Chapter 96

First Chapter

Xu Hao Cang, the head of the Criminal Hall, stood dumbfounded as such an incident occurred. He had no idea how to handle it. The Xu family had never experienced anything like this; even insulting an elder would result in execution, let alone assaulting one. However, executing Xu Ziyun? Was that realistic?

Xu Hao Ran, the patriarch, was also troubled. As the patriarch, he naturally knew the family rules. Now, Xu Hao Liang was like a madman, seizing on this point, leaving Xu Hao Ran at a loss for how to handle it. Looking at the seemingly mad Xu Hao Liang and the calm Xu Ziyun standing beside him, Xu Hao Ran couldn't help but frown in distress. Punish Xu Ziyun? Her value now was greater than anyone present, even surpassing his own. But if he didn't punish her, the commotion caused by Xu Hao Liang would be a huge headache. After all, he was the second-best expert in the family, and in the current precarious situation of the family, he was a very important fighting force.

While he was troubled, he heard Xu Ziyun say coldly, "Xu Hao Liang, do you admit defeat? If you don't, we can continue the fight. However, I can't guarantee your life next time. If I go too far and take your life, don't blame me."

As she spoke, the talismans around Xu Ziyun's body suddenly accelerated their rotation, and a wave of overwhelming pressure spread out in all directions. Instantly, everyone present felt the suffocating pressure.

"You..." Xu Hao Liang was speechless with anger.

"Ziyun..." Xu Hao Ran shouted, clearly dissatisfied with Xu Ziyun's attitude. However, he didn't realize that Xu Ziyun was also dissatisfied with his hesitation.

"Patriarch Xu,"

Xu Ziyun no longer called Xu Hao Ran "Uncle" or "Patriarch," but directly addressed him as "Patriarch Xu." This made Xu Hao Ran and everyone in the hall pause, even the frenzied Xu Hao Liang closed his mouth in surprise.

"Patriarch Xu, I don't know why your Xu family wants to punish me. If it's just because of Xu Hao Liang, that doesn't align with your family rules, does it?"

Xu Hao Ran's expression changed as he heard Xu Ziyun's words, feeling a sense of unease, but he couldn't pinpoint what it was. Xu Hao Liang, however, reacted, pointing at Xu Ziyun and shouting angrily:

"Xu Ziyun, as a disciple of the Xu family, you actually attacked an elder... with such force." As he said this, Xu Hao Liang felt his face turn red, but he couldn't care less at this moment, only thinking of putting Xu Ziyun to death. He continued, his face flushed:

"Someone as disrespectful as you, don't you deserve to die?"

"Sorry, Xu Hao Liang. You're wrong. I am not a member of your Xu family," Xu Ziyun said coldly.

"Nonsense!" Xu Hao Liang was so angry that his whole body trembled, and his finger shook as he pointed at Xu Ziyun: "You, a traitor. Your father is my younger brother, and he is a member of the Xu family. How can you not be a member of the Xu family?"

"Ziyun, don't talk nonsense," Xu Hao Ran glared at Xu Ziyun.

"Ha ha ha..." Xu Ziyun laughed wildly, and when the laughter subsided, she said with a mocking tone:

"My father is a member of the Xu family? I remember that if a Xu family disciple cannot break through to the fifth level of the Later Heaven stage by the age of fifteen, they are no longer considered a member of the Xu family. They can act independently and leave the Xu family at any time, and the Xu family will no longer provide any living support. If they choose to stay, they are still considered a member of the Xu family, but they can only serve as a slave or a servant."

Xu Ziyun's gaze swept over everyone in the hall, and she continued coldly:

"My parents are not your Xu family's slaves, so they are not considered members of your Xu family, right?"

"You..." Xu Hao Liang was speechless, his finger pointing at Xu Ziyun, not knowing what to say.

"Ziyun, even if what you say is true, you are still a disciple of the Xu family, right?" Xu Hao Ran realized something and his face changed. He didn't want to lose Xu Ziyun, a powerful ally, at such a critical time for the family.

"Patriarch Xu, I remember I am just a guest elder of your Xu family, free to leave at any time. So, as a guest elder, defeating Xu Hao Liang does not violate your family rules. I don't know what reason you have to punish me. Now, I am unhappy with your Xu family and decide to resign from my position as a guest elder. From now on, I have no ties with your Xu family."

As Xu Ziyun spoke, everyone in the hall was stunned. After the battle in the Mystic Valley, the Xu family believed Xu Ziyun had died for the family, and Xu Hao Ran had announced her identity, as well as her parents, to the entire family. He also informed the family's high-ranking members, including Xu Hao Liang, that Xu Ziyun was a guest elder of the Talisman Hall. At the time, everyone felt regretful about losing such a skilled talisman maker.

However, when Xu Ziyun returned from the Vast Mountain, everyone was so happy that they forgot her status, assuming that since Xu Hao Guang was a member of the Xu family, Xu Ziyun must also be a disciple. Now, as Xu Ziyun brought up this point again, everyone felt a sense of confusion. They were angry at Xu Ziyun's treatment of their elders, but now they were afraid of losing her, who could provide strong support to the family. Their hearts were filled with uncertainty, and Xu Hao Ran's face changed drastically. He said urgently:

"Ziyun, the family has always treated you as a disciple, giving you all the help it could. How can you leave now?"

"Yes," Xu Hao Liang said hatefully: "You received benefits from the Xu family, and now you want to leave. Do you think the Xu family is a place you can come and go as you please?"

"Benefits?" Xu Ziyun smiled coldly: "What benefits did your Xu family give me? In the six months I spent in the Xu family, I only received a few Spirit Nourishing Pills and access to the first level of the library. But what did your Xu family get from me? Just the talismans I make for you every month. If I were to join any other family, I would receive more than this."

She glanced at everyone in the hall and continued: "In the Mystic Valley, I risked my life to save hundreds of your elite disciples, which was a huge contribution. Also, on a snowy night outside the capital, I protected your spies in Canglang City and Nanlin City, allowing your family to timely receive the news of their alliance against the Xu family. Without this, your family might have been destroyed without even knowing it. How do you calculate the value of this? I don't know if any other guest elder in your Xu family could make such contributions. Now, you say I received benefits from your Xu family? How can you have the nerve to say that?"

Xu Ziyun's accusations left everyone in the hall speechless. Now, they realized the terrible consequences of losing Xu Ziyun. They had all witnessed the power of her talisman array, which easily defeated the second-best expert in the family without any injury to herself. In the current situation of the family, having such an ability was invaluable. Moreover, everything Xu Ziyun said was true and not exaggerated. How could they justify keeping someone who had made such contributions to the family? They could only say that their family lacked the capacity to retain talent, and they had driven her away. If this news spread, the family's reputation would be ruined, and no one would want to join their family in the future.

Xu Hao Liang, standing in the center of the hall, also realized the impact of Xu Ziyun's departure on the Xu family. His eyes turned fierce, and he harbored evil thoughts, saying to Xu Ziyun in a sinister tone:

"Since you don't acknowledge being a member of the Xu family, you are an enemy of the Xu family. You will leave your life here today."

Everyone in the hall was startled, and some of them showed hesitation, their gazes toward Xu Ziyun becoming increasingly hostile. Xu Ziyun knew she had to show her strength to suppress their evil thoughts. Otherwise, if everyone in the hall harbored such thoughts, even if she could eliminate them all, she couldn't explain it to her father.

With a wave of her hands, the top-tier third-grade talismans around her disappeared, stored back in her storage bag. Everyone in the hall was surprised, thinking that Xu Ziyun was afraid and was about to yield. Yes, that must be it. No matter how powerful she was, she was just a fifteen-year-old girl with only the first level of the Qi Cultivation stage, relying solely on talismans. If they all attacked together, her talisman array would not stand a chance. Thinking this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, not wanting to face such a powerful talisman array.

Seeing Xu Ziyun retract her talisman array, Xu Hao Liang, standing opposite her, was about to mock her, but then he saw her hands wave again. Thirty top-tier fifth-grade talismans flew out of her storage bag, floating around her in a regular pattern, adjusting their positions and distances. In just a few moments, the thirty talismans began to rotate in a regular pattern, forming a larger talisman array around Xu Ziyun.

The power emitted from this talisman array was even more overwhelming than the previous one, making everyone in the hall feel suffocated. They involuntarily stepped back, and Xu Hao Liang, standing opposite Xu Ziyun, stumbled backward, colliding with several chairs, and finally managed to stand at a distance.

"Xu Hao Liang, you can try to see if you can keep me here. Will I die in this hall, or will your Xu family be destroyed before Canglang City and Nanlin City even arrive?" Xu Ziyun's voice was filled with bone-chilling coldness.

---

Dear readers, it is said that at the end of this month or the beginning of next month, the monthly votes will be doubled. Please don't vote yet, save your monthly votes for the end of the month to support the story. I bow deeply and thank you all with a silly smile.

---

I recommend a great science fiction novel:

*Dream Fleet* by Silent Penguin

Synopsis: From the moment he stepped onto the interstellar battlefield,

the most exciting space adventure began.

A human raised by a group of intelligent robots

becomes the owner of the strongest private fleet in history (to be continued, for more chapters, please visit the website. Support the author, support the original reading).