Chapter Seven: The Jianghai Merchants' Alliance
As soon as the words left his mouth, a member of the Shangguan family suddenly crawled out from the crowd and approached Xiao Ye.
“King Xiao, I know where the people of the Huangfu family are. I don’t ask you to spare the entire Shangguan clan—just let my wife and children live!”
With that, he instantly clung to Xiao Ye’s leg, his obsequious demeanor resembling a dog eager to serve its master.
Seeing this, several people from the other families imitated him, crawling forward as well.
“The Dongfang family is willing to brave any danger for King Xiao, no matter the cost!”
“The Situ family as well!”
Like a pack of groveling dogs, everyone gathered around Xiao Ye, wagging their metaphorical tails in an attempt to curry favor.
But none of them noticed that Xiao Ye’s eyes were turning colder and colder.
Before they had time to react, several flashes of cold light streaked through the air.
In the next instant, severed limbs flew skyward!
Blood blossomed across the pure white carpet, staining it a vivid crimson.
Agonized, gut-wrenching screams echoed through the entire hotel.
The few who had clung to Xiao Ye moments before now lay writhing on the floor, clutching their mutilated bodies, convulsing in agony.
At that moment, Chi Long and the others stood in front of Xiao Ye.
“Those who lay hands on King Xiao—die!”
Witnessing such a gruesome scene, the members of the three great families finally understood: Xiao Ye would never let them go so easily.
In their eyes, only a bleak, colorless despair remained.
Xiao Ye wiped the blood from his sleeve, his voice dripping with contempt.
“So filthy.”
These hands were nothing compared to the scores of Xiao family members who had died such miserable deaths.
Even flaying them alive would not be enough to quell the hatred burning in Xiao Ye’s heart.
His offer of mercy was nothing but a ruse; once the four great families turned on one another, every past debt would be repaid in kind.
His purpose of intimidation achieved, Xiao Ye stood up and spoke icily.
“You have three days to find the members of the Huangfu family and bring them before me.”
With that, Xiao Ye turned and prepared to leave.
But as he moved, his gaze landed on Wang Zong and Zhou Qiurong, the couple responsible for imprisoning Qin Xue’er in a pigsty.
Sensing his gaze, a chill ran through their very bones.
They immediately fell to their knees, knocking their heads to the floor in desperate succession.
“King Xiao, have mercy! We, too, were led astray back then. If you spare us, we will serve at your command for the rest of our lives!”
Wang Zong trembled violently, but it was already far too late.
“Strip them, and make them human swine. Keep them alive and feed them well.”
“I want them to spend the rest of their lives in terror!”
With a wave of his hand, Xiao Ye turned and strode out of the Tianxuan Grand Hotel.
Behind him, the couple’s shrill, desperate screams rang out.
...
At this moment, Old Madam Li followed closely behind Xiao Ye, her face full of terror.
Though she had lived a long life and witnessed many storms, the bloody spectacle she had just seen was almost too much to bear.
Yet seeing the four great families kneeling before her like defeated curs, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement.
After so many years, her great vendetta was finally avenged!
On the wheelchair, Qin Xue’er sat in stunned silence, her face streaked with tears.
“King Xiao, why did you have those people search for the Huangfu family? Our own men could find them in an instant.”
Beside him, Chi Long asked curiously.
Xiao Ye gazed up at the sky, memories flooding his mind.
“There is something important belonging to the Xiao family, now in the hands of the Huangfu clan.”
“If we set the dogs upon each other, they’ll be too distracted to guard it, and I’ll be able to reclaim it.”
His eyes grew distant, but his tone was firm.
He referred not to just any item, but a treasure known as the Green Bamboo Jade Flute.
Its material worth was modest, but according to legend, it concealed a great secret; whoever obtained it could amass wealth unrivaled by any nation.
It was likely the reason behind the Xiao family’s destruction.
Shaking off his reverie, Xiao Ye addressed his team.
“Withdraw.”
...
Back inside the Tianxuan Grand Hotel, though Xiao Ye had departed, the people left behind remained shaken and restless.
The path was clear: find the members of the Huangfu family, and they might escape disaster.
Just then, the doors were pushed open again.
Everyone tensed, eyes full of dread as they looked toward the entrance.
A man in a black suit with golden threads on the collar stood before them, his demeanor gentle and refined.
It was none other than Huangfu Tian, patriarch of the Huangfu family.
At his side stood a middle-aged man leaning on a cane, a cold smirk on his face.
His name was Jiang Zhongtao, chairman of the Jianghai Commercial Alliance.
Both men wore mocking expressions as they jeered:
“So these are the great families? At the first sign of trouble, you grovel at the feet of a castaway like Xiao Ye—what a disgrace to the name of nobility!”
Huangfu Tian was full of scorn as he taunted the disheveled crowd.
His words instantly reignited their anger.
“And you have the gall to stand here mocking us? Isn’t the Huangfu family running like stray dogs as well?”
“Listen up, everyone! Capture Huangfu Tian and deliver him to Xiao Ye—maybe we’ll be spared!”
Driven by fear, the crowd grew restless.
No one wanted to fall into Xiao Ye’s hands and suffer inhuman torture.
But before anyone could move, Huangfu Tian let out a cold snort.
“Naive.”
“Even if you hand me over to Xiao Ye, do you really think he’ll let you go?”
His words made everyone’s faces darken further.
Deep down, they all knew that after what they’d done to the Xiao family, Xiao Ye would never spare them.
“So what do you suggest? Just watch our families be destroyed?”
“If you have no plan, I’ll go straight to Xiao Ye and tell him where you are!”
Faced with their threats, Huangfu Tian only laughed.
“It’s just Xiao Ye. If our four great families join the Jianghai Commercial Alliance, not even he will be able to touch us!”
A strange light flickered in the crowd’s eyes.
The Jianghai Commercial Alliance boasted countless powerful families, connections in every quarter, and wealth beyond imagining.
With such backing, perhaps their crisis could be resolved.
Seizing the moment, Jiang Zhongtao stepped forward.
“The patriarch is right. Xiao Ye may be formidable, but even he cannot oppose the Jianghai Commercial Alliance!”
His words awakened the crowd.
If they eliminated Xiao Ye, they could escape this nightmare.
“Anyone wishing to join the Jianghai Commercial Alliance must pledge half their assets and come to me to register.”
A sinister smile played at Huangfu Tian’s lips as he addressed the crowd.