Carrying such a heavy, suffocating mood, the Seven Swords and the Third Elder’s party endured a long, arduous journey, finally arriving at the foot of the Wind and Snow Peak. Beyond this peak lay the towering, snow-capped mountains where Silver City resided!

Yet, this place was already engulfed in a blizzard, the cold extreme!

However, those accustomed to the cold from Silver City naturally paid it no mind; in fact, they were more used to such harsh weather, having grown up in this environment since childhood. While the others did not fear the bitter cold, the few who were severely wounded certainly did. Although they knew the three were traitors to Silver City, after the initial few days of anger, they still made sure to care for them as best they could, preventing their injuries from worsening.

After all, human beings are creatures of emotion.

Before returning, Mu Xuetong had suggested sending a carrier eagle first to notify the high command of Silver City. But after some thought, the Third Elder firmly rejected the proposal.

The reason was simple: currently, both internal and external intelligence systems within Wind and Snow Silver City were controlled and managed by members of the Xiao family, a situation that had become even more pronounced in the years since the Young Princess Han Yanmeng was born.

They had always assumed the Han and Xiao families were one and the same, so who held control didn't seem to matter much. But now, it appeared the Xiao family had long harbored ulterior motives. Every tiny detail they had previously overlooked now brought a chilling sense of dread upon reflection!

If a carrier eagle message had been sent, it would have inevitably fallen into the hands of the Xiao family first. If that had happened, the Han family side would truly have been rendered completely passive!

Therefore, the seasoned and steady Third Elder opted for caution, choosing instead to rush back to Silver City overnight! As long as they appeared at the main gate of Silver City with their entourage, the City Lord and the Old City Lord would handle everything!

But they never imagined that upon reaching the foot of the Wind and Snow Peak, they would be intercepted by the Great Elder Xiao Xingyun, leading a large contingent of experts.

How could he have gotten the news, given their strict security?

"Big Brother? Why are you here?" The Third Elder looked at Xiao Xingyun in astonishment. This was no pretense; even though he knew his supposed elder brother harbored ill intentions, that man had still been his sworn elder brother for eighty years! Seeing the actual person in the flesh so abruptly, it was hard to instantly change the title!

Even after cursing him countless times on the road, facing that familiar, affectionate face now, he still found the cruel reality difficult to accept!

"Big Brother? Hahahaha, you still have the audacity to call me Big Brother?" Xiao Xingyun’s face was clouded with gloom, staring down at him as if to swallow him whole: "You caused the death of my Second Brother, the death of my Bie'er, the death of my Chongbie! Not to mention crippling two of my brothers who are now a hundred years old!... You...

At this stage, how dare you still claim the title of Big Brother? You might have the face to say it, but I certainly don't have the nerve to accept it. I cannot and dare not carry that title!" Xiao Xingyun sneered, his gaze sharp as a blade. "Han Feiyun, you truly have guts! Internal conflict is the greatest taboo in Wind and Snow Silver City, yet you have flagrantly harmed your kin and committed atrocities—this is truly unforgivable by heaven’s law! Why do you not kneel immediately to confess your crimes? What are you waiting for!"

"Hahahaha! Xiao Xingyun, you say I am unworthy to call you Big Brother, then I shall not. At this point, the truth is known to all; why must you twist black and white so drastically? I should ask you to examine your conscience—do you, in your current state, still deserve to be called Big Brother by me?"

The Third Elder, Han Feiyun, erupted in an unusually sharp, tragic laugh, his old beard trembling, his eyes slowly reddening: "Xiao Xingyun, I never imagined you would stoop to such treason! You betray Silver City, blinded by arrogance, actually aiming to usurp the City Lord's position—that is the true wolf's ambition, unforgivable by heaven!"

"Treason? Hahahaha!" Xiao Xingyun laughed wildly: "You dare call me a traitor? Who was the first City Lord of Silver City, as everyone knows? Han Feiyun, let me tell you, it was the ancestor of my Xiao family! Why did my Xiao ancestor die? It was for the sake of your Han family! My ancestor founded Wind and Snow Silver City, nurturing it step by step to glory, and ultimately died for them, while descendants of my Xiao family were already alive at that time!"

"It is the eternal principle that the son inherits the father's legacy! Han Feiyun, I ask you, in the Silver City of those days, if the Old City Lord had passed away, would the Young City Lord Han Zhemeng have succeeded him immediately?" Xiao Xingyun asked sinisterly.

The Third Elder was utterly silenced. This old case had arguments for both sides, but tracing it to the root, if one argued that the Han lineage had acted improperly back then, there was some basis for it.

Yet, over the years, the Han lineage consciously tried not to provoke the Xiao family, even turning a blind eye when the Xiao family frequently acted unjustly in the name of Silver City, and even suppressing their conscience to assist them out of guilt. Over these centuries, this guilt greatly fueled the Xiao clan's arrogance. However, any Han descendant with an ancestral backbone would generally show more tolerance toward those surnamed Xiao, which is why the incident between Xiao and Han back then caused such a great uproar.

"What? Can't speak now? Considering the situation at that time, if the Han family truly valued the debt of gratitude and friendship, they should have supported my Xiao family descendant to inherit the City Lord position and assisted him to the best of their ability. That would have been the proper conduct for those who received a life-saving favor. But you members of the Han family, from beginning to end, only offered some utterly vague, worthless oath, and then, in front of all the heroes of the world, shamelessly seized the esteemed position of City Lord!"

The former Young City Lord became a mere Silver City disciple, while the Han family members ascended from Silver City disciples to the pillar of Silver City. As the saying goes, 'A drop of water given should be repaid with a gushing spring.' After receiving a life-saving grace, they immediately usurped the property belonging to the descendants of their savior! Hahahaha! Especially seizing another's property, yet being able to present it as the height of righteousness, ultimately earning the praise of the world—is there anything more farcical in this world? Han Feiyun, don't you find it hilarious? Why are you still silent! Seeing the Third Elder not reply, Xiao Xingyun became increasingly arrogant.

"You are spouting nonsense! When the Supreme Alliance fell, warlords scrambled for supremacy across the land, and Wind and Snow Silver City faced repeated upheavals, standing on the brink of collapse. If a clear and commanding authority had not been established swiftly, ruling the martial world with absolute force, there was a danger of being devoured by other factions at any moment. City Lord Han bravely advanced, taking charge of Silver City, and step by step, established the foundation of Silver City amidst the storm. In every battle, it was the Han family charging at the forefront, while to protect your Xiao family, you were always positioned in the safest areas, sustaining the fewest casualties! Can you deny this point?"

"Furthermore, back then, Wind and Snow Silver City was, at best, a medium-sized force in the Jianghu. It could hardly be considered the superpower it is today, capable of shaking the world with a mere stomp! The Old City Lord at that time merely picked up a poisoned potato, sacrificing his entire life to build Wind and Snow Silver City to its current scale! It can be said that Silver City is what it is today entirely thanks to the Old City Lord! Xiao Xingyun, can you deny this? Why can't you Xiao family members speak with any conscience? Is confusing right and wrong amusing?"

The Third Elder, Han Feiyun, burst into wild laughter, his face filled with contempt: "Over these centuries, how many cleanups did the Han family handle for your Xiao family? How many times did we suppress our conscience? All for that promise made back then! That promise has weighed down the Han family for hundreds of years! What grievance do you have?

Since faces have already been torn off, let’s lay everything bare!"

"Nonsense! At that time, Wind and Snow Silver City already belonged to the Han family; how could he not fight desperately? That was his own foundation! A foundation he deceitfully snatched back! Hahaha. Property originally belonging to the Xiao family became the Han family's foundation, and you can still speak of it so sanctimoniously, even dragging in life-or-death situations! If we talk about survival, when the Han family took over, wasn't that also a critical juncture for survival? Why must the same strength only be managed through a member of the Han family?"

Xiao Xingyun roared in fury!

"Does it mean that if a member of the Xiao family took charge as City Lord, the strength of Silver City would no longer consist of the same people? Would the strength weaken? What kind of nonsense logic is that? If what you say is true, not allowing the Han family to take the City Lord position meant the Han family would not contribute to Silver City's survival, is that it?"

Xiao Xingyun scoffed: "That is utter rubbish! It is merely an excuse of righteousness you’ve draped over your despicable actions! Quibbling and being vile—don't think I'm intimidated! What is shamelessness? Your Han family is the crown of shamelessness!"

"You are deliberately misrepresenting the facts!" The Third Elder, Han Feiyun, became so angry his eyes turned red, his fingers trembling: "The decisiveness of a faction's leader directly affects that faction's life or death! Do you really not understand such a simple principle? The Xiao family descendants back then were weak in character and young; how could they possibly shoulder the burden of the wavering Wind and Snow Silver City at that time? How could they compare to the Old City Lord’s strategic genius? You are clearly seeking to condemn me without cause! Ultimately, don't you just covet the power of Silver City? Must you drag your ancestors into your petty power struggle?! Don't you think you are being too petty?"

Xiao Xingyun sneered coldly, unmoved: "Enough empty talk, Han Feiyun. You need not try to stall for time. You know why I waste so many words with you here? Because no one from the Han family in Silver City will come here. Even within one or two months, I believe no one will pass this way! So I feel completely at ease, hahahaha! These words have been bottled up in my heart for so many years, and today, I finally get to speak them openly in broad daylight! What a relief! I firmly believe that one day, I will be able to state this case before the world with dignity! And make the world believe me!"

As he uttered the last sentence, Xiao Xingyun actually roared it out, then gazed into the void with unusual melancholy, his voice low and wistful: "My Second Brother and I schemed about this matter our entire lives... Now the dawn is near, hope is in sight, but he can no longer see it! He can never see it again!"

"My Second Brother can't see it!" He roared once more, his body trembling slightly, tears welling up in his eyes.

The Xiao family, Xingyun bringing the rain to awe the world, had been together since childhood, never separated throughout their lives. But now, as both approached old age, one wing had suddenly broken!

The grief in Xiao Xingyun's heart was truly indescribable!

This is why he hated the Han family members even more, especially those before him!

"Xiao Buyu brought his doom upon himself, and Xiao Han sought his own demise! What does that have to do with Silver City, or with us? Must you hold us accountable? Absurd!" Han Feiyun's aged hands secretly moved toward his sword hilt, his gaze sharp: "Xiao Xingyun, you are now rebels! Traitors to Silver City!"

Swish! The long sword left its sheath, a flash of cold light, and a strip of fabric fluttered to the ground.

"From this day forward, the bond between you and me is severed. All past affection is cut by this single blade!"

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