Chapter 387: The Twelve Earthly Branches Descend

The Twelve Earthly Branches Descend

"The Twelve Earthly Branches..."

He muttered those words softly.

His eyes brightened.

The Obsidian Wing had existed for countless years.

Its roots stretched across nations, hidden beneath layers of secrecy and influence.

Even members who had devoted decades of service knew only a fraction of its true strength.

Steffan himself wasn’t an exception.

There were many hidden forces within the organization that even he had never met.

But one group was different.

Everyone knew their name.

The Twelve Earthly Branches.

A special force that answered only to the commands of the Patriarch Obsidian King.

No one else possessed the authority to mobilize them.

Each member of that squad was an elite among elites.

Every single one possessed at least the strength of the middle Gold Realm.

Even among the Old Martial Arts world, such experts could easily establish powerful households or dominate entire regions.

More terrifying still...

Their captain and vice-captain had already reached the peak of the Gold Realm.

They stood only a single step away from entering the Platinum Realm.

Adding himself to that lineup...

The force assembled this time was overwhelming.

Steffan slowly clenched his fist.

A dangerous light flickered within his eyes.

"This is enough..."

"It is more than enough."

With this strength gathered together, sweeping through Valemont wouldn’t be difficult.

Julian D’Aurelius...

No matter how mysterious his techniques were...

No matter how strange his abilities appeared...

Steffan refused to believe that one man could stand against such an overwhelming force.

His humiliation...

His suffering...

His revenge...

Everything would soon be settled.

He stood from the bed and carefully adjusted the fresh bandages wrapped around his body.

Every movement sent sharp pain through his wounds.

Even so, he never frowned.

Compared to the hatred burning inside his heart, physical pain meant nothing.

After calming himself completely, he quietly left the apartment before dawn.

The streets were nearly empty.

A cold morning breeze swept through the city, carrying away the lingering smell of rain and dust.

Steffan kept his head lowered as he walked.

His injuries made him unsuitable for attracting attention.

Several minutes later, he reached an industrial district near the outskirts.

Cargo trucks lined the road, waiting for their scheduled departures.

After carefully observing his surroundings, he chose a large freight truck preparing to leave for Valemont.

Without making a sound, he slipped inside the cargo compartment and concealed himself among stacks of wooden crates.

Darkness surrounded him.

The engine rumbled to life.

The truck slowly rolled onto the highway.

Steffan leaned silently against one of the crates.

His eyes gradually closed.

He wasn’t resting.

He was waiting.

This journey would mark the beginning of his revenge.

This time...

He would first cleanse the Old Martial Arts world with blood.

Especially the Tyson Family, who had chosen to stand beside the D’Aurelius family.

Anyone who sided with Julian...

Would become his enemy.

And every enemy...

Would pay with their lives.

...

Voidspring Mountain.

Towering peaks pierced the clouds as ancient pines swayed gently beneath the mountain breeze.

Mist drifted through the valleys like flowing rivers, giving the legendary sect an almost immortal appearance.

As one of the most respected Old Martial Arts sects in the farlands, Voidspring Mountain possessed an extraordinary foundation.

For generations, its disciples had upheld justice and honor.

Its reputation had been earned through countless years of sacrifice rather than empty words.

Today...

That peaceful mountain was shrouded in a heavy atmosphere.

A major event had shaken the entire sect.

Elder Smith had been expelled from Voidspring Mountain by the sect master, Priya.

Not only that...

His limbs had been broken.

His nervous system had been completely destroyed.

For an elderly cultivator who had dedicated his life to martial arts...

Such punishment was worse than death.

Unable to endure the overwhelming injuries and humiliation, Elder Smith passed away less than two hours after receiving his sentence.

News of his death spread quickly throughout the mountain.

Many disciples lowered their heads in silence.

Although his ending was tragic, very few pitied him.

He had spent nearly his entire life within Voidspring Mountain.

He had grown from an ordinary disciple into one of its respected elders.

By seniority, he had even been the martial uncle of Sect Master Priya herself.

Under normal circumstances...

Someone with such status would have been shown mercy.

But this time...

Priya had shown none.

Because Elder Smith had crossed a line that could never be forgiven.

The first time, when he secretly aided outsiders against the Tyson Family, she had chosen to overlook the matter.

At the time, the Tyson Family hadn’t suffered major losses.

His actions, while disappointing, could still be interpreted as blindly following strength.

She had endured it for the sake of the sect’s stability.

But his second betrayal...

Could not be tolerated.

He had secretly attempted to poison every high-ranking member of Voidspring Mountain.

His objective was horrifyingly simple.

Control the entire sect from within.

Had fate not intervened...

His plan might actually have succeeded.

Fortunately, a close friend skilled in Ancient medicine happened to visit Voidspring Mountain at precisely the right moment.

By sheer coincidence, the unusual symptoms were discovered before the poison could fully spread.

Working together, they successfully detoxified every affected elder.

Only afterward did they capture Elder Smith.

Under relentless interrogation, he eventually confessed everything.

The mastermind behind the conspiracy...

Was Steffan.

Behind Steffan...

Stood the Obsidian Wing.

Even more alarming...

They also learned of the organization’s next objective.

The Obsidian Wing intended to seize complete control of Valemont.

Among their primary targets...

Was the Tyson Family.

Priya’s beautiful golden eyes narrowed with concern after hearing the confession.

Without wasting another second, she immediately contacted her beloved disciple, Cheery.

She warned her to remain vigilant and avoid unnecessary risks until reinforcements arrived.

Only after ensuring her disciple’s safety did she summon every available elder within Voidspring Mountain.

Five Gold Realm experts answered her call without hesitation.

No lengthy discussion followed.

No one questioned the decision.

The elders understood exactly what was at stake.

If the Tyson Family fell...

The balance of the Old Martial Arts world would change forever.

Without delay, Priya personally led the five experts down the mountain toward Valemont.

The journey was swift.

Each passing moment deepened the unease in her heart.

When she and her team finally arrived at the Tyson Family.

They found the Tyson Family already suffering heavy casualties!