Chapter 73

Tang Mingjing keenly sensed the wave of heat that had just swept over his body. This... came from the secret room? With a hint of doubt, he turned and walked towards where Tang Yanshan was in seclusion. But he hadn't gone far when a vast and imposing aura, like surging waves, enveloped the Tang family.

"Who dares to act so recklessly in the Tang family?!" In a certain part of the family, Tang Jun, Tang Ba, and others immediately became alert, shooting up into the sky like arrows. Other Tang family elders appeared one after another, their faces filled with shock and anger as they stared at the sky.

In the middle of the night, who would dare to act so recklessly? Is this a provocation against the Tang family?!

"Jang Yanshan, it's been a while. Do you still remember this old man?" From the vast aura, a clear and resonant laugh came from a distance.

"Chang Tianzhu? Why aren't you staying in the Spirit King's Palace and come to my Tang family?" Tang Yanshan's voice came from the secret room, also clearly reaching the ears of Tang Mingjing and others.

Chang Tianzhu? Is it him?! The chief elder of the Spirit King's Palace! This is a super-strong expert at the Martial Venerable level! Tang Jun and others' faces turned very ugly, staring at the old man who was stepping through the air, wanting to stop him but feeling deeply powerless.

Tang Mingjing raised his hand to signal everyone to calm down. What was to come has finally arrived. The Spirit King's Palace is indeed targeting the Tang family!

A thick white mist enveloped the sky, and an eagle-eyed old man gracefully landed. Under the wary gazes of Tang Mingjing and others, he walked directly into Tang Yanshan's secret room. "Brother Tang, there's a small matter I want to discuss with you."

"Speak." Tang Yanshan's expression was cold, not even looking at Chang Tianzhu who had walked in.

"By the king's order, I am to take the princess and settle some personal grudges along the way." Chang Tianzhu sat down on his own, looking at Tang Yanshan with a smile that was not quite a smile, not at all annoyed by the other's arrogance.

"I have never seen any princess. You can leave."

"Jang Yanshan, since I'm here today, I can confirm that the princess is in your Tang family. Otherwise, should I search personally?"

Tang Yanshan's face was expressionless: "Do as you please."

"Still that stubborn and unyielding attitude, not shedding a tear until you see the coffin. Three hundred meters to the east, a rock formation, eighteen meters down, there's a cage. Inside the cage is a broken wooden bed, and the princess is there! Humph, you are truly disrespectful, placing the princess in such an environment."

Tang Yanshan raised an eyebrow: "Is there a princess in my family's prison? Really?! I'm truly sorry, I don't know how she got in there."

"Don't be so stubborn, this is a fact. No matter how you defend yourself, it's meaningless. We are here to discuss something serious. Do you know that privately imprisoning an imperial princess can result in the extermination of your family?"

Tang Yanshan gave him a cold look and rebutted without any courtesy: "Raiding the children of noble families and academy students will make the Spirit King a target of everyone's criticism."

Chang Tianzhu sneered: "Raiding? Evidence! Your crime will be added with the accusation of slandering an imperial prince!"

"Is it true, dare you come and confront me?"

"Save it, you have no evidence, and you will be the one to suffer! Jang Yanshan, don't think that just because you are a Martial Venerable, no one will dare to touch you. If I give the order now, the guards from the king's palace will storm in and rescue the princess. This crime will be firmly pinned on your Tang family, and you will be subject to imperial review. At that time, no one can save you!

However... the king is merciful and appreciates your contributions to the empire over the years, so he has thought of a win-win solution. I will take the princess, and you will keep the secret forever, and... give me a personal favor!"

"Who?"

"Your grandson, Tang Yan! This boy always talks nonsense, and the king is worried about the negative impact it might have on the king's palace and the empire, and it might even bring disaster to your Tang family. I will take care of the trouble for you!"

Tang Yanshan's face turned cold: "No way!"

"Don't look at me like that. You should seriously consider it. Your accusations against us have no evidence, but your imprisonment of the princess is clear! We even have reason to suspect... that the abduction in the Illusion Forest was done by your Tang family! Otherwise, why would you abduct the princess? Hmm? Haha!" Chang Tianzhu's smile became increasingly sinister.

"Enough! The Spirit King has a good dog!"

Chang Tianzhu looked at Tang Yanshan coldly: "To eliminate the Tang family, we have enough reasons! Tang Yan knows too much and must be eliminated! You, Tang Yanshan, though a Martial Venerable, cannot protect him for life, nor can you protect the Tang family! You should understand the gravity of the situation better than I do!"

"You can leave!"

Chang Tianzhu stood up and said coldly: "To sacrifice the entire Tang family for a spoiled brat, do you think it's fair to the other family members? Think about it! The day after tomorrow in the morning, Tang Yan will return to the city. We will act in the city. If you obstruct us, it means you have not accepted the conditions, and we will attack the Tang family, completely erasing you from the empire! If you do nothing, it means you have accepted the conditions, and the Spirit King's Palace will be friends with the Tang family forever."

Half an hour later, in the Tang family's secret room!

"If I had known this would happen, I would have executed Zhou Linglu directly!" Tang Mingjing clenched his fists in anger. At the time, he had some reservations about Zhou Linglu's identity, so he didn't decisively kill her, and he had even fantasized about using her to exchange for Tang Qiong one day.

He never expected the situation to evolve to this point, and he never expected the Spirit King's Palace to counterattack so sharply! Their ability to twist the truth was so smooth!

Tang Mingzhong frowned: "How did they find Zhou Linglu? Was it the mist just now? Is it some martial skill or some magical artifact?"

Tang Mingjing's expression was serious: "It might be some kind of perception-based martial skill."

Tang Qian sat in the corner, his expression somewhat dazed. The Tang family had actually imprisoned the princess, Zhou Linglu?! The abduction incident had such a secret?! Unconsciously, the Tang family was on the brink of a precipice! If it weren't for the continuous discussions among the uncles, he wouldn't have dared to believe it.

"What do you think of Chang Tianzhu's proposal?" Tang Yanshan looked at the three people in front of him. They were the core of the family, and they had the right to participate in the decision-making about the family's fate.

The three fell into silence. Using Tang Yan's life to ensure the safety of the family seemed like the best solution, but... the Tang family had always been united and could never do such a cruel thing.

Tang Qian was slightly tempted but dared not show any hint of it in front of them.

Tang Yanshan said: "Tang Yan will enter the city the day after tomorrow. We need to make a clear decision as soon as possible. Share your thoughts and suggestions, speak freely without any reservations."

"I suggest secretly sending someone to inform my second brother to immediately turn around and leave the Northern Wasteland Domain forever." Tang Qian spoke first. This suggestion could win his grandfather's favor and also make Tang Yan leave the family forever, achieving two goals at once.

Tang Mingzhong shook his head: "Since Chang Tianzhu knows that Tang Yan will enter the city the day after tomorrow, they must have already locked onto their movements. No matter how we contact them, they won't escape the king's palace's pursuit."

Tang Mingjing clenched his fists and slammed them on the wooden chair in anger: "They want to act in Giant Elephant City so that we can only watch Tang Yan die, and watch them harm our Tang family. If such a thing really happens, what face will the Tang family have in the Northern Wasteland Domain? I, Tang Mingjing, can't even protect my own child, what face do I have to live in Giant Elephant City?"

Tang Yanshan's face was expressionless, but his heart was full of bitterness.

Choice? How to choose! Tang Yan's true identity, he knew best. His biological father's kindness to the Tang family was irreplaceable. He had promised to give him a peaceful life, how could he watch him go to his death? If the news reaches that place, what disaster will the Tang family face?

But if he insists, the Tang family is destined to be sacrificed! Chang Tianzhu has been frequently contacting the Yang family, Li family, and Giant Elephant Academy, likely trying to form a temporary alliance. Once the Tang family resists, not only will the king's palace's people attack, but the Yang family and others will also seize the opportunity. He could care less about the Yang family and Li family, but he had to consider the old man in the Giant Elephant Academy.

Chang Tianzhu's words were like pushing him to the edge of a cliff, leaving him with two choices.

Either use Tang Yan's life to exchange for the fate of the entire Tang family, or use the entire Tang family to sacrifice for Tang Yan!

Tang Mingjing's face was ugly, with his own hidden concerns. If Tang Yan were really his son, he might stand up and declare his stance, sacrificing his child to save the family. But... Tang Yan's true identity... he knew best! Only he and his father knew Tang Yan's true identity in the entire family.

Because of this, he couldn't make a decision, as the consequences were too great!

Tang Mingzhong's subconscious choice was to abandon Tang Yan, after all, the big picture was more important, but without his elder brother and father's stance, and considering the family's reputation, he couldn't say much more.

The secret room fell into a long silence.

After a long silence, Tang Mingzhong seemed to have made a big decision: "Actually..."

Tang Yanshan