anger flaring.

While he might fear Wang Qinglin and his Wang family, the same could not be said for the Wen patriarch.

"Elder Wen, I kindly ask you to summon your clan member Wen Ruli and have him explain the matter.

"Otherwise, it will be difficult to provide a satisfactory explanation to His Majesty," said Li Qing, his tone polite but laced with an unmistakable edge.

With the fall of the Xia family, the Qishan Wen family had become the weakest among the Six Clans.

If the emperor decided he was displeased, the Wen family could very well be the next target.

"Ruli!"

The Wen patriarch, reluctant but aware of his precarious position, called out to his clan member.

He understood that, in their current weakened state, the Wen family could not afford to antagonize either the other clans or the imperial court.

They could only endure humiliation and bide their time until they regained their former strength.

"L-Lord Patriarch!"

Shaking with fear, Wen Ruli, who had been hiding in the shadows, stepped forward reluctantly.

"Speak! Did you have a hand in this?"

"Patriarch, I had nothing to do with it!" Wen Ruli stammered.

"Then explain yourself! If you don't, don't blame me for taking action against you!"

"It… it was a rogue cultivator affiliated with the Wang family!" Wen Ruli blurted out hastily, desperate to distance himself from the situation.

"You're spouting nonsense!"

Wang Qinglin's eyes flared with rage as he prepared to strike Wen Ruli down.

"Senior Wang, I swear it's true!"

"That rogue cultivator coerced me into helping him distract you. He threatened to kill me if I refused, so I had no choice but to agree.

"It was only then that I sought assistance from Ye Xiaolin and his group.

"I swear, Senior Wang, I had no other intention!

"If you don't believe me, I am willing to swear on my Dao heart—may I suffer eternal damnation if I have uttered a single lie!"

Wen Ruli's voice trembled as he spoke, carefully omitting his personal schemes and placing the blame squarely on the disguised Yun Yanshui, who had posed as a Wang family rogue cultivator.

"Senior Wang, it seems Wen Ruli is telling the truth.

"Perhaps you should conduct an internal investigation of your Wang family to uncover any infiltrators," Li Qing suggested calmly, his gaze steady.

"Even if this so-called rogue cultivator was part of my Wang family, they were undoubtedly planted by the Upper Three Families!

"I will see this matter settled with both the Upper Three Families and the Wen family!"

Wang Qinglin's tone was icy, his intent unmistakable. "Li Qing, if you intend to stand in my way, don't think I'll show you any courtesy!"

"Senior Wang, I urge you to reconsider. Cooler heads must prevail," Li Qing said evenly, his demeanor unshaken by the threat.

As he spoke, more figures began to appear.

Daoist Lu, Fairy Yu, Daoist Tu, and a host of imperial cultivators materialized from the void.

Their numbers were astonishing—over fifty in total, with several Qi Refinement stage cultivators among them.

The confrontation in Tongshan County reached its breaking point, with Wang Qinglin reluctantly retreating alongside the Wang family cultivators. However, the tension remained palpable, a prelude to inevitable future conflicts.

Leading his bruised but unbroken group of family members, Wang Qinglin turned toward the horizon, his heart heavy with both sorrow and rage.

"Elder Wang, what now?" asked a junior member of the Wang family, her voice trembling.

Wang Qinglin took a deep breath, his eyes narrowing as his resolve hardened. "For now, we retreat and bide our time. But hear me clearly: this is not over. The debts owed by the Upper Three Families and the Wen clan will be paid in full. One day, the heavens will witness their downfall, and the name of the Wang family will strike fear once again!"

The group nodded solemnly, their determination etched across their faces. Though bloodied and humiliated, they followed their leader into the unknown, their minds already planning their rise from the ashes.

Back at the ruined marketplace, Wen Tianchong, the Wen family patriarch, held the severed head of Wen Ruli, his expression dark and unreadable.

"You're a ruthless one, Tianchong," sneered Lin Chuqiu, the Lin patriarch, his tone a mix of amusement and mild disapproval.

"It's not ruthlessness; it's necessity," Wen Tianchong replied coldly, throwing the head to the ground. "Ruli's foolishness nearly brought disaster upon the Wen family. His life is a small price to pay to secure our survival."

"Will it be enough?" asked Lu Yurong, the Lu patriarch, his brows furrowed.

Wen Tianchong paused, staring off into the distance. "Perhaps not. Wang Qinglin is not one to forgive and forget. But offering Ruli's life shows our sincerity. It's a gamble, but one I'm willing to take."

The three exchanged knowing glances. Despite their outward confidence, a shared unease lingered in the air.

As the Wen patriarch departed, Lin Chuqiu and Lu Yurong turned to Ye Wansheng, the Ye family patriarch.

"This has been a costly ordeal," Lin Chuqiu said, his tone laced with bitterness. "We've lost valuable disciples and resources. And for what? To further stoke the wrath of the Wang family?"

"We must remember the greater goal," Ye Wansheng replied. "The annihilation of the Tongshan Xia clan marks a turning point. With their resources in our hands, our clans will rise even stronger."

Lu Yurong nodded but added grimly, "Yet, Wang Qinglin's vengeance looms like a storm on the horizon. He has made it clear that this is far from over. And the court's intervention has only delayed the inevitable."

Ye Wansheng's gaze darkened. "Let him come. We will rebuild, strengthen, and when the time is right, Wang Qinglin will regret ever challenging the Upper Three Families."

In the smoldering ruins of the Tongshan Xia estate, surviving Xia family members huddled together, their expressions a mixture of grief and despair. Their once-mighty clan was now reduced to little more than ashes.

Among the survivors was Xia Shang, a younger member of the family whose face bore a scar from the recent battles.

"We may be beaten, but we are not broken," Xia Shang declared, his voice steady despite the pain in his eyes. "The Xia bloodline endures, and one day, we will reclaim what has been taken from us."

His words were met with silence, but the flicker of determination in the eyes of his fellow survivors hinted that the Xia clan's story was far from over.

Li Qing's Quiet Observation

Watching the unfolding drama from a distance, Li Qing stood with his fellow imperial cultivators.

"Are you satisfied?" asked Daoist Lu, one of the emperor's trusted advisors.

Li Qing sighed. "Satisfied? Hardly. But this chaos serves a purpose. With the Xia clan gone and the Upper Three Families distracted by the Wang family, His Majesty's plan is proceeding perfectly. Balance has been restored—for now."

"And the Wen family?" Fairy Yu inquired.

"They will survive—for now. But their days of unchecked power are over. His Majesty will see to that."

As the imperial cultivators began to disperse, Li Qing glanced at the horizon, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Let them fight among themselves. It only strengthens the emperor's hand. The true power of the empire lies not in bloodlines or grudges but in control."

With that, Li Qing vanished into the ether, leaving the fractured remnants of Tongshan County to face an uncertain future.