Chapter 538: The Twelve Clans
Mu Yubai was undoubtedly a proud man. For the first time in his life, he wanted to swear brotherhood with someone, and he was even willing to lower his generation to do it with a man just over twenty years old. If this ended up being rejected, it would be almost equal to losing all the face he had earned in his lifetime.
So, since he had already spoken the words, this brotherhood had to be sworn! No matter what, it had to be sworn!
Yun Qinghong, Mu Yurou, and Xiao Yun all wore expressions of strange awkwardness. A month ago, when Mu Yubai had shouted about swearing brotherhood with Yun Che, they had thought the age difference was a bit inappropriate, but there seemed to be no major principled issues. But now, knowing that Mu Yubai was actually Yun Che's biological uncle… if they really went through with it, the joke would be huge.
Yun Che gave a bitter smile and said, "Well… it's not that I'm unwilling. How about this: After this ceremony ends today, if Senior still wants to swear brotherhood with me, I will absolutely not refuse."
"Good!!" The moment Yun Che's voice fell, Mu Yubai let out a loud roar, as if afraid Yun Che might take back his words. He puffed up his chest and declared, "A real man's word is a bond that cannot be broken even by a team of horses! The words I, Mu Yubai, have spoken cannot be pulled back by ten thousand horses! Tomorrow, we brothers will swear brotherhood. Whoever goes back on their word is a turtle bastard! All of you here are witnesses, hah!"
"Well…" Xiao Yun scratched his head, his gaze darting away, not daring to look at Mu Yubai.
"Heheheh…" Yun Qinghong's laughter was strange and ambiguous.
Mu Yurou's phoenix eyes narrowed into two long slits as she smiled: "Big Brother, these are your own words. None of us forced you."
The three of them wore expressions so abnormally strange that Mu Yubai suddenly felt a sense of unease. He widened his eyes and said warily, "What's going on with all of you? Is there something you're hiding from me?"
"Get to your seat quickly. The ceremony starts in half an hour. Today is not the time for your nonsense. You're nearly two hundred years old and still haven't given your old man a grandson, yet you call yourself a real man? Pfft." Mu Feiyan spat disdainfully, then strode toward the Mu Clan seats.
At the mention of "grandson," his three sons immediately wilted, slinking silently after the old man without daring to say another word. Mu Feiyan had three sons and one daughter. His daughter had married Yun Qinghong, but none of his three sons had married yet, and a grandson was nowhere in sight. Eight or nine times out of ten, Mu Feiyan's outbursts at home were about this exact matter. That was also why he had not yet passed the position of clan head to Mu Yubai.
It could only be blamed on his three sons being afraid of marriage down to their bones. They were carefree and unrestrained in daily life, but the moment they thought about being controlled by a woman after marriage, they immediately shrunk back. From the way Mu Yubai was clamoring to swear brotherhood with Yun Che, one could see just how "carefree" a person he was. As for the grave responsibility of letting Old Master Mu hold a grandson, the three brothers pushed it onto each other. More than once, Old Master Mu had been so furious that he had beaten all three black and blue… and even then, not one of those three had married.
"The Tianxia Clan has arrived!"
The Tianxia Clan was led by their clan head, Tianxia Xiongtu. Within their group, Yun Che spotted Tianxia Wudi. Slightly behind, Yun Che saw Tianxia Diyi, as well as Tianxia Disan and Tianxia Diliu, whom he had met three months ago. The spirit elves walking alongside them should be Tianxia Dier, Tianxia Disi, and Tianxia Diwu. The young spirit elf surrounded in their midst made Xiao Yun's butt lift abruptly from his seat as he exclaimed excitedly in a low voice: "Seventh Sister… it's Seventh Sister!"
As a spirit elf clan, the Tianxia Clan not only had strikingly long ears and cicada-like wings, but also carried a distinct aura of nature. The moment they arrived, it was as if a refreshing breeze swept through the entire hall, making everyone feel invigorated.
Seeing the seating of the Yun Clan, Tianxia Xiongtu was obviously taken aback for a moment. But as he passed before the Yun Clan seats, he nodded to Yun Qinghong without saying much else. Tianxia Diyi also nodded in greeting to Yun Che.
Tianxia Diqi secretly glanced at Xiao Yun, then lowered her head and bit her lips hard. It had been over three months since they last met, and what she felt most deeply during those three months was that her chances of being with Xiao Yun were growing slimmer and slimmer…
The Tianxia Clan's seats were adjacent to the Mu Clan's.
Xiao Yun's gaze remained fixed on Tianxia Diqi until she sat down. After pulling his eyes away, his expression was dazed, his soul absent, and a deep gloom covered his face. Yun Che glanced at his expression and sighed inwardly. He knew what Xiao Yun was feeling so down about… it was already confirmed that Xiao Yun was not the biological son of Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou, and that he was from the Tian Xuan Continent. This had made the barrier that already existed between him and Tianxia Diqi suddenly countless times thicker.
The contrast between their life stories… was like two people from completely different worlds.
"Feeling discouraged?" Yun Che said with a half-smile.
Xiao Yun shook his head: "I will never give up on Seventh Sister, but right now… I… I really don't know what to do."
"Then don't think about it for now. Opportunities have a way of arriving when you least expect them," Yun Che said with a smile, then changed the subject: "Xiao Yun, the Twelve Clans are almost all here. Give me a general introduction, especially the leaders of each clan and the strongest of the younger generation."
"Oh, alright!" Xiao Yun nodded. As the Twelve Clans were the most fully exposed outside of the Illusory Demon Realm, at the top of their leather trousers, coiled a whip of the same fiery red color. Restless flame patterns flickered on the whip's body… it was clear at a glance that it was no ordinary weapon.
This wild and fiery attire instantly attracted the gazes of countless young men, their eyes shining with light, drooling. But the girl was clearly used to such looks. She held her head high, nobility and arrogance clearly written on her face.
"Now that's a bold way to dress. If my wife dared to dress like that, I'd divorce her on the spot," Yun Che said with a crooked smile, then quickly added, "Oh, it's a different story if it's only for me to see."
"Ahem, her name is Chiyang Yanwu. They say her body's fire affinity is almost on par with the ancient Chiyang Laozu. Her talent is absolutely terrifying. She's only twenty-four years old and already at the peak of Overlord Xuan Realm, Level 5. Word has it she's about to break through to Overlord Xuan Realm, Level 6. But…" Xiao Yun lowered his voice: "This Chiyang Yanwu is famously arrogant in the Demon Emperor's Capital. It's said that no man has ever earned a proper glance from her."
"For a level like the Twelve Guardian Clans, it's quite rare for the strongest of the younger generation to be female," Yun Che said, resting his chin on his hand.
"The younger generation's strongest being female isn't limited to the Chiyang Clan." Xiao Yun pointed to the family whose front was engraved with the character "Bai": "That's the Bai Clan, also a demon race. Their true form is the Cloud-Winged White Tiger. The clan head is named Bai Yi. The strongest of their younger generation is the woman on his left side—Bai Jie. She's thirty years old and at Overlord Xuan Realm, Level 5."
"Oh." Yun Che nodded slowly, then his brow twitched: "Hmm? Bai Jie?"
"Eh? Does Big Brother know her?" Xiao Yun asked in surprise.
"No, no, definitely not," Yun Che shook his head. "This should be the first time I've heard that name, but why does it feel familiar… anyway, let's move on. Tell me about the Helian Clan."
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Seating arrangement of the Twelve Clans:
East (North to South): Helian, Chiyang, Bai, Nangong, Lin, Jiufang, Xiao.
West (North to South): Su, Tianxia, Yan, Mu, Yun.