A mass of people had gathered at the ancestral mansion of the Wu Clan. The courtyard outside the ancestral hall was filled with over 400 clansmen.
One had to understand that the Wu Clan consisted of just over 800 members in total, including the elderly, ill, women, and children. It was currently midday, and neither a festival nor a holiday. On an ordinary day like this, members of the Wu Clan would typically be dispersed among their various shops and houses, tending to their duties. Such a congregation of clan members was indeed an unusual sight.
Moreover, within the courtyard, many women and children were seen crying, and several white cloths covered the ground, casting a somber atmosphere.
“Young Master Yuan has arrived,” a voice suddenly rang out.
“Wu Yuan? The martial prodigy from the ninth house?”
“The chieftain values him highly.”
“Hmph, he may become an Adept in the future, but right now, he’s only a seventh-grade martial novice. What help can he offer?” Among the hundreds present in the yard, many turned to look at him, whispering among themselves. Their voices carried a mix of curiosity, doubt, and in some, an underlying layer of disdain.
The Wu Clan was not some family with a millennium-long history or thousands of members. Most of its hundreds of members would gather at the ancestral mansion for the New Year and the three major festivals.
Wu Yuan had been favored by the Chieftain Wu Qiming these past years, a well-known fact within the clan. Moreover, he had made quite a splash in the martial academy major tournament a few months ago. Therefore, few clansmen did not recognize Wu Yuan.
Wu Yuan, accompanied by Wu Dongyao and a few others, made his way through the crowd. The sea of people automatically parted for him, allowing him to take in the scene in the courtyard.
The crying women and children, and… corpses. Six corpses.
He had gotten the gist of the situation from Wu Dongyao, and had long heard of the brutality of the gangs outside the city. But hearing it from others was completely different from seeing it for himself.
In his previous life, Wu Yuan had fought against mechanized armor, battled genetically modified beasts, and even forged a legend of 1870 consecutive victories on the Star Fighting Network in the Metaverse.
But he had never killed anyone before! Murder was against the law.
In the interstellar era, what difference did it make if one was a martial arts Grandmaster? The Skynet monitored the entire planet, and a single deployment of interstellar orbit artillery had the potential to annihilate an entire supercity. There was never any room for martial artists to cause real harm with their powers.
In the interstellar era, the primary aim of martial arts training was to pursue the evolution of life. Most martial arts Grandmasters acquired their wealth through live streaming, Grandmaster duels, and peak martial arts battles across the solar system. Not through blood-soaked killings.
Through poring through extensive literature and receiving the memories of his body’s predecessor, he knew the cruelty of this Middle Land. Crimes were an everyday occurrence here.
But this was Wu Yuan’s first real encounter with death.
There were some among the weeping women and children whom Wu Yuan knew well. One family lived just a few dozen meters away from Wu Yuan’s home.
His kin were brutally killed, just like that. A hint of murderous intent had crept up within Wu Yuan after he understood what had transpired. And now, it grew into a burning thirst for blood.
“Wu Yuan, let’s go to the meeting hall,” Dongyao spoke in a low voice.
Wu Yuan nodded. The two quickly walked past the ancestral hall and entered the meeting hall deep in the manor. Only four people were present. Following behind Dongyao, Wu Yuan understood that with Chieftain Wu Qiming captured, those present were the current decision-makers of the Wu Clan.
“Wu Yuan pays respects to Uncles,” Wu Yuan slightly bowed.
This bow was made on behalf of his predecessor, and also to express gratitude to the clan for the support they provided his family.
“Wu Yuan and Dongyao have arrived,” said an elderly man with a white beard. He sat on one side of the room, mustering a smile with some difficulty, “Please, take a seat.”
“Do sit,” said a young man in a black robe from across the hall. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
The other two did not speak. Their faces were emotionless, revealing nothing of their thoughts.
Wu Yuan rose, standing at an impressive height of 1.8 meters. His youthful face betrayed his age, otherwise, none would have guessed he was only fourteen.
“Uncles, on the way here, I have heard from Uncle Dongyao that the Vicious Tiger Gang has destroyed our mansion in the city’s south and seized our chieftain. This is simply unacceptable,” Wu Yuan declared.
“Wu Yuan,” a stern voice cut through the air. The black-robed bald man who had been silent earlier now spoke, “You are here not because you are entitled to attend the clan meeting, but because we need you to return the financial aid that the clan has granted you. It is necessary for the clan to overcome our current crisis. Keep your opinions to yourself.”
“Uncle Long,” Wu Yuan asked in a calm voice, “In your opinion, what kind of person is eligible to attend clan meetings?”
“One must either be a scholar who has passed the imperial examinations, a shopkeeper of two shops in prime locations, or a sixth-grade martial virtuoso,” the bald man known as Wu Long replied coldly. “You’re still a child. Let’s talk about this when you’re older.”
“Uncle Long,” Wu Yuan’s voice remained calm, “If reaching the sixth-grade martial virtuoso level is what it takes, then I believe I am eligible to speak now.”
This statement sent shockwaves through the room. Wu Dongyao, Wu Long, and the white-bearded elder were all taken aback, gazing at Wu Yuan in disbelief.
Wu Yuan’s words held an implicit message: he possessed the strength of a martial virtuoso.
Suddenly, the man known as Wu Long moved.
Boom! Swift as a cheetah, he leaped two zhangs forward and landed heavily, cracking the azure stone floor. Without a pause, he balled his hand into a fist, swinging a powerful punch right at Wu Yuan!
“No!” The white-bearded elder cried out instinctively.
“Wu Long, stop!” Wu Dongyao also yelled in consternation, trying to halt Wu Long’s attack. But how could a seventh-grade martial novice react in time? Their faces paled.
Thud! A dull explosion echoed through the hall. Contrary to the expectations of the Wu Clan’s higher-ups, Wu Yuan did not retreat but retaliated with a punch of his own.
Under the impact of tens of thousands of catties of force, the ground instantly fractured.
Wu Long remained in his original position, slowly retracting his fist. His eyes conveyed a mix of incredulity, tinged with a hint of joy. Meanwhile, Wu Yuan staggered backward several steps, seemingly overpowered, before finally stopping. Yet, defiance flickered in his eyes.
The two of them stared at each other.
The meeting hall fell silent. Wu Dongyao, along with the white-bearded elder and the other clansman, watched the scene in shock.
Wu Long was the second-best fighter in the entire Li City branch of the Wu Clan, capable of unleashing a force of 15,000 catties. Yet, he did not dominate Wu Yuan in a contest of strength. He merely held a slight advantage, and the gap was not apparent. This suggested that Wu Yuan could exert at least 10,000 catties of force!
“Haha, well done! You weren’t lying after all.” Wu Long was far from angry, and a smile even bloomed on his stern face. “Wu Yuan, Uncle Long has wronged you. From now on, you have the right to speak in clan meetings.”
“Three months ago, you were still a seventh-grade martial novice, and now you possess the power of 10,000 catties?” Wu Dongyao looked at Wu Yuan as if beholding a monster. Even after all his years of training, he had yet to become a martial virtuoso.
“A fourteen-year-old martial virtuoso!” The elderly man with a white beard stood up, his body trembling in agitation. “The last time Li City saw such a gifted martial artist was over twenty years ago.”
“This is our Wu Clan’s great fortune!”
“It was I who was too arrogant, I hope Uncles can forgive me.” Wu Yuan seemed to have regained his composure.
“Arrogant? Haha.” Wu Long shook his head and laughed, “Kid, you call this arrogance? If I had your martial talent, I would be ten times more arrogant than you!”