I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, So I’ll Max Out My Defense

Chapter 585: Chapter 586 Target of All Arrows
The flames of gossip burned fiercely in the hearts of the cultivators. If the Inner Armor was indeed Long Xue’s, then the matter was of great significance, even involving the reputation of the Sea Clan’s pride—it was not something the Situ Household could simply dismiss with a few words.

“Fuck, it really is Immortal Long’s piece. Just now, out of ethical decency, we did not gaze upon it indecently, daring not to look more closely. But now, upon closer inspection, it truly resembles the one Immortal Long has!”

“What do you mean ‘resembles’? It’s exactly the same, all right? Last year, thanks to Young Master Situ, I sat in the second row and had a crystal-clear view of the Immortal. I’m certain that this Inner Armor is hers!”

“Oh my god, just who is so bold to hang Immortal Long’s Inner Armor outside of the Situ Household? They really don’t think the situation is big enough yet!”

“Wait, did Patriarch Situ just say that this Inner Armor belongs to a female cultivator of their family?”

“Patriarch, are you sure?”

The onlooking crowd was oblivious to the seriousness of the issue, still in a mood to watch the drama unfold. A few ill-fated cultivators even, after a heated discussion, started to throw direct questions to Patriarch Situ, hoping to get an answer.

“No, it seems I was mistaken earlier. Upon closer inspection, although the shape and color are similar, it is not the personal garment of our clanswomen.”

Patriarch Situ’s complexion was ashen, furious and trembling with rage—three Corpses Spirits raging within. It had been many years since anyone had dared to target the Situ Household so blatantly.

He knew all too well who Long Xue was—a saintess-like figure among the Sea Clan. If her Inner Armor were found in front of the Situ Household, the issue could become very serious, potentially sparking a conflict between the Situ Household and the Sea Clan.

If not handled well, their family could become a target of the Sea Clan and might never recover.

“If it is not so, then why would Immortal Long’s Inner Armor appear at the doorstep of the Situ Household? In this, what sort of conspiracy is being implicated?”

“In the end, who is framing the Situ Household? Whatever their purposes are, I must say one more thing: they’ve succeeded.”

The cultivators were abuzz, their whispers growing even more fervent.

“This matter will be thoroughly investigated by our Situ Household. As for the Inner Armor, I will personally explain to the Sea Clan, visit them, and apologize to Immortal Long. Please give our Situ Household some time. I will certainly provide everyone with a satisfactory answer,” Patriarch Situ said, his eyelids twitching slightly.

But it was at this moment that another unexpected change arose.

This time it wasn’t a commotion from the crowd of onlookers, but a messenger from the Situ Household rushed over in a panic, a few disciples rushing to the front of Patriarch Situ, their expressions fraught with alarm as they spoke:

“Patriarch, there’s big trouble!”

“Speak! What other big trouble is there? Say it all at once!”

Patriarch Situ’s eyes flashed with madness as murderous intent crisscrossed, a dangerous aura leaking from his Dantian, seemingly ready to burst forth in violence at any moment.

As one wave subsided, another arose. He was determined today to see how much drama the unknown presence hiding in the shadows had prepared for him.

The disciples also noticed something unsettling in his gaze. They looked around nervously and, steeling themselves, managed to say, “Reporting to the Patriarch, peasants suddenly rose up in various villages of Aolai Country, converging toward the city center, creating a terribly chaotic situation!”

“What does this have to do with our family?”

“It’s just a disturbance among the common people. What’s so strange about that? A trifle that has been blown out of proportion. Do you want to make us the laughingstock, after being taught in such a way every day?” His brows shot up. Could they not see he was in a desperate situation?

His own family’s disciples had no clue. The affairs of ordinary people were none of his concern. In the end, they were nothing but a group of cultivation-less rabble. If they died, they died; he could not care less.

“But… but the slogans of these peasants are calling for the ‘purge of the Situ family!’”

The few disciples spoke shakily, their eyes filled with terror, afraid that the Patriarch might slaughter them in an unstable fit of rage.

As soon as these words were uttered, the entire place fell silent.

The onlooking crowd solidified, even the Patriarch Situ’s face was a picture of confusion. What did this have to do with his Situ Household?

Who had he provoked? Why had these common people suddenly risen up in rebellion?

Eradicate the Situ Household?

Such words were not to be spoken casually, and it was the common people of Aolai Country who chanted this slogan—these were the foundation of a nation.

When the very foundation of a country cries out to eradicate his Situ Household, the nature of the incident changes completely.

“What exactly is going on? Speak up at once!”

“This truly infuriates me!”

Patriarch Situ no longer cared about the gazes of the surrounding cultivators; his eyes almost shot flames as he glared intently at the few cultivators before him.

“Today’s Immortal Spirit Daily will make everything clear to the Family Head.”

The few disciples, shaking all over, timidly took out a copy of Immortal Spirit Daily and handed it to Patriarch Situ.

Upon hearing this, the others immediately began to search around and managed to gather a few of the latest issues of Immortal Spirit Daily.

The titles in bold struck the eyes of the cultivators, shaking their hearts.

“Shocking! The Masked Menace of the Four Directions, his true identity is actually…”

“Thief cries ‘catch the thief’, Situ Household causes chaos, overseas cultivators take the blame, people of Aolai Country request a restoration of justice in the world!”

“Aolai Country’s heroes rise, over a hundred villages and towns’ cultivators rise in rebellion, marching toward the city center, demanding justice!”

“The famous prodigy Li Xiaobai calls on everyone to unite, break free from the chains of those in power, and be their truest selves!”

“…”

One news report after another assaulted the cultivators’ souls.

The entire newspaper, filled to the brim, recounted how the Situ Household and other families had committed atrocities within Aolai Country, and how Punishment Hall had protected their own kind, ignored the issues, and let the common people fend for themselves.

For the average cultivator with a profound cultivation level, such news might merely be a joke for after-dinner conversation, but for a nation, it was fatal.

A country can be called such because it has countless citizens supporting it; living and working happily on this land, they together build a prosperous nation.

Yet now, the citizens were collectively pointing their spears at dozens of families within Aolai Country, turning into a confrontation between social classes.

“Li Xiaobai, it’s truly him!”

“How could this news have leaked? Elder Wang, didn’t you say that Li Xiaobai and the others were securely detained in Punishment Hall overnight, with absolutely no chance of failure?”

Patriarch Situ’s face was twisted with rage, and his hands holding the Immortal Spirit Daily trembled involuntarily.

He never imagined that one day, the ants whom he had never taken seriously would dare to execute so many families, and behind it all was the mysterious and unfathomable Li Xiaobai’s planning.

These powerful figures, now they were confronting the very foundation of Aolai Country, and if they took forceful measures, there would be only one path left: death.

The Situ Household had become the target of public outrage!