"The word on the street cannot be taken lightly," Chang Tianxiong laughed. "Indeed, our Chang Family ancestors did come across some cultivation techniques, but he was from a wealthy family. How could he possibly be a villager from the countryside?"
"But I've heard that your Chang Family ancestor didn't just come across some cultivation techniques," Xu Zimei said with a smile.
Chang Tianxiong's hand, originally holding a wine cup, suddenly paused. He laughed and said, "Rumors, as you know, tend to get more mysterious as they spread. They can't be taken as truth."
"I heard that your Chang Family ancestor also obtained a Heavenly Bead," Xu Zimei said with a smile. "Since I'm mentioning it, I must be confident in my sources."
Upon hearing Xu Zimei's words, Chang Tianxiong's thoughts cleared up instantly.
Xu Zimei was after the Heavenly Bead, but that was something from several hundred years ago.
Apart from the successive Family Heads of the Chang Family, no one should know about it. So how did Xu Zimei find out?
Their Chang Family ancestors had always left an ancestral instruction, indicating that hundreds of years later, a person destined by fate would come.
At that time, the Chang Family was to present the Heavenly Bead to this destined individual, and then the whole family was to pledge allegiance to them.
...
Chang Tianxiong had no idea whether Xu Zimei was the person of destiny, but he had an intuition that Xu Zimei was not the one they were waiting for.
"What exactly is this Heavenly Bead that Young Master Xu speaks of? I truly have no idea," Chang Tianxiong shook his head and said.
"Why must the Family Head be so obstinate?" Xu Zimei let out a laugh and said, "As good as the Heavenly Bead may be, one must still be fated to possess it.
Let's not sacrifice your family's centuries of foundation over a trivial matter."
"What do you mean by that, young sir? Are you saying that just because of a made-up bead, the True Martial Holy Sect is going to annihilate our Chang Family?" The Great Elder of the Chang Family said, "Our Chang Family has always supported the Holy Sect. If, in the end, a fabricated accusation leads to this outcome,
I will certainly make this known to the world, letting everyone judge the actions of the Holy Sect.
Or are you saying that this matter has nothing to do with the Holy Sect, and it's merely your personal scheme?"
Xu Zimei realized clearly that he had no authority to stand on, and the Chang Family was defiant, even trying to use the moral high ground as a shield.
"You are mistaken. Our Holy Sect governs the vast lands of the Extreme West Region, and all of you who reside here are subjects of the Holy Sect.
We can barely protect you as it is, why would we harm you?" Xu Zimei laughed.
"Then what did Young Master Xu mean by his earlier words?" Chang Tianxiong asked.
"I meant nothing in particular, just wondering if the Family Head has considered this scenario," Xu Zimei downed a cup of wine with a laugh and said, "Today I visit the Chang Family, we converse joyfully, and then I leave.
But then at night, a man dressed in black comes and exterminates the whole Chang Family, taking the Heavenly Bead away.
That incident would have nothing to do with our Holy Sect. If anyone dares to claim I orchestrated it, they will need to present evidence, or else it would be slander.
After a while, I capture this black-clad individual, and take the Heavenly Bead back.
In the end, the Heavenly Bead still ends up in my hands; it's just that the process is a bit more indirect."
Chang Tianxiong's face changed slightly upon hearing Xu Zimei's words. What he feared was not the hypocrite, nor the outright villain.
But rather, someone who clearly held great power, yet utterly disregarded the rules of the game.
It was a blatant threat.
If he did not hand over the Heavenly Bead today, that night a man in black would come to exterminate their Chang Family.
Chang Tianxiong didn't expect the other party to be so brazen, and worse, there could be no claim that it was the Holy Sect's doing.
To achieve his goal, he would use any means necessary, even if it meant being despicable and shameless, and he was particularly self-confident, were Chang Tianxiong's impressions of Xu Zimei.
...
"Young Master Xu, what do you mean by this?" Chang Tianxiong asked with an embarrassed expression.
"Nothing, nothing, thanks to Family Head Chang for the hospitality. I've eaten my fill and should be leaving," Xu Zimei stood up and said to Feng Buyu, "Brother Feng, please go and inform the people at the City Lord Mansion, tonight no one is permitted to leave Heavenly Sword City.
Close the city gates, and we'll talk more tomorrow morning."
Seeing Xu Zimei was about to leave, Chang Tianxiong instantly panicked. He stood up and quickly said, "Young Master Xu, I just remembered that our Chang Family seems to have a spherical pearl, but I'm not sure if it's the one you're looking for.
If you need it, I'll go get it for you right now."
"Is that so? Family Head Chang, don't force yourself. I couldn't possibly take something someone cherishes," Xu Zimei said with a smile.
"No, not at all. Just wait, I'll go fetch it for you now," Chang Tianxiong said, then hurriedly walked outside.
His heart raced with panic. The moment Xu Zimei left, Chang Tianxiong suddenly felt a sense of impending doom.
Although the ancestral teachings left by his forefathers were important, he couldn't let the Chang Family be destroyed on his watch.
Otherwise, he would be the sinner of the entire Chang Family.
It wasn't long before Chang Tianxiong returned with a box in hand.
The box appeared ancient, adorned with the pattern of armor on it.
The box was dark black in color, and Chang Tianxiong handed it to Xu Zimei, saying, "Young Master Xu, take a look. Is it the pearl you're looking for?"
Xu Zimei opened the box, and inside was a dark yellow spherical pearl, with a multitude of chaotic and intricate lines etched onto its surface.
Lin Ruhu looked at the pearl, asking curiously, "How come this pearl looks so familiar? It seems like I've seen it somewhere before."
Xu Zimei merely smiled and remained silent, putting the pearl away.
Of course it looked familiar, for the pearl's true name was the Prison Suppression Pearl.
Previously, Xu Zimei had snatched a Prison Suppression Pearl from Cui Yuan's hands at the Gravity Tower.
This was the second one.
Xu Zimei nodded and smiled, "In that case, many thanks to Family Head Chang."
"It's nothing, it's nothing," Chang Tianxiong quickly shook his head and smiled, "This pearl has been with my Chang Family for hundreds of years, yet no one knew its use.
Now that it has fallen into your hands, Young Master, perhaps it will shine brightly."
Xu Zimei then took his leave from Chang Tianxiong, leading his group away from the Chang Family's residence.
As Chang Tianxiong watched their departing figures, he slapped the table beside him forcefully.
With a "bang" sound, the table splintered apart, teacups shattered into pieces, and Chang Tianxiong's face was terrifyingly grim.
......
Having left the Chang Family, Xu Zimei was in a great mood; this thing was vital to him, and he was nearly ready to gather all the pieces.
He said to Black Thirteen, "Before the sun rises tomorrow morning, I don't want to see the Chang Family exist in this world anymore."
On hearing Xu Zimei's words, the people around him were all shocked.
"Junior Brother Zimo, haven't the Chang Family given you the Heavenly Bead? Why still exterminate them completely?" Guan Zhenhai asked hesitantly from the side.