Chapter 5

"Report to the Clan Lord, the Chen Clan Chief has personally led three hundred clan members to come and demand justice. These three hundred people are all core disciples who practice martial arts, including three experts at the fourth level of the Body Tempering stage, nearly a hundred at the second and third levels, and the rest are at least First Rank Warriors."

Soon, the scout returned, the clan member reporting with a slightly tense expression.

It was no wonder. This time, the Chen Clan had made a grand show of force. Just the three experts at the fourth level of the Body Tempering stage were enough to crush the Ling Clan into dust. To say they weren't at all nervous would be a lie.

"They came so quickly. Don't worry, tell everyone to continue with their own business and act as if nothing is happening. I will deal with the Chen Clan."

Ling Xian snorted coldly. Seeing the unusual as normal, the unusual will defeat itself. In the Three Kingdoms era, Zhuge Liang's empty city strategy could scare off Sima Yi. Is the Chen Clan Chief more cunning than Sima Zhongda?

At the entrance to the Ling Clan Fortress, the terrain is strategically important, easy to defend but hard to attack. Although the Ling Clan has declined, the ancestors did not skimp when building this fortress.

The Chen Clan arrived here with great caution. Both sides had already torn their faces, and the Ling Clan, being weak, would choose to resist here to take advantage of the terrain.

But to their surprise, the road was smooth, with no ambush. After rushing into the valley, the Ling Clan's grand residence stood tall, the gates wide open. Clan members were sweeping the ground and working, completely ignoring them.

"Brother, am I seeing things? Are the Ling Clan people blind? Don't they know we are here to seek revenge?"

The Chen Clan's elite forces were all present, with three experts at the fourth level of the Body Tempering stage, including the Clan Chief, Chen Gongxuan, who was at the peak of the fourth level, just one step away from becoming a Second-Rank expert.

The two people walking beside him were both in their forties, with strong steps and prominent temples, clearly experts with profound inner skills.

They were his third and fifth brothers.

The one speaking was the third brother, Chen Gongzhan, a tall and muscular man with a bald head and bare feet, clearly a fierce warrior.

"This..."

Chen Gongxuan's eyes flashed with a sharp light, looking around in confusion: "Fifth Brother, what do you think?"

He turned his head to the left.

This fifth brother was dressed differently, with a feather fan and a silk headband, looking dignified and full of ideas.

Chen Gongrui was indeed the strategist of the Chen Clan, but don't underestimate his martial power. He was also at the fourth level of the Body Tempering stage and had been granted the rank of a Seventh-Rank General, with authority and salary equivalent to a county magistrate, the supreme ruler within a hundred miles.

The Ling Clan hadn't produced such a great figure for over a hundred years.

"This..."

Chen Gongrui looked around, his expression becoming serious.

The Ling Clan showed no signs of defense, which was too strange.

The conflict this morning was originally a deliberate provocation by them. Without their instructions, a group of rich young men wouldn't have done such a pointless act of destroying crops.

They originally thought the Ling Clan would yield and retreat, and they would gradually pressure them to achieve their hidden goals.

But unexpectedly, the Ling Clan produced a Clan Lord who acted against the norm, changing from their usual cautious and yielding style to harshly punishing the rich young men and throwing them into a manure pit.

When the news came, the Chen Clan members couldn't believe their ears. When had the Ling Clan ever been so bold?

But despite their shock, this was a heaven-sent opportunity for them to demand justice and achieve their goals.

So they sent out their elite forces, hoping to force the Ling Clan to submit. But when they arrived at the Ling Clan Fortress, they found this result.

The other side acted as if nothing had happened!

There were two possibilities: either the Ling Clan was foolish, or they had a hidden agenda or support.

Chen Gongrui leaned towards the latter. It was impossible for the entire Ling Clan to be unaware of the serious consequences of their actions.

But the Ling Clan had long declined. What support could they have?

Chen Gongrui couldn't figure it out, so he went to his elder brother and said, "Clan Chief, when things are abnormal, there must be a reason. We must be cautious."

Chen Gongxuan nodded, thinking the same.

So he turned to instruct his disciples not to act without his command.

The Chen Clan members, originally arrogant and aggressive, now looked dejected at this situation. In contrast, the Ling Clan members, who were originally anxious, were now overjoyed, deeply admiring Ling Xian.

Thus, they performed even more convincingly, each doing their own thing, completely ignoring the aggressive Chen Clan.

"Brother!"

Chen Gongxuan waved his hand and shouted, "The Chen Clan Chief has come to visit. The young and old of the Ling Clan, come out to welcome him!"

But after shouting three times, no one responded.

A trace of anger flashed across his face, and he began to lose his composure, thinking:

"The Ling Clan is not what it used to be, having long declined. I want to see what they are relying on."

With this thought, he was about to order his subordinates to investigate, not needing to do much, just beating a few Ling Clan members to see if they were bluffing.

But before he could finish speaking, a loud noise filled his ears, drums and firecrackers sounding. The Chen Clan experts were greatly alarmed.

"Bad, we've been ambushed!"

Everyone looked around, but saw no ambushers. Just then, a group of Ling Clan disciples holding ceremonial staffs walked out.

Each was dressed in a dragon robe with a jade belt, looking magnificent, holding banners and jade carriages...

Although these things were old, they still exuded an intimidating aura.

And it didn't end there. A tall young man, standing straight, loudly announced, "Welcome the Heroic King!"

"Welcome the Heroic King!"

The young men on both sides, holding ceremonial staffs, shouted in unison, like thunder in the clear sky.

The Chen Clan members looked at each other, confused and fearful.

From the depths of the courtyard, a young man in a king's robe slowly walked out, exuding a steady and dignified aura.

And beside him was a group of young men and women, each holding the Imperial Sword and the Iron Voucher.

The Chen Clan Chief was dumbfounded.

Completely at a loss!

He, of course, knew that the Ling Clan's ancestor had been granted the title of Heroic King, a hereditary title, once glorious.

But with the times changing, the Ling Clan had long declined, and the title of Heroic King, though not revoked, had been forgotten.

He never expected that Ling Xian would now wear court robes and hold the Iron Voucher.

The Imperial Sword was even more prominent. Given the Ling Clan's former status, Chen Gongxuan had no doubt about its authenticity.

For a moment, his heart began to race.

He never expected such a scene to unfold.

The Ling Clan's strength was negligible. Just the three of them, with their fourth-level Body Tempering strength, could easily sweep them away.

But he couldn't ignore the title of Heroic King, nor could he treat the Imperial Sword and Iron Voucher lightly.

Otherwise, it would be a disrespect to the founding emperor.

The emperor's anger could result in rivers of blood, and the small Chen Clan couldn't bear the wrath of the royal family.

"Go!"

He had no choice but to do this.

"Stop."

Ling Xian's authoritative voice rang in his ears.

"What do you want?"

The Chen Clan Chief gritted his teeth, feeling that fleeing in such a humiliating manner was already very embarrassing, and the other side wanted to take advantage of it?

"The noble Heroic King's residence, how can you come and go as you please? Seeing the King, you should bow and kneel."

Da Niu's voice was very loud and hearty.

"You... Ling boy, don't push it too far."

Chen Gongxuan was furious. The Ling Clan was weak and easy to bully, but he never expected the new Clan Lord to be so strong.

"Pushing it too far, are you talking about me..."

Ling Xian took the Imperial Sword and walked over with a sneer. "I want to see if the small Chen Clan dares to defy the law and beat me, the hereditary Heroic King."

Seeing Ling Xian approach step by step, Chen Gongxuan was in a dilemma. The other side was dressed in a dragon robe and jade belt, holding the Imperial Sword, and he really didn't dare to act.

"You... What do you want?"

This was already a sign of submission.

"Alright, I am not unreasonable. Your clan members destroyed my Heroic King's land, and you were disrespectful to me. I am magnanimous and won't hold it against you. Just compensate me with fifty thousand taels of silver."

"Fifty thousand taels? You might as well rob us."

Chen Gongxuan was furious, and the Chen Clan disciples were also fuming. Although the Chen Clan was wealthy and had five experts at the fourth level of the Body Tempering stage, their annual income was only twenty thousand taels.

As for the Ling Clan's land, the annual produce was worth at most five hundred taels of silver. The other side demanded a hundred times the compensation.

Ling Xian was not only cunning and strong but also shameless!

"Fifty thousand taels is not much. My Heroic King's land is worth more than that."

Ling Xian drew the Imperial Sword. Although his strength was far inferior, he knew the other side wouldn't dare to retaliate.

So he swung the sword horizontally and vertically, and the noble Chen Clan Chief was forced to flee, covering his head. Although his strength was far superior, Ling Xian's performance was too convincing, exuding the aura of the Heroic King, making him hesitant to act, and he almost got injured several times.

In the end, they agreed to a compensation of twenty thousand taels, signed the agreement, and left with their clan members in humiliation.

"Heroic King, mighty!"

"Clan Lord, invincible!"

"Xian, you're amazing!"

...

For a moment, cheers rose and fell. A great disaster was averted by Ling Xian, not only turning danger into safety but also securing a large compensation.

The Ling Clan, now in decline, had an annual income of less than a thousand taels of silver. With this large sum, they could finally have enough to eat.

The young disciples of the clan looked at Ling Xian with deep admiration. Ling Xian was truly amazing, like the Heroic King himself.

Even the timid clan elders were pleased. They weren't really weak, just used to yielding.

Seeing Ling Xian's performance, they were all convinced. The Ling Clan would not remain silent forever. Under this new Clan Lord, it might rise again.

Ling Xian's prestige far exceeded that of any previous Clan Lord, giving the clan members hope.

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