Shattering the Star River with Martial Might

"Please, Third Elder, show mercy!" "Please spare my sister!" "I swear to spend my whole life repaying the family..." In Jiang Family Town, outside an old dilapidated courtyard, a black-clad youth knelt on the ground, continuously kowtowing to a middle-aged man, pleading bitterly. The black-clad youth was named Jiang Han, a member of the Jiang clan. Just this afternoon, he returned from hunting outside only to hear the terrible news— the third elder of the clan forcibly took away his sister, Jiang Li, simply because a prominent figure from the Yunmeng Pavilion, Han Shiqi, took a fancy to Jiang Li and wanted to take her as a concubine. Half a month later, he was to marry her. This news hit him like a thunderbolt on a clear day, and the fury almost made Jiang Han faint on the spot. Six years ago, Jiang Han's parents mysteriously disappeared, leaving only him and his sister Jiang Li to rely on each other. In his world, Jiang Li was everything. Now, the third elder wanted to forcibly marry off Jiang Li and even give her away as a concubine to a man well past his prime. How could he possibly agree? What was even more infuriating was that Jiang Li was only eleven years old, still a child! "Brother, Brother!" The door to the inner room was pulled open, and a delicate and tender little girl rushed out crying. Not long after she ran out, a middle-aged woman followed from inside the room, roughly pulling the little girl back inside. Following that came the crisp sound of a slap and the little girl's sobbing. "Xiao Li!" Seeing this scene, Jiang Han's eyes were bloodshot with rage, and he was about to rush in. But with a cold glance from the third elder in front of him, he forcibly suppressed his anger and stood back in place. "Jiang Han!" The third elder was around forty years old, dressed in fine silk clothes, with a sturdy build. There was a centipede-like scar on his left cheek, making him look ferocious and terrifying. He looked at Jiang Han indifferently and said, "Have you caused enough trouble? Jiang Li's matter was decided by the elders of the family hall and cannot be changed. If you continue to make trouble, don't blame the family law for being merciless!" "The Family Hall?" Hearing the words of the third elder, Jiang Han tightly clenched his teeth, almost grinding his teeth to pieces. Pah! He dares to deceive me with his ignorance? The patriarch of the Jiang family had been in seclusion for half a year, the elder patriarch had been bedridden for over a month, and it was said that he couldn't hold on much longer. The second elder was far away in Yunmeng City. Now, there was only the third elder left in the family hall. The decision of the Family Hall? Clearly, it was just the idea of the third elder alone. Looking at the cold and grim face of the third elder, Jiang Han gritted his teeth and said, "Third Elder, my sister is only eleven years old. Please spare her... I know you had grievances with my father. If you have any issues, deal with me. Spare Jiang Li!" Jiang Han wasn't quite clear about the grievances between the third elder and his father. All he knew was that his father was a genius martial artist of the Jiang family, a once-in-a-century talent. At the age of thirty, he had reached the fourth stage of the Profound Obscurity Realm, with his combat power second only to the patriarch and the elder patriarch, standing out among his peers. Geniuses are inevitably unruly. At that time, people of the same age in the clan were all suppressed by him, and there were several conflicts. The scar on the third elder's face, which had accompanied him for over a decade— it was said to have been left by his father. "How dare you!" The scar on the third elder's face trembled, unable to contain his anger. He raised his hand and slapped Jiang Han's face hard. Jiang Han instinctively raised his arm to block, but the third elder's speed was too fast. He took a solid slap on his face, and his body flew backward, crashing heavily to the ground twenty feet away. Wow! Struggling to get up, Jiang Han felt dizzy and his internal organs were in agonizing pain. He coughed up a mouthful of blood. "What nonsense are you spouting!" The third elder looked coldly at Jiang Han and shouted sternly, "This matter is settled, and no one can change it. Lord Han will arrive in Jiang Family Town in half a month. During this time, you better behave yourself, or I'll personally end you. Also, Jiang Li is Lord Han's person in life and in death. Even if she dies— her body must be sent to Yunmeng City!" "Jiang Long!" The third elder turned and called out. A skinny youth strode over. He glanced casually at Jiang Han, his eyes full of mockery. With a smirk, he said, "Uncle Three, what's the order?" "From today onwards, you'll lead people to guard here day and night!" The third elder said with his hands behind his back, "During this half month, Jiang Li is not allowed to step out of the courtyard. If Jiang Han dares to cause trouble... you'll deal with him according to the family rules!" "Yes, Uncle Three!" Jiang Long was the third elder's nephew, so the third elder naturally trusted him completely. He gave Jiang Han another cold glance before turning and leaving. Watching the third elder's retreating figure, Jiang Han's heart sank to the bottom, his face filled with despair. Although they belonged to the Jiang clan, Jiang Han's branch was small in number. After his parents disappeared, he and his sister were left in Jiang Family Town with no one to rely on. He had no access to Jiang family resources for cultivation, his skills were low, and his future was bleak. Although there were many experts in the Jiang family, none of them were willing to lend a hand. They all chose to stand by and watch, and the world was so cold-hearted to such an extent! The Purple Mansion Realm, Profound Obscurity Realm, Mountain and Sea Realm... These were the divisions of realms for martial artists on the Nine Continents. Each realm was divided into nine stages. Jiang Han was only at the fifth stage of the Purple Mansion Realm. Even if we don't consider the third elder, who was at the third stage of the Profound Obscurity Realm, Jiang Long in front of him was already at the ninth stage of the Purple Mansion Realm. The difference between them was four realms, and Jiang Han was no match for Jiang Long. If he forcibly rushed in to take Jiang Li away, there would only be one outcome— he would be beaten to death. "Jiang Xiaotian, you'll die a miserable death for your personal revenge!" Jiang Han gritted his teeth, filled with hatred. The third elder, Jiang Xiaotian, had a personal grudge against his father, and this time it was clearly malicious retaliation. Jiang Li had never left Jiang Family Town since she was young. How could Lord Han from Yunmeng City possibly know about her? It was definitely Jiang Xiaotian's deliberate act to give Jiang Li to Lord Han as a concubine. In doing so, he could both avenge the past and curry favor with the influential figure from Yunmeng Pavilion, making a good calculation. Yunmeng Pavilion, where Han Shiqi resided, was the strongest force within several hundred miles. The Jiang family and six or seven other families all depended on Yunmeng Pavilion for survival. By getting close to someone like Han Shiqi, the third elder could gain significant benefits both within and outside the family. "Let's go back." After standing blankly for a while, Jiang Han forced himself to calm down and, enduring the pain, slowly walked back to his courtyard. At this moment, many Jiang clan members passed by, most of them giving sympathetic glances, but no one came over to speak to him. In the Jiang family, the elders' decisions were like the law, and no one dared to defy them. Feeling lost, Jiang Han returned to his courtyard and sat down like a statue. After an hour of racking his brains, he couldn't think of any way to escape this predicament. To take Jiang Li away, his overall combat strength would need to reach at least the ninth stage of the Purple Mansion Realm. Otherwise, he couldn't even get past Jiang Long. After six years of cultivation, he had barely reached the fifth stage of the Purple Mansion Realm. How could he possibly elevate to the ninth stage of the Purple Mansion Realm in half a month? Staying here, he could only watch helplessly as Jiang Li was sent to Yunmeng Pavilion, to be played with and humiliated by an old p*****t, living a life worse than death. "Is there no way out?" Muttering in despair, Jiang Han involuntarily grasped tightly the only object left by his mother, a bronze pendant in the shape of a cauldron. He glanced out of the window, murmuring in confusion, "Father, Mother, where have you gone? Are you alive or dead? What should I do? What should I do!" Crack! Perhaps due to his emotional outburst, or exerting too much force, Jiang Han crushed the bronze pendant in his hand. Suddenly, the bronze pendant emitted a dazzling light, illuminating the entire room in an instant. "Huh? This..." Jiang Han was startled, looking down with a puzzled expression. Although the bronze pendant had been crushed by him, there was no residue left. His hand was empty, as if the bronze pendant had mysteriously disappeared... "No, wait—" Soon, Jiang Han's body trembled violently, and a ghostly expression appeared on his face! Because suddenly, in his mind, there appeared a bronze cauldron. Its shape was exactly the same as the disappeared bronze pendant, with three legs and two ears. In his mind, the bronze cauldron emitted an ancient and majestic aura, as if it had experienced endless years. Jiang Han could even clearly see that there were more than twenty vividly carved demon beasts on the side of the bronze cauldron. These demon beasts seemed alive, each with bared fangs and glaring eyes, as if they were about to devour someone. Tianbeast Cauldron. On the outer ring of the bronze cauldron, there were three dragon-and-phoenix dancing characters carved, elegant and graceful, like startled dragons. Accompanying the appearance of the bronze cauldron, Jiang Han's mind inexplicably received a piece of information—killing the demon beasts on the Tianbeast Cauldron and refining ten drops of their essence blood could awaken the bloodline power of the demon beast. This was a rare treasure! Jiang Han's breathing became rapid. He had seen many demon beasts. In the Tianhu Mountain Range to the north of Jiang Family Town, demon beasts were everywhere. Referred to as demon beasts, they possessed bloodline powers. For example, some demon beasts could poison, some could discharge electricity, some could breathe fire, and some could spew water... Even powerful demon beasts could exhale a breath that could instantly kill even experts like the third elder, who were at the fourth stage of the Profound Obscurity Realm. Of course, not only demon beasts possessed bloodline powers, but every martial artist on the Nine Continents could awaken bloodline powers. Bloodline powers were the main means of combat for all strong individuals. As their realms advanced, many martial artists could awaken multiple bloodline powers. It was said that the patriarch of the Jiang clan possessed a bloodline power called "Burning Body in Fiery Flames", while the elder patriarch possessed a bloodline power called "Thorns in Profusion". However, Jiang Han had never heard of anyone in the Purple Mansion Realm being able to awaken bloodline powers. Usually, one needed to reach at least the Profound Obscurity Realm to awaken bloodline powers. Now that he had obtained the Tianbeast Cauldron, could he directly awaken the bloodline powers of demon beasts? Most importantly—there were twenty-seven demon beasts on the Tianbeast Cauldron. Did that mean he had the opportunity to possess twenty-seven bloodline powers? Wasn't this a bit... too heaven-defying? ... ...