Bloodline Tree – [Clan Building]

“Haah,” Liang Huang’s father sighed for the hundredth time.

“Father, don’t worry. I know I can reach the Innate stage in the future. We just have to make do with this for a few years, and then we will be able to rise higher than ever before,” Liang Huang said.

The family had taken up residence in Hurong Town, where the core of the family resided, while most other members had been settled in a village nearby for now. Their resources weren’t enough for a big estate in a town.

Even with just Liang Huang and his brothers’ families, the courtyard felt extremely cramped. They had stayed here for two weeks now, but his father and brothers still hadn’t adjusted, giving Liang Huang a headache.

“You say that. But how can the Innate stage be such a sure thing?” His father questioned, “Not to mention that even if we rise again, can we go back to Baishu Village? I’m afraid we’ll have to stay away for the rest of our lives. Our ancestral home will be long gone when our descendants can return in the future.”

“We’ll build a new ancestral hall in the future. I’m sure the ancestors will understand. And that one will last for eternity, it’s not impossible for our Liang family to become a Martial Family in the future.”

“I guess complaining doesn’t help,” His father shook his head and sighed, “You’ve worked hard, Huang. If your brothers were just a little bit more like you, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Liang Cong and Liang Fuzhang, standing to the side, stiffened slightly at those words.

“Father, I’m really not to be blamed here. Wasn’t it Cong who caused all this?” Liang Fuzhang argued.

“Of course, he’s the main culprit. But you’re the older brother, and you bear some of the responsibility,” His father, Liang Xu, lectured.

‘And you don’t?’ Liang Huang thought to himself.

“Can I really be blamed? How was I supposed to know that Shu Yang would become an Innate warrior even before big brother?” Liang Cong questioned, “Anyway. I don’t think running away is the solution. We might not be a match for Shu Yang, but doesn’t he have a family? We could easily abduct his children. Won’t he be under our thumb by that point?”

“You absolute fool!” Liang Huang lost his patience and roared, “Don’t leave the property from now on. Or who knows what mess you will create.”

“What’s wrong with what I said?” Liang Cong questioned with a slightly shaky voice, “If you don’t feel confident, I can arrange it myself. I guarantee I’ll succeed in getting one of those brats here without anyone noticing.”

“Are you truly that stupid? What do you think Shu Yang would do? Don’t think our family is impossible to find. If he really wanted to, he could track us down. But luckily, while our families have a grudge, it hasn’t gotten to a matter of life and death yet. But if you target his children, it will be. And believe me, in a life and death struggle against an Innate warrior, we are the ones who will end up dead.”

“Does he really dare to kill us? He wouldn’t get away with it. It would be obvious that he is the culprit,” Liang Cong said.

“You’re too stupid to understand even when I try to explain,” Liang Huang said with a sigh.

‘I’ll have to arrange for someone to keep watch over Cong, or he will be the end of us all.’

Liang Huang discussed things further with his father for a while before going back to his new study.

The room was nothing compared to his study in Chunsi Town. Liang Huang once again felt the pain of losing so many years of hard work. All because of a stupid grudge his younger brother had with a farmer.

‘I wonder what will happen to all the family property? I’m sure Shu Yang will maneuver himself to get the lion’s share somehow.’

‘It’s really hard to proceed with a steady heart knowing that Shu Yang is living the life I’ve strived for so long. Hopefully, he will get a visit from some daring people soon.’

Liang Huang had tried spreading a few rumors about Shu Yang and his unexpected advancement from an untalented farmer to an Innate warrior. Unfortunately, there were no Innate warriors in Hurong Town, and weaker martial warriors wouldn’t dare to seek trouble with Shu Yang.

But he had added a few juicy details to the story. Hopefully, the story would reach the ears of someone powerful enough to take action eventually.

‘Let’s just think of him as dead, and forget about him from now on. I need to focus my attention on my own situation.’

Just as Liang Huang was about to sit down behind his desk to write down a few plans of the future development of the family he had thought of during the day, he heard a few voices in the distance.

‘What’s wrong now?’

Liang Huang made his way to the window. The voices were getting louder and louder, and Liang Huang felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.

Looking out the window, Liang Huang’s worst fear came true.

‘Officials…So many of them. It’s over. It’s all over.’

‘Damn you, Shu Yang. Why can’t you just let us go? Haven’t you made my family suffer enough for my stupid brother’s mistake?’

‘Do I really have no choice but to go out and accept it… No! Who knows if Shu Yang has framed me. I might be convicted of all types of horrible crimes. And even if it’s all small stuff, I can’t afford to be locked up for years. My chances of advancing to the Innate stage will only dwindle as I age. If I get caught this time, there won’t be any chance of a comeback in the future.’

Liang Huang quickly came to a decision. He could see his father questioning the Officials in a furious tone. There was only a small window to escape; he had to grasp it.

Liang Huang quickly turned around and jumped out the window leading to the back of the property. He looked over his shoulder from time to time as he ran. He could see that a few members of his brother’s family had spotted him, with a few even running after him.

But Liang Huang didn’t have the ability to take anyone with him. As soon as he got to the wall on the backside of the manor, he jumped over it. He couldn’t care about the risk of intruding on his neighbour’s property at the moment; he just had to get away as quickly as possible.

‘I’m sorry, everyone. But only with me alive and free is there hope. Once I reach the Innate stage in the future, I’ll let everyone out and take revenge for this injustice!’

Shu Yang was high up in a tree. The patriarch of the family owning the property he was currently hiding in had been very understanding when an Innate warrior asked to come inside to look for escaping criminals for a while.

He spotted Liang Huang as soon as he came over the wall.

‘It looks like I didn’t do this in vain. Hopefully, there aren’t many others escaping. But the most important one is definitely Liang Huang.’

Shu Yang had asked to take care of any runaways himself; he didn’t trust anyone else with such an important task. The Officials from Kuo City and Hurong Town had accepted; it shouldn’t be a problem for an Innate warrior to handle a few fugitives, and they were happy for the help.

Even if it was Shu Yang who was pressing for the arrest of the Liang family, since the Office had taken on the case, they had to do it properly, or it would look bad.

Shu Yang hesitated slightly as he saw Liang Huang running away. He knew he should just make himself known, arrest Liang Huang, and then make his way back to the others as soon as possible. But for some reason, he held off. He kept his eyes locked onto Liang Huang’s back as he ran off into the distance. When he had gotten a bit away, Shu Yang jumped down from the tree and followed.

He kept following at a safe distance as Liang Huang made his way out of town and into the small forest close by.

When Liang Huang had run a few miles deep into the forest, he finally settled down against a cliff to rest.

Shu Yang could hear his heavy breathing as he got closer.

A twig cracked under Shu Yang’s feet, and Liang Huang’s head flew up and looked in his direction.

“You…you…Is it really necessary to go this far?” Liang Huang finally asked with a sigh, hanging his head in defeat. He made no attempt to escape.

“I didn’t want to either,” Shu Yang said, “I’d rather be at home with my wife and children. But since a grudge has been created, it should be settled. Or who knows what trouble you people will cause me in the future.”

“I’m not stupid enough to cause trouble for an Innate warrior. I too just wanted some peace with my wife and children,” Liang Huang said, “But I guess that’s impossible now. I give up. You can bring me in. Surely there is no need to beat me up on top of everything else, right?”

Shu Yang stepped up close to Liang Huang and looked down on him with a sigh.

“Not really,” Shu Yang said. He then raised his hand and knocked Liang Huang out with a slap to the back of the head.

Watching Liang Huang’s body tumble to the side unconscious, Shu Yang felt conflicted. He really should bring him over and leave it to the Officials to deal with. But he still hesitated. He could easily kill him, and no one would know.

Shu Yang didn’t think he was a bloodthirsty person. And he really didn’t have that deep of a grudge with Liang Huang. It was his younger brother he hated. But Liang Huang was the one with both talent and brains.

He would be locked up and shouldn’t be a danger anymore. But how long would he be imprisoned? Five years? Maybe Ten? But he would get out one day. Shu Yang would grow stronger, and he didn’t need to fear any act of revenge in the future. But what about his children and grandchildren? Liang Huang had yet to do anything to harm anyone in his family, but did Shu Yang really need to trust that he wouldn’t do anything in the future? Did the safety of his family need to rely on the goodness of Liang Huang’s heart?

Shu Yang imagined the scene of himself in the future, standing in front of Tianan’s dead body. All because he had let go of Liang Huang today.

It might never happen. But if that day truly came, Shu Yang imagined he would do anything to return to this moment and do things differently.

A crack sounded. This time, it wasn’t from a twig, but Liang Huang’s broken neck.

‘I’m sorry. I’d rather be a villain than a fool.’

Shu Yang took a moment to settle his thoughts. This was the first time he had taken a life. It made his hands shake a little, and a sense of guilt seemed to rise within him. Liang Huang also had children, just like him.

It took Shu Yang a few minutes to collect himself, and he gradually came to terms with it.

‘I guess I have somewhat expected this day to come sooner or later. Things are peaceful now, but they won’t stay that way forever.’

‘I have a responsibility to protect my family, and I should do my best not to harm the innocent in that pursuit. But if I make enemies, I can’t be soft. The price is too great.’

Shu Yang shook his head and let the matter go for now. He started digging a grave for Liang Huang underneath him.

After covering the body with earth, he punched the cliff in front of him over and over until it collapsed in a large heap of stones covering the place where Liang Huang lay buried.

‘Finally over.’

‘I want to go home to Qianyue and the kids.’