Chapter 173
Chapter 173: The Murong Family’s Shock
As soon as these words were spoken, the chatter within the council hall abruptly ceased, and all eyes turned toward Murong Hong.
Everyone in the Murong Family knew well that two ancestors with formidable martial dao still safeguarded their house. These ancestors were why the Murong Family remained the foremost martial dao clan in Sheng Province.
At such a critical moment, it was natural to seek the ancestors’ aid.
Hearing this, Murong Hong glanced around the hall, his face clouded with thoughtful hesitation.
Just then, a blurred figure suddenly flashed into the hall, swiftly arriving in front of Murong Hong.
Without wasting a single word, the man gravely reported, “Patriarch, Baili Chang Feng is dead!”
As soon as he spoke, his voice was the only sound echoing through the hall.
Everyone who had been gazing at Murong Hong was momentarily stunned.
Soon, realization dawned, and the Murong Family members erupted into uproar.
“Baili Chang Feng is dead? When did this happen?”
“Is this information reliable?”
“Could the family’s ancestors have intervened? But why haven’t we seen them appear?”
The members of the Murong Family were clearly shaken by this news. Yet, after careful thought, most began to doubt its truthfulness.
Baili Chang Feng’s martial dao might indeed have been slightly inferior to Murong Hong’s, but that did not mean he was weak. Quite the opposite—his abilities were profound and mysterious. Apart from the ancestors of Prefecture City’s prominent martial dao clans, even Murong Hong himself would struggle greatly to defeat him.
Moreover, the assault on the Murong Family this time had been led by Baili Chang Feng personally. He was certainly accompanied by numerous martial dao experts, including the patriarchs of the other Three Great Martial Dao Families.
Under these conditions, even if the Murong Family’s ancestors had intervened, killing Baili Chang Feng would not have been easy.
“Is this truly accurate?”
Murong Hong, whose face was stern as cold iron, now showed faint surprise and doubt. He stared intently at the man before him, his voice low and sharp.
His question instantly silenced the commotion, and the entire hall became quiet enough to hear a needle fall.
The man standing before Murong Hong lowered his head and said respectfully, “This news was brought by the Shadow Guard assigned to secretly protect Miss Murong, using the underground passages. Baili Chang Feng seems to have acted upon receiving word, seeking revenge for his son’s death.”
“He led a hundred Black Armored Heavy Cavalry and many martial experts, planning an ambush against Miss Murong and her group. However…”
Here, the man paused briefly, then raised his head and continued:
“However, he only managed to unleash one move before someone in the carriage subdued him with a single finger strike. Alongside him, several martial dao experts were also slain, and none survived.”
Even after these words, the council hall remained eerily silent. No one uttered a single word.
Yet, shock clearly filled everyone’s eyes.
Soon, Murong Hong’s two brothers, along with Murong Zhen, Murong Feng, and the others, all turned their eyes toward Murong Hong. Clearly, everyone here knew that Murong Xiao Ya had accompanied Li Mu Sheng’s party out of the residence, and thus had a fair guess of who traveled within that carriage.
Murong Hong’s expression fluctuated sharply as he stared intensely at the man. Finally, he asked:
“Did you find out who precisely acted from within the carriage?”
With Hu Rui An’s martial dao skill, it would have been utterly impossible to kill Baili Chang Feng. Thus, Murong Hong assumed it had to be someone else who struck him down.
The man shook his head, replying:
“The person who struck never revealed himself from start to finish. Even the Shadow Guard watching secretly never saw his face clearly. But he appeared to have a very young voice.”
“A young voice?”
Murong Zhen, Murong Feng, and the others furrowed their brows, clearly startled.
After all, among Hu Rui An’s group, no one young could possibly kill a martial dao expert like Baili Chang Feng with a single finger strike. In fact, nowhere in the entire Martial World was there likely such a young expert.
Yet, Murong Hong seemed suddenly reminded of something. His eyes narrowed slightly, and various emotions flickered across his face.
Though Murong Xiao Ya had never revealed any secret about Hu Rui An’s group, she had unexpectedly commented once about the Eighth Prince of Great Li. His usually quiet daughter, who rarely spoke to others, had oddly remarked to him:
“Your Highness is very powerful.”
At that moment, Murong Hong had merely thought his daughter praised the prince’s martial talent or perhaps some other skill. But recalling it now, the expression on Murong Xiao Ya’s face had clearly revealed awe and deep fear.
Considering those words alongside this incident now, Murong Hong felt a quiet shiver down his spine.
[Could it truly have been him? But that seems far too incredible…]
Murong Hong’s thoughts were churning, when suddenly his third younger brother, Murong Qing, stood up and said aloud:
“For now, no matter who killed Baili Chang Feng, this news undoubtedly brings enormous relief to our Murong Family.”
“With Baili Chang Feng dead, the alliance of the Four Great Martial Dao Families will likely fall into chaos. Our crisis might already be half-resolved. Perhaps they might even withdraw their forces immediately.”
These words brought everyone in the hall back to their senses, their spirits gradually recovering.
Murong Qing’s reasoning was indeed sound. The Murong Family and the Four Great Families had long been hostile, but outright war had seemed unlikely so soon. Today’s events had all sprung from Baili Chang Feng’s revenge over his son’s death. Now, with him gone, this conflict might naturally dissolve.
“Father, what should we do next? You must make the final decision,” said Murong Zhen, turning to Murong Hong, who had remained silent thus far.
Murong Hong quickly regained his composure. After a moment of contemplation, he scanned the room and declared clearly:
“Regardless of whether the Four Great Families back down today, we cannot lower our guard. As Third Younger Brother said, we must be ready at any moment for a desperate fight.”
He then issued thorough instructions for strengthening their defenses and finally dismissed everyone from the council hall.
Shortly, the hall contained only Murong Hong, Murong Zhen, and Murong Feng.
Murong Hong sat in the main seat, while his sons stood respectfully below. All three remained quiet for a moment until Murong Feng broke the silence:
“At least we needn’t worry about Little Sister now. With such a mighty martial dao master traveling alongside the Eighth Prince, it would be difficult for anyone in Prefecture City to harm her.”
Murong Hong’s face shifted slightly, and he was about to speak when Murong Zhen suddenly turned toward him, his voice grave and clear:
“Father, the deaths of the two ancestors—how much longer do you intend to keep it hidden?”