The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace

Seeing Zhou Zhe-sheng's obstinance and his attempt to leverage a court official to pressure him, Chang Yuan's patience wore thin. His gaze hardened as he looked down at Zhou Zhe-sheng.

"You dared to oppose the Yun family without even understanding their current status? Did you know they now have two spiritual root bearers in their clan?" Chang Yuan said coldly.

"Spiritual root bearers?" Zhou Zhe-sheng froze in disbelief.

As the Zhou family patriarch, he had traveled extensively and learned about the cultivation world. Spiritual root bearers were individuals born with the innate ability to cultivate—a rare and extraordinary blessing among mortals.

To have a spiritual root bearer in the family was a matter of immense pride. Such individuals would elevate their family's status, their names etched at the forefront of ancestral records for generations.

"Impossible! How could the Yun family produce spiritual root bearers?" Zhou Zhe-sheng stammered. "Constable Chang, you must have been deceived by the Yun family's schemes!"

"Deceived? Even Court Immortal Master Li Qing himself has confirmed it!" Chang Yuan retorted with a sneer.

"Immortal Master Li Qing?" Zhou Zhe-sheng froze again as his mind raced.

He recalled the young man earlier that day, the one whom even Lu Zizai treated with reverence. Could that have been the court's Immortal Master?

Realization struck like a thunderbolt. His blood ran cold, and despair clawed at his chest.

It was over. The Zhou family was finished.

No wonder his brother in the capital had refused to intervene. If the Yun family had spiritual root bearers, they had ascended to become a cultivation family—an entity leagues above ordinary mortals. They would enjoy the court's protection and favor.

How could the Zhou family, mere commoners, possibly contend with that?

He suddenly felt absurd for ever believing he could bring down the Yun family.

"Constable Chang, this humble man admits his guilt! I was wrong! I beg for mercy for my clan!" Zhou Zhe-sheng dropped to his knees, tears streaming down his face.

"I will lead my family to the Yun estate to offer apologies and kowtow for forgiveness. From now on, we will abandon the Yunzhang Mountain region and never oppose the Yun family again!"

"Please, Constable Chang, spare my family!" Zhou Zhe-sheng pleaded desperately, his voice breaking.

He knew there was no way to reverse the tide. His only hope lay in earning the Yun family's forgiveness, ensuring the survival of his clan.

After all, if the Yun family could produce spiritual root bearers, perhaps, one day, the Zhou family could too. All they needed was a chance to endure.

"Forgiveness?" Chang Yuan scoffed. "I'm afraid that's no longer possible."

At his signal, an officer beside him drew his blade and swung it down on a Zhou clansman.

Thud!

The man's head rolled to the ground, his eyes still wide with terror and disbelief.

"Mercy! Spare us! Please spare us!"

The remaining Zhou clansmen cried and begged, their voices echoing in despair.

But no matter how loud their pleas, the only response was the cold gleam of steel.

"Father! Save me! Father, help me!" Zhou Ao cried as he was dragged away, tears streaming down his face.

Zhou Zhe-sheng looked on, helpless. He couldn't even save himself, let alone his son.

Thud!

Zhou Ao's head was severed with a single stroke, blood spraying across the dirt.

His head rolled to a stop at Zhou Zhe-sheng's feet, his lifeless eyes still frozen in terror.

"It's over… completely over…" Zhou Zhe-sheng whispered, his voice hollow as his mind broke under the weight of it all.

He no longer resisted as the soldiers' blades fell on him, his head parting from his body in an instant.

"Reporting to you, Constable. All 361 members of the Zhou clan have been executed," an officer reported. "As for the women and children…"

"Lord Lu's orders were clear—total eradication of the Zhou clan," Chang Yuan said coldly from atop his warhorse.

"Understood!"

The officer saluted and turned to his men, who unsheathed their weapons once more.

Even the women and children, defenseless and sobbing, were not spared.

In mere moments, the Zhou estate became a scene of utter carnage. Blood pooled on the ground, bodies lay strewn across the courtyard, and the stench of death filled the air. It was a hellish tableau.

"Burn it down," Chang Yuan commanded flatly.

Seeing Zhou Zhe-sheng's obstinance and his attempt to leverage a court official to pressure him, Chang Yuan's patience wore thin. His gaze hardened as he looked down at Zhou Zhe-sheng.

"You dared to oppose the Yun family without even understanding their current status? Did you know they now have two spiritual root bearers in their clan?" Chang Yuan said coldly.

"Spiritual root bearers?" Zhou Zhe-sheng froze in disbelief.

As the Zhou family patriarch, he had traveled extensively and learned about the cultivation world. Spiritual root bearers were individuals born with the innate ability to cultivate—a rare and extraordinary blessing among mortals.

To have a spiritual root bearer in the family was a matter of immense pride. Such individuals would elevate their family's status, their names etched at the forefront of ancestral records for generations.

"Impossible! How could the Yun family produce spiritual root bearers?" Zhou Zhe-sheng stammered. "Constable Chang, you must have been deceived by the Yun family's schemes!"

"Deceived? Even Court Immortal Master Li Qing himself has confirmed it!" Chang Yuan retorted with a sneer.

"Immortal Master Li Qing?" Zhou Zhe-sheng froze again as his mind raced.

He recalled the young man earlier that day, the one whom even Lu Zizai treated with reverence. Could that have been the court's Immortal Master?

Realization struck like a thunderbolt. His blood ran cold, and despair clawed at his chest.

It was over. The Zhou family was finished.

No wonder his brother in the capital had refused to intervene. If the Yun family had spiritual root bearers, they had ascended to become a cultivation family—an entity leagues above ordinary mortals. They would enjoy the court's protection and favor.

How could the Zhou family, mere commoners, possibly contend with that?

He suddenly felt absurd for ever believing he could bring down the Yun family.

"Constable Chang, this humble man admits his guilt! I was wrong! I beg for mercy for my clan!" Zhou Zhe-sheng dropped to his knees, tears streaming down his face.

"I will lead my family to the Yun estate to offer apologies and kowtow for forgiveness. From now on, we will abandon the Yunzhang Mountain region and never oppose the Yun family again!"

"Please, Constable Chang, spare my family!" Zhou Zhe-sheng pleaded desperately, his voice breaking.

He knew there was no way to reverse the tide. His only hope lay in earning the Yun family's forgiveness, ensuring the survival of his clan.

After all, if the Yun family could produce spiritual root bearers, perhaps, one day, the Zhou family could too. All they needed was a chance to endure.

"Forgiveness?" Chang Yuan scoffed. "I'm afraid that's no longer possible."

At his signal, an officer beside him drew his blade and swung it down on a Zhou clansman.

Thud!

The man's head rolled to the ground, his eyes still wide with terror and disbelief.

"Mercy! Spare us! Please spare us!"

The remaining Zhou clansmen cried and begged, their voices echoing in despair.

But no matter how loud their pleas, the only response was the cold gleam of steel.

"Father! Save me! Father, help me!" Zhou Ao cried as he was dragged away, tears streaming down his face.

Zhou Zhe-sheng looked on, helpless. He couldn't even save himself, let alone his son.

Thud!

Zhou Ao's head was severed with a single stroke, blood spraying across the dirt.

His head rolled to a stop at Zhou Zhe-sheng's feet, his lifeless eyes still frozen in terror.

"It's over… completely over…" Zhou Zhe-sheng whispered, his voice hollow as his mind broke under the weight of it all.

He no longer resisted as the soldiers' blades fell on him, his head parting from his body in an instant.

"Reporting to you, Constable. All 361 members of the Zhou clan have been executed," an officer reported. "As for the women and children…"

"Lord Lu's orders were clear—total eradication of the Zhou clan," Chang Yuan said coldly from atop his warhorse.

"Understood!"

The officer saluted and turned to his men, who unsheathed their weapons once more.

Even the women and children, defenseless and sobbing, were not spared.

In mere moments, the Zhou estate became a scene of utter carnage. Blood pooled on the ground, bodies lay strewn across the courtyard, and the stench of death filled the air. It was a hellish tableau.

"Burn it down," Chang Yuan commanded flatly.