Eternal life begins with saving my clan

The following day, news that the imperial army was planning to hold a meeting with the Celestial Heavenly Store spread rapidly throughout the Soaring Cloud Region.

The information was unveiled by the various city lords to the Celestial Heavenly Stores in their respective cities. With the army showing a willingness to meet the store's upper echelon, the region was abuzz with speculation.

All eyes were fixed on the store, waiting to see their response. Would they agree to meet with the imperial army, or would they choose to ignore them?

Many hoped the store's leadership would take this opportunity to meet with the army, while others remained skeptical.

While the public eagerly awaited a response from the Celestial Heavenly Store, the clan leaders in Dongping City held a secret meeting in a concealed location.

"What do you think we should do?" the Wei Clan Master asked gravely, his voice laced with concern.

"What else can we do? We've already boarded the ship; there's no turning back now," the Sun Clan Master responded calmly.

He couldn't understand why there was even a discussion about such a trivial matter.

With the strength the store had demonstrated, did the imperial army even stand a chance? Unless the army was willing to risk annihilation, any confrontation would be futile.

Betraying the store was not an option. Every clan leader present understood how much they had gained since their alliance with the Celestial Heavenly Store.

Their families were no longer obscure, insignificant clans.

Thanks to the superior cultivation techniques provided by the store, their power had grown exponentially. Only a handful of clans in the region could now rival them in strength.

In a year or two, they would undoubtedly join the ranks of the major clans in the Soaring Cloud Region. Why risk all of that because of the imperial army's presence?

Besides, who was to say that the store didn't already have a plan to deal with the situation?

As he thought about this, the Sun Clan Master shook his head slightly and turned to look at the quiet Mo Clan Matriarch.

She sat with an expressionless face, detached from the conversation.

"Clan Master Mo, what are your thoughts?" the Wei Clan Master asked, his gaze fixed on her.

He knew this woman was far from simple. Ever since she had taken charge of the store's intelligence unit, her influence and power had grown alarmingly.

Who knows what secrets she might have uncovered about my clan? he thought uneasily.

The Mo Matriarch turned her head, her piercing gaze locking onto the Wei Clan Master.

"What are your thoughts?" she asked in an emotionless tone.

Hmm?!

The Wei Clan Master was stunned. His eyes widened slightly; he hadn't expected her to throw the question back at him.

Beside him, the Sun Clan Master smirked knowingly. He could see that the conversation wasn't going as the Wei Clan Master had planned.

The Wei Clan Master cleared his throat, recovering from his surprise. He had hoped to steer the others toward abandoning the store, but now he was being forced to reveal his own stance.

In his mind, this was the perfect opportunity to cut ties with the store and escape to another part of the kingdom.

With the way things were unfolding, it was only a matter of time before the store was destroyed. Read exclusive content at empire

Who could stand against the imperial army?

Clearing his throat again, he spoke slowly. "I suggest we escape before the store is destroyed."

The Mo Matriarch's expression remained unchanged, but the Sun Clan Master's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Are you insane?!" he shouted.

"What? Do you want to die with the store?" the Wei Clan Master retorted, his voice dripping with ridicule.

"I know you try to curry favor with the store at every opportunity, but are you really willing to sacrifice your clan for them?" he continued, shedding any pretense of civility.

"You might think we're important to the store, but we're not. Look at the Wu Clan—do you know how much they've earned from the store? Hmm?"n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"This is our chance to leave. The store has ruled over the region arrogantly, acting as though they were kings. It was only a matter of time before they faced destruction, and now it's happening."

"Before the imperial army wipes them out, we should escape and start fresh in another region. That's my plan."

The Wei Clan Master's monologue left both the Mo Matriarch and the Sun Clan Master stunned.

It was now clear that he had already made up his mind.

The Mo Matriarch sighed, shaking her head. Some people simply didn't know when to stand firm and when to retreat.

To her, the Wei Clan Master was one such person. After everything they had witnessed from the store, how could he have the audacity to consider betrayal?

"Tell me, which clan are you colluding with?" she asked coldly.

Hmm?!

The Wei Clan Master's eyes widened in astonishment, but he quickly recovered.

"What are you implying? This is my plan! Why would I need to collude with another clan?" he denied vehemently.

"If you're too scared to leave and want to die with the store, just say so. Don't spout baseless accusations," he added angrily.

The Mo Matriarch stared at him for a moment, then shook her head.

"Count me out. Don't ever call me to a meeting like this again," she said, her voice dangerously cold as she locked eyes with him.

"And next time we meet, I won't hold back," she warned before striding out of the room.

As she left, the Wei Clan Master scoffed, his face twisted with disdain.

"Are you going to follow her example?" he asked, smirking at the Sun Clan Master.

"You'll regret this," the Sun Clan Master replied, shaking his head before leaving.

"Idiot! Why would I regret it? The army will destroy the store, and I'm not about to die with them," the Wei Clan Master muttered disdainfully.

With the others gone, he sent his consciousness into the Spirit Comms and relayed a message.

A look of greed and anticipation flickered across his face as he finished.

"Fools," he muttered to himself. "They thought they had a choice, but they've already fallen into my trap."

A sinister grin spread across his lips.