Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan!

Chapter 429 An Invitation to the Capital

The Bai Clan was in an Emergency State!

No threats came.

No probing attacks.

No assassins.

On the contrary, the pressure surrounding the Bai Clan eased rather than intensified.

Those sides who had once hesitated now hurried to show goodwill.

Those who had once watched from the sidelines now scrambled to declare their stance.

Envoys arrived daily.

Gifts piled up at the outer halls-spiritual treasures, rare ores, and pills. Alliance proposals flooded in without restraint.

Minor clans!

Mid-tier clans!

Great Clans!

Even those that had once aligned themselves-quietly or openly-with the Li and Zhao Clans now sought to mend relations.

There were also those who came under the pretense of thanking the Bai Clan for their sacrifice during the Beast Tide.

But it was clear that they wanted to curry favor with the Bai Clan.

The Bai Clan rejected none outright.

Nor did they accept hastily.

Every request was recorded.

Every envoy was received with courtesy-and held at armʼs length.

Calm and measured, as always.

The Bai Clan had no need to rush.

They were now the axis around which others moved.

However-

Among all the proposals arriving at Bai Clan territory, there was one category that surged at a rate no one had anticipated.

Marriage!

Marriage proposals-specifically involving Bai Zihan-arrived in staggering numbers.

Daughters of Great Clans.

Granddaughters of Sect Masters.

Talented young women rumored to possess special constitutions, rare bloodlines, or extraordinary beauty.

Some proposals were subtle.

Others were shockingly direct.

The reason was obvious.

After news spread that Bai Zihan had been crippled, countless forces immediately assumed that the Chu Clan would sever their engagement.

In their eyes, it was only logical.

A crippled genius was no longer a genius.

Even if Bai Zihan had once stood peerless, cultivation was everything in this world.

It was nothing after he had become crippled.

Like many say, there are countless talents and geniuses in the world-but how many actually survive long enough to become powerhouses?

Anyways, a Top Clan that stood just below the Top Three Clans like the Chu Clan-would they really sacrifice their beloved princess?

So everyone believed that sooner or later, the engagement would inevitably be broken.

But Bai Zihan was still Bai Zihan.

He was still the most beloved son of Bai Tianheng.

The Bai Clanʼs Grand Elders openly protected and adored.

Even crippled, his status within the Bai Clan had not fallen in the slightest.

If anything-

For reasons they could not understand, Bai Zihan was still held in extremely high regard.

So instead of forming an alliance by marrying into one of the other Bai Clan members, they thought of marrying their daughter to someone they believed was unwanted by anyone else.

In their minds, this would be doing the Bai Clan a great favor.

They believed that despite the Bai Clanʼs status, it would be difficult to find a wife for Bai Zihan-especially someone talented, beautiful, and with a strong background like theirs.

What they did not realize was that they were not the only ones thinking this way.

In truth, several clan leaders had arrived at the same conclusion and put forward marriage proposals to Bai Zihan as well.

But they did not know that someone had already taken the position of Bai

Zihanʼs wife long before their schemes even began.

Many also ignored the fact that Chu Ziyan was still Bai Zihanʼs fiancée, they offered their daughters or granddaughters as concubines.

After all, anyone could see that the Bai Clan was rising and would soon become untouchable.

Even if they had to sacrifice their beloved daughters to become concubines, they were willing.

Since Bai Tianheng could clearly see their ulterior motives-and had already accepted Chu Ziyan as his daughter-in-law-he outright rejected all marriage offers.

As for the proposals involving concubines, he neither accepted nor rejected them outright.

After all, while he himself did not have any, he did not reject the idea in principle.

With Bai Zihan, if he were to have other women, it would mean the possibility of several grandchildren.

And with Bai Zihanʼs talent-even though he was crippled-Bai Tianheng believed that the blood within him was still extraordinary, capable of producing offspring of similar potential.

Moreover, more descendants meant a more secure future for the Bai Clan.

Thus, he did not think that Bai Zihan taking concubines would be a bad idea.

Then there was also Bai Xueqing.

She, too, received nonstop.

After all, she was the perfect candidate-flawless in every sense.

But winning her heart was another matter entirely.

Apart from all this, there wasnʼt much happening.

The Bai Clan was generally peaceful-far more peaceful than anyone had expected.

But Bai Tianheng did not relax in the slightest.

If anything, the apparent calm only made him more cautious.

The Emergency State remained in effect.

Formations continued to hum day and night. Patrol rotations were not reduced.

Every envoy was monitored from the moment they crossed Bai Clan borders until the moment they left.

And no one was allowed to visit Bai Zihan unless they had Bai Tianhengʼs explicit permission. ***

Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye.

By then, the aftermath of the Beast Tide had largely been dealt with.

Demonic corpses were cleared, and damaged formations along the Northern

Defense Line were repaired.

And finally-

The Imperial Family made their move.

An official proclamation spread throughout the empire, carried by imperial messengers and broadcast widely.

The Beast Tide had been repelled.

The Demonic Forces had been driven back.

Victory belonged to the Desolate Heaven Empire.

With that proclamation came the next announcement.

A grand imperial convocation!

All major contributors to the war were to be summoned to the capital, where rewards would be bestowed, merits recorded, and the future balance of power formally acknowledged.

Among the names listed-

The Bai Clan stood at the very top.

And explicitly included was one name that immediately drew attention.

Bai Zihan!

After all, aside from the Bai Clanʼs Grand Elders who had dealt with the most dangerous Immortal-level enemies, Bai Zihan had personally slain the greatest number of enemies below the Immortal Realm-including Great Ascension Realm Demonic Elders.

Seeing his name listed alongside Immortal Realm figures was not strange at all.

Bai Tianheng frowned deeply.

Mu Yuelanʼs expression turned cold with worry.

They shared the same thought.

Bai Zihan should stay behind.

Although it was an imperial order and obedience was expected, Bai Zihan was now crippled-and his life was clearly in danger from enemies who might target him.

The clan was the safest place for him.

If anyone wished to kill Bai Zihan, they would first need to destroy the Bai Clan itself.

The imperial capital, however, was different.

Too many uncontrollable variables.

Too many dangers.

Especially for Bai Zihan, who currently possessed no cultivation. ”Itʼs better if you donʼt go,” Mu Yuelan said firmly, ”Your injuries havenʼt healed.

The capital is not safe.”

Bai Tianheng nodded. ”No one will dare say anything. Weʼll explain it to the Emperor ourselves.”

But Bai Zihan shook his head. ”I have to go.”

His voice was calm, almost indifferent, yet carried undeniable resolve. ”If I donʼt,” he continued, ”it will look like the Bai Clan is already placing itself above the Imperial Family”

Refusing an imperial summons at a time like this would only give others an excuse to speculate.

After all, people were already whispering that with the Bai Clanʼs current strength, they deserved to stand above the Imperial Family. Even with valid reasons, the timing was terrible.

If the Bai Clan refused, someone would surely make a big issue out of it.

Bai Tianheng fell silent.

Mu Yuelan hesitated.

They both knew Bai Zihan was right.

But of course-

Bai Zihanʼs true intention was something else entirely.

He didnʼt care about the Imperial Family.

If they felt threatened and wanted to fight, then so be it.

If not, they could maintain the same relationship as before.

He wanted to leave because this was the perfect opportunity.

Things had been too quiet.

No assassins.

No probing attacks.

No desperate moves.

For days, he had waited-patiently and deliberately-for something to happen.

Nothing had. (Did I really make fewer enemies than I thought?)

The thought almost made him laugh.

Someone like him-who offended people left and right just by opening his mouth-having no enemies?

Ridiculous.

Even he knew that in his current state, if he were seen alone on a road, multiple people would be eager to kill him.

Whether those enemies came from before he regained his memories from Earth, or after awakening his memories from his previous life.

If anything, this only proved that the Bai Clanʼs defenses were impeccable.

Even those who hated him to the core would not act impulsively. They were waiting for the right moment. After all, being crippled was not a temporary condition. A smart person would wait for the target to leave their territory.

So Bai Zihan intended to give them exactly the opportunity they were waiting for.

And what better stage than the imperial capital? (Good!)

Bai Zihan thought coldly.

Moreover, this would allow him to meet the Emperor and the Imperial Family personally.

What did they truly think of the Bai Clan now?

Would the Imperial Family stand alongside them?

Or had they already joined hands with his enemies?

He would find out soon enough!