"Venerable Immortal Master Wu, spare my life."
At this moment, Nangong Chen and a group of Nangong family elders also knelt down in haste, begging for their lives.
With a few cracking sounds, the Chuxi Sword transformed into a streak of light, beheading Sima De and several of his followers in one go.
To Wu Tao, Sima De was merely a minor figure, easily annihilated.
After Sima De's head was severed, Wu Tao didn't even cast a glance. He slowly said to Nangong Chen, "Nangong family patriarch, you will take your own life. Only you will die. If I were to act myself, I would exterminate your entire Nangong family. Choose."
Upon hearing this, Nangong Chen's body went limp, and he slumped to the ground, remaining silent for a long time.
When Wu Tao uttered these words, all the Nangong family members present were greatly shocked, their legs turning to jelly.
Instantly, whether they were other clan members or elders of the Nangong family, they all stepped forward to advise Nangong Chen, urging him to commit suicide to preserve the entire Nangong family.
"Dying for the family, sacrificing one's life, is an unavoidable duty." This was a slogan that had always been Nangong Chen's motto.
Nangong Chen had sacrificed many Nangong family members based on this. However, when the cycle of karma turned to him, he hesitated to make the decision.
Eventually, Nangong Chen was pushed to his breaking point and began to shout and push his clansmen, adamantly refusing to commit suicide.
Nangong Chun, the second elder of the Nangong family, saw this. A killing intent flashed in his eyes. He snatched a candlestick from a maidservant, circled behind Nangong Chen.
Hearing footsteps, Nangong Chen immediately sensed something was wrong.
Although his mind was a mess, or rather, he was somewhat dazed by fear, it did not prevent him from sensing the danger around him.
Years of martial arts training and instinct enabled Nangong Chen to grab a nearby chair and swing it towards his attacker.
Nangong Chun stumbled from the blow, and Nangong Chen seized the opportunity, sprinting towards the exit.
The entire scene descended into chaos. Women and children wept softly. The other high-ranking members of the Nangong family merely looked around in panic, none daring to act directly.
"Hold him down, or we will all die!"
Nangong Chun, clutching his bleeding head, shouted in anger.
The eight guards at the door exchanged glances and then rushed to block the entrance, forming a human wall with their bodies.
However, Nangong Chen's internal energy was profound. Ignoring all else and crashing forward, he sent the eight guards sprawling, half of his body already outside!
Yet, Nangong Chen never expected an elder of the Nangong family outside the door to strike him back with a palm.
As the eight guards got back on their feet, they took the opportunity to pin the fallen Nangong Chen down together.
With his limbs held by eight guards and his clavicles broken by the elder who had suddenly appeared, Nangong Chen could only struggle and shout towards the door, "Someone is plotting rebellion, come and save me!"
The guards a few dozen paces away, hearing this, were astonished. Just as they were about to rush forward, they heard a tragic scream. It was Nangong Chun, who had struck Nangong Chen with the candlestick.
Seeing this, the dozens of guards almost instinctively stopped, clearly watching to see what would happen.
Following this, with a fierce look on his face, Nangong Chun brought the candlestick down, blow after blow, upon Nangong Chen's head.
As Nangong Chen was battered into a bloody mess, unable to even cry out in agony, the elders of the Nangong family in the hall, as well as the dozens of guards, all stood in place, watching indifferently.
Everyone's thought at that moment was that Nangong Chen was dead, and they would live. This was a very worthwhile transaction, so why save him?
What is human nature?
This is human nature, and the wickedness of human nature could not be more apparent.
"What are you waiting for? Pretending to be good people? Don't want to dirty your hands? I'm telling you, if Nangong Chen lives, we will all die..."
Nangong Chun turned back and roared.
"To this point, do you intend to exchange the life of Nangong Chen for the lives of so many of us in the Nangong family? Nangong Quan, Nangong Wen, Nangong Qiu, Nangong Nian, are you all deaf?"
"I'm telling you, I won't bear the great crime of killing the family patriarch alone. If we die, we die together!"
The high-ranking members of the Nangong family exchanged glances. One after another, they stood silently behind Nangong Chun, forming a line.
Meanwhile, Nangong Chen, having endured so many blows, was still not dead. He managed to extend a bloody hand, as if reaching out for help from someone.
But at that moment, Nangong Quan appeared. He took the blood-stained candlestick from Nangong Chun and struck down fiercely. In pain, Nangong Chen retracted his hand.
After Nangong Quan, Nangong Wen also stepped forward, took the candlestick, and hit the fallen Nangong Chen again.
After this blow, Nangong Wen stood shoulder to shoulder with Nangong Quan and Nangong Chun. Then, Nangong Qiu took the already deformed candlestick and struck Nangong Chen's head once more.
However, after Nangong Qiu struck, no one took the candlestick. It wasn't until Nangong Chun, with a ravenous look, stared at Nangong Nian and angrily cursed his name.
Nangong Nian then slowly approached and took the candlestick.
Unexpectedly, Nangong Chen, whose back of the head had split open, still had breath. He forcefully twisted his head and looked at Nangong Nian, who was weeping profusely, with a mocking expression in his eyes.
Nangong Chen, with his last bit of strength, roared weakly: "Nangong Nian, we are brothers! How could you attack me, you beast..."
Upon hearing this, Nangong Nian's right hand trembled, almost dropping the candlestick.
However, thinking of his son, who was only three years old, Nangong Nian sighed. He no longer hesitated and delivered a full-force blow, which struck squarely on Nangong Chen's forehead.
Nangong Chen, a once formidable figure, finally breathed his last.
Witnessing Nangong Chen being killed by his own clansmen, Wu Tao felt a mix of emotions, an ineffable feeling.
"Yu'er, come here."
After dealing with Nangong Chen's matter, Wu Tao beckoned Nangong Yu over and said slowly.
Nangong Yu couldn't help but look at her mother.
At this moment, the high-ranking members of the Nangong family looked at Nangong Xue and Nangong Yu, mother and daughter, and a flicker of hope rekindled in their hearts, as Wu Tao and Nangong Xue were husband and wife.
Of course, Nangong Tian, who knew the inside story, sighed softly in his heart.
He knew very well that Wu Tao and Nangong Xue were not truly husband and wife.
Finally, with Nangong Xue's nod, Nangong Yu, somewhat scared, walked forward blankly.
Patting Nangong Yu's shoulder, Wu Tao said indifferently to everyone present in the Nangong family, "Regarding the cause, course, and final outcome of this matter, I don't wish to speak any further."
"Because I am also tired. This child has a connection with me, and I will take her as my disciple."
"Young Master, this... this... this..."
At this moment, Nangong Xue was stunned for a long time, not knowing what to say.
"Alright, this matter, no matter what, shall end here. You can all disperse."
Wu Tao looked at Nangong Xue, then at the other members of the Nangong family, and sighed softly, saying this.
The sudden turn of events left everyone dumbfounded. None of them had ever dreamed that something like this would happen.
For them, this was an unimaginable achievement.
For the Nangong family, becoming a servant to a Nascent Soul cultivator meant soaring to prosperity and bringing glory to their ancestors.
Such an achievement was already extraordinary for a small family like the Nangong family.
However, now Nangong Yu had become a disciple of a Nascent Soul cultivator, and the disciple of a Nascent Soul cultivator. This was something their Nangong family had never dared to dream of.
But it had indeed happened. Nangong Yu had become a disciple of a Nascent Soul cultivator. For their Nangong family, this was more than just bringing glory to their ancestors; it was a carp leaping over the dragon gate to become a true dragon!
With the mother benefiting from the daughter's fortune, Nangong Xue's status in the Nangong family instantly changed. She was no longer a bargaining chip for the Nangong family.
Now, in the hearts of many elders of the Nangong family, she was the family matriarch.
And Nangong Xue's daughter, Nangong Yu, was the jewel of the Nangong family, the greatest pride of the Nangong family since its inception!
Instantly, the children of the Nangong family who were the same age as Nangong Yu looked at the scene before them foolishly, filled with envy for Nangong Yu.
For them, such a fortuitous encounter was truly a leap over the dragon gate.
Of course, the people of the Nangong family were dreaming of grand futures, but Nangong Xue had resolved to leave the Nangong family with her daughter, Nangong Yu.
"Thank you, Young Master, for your immense kindness. I will never forget it. I am willing to follow you as a slave and a servant!" Nangong Xue, holding Nangong Yu's hand, kowtowed repeatedly, filled with gratitude.
Upon hearing Nangong Xue's words, the high-ranking members of the Nangong family were dumbfounded. Wu Tao stood in place, hesitated for a moment, and then surprisingly agreed.
After dealing with matters here, Wu Tao arrived at the exchange just as it was approaching Hai Shi (9-11 PM). After waiting for a short while, Wu Tao entered the auction.
At the entrance of the auction house, people were already paying their deposits and entering.
All of these individuals were cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage or above.
Wu Tao even saw two or three Core Formation cultivators enter.
He stood there for a moment, then stepped forward and handed the guard a storage bag filled with spirit stones.
The guard who received the storage bag checked the quantity of spirit stones within and nodded to his companion. He then moved aside to let Wu Tao pass, saying casually, "Proceed straight inside!"
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