Chapter 3531 – 3540 Family’s Internal Strife
Upon seeing the communication device in Old-Geezer’s hand, John couldn’t help but feel a mix of amusement and frustration. It appeared that the charm masters in the Ethereal Realm were severely lacking in skill. Even these supposedly powerful charm masters couldn’t create simple charms.
John took out numerous communication devices from his storage ring and said, “Mr. Old-Geezer, you should keep this one for yourself. I have plenty more here. I’ll give them all to you. You can use them whenever you want to reach me. I can easily craft hundreds of these in no time…”
Old-Geezer muttered in surprise as he saw John holding dozens of communication devices. Without hesitation, Old-Geezer accepted the communication devices and left. As Old-Geezer’s figure disappeared, Miles Spicer found himself in a state of disbelief. He hadn’t expected to actually encounter Old-Geezer.
After Old-Geezer departed, John turned to Denzel and Miles Spicer, saying, “I encountered some people from the Soulless Hall on the way and brought them here.”
“People from the Soulless Hall? Weren’t they trying to kill you? These people are all minions of the Demon Seal Alliance!” Denzel asked, confused.
“The people from the Soulless Hall now wish to break away from the Demon Seal Alliance, so l brought them here. Blood Spirit Valley is large enough to accommodate them temporarily. I doubt the Demon Seal Alliance would anticipate this, John explained.
“If these people weren’t targeting Mr. White, I wouldn’t object to them staying in Blood Spirit Valley, Denzel replied.
“Very well, then. I’ll take you guys to meet them.” After John finished speaking, he led Denzel and Miles Spicer to meet Hanes of the Soulless Hall. Being fellow demons, they quickly became acquainted with each other. After the Soulless Hall sought refuge in Blood Spirit Valley, allowing them to temporarily evade the Demon Seal Alliance, John instructed Phoenix to take the telepathic beasts and familiarize themselves with the aura of Blood Spirit Valley first, while he himself remained engrossed in studying the timepiece.
Three days later, the telepathic beast had become completely familiar with the aura of Blood Spirit Valley, and its bond with Phoenix had grown even stronger. During this time, Denzel grew increasingly impatient. He was desperate to know who was responsible for the complete massacre of Blood Spirit Valley.
“Phoenix, how did it go?” John inquired.
“No problem at all,” Phoenix confidently declared.
“Very well. Let the telepathic beast find out who was present in Blood Spirit Valley before we arrived. I want to know whose aura lingers in this place. Then, we’ll have the telepathic beast track the scent while we follow it to discover the true culprit,” John instructed Phoenix.
Phoenix nodded and proceeded to give the telepathic beast some instructions. Although the telepathic beast had only recently been born, it possessed an extraordinary sensitivity to the presence of others. The telepathic beast circled around Blood Spirit Valley and eventually lingered near the entrance of the valley.
After a quarter of an hour, the telepathic beast let out a roar towards the southeast and began to run swiftly. Upon seeing this, John and his companions quickly followed suit. Dalton and Rose remained behind. They were tasked with guarding Blood Spirit Valley.
Additionally, the members of the Soulless Hall had just arrived and were still unfamiliar with many areas of the valley.
Meanwhile, at the Orlando residence in Orlando City, Harvey and Elias sat in the grand hall, waiting. Three days had passed, yet there was still no news from the Soulless Hall.
“Mr. Orlando, it appears that the individuals from Soulless Hall have truly betrayed us. It has been three days, and we have not received any news from them,” Harvey said with a serious expression. This time, he had brought Bill to Demonia Mountain, but unfortunately, Bill had died. The members of Soulless Hall had all rebelled, and Harvey was unsure of how to explain this to Benji.
Elias reassured Harvey, saying, “Do not worry, Harvey. As long as these individuals from Soulless Hall remain on Demonia Mountain, we will eventually find them.”
“Mr. Orlando, what happened with the Summers family of Forlisle? Mr. Havoc has personally invited the Summers family numerous times to join the Demon Seal Alliance, but they have consistently made excuses to avoid it. If the Summers family were to join the Demon Seal Alliance, we would have our own master of arrays. Then, we could freely utilize various charms and spells!” Harvey exclaimed.
After all, the Summers family was widely known as a prestigious household skilled in the art of magecraft. Everyone desired to gain their favor.
“Do not worry, Harvey. It won’t be long before the Summers family will be eager to join the Demon Seal Alliance.” A slight smile appeared on the corners of Elias’ mouth, his face radiating confidence
John and the others continued their pursuit of the telepathic beast. Despite running for an entire day, the telepathic beast showed no signs of stopping. Catlin glanced at the telepathic beast running ahead and asked, “Does this telepathic beast know where it’s going? Where is it headed?”
“We are nearing the borders of Forlisle. Beyond this point lie the territories of the Five Great Sects. Once we pass through their territories, we will be leaving Demonia Mountain,” Denzel explained. Denzel was also puzzled as to why the telepathic beast had led them all the way here.
“Forlisle? Is that where the Summers family resides?” John inquired.
Denzel confirmed, “Yes, the Summers family resides in Forlisle.”
“Could it be that the people of Forlisle are the ones who attacked Blood Spirit Valley?” John asked, confused.
“It’s impossible. Apart from the Summers family, the rest of Forlisle’s residents are only Body Fusion Realm cultivators. They couldn’t have annihilated Blood Spirit Valley. Even if the entire Summers family mobilized, it wouldn’t be easy to destroy Blood Spirit Valley. Their strength lies in magecraft, not physical combat. Besides, Blood Spirit Valley has no grudges or debts with the Summers family. They have no reason to act this way, Denzel dismissed John’s theory.
“Then it is indeed strange that the telepathic beast is running in this direction. Besides Forlisle, what else is in this direction?” John asked.
“There’s also a place called Orlando City, not far from Forlisle. The Orlando family is considered the most prominent family in Orlando City,” Miles Spicer replied.
“Orlando City? I’ve never heard of it. Mr. Washington, does Blood Spirit Valley have any conflicts with the Orlando family?” John turned to Denzel for clarification.
Denzel shook his head. “No, the Orlando family is very mysterious. They rarely interact with sects like Demonia Mountain. They didn’t even participate in the opening of the Celestial Battlefield this time.”
“For now, let’s not worry about anything else. We’ve been running all day, it’s time to find a place to rest!” Catlin said irritably.
“You’re right, we should take a break. The telepathic beast has remembered the scent, so we can continue the search tomorrow. It’s a small creature, we don’t want to exhaust it,” Phoenix expressed concern for the telepathic beast. It must be exhausted after running for so long! It started working shortly after it was born!
After hearing Catlin and Phoenix, John agreed. “Alright, let’s rest in Forlisle. It’s also a good opportunity to visit the head of the Summers family.” Chase had invited John after they left the Celestial Battlefield, and John wanted to take him up on the offer.
Upon hearing John’s plan to go to Forlisle, Denzel and Miles Spicer exchanged glances. With a hint of embarrassment, Denzel said, “Mr. White, as Demonic Cultivators, we can’t casually enter human cities. We can rest here and wait for you. It doesn’t matter where we rest as cultivators.”
“I won’t be going to Forlisle either. I intend to bring the telepathic creature with me and hunt for some game in these woods,” Phoenix declared, expressing his disinterest in visiting the Summers residence in Forlisle.
“Alright, then the three of us will proceed ahead. We will return early tomorrow morning and rendezvous with you,” John suggested, leading Polar and Catlin towards Forlisle. Forlisle, a rather small town, boasted a gate that exuded an antiquated charm.
Upon entering Forlisle, John and his companions encountered no resistance. Surprisingly, not a single guard was present at the city gate. John inquired about the Summers family and discovered that practically everyone in Forlisle was familiar with them. With the help of passersby, John swiftly located the Summers residence
Upon arriving at the Summers residence, they noticed that the doors were tightly shut. Observing the closed doors, Catlin expressed her confusion, “The Summers family is considered prominent in Forlisle, so why have they gone to bed and closed their doors so early?”
Polar also found it extremely strange. “It’s rather odd for such a prominent household to close its doors so early. It shouldn’t be the case.” It wasn’t that late, but the doors of the Summers residence were tightly shut. This was somewhat unusual.
“Polar, go knock on the door and see.” John furrowed his brows and instructed Polar to knock on the door. He wanted to find out why the Summers family had closed their doors so early. Did something happen? Polar stepped forward to knock on the door. He knocked for quite a while before someone finally opened it from the inside.
“What’s all this knocking about? Who are you people, banging on the door of the Summers residence so recklessly?” a young man bellowed angrily.
Upon seeing the other party open the door with anger and speaking inappropriately, Polar instantly became furious.
“What’s the issue with knocking on the door? Is it forbidden to knock on the doors of the Summers residence?” Polar retorted with a cold expression. The young man was taken aback, about to yell, but John quickly stepped forward with a faint smile.
“My friend,” he said, “we are here to see the head of the family. My name is John, would you mind informing him?” John believed that as long as the gatekeeper revealed his name to Chase, Chase would undoubtedly come to greet him personally.
To his surprise, the young man waved his hand and said, “The head of the family is in seclusion. He’s not seeing anyone…”
“Seclusion?” John’s face was full of surprise. He had only just left the Celestial Battlefield not long ago, so how could he be in seclusion so soon?
“Then I’ll look for Mack. Jenny will do as well…”
Although Chase had retreated from the world, Mack and Jenny were always around. “They have also gone into seclusion,” the young man said impatiently.
“They’ve gone into seclusion as well?” John’s face was filled with surprise. How could those two possibly have gone into seclusion? At that moment, John’s brows were already furrowed.
“Where is Mr. Freddie? I’m fine with seeking Mr. Freddie,” he pressed on. He refused to believe that all the people he knew had gone into seclusion.
“Mr. Freddie isn’t in seclusion, but he is occupied with other matters and isn’t present at the moment. You should leave for now and come back later,” the young man said with a wave. Then, showing signs of impatience, he was about to close the door. However, John held the door open, not allowing the young man to close it.
“What are you planning to do? I already told you to come back later. If you refuse to leave, don’t blame me for using force!” the young man said with a gloomy expression.
“What the heck? Who do you think you are threatening? You’re nothing but a mere watchdog! How dare you speak to Mr. White in such a manner? You must have a death wish or something!” Polar shouted as he stepped forward and knocked the young man to the ground with a single kick. Having spent some time with John, Polar had indeed changed a lot. However, this young man’s attitude was truly more than Polar could bear.
John didn’t blame Polar either. The young man did indeed need to be taught a lesson. The young man quickly stood up, glaring angrily at Polar and John.
“How dare you touch me? I am a member of the Summers family! You have truly crossed the line! Guards! We have intruders breaking in!” With the young man’s loud shouts, an elderly man swiftly arrived, followed closely by a dozen cultivators.
“What is happening? Who dares to enter the Summers residence?” the elderly man asked, his face filled with anger.
The young man pointed at John and Polar, saying, “It’s them, Mr. Chad. I already told them that the head of the family is in seclusion, but they insisted on entering!”
Chad Summers looked at John and Polar with disdain in his eyes. Polar was a cultivator in the Body Fusion Realm, while John was a First Level Tribulator. Although the Summers family was knowledgeable in the study of magecraft, they were still far more advanced in terms of cultivation levels compared to Polar and John.
“Who are you people? Why did you break into the Summers residence? If you cannot provide a convincing reason, do not blame me for using force!” Chad said with a cold snort.
“We were friends of the head of the Summers family, specifically visiting to pay our respects, not to cause trouble,” John said calmly and peacefully.
“Friends of the head of the family?” Chad glanced at John, then sneered, “How could the head of the Summers family possibly have a friend like you? Are you trying to infiltrate the Summers family, hoping to obtain some charms? I’ve encountered plenty of people like you. Regardless of whose friend you are, if you want to acquire the arcane arrays and charms, you must pay with spirit coins.”
“I truly am a friend of the head of the Summers family. If you don’t believe me, you can ask the head of the family himself,” John said, furrowing his brow.
“The head of the family is in seclusion, so there is no way for us to ask him,” Chad said, rolling his eyes in exasperation.
“You could ask Mack and his sister, Jenny. They know me as well,” John suggested.
“I won’t ask anyone. You all had better leave immediately, or I will use force!” Chad waved his hand, and a dozen cultivators surrounded John and Polar. John’s brow furrowed, his expression turning ominously cold and fearsome. He had simply come to visit the Summers family. He hadn’t expected the members of the Summers family to be so unreasonable.
Although John couldn’t quite articulate what had specifically happened, he had a vague feeling that something seemed to have gone wrong with the Summers family.
“I won’t leave until I have seen the head of the Summers family today,” John said coldly.
“Very well, if you won’t leave, then I’ll have to drive you away!”
With a subtle signal from Chad, over a dozen cultivators simultaneously launched their attacks toward John and Polar. Those cultivators included First Level Tribulators, Second Level Tribulators, as well as Body Fusion Realm cultivators. It was evident that the overall strength of the Summers family was still relatively weak.
“I really didn’t want to resort to this, but since you insist on forcing my hand, don’t blame me for what happens next!”
John’s aura erupted in an instant. No one saw how John moved, but more than a dozen cultivators from the Summers family were all sent flying in the blink of an eye. John couldn’t care less about the First Level Tribulators and Second Level Tribulators, let alone the Body Fusion Realm cultivators, who couldn’t even get close to John. They were blown away by the aura that John exuded. Upon seeing what was before him,
Chad’s expression instantly turned to shock. He shouted angrily, “You audacious brat! How dare you pretend to be weak to deceive us? Do you think those in the Summers family are pushovers? Set up the arcane array! Neither of these two people shall leave today!”
The Summers family was renowned as a lineage of magecraft experts, hence they were the most proficient in setting up arcane arrays. No sooner had Chad finished speaking, than a terrifying aura suddenly swept over them. Chad was forced to back away again and again, while the other cultivators all fell flat on the ground.
“Is this how the Summers family treats their guests? The head of the family personally invited us, and now he’s avoiding us?” Catlin slowly walked in from outside.
The aura of Catlin, who was a Seventh Level Tribulator, made Chad’s expression incredibly unpleasant. At first, he had no respect for the abilities of John and Polar. But now that Catlin has shown up, Chad dared not underestimate them anymore.
“You must be the Fox Queen from the three kings and four archons, right? My apologies for any disrespect…” Chad recognized Catlin and quickly approached to ingratiate himself.
Catlin gave Chad a cold glance, snorted dismissively, and said, “Summon the head of your family. I don’t have time to waste with you.”
“Fox Queen, the leader of our family, has indeed retreated from public life…” Chad found himself in a difficult situation.
“What about his two children?” Catlin inquired.
“Um…” Chad hesitated, unsure of how to answer.
“Mr. Chad, as they are Chase’s long-time friends, please invite them inside and ask Jenny to join us. They have traveled a great distance, after all.” Just then, a middle-aged man wearing a blue robe approached and spoke.
“Mr. Oscar, they…” Chad began to say something, but the middle-aged man interrupted him.
“Alright. Enough talk, bring Jenny out. Since we’re friends, we should show some hospitality,” the middle-aged man exclaimed.
“Understood. I will personally go and invite Ms. Jenny, Chad nodded and left. The middle-aged man then approached John with a slight smile.
“I’m truly sorry. These servants don’t understand proper etiquette. My name is Oscar Summers, and my brother is Chase Summers. Since you know my brother, you are our guest. May I know how to address you?” John’s initial doubts were somewhat dispelled by Oscar’s enthusiasm and politeness.
“My name is John White, and this is my friend Polar Max. And this is Catlin,” John introduced. Oscar laughed heartily.
“No introduction is needed for her. She’s the renowned Fox Queen. I’ve heard of her long ago.” While John engaged in sporadic conversation with Oscar, Jenny arrived.
“Mr. White, how come you’re here?” Jenny was surprised when she saw John.
“I was passing by and thought I’d pay a visit to Mr. Summers,” John explained.
After hearing John mention visiting her father, Jenny’s expression subtly changed, but quickly returned to a smile after glancing at Oscar.
“Jenny, since they’ve come to visit Chase, you should entertain them. Remember to be a good host,” Oscar advised before leaving with his people
Shortly after Oscar left, John turned to Jenny and asked, “Ms. Summers, has something happened to your family?” Jenny was momentarily taken aback, then shook her head.
“No, nothing, Mr. White. Please, come with me.” Jenny led John and the others to her chambers. However, John had already noticed the changes in Jenny’s facial expression. Upon arriving at her quarters, Jenny invited John and the others to sit down and personally attended to each of them. As John watched Jenny bustling about, his brows slightly furrowed.
“Mr. White, is there no one to attend to Ms. Summers? Does she have to do everything herself?” Polar asked curiously, recalling his own experience as a young master.
Catlin also found it odd. “I find this Jenny somewhat strange.”
However, John remained silent, continuously observing Jenny. After brewing coffee for John and the others, Jenny brought it over.
“Mr. White, please have some coffee,” Jenny spoke politely.
John nodded, took a sip of his coffee, and then asked, “Ms. Summers, is it true that the head of the Summers family is in seclusion?”
Jenny let out a sigh and nodded. “Yes, he is.”
“Since the head of the Summers family is in seclusion, then we…” John wanted to excuse himself and leave. After all, Chase was in seclusion, and Jenny’s demeanor seemed off. John didn’t want to stay any longer!
Before John could finish his sentence, Jenny interjected, “Mr. White, are you all planning to leave? Since my father is in seclusion, I won’t keep you any longer.”
To John’s surprise, Jenny was actually driving them out. Regardless, John had been a great help to the Summers family during the Celestial Battlefield, and he had even saved Jenny. No matter what, it was impossible for Jenny to send John away. However, now she had done just that, leading John to believe there must be a reason behind it.
“Ms. Summers, I didn’t say I’m leaving. I meant I want to stay here for the night and get some good rest!” John changed his mind and decided to stay at the Summers residence.
Mr. White,” she said, “my father is in seclusion. As a young lady, it’s not really appropriate for me to host you overnight. I think it’s best if you leave.” To everyone’s surprise, Jenny, with an urgent expression, took the initiative to drive John away.
John’s brow furrowed slightly as he asked, “Ms. Summers, is something wrong? If there’s an issue, please let me know. Maybe I can help…”
“No, there’s nothing wrong!” Jenny shook her head, but her eyes kept darting towards the window. John glanced out the window, then exchanged a meaningful look with Catlin. Catlin, understanding the signal, quickly dashed out of the room. Following that were two faint screams of agony, audible only to John and his group. Shortly after, Catlin returned, carrying two lifeless bodies.
Upon seeing the corpses, Jenny panicked. “Mr. White, how could you have killed someone? You must leave immediately, or it will be too late…” Jenny anxiously urged John.
“Ms. Summers, what exactly happened to your family? If you don’t explain clearly, I won’t leave.” John declared firmly.
Seeing the determination on John’s face, Jenny sighed and said, “Ah, I must admit, Mr. White. A major crisis has befallen our Summers family! My father and brother have been taken captive, and the eldest elder was killed by them. Now, Uncle Oscar has taken control of the entire Summers family. When we went to the Celestial Battlefield, Uncle Oscar had already set his sights on becoming the family head. That’s why he stayed behind in the Summers residence, conspiring with several other elders to rebel. As soon as we returned, they took action. Fortunately, my father refused to reveal what we had obtained from the Celestial Battlefield. Uncle Oscar hasn’t made a lethal move yet, as he is curious about the treasures we acquired!”
Tears welled up in Jenny’s eyes, but she quickly wiped them away and continued, “I asked Mr. White to leave for his own safety. I hope you understand my predicament. You should leave quickly before Uncle Oscar decides to harm you. Otherwise, it might be too late…”
Listening to Jenny’s account, John shook his head and said, “I can’t leave now. If your second uncle let us in, it means he intends to harm us. Leaving is not an option!”
“No, this is still a private matter within our Summers family. Uncle Oscar wouldn’t easily harm you.” Jenny didn’t believe what John had said.
“Since you don’t believe me, I’ll have to show you… After speaking, John led Jenny out of the room. No sooner had they stepped out than a faint glow began to flicker, enveloping the entire room in its radiance.
“See for yourself. A magical arcane array has been set up here. It’s clear they don’t want us to leave.” John informed Jenny.
“Mr. White, your arcane array skills are indeed powerful. Such a minor array can’t restrain you. It would be best if you leave!” Jenny knew that John’s array skills were far beyond what their Summers family possessed. With their limited skills, it was almost impossible for them to control John.
“I was planning to leave, but not before rescuing Mr. Summers and helping the Summers family resolve this situation!” John spoke calmly and indifferently.
“Mr. White, I appreciate your kind intentions, but you should leave. If anything were to happen to you here, my father would be consumed with guilt, and I would blame myself too!” Jenny still didn’t want John to get involved. After all, this place was filled with members of the Summers family. With only three of them, including John, Jenny felt uneasy.
“Don’t blame yourself. Even if I wanted to leave now, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to…”
After John finished speaking, he coldly stared straight ahead. As John waved his hand, the glow in the room completely dimmed. However, once the light faded, it became apparent that several individuals were standing nearby. It was revealed that this mysterious formation not only had the ability to obstruct, but it could also enable one to conceal themselves.
Upon witnessing Chad’s presence, Jenny’s eyes revealed a trace of fear.
“Brat, it seems you have some understanding of the arcane array. You’ve even seen through the array I didn’t want to reveal. However, what you just said was quite true. Even if you want to leave, you can’t…” Chad’s mouth curled slightly.
At that moment, four cultivators followed behind him, their auras soaring to the heavens. Each of them possessed the strength of a Fifth Level Tribulator. Thanks to Catlin’s presence, he was able to guide the Fifth Level Tribulator cultivators.
“Fox Queen, Mr. Oscar has spoken. This matter has nothing to do with you, so we can let you go,” Chad said softly to Catlin. After all, with Catlin’s strength at the Seventh level of Tribulator, no one wanted to provoke her.
“Damn it. How could I possibly abandon John? He’s my precious little one now. Whoever dares to touch him will be declaring war on me directly,” Catlin angrily admonished Chad. After being scolded by Catlin, Chad’s face turned extremely unsightly.
“Mr. Chad, this is an internal matter of our Summers family, and it has nothing to do with Mr. White. If you let him go, I can persuade my father to surrender the treasure he obtained from the Celestial Battlefield,” Jenny took a step forward and addressed Chad.
“Ms. Jenny, I was merely following orders. All of this was Mr. Oscar’s idea. If you could persuade them to surrender, perhaps they might have a chance to spare their lives,” Chad displayed an expression of helplessness.
Jenny looked at Chad’s expression, seething with anger, grinding her teeth. Chad was simply too wicked. Even at this point, he could lie without a hint of embarrassment!
“Do you really think we would surrender just because of a few trashes like you? Have you lost your mind?” John spoke disdainfully toward Chad.
“Hmph, don’t underestimate us just because our level isn’t high, Don’t forget. We’re a prestigious magecraft family. Soon, you’ll get a taste of our fierce flames,” Chad finished speaking and casually waved his hand, commanding, “Set up the arcane array and burn them all to death…”
Upon seeing the situation, the four cultivators swiftly began to set up their arcane array. Beams of light emerged from all directions, and then, right before John and his companions, they transformed into a cage. John and his companions were directly detained within a cage, around which intermittent flashes of lightning could be seen. Immediately following that, flames began to rise around the cage, growing more and more fierce!
Jenny’s face turned pale, her expression tense as she said, “Mr. White, this is the Fire Prison. They’re trying to burn us alive…”
Observing Jenny’s anxious expression, John, however, reassured her with a calm demeanor, “Don’t be afraid. Those who play with fire will get burned. In this game of fire, they are still too naive…”
After John finished speaking, he gently waved his hands, and a flame began to flicker from the center of his palms! The cluster of flames, as if possessing a life of its own, leaped directly from John’s palm, plunging into the roaring inferno!
As soon as the small spark leaped into the roaring flames, the blazing fire began to flicker and dodge as if it were a mouse encountering a cat. In the end, it was completely extinguished. This sudden turn of events left Chad and several cultivators completely dumbfounded. Several cultivators became somewhat alarmed. After all, this was the Fire Prison, considered the most prestigious arcane array of their Summers family. Yet now, the flames had been effortlessly extinguished by John.
“Don’t be afraid. Even without the flames, they can’t escape this cage,” Chad quickly spoke up to soothe them. No sooner had Chad’s words fallen than John lightly touched with his finger. The seemingly solid cage directly transformed into specks of light and disappeared without a trace.
“Uh…” Chad was astonished. He had never witnessed someone effortlessly dismantle an arcane array like this before. Observing the expressions on Chad’s and the others’ faces, John offered a faint smile.
“I neglected to mention that I possess considerable knowledge regarding arcane arrays. Therefore, if you were considering employing arcane arrays against me, I regret to inform you that it would be futile…”
Upon witnessing John effortlessly break the arcane array, Jenny felt a wave of relief wash over her.
“Catlin, I’m entrusting these individuals to you. However, make sure to keep this old man alive. He still has his uses!” John glanced at Catlin and instructed.
“Don’t worry. I assure you the task will be completed…” Catlin’s lips curled up in a smile. Having reached the Seventh level of Tribulator, Catlin could easily annihilate these members of the Summers family if she wished. They were all merely at the Fifth level of Tribulator. Even if they joined forces, what could they possibly achieve? When Chad saw Catlin leaping towards him, his eyes narrowed slightly.
“If we were to join forces, what does it matter if we face a Seventh Level Tribulator…” Chad roared. Catlin gazed at the few people before her, scoffing coldly.
“In all my life, I’ve despised people like you the most those who bite the hand that feeds them. Today, dying under my divine whip could be considered your fate…”
Suddenly, Catlin lashed out with her whip, causing a flash of radiant light to shimmer into existence instantaneously! Swoosh! The whip moved as swiftly as lightning, emitting a crisp sound. Chad and his companions only saw a blur before their eyes. Before they could react, Catlin’s whip had already arrived. With a single lash, all four cultivators let out a horrific scream, their bodies instantly torn and bleeding.
Everyone was covered in blood. Even though Catlin had only whipped them once, these people reacted as if they had been subjected to severe torture, as if they had been whipped countless times. The intense pain had the four individuals writhing on the ground incessantly. The sight was so dreadful that it sent shivers down Chad’s spine.
On the other hand, Catlin gave a cold laugh and once again drew out the whip in her hand. Smack! Another crisp sound rang out. The four screaming cultivators abruptly ceased their cries. Their eyes were wide open as they were already dead. Upon witnessing this scene, Jenny couldn’t help but feel pity for them.
“Ms. Summers, there’s no need to pity these traitors anymore. They will only lead your Summers family to irreversible ruin!” John tried to persuade Jenny.
Jenny nodded in agreement. She was well aware that under the current circumstances, the only way forward was to employ a forceful approach to intimidate the other members of the Summers family. By preventing them from causing trouble with Oscar, he alone wouldn’t be able to stir up any significant turmoil.
“Do you want to give it a try?” Catlin glanced at Chad and asked.
Chad was dumbfounded. This wasn’t what he had anticipated. Initially, he had planned to trick these four individuals into stalling Catlin while he made his escape to call for reinforcements. However, unexpectedly, when Catlin made her move, the four individuals didn’t even have the ability to retaliate. Chad fell silent, slowly lowering his head.
Upon seeing the situation, Jenny stepped forward and said, “Mr. Chad, where are my father and brother being held? Please take me there so I can free them. You’ve been with my father for so many years, so why would you help Uncle Oscar do such a thing? Do you realize the extent of the damage your scheme has caused to our Summers family? It’s not too late to turn back now. I will plead with my father to spare your life.” Jenny tried to persuade Chad.
Jenny didn’t want to continue this self- destructive conflict any longer. Otherwise, the strength of the Summers family would be greatly diminished. Upon hearing Jenny’s words, Chad slowly raised his head. However, there was no regret in his eyes, only a hint of frostiness.
“If your father were to continue as the head of the family, do you think our Summers family would still have a future?” he asked.
“I must inform you, Mr. Oscar has taken over as the head of the family and has already established contact with the Demon Seal Alliance. The Summers family is on the verge of becoming a subsidiary of the Demon Seal Alliance. By becoming a subsidiary, the Summers family would gain access to unlimited resources, as well as status and influence. No one would dare to disrespect the Demon Seal Alliance throughout the entire Celestial Realm. However, your father has repeatedly refused to cooperate with the Demon Seal Alliance. If we want the Summers family to thrive and succeed, we have no other option but to proceed in this manner!”
Chad displayed no remorse whatsoever. He believed that his actions were justified, all in the interest of the Summers family’s prosperity.
Upon hearing Chad’s words, Jenny was seething with anger, gritting her teeth.
John even delivered a resounding slap. Smack! Chad’s face swelled from the impact.
“Are you out of your mind? Do you think the Demon Seal Alliance is like your father, aiding your growth? All they’re doing is using you as their pawn. Under the guise of eradicating evil to maintain peace, the Demon Seal Alliance recruited countless cultivators. In reality, their aim was not to eradicate the Demon Cultivators, but to control and collaborate with them. What capabilities does your Summers family possess? Apart from some proficiency in magecraft and charms, what else about the Summers family could possibly attract the attention of the Demon Seal Alliance? Once you, the Summers family, have handed over everything you know to the Demon Seal Alliance, see how they will treat you. How foolish…”
John wished he could slap these two elders to death. How could there be such ignorant people in this world? If the Summers family truly joined the Demon Seal Alliance and became a branch, they would have no autonomy whatsoever. They would be mere puppets. After Chad was slapped by John, his eyes filled with a menacing glare.
“Hmph, who do you think you are meddling in the affairs of our Summers family? Now that you have us in your hands, do as you wish. Kill or torture, it’s up to you. However, I am willing to die for the prosperity and flourishing of the Summers family. My death is honorable, and it’s worth it. Sooner or later, the Summers family will remember this day.” Chad snorted coldly, speaking without a trace of fear.
Seeing Chad’s stubborn demeanor, John instantly lost the desire to continue questioning. “Catlin, kill this stubborn old fool for me. Kill him and crack open his skull. I want to see if it’s filled with rubbish,” John ordered indignantly. If it weren’t for his somewhat cordial relationship with Chase, John would have had no interest in meddling with the Summers family’s affairs.
Upon hearing this, Catlin nodded and prepared to strike Chad’s head. “Don’t…”
Upon witnessing the situation, Jenny hurriedly stopped Catlin, then turned to John and said, “Mr. White, Mr. Chad has always been loyal to the Summers family. He was merely led astray. I still hope that his life can be spared. I believe he can come to his senses.”
Jenny didn’t want to witness Chad being killed. Freddie had already died in the family’s internal strife. If Chad were to be killed as well, the strength of the Summers family would gradually diminish in the ongoing internal conflicts. By the time Chase regained control of the Summers family, she was afraid the family’s former strength would have significantly diminished.
“Alright, reveal the location where the head of the Summers family is being held captive, and I can spare your life,” John turned to Chad.
“It’s impossible. I won’t let you prevent the Summers family from joining the Demon Seal Alliance. Mr. Oscar has already begun negotiations with the Demon Seal Alliance. In just a few days, our Summers family will be able to officially join the Demon Seal Alliance. Mr. Oscar once said that as long as the Summers family joined the Demon Seal Alliance, Mr. Chase could be released. By then, it would be set in stone, and Mr. Chase wouldn’t be able to change anything,” the Second Elder spoke with an air of righteousness.
John, seeing Chad’s self-righteous demeanor, was so infuriated that he couldn’t help but slap him. The slap was so forceful that Chad passed out.
“Mr. White…” Jenny was quite taken aback, thinking that John had killed Chad!
“He’s fine. He just fainted,” John explained, then turned to Polar and said, “Lock this stubborn old man up. It seems I need to personally seek out Oscar for a chat.”
John knew that all of this had arisen because of Oscar. In order to find a solution, he needed to address Oscar first. Polar nodded and promptly restrained Chad. To ensure that Chad couldn’t escape, John established an arcane array around the room. While the Summers family was well-known for their expertise in arcane arrays, breaking the one set up by John was nearly impossible for Chad.
“Mr. Oscar, it’s terrible, truly terrible. Mr. Chad took some men to control those intruders, but they ended up being captured. All four of our array masters were also killed.”
Oscar was in his room, preparing to sleep, when suddenly he heard someone reporting. Upon hearing this, his brows furrowed, and he quickly rose to his feet. “What’s going on? Wasn’t Jenny’s room surrounded by an arcane array? How did those people manage to escape?” Oscar asked in surprise!
“That John, he turns out to be a master of arcane arrays. We thought the arcane array was invincible, but he broke through it effortlessly. Moreover, there was the Fox Queen, who had reached the Seventh level of Tribulator. Neither Mr. Chad nor the four array masters were a match for her. Right now, Jenny is heading this way with those few people. What should we do?” the subordinate asked in a somewhat panicked tone.
“Don’t panic. The situation is already under control. Even if they try, they won’t be able to change anything. I am now entrusting you with the Summers family’s token. You must immediately head to Orlando City and deliver this item to Elias. Tell him that the Summers family has agreed to join the Demon Seal Alliance as a branch. Furthermore, have him bring someone to visit the Summers family personally. Inform him that our Summers family’s resources are willing to be shared with the Orlando family!”
Oscar took out an item pouch and handed it to his subordinate, instructing him carefully. His subordinate glanced over, then promptly nodded, quickly making his exit. After his subordinates had left, Oscar was not idle. Instead, he took out a small porcelain bottle from the head of the bed and poured out some red powder. Using this red powder, he drew a charm directly on the yellow paper. After finishing the drawing, Oscar tucked the charm into his pocket and then left the room. He addressed a member of the Summers family, “Gather all the Summers family members in the main hall for a meeting…”
“Mr. Oscar, has something serious happened? Why have you gathered everyone so late?” the member of the Summers family asked with some confusion.
“Why all the unnecessary chatter? If I tell you to go, just go…”
With a furrowed brow, Oscar glared and bellowed. The member of the Summers family was so frightened that he nodded repeatedly, not daring to delay even a bit. He gathered all the Summers family members in the grand hall.
Oscar was seated at the head of the table, silently waiting without uttering a word. He was waiting for Jenny to bring John and the others to him.
“What’s going on today? They have gathered us together in the middle of the night.”
“Mr. Chase has been in seclusion for a few days, and Mr. Oscar seems rather mysterious.”
“Something significant must have happened. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have summoned us all in the middle of the night.”
The members of the Summers family were all whispering among themselves, uncertain of what was about to happen. Regarding the misfortune that befell the Summers family, many were unaware. Only a select few at the top knew that Chase, Jenny, and Mack were imprisoned. The rest of the Summers family members thought they were in seclusion. After all, it was impossible for Oscar to let everyone in the Summers family know about such a matter. If mishandled, it could potentially throw the Summers family into chaos!
The imprisonment of Chase and others was carried out in secret, outwardly proclaimed as seclusion. On the other side, Jenny led John and the others to Oscar’s chambers, only to find that Oscar was not there. Upon inquiry, they found out that Oscar had summoned all the Summers family members to the grand hall. Jenny felt that this was a golden opportunity to expose Oscar’s true face in front of the many members of the Summers family. So, she hurriedly led John and the others to the main hall. Upon seeing Jenny arrive with John, Oscar appeared remarkably composed.
“Jenny, this is a private matter within the Summers family. Why have you brought someone from outside here?” Oscar was the first to question, directing his inquiry towards Jenny.
Upon realizing that Jenny had indeed brought a stranger into the grand hall of the Summers family, the other family members were quick to express their disapproval.
“Ms. Jenny, this grand hall belongs to the Summers family, and outsiders are not allowed to enter. How could you behave in such a way?”
“Indeed, if Mr. Chase were to find out, you would undoubtedly face consequences.”
“Please ask them to leave promptly. This is not a place for outsiders to stay.” The members of the Summers family insisted that John and the other outsiders depart.
