Urban Martial Saint

Fortunately, Ao Wuchang’s Proud Family and Helian Tiehua are relatively united. However, he is now also in a situation where it’s hard for one hand to clap alone. The other three powerful families are unwilling to send people out, and he doesn’t dare to send the members of the Proud Family out on their own.

After all, the outcome of this battle is unpredictable. If the Proud Family suffers heavy losses in this battle, their strength will inevitably be severely weakened after the war. At that time, the Proud Family’s status in the Seven Great Families will inevitably drop significantly, unable to stand on equal footing with the other three families. Although Ao Wuchang is the head of the Proud Family, he doesn’t dare to be the sinner of the family!

The patriarch of the Bai Family was leaning leisurely against his chair, watching Helian Tiehua and Huangfu Ziyu. His attitude toward these two was entirely different from before. It must be noted that he was previously very respectful to these two, after all, the disparity in strength was too great. But now, this attitude makes people have to consider, is someone backing him?

”The battle against the Twelve Green Halls is a centuries-old grudge of our Seven Steering Committees of the Hong Alliance, not a personal matter of me, Helian Tiehua, nor just the matter of the Seven Steering Committees of the Hong Alliance, but it’s everyone’s issue. The outcome of this battle is such that if we all prosper, we prosper together; if we suffer loss, we suffer together. So, I hope everyone lends a hand!” Helian Tiehua said, ”If we lose this battle, not only will the Seven Steering Committees of the Hong Alliance be completely removed, but your families may also find it difficult to survive alone. Under the fallen nest, how can there be intact eggs, this reasoning you should understand better than I do!”

”Of course we understand, so we will definitely do our best to act!” The patriarch of the Bai Family chuckled, glancing at Huangfu Ziyu, ”Moreover, since Patriarch Huangfu has spoken, how can we possibly disagree?”

”Very well!” Huangfu Ziyu suddenly slapped the table and said, ”In that case, I will truly exercise the power of the family head. Uncle Bai, from what I know, the Bai Family currently has more than seventy direct members, and there are many more branches, totaling around a thousand people. The Bai Family’s area of influence spans two provinces, so manpower is naturally plentiful. Therefore, I hope the Bai Family can dispatch eight hundred members and three thousand men. The Wang Family’s situation is similar, so I hope the Wang Family can dispatch a similar number of men, Wang and Bai Families combined, should be able to resist the Earth Fourth Hall, right?”

No one expected Huangfu Ziyu to actually issue such orders. Even the head of the Bai Family and the head of the Wang Family were stunned for a good moment before they came to their senses. The two exchanged a glance and their expressions visibly changed.

”This...” The head of the Wang Family scratched his head and said, ”I don’t know where Patriarch Huangfu got this news from, but my Wang Family doesn’t have that kind of strength. Dispatching three thousand men, Patriarch Huangfu may have too high expectations for my Wang Family? It would be hard for my Wang Family to even dispatch three hundred, let alone three thousand!”

”Uncle Wang, isn’t this too frustrating? Just in terms of your family’s members, there are more than three hundred, aren’t there?” Huangfu Ziyu said, ”If Uncle Wang’s memory is failing, I can bring out the Wang Family’s roster and call out each person, how about that?”

The head of the Wang Family was at a loss for words, just like Huangfu Ziyu said, the Wang Family’s direct branches together total over a thousand people. If Huangfu Ziyu really called them out one by one with a roster, what then? If the main members of the family were all called out by her, wouldn’t the Wang Family be utterly doomed?

The head of the Bai Family immediately cleared his throat, saying, ”Dispatching people is not difficult, after all, the matters of the Seven Steering Committees of the Hong Alliance are the matters of the Seven Great Families. However, I believe the Seven Great Families should treat this matter evenly. My Bai Family can dispatch eight hundred family members and three thousand men. I just wonder, how many people can the Huangfu Family dispatch?”

”Bai Junhan, aren’t you being unreasonable?” Ao Wuchang said in a deep voice, ”The Huangfu Family has suffered a tremendous change, now only three people remain. How can you compare yourself to the Huangfu Family?”

The patriarch of the Bai Family coldly said, ”Heh, the family only has three people left, yet still wants to be the head of the Seven Great Families, is that reasonable?”

”I think Brother Bai is quite right!” The head of the Wang Family stood up and said, ”Among the Seven Great Families, naturally things should be fair. The Huangfu Family, as the leader of the Seven Great Families, should set an example. However, considering the current situation of the Huangfu Family, we can be lenient. How about this, however many the Huangfu Family dispatches, my Wang Family will dispatch ten times that amount, how about that?”

”Good, I support Brother Wang!” The patriarch of the Bai Family laughed out loud as well, ”I will also dispatch ten times the number of people. Great General, is this acceptable?”

These two spoke nicely, but it really was nonsense. The Huangfu Family only has three people left, even if Huangfu Ziyu sends out all three, the Bai Family and Wang Family sending ten times that would only be thirty people. Thirty people could not possibly influence this grand battle; what use would it be to dispatch them?

Helian Tiehua frowned, he could see that these people didn’t really want to fight the Twelve Green Halls, but were using this as an opportunity to pressure Huangfu Ziyu. Many families were dissatisfied with Huangfu Ziyu’s control over the Twelve Green Halls. Just this opportunity was being used to apply pressure, aiming to force Huangfu Ziyu to step down.

Helian Tiehua could see their ambitions. But he also knew there was nothing he could do. Because he clearly understood why these people had the confidence to pressure Huangfu Ziyu—they had hidden elders within their families who were preparing to emerge and deal with the opening of the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates. And these hidden elders were peak masters in strength. Therefore, their attitude toward Huangfu Ziyu was so arrogant!

Huangfu Ziyu was silent for a moment, then suddenly reached behind her to take down a case. The others were all startled when they saw her move, especially the heads of the Bai and Wang Families, who instinctively wanted to retreat a bit. Although the family elders were about to emerge, there were no elders here right now. If Huangfu Ziyu wanted to kill them, they really wouldn’t be able to resist.

”Ziyu.” Helian Tiehua was also startled by Huangfu Ziyu, quickly calling out to her, fearing she might act at this time. Not to mention that a civil war within the Seven Great Families would happen, but the key point is, if after the fight, those elders emerged, they certainly wouldn’t let her off!

Huangfu Ziyu gestured to Helian Tiehua, indicating that he shouldn’t worry. Then, she opened the wooden box, reached inside to touch the Sun Shooting Bow, a trace of nostalgia apparent on her face. But after a moment, she closed the wooden box and pushed it to the center of the conference table.

”I know many of you are dissatisfied with me as the family head, but obtaining the Sun Shooting Bow makes one the head of the Seven Great Families, a rule set by the elders, not a decision I, Huangfu Ziyu, am making alone,” said Huangfu Ziyu. ”Today, since you’ve all spoken up, I won’t be stingy. Now, I will give you a chance. If any of you can pick up this Sun Shooting Bow and claim it as your own, then I, Huangfu Ziyu, will step down as the family head, and the affairs of the Seven Families will be decided by the new family head.”

Upon hearing this, the head of the Wang Family and the head of the Bai Family exchanged glances, both of them filled with desire as they looked at the Sun Shooting Bow before them. But with no one making the first move, they didn’t dare to act rashly.

Huangfu Ziyu waited for two minutes, seeing no one making a move, she said sternly, ”What? None of you plan to try? If none of you try, then I’ll consider it as giving up the chance, that is to say, you all acknowledge my role as the family head. So, from now on, I hope that you will adhere to the rules set by the family elders and not question my position as family head anymore. Given that General Helian is present, he can bear witness for everyone!”

Helian Tiehua had realized Huangfu Ziyu’s intentions, aware that she wanted to use this opportunity to force them to obey her command. Thus, he didn’t refuse, instead smiling faintly, ”Patriarch Huangfu is indeed generous, giving everyone another opportunity. I will act as a witness here. If anyone can make the Sun Shooting Bow acknowledge them, then the position of the head of the Seven Families is theirs. If no one can make the Sun Shooting Bow acknowledge them, then Huangfu Ziyu will rightfully remain the head of the Seven Families!”

The faces of the heads of the Bai Family and the Wang Family changed; Huangfu Ziyu was using provocation. If they didn’t take action to claim the Sun Shooting Bow, it would be akin to conceding, giving up the opportunity. But even if they reached for the Sun Shooting Bow, it might not acknowledge them. This famed instrument, once acknowledging a master, is hard to be passed to another, unless the current master dies!

”Huangfu Ziyu, aren’t you being unreasonable!” The head of the Wang Family suddenly furiously exclaimed, ”Since this is the matter of the Seven Great Families, then naturally each member of the Seven Great Families should have a try. With just a few of us present, you insist we take the Sun Shooting Bow, isn’t this too unfair?”

”Each family has sent one person here, and from my Huangfu Family, there is only me present as well. Every family has one chance, what’s this talk of unfairness?” Huangfu Ziyu said coldly, ”You said earlier that the Huangfu Family sent fewer people, therefore it was unfair. Now I’ve given you a fair opportunity, yet you claim that it’s unfair because your people are not fully present. Hmph, I just want to ask, what must I do to achieve the fairness you speak of!”

By the end of her words, Huangfu Ziyu was already furious, smacking the table with her hand. Although Huangfu Ziyu’s strength wasn’t great, her momentum was overwhelmingly intimidating, momentarily dumbfounding the people around the table.

”Unusual times call for unusual measures. Now, all of you are the family heads, so naturally, this matter should be resolved by you family heads!” Helian Tiehua chimed in, ”I think Patriarch Huangfu’s point is quite right, having one person per family is true fairness!”