"Brother Ye sent the test subjects to escort our clansmen, not to hold them hostage, but to protect them. Please, don’t misunderstand," Yue Xiaofeng said, patching the holes in Bai Xi’s argument.

Deng Xifeng continued, "When we were starving, the Long Family didn’t care. It was Brother Ye who paid out of his own pocket to feed us, while Long Tianba made the Long Family members eat first, leaving us with the scraps. Tonight, Brother Ye was worried our people in the unfinished district would go hungry, so he sent over a dozen truckloads of food and water. But Long Yihong let the Long Family eat first again, and only what they left was given to our people. Dad, a family like that isn’t worth dying for."

Xue Zhiyuan added, "Brother Ye treats us like brothers, like family. The Long Family treats us like livestock, like slaves. Dad, Grandpa, can’t you tell who’s good and who’s bad? Who treats us well and who treats us poorly?"

Li Muyang declared, "The only future for the thirteen external families is with Brother Ye! Grandpa, clansmen, stand with me on Brother Ye’s side and let’s fight the Long Family!"

After listening to the impassioned words of Nangong Yue and the other six, everyone from the thirteen external families fell silent. Their grievances against the Long Family had been building for a long time. Tonight was a perfect example. Ye Xiu had bought meals for Nangong Yue and her people, but the Clan Leader had ordered the Long Family to eat first, giving them only the leftovers. However, not only were there no leftovers, but the Long Family members themselves hadn’t even eaten their fill. Later, Ye Xiu sent another batch of food, but again, the Long Family ate first, leaving only scraps that the external families couldn’t bring themselves to eat. That was why when Jiang Yuan launched his night raid, they had all just gone through the motions, using it as a chance to vent their dissatisfaction.

Now, the words of Nangong Yue and her companions drew out all the resentment they had suppressed toward the Long Family. Combined with the kindness Ye Xiu had shown the thirteen external families, their hearts began to waver.

"We, the thirteen external families, have been subservient to the Long Family for over a thousand years. It’s time we experienced what it feels like to be the masters," Nangong Yue’s father, Nangong Yu, said to the Nangong family. "Damn it, rebel with me."

"Rebel!" all the members of the Nangong Family responded in unison.

Then, led by Nangong Yu, they walked over to stand behind Ye Xiu. With someone taking the lead, the hesitant hearts of the other external families finally settled, and one by one, they all moved to stand behind him.

"You... you traitors!" the Clan Leader snarled, his expression twisting with fury.

"Clan Leader? Pah! Long Tianba," Nangong Yu taunted, a wild grin on his face. "Tsk tsk, this is the first time in my life I’ve called you by your full name, and it feels damn good. Long Tianba, you’ve seen the stance of the thirteen external families. If you want to kill Ye Xiu tonight, you’ll have to get through us first." He was absolutely exhilarated. For generations, no one from the Nangong Family had ever dared to speak to the Long Family this way. He felt he was bringing glory to his ancestors.

"Nangong Yu, you..." The Clan Leader ground his teeth in anger but had no choice but to face the reality of the situation.

The Long Family was stronger than the thirteen external families, with far more Second Realm War Gods. But that was in the past. The First and Second Realm War Gods of the family’s sixth faction had already been wiped out by Ye Xiu. Furthermore, during Jiang Yuan’s night raid, the thirteen external families had stood by and watched, emerging without a single injury, while the Long Family had suffered devastating casualties.

Now, the Long Family had only forty-two Second Realm War Gods left, and half of them were injured. The thirteen external families had thirty-three, and with Ye Xiu, that made thirty-four, all of them completely unscathed. On top of that, the number of First Realm War Gods among the external families was several times that of the Long Family. If a real fight broke out, it would undoubtedly be a mutually destructive outcome. And with Ye Xiu’s strength, he could easily escape. In a situation where they couldn’t guarantee killing Ye Xiu, starting a conflict was not a wise move.

"Long Zhibo!" the Clan Leader called out in a low voice.

An old man called Long Zhibo stepped forward. "Uncle, I am here."

"It’s your turn to sacrifice yourself for the Long Family," the Clan Leader said, taking out a Blood Pill. "Go. You must kill Ye Xiu."

"It’s worth trading my life to make the Long Family invincible!" Long Zhibo declared and swallowed the Blood Pill without hesitation. Instantly, a terrifying, pale red aura erupted from his body.

"Ye Xiu, we have to go, quickly!" Nangong Yu warned anxiously. "The last three Long Family War Gods became so powerful because they took a Blood Pill, which let them beat back Jiang Yuan, Jiang Hai, and Jiang He after they’d awakened their Totem Power. Now Long Zhibo has taken one of those pills too. We’re no match for him!"

Apart from Nangong Yue and her six companions, the other members of the thirteen external families had seen for themselves how terrifying the power of a Second Realm War God became after consuming a Blood Pill.

"Hmph. Blood Pills?" Ye Xiu scoffed. "I have more of them than the Long Family. Besides, I specialize in countering them."

Ye Xiu slowly pulled a Bloodstone from his pocket, which radiated a blazing red light. Seeing this, everyone present was impressed but confused, with no idea what he was about to do. The next moment, however, they saw the Bloodstone leave his palm and float into the air, hovering directly above Long Zhibo’s head. Then they watched in shock as the red glow rising from Long Zhibo’s body surged toward the Bloodstone as if it had found an outlet.

"What is this? Uncle, Father, save me! I feel my Martial Prowess and blood rushing uncontrollably to my head..." Long Zhibo cried out in terror, but his voice was cut off mid-sentence.

Seeing this, the Long Family members all stumbled back. The Clan Leader exclaimed in shock, "Ye Xiu, what is this thing?"

"A treasure specifically designed to counter the Blood Pill," Ye Xiu stated coolly.

The Clan Leader instantly lost all control of his expression, his composure shattering on the spot. The Blood Pill was the Long Family’s final trump card; it was the reason he didn’t fear the Medicine King Valley. He had thought that by sacrificing Long Zhibo, the power from the Blood Pill would be enough to kill Ye Xiu. But to his astonishment, Ye Xiu possessed a treasure that could neutralize the Blood Pill itself.

PFFT!

Overwhelmed by rage and shock, the Clan Leader spat out a mouthful of blood. Glaring at Ye Xiu with bloodshot eyes and a savage expression, he roared, "Ye Xiu, I, Long Tianba, will not rest until one of us is dead! Just you wait! Long Family, with me!"

With that, like a defeated general, he led the members of the Long Family away from the Long Family Manor.

Ye Xiu fought the urge to chase them down and slaughter them all. He looked up at the sky and sighed. Mom, Grandpa, Grandma, watch from the heavens. I will make the people who killed you suffer a fate worse than death, one from which they can never be reborn.

The members of the thirteen external families were ecstatic. It was as if they had been liberated from poverty and were taking a great leap forward into a bright new future. Freedom felt wonderful.

"Mr. Ye," said Nangong Yu, "now that the thirteen external families have completely broken away from the Long Family, we have no desire to return to Hundred Flowers Valley. We hope you can show us a clear path forward." He knew Ye Xiu was wealthy enough to support all of them, but they had their dignity and wanted to survive in the city through their own strength.

"Dad, what are you saying?" Nangong Yue interjected. "There will be time to find a path forward after we help Brother Ye destroy the Long Family."

"I am willing to follow Brother Ye for the rest of my life," Gu Meng declared.

Bai Xi and the others immediately voiced their agreement, all wishing to follow Ye Xiu for life.