My Descendants Are My Power

Over the past century, the Blackwoods' influence had spread throughout the Azure Cloud. The promise extracted from the Emerald Emperor in the grand hall had brought an influx of Psychics, bolstering the region's strength. However, it also attracted opportunists, individuals with shifting loyalties, ready to betray the Azure Cloud for their own gain.

Grant, the seemingly righteous middle-aged man who had questioned Nathan at the Azure Cloud border, spewing accusations against the Blackwoods, was one such individual.

Emboldened by who knows what, he now stood before the Azure Cloud forces, blocking their path.

He had brought with him Psychics from the Sunshine Mansion Fortune Sanctum's Parker family, the Celestial Sect, and Golden Valley County's Duke's Mansion.

A smug smile played on his lips.

"Well, well, well. Where are all of you headed in such a hurry? I've taken the liberty of inviting some esteemed colleagues from Sunshine Mansion. We're here to discuss expanding trade routes, a mutually beneficial opportunity for our beloved Azure Cloud!"

...

"No one can save you now. We've anticipated your every move, accounted for every possible ally."

Outside Stonelake City, Hudson's voice dripped with false pity.

"You Blackwoods have certainly caused us a great deal of trouble. But in the end, strength is the only truth that matters. Your attempts to destroy us with borrowed power are nothing but a fool's dream. We've been in Sunshine Mansion for years, cultivating alliances even as our plans were being unraveled. We still have friends in the Emerald Empire willing to fight for us."

"The Grand Tutor may be watching, the national advisor may have abandoned us, and you may have severed our connections, but we do not fear you. There are still those who believe in us, who believe we will overcome this. But you Blackwoods..."

"You are nothing but a stepping stone, a minor obstacle in our path to greatness. Once this tribulation is over, no one will remember the Blackwoods. But we will remain, our names etched in the annals of the Emerald Empire!"

...

Silence descended upon the poisonous fog.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Hudson frowned.

He had expected rage, a furious outburst from Amelia.

But there was nothing.

He pressed on, unable to let it go.

"We have five Basic Masters, you know. You should be able to see them with our lifelines. The remaining two are on their way to Mount Kylin. Nathan and Lucas may believe they can kill Austin, and I'm sure they have some tricks up their sleeves. But this is a game of chess."

"And you've already lost."

Just like Michael's game all those years ago, they had always been skilled players.

Still, Amelia refused to give Hudson the satisfaction he craved.

Her voice, when she finally spoke, was calm, almost amused.

"Are you trying to play chess with my little sister? Or perhaps you'd like to test your skills against our Forebearer?"

"What?"

Hudson blinked, momentarily stunned.

And then... Experience tales at empire

"BOOM!"

A thunderclap split the sky, echoing through the air.

Hudson whirled around, searching for the source of the sound.

Dark clouds gathered in the distance, shot through with jagged bolts of lightning.

High above, countless Psychic Positions shimmered into existence, each one bearing a translucent, spectral form that swayed in the wind.

One by one, those ethereal eyes opened, their gazes fixed upon the world below.

A smile, slow and terrible, spread across a pale, gaunt face, as if emerging from the depths of the abyss.

The Forebearer?

Ethan would have laughed if the situation weren't so dire.

He was no mastermind.

His talents lay elsewhere.

Oh, he could certainly outmaneuver Julian's seven children in a battle of wits, but that was within the confines of the Blackwood family.

Years of wandering the world had honed their instincts, taught them to adapt and survive.

The constant threat of their enemies had kept them sharp, ever vigilant.

If Wesley Daoist, the former Sky Sect Master, were to return, even the most impulsive Blackwood, even Donna, would see through his schemes.

These were not people to be trifled with.

For years, they had dedicated themselves not only to cultivating their powers but also to strategizing the downfall of the Heavenly Path.

Above Cloudview County, the Psychic Positions of countless Blackwoods materialized in the sky.

Ethan gazed towards his descendants, towards the battle that raged below.

The Blackwoods were no longer the naive family from Glory City, ignorant of the Heavenly Path's machinations.

They had learned, adapted, and grown stronger.

They knew the path they had to take.

The wind whipped at his robes as thunder roared overhead, the sky darkening with storm clouds.

The tribulation was about to begin.

Behind Ethan, Olivia lay suspended in mid-air, as still and pale as a sleeping princess.

The wind, whipped into a frenzy by the approaching storm, tugged at her scholar's robes, revealing a glimpse of her delicate features.

Her long, dark eyelashes fluttered against her pale cheeks as she slowly opened her eyes.

For over a century, she had rarely opened them, her spirit wandering the world unseen.

Below lay Cloudview County.

"We're back," Olivia murmured, her voice thin and reedy.

As if in answer, the storm clouds above them churned and roiled, their fury mirroring her own.

...

Across Cloudview County, the Blackwoods' allies, those who had answered their call to arms, found their paths blocked.

Even after a century, their enemies had not forgotten the battles fought at the Azure Cloud border.

The Blackwoods had always been a divisive force within the region.

Some whispered that they were greedy, always the first to appear whenever resources were discovered.

Nathan, with his air of benevolence, could turn ruthless when it came to securing valuable materials.

Lucas's sword had tasted the blood of countless treasure hoarders.

And Julian, blunt and uncompromising, had once demanded control of all the spirit ore veins in the Azure Cloud.

Yet, every Psychic in the Azure Cloud knew that the Blackwoods were always on the front lines when the Druids attacked.

When their allies in Cloudview County faced trouble, when a fellow cultivator needed aid in their breakthrough, the first congratulatory gift to arrive would bear the Blackwood family crest.

When the people of the Azure Cloud were wronged, the Blackwoods might not retaliate immediately, but they would remember.

The names of their enemies would be etched into the family ledger, a debt to be repaid in blood.

Outside Walker Mansion, Grant stood with his Sunshine Mansion allies, barring the way.

He had not witnessed the Blackwoods' rise to prominence in Cloudview County.

He did not know the depths of their strength, the loyalty they inspired.

He believed that Walker Mansion and the other established powers of Cloudview County would not risk open war with Sunshine Mansion.

He was wrong.

Kenneth, Patriarch Ralph, and the others exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them.

They spoke openly, unafraid of Grant's reaction.

"Sunshine Mansion sent quite the welcoming committee. It seems they've forgotten where they are."

"These outsiders think we fear death. If that were true, I would have fled north long ago."

"Kill Grant first. Let's see if they're so eager to die after all!"