Jiang Chen chuckled. "Does it matter whether I am or not? Can any of you remaining folk do anything to us now?"
He pointed at the alliance cultivators sprawled across the ground, a playful smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
Patriarch Lu Chan sneered repeatedly. "This Eternal Capital — this old ancestor can summon a hundred thousand cultivators here at will. These mere several thousand warriors have only temporarily lost the ability to act. The Windcloud Soul-Scattering Powder? The Xiahou family has plenty of antidotes. Unless, of course, you happen to be people of the Xiahou family!"
"What if we really are Xiahou family members?" Jiang Chen said, half-smiling.
The moment these words left his lips, Patriarch Lu Chan's expression shifted subtly. He unconsciously sidestepped a few paces, deliberately putting some distance between himself and Xiahou Zhen.
If these people truly belonged to the Xiahou family, then this situation would become very troublesome indeed.
However, Xiahou Zhen immediately barked, "Boy, stop spouting nonsense! You impersonate my Xiahou family and go around committing violence — how long do you intend to keep up this charade?"
Impersonate?
"Grand Elder, at this point there's no need for pretense. What does our Xiahou family lack compared to the imperial household? Why should we ultimately take orders from their leadership? In my opinion, the Xiahou family should be the ones controlling the Divine Kingdom. We are the true pillars of the realm!"
Jiang Chen's tone was deliberately exaggerated. He suddenly produced an object from his hand — none other than Xiahou Jing's identity token. "Grand Elder, Xiahou Jing of the Xiahou family, reporting to you!"
Xiahou Jing?
Many of the younger Xiahou family members were taken aback. Xiahou Jing had also been a member of the younger generation of the Xiahou family. He had vanished years ago and had never reappeared.
Most of the family had no idea where he had gone, so how could someone suddenly appear claiming to be Xiahou Jing?
This Xiahou Jing had been missing for so many years — how could he suddenly show up here?
Xiahou Zhen regarded the token with suspicion and glanced at it. The identity token appeared to be genuine. However, he immediately recalled something.
"Bullshit — you're not Xiahou Jing! Xiahou Jing's soul lamp shattered many years ago. You still dare impersonate him? You're truly the stupidest creature alive!" Xiahou Zhen was furious.
Jiang Chen, however, maintained his carefree grin. "Grand Elder, the grand situation is already decided. Only these last few stragglers haven't been poisoned — everyone else has lost their combat ability. Isn't this exactly the opportunity for our Xiahou family to unify the Divine Kingdom?"
"Shut your mouth! Shut it right now!"
Although the Xiahou family was deeply dissatisfied with the imperial household's current position, that didn't mean they wanted to immediately fall out with the royals.
At the very least, before the Sacred Land had been eliminated, their relationship had to remain united on the surface.
If the imperial household and the Xiahou family openly broke ties, that would be absolutely wonderful news for the Sacred Land — a chance to survive out of desperate circumstances.
Considering this bigger picture, Xiahou Zhen ultimately restrained himself. He was unwilling to give the royals any further cause for suspicion.
Xiahou Zhen cupped his fists and declared loudly, "Everyone, the Xiahou clan has always conducted itself with openness and integrity. I can personally guarantee that these individuals are absolutely not members of my Xiahou family!"
"If they're not from your Xiahou family, then why do they carry your Xiahou family's poison?" someone retorted quickly, seizing the flaw in Xiahou Zhen's words.
"That is… perhaps they are the very culprits who murdered Xiahou Jing and seized his recipe for the Windcloud Soul-Scattering Powder. Everyone, you must not be misled by his devious words!" Xiahou Zhen explained desperately.
But at Patriarch Lu Chan's side, someone remarked in a sinister tone, "Words are cheap. Rather than talking so much, why not personally take off this Xiahou Jing's head?"
Hearing this, Xiahou Zhen nodded and let out a long, piercing shout. "How can the children of my Xiahou family be bullied by outsiders? Warriors — follow me and slay these bastards!"
Xiahou Zhen charged forward at the forefront. As Grand Elder of the Xiahou family, his strength was indeed formidable.
He surged ahead, both palms thrusting outward. Two torrents of qi, spinning like massive wheels at tremendous speed, rolled forward like a pair of enormous millstones, sweeping toward Jiang Chen in an instant.
Jiang Chen gave a light laugh and commanded, "Kill him!"
Upon receiving Jiang Chen's order, the Vermilion Bird divine beast let out an eerie, shrill cackle — a sound so chilling that Xiahou Zhen felt his blood run cold.
In the next instant, the Vermilion Bird transformed into a streak of crimson light and pounced forward.
What kind of power did the Vermilion Bird possess?
It was born with the Vermilion Bird bloodline — a bloodline of the Four Divine Beasts. Furthermore, having completed its life nirvana, its plane of existence had been dramatically elevated. At the demigod level, it could stand toe to toe with a true deity.
And Xiahou Zhen? He was merely at the peak of the Heaven Realm. He hadn't even grasped the demigod level, let alone become a true deity.
Xiahou Zhen saw the crimson stream of energy hurtling toward him and, without a moment's hesitation, swung both torrents of qi to meet the Vermilion Bird's charge.
Such formidable torrents of qi — even Xiahou Zhen himself was alarmed by their power.