Chapter 80: Changes in the Mei Family

Upon seeing the expression in the eyes of the members of the Taicang Sect as they departed, Xian Yue could only shake his head. If someone is determined to seek death, nothing can stop them.

Meanwhile, back in his home, he stared at his kidnapped daughter, feeling a surge of fury rise within him.

Mei Rong shared his rage. He had only been away briefly, yet the Taicang Sect had dared to overrun his household. Not only did they imprison every member of the Mei family, but they even captured his sister, Mei Linglong.

"Taicang Sect, your audacity knows no bounds!" Mei Kai's eyes blazed with anger as he glared at an elderly man dressed in gray, holding a long blade pressed against Mei Linglong's throat. This man was none other than the second elder of the Taicang Sect.

"Mei Kai, I never expected you to return from the Emperor's Fall alive. You really are fortunate. Well then, it's simple—hand over your family's Emperor Weapon and Emperor Scripture in exchange for your clan members!" the second elder barked, pressing the blade harder, leaving a thin line of blood on Mei Linglong's neck.

"How dare you!" Mei Kai roared.

The second elder sneered, "Oh, I dare. Why don't you step forward and find out?"

Mei Kai took a deep breath, his voice steady but grave. "My family is small, but we've existed for generations. Where could we possibly get an Emperor Weapon or Emperor Scripture? At best, I could give you a Law Manifestation Realm technique, but we don't possess treasures as grand as you're asking for."

The second elder laughed, shaking his head. But before he could reply, a voice interrupted from behind him. "Brother, don't lie to them."

Out of the shadows stepped a middle-aged man with a mocking grin on his face.

"Mei Xiang?" Mei Kai's heart sank. His own brother was standing before him, betraying him.

"Yes, it's me. And Meis, I told the Taicang Sect about our family's secrets," Mei Xiang sneered, his tone dripping with malice.

Mei Kai's heart ached. He had trusted his brother with the truth before entering the Emperor's Fall. He had shared the existence of the Emperor Weapon and Emperor Scripture, hoping his brother would preserve their family's legacy if anything happened to him. Yet now, Mei Xiang stood here, revealing the most sacred secret to their enemy.

"You're no brother of mine!" Mei Kai spat, his voice laced with fury.

Mei Xiang continued, unperturbed by his brother's anger. "You think I care? You kept everything hidden from me, from our family. You wanted to control the power for yourself, while I sat in the dark, waiting like a fool. So yes, I gave the information to Taicang Sect. And in return, I rise to become an elder."

He sneered, adding, "It's real power, brother, something you never wanted me to have."

Mei Kai could only stare at him in disbelief. How had things fallen apart so completely?

"You traitor!" he shouted, fists clenched at his sides. "You sold out our ancestors, our bloodline, for what? A bit of authority?"

"You can scream all you like," Mei Xiang said with a cruel smile. "I've made my decision, and I won't look back. Hand over the Emperor Weapon and the Emperor Scripture, Mei Kai, and maybe—just maybe—you'll be able to save these people."

The second elder chimed in, his blade still hovering near Mei Linglong's neck. "Yes, Mei Kai, what will it be? Protect your Emperor Weapon or your family?"

Mei Linglong, trembling but still composed, whispered, "Father, if what Uncle says is true, then I beg you to leave. The Mei family will always live on as long as you're here."

Her voice wavered, and tears welled in her eyes. She was a beautiful girl with twin ponytails, a round face, and usually a cheerful demeanor. But now she was covered in dirt, her spirit crushed after days of captivity. Her lips were purple, her nails brittle. The Taicang Sect had held her in chains for so long, using her as leverage to extract information about their family. They had failed, but the toll on her body and mind was immense.

"I feel so unwell, Father," she murmured, tears streaming down her face. "It's like there are bugs crawling inside me, eating away at my body. Now that you're here, I can leave this world in peace."

Mei Linglong smiled weakly, but the pain behind her smile was too much for Mei Kai to bear.

"Linglong!" Mei Kai cried out, his heart breaking. "Don't say that! You will survive this, I promise! I have found a way to heal you. Once you're cured, we'll live a happy life together, I swear it!"

The second elder's laugh echoed in the room, cold and merciless. "Touching words, Mei Kai. If you care so much about your family, why not hand over the Emperor Weapon and Emperor Scripture? Surely, you'd do anything to save them?"

But in the next moment, a massive surge of energy erupted through the room, a force so overwhelming that it instantly crushed the second elder to the ground. His body trembled as he collapsed beside Mei Linglong, completely unable to resist. The sword that had been poised at her throat clattered to the ground, powerless in the face of this newfound might.

In a flash, Mei Kai moved, catching Mei Linglong before she fell.

"You... you... it's the Saint Realm!" the second elder stammered, his eyes wide with terror. He had felt this pressure only once before, from the Holy Lord of the Sacred Lands. It was the crushing power of a Saint, the highest form of mastery that could subdue any cultivator beneath it.

"You... you broke through to the Saint Realm?" The second elder's voice shook with disbelief, and his face turned pale with dread.

Mei Xiang's smug grin quickly faded as he realized the gravity of the situation. His brother, whom he had so readily betrayed, had become something far beyond his understanding.

Mei Kai's gaze turned cold as he stood, still holding his daughter. "Yes," he said softly, his voice filled with righteous fury, "I have reached the Saint Realm."

The second elder trembled on the ground, too frightened to move. "Please... spare me...!"

But Mei Kai's mercy had run dry. "You dared to threaten my family," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. "Now, you pay the price."

Before the second elder could beg further, Mei Kai raised his hand, and with a flick of his fingers, the man was gone—obliterated in an instant, leaving nothing but a faint wisp of energy behind.

Mei Xiang stepped back, fear consuming him. "Brother... please... I didn't mean it!"

But Mei Kai's eyes burned with a fire that even his own brother could not extinguish. "You betrayed our family for your selfish ambitions. You're no brother of mine. There's nothing left to say."

With a wave of his hand, Mei Xiang was cast out, hurled far from the Mei family's estate, his fate unknown.

Mei Kai turned his attention to his daughter, his expression softening. "Linglong, I will heal you. I swear it."

She gazed up at him, tears in her eyes but hope flickering in her heart for the first time since her capture. "Father... thank you."

He smiled gently, cradling her in his arms. "The Mei family will rise again. No one will threaten us ever again."

With the power of the Saint Realm coursing through him, Mei Kai knew his journey was far from over. The Taicang Sect had made their move, and they would pay for it in due time. But for now, his focus was on his family, his people. They had suffered enough, and he would not rest until they were safe.

The time had come for him to embrace his newfound strength and reclaim what had been stolen from him. The Mei family's legacy would not be erased—not by the Taicang Sect, not by anyone.

And in that moment, as he stood tall amidst the ruins of his once peaceful home, Mei Kai knew one thing for certain—his power was limitless, and he would use it to protect the ones he loved at all costs.