Urban Martial Saint

Among the Seven Great Families, three of the four strongest families were quite dissatisfied with Huangfu Ziyu’s arrangement. However, the ancestral rules left behind could not be altered. Even though the elders of the families were about to come out of seclusion, if they defied Huangfu Ziyu’s orders here, even if Huangfu Ziyu killed them, their elders could say nothing. After all, these were the rules left by the ancestors, which even the elders must obey. So, in the end, they had no choice but to follow Huangfu Ziyu’s arrangement.

The Twelve Green Halls were divided into the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Divisions. Among them, the Earth Fourth Hall was the weakest, lacking even a Peak Master to oversee it, and it was left to the Bai King and another family to handle. The strength of the Human Fourth Hall was somewhat greater than that of the Earth Fourth Hall. This hall was primarily supported by the Proud Family and another family, while the small families of the Huangfu and Chen families assisted them. Of course, even with these families, they couldn’t solely address the Human Fourth Hall. Helian Tiehua also sent a force from the Seven Steering Committees of Hong Alliance, led entirely by Huangfu Ziyu, to assist in dealing with the Human Fourth Hall.

As for the strongest Sky Fourth Hall, naturally, it was assigned to Helian Tiehua to lead the Seven Steering Committees of Hong Alliance to face it personally. However, even Helian Tiehua couldn’t gauge the strength of the Sky Fourth Hall. In past confrontations, the Sky Fourth Hall had hardly participated. Occasionally, when one of its halls did show up, their strength was overwhelming. Now, with the Sky Fourth Hall engaging in full, whether Helian Tiehua could halt them was truly an unknown factor.

If the Seven Great Families hadn’t suffered the events of twenty years ago, and the Huangfu and Chen families hadn’t fallen to their current state, they might have been able to confront the Twelve Green Halls on equal footing. However, among the Seven Great Families, only a few members remain from three families. The strength of the Seven Steering Committees of Hong Alliance has decreased by a full 20%, creating a power gap against the Twelve Green Halls.

With everything arranged, Huangfu Ziyu first had the other family heads leave and began gathering people to move southward. As for her, she stayed behind to continue discussing the matter with Helian Tiehua.

Staring at the empty conference room, Huangfu Ziyu couldn’t help but sigh and softly said, ”The Seven Great Families are not united. This battle might indeed be quite difficult!”

Helian Tiehua was somewhat calmer than Huangfu Ziyu. He slowly leaned back in his chair and said, ”This battle, who will win or lose, is too early to tell. Furthermore, there are too many external forces. Currently, the world is not just dictated by the Seven Steering Committees of Hong Alliance and the Twelve Green Halls; there are many hidden powers. The event of the Heaven Earth Man Three Gates opening is not something only we are aware of. There are many capable individuals worldwide who are also watching the Heaven Earth Man Three Gates. So, even if the Twelve Green Halls possess greater strength, what of it? No matter how strong they are, can they resist the gathering of heroes from all over the world?”

Upon hearing this, Huangfu Ziyu was slightly puzzled. She glanced at Helian Tiehua and said, ”If that’s the case, why don’t we avoid the brunt of their force and step back a bit? Once the Twelve Green Halls enter Huaxia, naturally, there will be those who aim to seize the Heaven Earth Man Tri-Map from them. We can sit and watch the tigers fight, and when the Twelve Green Halls’ strength is nearly depleted, wouldn’t our chances of winning be higher?”

”Zi Yu, you are still too young,” Helian Tiehua said with a gentle smile, shaking his head. ”The grudge between the Seven Steering Committees of Hong Alliance and the Twelve Green Halls has lasted for centuries and is no longer about a mere win or loss. In fact, there may not be many who remember the reason why the Seven Steering Committees split from the Twelve Green Halls. Yet, the struggle persists. Such a centuries-old feud no longer needs a reason. This centuries-old showdown, with so many deaths and piled-up grudges, has turned into a life-and-death situation. So, in this battle, the result doesn’t matter. What’s important is that we must fight it out to vent this long-standing enmity.”

Huangfu Ziyu frowned and said, ”Fighting just for the sake of fighting—when will this feud ever be reconciled?”

”That’s the reality,” Helian Tiehua said. ”Simply put, take your Huangfu household for example. With the Twelve Green Halls fully attacking this time, Ning Qianshu will also come. Would you give up this chance for revenge?”

”I would never give it up!” Huangfu Ziyu replied immediately. If it wasn’t for dealing with the Corpse Ghost Dragon this time, she would have already fought Ning Qianshu to the end.

”Exactly,” Helian Tiehua said. ”You have enmity, and others have enmity too. In this century-old war, who from the Seven Steering Committees of Hong Alliance or the Seven Great Families hasn’t had a relative killed? As the Twelve Green Halls come, you want revenge, and others do too. So, this battle must be fought. In reality, if it were solely for the Heaven Earth Man Three Gates, this conflict would have ended long ago. In these centuries, how many times have the Heaven Earth Man Three Gates opened, but how many times have members from the Seven Steering Committees and the Twelve Green Halls entered? Thus, the struggle between the Seven Steering Committees and the Twelve Green Halls is no longer about fighting over the Heaven Earth Man Three Gates but about venting old grudges!”

Huangfu Ziyu remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded and softly said, ”Uncle Helian, I understand.”

Helian Tiehua looked at Huangfu Ziyu, sighed, and said in a low voice, ”This battle with the Corpse Ghost Dragon—I underestimated the power of the Buddha’s Relic, resulting in Ye Qing’s current state. Ah, if only Ye Qing’s strength remained intact, I wouldn’t be so concerned about you. But now, Ye Qing’s strength is gone. And as the elders from the Seven Great Families come out from seclusion, you, as the patriarch of the Seven Great Families, bear immense pressure.”

”No problem!” Huangfu Ziyu tightened her grip on the Sun Shooting Bow and said, ”If those old folks don’t reason and don’t follow the rules, then we’ll speak with strength!”

Helian Tiehua sighed again. Huangfu Ziyu’s temperament was extremely fierce. If those elders truly wanted to suppress her, she would definitely resist with all her might. Thus, if those elders come out of seclusion, the internal chaos among the Seven Great Families might intensify. Helian Tiehua felt powerless in this situation; those elders were of higher seniority than him and equally strong. Once they emerged, his influence would weaken, let alone his capacity to assist Huangfu Ziyu.

”No matter what, take care of yourself!” Helian Tiehua nodded towards Huangfu Ziyu, stood up slowly, and said, ”I’ve already entrusted Mr. Bai Li to do his best to help Ye Qing regain his strength. Ye Qing holds all of the Northern Fist King Li Sange’s inner strength; if he can fully wield it, his power won’t be inferior to those elders. With him aiding you, it’ll be much more convenient!”

Though Huangfu Ziyu also wished for Ye Qing to recover his meridians and full strength, Ye Qing’s meridians no longer existed. Could his strength still be restored?

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In the courtyard where three children were learning to speak, Ye Qing was playing around with a mutt on the side while the three children, after a short break, resumed their lessons. They couldn’t speak yet, and teaching them to talk was crucial for reintegrating them into society.

The three children were settled in this courtyard, which was equipped with all sorts of facilities, many of which the children had never seen, often leaving them amazed. In general, the children liked the place, yet they still harbored worries, knowing none of it belonged to them, leaving them feeling a lack of belonging.

Despite being dressed in clean, beautiful clothes, the children still kept their old, tattered garments. Their simple thought was that if they were ever driven out of the courtyard, they could at least wear their old clothes instead of leaving bare-skinned.

Ye Qing explained multiple times to these children that everything here was theirs, yet they couldn’t grasp his words. It seemed that only after they had acclimated or learned to speak, Ye Qing could clarify it to them.

The mutt was much better after eating the Devouring Demon Flower Ye Qing fed it, with its wounds healing rapidly. In just a day, it was friskily jumping around, though its spirit seemed dim. Understandably so, for its three pups had been brutally burned alive before its very eyes, and even a dog couldn’t bear such a blow.

Ye Qing treated the mutt kindly, considering it had saved his life and its loyalty to its owner greatly impressed Ye Qing. He settled the mutt there and had Li Lianshan bring Da Hei over so the two dogs could keep each other company at least.

They had been playing around all morning in the spacious courtyard, with the mutt curiously scurrying around, as Ye Qing followed unwittingly to the back of the courtyard. Suddenly, the mutt stopped and barked wildly at the courtyard wall.

Ye Qing was puzzled, wondering what the mutt had discovered. He rushed over to calm the mutt, patting its back to settle it.

”Damn dog, dead dog, bastard dog! Why are you barking? Nearly scared me into pissing myself!” A grumbling voice came from beyond the courtyard wall, unmistakably Mr. Bai Li’s.

”Mr. Bai Li?” Ye Qing asked in surprise.

Mr. Bai Li: ”Eh? This dog talks now?”

”It’s you who’s the dog!” Ye Qing retorted defiantly. How could Mr. Bai Li be even more annoying than Old Wang Ba?

”Wow, the dog not only talks but curses too!” Mr. Bai Li exclaimed loudly, as if he had found something wildly amusing.