Chapter 397: Chapter 391: Slaying the Huang Clan_1
The Huang Family!
Shrouded in a gloomy pallor, they had learned through special channels that the Imperial Court was furious. An order for the execution of all nine branches of their family would soon be issued.
In a courtyard, Huang Changchen gathered the family elders to discuss countermeasures.
"Has anyone received any news from our Ancestor and the Young Master?" Huang Changchen sat at the head of the table, his expression anxious, devoid of his usual calm and composed demeanor.
The elders all shook their heads. The Battle of Coldwater had already ended, and to this day, their Ancestor and Young Master had not returned; they suspected the worst.
Huang Changchen’s heart sank, and he lamented, "The Yellow Spring Secret Realm doesn’t exist in Coldwater. No wonder the Imperial Court ordered that its heirs not participate. Damn it, they should have made that clearer!"
The Third Elder, seated below, felt his mouth twitch. The Imperial Court had already issued a ban. What more needed to be said?
"Clan Leader, the imperial order to execute all nine branches of our family could arrive at any moment! We must devise a countermeasure!" the Third Elder interjected. He thought, What time is this to still be worrying about the Ancestor and the Young Master? The priority is to save our own lives, to avoid the executioner’s blade! If I wasn’t so tied to the family, I’d have fled last night!
"The Imperial Court wouldn’t really execute all nine branches of our family, would it? We, the Huang Clan, number in the hundreds of thousands!" the Eldest Elder said uncertainly, his white eyebrows knitted together.
The Qin Dynasty’s policies had always been beneficial to the common people, and the families had generally been treated well. Even after losing wars, such families were not only able to retain their property but also had opportunities to become officials. This fostered an illusion among them: as long as they did not rebel, even if they made some mistakes, the Imperial Court wouldn’t punish them.
There are thousands of clever people in the world, but there are also quite a few foolish ones! The Huang Family was exceptionally foolish!
"Just in case, we should transfer a portion of our clan members now!" Huang Changchen paused, then continued, "In addition, activate the Shadows to temporarily manage clan affairs. We violated the Saint’s decree. Even if the Imperial Court doesn’t execute our nine branches, they won’t let us off!"
He had made two arrangements. These so-called ’Shadows’ were stand-ins for the high-ranking clan members, mainly used to take the blame for crimes.
Everyone nodded, ready to add their own points. Suddenly, they sensed a terrifying aura sweeping in from the distance. It radiated a palpable killing intent that chilled them to the bone, despite the great distance.
"The Imperial Court’s army!" Huang Changchen shot to his feet, his expression changing repeatedly. Beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead. Why would the Imperial Court’s army appear at this time? Could it be... they really are going to execute all nine branches of the Huang Family!
Thinking of this, Huang Changchen panicked. The other elders were equally aghast and terrified. Only the Third Elder, a bitter expression on his face, remained seated and did not move.
"The Emperor has decreed: The Huang Family has defied imperial orders, hoarded weapons, raised a private army, and harmed the common people. Their evil deeds are too numerous to record! After deliberation by the Imperial Court, the decision is made: execute all nine branches of their family!"
"I, Xiang Yu, am here to carry out this order!"
The thunderous sound of hooves approached. Xiang Yu, mounted on his Black Zebra, led one hundred thousand wolf-riders toward them like a raging torrent of steel. His cold voice was like a death knell, throwing countless members of the Huang Family into a panic.
To prevent any clans from tipping off the Huang Family, Qin Wudao had specifically dispatched Xiang Yu with the cavalry, ensuring their swift arrival to catch the Huang Family completely by surprise.
"Run!" Huang Changchen shouted, turning to flee. He had been to the frontlines and knew well the terror of the Qin Dynasty’s legions.
"Wait!" the Third Elder shouted, stopping Huang Changchen. He then said gravely, "The Qin Dynasty has mobilized its cavalry. At our speed, we can’t possibly outrun them. Our only chance is to defeat this army and escape in the ensuing chaos!"
"That’s right! The Huang Family still has six hundred thousand dedicated warriors, and we have the protection of a Formation! Perhaps we can win!" Huang Changchen, indecisive by nature, was swayed by the Third Elder’s words. Abandoning his thought of fleeing, he took out the clan seal and roared, "Men of the Huang Family, prepare for battle!"
BOOM!
A yellow barrier of light, a defensive Formation, enveloped the Huang Family.
An army lay concealed in the darkness, clad in armor and perfectly aligned. They numbered a million in total, with six hundred thousand dedicated warriors and four hundred thousand soldiers.
"Attack!" Huang Changchen led the elders to the forefront of the army, their power bolstered by the unified spirit of their army, unleashing formidable strength.
Looking at the deployed Huang Family forces, Xiang Yu gave a contemptuous sneer. The strength of ants! He thrust his Overlord Spear, and a sound like a dragon’s roar shook the heavens. A ten-thousand-zhang-long spear aura in the form of a blood dragon swooped down.
Massacre the World!
BOOM!
Before the terrified eyes of the Huang Family members, the Formation that had protected them for millennia shattered like crisp paper, pierced by a single spear thrust and disintegrating into countless fragments. After destroying the Formation, the ferocious spear qi, its power undiminished, struck the ground, leaving a thousand-zhang-deep crater. The shockwave spread, turning the once beautiful lands of the Huang Family into a wasteland. In that single blow, over a hundred thousand members of the Huang Family perished!
Amidst the chaos, the Huang Family’s Third Elder saw the Formation shatter. Now’s our chance! Concealing his aura, he soared into the sky, transforming into a streak of light and vanishing over the horizon. His movements were subtle, his escape stealthy, evading almost everyone’s notice—except for one person.
Xiang Yu saw the Third Elder’s fleeing figure but chose to ignore him for the moment. He raised his Overlord Spear, a crimson light of slaughter flaring around it, and commanded loudly, "Wolf-riders, charge!"
"ROAR!"
"Kill! Charge!"
The one hundred thousand wolf-riders roared, and their one hundred thousand Sky Wolves howled, as they charged into the Huang Family’s estate, beginning a bloody slaughter.
"Protect the family! Kill!" Huang Changchen overcame his fear, brandished his war sword, and charged towards the wolf-riders, his eyes blazing with madness.
He had nowhere left to run!
BOOM!
When the two armies clashed, the disparity in their strength was immediately apparent. The private army meticulously cultivated by the Huang Family was like mayflies trying to shake a great tree when facing the wolf-riders—utterly no match. Blood rained down. One after another, soldiers of the Huang Family’s private army were sent flying, killed instantly. Even Huang Changchen, a Nine-Turn Saint King Realm expert, was wounded by an ordinary wolf-rider. He lost his ability to fight, collapsing to the ground, forced to watch as his clansmen were slaughtered.
Fresh blood flowed, gathering into small streams.
Within a quarter of an hour, the Huang Family’s army was completely wiped out, with not a single casualty among the hundred thousand wolf-riders.
Time to catch that little ant that got away. No one from the Huang Family who owes a debt will escape!
Seeing that the battle was decided, Xiang Yu pulled his reins and soared into the sky, disappearing in the blink of an eye. In an instant, he reappeared ten thousand li away.
The Huang Family’s Third Elder was still fleeing desperately. He knew the Saint’s Court of Qin was not safe; only by escaping beyond the Great Wall could he truly be out of danger.
Suddenly, he felt as though he had been heavily struck. He coughed up a mouthful of blood and crashed into a mountain below, carving out a deep crater.
Through the settling dust, he saw a figure on horseback leisurely approaching—Xiang Yu and his Black Zebra.
"Using the lives of hundreds of thousands of your clansmen to buy your own escape... you’re truly heartless," Xiang Yu said coolly. "Before I even arrived at the Huang Family, I was monitoring you all with my soul. If Huang Changchen hadn’t listened to you and had instead ordered the clan to scatter and flee, some of your bloodline might have survived. Some might have escaped. But no, he had to listen to your words, gather the clan to resist, and let me wipe them out all at once."