Chapter 738: The War Drums

Trouble in Yangzhou!
As the blazing torches illuminated the surroundings of Mu Family’s branch altar like stars, those in the distance seemed to see it burning amidst a vast sea of fire…
There were no cries of battle, nor the clashing of weapons!
Everything was eerily quiet!
The troops of Lingxiao Palace had crowded tightly around Mu Family’s branch altar, leaving only a space of less than fifty meters wide.
The firelight illuminated the tense and excited faces of Lingxiao Palace’s disciples!
They had been pushed to the brink by Mu Family’s people these days…
No, to be precise, ever since Happy left Yangzhou, they had been under Mu Family’s dominance. Not only had they lost several cities along the southern coast, suffering heavy losses, but in the eyes of many coastal gangs and foreign forces, Lingxiao Palace’s prestigious reputation was no longer as dazzling or glorious as before.
It was all because of Happy, because of Mu Family…
Now, Mu Family had even brazenly come to Yangzhou City, the headquarters of Lingxiao Palace, to establish a branch altar, which filled the disciples of Lingxiao Palace with rage.
Now that they finally had a chance to vent their anger, how could they not be excited?
However…
At the moment when the army approached the city, many disciples of Lingxiao Palace still felt hesitant and uneasy.
They were well aware of what it meant to take action against Mu Family.
Once hostilities broke out and the two sides turned against each other, war would follow…
After all, Mu Family was a giant in the Central Plains martial world, controlling regions such as the south, the Yangtze River basin, and the Western Regions—covering a larger area than the leaders of the other three gangs combined.
Moreover, ever since Happy officially reached the Liberation Realm and rightfully ranked first on the Dragon List, the aura of “Number One in the World” completely enveloped Mu Family.
To go to war with Mu Family, Lingxiao Palace had to be prepared for their most fierce counterattack…
Thinking of how Lingxiao Palace had lost its master and several coastal cities’ resources when they replaced him, many felt deeply conflicted.
Happy!
Like a mountain pressing down on their hearts, their lives were overshadowed by his presence and oppression.
The torches continued to burn fiercely…
As time passed, the atmosphere outside Mu Family’s branch altar grew increasingly tense!
Yet the gates of Mu Family remained firmly closed. From afar, one could see archers standing on the rooftops, and those on nearby rooftops could also notice that the interior was packed with people, well-equipped and in neat formations, ready to defend to the death.
It seemed Mu Family had been fully prepared in advance…
Just then…
The crowd outside the square suddenly parted in the middle.

Qin Qing appeared at the forefront of the crowd alongside Li Qing, Hao Tian, Shangguan Lian, Hai Dongqing, along with numerous elders and temple leaders—forming a formidable lineup.
“Where are the friends from Yipin Hall?”
Qin Qing didn’t lower her voice but deliberately let it carry throughout the entire area.
As soon as she spoke, clear laughter came from the other side, reaching every ear within a hundred meters:
“Xueyi of Yipin Hall, greeting Palace Master Qin.”
It was then that many people from Lingxiao Palace realized that the large group over there consisted entirely of experts from Yipin Hall…
The atmosphere on Lingxiao Palace’s side immediately changed subtly, with everyone showing signs of surprise—confronting the Mu family openly was completely different from allying with Yipin Hall to deal with them!
Those watching from nearby restaurants took on serious expressions:
“This woman is really cunning…”
“…Hmm.”
Though it was just a simple exchange, the atmosphere outside the Mu family’s estate clearly changed significantly, filled with momentum!
Not only did it boost their own morale, but the presence of Yipin Hall’s experts also exerted considerable pressure and dealt a heavy blow to the Mu family…
…
After receiving Xueyi’s reply, Qin Qing glanced around, nodded slightly in satisfaction, and turned her gaze back to the tightly closed Mu family temple:
“The Mu family disregards the codes of chivalry in the martial world, recklessly invading the territory of Lingxiao Palace. Today, I, Qin Qing, represent Lingxiao Palace and formally declare war on the Mu family!”
“Archers…”
With a wave of her hand, the archers behind her drew their bows, forming a full moon shape as they prepared to shoot at the Mu family estate.
“Fire!”
Whoosh!!
A large number of arrows were shot into the air simultaneously, heading straight for the Mu family estate…
“Charge!!”
Taking advantage of the continuous clashing of metals inside, the troops surrounding the Mu family temple surged forward like a tide.
Those watching from above couldn’t help but gasp in shock!
What were they seeing…
In just one breath, the fifty-meter distance was reduced by half.
It was as if a giant mouth was about to swallow the Mu family temple!
But…
This was clearly impossible to succeed.
Both Lingxiao Palace and Qin Qing and Xueyi from Yipin Hall were well aware of this.
The Mu family had nearly two hundred temples across the Central Plains…
Each additional temple increased the land area by 2%, with a maximum expansion of four times.
The Mu family’s temples were at their largest scale—each ordinary temple was four times the size of the original, with vast courtyards capable of holding thousands of people.

Moreover, due to its importance, the Yangzhou Mu Family’s branch altar was staffed entirely by the elite of the Mu Family—masters capable of fighting multiple opponents at once. If it were overwhelmed by a single attack, it would no longer be the Mu Family’s stronghold.
As expected!
The vanguard, as soon as they leaped onto the wall, were struck by arrows that pierced their chests straight through…
Their bodies trembled continuously, their consciousnesses vanished swiftly, and the sharp, rapid sound of arrows tearing through the air grew fainter and fainter.
The vanguard was nothing but cannon fodder!
In just an instant of this battle, at least a hundred corpses lay outside the wall, pinned to the ground before they even had a chance to enter.
The formation behind them was slightly disrupted…
“Don’t stop!”
“Take advantage of them changing arrows—charge in!!”
“Those who retreat will be dealt with according to the rules!” It seemed Lingxiao Palace had known from the start that this would be a tough battle. With many high-ranking members following behind, they kept issuing orders and commands:
“To those who die in battle, 200,000 contribution points will be given each, along with one piece of replacement equipment!”
The people of Lingxiao Palace were well-prepared. This last statement stirred the enthusiasm of many, who charged into the Mu Family’s stronghold without hesitation.
Corpses kept falling inside!
Though they were corpses, someone had finally broken through the first line of defense…
But…
Those who managed to break through saw a terrifying sight before dying.
In front of the first group of well-equipped archers stood two rows of masters wearing first-class legendary equipment, radiating three-colored light!
But what caught their attention wasn’t the dazzling light in their hands—it was the fact that less than four meters apart in front of these two rows stood masters equipped with complete four-stage gear, exuding an overwhelming pressure. Their auras were intense, and their cold, disdainful gazes stared toward the top of the wall, like an impenetrable wall of ice…