Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan! Chapter 449 Dispute Flaring
Previously on Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan!...
The Desolate Heaven Empire swiftly fractured into two opposing halves.
One faction aligned itself with the Bai Clan, whereas the other backed the Li-Zhao Alliance.
Even individuals who hadn't officially pledged to any group harbored firm views on which side deserved to rule the Desolate Heaven Empire.
Former allies who once enjoyed tight bonds but now found themselves on rival sides slowly transformed from companions into bitter foes.
Their past connections no longer held weight—only the path ahead mattered, shaped by the choice they made.
After all, supporters of the Bai Clan branded the Li-Zhao Alliance as thieves devoid of integrity, while the Li-Zhao Alliance rejected every charge leveled against them.
Certain voices even spread lies claiming that the Bai Clan had pilfered their alliance's cultivation technique and passed it off as their invention.
This rumor only intensified the fury of the Bai Clan's supporters against the Li-Zhao Alliance.
As the rift widened further, mere talk proved insufficient.
Clashes started emerging throughout the Desolate Heaven Empire between the rival groups.
Initially, these were minor.
Verbal spats. Smashed furniture. Flared emotions.
Soon the tensions escalated—clans began blocking entry to those from the Li-Zhao Alliance in their domains.
Sects that had pledged loyalty to the Bai Clan's alliance went so far as to banish disciples originating from Li-Zhao-aligned clans.
Conditions deteriorated relentlessly.
Peace was anticipated after the war with the Demonic Forces concluded, but civil strife engulfed them instead.
Imperial guards were mobilized repeatedly, though their forces remained overwhelmed.
Whenever one skirmish was quelled, a pair of new ones ignited in other places. These brawls were turning into everyday events.
These events unfolded again and again.
Across various cities.
Within diverse sects.
Featuring unfamiliar participants.
Assaults grew so commonplace that they could no longer be chalked up to chance.
And amid this turmoil—
The Imperial Family stayed mostly quiet.
They called for moderation.
Preached unity.
Sent envoys who implored both parties to compose themselves.
However, they avoided tackling the core cause of the split.
They refrained from denouncing either the Li-Zhao Alliance or the Bai Clan.
In this way, they preserved an aura of impartiality—as the sole authority positioned between the warring factions.
Yet they couldn't fully conceal their bias.
In cases where allegiances blurred—
Their decisions tilted subtly toward one side.
Never overt enough to outright blame.
Never clear enough for undeniable proof.
But steady.
In disputes between Bai-aligned clans and Li-Zhao backers—
The balance shifted.
Slightly.
Whenever guards or judges favored Li-Zhao Alliance members, whispers of favoritism spread naturally.
Still, occasions arose when they backed the Bai Alliance, complicating any firm conclusion that the Imperial Family endorsed the Li-Zhao Alliance.
Regardless, it was chiefly the lesser clans and obscure individuals who ignited these brawls and clashed publicly.
The major players at the pinnacle—the Li, Zhao, and Bai Clans—hadn't yet acted.
They avoided displaying outright enmity, an odd stance for rivals locked in decades of opposition.
But the masses understood—
This wasn't due to mended ties.
It merely signaled the hush preceding the tempest.
***
In a lively city close to the capital, a pair of young men confronted one another amid a thronged avenue.
Each was a cultivator.
Both in their early twenties.
Both radiating the bold overconfidence typical of the young.
One sported a robe with a subtle Bai Clan emblem at his belt.
The other displayed the badge of a Li-Zhao-linked sect sewn boldly on his sleeve.
Their quarrel ignited with verbal barbs.
It invariably started that way.
A derisive snort.
A sharp jab.
"A thief who's proud. As expected from someone from the Li-Zhao Alliance!"
The other responded with icy disdain.
"Hmph! You all have no evidence—only baseless accusations."
Tempers heated up.
Qi began to churn.
Bystanders clustered to observe the drama. No matter the frequency of such spectacles, boredom never set in.
On the contrary, they were gradually normalizing it, viewing it as mere amusement.
After all, ordinary folk rarely cared to grasp the distinctions between the alliances. To them, both were just mighty powerhouses.
Who dominated mattered little—their daily existence stayed unchanged.
Still, they seized the chance to witness the inevitable showdown.
The youth loyal to the Bai side advanced a pace, his gaze alight with scorn.
The Li-Zhao advocate mirrored the move.
"Look! It's Pei Chiyan and Zhuan Kaiyu!"
"Are they going to fight?"
The crowd's thrill held merit.
These weren't obscure cultivators.
Pei Chiyan, the Bai-aligned youth, enjoyed fame in this city—a prodigy who had attained the Golden Core Realm before age twenty.
His cultivation had skyrocketed multiple times since aligning with the Bai Clan's faction, reportedly hitting new heights.
Rumors swirled that he could claim a Top-20 spot in the upcoming Dragon and Phoenix Competition.
His counterpart was equally renowned.
Zhuan Kaiyu, the Li-Zhao backer, was a celebrated disciple in his sect, his name built on successive triumphs and open challenges.
Upon joining the Li-Zhao Alliance, his cultivation had leaped forward too, bolstered by scarce elixirs and the High Earth-Grade Cultivation Technique.
Thus, with such prominent figures quarreling publicly and on the verge of combat, crowds assembled—including everyday mortals.
"It's them..."
"I heard Pei Chiyan broke through twice in three years."
"They say he was once evenly matched with an inner disciple, despite being an outer one."
"No wonder they're so arrogant."
For the spectators, this transcended a mere roadside scuffle.
It was a grand display.
A showdown of prodigies.
Pei Chiyan pressed ahead once more, spiritual Qi surging forth like a tide.
Zhuan Kaiyu countered similarly, his Qi swelling in response, causing the space between them to quiver subtly.
BOOM!
The initial strike broke the standoff.
Their fists met with a crash, Spiritual Qi bursting forth in fury.
Pavement splintered underfoot.
Shockwaves swept the avenue, shoving frail mortals backward.
"Heh? Is this all you've got?"
Pei Chiyan sneered, yielding half a step before regaining his footing with ease.
"That was only ten percent of my strength! You're lucky I didn't go all out and kill you in one move!"
Zhuan Kaiyu retorted, his eyes flashing with defiance.
They collided once more.
And repeatedly.
Neither restrained their power in the slightest, each aiming to end the other's life.
Fissures webbed across the road.
Vendors' booths toppled.
Structures collapsed. The audience cheered wildly.
This was the thrill they craved.
Before long, recognizable faces shoved through the swelling throng.
Their sect mates, guided by a senior brother.
"Stop, Zhuan Kaiyu!"
"What are you doing, Pei Chiyan?"
The senior brothers halted the impulsive youths' brawl.
At first, observers thought they aimed to end the fray.
But as the pair murmured into their senior brothers' ears, the interveners scowled and fixed hostile stares on the opponents.
"You dare strike our people?!"
"You think we are some losers?! Apologize!"
"You apologize!"
Rage ignited in an instant; neither faction yielded ground.
Rather than de-escalating, the arrivals lined up behind their juniors, spiritual Qi building in thick waves.
A disciple from the Bai side advanced, tone frigid.
"Apologize!"
His stare fixed on the Li-Zhao adherent.
"Apologize for insulting our alliance and injuring our senior brother."
The Li-Zhao group tensed up.
One of them strode forth in reply, gaze piercing.
"Apologize?" he sneered. "For defending ourselves? You should be the ones kneeling!"
How could any party swallow such an insult?
Particularly at this moment.
Not under the scrutiny of so many witnesses.
Not bearing the honor of their alliance.
The momentary pause dissolved utterly.
A simple duel ballooned into mayhem.
Qi arts ignited. Swords gleamed.
Spells burst overhead.
Yells rang out along the street as the groups charged ahead.
Spectators, previously at a secure range, had to fall back further as the melee spiraled wildly.
What was meant to conclude with two wounded talents evolved into a major standoff.
What began as a trivial spat morphed into an all-out battle, pulling in comrades and even bystanders loyal to one alliance or the other.
"Stop!"
When the imperial guards finally showed up, multiple fighters lay hurt.
The guards efficiently divided the fighters.
But the aftermath revealed much.
The Bai-aligned youths received scoldings. Warnings. Demands to pay for the destruction.
The Li-Zhao backers were led away ahead of the rest.
Their wounds received care.
Their accounts heard with more attentiveness.
No rules had been blatantly violated.
No ruling was skewed enough to spark outright fury.
Still, keen observers spotted the trend. Once more, the Imperial Guard showed preference toward the Li-Zhao Alliance.