Chapter 248: Chaos

“Tsk tsk tsk, kid, what should I say about you? I’m jealous!” Finally, Sognar couldn’t hold back his thoughts.
“If you like it, take it!” Rod simply said, rolling his eyes.
“No, I’m not yet tired of life. I dare not take this. If it’s discovered, it will lead to a deadly feud. What do you think? Don’t get me into trouble!” Those words caused Sognar’s expression to change drastically. He shoved the token back into Rod’s hands as if it were a hot potato he didn’t want to keep.
Nonsense! How could I live comfortably after taking this? If the Scorpion King’s clan found out, they’d think I killed their honor elder or a powerful one. That would cause a huge uproar. Not only would I not be able to protect myself, even the dragon clan might not be able to help me. I can’t do such a thing.
“Is that all there is?” Lilith, on the other hand, remained relatively calm and asked doubtfully after a long while.
“What else could there be? It’s just this!” He concealed it well, so no one noticed anything amiss, showing Rod’s improved acting skills.
“Why would they give you this for no reason?” Not only Lilith but everyone else also began to wonder. Good things don’t happen every day—this was definitely the first time! As part of the four great families, Lilith and the others knew more and understood its importance. Looking at Rod, they felt he was hiding something!
“Ahem, um… Well, I really don’t know about this. If I did, I wouldn’t be like this. Now isn’t the time to talk about it. Anyway, as long as the Scorpion King’s clan has no ill intentions toward me, that’s enough. What we need to do now is find out one thing quickly! It seems the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles and the Nash family have been acting suspiciously lately. Any news?” Not knowing how to explain and fearing more problems if he said too much, Rod used his skill in dodging questions to change the topic.
Sure enough, he quickly shifted everyone’s attention, starting with Sognar, who was more straightforward.
“We were waiting for you to tell us about this. You found out first. Did the Scorpion King’s clan tell you?”
“Yeah, they told me to be careful of the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles and the Nash family lately!” Rod nodded.
“Those guys from the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles and the Nash family—either they’ve been hit on the head or they’re truly stupid. Do they really think society is stable now? Do they really think the situation is good?”

Internal strife is rampant, and with the appearance of the Sky Pearl and the Li Xuan Dan, it has stirred up even more turmoil. A rebellion could break out at any moment—how could they go looking for help to deal with you now? That’s just ridiculous. So this matter was quickly leaked; perhaps only they themselves are still enjoying it, unaware that their plan has been exposed. She rolled her eyes, showing great disdain for the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles and Sognar from the Nash family, as if they were a bunch of fools making a fool of themselves.

“It’s better to be cautious. This time, the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles have gathered quite a force in Wuyou City, plus that ambiguous puppet of the Nash family patriarch—their strength shouldn’t be underestimated! Everyone, stay alert; nothing good will come of it!” Lilith said cautiously.

In three days, they would leave this place and go their separate ways. These few days were their only chance, along with the day of departure. Once they left Wuyou City and ventured more than a hundred miles into the wilderness, it wouldn’t be easy for them to set up a successful ambush.

“Besides these two families, a few smaller families have joined in too!” Aida added anxiously.

“A bunch of reckless fools. Rod, don’t worry—I’ll crush them one by one when the time comes. These small families think they can just show up? They really have no idea what’s at stake!” Rubio, the most impatient among them, considered Rod one of his few friends. After that encounter, he had developed great respect for Rod, so hearing such news naturally made him step forward immediately.

“It’s normal for those from small families to be ignorant of the stakes. It’s easy to deal with them—they’re driven by profit, not true loyalty. That’s why they can’t grow stronger! What worries me most now is whether any major forces are secretly involved. The pro-war faction has been acting continuously. As you’ve seen, first the Sky Pearl, then the Li Xuan Dan—major actions are inevitable. The Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles and the Nash family are their allies, and now the Mi Jiao clan is involved too. If their allies are threatened or in trouble, they might also step in if asked. Once the pro-war faction and the Mi Jiao clan get involved, things will really get complicated!” Lilith looked worried, her expression grave.

“That’s right. We need to be more careful in this regard. Everyone, be vigilant these next few days. In three days, we’ll leave Wuyou City together. At the same time, contact the members of the Dragon Clan and Black Phoenix Clan in Wuyou City. If necessary, we’ll have to meet in person. Let’s start with those smaller clans to set an example—it’s time to tell those troublemakers what they should do, what they can do, and what they can’t do!” Hei Yin pondered for a long time before speaking these words.

Soon after, people from various factions began to take action. Three days wasn’t too long nor too short—it was easy enough to stay calm. During these days, aside from coordinating with members of a few clans to gather together, nothing else happened, so things remained relatively peaceful. Meanwhile, the situation surrounding Tianzhu and Lixuandan grew more intense, diverting people’s attention and creating better opportunities for Rod and the others. The chaos distracted the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles and the Nash Clan, while during this time, the forces of the Dragon Clan and Black Phoenix Clan in Wuyou City became more united, ready to jointly deal with the schemes of the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles and the Nash Clan.

…

“Elder, what should we do now? The forces of the Dragon Clan and Black Phoenix Clan are united. If we act now…” Inside the residence of the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles in Wuyou City, a group of people gathered in a meeting room, looking at the Elder. One of them said anxiously.

“Yes, there are many members of the Dragon Clan and Black Phoenix Clan, plus the opposition from the Demon Clan. With our current strength alone…” It was better not to say it, but once spoken, people began to waver. The Dragon Clan and Black Phoenix Clan were simply too powerful, leaving an indelible impression on them. Especially the Black Phoenix Clan, which used to be their masters—it was hard to erase the shadows in their hearts.

“It seems they’ve received the news!” The Elder said softly, frowning after everyone had spoken. As the saying goes, outsiders see clearly while those involved are confused. As someone involved, he had always thought his plan was perfect—how could he have imagined it would be leaked? Especially since almost everyone already knew about it. Who would have thought those smaller clans had such talkative mouths?

“Don’t worry. Hmph, the Dragon Clan and Black Phoenix Clan—if they come, let them come! As soon as the Third Elder brings back news, we’ll act!” Yet moments later, he said calmly.

Just as he mentioned them, they appeared. Indeed, less than a moment later, the door opened, and a figure walked in. Who else could it be but the Third Elder? With a slightly gloomy expression, he walked up to the group without saying a word.

“How is it?” Seeing the Third Elder’s expression, the First Elder’s heart skipped a beat as he asked anxiously.
“They refuse!” Those words were like cold water poured over everyone’s heads, sending shivers through them all.
Who else could they mean by “they” except the pro-war faction? The Third Elder had gone out to contact them, and since they refused, it must be the pro-war faction.
“Damn those bastards! They swore oaths before, but now that our Purple Wing Thunder Eagle clan is declining, they act like this…” Gnashing his teeth, the First Elder roared fiercely.
It made sense—all those promises had turned into empty words, and anyone would be angry. But it couldn’t be entirely blamed on the pro-war faction. Think about it: a major clan claiming to be the sixth family, one that had just been established less than half a year ago—how could it start declining so quickly because of one person? That was beyond anyone’s expectation. The pro-war faction must have been disappointed and chosen to give up.
“The Second Prince said he’s Rod’s friend and won’t trouble Rod. He advised us not to act rashly!” After a moment of thought, the Third Elder added.
“Friends? How nice of them. They treat us as villains while calling themselves our friends, as if we’re fools. From now on, our Purple Wing Thunder Eagle clan has nothing to do with the pro-war faction!” Slamming the table, the First Elder shouted, his face red with anger. Beside him, Zi Yang’s expression was equally dark—the feeling of being betrayed and abandoned was indescribable.
“What about the Mi Jiao clan?” The First Elder asked, his face grim.
“Ten divine-level warriors and twenty quasi-divine-level fighters!” This time, the Third Elder’s expression improved slightly as he replied.
“At the Mi Jiao clan’s insistence, the pro-war faction finally gave us five divine-level warriors!” He paused before continuing.
“Hmph, the pro-war faction!” With a disdainful wave of his sleeve, the First Elder clearly disdained them. They were only willing to give five people after being pressured—what kind of attitude was that? It was utterly shameful.
“That’s enough. These people are sufficient for our mission. Pro-war faction, I’ll make them know that our Purple Wing Thunder Eagle clan isn’t easy to bully! I’ll make them realize how wrong and regrettable it is to abandon our clan!” Gnashing his teeth, the First Elder signaled the Third Elder to explain the ambush plan.

Conspiracies were in progress, defenses were being put in place, and days passed by without any action from the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle. Finally, the third day arrived. Nearly thirty members had gathered in the Dragon Clan’s residence—members of the Dragon Clan, the Black Phoenix Clan, and Rod and others. That morning, they set off in a grand procession toward the outskirts of Wuyou City. After today, they would part ways; their next meeting might be when Ice City entered the Netherworld.