Chapter 395: Intercepting the Flow

Watching the Lin Family disciples beside him fall one by one, fresh blood staining the earth red,

Lin Ziyang's eyes were splitting, his heart felt as if it were being pierced by ten thousand arrows, the pain unbearable.

Lin Ziyang exhausted all his strength, wanting to break out of the encirclement before him,

but with the County Lieutenant Li of the Bone Refining Realm present,

this was simply a delusion!

County Lieutenant Li forced Lin Ziyang back with a single spear thrust, letting Lin Ziyang watch properly from the side.

Lin Ziyang was helpless and unable to act, only able to watch with his own eyes as the Lin Family's hope was extinguished bit by bit.

"No, no, don't!" Lin Ziyang's roar echoed in the night sky, filled with despair and unwillingness.

The future of the Lin Family, at this moment, had been completely destroyed.

"Why? Why treat our Lin Family this way?" Lin Ziyang roared in his heart, yet no one responded.

He could only silently endure this pain and despair,

watching the glory and hope of the Lin Family dissipate bit by bit into the night.

At this time, County Lieutenant Li slowly walked in front of Lin Ziyang, his face revealing endless indifference and cruelty.

"Lin Ziyang, do you have anything else to say?" County Lieutenant Li's voice was like Cold Ice, piercing into the depths of Lin Ziyang's heart.

Lin Ziyang raised his head, his gaze like a torch, staring straight into County Lieutenant Li's eyes: "County Lieutenant Li, you indulge your subordinates, you will not die well,

you will not die well!!!"

County Lieutenant Li heard this and sneered: "Hmph, death is at hand and you are still stubborn. Take him away and entertain him well."

Following County Lieutenant Li's order, several constables stepped forward to take Lin Ziyang away.

Before leaving, Lin Ziyang took a deep look at the corpses on the ground, as if to firmly etch this scene into his heart.

The group, carrying the Lin Family's harvest, returned to the city full of joy.

County Lieutenant Li felt helpless in his heart.

To have so easily wiped out the future of a family in a county city,

what exactly is County Magistrate Liu thinking?

Moreover, even the Lin Family could obtain news of the Red Lotus Sect army, did the other two families have no movement at all?

Outside Qingxi County city, the secret meeting place agreed upon by the Lin Family had now become fraught with crises.

Lin Xiong stood on a hidden high ground, his gaze like a torch, tightly fixed on the fat and smug County Magistrate Liu behind the army in the distance.

A sinister smile hung on County Magistrate Liu's face as he methodically commanded the soldiers under him to carry out a siege on the area where the Lin Family disciples were located.

Lin Xiong's heart was filled with remorse and anger; he muttered to himself: "How could I be so careless as to fall into this County Magistrate Liu's treacherous scheme?"

He recalled his past confrontations with County Magistrate Liu,

whenever something happened, he had always upheld the idea that the people should not fight with officials, yielding time and again,

and now he had placed the entire family on the edge of life and death.

He had originally thought that conducting business with great fanfare in public could cover up the family's secret actions, while secretly arranging for the family members to transfer in the back.

Every plan seemed seamless, yet he had not expected that the news would leak out in the end.

Lin Xiong recalled Lin Yi's previous warning, and a chill could not help but rise in his heart; he realized that there might be a traitor within the family.

Looking at the uncles in the family camp, Lin Xiong's mood became even more complex.

But at this moment, only by thinking calmly could he possibly find a way to salvage the situation.

"County Magistrate, by what right do you block our path?"

Lin Xiong questioned loudly, his voice carrying unconcealable anger.

County Magistrate Liu heard this, and the corners of his mouth hooked into a cold sneer: "What path? You stole important intelligence from the imperial court and were preparing to meet the Red Lotus Sect at night.

I am discerning and clear-sighted; I had already probed the accurate news and arrived in time to catch the turtle in the jar.

Even if this were spoken of to the provincial governor,

I would still receive praise.

How is this called blocking your path?"

County Magistrate Liu's provocation and framing made Lin Xiong furious.

He laughed out of extreme anger: "Hahaha, what a County Magistrate Liu, what a shameless wretch!

In our previous dealings, my Lin Family yielded time and again, but I did not expect to be looked down upon by you.

Now you actually dare to confuse black and white like this, arranging the fate of the hundreds of people in my Lin Family so clearly!

It is a pity, though, that my Lin Family is not made of mud!"

Before the words had faded, Lin Xiong suddenly shouted loudly: "Lin Family disciples, do not fear life or death, charge with me!"

He was like an awakened lion, charging toward the army with an unstoppable momentum.

His shout rang out like a thunderclap, instantly igniting the fighting spirit of the Lin Family disciples.

The Lin Family disciples responded one after another, following closely behind him as they charged toward County Magistrate Liu's army.

For a time, the battlefield was filled with the flash of Swords and the sound of killing reaching the heavens.

Lin Xiong and the Lin Family disciples fought heroically and fearlessly on the front line; they swore to defend the family's honor and dignity to the death.

Although Lin Xiong and the Lin Family disciples were incomparably heroic, they remained at a disadvantage when facing the soldiers specifically mobilized by County Magistrate Liu and their superior equipment.

More importantly, a portion of the Lin Family, under the obstruction of an old man,

stopped the actions in their hands one after another.

"Stop, stop, my Lin Family has been on good terms with the County Magistrate for many years.

There must be a reason for the two families to have become enemies to this extent; we must not act rashly!" The old man's voice was like a great bell, each word resonant; he was the highly respected elder of the Lin Family, Lin Zhong.

Lin Xiong heard this, his heart filled with extreme anxiety; he looked back toward Lin Yuan, his eyes full of unwillingness: "Uncle, are we just going to let County Magistrate Liu bully us like this and remain indifferent? Where is the family's glory, and where does the face of our ancestors lie?"

Lin Zhong sighed, his gaze deep as if it could pierce through the smoke before him to see the past and the future: "Patriarch, do you know that the affairs of this world are often intricate; to say they are merely black or white is too simple."

"I did indeed have a friendship with the County Magistrate in our early years, and although a rift has grown between us recently, the reasons for it are by no means what they appear on the surface."

"If we act blindly, I fear we will fall into an even deeper whirlpool, unable to extricate ourselves."

Lin Xiong said anxiously: "Look at the situation right now; those bleeding and losing their lives are all sons of my Lin Family!"

Lin Zhong turned his hand to cup his fist at County Magistrate Liu: "County Magistrate, I have done everything I promised you."

"Relying on our friendship, can you now leave a path of survival for my Lin Family?"

County Magistrate Liu chuckled, looking askance at Lin Zhong in the distance: "Old thing, do you think you can make me let the Lin Family go with just a few words?"

"Today's situation was destined long ago; the Lin Family must pay the price for what you have done!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhong's expression changed abruptly; he knew well the ruthlessness and cunning of County Magistrate Liu, and he feared that today's matter would not end well.

But he was still unwilling to give up and tried again: "County Magistrate Liu, we have had a friendship for many years; must you really push things to the point of mutual destruction over this small matter?"

"My Lin Family is willing to provide compensation; I only ask that you show mercy and let the innocent go."

County Magistrate Liu sneered, his gaze like a knife sweeping over the disciples of the Lin Family: "Compensation? Do you think your Lin Family still has anything worth me coveting?"

"Today, what I want is not just your submission, but to make the entire Lin Family my possession!"

Seeing this, Lin Xiong was consumed by rage; he could no longer endure it and shouted loudly: "County Magistrate Liu, stop bullying people too far! My Lin Family sons would rather die than submit!"

Having said that, Lin Xiong was about to brandish his Sword and charge at County Magistrate Liu again, but was pulled back in time by Lin Zhong. Lin Zhong's eyes were filled with helplessness and sorrow.

Today's events had already exceeded his control.

But fortunately, he still had preparations made.

"Patriarch, you come and command the clansmen!"

"I, Lin Zhong, am willing to bear the consequences of my own actions alone."

Lin Xiong said in a fit of pique: "Uncle, stop trying to be a hero."

Lin Zhong's eyes narrowed as he threw the pill he had prepared long ago into his mouth and swallowed it.

His aged and decaying body seemed like an inflating balloon.

Lin Zhong chuckled, the corners of his mouth revealing missing teeth.

"Xiong'er, have you forgotten your uncle's former cultivation realm?"