Urban Seduction: Housewives Club Chapter 2127 - 448: The Zhang Family Collapses 3

To be honest, Wang Yue's existing cultivation level would allow him to casually enter the Zhang manor without any effort. His overwhelming strength enabled him to rampage from the main entrance all the way to the rear exit and depart unscathed.

Indeed, across the entirety of Tianhai, he stood as nearly invincible—barring Yu Suxin, whose location was utterly unknown at the moment.

Yet the martial realm resembled a vast web of connections; tug on a single strand, and the entire structure quivers. The Zhang household formed a key part of the Martial Arts Alliance, whose central base in the Capital housed multiple Transcendence Realm experts in positions of authority.

Though Wang Yue had concealed his features, truths tend to slip out eventually. Should he unleash his full force and trigger an open slaughter, others would inevitably trace it back, unleashing a torrent of trouble he wasn't ready to face just yet.

He had to adopt a strategy of patience.

But right when Wang Yue prepared for a prolonged standoff, an unexpected development arose.

During one afternoon outing with Zhou Yifei and the twins, a message arrived from Zhang Hong. His insider within the household reported that Zhang Jianyuan and his son were behaving suspiciously. In particular, Zhang Lingtian—the young man had been haunting the family vault constantly, slipping in and out irregularly.

The informant lacked access to observe Lingtian's precise actions, but it was clear something foul was afoot.

Zhang Hong understood the Family Head intimately. Jianyuan embodied pure opportunism—the type who would grasp any chance to triumph in victory or endure in defeat. According to Zhang Hong's suspicion, the pair intended to flee. Lingtian's repeated visits to the storage likely involved quietly extracting the clan's valuables bit by bit to avoid raising alarms among the others.

For Wang Yue, this intelligence proved invaluable.

As the patriarch of the clan, Zhang Jianyuan's escape—successful or not—would shatter the family's spirit completely. The Zhangs would crumble swiftly like a deck of cards toppled over.

Given their already frayed nerves, Wang Yue chose to add a subtle nudge to hasten their unraveling.

That night, the monitoring devices surrounding several neighborhoods near the Zhang manor abruptly malfunctioned. Seconds later, a brief, stern-looking youth materialized from nowhere directly before the primary entrance.

"It’s him!"

The Zhang guards on duty panicked as if encountering a specter. One of the frailer ones collapsed outright, his knees buckling in terror. Wasn't this the madman who had maimed two successors and slain the Third Ancestor?

Had he grown weary of the chase? Was the direct attack commencing at last?

"Relax. I’m not about to commit a PR nightmare by publicly slaughtering a registered Alliance faction," Wang Yue stated, gesturing dismissively to calm them. Then his face hardened. "But, I am going to sit right here and block this exit until your family rots from the inside out."

Upon saying that, he blurred and merged into the darkness.

The sentries dropped to the earth, soaked in icy perspiration. The oppressive aura from that individual had been overwhelming; with its departure, they sensed exhaustion as if having endured an exhausting race.

The report spread through the manor like a thunderbolt.

It went beyond the guards' alerts—at the instant Wang Yue showed up, he released his complete Level 7 Mortal Shedding aura. It enveloped the whole property like a dense mist. Cultivators of moderate skill experienced the heavy burden on their bodies, and the more powerful ones suffered intensely.

The Zhang members rushed to the assembly chamber, fear etched across their features. As they convened, the update from the entrance reached them.

"...Ancestor, do we have a shot?" Zhang Jianyuan voiced the dread everyone harbored.

The Zhang Ancestor shook his head with a deep breath. "No. Judging by that aura, he’s at least in the late stages of the Mortal Shedding Realm. Against him, I doubt I’d last a single move."

Within the nine stages of Mortal Shedding, each advancement marked a vast divide. Even if the youth was merely at Level 7, the chasm from the Ancestor's Level 5 was immense. Despite deploying all hidden arts and prohibited elixirs, the Ancestor recognized his utter lack of hope.

The chamber fell into utter quiet. One person began weeping. "Then what? We just sit here and wait to die?"

The Ancestor offered no reply. He possessed none.

Curiously, Zhang Jianyuan appeared far from broken. "Don’t lose your heads. The guy said it himself—he doesn’t dare break in and start a massacre."

"So what? We stay trapped in this villa forever?" another retorted sharply. "Even if we never leave, we still have to eat and drink!"

Quietness returned. Lately, any Zhang who ventured out had perished or disappeared without trace. No returns occurred. Deliveries halted. Resources dwindled.

Should this persist, the Zhangs wouldn't face slaughter—they'd succumb to famine. Elite experts might endure longer, but the majority would perish within weeks.

"We have enough supplies in the villa to last a few months," Jianyuan declared resolutely. "In that time, we’ll contact the Martial Arts Alliance. I refuse to believe they’ll just sit back and let this happen."

The group eased a bit at his assurance. "We’re counting on you, Head."

"Of course. I’ll reach out immediately," Jianyuan vowed. He retrieved his communicator on the spot and dialed the Tianhai division of the Alliance, detailing the crisis and pleading for aid.

The recipient consented with unexpected speed.

Still, the atmosphere in the hall remained subdued. The Alliance loomed large as an entity, yet it consisted of individuals. And individuals prioritize self-preservation above all.

Were the foe an insignificant figure, the Alliance would invoke justice without hesitation. But this involved a late-stage Mortal Shedding powerhouse—one of the mightiest below Transcendence, probably supported by formidable forces.

Would the Alliance truly hazard conflict with such a force merely for the Zhangs? It remained uncertain.

The session extended past midnight before the attendees parted, burdened by anxiety.

Returning to his personal chambers, Zhang Jianyuan called for his son, Zhang Lingtian. "Tian, the preparations I told you about... how’s it going?"

"I’ve grabbed most of the high-value stuff," Lingtian replied. "Two more days and I can clean out the rest of the good shit without the Ancestor noticing."

"Let me see." Jianyuan extended his palm.

Lingtian removed his spatial ring and passed it across. Jianyuan examined it—the ring's inner dimension rivaled a large bedroom, and it brimmed almost fully. Precious botanicals, superior cultivation gems, finely forged armaments... this solitary ring contained roughly 70% of the Zhang clan's portable riches.

With two additional days for Lingtian, they could depart bearing more than 80% of the household's overall fortune.