Chapter 471

Cicadas chirped and birds called, leaves fell and flowers were fragrant.

In front of the Xu Ancestor Hall, on that empty tree, the last leaf also withered slowly.

Zhang Fan slowly opened his eyes; everything just now was like a dream.

Xu Jiuliu lay before him, holding that Xu Ancestor Sword in his arms.

At this very moment, this sword had returned to its original appearance, covered in rust, with missing blade edges, twisted and crooked, looking very much like a piece of scrap iron.

As for the Pure Yang Sword, it had also disappeared; looking up, there was only the vast long sky and white clouds drifting leisurely.

"Corpse-Slashing Sword..."

Zhang Fan was somewhat dazed; his hand subconsciously reached into his pocket, touching the black iron piece only half the size of a palm. A warm touch came from it, carrying a feeling of blood connection.

He never dreamed that the black iron piece he had been playing with for so long was actually a fragment of the legendary 【Corpse-Slashing Sword】, and the clue he had been searching for was actually in his hand.

"The sword... where is the sword?"

Just at this moment, a soft cry rang out.

Everyone seemed to awaken from a dream, looking around blankly, their pupils seemingly searching for something.

"Pure Yang Sword... the Pure Yang Sword is gone..."

"Was it... a dream just now?"

"You... you look..."

Just as everyone was dazed, a scream rang out; the Sword-Offering Building not far away had already turned into ruins, and where it stood, there was a huge deep pit, and the surrounding terrain no longer looked like it did before.

"The Xu family... the sky has changed."

Xu Chengtian looked at Xu Jiuliu, who was still asleep while holding the Xu Ancestor Sword, and couldn't help but feel a bitter taste in the corner of his mouth.

Even if he didn't want to admit it, this patriarch of the Xu family's Second Branch had to face reality.

At this moment, the sky of the Xu family had changed.

Even if the First Branch and the Second Branch joined forces, they couldn't change anything.

With just the Third Branch, they now possessed two great Celestial Masters, not to mention that Xu Xuanguan was no ordinary Three Tian Shi; he alone was probably enough to suppress him and Xu Jinzhao.

The most critical thing was that the Xu Ancestor Sword had recognized Xu Jiuliu.

This little ghost of the Third Branch had immense potential; perhaps one day, he would be able to truly carry the Xu Ancestor Sword and recreate the style of the Xu Ancestor back then.

This was equivalent to holding the future and the lifeline of the Xu family.

Out of consideration for the overall situation and for the sake of the clan, all personal emotions, grievances, and interests had to be put down.

No matter who it was, even if it was him, Xu Chengtian, or...

"Older brother, let it be."

Xu Chengtian looked at Xu Jinzhao, his expression complex, and finally persuaded him.

The Xu family could not, and absolutely would not allow itself to follow the old path of the Long Hu Zhang family; all internal fighting was just consuming their own strength.

This was absolutely not allowed; in the face of the overall situation, everyone had to compromise, including Xu Jinzhao, the patriarch.

"If I don't let it be, what else can I do?" Xu Jinzhao sighed.

His gaze was leisurely, but it was cast upon Xu Jiuliu, who was still in a coma.

At this moment, the attention of this helmsman of the Xu family was not on Xu Xuanxiao, nor on Xu Xuanguan, but on this junior who had once been inconspicuous.

"Pure Yang... how many seekers of immortality have there been throughout the ages, and how many have achieved Pure Yang? Our path has ended; the Xu Ancestor's Dharma lineage must be passed down. Perhaps this is also longevity, and also immortality," Xu Jinzhao murmured softly.

At this moment, he seemed to have aged dozens of years; the ruthlessness of time finally manifested on this Three Tian Shi.

"Passing the torch, living on and on; if the Ancestor's Dharma lineage can be expanded, perhaps it will be through him."

With a sigh, Xu Jinzhao's gaze slowly withdrew from Xu Jiuliu.

"Whoever spreads a single word of today's events shall no longer be a disciple of the Xu family, be removed from the clan, and have their soul-aspect abolished."

Suddenly, Xu Jinzhao's voice rang out again, carrying a hint of majesty.

Everyone's heart trembled, but they dared not disobey, hurriedly saying respectfully: "We will strictly follow the patriarch's decree."

"In addition, from today on, I am no longer the patriarch of the Xu family."

As soon as the words fell, there was an uproar, and everyone changed color.

Especially Xu Changshou, who was standing in the crowd, was completely dumbfounded. He just came back to recognize his ancestors and return to his clan; how did it end up like this?

"How about it?"

Xu Jinzhao turned around and looked at Xu Xuanguan.

As the strongest person here, and also the victor, he had the right to decide whether to end it.

"The Xu family is handed over to you..."

"If I had the heart, I wouldn't have left the Xu family back then."

Xu Xuanguan shook his head; at his realm, what merit, what fame and fortune, what clan, or even the Xu Ancestor's Dharma lineage, were already out of his eyes.

"You take it."

As he spoke, Xu Xuanguan looked at Xu Xuanxiao, who opened his mouth, his expression complex.

The two brothers hadn't seen each other for sixty years; now that Xu Xuanguan had returned, he still wasn't willing to call him "older brother."

Xu Xuanxiao sighed in his heart but didn't say much more.

He also knew that Xu Xuanguan had indeed suffered a lot when he was young.

Born into the Pure Yang Xu family, Xu Xuanguan's personality when he was young was too rebellious, and he was isolated and strange; there were really not many people in the clan willing to be close to him.

As an older brother, Xu Xuanxiao was naturally extremely strict with him, perhaps overly harsh, and the gap between the two came from that.

In fact, with Xu Xuanguan's personality, apart from those monsters in the Coffin-Lifting Society, perhaps ordinary people found it hard to walk into his heart.

After all, those monsters were not normal people either.

Birds of a feather flock together.

The Xu family was not suitable for him.

"Let it be like this."

Xu Xuanguan said casually, and immediately after, he looked at Xu Jinzhao: "Let's talk; I have something to ask you."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone couldn't help but show strange expressions.

Setting aside the Xu family's affairs, there was no friendship between Xu Xuanguan and Xu Jinzhao, and they didn't even have much interaction.

A person like him really didn't have many friends in the Xu family.

"Good," Xu Jinzhao nodded: "Follow me."

As he spoke, he turned and left.

"Brother Guanzi..."

Just at this moment, a soft cry came from the side.

Xu Jinshi popped out, his squinted eyes carrying a hint of tacit understanding, looking straight at Xu Xuanguan.

Xu Xuanguan glanced at him, but showed a rare smile.