Chapter 286: I'll Call the Stone King Back, You Can Convict Him!
The middle-aged Supreme eventually brought Shi Jian to a small tribe within the vast Emperor City. Towering mountains stood, trees were lush, and the roars of wild beasts filled the air.
Over a thousand people lived here, insignificant to the grand city. However, everyone here was surnamed Shi.
The situation of the 'sinful' clans in the Borderland was even more severe than in the Three Thousand Dao Provinces. Here, whenever Emperor City went to war, they had to be at the very front. Countless clan members died. No matter how many geniuses they produced, they couldn't withstand this malicious attrition. Now, talents had almost all withered away, and the Shi Clan was left with only this small population.
"Someone saw an ancestor of the Shi Clan kill his own people, beheading several important figures, leaders of this realm," the Supreme sighed, explaining the reason for their 'sinful' bloodline status. Such a sin was difficult to wash away. How could such a crime be cleared without groundbreaking evidence? Besides, it was too long ago; almost everyone from that era had died.
Shi Jian listened, then looked at the dilapidated tribe. Some children had scars on their bodies from hunting at a young age. Their lives were even worse than those of Stone Village in the Lower Realm. Life was hard; all the middle-aged had been conscripted, leaving only the old, weak, and sick.
"The events of back then are unverifiable. But my Shi Clan's ancestors are still fighting in the Original Emperor City!"
"Why do you think Emperor Pass hasn't been breached? Is it because of Meng Tianzheng? Or those hidden crippled immortals?"
"The Foreign Realm has a pile of Immortal Kings, and Emperor Pass doesn't even have an immortal. Do you truly believe it's the Heavenly Abyss blocking them?"
"It's still the Original Emperor City that's withstood all the pressure. It's still my Shi Clan's ancestors fighting! Sinful Clan? These Nine Heavens and Ten Lands were protected by my clan," Shi Jian spoke coldly.
The Supreme was stunned. "What you said is true?"
Shi Jian slowly walked into the tribe, his voice reaching the Supreme's ears. "Right or wrong, I have no intention of arguing. But didn't you pin the crime on my Shi Clan's ancestors?"
"After some time, when my Shi Clan's ancestors return, you can personally convict him. There is still a Stone King left. At that time, see if he admits to the crime or not!"
The shock in the Supreme's heart was inexpressible. A Stone King? Still alive? And he was going to return? If what Shi Jian said was true, what would that ancestor's reaction be upon his return? The Supreme felt a chill down his spine. He had a premonition that something big was about to happen. He quickly went to discuss this with someone.
Shi Jian entered the tribe. He truly intended to contact the Stone King and bring the Original Emperor City back. You convicted the Shi Clan? I'll call the ancestor back, and you can convict him to his face.
Among the 300 Great Daos from Fang Han, there was the Great Bloodline Art. Using it, he could connect with the Stone King.
He planned to have them move the Original Emperor City back and settle it next to the current Emperor Pass. When the Foreign Realm attacked, let this Emperor Pass take the lead and experience the pressure faced by the "sinful bloodline." The Original Emperor City would supervise from behind. If anyone retreated, they would be the new sinners, their clan the new descendants of 'sinful bloodline.'
The people of the Shi Clan quickly noticed the outsider. An elder approached him. "Child? Where are you from?"
Shi Jian activated his Qi and Blood, and the runes on his forehead burst with dazzling light.
"Sinful Bloodline Collapsing Cloud? Child, quickly conceal this power! If others see it, it will cause great disaster!" the elder said, startled. Such a phenomenon indicated a peerless genius, but in their current situation, it would only lead to him being conscripted and losing his life on the battlefield.
"I, the Stone Emperor!" Shi Jian spoke calmly. "What flows in our veins is not 'sinful' bloodline, but glory and honor."
The elders were frightened. "Shh, quiet! You can't say such things!"
Shi Jian was unfazed. "The ancestors of the Shi Clan are about to return. The truth will be known then. I came to tell you that the era of the Shi Clan's decline is over. From now on, the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands… shall respect the Shi Clan as supreme!"
His words were so calm that the people almost thought he had gone mad. But he was speaking the truth.
He shook his head and stopped talking, instead taking out the few Heavenly God Fruits he had left, along with cultivation manuals and resources he had prepared, and handed them to the tribe. "Some children here have good talent. The Shi Clan will rise!"
The elders looked at the items, momentarily dazed.
"Our ancestors are not dead yet. I need to combine everyone's bloodline power to summon them. I need some of your blood," Shi Jian continued. He needed the combined blood of the tribe, his own, and Shi Hao's to use the Great Bloodline Art.
The people were shocked. While some elders hesitated, the children had already begun to act.
"We are not sinners! My father is a hero!"
"My brother died fighting for the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands! He's a hero!"
"Big brother, contact our ancestor and ask him if he ever made a big mistake?"
The children unhesitatingly cut their fingers and squeezed out their True Blood. All they had ever known was hardship and the disdain of the outside world. The bodies of their fallen family were returned with no honor, only the phrase, "Deserved to die."
Now, they all wanted to know: did their ancestors really make a mistake? Is their blood truly 'sinful' or is it honor?
Shi Jian collected the True Blood. Seeing the scene, the elders sighed and also offered their own. They, too, were tired of bearing the name of 'sinful bloodline' their whole lives.
In a short while, he had collected the True Blood of the entire tribe. As he was about to make other arrangements, a group of uninvited guests arrived. They wore silver armor—the conscription envoys of Emperor Pass. Every time they came, it meant another group would be sent to the battlefield, never to return.
"Your Shi Clan actually produced a genius with Sinful Bloodline Collapsing Cloud. Why isn't such a genius sent to the front lines? Does your Shi Clan want to be annihilated?" the leader spoke.
Without a word, the people of the Shi Clan surrounded Shi Jian, as if to protect him.
"Sir, our clan just recently sent people to be conscripted!" an elder, the clan chief, pleaded.
The silver-armored man's expression turned cold. "Descendants of 'sinful bloodline,' allowing you to atone on the front lines is already a great grace. Now, you dare to disobey? Hand over the one with the Sinful Bloodline Collapsing Cloud, and then add a hundred young and strong men!"
The people looked at him with fear. He was like the Grim Reaper. But despite their fear, they still surrounded Shi Jian.
Shi Jian saw this, sighed, and then walked out.
"What are you? How dare you speak of annihilating my Shi Clan?"
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