The First Venerable of All Paths

"Master, why did you summon everyone here in such a hurry? What happened?"

In the Xue family's council hall, a group of elders who had rushed over felt uneasy upon seeing Xue Wanlong's solemn expression.

"Please have a seat."

After everyone was seated, Xue Wanlong waved his hand and used his spiritual power to set up a barrier.

"I am about to say three things, and everyone must remember them."

Xue Wanlong said in a deep voice, "First, take stock of all the cultivation resources in the clan and transfer 70% of them to the family branches in Zhongzhou."

Upon hearing this, the elders immediately became restless.

"Patriarch, do you know what 70% of cultivation resources means?"

The Second Elder was the first to speak, slamming his hand on the table and saying, "That's enough to sustain the family's cultivation for ten years! Why should it be transferred to the Central State branch?"

"Exactly, hasn't Zhongzhou benefited enough over the years?"

Another elder said, "If we give them another 70%, what will we eat and use?"

"Although you are the head of the family, I disagree with this proposal."

The other elders didn't speak, but they also looked resistant.

The Xue family's branch in Zhongzhou only moved there a little over a decade ago, but its roots remain in Sunset City.

In order to develop, the Zhongzhou branch has sought help from the Korean people quite a bit.

However, over the years, the family branches in Zhongzhou have not given back much to the clan.

Now, they want to transfer 70% of the clan's resources to the Central Plains branch, which they naturally won't agree to.

"Have you finished speaking?"

Xue Wanlong glanced at it and said in an extremely firm tone, "But this is a notification, not a discussion."

Seeing Xue Wanlong's resolute attitude, the few who had strongly opposed him dared not speak anymore.

After all, Xue Wanlong was the most powerful person in the Xue family, so his words naturally carried a lot of weight.

"The second thing."

Xue Wanlong said, "Select no more than twenty of the most talented members of the clan under the age of sixteen, and transfer them to the Central State branch along with the resources."

"Whoosh!"

These words caused an uproar in the room.

The second elder of the Xue family suddenly stood up, his tone tinged with anger, and said, "Patriarch, are you confused? Transferring the most talented member of the clan to Zhongzhou is an attempt to undermine the foundation of my Xue family!"

"sit down!"

Xue Wanlong snorted coldly, and a violent pressure swept out, forcing the Second Elder to sit back down.

"As I said, this is a notification, not a discussion."

Xue Wanlong's gaze was icy, and his voice carried an undeniable force as he said, "Anyone who dares to question my decision will be punished for treason!"

"Gulp!"

Someone swallowed hard, and the entire room fell silent.

By this point, even the most naive among them would realize that something terrible had happened.

Otherwise, the family would never have announced these two decisions.

"third."

Once everyone had calmed down, Xue Wanlong slowly said, "Selling the clan's properties in batches, even at lower prices, is fine."

"I have only one request."

Xue Wanlong slammed his cane on the ground and said, "Settlement will be in cash, including spirit stones, pills, martial arts techniques, and more. No credit allowed."

"Did you all understand?"

Everyone took a deep breath and said, "Understood!"

Xue Wanlong nodded and said, "Alright, Wentai, I'll assign this first task to you. I'll only give you three days. Can you do it?"

Xue Wentai's body stiffened, and he immediately shouted, "Father, rest assured, I guarantee I will complete the mission!"

"Okay, then go and do it now."

Xue Wanlong said, "The second matter will be your responsibility, Wenhao, with the Third Elder and Fourth Elder assisting you. You will only have three days."

Xue Wenhao stood up, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Your son obeys."

"I will obey the master's orders!"

The Third Elder and the Fourth Elder also spoke up in unison.

"As for this third matter, Second Elder, I'll leave it to you."

Xue Wanlong looked at the Second Elder and said, "Apart from the need for in-kind settlement, it must be done in secret. The Alliance must not find out."

The second elder's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly assured him, "Don't worry, Patriarch, I will personally accompany you."

"Alright, everyone, you can leave now."

Xue Wanlong said, "I don't want anyone else to know what I've said today, except for you. Otherwise, don't blame me for disregarding blood ties."

After everyone had left, Xue Wanlong sat in a chair, but his expression remained tense.

His unease grew stronger.

This inexplicable feeling made Xue Wanlong somewhat uneasy.

"Although I don't know the source, I can't just sit here and wait to die."

With a glint in his eyes, Xue Wanlong's body swayed and he suddenly disappeared from the hall.

at the same time.

The Red Powder Pavilion is the largest fireworks display in Sunset City.

Unlike elsewhere.

Every night, the Red Powder Pavilion becomes the liveliest place in Sunset City.

Many martial artists like to come here to relax.

Mercenaries, in particular, who roamed the Sunset Wasteland, used it as a place for entertainment and indulgence.

At first glance, the women are all smiles and the men are drinking and chatting, creating a scene of extravagance and liveliness.

But the scene was quite different in the room on the top floor.

Three young martial artists, their clothes open and eyes covered, stood with a dazed expression, reaching out and groping forward.

"Madam, you can't escape tonight."

"You slut, just wait until I catch you, you'll regret it!"

"Don't anyone try to take her from me, she's mine tonight!"

The three of them spoke explicit, lewd language as they searched inch by inch.

One of the young men suddenly touched something soft with both hands. Just as he was about to speak, a delicate hand quickly covered his mouth.

Then, a tingling sound came to his ear.

"Young Master Wang, come this way with me."

The young man was overjoyed and let the other person lead him forward.

Soon the young man stumbled and fell onto the bed.

A soft, full body quickly pressed down on her.

Overjoyed, he ripped off the belt covering his eyes, ready to kiss her.

However, when he saw the person in front of him clearly, he was so frightened that his eyes widened, his body trembled, and he opened his mouth to make a hoarse sound.

What was that sound?

The other two noticed something was wrong and also pulled off the belts covering their eyes, looking towards the direction from which the sound came.

There, a beautiful woman in a sheer dress was beckoning them with her finger in a very seductive pose.

"Come on, let's have some fun, hehehe!"

The two exchanged a glance, then greedily licked their lips, opened their arms, and pounced on the beautiful woman on the bed.

"My lady, let me pamper you properly!"

"I didn't expect you to have such a taste, Madam. I like it!"

Just as the two touched the beautiful woman, her alluring body began to peel away, eventually turning into a skeleton.

"Ah!"

The two screamed in agony as if they had seen a ghost, and turned to run away.

"Hehe, you think you can get away now that you've gotten into my bed?"

The skeleton's mouth opens and closes, and its bone finger points.

Two beams of light shot out and entered the bodies of the two youths.

"Well......"

The two youths trembled, and their illusory souls emerged from between their eyebrows, only to be sucked in by the skeleton and devoured.

As for the two youths, their bodies had turned into dried corpses, their life force seemingly devoured.

The skeleton picked up the gauze dress and put it on, and the flesh and blood grew back, turning her into the same voluptuous and alluring beauty she had been before.

She gently wiped the corner of her mouth, sat upright on the bed, and her body contorted into an exaggerated arc.

She glanced at the corner of the room and parted her red lips.

"I never expected that Patriarch Xue would enjoy secretly spying on the pleasures of women in their private quarters. This is truly beyond my expectations."

In the corner, ripples flowed, and Xue Wanlong appeared.

"Lady Bone's Red Powder Blood-Eating Technique is becoming more and more superb."

Xue Wanlong snorted coldly, walked straight to the table, sat down, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it by himself.

"Master Xue, you've come here so late at night, could it be that you also wish to share your pleasures with me?"

Lady Bone smiled, and wearing only a thin veil, she walked over and sat down in front of Xue Wanlong, saying with a charming smile, "If Elder Master Xue has such thoughts, I am not opposed to it."

"Heh, I don't want to turn into a pile of bones and become Lady Bone's food."

Xue Wanlong said, "Alright, I'm not here to waste time with this nonsense; I have serious business to discuss with you."

Seeing Xue Wanlong's serious expression, Madam Gu also put away her joking tone and said, "Old Master Xue, please tell us, what brings you here in person?"

Xue Wanlong took a sip of tea but remained silent.

Lady Bone shook her head, pointed her finger, and set up a barrier in the room.

"Please speak, Elder Xue."

Xue Wanlong then spoke, "I wonder what Lady Bone's opinion is on the current alliance?"

Madam Bone's eyes flickered as she asked, "What does Elder Xue mean by this?"

"Why does Lady Bone ask a question she already knows the answer to?"

Xue Wanlong said, "Since I've come to see you in person, I naturally come with sincerity."

"Elder Master Xue is joking."

Lady Bone frowned and said, "You come here so late at night, yet you want to ask me about the alliance. I really don't know what the old patriarch means."

"I wish to leave the alliance and depart from Sunset City, this place of trouble."

Xue Wanlong cut to the chase, saying, "I wonder if Madam Bone would like to cooperate?"

A glint flashed in Lady Bone's beautiful eyes as she said, "I don't think there's anything wrong with Sunset City, and I don't plan to leave."

"In that case, I will not disturb you any longer."

Xue Wanlong stood up and said, "Madam Bone, farewell!"

"Elder Xue, please wait."

Lady Bone suddenly called out to Xue Wanlong and sighed, "Elder Xue, what exactly do you know? Please tell me clearly, otherwise I really dare not take the risk."

"Presumably, Lady Bone has already received the news that Fang Xuan has not perished, and has even sent word that he will come to take revenge."

This incident happened a few days ago and was witnessed by the members of the Mighty Bull Mercenary Group.

He even clashed with the Rat Shadow Gang, killing the Rat Rampant gang before disappearing.

The alliance later sent people to investigate, but found nothing.

"I have indeed heard about this matter."

Lady Bone frowned and said, "But didn't that little beast surnamed Fang go to the Dao Seeking Sect to challenge its Holy Son?"

"Could it be that Patriarch Xue believes he can leave the Dao Asking Mountain alive?"

"Judging from the strength that little beast displayed back then, it's not impossible."

Xue Wanlong said in a deep voice, "Recently, the alliance has been sending people to inquire about information, but they have come up empty-handed. I find this very unusual."

The reason Tang Xuan got angry earlier was because he hadn't received any information.

The matter of Fang Xuan asking Zhao Qingcang for his sword seems to have been deliberately kept under wraps.

The alliance sent people into Wendao City one after another, but they gained nothing.

"So, what the old patriarch means is that the reason the Dao Seeking Sect is deliberately suppressing the news is because of Fang Xuansheng?"

Lady Bone's face showed shock.

"I can't think of any other reason besides this."

Xue Wanlong sighed, "Otherwise, given the way the Dao Seeking Sect operates, if that Holy Son Zhao really won, they would definitely make a big fuss to promote him, and there would definitely be no news at all."

"If Fang Xuan hadn't died, given how much we targeted him back then, do you think he would have let us off so easily?"

Xue Wanlong said in a solemn voice, "Therefore, if we want to survive, we must prepare an escape route in advance!"