Family Cultivation: My entire family are Villains

New Yu Era 1331, August 13, Noon

The autumn sun shone warmly, a day that should have been favorable. However, Qingmiao City, situated twenty li west of Fei Peng Mountain on the plain, seemed as if it were paused in time at this moment. The air around was stagnant; there were no insects buzzing or birds flying as usual, and even the sky appeared somewhat dim. The silence within and outside the city walls was deafening, casting a stillness over the heavens and the earth.

This scene was most evident at the East Gate.

On the approximately twenty-li-long East City Wall, the soldiers of the Nanjiang Allied Forces were densely packed. By rough estimates visible to the naked eye, there were three to four hundred thousand of them, all clad in Green Armor, their faces solemn and their expressions tense as they looked at the military formations outside the city walls.

Two li from the city wall, which is about a kilometer away, the surging army of Hexi had been ready for battle for some time. In the center were the Red Flame Army in red armor, to the left the Zhaoyang Army in black armor, and to the right were the five hundred thousand Hong Miao Army led by Hong Kui.

A million-strong army divided into three formations faced Qingmiao City. Even though they did not exude the slightest bit of vital energy, the sense of oppression they imposed on the city's defenders was still immensely strong.

"Brothers, Hexi, relying on their powerful troops, has violated our borders, slaughtering our Miao People; tens of thousands of Hei Miao brothers have met with tragedy; the father and son of the Hong Ju along with the Hong Miao Tribe have forsaken their ancestors, turning their weapons against their own kind; the Ziquan Tribe Leader was murdered by the treacherous Hou Yuxiao, and not one in ten of his army survives...

All these deep-seated hatreds, even if I do not voice them, I'm sure, brothers, you are well aware of them in your hearts.

Now, as Hexi's million-strong army is at the foot of our walls, if Qingmiao City falls, our Nanjiang will become Hexi's backyard. The tens of millions of Miao People of Nanjiang will also become slaves to the Hou Clan...

The voice of Qing Xuan suddenly echoed through the sky. His tone was stirring, and his words heavy. Moreover, the events he mentioned had happened not long ago, and they were indeed the deeds of Hexi, which made them highly provocative to the soldiers of the Nanjiang Allied Forces.

With each sentence Qing Xuan spoke, he intentionally paused, and with each pause, the breathing of the Nanjiang soldiers on the city walls and in the city became heavier. They glared at the Hexi army outside the city, their expressions gradually turning hostile, angry, and hateful.

The word 'slaves' touched a nerve in these Nanjiang soldiers, causing them all to suddenly lift their heads and glare angrily at the Hexi army outside the city.

"I ask you all just one question, are you willing or not?"

The retort from Qing Xuan didn't immediately provoke a reaction, but the progressively heavier breathing of the soldiers already pointed to an answer.

"We swear to never yield!"

It was unclear who among the crowd shouted first, their voice was deep and resolute, immediately eliciting a response from the surrounding soldiers. Soon after, it spread like an infection, with successive shouts of "We swear to never yield!" reverberating over the Eastern Gate of Qingmiao City.

"We swear to never yield!"

"We swear to never yield!"

......

At the forefront of the Hexi army, Hou Yuxiao listened to the unified chant of tens of thousands of soldiers inside the city, his face showing a growing seriousness.

"This Qing Xuan, he's got some skills!"

Hou Yucheng's expression was somewhat grim. With just a few words, Qing Xuan had rallied the morale of the entire Nanjiang Allied Forces. This Qing Xuan, a Temple dignitary whom they hadn't faced directly, was clearly not a simple character.

Of course, Qing Xuan's words wouldn't stand up to scrutiny, but that wasn't the issue. This battle for Nanjiang was, when it came down to it, an invasion by Hexi. No excuse would hold water. The soldiers in the city might not be wholly loyal to Qing Xuan, but the determination to defend Nanjiang was definitely present. Otherwise, they wouldn't have become so incensed after hearing Qing Xuan's speech.

The enemy's morale was at its peak, and traditionally, this wasn't the right time to attack the city. But when Hou Yuxiao scanned the battlements and found no sign of Duanmu Hong or the Saint Heir Wu Yuan, the sense of urgency in his heart ultimately took over.

Given enough time, he would certainly prefer to be more prudent. However, Duanmu Hong might already be repairing the Chi Li Heaven Barrier at this moment. If he succeeded, who knew what more powerful forces they would face.

The city must be breached quickly!

Hou Yuxiao turned slightly and gave a meaningful glance towards Hong Kui on his right.

Hong Kui nodded, took a half step forward, and with a gesture of his blade towards Qing Xuan in the sky above Qingmiao City, he channeled his energy and yelled sharply: "Qing Xuan, enough with your nonsense! It was you who, as the revered leader of Nanjiang, colluded with the Rakshasa Holy Sect and, under completely unfounded charges, executed the Hei Miao Clan Leader. Then, you and Duanmu Hong even tried to kill my father. Thankfully, with my two elder brothers fighting to their death, my father Hong Ju was able to narrowly escape.

You were well aware of Hexi's strength, yet you deluded the Zi Tribe Leader to mount an ambush outside the city, leading to the death of tens of thousands of Zimiao brothers. You deserve death for your crimes. Although the Zimiao Army was disastrously defeated at Fei Peng Mountain, the Zi Tribe Leader saw through your true nature. He intended to lead the remaining Zimiao brothers to surrender to Hexi, to help us purge the cancer that is you from Nanjiang, yet he fell victim to your and Duanmu Hong's sinister schemes.

Hexi's march to the south was at the invitation of our Hong Miao, to remove you, a traitor who bites the hand that feeds. And now you dare to accuse others unjustly. Pah!"

Hong Kui's speech, like Qing Xuan's earlier proclamation, was essentially not to be scrutinized too closely, but in the current juxtaposition of looming battle between the two armies, there were few who would do so.

To the Hexi soldiers, this march to the south was for the land and cities of Nanjiang and the military glory of a great battle. For the Hong Miao soldiers, between Qing Xuan and Hong Kui, they were naturally more inclined towards Hong Kui. His words were, of course, even more provocative to them.

Since ancient times, a military expedition has always been about having a just cause.