Family Rise: Beginning with Grandfather.

Chapter 735 The Demise of the Xiang Family

"Have you chosen a place?" Yang Zhengshan asked, looking at him with a puzzled expression.

A smile appeared in Lü Hua's eyes. "I've chosen. The Snow Mountain in Han Gu County to the north!"

To the north of Shanggu County is Hangu County, which is currently occupied by a sect called Hanxiao Sect.

Like the Hanshan Sect in Lushan County, the Hanxiao Sect is just an ordinary sect without any Martial God Realm experts. However, the Hanxiao Sect acts in a relatively upright manner and governs Hangu County quite well.

As for Xuemeng Mountain, it should be the spur of the Yunxiao Mountain Range, a mountain range that stretches for hundreds of miles. It is a place rarely visited by people and a good place to hide.

"Okay, once you've chosen a location, that's fine. I'll bring a few people over tomorrow to help you set up the training base!" Yang Zhengshan said.

As the saying goes, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win every battle." Right now, what Yang Zhengshan lacks most is intelligence.

It's not just information from the Lingxiu Sea, but also information from many other forces surrounding the Lingxiu Sea.

To the west of the Lingxiu Sea lies the former Great Zhao Dynasty, now fragmented. Several dynasties have emerged in the south, while the north is occupied by several sects. The capital has become the capital of the Dayun Dynasty. These forces are currently fighting each other. However, the Lu family has become stable after occupying half of Donghua County and the entire Shanggu County.

To the north of the Sea of ​​Spiritual Beauty lies the Cloud Mountain Range, which extends more than three thousand miles northward. Most of the mountains are the territory of strange beasts, and even the martial arts forces that exist there are relatively weak ones.

In contrast, there are many more martial arts forces in the Wanlin Mountains in the south, with large and small forces scattered throughout, making it even more chaotic than the Great Zhao Dynasty.

As for the east, it is said to be the territory of the Netherworld Prison. In the Lingxiu Sea, the Netherworld Prison is called the Demonic Sect, but Yang Zhengshan has no idea what kind of Demonic Sect it is.

Now that Yang Zhengshan has established himself in the Sea of ​​Spiritual Beauty, he will definitely want to make great strides there in the future. However, he cannot ignore the forces surrounding the Sea of ​​Spiritual Beauty, so it is still very necessary to gather some intelligence in advance.

Therefore, Yang Zhengshan took Lü Hua's suggestion very seriously.

The next day, he selected six people from the land of spiritual energy and handed them over to Lü Hua.

Yang Chengxian, along with five close followers, was responsible for helping Lü Hua establish a training base for the Secret Martial Guard. At the same time, Yang Zhengshan also gave Lü Hua 10,000 taels of silver and 100 spirit stones as funds for the establishment of the Secret Martial Guard.

Since they were all doing the same work, Yang Zhengshan was too lazy to come up with a new name and simply used the name of the Da Rong Secret Guard.

The reason he chose Yang Chengxian to do this was because Yang Chengxian's personality was more suitable.

Yang Chengxian is now forty-four years old. He broke through to the Innate Realm three years ago. This child has been meticulous since childhood, so he is the perfect person to help Lü Hua.

The third generation of the Yang family has now grown up. The eldest son, Yang Chengye, is still the emperor in Da'an. The second son, Yang Chengmao, has a mild personality and works in the clan hall. The third son is Yang Chengxian, while the fourth son, Yang Chengyou, is the king in Dajing. The fifth son, Yang Chengzhang, and the sixth son, Yang Chengzhen, are both preparing for a breakthrough.

Finally, there are the seventh brother, Yang Chengyu, and the eighth brother, Yang Chengan. These two are relatively young and have not yet reached the age where they can stand on their own.

As for the fourth generation, the eldest, Yang Qinyuan, is only thirty-four years old now, and his cultivation level is not even half a step into the Innate Realm, so it's not appropriate to bring him here.

So Yang Zhengshan kept jumping around, and the only thing left for him to do was to let Yang Chengxian come out.

Lu Hua led Yang Chengxian and the other six away from Lingxi Mountain, leaving the task of gathering information to Chen Zhongshu and Li Chang.

Chen Zhongshu was responsible for running errands outside, while Li Chang replaced Lü Hua, taking over the responsibility of receiving messages and relaying Yang Zhengshan's orders.

Meanwhile, Wang Lei was still busy training the young men of the Yang family in Lingxi.

After arranging things for Lü Hua, Yang Zhengshan returned to the Spirit Source Land to continue his cultivation.

Inside the Nanxia County government office, Lu Jianghua and Lan Peng sat in the main hall, discussing the recent annihilation of the Yu family.

“One of Yu Xiaoning has escaped. He is quick-witted and ruthless. Fourth Young Master, you must be wary of him seeking revenge!” Lan Peng said softly.

Although he was rugged in appearance, he was a meticulous person. Before attacking Longxi Town, he made many arrangements to prevent any members of the Yu family from escaping.

However, Yu Xiaoning was no simple man. As soon as he received news that the Chiyan Army had crossed the border, Yu Xiaoning decisively took his wife and children and left Longxi Town, abandoning everything in the Yu family, not even his elderly mother.

"General Lan, rest assured, I will be careful. However, I will need to keep an eye on things here!" Lu Jianghua said with a smile.

Lan Peng laughed and said, "It's just my duty. I'll probably need to trouble you a lot more in the future, Fourth Young Master!"

"Oh, by the way, I have another find here, please take a look, Fourth Young Master!"

As he spoke, he took out a slip of paper and handed it to Lu Jianghua.

Lu Jianghua took it and scanned it. The content was very simple, only nine characters: "The Crimson Flame Army has arrived, make preparations early." It also had a name on it: "Xiang Feiying."

He turned the note over and looked at it carefully. It was just an ordinary piece of paper, with nothing special about it except for the line of text on it.

"This is?"

"It was found in the Yu family's spiritual materials shop!" Lan Peng said calmly, picking up his teacup.

Lu Jianghua's lips curled up slightly. "Could it be confirmed?"

"Does this kind of thing need to be verified?" Lan Peng laughed.

Lu Jianghua smiled and said, "That's true, whether it can be proven or not is not important!"

It is indeed absurd to decide the fate of a family based solely on a single note.

But it's just a small martial arts family, so what if it's a bit absurd?
"It just so happens that the Crimson Flame Army and I will be stationed in that area from now on. Let's leave this spiritual field of the Southern Green Xiang family to us, so that the soldiers can also benefit from its spiritual energy!"

Lan Peng didn't care about the Xiang family at all. This time, their Chiyan Army came not only to destroy the Yu family, but also to be stationed in Nanxia County and to intimidate the martial arts families in the northern part of Nanxia County.

Lu Jianghua glanced at the paper in his hand again, then summoned a follower and asked, "Does the Xiang family have any enemies?"

Although they didn't care about wiping out another Xiang family, they didn't want to be used as pawns.

The attendant was clearly familiar with the martial arts families of Nanxia County, and knew quite a bit about the Xiang family.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, the Xiang family of Nanqing is a family that has only emerged in the last hundred years. Now they have occupied seven spiritual lands and 148 acres of spiritual fields. There are many families that have a grudge against the Xiang family, such as the Zhang family of Luyuan, the Zheng family of Nanfan, and the Yang family of Lingxi!" the attendant replied.

Upon hearing the name of the Yang family of Lingxi, Lan Peng raised his eyes, but he didn't say anything.

Lu Jianghua thought for a moment and then laughed, "Forget it, whether someone framed him or not, the person who framed him won't get any benefit anyway!"

This matter is not impossible to investigate, it's just that it's a bit troublesome.

Since Lan Peng wanted the Xiang family's spiritual fields, this was a perfect excuse, saving him the trouble of finding other reasons.

"General Lan can make the decision himself!" He then handed the note back to Lan Peng.

Lan Peng took the note and laughed loudly, "Haha, then this old man won't disturb Fourth Young Master any longer, I'll take my leave first!"

"General Lan, please!"

Lu Jianghua saw Lan Peng to the door before turning back. He paced back and forth in the study for a moment, then instructed his attendant, "Go and tally up all the unclaimed spiritual fields. After drawing up the contracts, divide them into four portions and send them to the four elders of the clan. Tell them it's a small token of my appreciation!"

The so-called unclaimed spiritual fields are naturally the spiritual fields of those families that were wiped out by the Yu family.

Lingtian also has land deeds, since the county government also collects taxes on Lingtian.

Lu Jianghua was using other people's belongings to do favors, giving away hundreds of acres of spiritual land to the clan elders, just to curry favor.

The elders of the Lu family are all Lu Fusheng's brothers. Although their cultivation levels are not high, they have a lot of say in family matters because of their seniority.

Lu Jianghua had just left home to work, so naturally he needed to manage his family's network of relationships to prevent anyone from secretly sabotaging him.

……

Nanqingshan, the ancestral home of the Xiang family.

Inside the main hall, light filtered through the carved window lattices, casting dappled shadows on the floor. Xiang Feiying sat in the main seat, his brow slightly furrowed, toying with an antique jade pendant in his hand, pondering family affairs.

Suddenly, a series of chaotic and hurried footsteps broke the tranquility of the main hall as they approached. Xiang Feiying's expression hardened, his movements froze, his brows furrowed into a deep frown, and he stood up abruptly.

In the blink of an eye, Xiang Feihong and Xiang Feiye stumbled in, their faces flushed, large beads of sweat rolling down their foreheads, and their breathing rapid and heavy.

"Brother, the Crimson Flame Army is here again!" Xiang Feihong blurted out before Xiang Feiying could even ask.

"Not again?" Xiang Feiying's eyes flashed with panic upon hearing this, his face full of disbelief.

"Didn't they evacuate from the mountains?" he muttered to himself, his voice rising unconsciously, his words revealing deep doubt and unease.

Xiang Feihong's chest heaved violently, his face filled with anxiety. He took a few heavy breaths before saying in a deep voice, "They're heading towards our Nanqingshan!"

"What?" Xiang Feiying felt his heart suddenly clench, as if it had been gripped tightly by an invisible hand. His heart skipped a beat, and a chill ran up his spine to the top of his head.

The last time the Crimson Flame Army entered the mountains, although they were near Nanqingshan, they were still some distance away. To ensure the safety of the family, Xiang Feiying specially prepared a sumptuous feast and even took out precious spiritual items to personally deliver to them, all in order to befriend the Crimson Flame Army and show goodwill to the Lu family.

But now, the Crimson Flame Army has turned back again and is heading straight for Nanqingshan. This unexpected turn of events has given him an ominous premonition.

"Let's go, let's go take a look!" Xiang Feihong took a deep breath, suppressing his inner panic. He knew that this was not the time to let his mind wander. The most important thing was to check the situation first and then make a plan.

The Xiang family's ancestral home is not located on the mountaintop, but rather halfway up the mountain. Rows of exquisite houses are built around the mountainside, like a winding, lurking dragon, quietly nestled in the embrace of Nanqing Mountain. The bluish-gray tiles are arranged in a staggered pattern, shimmering with an ancient luster under the sunlight.

As Xiang Feihong emerged from the ancestral home, a large number of soldiers clad in crimson armor surged up the gentle bluestone mountain path. A loud eagle's cry rang out in the air, while Lan Peng rode a chestnut-colored warhorse, climbing the mountain at a leisurely pace.

He was dressed in crimson armor, with a curved sword at his waist. His attire looked extremely ordinary yet capable, but his aura was chilling and terrifying.

When he arrived at the Xiang family ancestral home on the mountainside, Xiang Feihong and the others hurriedly bowed and said, "Xiang Feihong of the Xiang family of Nanqing pays respects to General Lan and congratulates General Lan on his great victory and new achievements!"

By this time, all the members of the Xiang family had come out, standing densely in front of the ancestral home, bowing and offering their congratulations.

Lan Peng, mounted on his horse, glanced at the Xiang family's ancestral home before his gaze settled on Xiang Feihong.

"Where is Xiang Tengjiao?"

He asked in a loud voice.

Xiang Feihong trembled, and just as he was about to explain, an old voice sounded behind him.

"This old man, Xiang Tengjiao, pays his respects to General Lan!" Xiang Tengjiao strode over. Although he had a full head of white hair, he did not look old at all. However, his face was too fierce, making people feel that he was not a good person.

Lan Peng glanced down at him, his rugged face showing no emotion, and simply tossed out a note.

The note floated down in front of Xiang Tengjiao, who quickly reached out to catch it. But when his eyes fell on the words on the note, he was struck as if by lightning, and his already hunched body trembled violently.

His eyes widened instantly, filled with disbelief and anger. His lips trembled as he said urgently, "General, this is a frame-up!"

He leaned forward slightly, his hands gripping the note tightly as if he wanted to crumple it to prove the absurdity of its contents.

Lan Peng casually picked at his ear, then slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping coldly over Xiang Tengjiao, and said indifferently, "The Xiang family colluded with foreign enemies, leaked military secrets, and plotted to harm the Chiyan Army. Their crimes deserve death!"

These words were like a thunderclap exploding above Teng Jiao's head.

Xiang Tengjiao's eyes widened, filled with anger and fear.

The Xiang family members around them were also terrified, some even collapsing to the ground in fear.

Lan Peng didn't wait for their rebuttal. He simply waved his hand, and the Crimson Flame Army soldiers behind him instantly sprang into action, their weapons gleaming coldly as they menacingly approached the Xiang family.

"General, General~~"

Xiang Tengjiao seemed to only then remember to argue, but Lan Peng had no intention of wasting words with him. The long sword at his waist suddenly drew its sheath, and a golden light shot out. The next moment, Xiang Tengjiao froze on the spot, his face filled with fear. Thin lines of blood seeped from his neck, and the warm liquid slowly flowed down his neck, dripping onto his clothes and staining them with shocking crimson.

The surrounding air seemed to freeze at that moment, and the Xiang family members watched this scene in horror, letting out gasps of surprise.

"father!"

Xiang Feihong was shocked. Xiang Feiying immediately drew his long sword and stood in front of the Chiyan Army soldiers. Xiang Feiye turned and ran without saying a word.

This Xiang Feiye was the same ghostly figure who had previously explored Lingxi Mountain at night. His figure instantly became blurry, drifting away like a wisp of black smoke.

But now he was not facing Wang Lei and Li Chang, but Lan Peng and the Chiyan Army.

This tactic might fool Wang Lei and Li Chang, but it wouldn't fool Lan Peng and the Chiyan Army.

Upon seeing this, a captain of the Crimson Flame Army revealed a cold smile in his eyes, and his figure flashed away, appearing behind Xiang Feiye's blurry figure in the next moment.

A longsword, gleaming with a faint glow, lightly swept past a figure as shrouded in black smoke. A scream rang out, and Xiang Feiye's figure appeared before everyone.

"Do not kill me!"

He looked at the handsome captain in fear, but unfortunately the captain was not one to waste words. His long sword flashed and sliced ​​across his throat.

Most of the soldiers in the Crimson Flame Army practiced fire-attribute techniques, but a few captains practiced techniques that were not common.

Lan Peng has four captains under his command, all of whom are Earthly Fiend stage warriors, and all are highly skilled and resolute fighters who have experienced countless battles.

Using the Crimson Flame Army to besiege the Xiang family is truly using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

In just a short while, the mountainside was littered with corpses and rivers of blood, and not a single member of the Xiang family was left standing.

(End of this chapter)