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墨書 Inktalez
Although they were outnumbered, each member had been carefully selected, and all were elites. Moreover, with an expert like Tong Yuan guiding them, it was as the ancients said: "True inheritance is knowledge; teaching is the essence of true skill." Even just a few words from Tong Yuan held immense value for the villagers training in martial arts.
"What’s going on? Why has the village chief summoned everyone here and asked us to prepare our weapons?" someone asked.
"I was just called over too; I haven't figured out the situation yet," another replied.
"I heard that a group of people has come to the village from outside, and they all seem unfriendly, carrying weapons," someone whispered.
"Shh! Could it be that bandits have come?" murmurs spread through the crowd.
"That shouldn't be the case. If they were really thieves, how would we have the chance to gather like this?"
As discussions continued, Zhao An stepped forward. "Let me be straightforward. Recently, the Chu Family Leader and Xiahou Clan Leader from Xing Zhuang Village brought their strong men to our village."
"I'm not sure what their intentions are, but since they came armed, it’s clear they don’t mean well. Peaceful resolution is certainly the best option, but if we must take action, I hope every partner will do their utmost."
"Regardless of their purpose, if they have any thoughts of harming Zhao Family Village, we must be prepared."
"Everyone, follow me!"
With those words, the morale of Zhao Family Village surged as they moved toward the entrance of Qi Di.
Time passed slowly under the scorching sun. Zhao Can was already drenched in sweat, his clothes soaked through as beads of perspiration continuously rolled down his forehead. He furrowed his brow and glanced back frequently but saw no sign of anyone.
"Why hasn’t the village chief arrived yet? Is there a problem with the message delivery?" Zhao Can's mind was filled with questions.
The wait felt long and torturous. The members of the Chu Family and Xiahou Family across from them also began to show signs of impatience; no one liked being exposed to the elements for too long.
"When will your village chief show up?"
A voice inquired, "Is it true that no one from Zhao Family Village dares to show up?"
Another voice mocked, "Hey, it seems the people from Zhao Family Village have turned into cowards."
Laughter erupted around, and Zhao Can couldn't help but feel a flush of embarrassment on his face. This was indeed a misstep on the part of the Zhao Family; the prolonged delay was quite disrespectful.
Despite the taunts from his adversaries, he remained calm, fully aware that the clan leader would not shy away from this meeting. Moreover, with the Immortal Sir residing in Zhao Family Village, fleeing at this moment would only bring disgrace.
Zhao Can deduced that perhaps his brother had taken a little longer to deliver the message. The clan leader would surely arrive soon.
"Are you all so anxious? There's no need to worry; our clan leader will definitely arrive on time."
Faced with skepticism, someone from the opposing side pressed, "What if he doesn’t come?"
Zhao Can pondered for a moment, then stepped forward with a glint of determination in his eyes. "If my clan leader does not arrive, I will pay with my life."
Zhu Ji lightly coughed to silence the commotion between the two clans. "What use do we have for your life? However, seeing your courage, we’ll give you some face and wait a little longer."
He then shifted his tone. "Of course, this waiting period cannot be indefinite. Please set a deadline; if your clan leader has not appeared by then, we will force our way in to investigate."
Zhao Can hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly. "I am willing to put it in writing—let it be a quarter of an hour."
According to ancient customs, a day was divided into ten time periods, each further divided into eight segments; thus, this quarter of an hour was roughly equivalent to what is referred to as an hour.
"Just this short amount of time?" Zhu Ji pondered briefly before agreeing. "Fine! We will wait another quarter of an hour."
Upon hearing Zhu Ji agree to extend the waiting time, Zhao Can felt a wave of relief wash over him. He understood well that if both sides insisted on barging in, he alone would not be able to stop them; he was not one of those unparalleled warriors capable of facing thousands.
However, the willingness of the Chu Family and Xiahou Family to wait indicated that there was still room for negotiation.
Moreover, this brief moment was crucial for the development of the situation. After all, it had been some time since the dispute began, and even the clan leader, who was far away, should be on his way back. Even if delayed, he should be close by now.
Fortunately, Zhao An's appearance did not disappoint anyone. Just half a moment later, Zhao An led all the strong young men from Zhao Family Village into the fray, quickly positioning themselves between the young and vigorous members of the Chu Family and Xiahou Family, as well as Zhao Can.
"Clan Leader, you have arrived."
Seeing the figure of the clan leader, Zhao Can felt an immediate sense of relief wash over him, nearly collapsing to the ground. Zhao An quickly stepped forward to support him.
"You've worked hard. Leave the rest to me; you should return to the village and rest for a while."
Zhao Can hurriedly waved his hand. "Clan Leader, there's no need. I'm really fine." He understood that the situation was tense; how could he dare to leave at such a critical moment? If a battle broke out, every additional person would increase their chances of success.
Zhao An nodded. "I will have someone help you stabilize your condition; just stay close to me."
Next, Zhao An turned his gaze toward the two opposing leaders, Zhu Ji and Xiahou Xing. At almost the same moment, their sharp gazes focused back on him.
Although the three remained silent, the emotions of their respective clansmen behind them were rising steadily, creating an increasingly tense atmosphere that felt like it could ignite with just a single spark.
However, Zhao An, Zhu Ji, and Xiahou Xing were not inclined to act rashly. The current situation left everyone hesitant to speak first. Whoever spoke first would signify submission, a weakness that would undoubtedly be revealed in any subsequent conflict; maintaining the status quo could lead to an escalation of tensions that might spiral out of control.
As the three clan leaders wrestled with their thoughts internally, Tong Yuan beside them sensed the lurking crisis behind this standoff. Realizing that without external intervention, this dialogue was unlikely to proceed peacefully and could lead to violent conflict, the elder stepped out from Zhao Family Group.
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