Chapter 882

Below, a sea of people gazed up at the Lan Ling Wang on the top floor of the Heaven-Reaching Tower, their eyes filled with nothing but envy.

How they longed to be someone like Lan Ling Wang—so outstanding, practically perfect, a young master like him would surely rise swiftly, his future limitless, right?

Having savored that lofty feeling, Lan Ling Wang turned to sit down, but the instant he turned his head, he saw a familiar face!

He froze at once, only then realizing that besides the people of the other three great families, there were outsiders on the ninth floor of the Heaven-Reaching Tower.

These people were none other than Ye Qingran and her companions; surprise flickered in his eyes, as if he hadn't expected them to appear on the ninth floor of the Heaven-Reaching Tower.

"How did you get here?" Lan Ling Wang snapped back to reality, furrowed his brows, and shouted in a low voice, his eyes full of disgust.

"This is the ninth floor of the Heaven-Reaching Tower—how could lowly people like Ye Qingran and Fu Hanxiu possibly come up here?"

Ye Qingran's group was not small—Han Xing, Leng Yue, Bai Bing, Fu Er, Fu San, Xuan Yuan Luo, Gu Dongliu, and others were all present; the Wine House had limited seats, yet they had seized all the Lan family's places, leaving the Lan family nowhere to sit.

The people of the other three great families stared at one another, momentarily unable to react, for they had never encountered such a situation before.

"Is this your Lan family's place?" Ye Qingran countered.

"This is the ninth floor of the Heaven-Reaching Tower; only the top four families of the Heaven-Reaching Path may come up! You outsiders, do you even deserve to be here?" Lan Ling Wang's voice squeezed out from between his teeth.

"I asked you if this is the Lan family's place—why are you dragging this out?"

Lan Ling Wang narrowed his eyes, "So what if it isn't?"

"If it isn't, then that settles it! Since this isn't your Lan family's place, what right do we have to be barred from coming up?"

"I've said it before: only families ranked in the top hundred of the Heaven-Reaching Path may enter the Heaven-Reaching Tower; others have no qualification, and as for the ninth floor, only the top four families may come up!"

"Who set this rule?"

"Naturally, it was the ancestors of the Heaven-Reaching Path!"

"Oh, but what does that have to do with me?"

"Ye Qingran, don't go too far! Someone, throw these people out for this young master!"

As Lan Ling Wang's voice fell, people from the Heaven-Reaching Tower rushed up, intending to drive Ye Qingran and her companions away—but how could their strength match that of an Emperor Sovereign?

Fu Hanxiu sank his aura, and those people could only stare helplessly, unable even to brush the hem of their clothes.

The people of the other three great families were at a loss for a moment. On one hand, they naturally rejected Ye Qingran and her companions; on the other, they sensed that these people were very strong, and if they clashed with the Lan family, could the three great families profit as the fisherman?

"The Heaven-Reaching Pavilion has always belonged to everyone of the Heaven-Reaching Path; when did it become the possession of the hundred clans led by your Lan family?"

Ye Qingran's voice rang out, passing over the railings of the Heaven-Reaching Tower and, on the clear breeze, reaching the ears of every Heaven-Reaching Path person present.

Upon hearing it, the people felt as if something in their blood had awakened.

Indeed, they are all subjects of the Heaven-Reaching Path; this place is their home, and the Heaven-Reaching Tower belongs to every subject of the Heaven-Reaching Path—how has it now become the private property of the hundred clans?

Setting aside the hundred clans, most people and families of the Heaven-Reaching Path are ordinary; they have already been deeply harmed by this rule, causing the strong families to grow stronger and the weak ones to grow weaker.

Ye Qingran's words voiced their innermost feelings!

In the crowd below, some exchanged glances, gritted their teeth, and shouted loudly:

"I think this young lady is right—the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion belongs to every one of us of the Heaven-Reaching Path; what right does it have to become the private property of the hundred clans?"

"Exactly! Our family hasn't had anyone enter the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion for hundreds of years—this is unfair!"

"Hand over the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion! I want to enter the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion!"

The people had long harbored resentment, suffering from having no outlet; now Ye Qingran's words finally prompted them to step forward and bravely voice what they thought.

Ye Qingran's words were like a spark falling into an oil tank, turning from a tiny flame into a raging prairie fire!

More and more Heaven-Reaching Path people began voicing their dissatisfaction; the clamor gathered into surging waves, possessing the power to overturn heaven!

Those inside the Heaven-Reaching Tower could no longer sit still, especially the families on the upper floors, who had held this position for hundreds of years and were absolute vested interests.

They certainly did not want to surrender the Heaven-Reaching Tower!

"Ye Qingran, Fu Hanxiu, what do you intend to do?"

Watching the situation below spiral out of control, Lan Ling Wang's face gradually grew grim.

"Nothing much—just want to seek an opportunity for the vast friends of the Heaven-Reaching Path!" An opportunity that could change destiny!

The concentration of power and the solidification of class have made opportunities to change fate slim for many ordinary people; though many harbor grand ideals and outstanding talents, lacking opportunity, they are buried and become losses—this is the extinction of human nature, a contempt for life.

Upon hearing Ye Qingran say she would seek an opportunity for them, many understood in their hearts what that opportunity meant.

"Charge! Let's go to the Heaven-Reaching Tower!"

The crowd began to surge into the Heaven-Reaching Tower.

The scene spiraled out of control.

"Do you want to rebel?"

A majestic voice rang out from above the crowd, imbued with mighty pressure; everyone instantly felt as if struck by lightning, their bodies aching and numb, and for a moment they dared not continue.

Lan Chuzhuang descended from the heavens, together with Lady Lan, their faces dark with anger.

"Today is the day the Heaven-Reaching Formation opens; you're making such a ruckus in the Heaven-Reaching Tower—what is the meaning of this? If you anger the Guide, they could cancel our Xuanmiao Continent's quota to enter the Xuyu—can you bear that responsibility?"

It must be said, Lan Chuzhuang knows how to manipulate hearts; with those words, many grew fearful. Although they wanted to change the current situation, if doing so caused the Xuanmiao Continent's quota to be revoked, it would be a loss not worth the gain.

Thus, the courage they had just mustered with great effort dissipated somewhat at Lan Chuzhuang's single remark.

Seeing Lan Chuzhuang, Lan Ling Wang immediately shouted, "Father, Mother, you've come! These people dare to barge into the Heaven-Reaching Tower—quickly kill them all as a sacrifice to heaven!"

Lan Chuzhuang and Lady Lan only then noticed that, besides the people of the three great families, there were others in the Heaven-Reaching Tower's Wine House!

Upon seeing Fu Hanxiu and Ye Qingran, Lady Lan's face instantly sank.

How did Fu Hanxiu and Ye Qingran come?

How dare such lowly beings ascend the Heaven-Reaching Tower?

"Fu Hanxiu, hurry up and get down!" The finest seat in the Heaven-Reaching Tower is only for her Ling'er to occupy—what entitles Fu Hanxiu to sit there?

Lady Lan spoke in a commanding tone, her gaze toward Fu Hanxiu brimming with disgust and impatience.

Ye Qingran slightly frowned, unable to imagine how a mother could be so partial. To her, Xiao Hu and Xiao Chen are both dear to her heart—palm and back of hand are the same flesh; she simply cannot favor one over the other. Moreover, Lady Lan's bias toward Fu Hanxiu goes beyond mere favoritism; her deep-seated hatred makes her feel that Fu Hanxiu is not her child but an enemy she cannot coexist with.

Lan Chuzhuang recognized Fu Hanxiu at a glance.