32 Day 109 Fate of the Azure Feather Family
The next group of assassins managed to get Ye Xinghe when Xia Yuning was a little away from him. The two fought one but fled when the others came out. With no other choice, they ran for it from what Linlin informed.
Running into an 8th Heavenly Realm beast, one that was brutally injured with scorch marks on it. Liang Yu had been trying to fight to the death with the beast but it kept escaping any time his qi built up to do a death blow.
The instincts of the beast were to sharp. On its last escape, it ran into two humans that were chased by a group covered in black. it attacked in an instant trying to recover the pride loss from fleeing the other detestable group.
Ye Xinghe and Xia Yuning were pinned. Only option was to fight back. Using their weapons, they attacked with everything they had. To no avail by the looks of it. The assassins took note of the fact that Ye Xinghe actually managed to injure the beast.
*Bam! Bam!* Both were knocked back with a single swipe. Seeing this, the assassins ran for their lives. Thinking this was how the other group were murdered.
They missed a woman coming to save the two from certain death.
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2 Days Later-
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Xia Yuning was running through the forest. She spotted Liang Yu's group heading back after training. Realizing that things would be bad for the Azure Feather family she needed to go report to someone or give them a heads up at least..
"Liang Yu!" She cried out. Enough that they took notice that something was the matter. "Need your help!" Seeing the uninterested look, she hopes an explanation would help change his mind.
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Azure Feather Clan-
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"We need to hurry!" Xia Yuning yelled for the umpteen time. Liang Yu did not increase his pace as he walked almost. A coonfused look on his face most of the time. "What is wrong with you!?"
"Just trying to remember something is all. Just go handle the matter yourself." He waved his hand in front shooing her away. "I mean if you solve it on your won, I am sure Ye Xinghe will love you for it. You have taken a further step in his heart getting ahead of An Xueyun."
"Tch! This is not about that!" Xia Yuning did not like the implication.
"I mean is not like somebody will.." Liang Yu stopped mid-sentence as he rembered some will die. Actually quite a few will. "..oh yeah. They are going to settle accounts! I mean .."
"Aren't there kids who are still recovering?" Liang Jian asked. "You spent so much time checking over them you said. I am sure you don't want to let them face such a bad fate."
"Yeah..." Liang Yu shot forward increasing his speed. Everyone actually running now. "..well hopefully they learn from this."
"I seriously doubt it." Lin Yin shook her head not holding her breath. "The Azure Feather clan is used to being trampled over. If all of their hope was on Ye Xinghe and they believe he is dead.. then depression alone will make things worse."
"What about that apprentice you picked up and the Ye Mu person?" Linlin reminded.
"Ye Mu, should be in town with Ye Xingyun around this time. Suppose to be waiting on a shipment for me." Liang Yu hoped that was still the case. Ye Mu was a good test to see what would develop with teaching the young man. Ye Xingyun even more so with the medical learning he subjected him to while teaching a little about cultivation. "Hmmm, almost there."
Inside the clan, things were not pretty by the looks of it.
"Has our Dark Moon family been providing for trash this entire time?" A purple haired youth said in disgust. This was the heir of Dark Moon house. Liang Xu. Reputation was not that great even in his own house let alone among the vassal families. They just didn't know bad till now. "This old man is useless, your clan is useless. What do we allow you to live for?"
"Kuff! Kuff!" Old Ye still drew breath and tried to get up after some painful coughs. His clansmen helping as they watch Liang Xu with hatred. "Liang Yu will not let this pass unavenged!"
"My clansmen, I will deal with him. Do not worry about that." Liang Xu was a little fearful if the rumors were true. But enough information given by steward Chen said otherwise. "But with such weak bodies, I am sure this will be ok. I mean.. you are just so pathetic."
Instead of fighting back, they retreated. Even though it was obvious he was here to kill them from the words spoken. Such a weird battered syndrome they developed.
But one was not having it at all. Moving in the direction to fight as fast as they could.
"Don't you go to far!" Ye Mu shouted. He stepped forward having heard the commotion. "You think you can come in and do whatever you want?!" Charging forward he went for the kill.
Three cultivators immediately ganged upon him. But Ye Mu was squirrely. He fought them away from the others. Controlling the flow of battle easily.
"A bunch of lowly slaves actually dares to show such an attitude to their masters?" His eyes watched the fight to the side in distaste. Besides the numbers advantage and the same cultivation realm, they were pressured by the young man. Liang Xu reached behind pulling out a whip. "Time to discipline you all!"
*Krack!* With a lash of the whip, it made contact with a Ye member. The young man's neck twisted in a horrible way. He fell back twitching before dying.
As this went on, a few Dark Moon members came back having rounded people up that were hiding.
Liang Yu and company landed on a house nearby watching. He told Xia Yuning to go and jump in if she was so insisted on joining in. See what her status would do to make them retreat.
Regretfully she held back with the others.
"Pay close attention Lian Jian and Linlin" Liang Yu said serious as can be. His eyes trained on the entire situation as Astral Sense was used to find everyone in the Dark Moon family. It wouldn't pay to jump in and a few others escape to cause an issue or ambush anyone. "Lin Yin, this will help you understand something fundamental about people."
"Such as what." Lin Yin didn't think this was something they should get involved in. No real benefit. "Surely they will start fighting back soon?" Her brow scrunched a little thinking that would be the course an animal would take if cornered like this. "Right?"
"You will see." That was all Liang Yu said. The metal seed pushed harder as he tried to find the hidden members before other Dark Moon members from finding them. 'This is pretty crazy on how many came. The assassins killed didnt change enough for their numbers by the looks of it. So that defintely means some others are fronting the bill for this.'
"Is everyone from the Ye Family already here?" Liang Xu asked. He received nods of approval. "Even with the help my foolish cousin gave you all, you amounted to nothing still. To think you thought you could turn everything around with Ye Xinghe? You are kidding. If you want to blame someone for the sorry state of your clan, blame Ye Xinghe. Colluding with rebels and not paying proper respect to his betters."
The clan looked down in shame. They really had all their hopes on one person. It was beyond crazy to do such a thing. Especially when one could die to all sorts of outside stimuli.
"Yes, that's the expression! Very good!" Liang Yu ridiculed the people. As he enjoyed himself, two members brought over a female Ye member. Dragging her as she wiggled screaming wildly. "Oh, perfect find." He licked his lips already taking off his outer robe.
It didn't take a genius for what he plans to do.
"You beast, let go of Yue'er!" A man yelled. He was held back by clansmen who apparently thought it better the man see her get raped instead of trying to go help her. "Don't you dare!"
"Stop it you beasts!" Another man had enough of this. He charged as a few near him just trembled. "Let's fight it out with them!" Only a few helped him actually. Resulting in a one-sided fight that ended quickly.
Ye Yue had a terrified look in her eyes. Tears still falling as this was turning into the worse day of her life. Her pleading fell on deaf ears, as those who held her did not care at all.
"To be chosen by me.. is your honor." Liang Xu said. "I will make you happy beyond belief." His look turning more amorous the more she struggled.
Ye Yue refuses to give in still. She musters all her strength catching the sight of a blade one of her holders had. Grabbing the knife she pulled it from the sheat and slit her throat in one movement.
She fell back with her eyes wide open. Blood leaking out from the wound.
"Now that is a woman." Liang Yu said. Those near him shocked. "Despite everything happening, she found a way to solve the problem. With her own hands taking hold of her own fate. Not wanting to be raped and humiliated in front of her entire family, she took her own life. Knowing she couldn't kill her opponent with her strength."
"She is dead.. while we stood doing nothing.." Xia Yuning muttered.
"Nah you did nothing. You could have jumped in at any time. But you didn't. Scared for your own life." Liang Yu taunted. He then looks to his people. "Do you understand the people I am looking for now? Those who I actually want to help a little more?"
"Those who are willing to fight for their lives." Linlin said. Her anger almost breaking the reaching point of her will. 'I hope he gives the signal soon!'
"Those who are worth it." Liang Jian had his spear at the ready. He wanted to kill Liang Xu more than anything in the world right now. "I understand more than anything that the "monsters" need to be put down."
"Good. It is finished." Liang Yu smiled. Astral Sense locked onto those they needed to. He raised his hands up as the qi was already gathered while they waited. "We move now!" Linlin and Lin Yin moved to the left where the children were. Lin Jian went into the thick of where the fighters were. 'Hopefully still have some time.'
*Flash!* A blinding light appeared over the entire Ye compound. Each member of the Dark Moon family found themselves temporarily blinded by the intense light. Almost as if someone guided directly at their ocular nerves..
"I can't see!" Liang Xu shouted. "What's going on!?"
*Fwish!* Flames erupted all over as Liang Yu's attack followed the path of his Astral Sense. With them all being blind, it made it a lot easier to strike life-threatening blows. In less than 15 seconds, the majority of the Dark Moon Family were killed.
*Woosh!* Wind blasted through the area from rapid movement.
'When being a plastic surgeon comes in handy when fighting.' Liang Yu was kneeling next to Ye Xue. Her breathing was almost gone but her heart still beat a little. "Do not worry, the pain is gone for now." He waved his flames over her and stored her into his Flame Vortex Core. 'Hopefully, this method works.'
Liang Yu was not refining her as he does with others. He directed the qi into her to heal the wound to the neck. With her inside, the process was faster than anything he did with his hands directing qi on the outside. The lighting was near unruly or in large streaks going out.
'They are going in slowly, that is new.' Liang Yu pulled away as paid attention to what was going on the outside more. Xia Yunling was slaughtering in a fit of madness. "Well someone has issues."
"What is this?!" The fatty Zhao and his son had arrived right before the flash. Liang Yu did not target them. He wanted to see what they would do instead and the additional prep time was not worth the trouble. "Killed so easily!" His son stood there like a deer in headlights.
"Cousin!" Liang Xu shouted. "Is this how you treat family?!"
"Family... I have no rapists in my family. Well not anymore. They are dead." Liang Yu gave him a smile. It was not a friendly one. "Or those who.. well do this." His hands spread out at the current state of the Ye family. Feeling Ye Xue's breathing was stable, he moved her to the Internal Space to recover. "Perfect timing."
*Pew!* A beam of fire, one inch wide shot out his fingertips.
"Kuk!" Liang Xu dropped. The fire beam left flames that spread burning a softball size hole iin his body. "Why?!"
*Woosh!* A light sped towards the current location. It was Ye Xinghe in a fit of rage. Seeing his family members in such a state as well as a few others he didn't recognize. A closer look revealed them to be Zhao family members.
"Where is my mother!?" Ye Xinghe raged. His father was face up out cold. Breathing but barely so. "Where is she!?"
"When I find her, you will know!" Liang Xu was still alive since Liang Jian saw a few he needed to deal with more personally than him. Those who had a hand in causing problems and said some things to Linlin that were not ok. "Who dares to foolishly help the Dark Moon family enemies?!"
Thinking it impossible that Liang Yu could do this on his own. He was mostly right.
Ye Xinghe grabbed Liang Xu by the head healing his sight. The moment he could see him, he snapped the bastard's neck, killing him. A shocked look on Liang Xu's face as he died in moments. Not satisfied, and unwilling.
"Is that all you are going to do?" Liang Yu asked. He stood in his place but kept tabs on his people and Ye Mu. "I mean.. they can still cause trouble for your clan. And from what I have seen, the clan is.. very weak. Both mentally, physically, and.. emotionally."
"Don't lecture me!" Ye Xinghe snapped at him. A look of hatred as he stared at Liang Yu. "You are part of the Dark Moon Family! How do I know this is not your fault?"
Xia Yuning cut down her opponents and move to intervene. Knowing this would be the worst situation to happen if the two fought.
"Stop!" Weapon raised dripping in blood, she made sure to get his attention. "Liang Yu fought against these bastards! Most of them were struck down after he blinded them in an attack. Think clearly Xinghe! Do not be ungrateful for the help!"
"Now you are on his side!?" He turned to her almost accusing. "All you noble families stick togethor it seems when covering each other!" Ye Xinghe was blinded by anger and couldn't calm down. The hurt look on Xia Yuning's face was not enough to shake the rage.
"You bastard!" Liang Jian cut down to more members then stomped over ready to kill. "I think you really need a lesson in manners!"
Before the two could come to blows Liang Yu's voice cut through the area. Booming like thunder once more. He moved to pick up Liang Xu and burned the body in flames. Tossing him into the Flame Vortex Core to gain the information as quickly as possible on those that came with him.
Every single one of them were just as dirty and disgusting as Liang Xu. Even the first bit was enough to make sure they had their hands chopped off from stealing from commoners.
"All the Dark Moon members participating in this atrocity," qi from the Flame Vortex Core erupted out. Weighing down all the surviving members. ".your life is forfeit for the crime committed today and in the past."
As he started killing with his qi burning those he stroke as they were stored away, Ye XInghe studied the actions of Liang Yu intently. Not trusting of his motives as well as the fact that he spotted him and the others watching from the rooftop.
But to admit he watched before charging in would have made things worse.
"In the future, the Dark Moon family will have a new leader!" Liang Yu's voice caused Liang Jian and Linlin to fight harder. Lin Yin keeping watch of the children from the Ye clan. "Let none of them live!"
"As you command Patriarch!" Lian Jian and Lin Yin said togethor.
The Zhao family members that were their had no idea what to do. The fatty Zhao already loss to Liang Yu before and today they could tell it was not because of a sneak attack but that the fatty was weaker.
Zhao Yan could feel it in his soul that he was no match for Liang Yu. As they watched the fighting taking place, a pair of eyes watched them from a distance. The fire bird Popeye was on watch for any fleeing figures as well as reinforcements possibly coming to help. So far, nothing happens of the sort.
Old Ye and Xia Yuning more or less started thinking the same thing. Ye Mu already deciding to make sure the clansmen make a better decision about the future. Ye Xinghe was turning angrier. Xia Yuning noticing his irritable behavior and knew what it was.
'Resentment and the feeling of powerlessness.' The two were both she understood really well. 'What can I do to help him at this time?' Unable to see the person she loved in such pain, Xia Yuning did not realize she was setting herself up from heartbreak.
But someone else did.
