My Crazy Upgrade System-Chapter 58 - 57: Siege

’This should be enough...’

Yi Tianyun felt that he had refined just about enough. He had crafted ten high-grade Spiritual Artifacts and a large batch of Elixir Pills for the Yan Family, which was already a considerable reward. Of course, he had gained quite a bit himself—he had leveled up directly, and his Alchemy Mastery instantly rose to Intermediate Alchemy Mastery!

The Skill Level required for Basic Alchemy Mastery was relatively low, so breaking through to Intermediate Mastery wasn’t too difficult.

After he finished his work, he got up and walked out the door. A maidservant waiting outside hurriedly bowed and said respectfully, "Young Master Yi, is there anything I can help you with?"

They had been standing guard here all day, not to watch over him, but to see if he needed any assistance.

"Nothing in particular. Please take me to see Miss Yan," Yi Tianyun said.

The maidservant quickly led him to find Yan Lingxue. Just as they reached the main hall, they heard the sound of voices.

"Patriarch Yan, you seem to be in good spirits. It looks like you’ve recovered," said Patriarch Zeng, who was sitting beside him. He wore a smile, but it looked like one that hid a dagger.

"Indeed. We heard a few days ago that Patriarch Yan ran into some trouble with his cultivation. Now that you’re looking much better, we came specially to congratulate you." Patriarch Wang, who was beside him, smiled and said, "This is our congratulatory gift. Please accept it."

Patriarch Yan sat in the middle of the hall with Yan Lingxue standing by his side. Both of them, however, wore friendly smiles.

"Thank you for your kindness, Patriarch Wang and Patriarch Zeng. I appreciate the sentiment, but your visit alone is thanks enough." Patriarch Yan smiled, not accepting the gift.

"Don’t be so polite. Our two families have been on good terms for generations. This small token is nothing..." Patriarch Wang chuckled. "However, we’ve also come today with another matter, something we need Patriarch Yan’s help with."

"What is it? Please, speak freely. If I can be of assistance, I certainly will." Patriarch Yan smiled, his eyes narrowed, making it impossible to read his thoughts.

"It’s nothing major, really. I heard the Yan Family has an Alchemy Furnace, one that’s even at the Soul Artifact Level. I was wondering if we could borrow it for a while?" Patriarch Wang said with a smile.

A murderous glint flashed in Patriarch Yan’s eyes. Beside him, Yan Lingxue’s delicate body trembled. ’When did this information leak?’

"Patriarch Wang must be joking. How could our Yan Family possibly possess such an item? We’re already fortunate to have a few high-grade Spiritual Artifacts," Patriarch Yan chuckled.

SMACK!

Patriarch Wang slammed his hand on the tea table beside him, shattering it to pieces. He stood up with a cold sneer. "Enough! Stop playing dumb. Our informant here has already confirmed everything about the Soul Artifact-Level Alchemy Furnace. Did you take us for fools? The only reason we didn’t make a move before was because we feared your older brother in the Cyan Profound Mansion. But recent news from there says your brother died while out training. Now, what does the Yan Family have left to rely on!"

The facade was torn away in an instant. All their previous cordiality had been an act.

Patriarch Zeng stood up with a smile so chilling it made one’s skin crawl. He gently kicked open the box they had brought, revealing a coffin! It wasn’t a fine gift at all, but a coffin!

"Patriarch Yan, be smart about this. I’ll give you one chance," Patriarch Zeng’s words were even more blunt. "Hand over the Soul Artifact Alchemy Furnace, and marry your daughter to my son as a concubine. If you do, the Yan Family won’t be completely wiped out. Otherwise, from this day forward, there will be no Yan Family in Celestial Wind City! This coffin was prepared for you. You can either die here—and we’ll give you a proper burial—or you can live. The choice is yours!"

Both of their cultivation levels were at the first layer of the Core Formation Stage. Patriarch Zeng’s was slightly higher, on the verge of breaking through to the second layer. Overall, they were much stronger than Patriarch Yan.

When Patriarch Yan heard about his older brother’s death, his expression showed no surprise at all. Yan Lingxue, however, was stunned. Her eyes instantly reddened, as it was clearly the first time she was hearing this.

"Father, Uncle, he..."

Her eyes were red. In an instant, she understood why her father had been so desperately trying to break through to the Core Formation Stage. If he failed, the Yan Family would inevitably be besieged by the two families, and the final result would be utter annihilation!

"Go!"

Patriarch Yan grabbed Yan Lingxue and gave her a light shove, sending her flying toward the courtyard. Simultaneously, his aura surged to its peak. However, it was still far weaker than that of his two opponents. His cultivation was already inferior, and with his soul still injured, a quick recovery had been impossible.

"Trying to run? Do you think that’s possible? We have the entire Yan Family estate surrounded!" Patriarch Zeng sneered.

Patriarch Yan’s face turned deathly pale, but he gritted his teeth and said, "It seems even the heavens wish for my demise..."

He had wanted to evacuate the moment he woke up, but Yi Tianyun’s arrival made him decide to wait. His plan was to leave after Yi Tianyun finished his work, but he had been too slow. The news had spread too fast.

"I told you, hand over the Soul Artifact Alchemy Furnace, and we’ll let you off the hook..." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"Do you take me for a fool? Do you think I’ve been a Patriarch for all these years for nothing?" Patriarch Yan said furiously. "You just want to take down the Yan Family without lifting a finger! And you expect me to believe you’ll spare us? Is that even possible!"

’Would the Zeng and Wang Families really let them go? Impossible. Leaving survivors would only invite endless trouble in the future!’

Patriarch Zeng and Patriarch Wang revealed cruel smiles, as if Patriarch Yan’s words had perfectly articulated their own thoughts.

"Since you already know, there’s nothing left to say. The result is just as you imagine: a dead end!" Patriarch Zeng sneered.

"A dead end? Who’s at a dead end?" At that moment, a figure walked in from the courtyard passageway. Following behind him was Yan Lingxue, who stood behind the young man.

The young man who walked in was none other than Yi Tianyun!

"Who are you?" Patriarch Zeng sized Yi Tianyun up and down but couldn’t see anything remarkable about him.

"I’m merely an honored guest of the Yan Family. You want this Alchemy Furnace?" Yi Tianyun held out his hand, and the Purple Fire Divine Furnace appeared in his palm.

A glint of light flashed in both their eyes, and their gazes turned ecstatic.

"That’s the Soul Artifact!" Their heartbeats suddenly quickened. This was a Soul Artifact! An item that even most sects didn’t possess, yet it was in the hands of a minor family Patriarch!

When Patriarch Yan saw Yi Tianyun return with Yan Lingxue, he said urgently, "You... why did you two come back...?"

"The Yan Family is in trouble. It wouldn’t be right to just run away," Yi Tianyun said with a faint smile. "I didn’t expect to finish my Alchemy only to find a group of people here with ill intentions. I was outside just now and got the gist of the situation. Patriarch Yan, you gave me this Alchemy Furnace intending for me to leave with Miss Yan, didn’t you?"

Patriarch Yan sighed, neither nodding nor shaking his head. Even if that were true, what did it matter now? They were surrounded by the two families; they couldn’t escape even if they had wings.