A few days passed in the blink of an eye!
Jiang Han emerged every night to scout the perimeter of Jiang Family Town, but he never found an opening.
He had no choice but to return to the cave behind the waterfall, spending his time either sleeping or cultivating, only taking half a day to make a quick trip to the Heavenly Fox Mountain Range.
Back in Jiang Family Town, apart from maintaining an airtight defense, Jiang Xiaotian had been entirely focused on decorating the ceremonial hall and preparing the banquet.
He placed utmost importance on Han Shiqi’s arrival. If he could win Han Shiqi’s favor, it would bring unimaginable benefits to himself and the entire Jiang clan.
The most immediate benefit was that his son, Jiang Peng, could receive focused grooming within the Yunmeng Pavilion.
Jiang Peng was his only son, one year older than Jiang Han. He had reached the ninth level of the Purple Mansion Realm a year ago and was on the verge of breaking through to the Profound Nether Realm.
Such talent was considered top-tier in Jiang Family Town, but it was nothing special in the Yunmeng Pavilion. Jiang Xiaotian was doing everything he could to pave the way for his son’s future in the sect.
If his son received priority grooming, his combat strength and cultivation would soar. He might even rise to become a high-ranking Elder of the Yunmeng Pavilion in the future, allowing him to elevate the entire Jiang clan.
The burned-down Elder Courtyard was swiftly rebuilt. Jiang Family Town was draped in lanterns and colorful silks, the streets were swept spotless, and many clansmen donned fresh robes as if celebrating the New Year.
Early that morning, Patrol Captain Jiang Changfeng stood at the southern gates, ready to welcome their distinguished guest.
Simultaneously, the entire patrol force and over a hundred clansmen mobilized by Jiang Xiaotian were stationed throughout the town, keeping it under strict surveillance. If Jiang Han showed his face, he would be spotted instantly.
By mid-morning, numerous guests had already arrived.
The first to arrive were the leaders and Elders of the smaller surrounding villages.
They all knew Han Shiqi was coming, and today was the auspicious day he was taking a concubine. How could they dare arrive without a heavy gift to offer their congratulations?
If they sent a gift, Han Shiqi might not remember them.
But if they didn’t, and Han Shiqi found out, the consequences would be catastrophic!
One after another, representatives from the minor clans arrived, followed soon by the major clans.
Wang Family Town, Guan Family Town, and Du Family Town all sent delegations, and sizable ones at that. They didn’t just send an Elder; they brought along the elites of their younger generation.
The Elders came to present gifts, while the younger generation came to broaden their horizons-or rather, to watch the spectacle.
When the Elders of the major clans arrived, Jiang Xiaotian personally stepped out to greet them. However, seeing that the major clans had only sent Elders, a flash of hidden displeasure crossed his face.
Under normal circumstances, the Patriarchs of those clans would have attended personally. That would not only give face to the Jiang clan, but to Han Shiqi as well.
Their absence sent a very clear message…
They didn’t want to completely offend Jiang Han, or perhaps they feared Jiang Henshui wasn’t truly dead. They were leaving themselves a way out.
But there was something else that infuriated Jiang Xiaotian even more!
That morning, he had gone to the Patriarch’s courtyard, hoping to invite him out to preside over the event. With someone of Han Shiqi’s status arriving, it was simply unjustifiable for the Jiang Patriarch not to show his face.
But the Patriarch’s young grandson had come to the door, claiming the Patriarch was still in deep Secluded Cultivation. The doors to his secret chamber remained sealed, and no one could wake him.
Jiang Xiaotian didn’t know if the Patriarch was truly in Secluded Cultivation or just faking it, but the slight left him extremely bitter.
Aside from the official representatives, a massive crowd of onlookers had also gathered.
These people naturally had no right to enter the ceremonial hall. Instead, they flooded the taverns and inns of Jiang Family Town, sipping tea and eating fruits as they waited for the show to begin.
Even outside the town, in the small woods and on the surrounding hills, hundreds of people had gathered. A quick glance estimated at least four or five hundred spectators.
They were all here for one reason: to watch the drama unfold.
Jiang Han would definitely appear today!
This was the absolute consensus. A madman who dared to declare war on his own clan for his sister, a butcher who had slaughtered nineteen experts in a single day-how could he possibly stand by and watch her be taken away?
“Hiss-!”
Around noon, the cry of a strange beast echoed down the main road leading to the southern gates.
Jiang Xiaotian and the clan representatives immediately straightened up, peering into the distance.
A cloud of dust rolled toward them as five carriages galloped into view. Each carriage was drawn by two pure-white Dragon-Lion Horses.
The carriages themselves were crafted from premium black pearwood, and the black flags mounted on them snapped fiercely in the wind.
The three characters embroidered on those flags seemed to radiate a mysterious, oppressive weight, instilling a deep sense of awe in everyone present.
Yunmeng Pavilion!
That flag represented the absolute majesty of the greatest power within a hundred miles. It represented overwhelming martial might and the supreme authority to dictate life and death.
Jiang Xiaotian shot a look at Jiang Changfeng. The patrol captain immediately raised his signaling flag, and the entire patrol force snapped into maximum alert.
The five carriages moved with incredible speed, arriving at the southern gates in the blink of an eye.
The carriages were grand and imposing, the Dragon-Lion Horses majestic, and the drivers wore matching black martial robes, long sabers strapped to their waists, their eyes completely cold…
Every single detail screamed of the Yunmeng Pavilion’s terrifying foundation!
Swish!
The curtains of the front and rear carriages flew open simultaneously. Ten martial artists, clad in black robes with crimson trim, stepped out and formed neat lines on either side of the convoy.
Their eyes swept the crowd, sharp and vigilant. Their synchronized movements, heavy spiritual pressure, and icy gazes left the onlookers secretly trembling.
“Two at the first level of the Profound Nether Realm, eight at the ninth level of the Purple Mansion Realm…”
The crowd silently assessed their auras and couldn’t help but sigh in awe.
And these were merely Han Shiqi’s escorts. Han Shiqi was only the head of the Internal Affairs Hall. The true elites of the Yunmeng Pavilion were all concentrated in the Combat Hall.
For a mere Internal Affairs Hall Master to casually travel with two Profound Nether Realm and eight peak Purple Mansion Realm guards-the Yunmeng Pavilion’s might was truly unfathomable.
The curtain of the middle carriage lifted, and a handsome young man stepped out. He looked down his nose at the crowd before respectfully holding the curtain open. “Master, we have arrived at Jiang Family Town!”
An elderly man emerged from the carriage. He wore a crimson robe, a jade crown, and golden cloud-patterned boots. His hair and beard were pure white, his face ruddy, his gaze piercing, and his demeanor utterly arrogant.
Supported by the young man, he stepped down from the carriage. Jiang Xiaotian and the others immediately dropped to one knee. “We greet Lord Han!”
“Hmm?”
Han Shiqi swept his gaze over the kneeling crowd. Seeing that none of the Patriarchs from the major clans were present, a cold, dangerous light flashed in his eyes.
But a second later, his face shifted into a hearty, booming laugh. “Rise, rise! We are all family here. There is no need for such empty formalities.”
Jiang Xiaotian and the Elders stood up and hurried forward, showering him with flattery and praise, making Han Shiqi laugh uproariously.
Surrounded by the sycophantic crowd, Han Shiqi was escorted toward the ceremonial hall. The ten Yunmeng Pavilion experts formed a tight defensive perimeter around him, while the rest of Jiang Family Town entered a state of absolute lockdown.
The spectators in the taverns, inns, and surrounding hills leaned in, their blood pumping.
Han Shiqi was here. The show was about to begin.
They only wondered when Jiang Han would appear. With so many terrifying experts gathered today, in what stunning, heaven-shaking manner would he make his entrance?
And in what brutal, tragic manner would he… perish!