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Chapter 1117 Xiang Clan Governor
"News came from the Zhou Clan Ancestral Hall that two grandmasters suddenly appeared, one of whom was Zhou Daqian of the Western School."

"The opportunity has come; with one spoonful, I can cook two pots of food."

"After the Eastern Sect was destroyed, the Western Sect was also destroyed. There is no possibility for the Zhou family to rise again!"

Xiang Qiankun, the head of the Xiang family, is the governor of Feiyun Prefecture, one of the eight prefectures in Zhili Province, and a master of the Earth Sect.

Originally, when the feudal lord was corrupt and the whole world condemned him, he remained neutral and did not participate. Later, after the incident at the sacrificial palace, he quickly joined the royal camp, broke with the ancient people's aristocratic family group, and vowed to avenge the feudal lord.

Whether his actions stemmed from loyalty or self-interest, his decisiveness alone proves him to be a remarkable person.

When his subordinate reported that it was from the Western Sect, he didn't take it to heart, simply replying, "Oh!"

Although the Eastern and Western branches appeared to be on equal footing, the Western branch was, after all, a separate family with shallow roots. He had witnessed the division of the family years ago.

It's no exaggeration to say that Zhou Nanwang only took away bottles and jars; the Zhou family's true foundation still lies in the Eastern Branch.

Not to mention anything far away, one of the two Heavenly Sects fighting overhead, the ninth ancestor of the Zhou family, was stationed in the Eastern Sect of the Zhou Clan. As for the Western Sect, it was just a withered Earthly Sect.

Xiang Qiankun nodded. "Back then, when the family was divided, it seemed like the plan to divide and weaken the feudal lords had succeeded, but wasn't it also the old men of the Zhou family secretly plotting to insert a branch into the family?"

The clan system is vast, like a large tree with deep roots and lush foliage, multiplying and growing strong, and has many means to escape disasters and extinction.

Encouraging outstanding members of the main clan to go out and start their own businesses and establish their own families is like a tree bearing fruit, spreading its seeds in the wild, taking root, sprouting, and growing into a sapling.

After countless years, the single tree will grow into a magnificent forest.

There is also the art of cutting propagation, where a branch is cut off from a tree and inserted into the soil. Roots automatically grow from the cut, absorbing nutrients and growing stronger, eventually becoming a new tree.

The so-called Zhou family division is based on this principle, with Zhou Nanwang being the branch that detached from the main body.

The branches and leaves he took away were all minor details from the great tree of the Zhou family, and did not harm the vast foundation of the Eastern Sect.

In addition to this, there is also a grafting technique called 'grafting'...

Back to the topic!

Xiang Qiankun was originally worried that his family's power was limited and that he could not attack the East and West sects at the same time. If the East sect was destroyed and the West sect was frightened and withdrew, he would not be able to wipe them out in one fell swoop, which would inevitably cause hidden dangers in the future.

But now things are different. Xi Zong has come on his own initiative, giving them the opportunity to gather and annihilate him.

"Excellent! So the newcomer is Zhou Daqian, and this sickly old man is no match for you!"

Xiang Qiankun immediately ordered, "Go, kill them both, and bring their heads to me!"

A composed middle-aged man beside him, a member of the Human Sect, hesitated upon receiving the order, saying, "As a family governor, I'm afraid I alone am not enough. Zhou Daqian's combat strength is astonishing; he cannot be regarded as a Human Sect member..."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a young, impetuous voice rang out, “Guest Master Lu, why boost the morale of others? Zhou Daqian’s strength lies entirely in his Half-Saint Yin Blade and Sacred Artifacts, and now both of those are gone.”

"His current level is only that of a powerful Human Sect member."

The speaker was Xiang Qiankun's nephew, a rising star in the family, and a member of the Xiang clan. He was more famous than Zhou Youcheng, and they were often compared in the circle of second-generation elites in Beijing.

Now that there's a chance to retaliate against Zhou You and rise to fame by stepping on his corpse, how could I possibly miss such an opportunity?

Not long ago, during the incident at the Heavenly Sacrifice Palace, Zhou You had his Half-Saint Yin Blade stolen while trying to escape, a fact known to all.

However, Zhou You's display of extraordinary swordsmanship was not highly regarded, because there were too many outstanding young people in the capital who sought to learn swordsmanship from the Divine Sword of the Southern Heaven, and few were able to truly master it.

Xiang Zhidu also believed that Zhou You, without the Half-Saint Yin Blade, had been reduced to a third-rate grandmaster. "Alright, go!"

Xiang Qiankun was not worried about his nephew, because Xiang Zhidu possessed a powerful divine weapon. Although it was not as good as the Half-Saint Yin Blade, it was enough to rival the realm of the initial Earth Sect when combined with the family's martial arts.

After receiving the order, Xiang Zhidu left. As his figure disappeared from sight, Xiang Qiankun suddenly felt a tightness in his chest, sensing something was amiss. He nodded to the middle-aged retainer, "Go and keep an eye on things!"

The middle-aged retainer bowed and said, "Yes!"

He estimated that even if Zhou Daqian regained his half-saint Yin Blade, he would still be able to fight back, given his support for Xiang Zhidu.

After seeing the two off, Xiang Qiankun calmed down and continued to direct his men to attack various corners of the Zhou family's eastern branch.

The interior of any aristocratic family is not merely a living area; its layout, with its terrain structured around numerous battlegrounds, resembles a miniature city, fraught with danger at every turn.

After the return of the patriarchs Zhou Tianyuan and Zhou Feixing, the members of the Eastern Branch of the Zhou Clan had a leader and quickly stabilized. They formed layers of defense and fought back and forth with the invading Zhou Clan.

However, Xiang Qiankun, with his strategic planning, advanced step by step, and victory seemed within his grasp.

Suddenly, a glint flashed in his eye, and the middle-aged retainer returned. He subconsciously asked, "Did you forget anything?"

He assumed the middle-aged retainer had remembered something halfway there and turned back to retrieve something, but he never expected...

"Governor, my nephew has been murdered, and his remains and weapons have fallen into Zhou Daqian's hands!"

"I saw my nephew die by the other's sword from afar, and I immediately turned and fled. He, Zhou Daqian, is not a Human Sect member; he has already advanced to the Earth Sect!"

what?
Xiang Qiankun thought to himself, "I am also a disciple of the Earth Sect. What merit does that brat possess?"
Thinking of his nephew's tragic death, he felt a pang of grief. "You little brat, Zhou, I will never forgive you!"

This is bad. A Dizong (Earthly Sect) is guarding the Zhou family's ancestral hall space. Unless that Tianzong (Heavenly Sect) lands and attacks, it will be impossible to eliminate the Zhou family members who are hiding in a short time.

"Governor, should we use that secret weapon that can cleave through space?"

The middle-aged retainer asked for instructions.

"It's not the right time yet..."

Xiang Qiankun blurted out, then slapped his forehead, "I've really made a stupid mistake. There's never been a more suitable time than now."

He immediately called to the middle-aged retainer, "Come with me to the Zhou family's ancestral hall."

Upon hearing this, the other masters present repeatedly advised against it, saying, "Governor, why bother with him? Let's wait until the outcome is clear in other places before making a decision. With the overall situation settled, the ancestral hall space is nothing more than a tortoise shell waiting to be knocked down!"

"No need to say more, destroying the ancestral hall is the only way to break the current predicament!"

Xiang Qiankun explained to his subordinates, "The key to this battle lies in the ancestral hall space!"

"By destroying the ancestral hall of the Zhou clan and killing their family members, the people of the Eastern Branch of the Zhou clan will lose their minds and become demoralized, and their defeat is not far off. We will wipe out the main force and family members of the Eastern Branch and affect the mindset of the ninth ancestor of the Zhou clan."

"When masters clash, victory or defeat hinges on a single point; if his mind is thrown into disarray, he will undoubtedly be defeated!"

"Once the ninth-generation ancestor of the Zhou family dies, both the Eastern and Western branches will be like fish on a chopping board, at my mercy!"

Xiang Qiankun, as expected of a regional governor, clearly explained the key points of the battle in just a few words, and among his many subordinates, not one could refute him.

(End of this chapter)