Family Cultivation: My entire family are Villains

Hou Yujie's pupils suddenly flashed with excitement as he said in a deep voice,

"With this, all five counties of Xingnan Prefecture will fall into the hands of our Hou Clan, and furthermore, Pingtian Gate and Ling Hai Mo Zong to the west, as well as the first batch of forces from Leiyin Temple marching southward, are all still unaware. As long as we handle this properly, Leiyin Temple will definitely suffer a huge loss."

As the two conversed, the battle beneath the city gates was drawing to a close. Apart from the ten thousand soldiers of the Red Flame Army, who had already stormed into the city to pursue the Shen Clan forces, the other one hundred thousand troops of the Black Armored Army from the Hou Clan had only cleared the remnants at the city gate and did not advance further.

At that moment, Wan Renfeng and Wan Renshan, who had survived the ordeal, approached with grateful expressions. Seeing this, Hou Yuduan quickly stepped aside and said, "Big Brother, you go into the city to check on the Red Flame Army. I'll hold them off here, and take a look at the situation with Wan Renjue on the eastern side of the city. If he's not dead, finish him off..."

Hou Yujie nodded, a flash of cold light in his eyes, and hurled himself toward the east gate.

"The Fifth Young Master's timely assistance shall never be forgotten by the Xiong Yun Gang!"

The two Yuan Dan First Realm masters bowed down without a second thought. Hou Yuduan hurriedly stepped forward to help them up, smiling and saying, "You're being too courteous. Xingnan and Hexi Prefectures support each other like lips and teeth. Now that the Holy Church has retreated, it's natural for us to aid one another. My coming to assist was the right thing to do; you needn't worry about it."

Exchanging glances, Wan Renfeng and Wan Renshan both remained silent for a long time. Deep down, whether it was their elder brother Wan Renjue or themselves, they somewhat looked down on the Hou Clan of Hexi—firstly, because the Hou Clan's foundation was relatively shallow, and secondly, because the reputation the Hou Clan had gained as it developed was somewhat unsavory.

Feeling immense shame upon hearing Hou Yuduan's words, they were moved.

Nevertheless, the brothers had not forgotten their urgent business.

"Fifth Young Master, please dispatch reinforcements to accompany us to the east side of the city. My elder brother Wan Renjue, with our gang's elites, is resisting another army led by Shen Gu Yun. The eastern gate has fallen. If the fleeing forces of the Shen Clan join up with Shen Gu Yun, my brother will struggle to hold them off!"

Hou Yuduan's expression froze as he looked at the damaged city gate, and hesitation flashed across his face as he said tentatively, "This... To be frank with you, my elder brother only instructed me to come to the aid of the Xiong Yun Gang and repel the Shen Clan forces. He specifically warned me not to let our Hou Clan troops enter the city, to avoid making Master Wan think that the Hou Clan covets the Prefectural City.

My one thousand elite troops entering the city has already broken the rules. What you're suggesting is for me to lead the one hundred thousand troops into the city, and that..."

These words made Wan Renfeng and Wan Renshan's expressions pause, and they turned to look at the Black Armored Army of the Hou Clan regrouping outside the city gate, feeling a tremor in their hearts.

Considering the combat power displayed by the Hou Clan's forces at the city gate, if all one hundred and ten thousand soldiers entered the city, it really could threaten the position of the Xiong Yun Gang within the city.

Yet, Hou Yuduan was so forthright about it, indicating he did not wish to enter the city, which was simply...

"Fifth Young Master is a man of great honor, and I, Mr. Wan, respect him immensely. However, my elder brother is in imminent danger. In times of emergency, drastic measures are justified. The Fifth Young Master can send the troops into the city, and we will explain everything to my brother afterwards. I am certain he will understand."

"But, that..."

"Please, Fifth Young Master, no further refusal. I, Mr. Wan, personally invite the Hou Clan's forces into the city. If something goes awry, I alone will take responsibility. If the Family Head of the Hou Family indeed blames the Fifth Young Master, I will go to Hexi in person, bearing a staff as an apology, and plead on behalf of the Fifth Young Master!"

"But..."

Hou Yuduan was being excessively scrupulous.

At that moment, Wan Renfeng and Wan Renshan were desperate. The one hundred and fifty thousand troops they had led had been decimated by at least thirty percent under the city gates by the Shen Clan's forces, and many soldiers had been scattered to who knows where. Their morale was at rock bottom. Relying solely on themselves for reinforcement at the eastern gate, they truly lacked confidence, resting all hopes on Hou Yuduan's one hundred thousand soldiers.

Yet Hou Yuduan, due to concerns about reputation, kept refusing. Once or twice, they could still admire his integrity, but as refusals continued, they began to resent it. They had heard that Old Fifth Hou had become foolish from too much reading, and now they had seen it for themselves. With such an earnest invitation, why continue to fear this and that?

However, being in need, they dared not speak harshly, and could only wait.

Fortunately, Hou Yuduan finally made a decision.

"Well then, since it's come to this, I will make an exception and defy my brother just this once, hoping only that you will speak well on my behalf when the time comes!"

Upon hearing this, the two brothers, as if afraid of delay, nodded again and again in agreement.