My Descendants Are My Power

Chapter 334 This wasn't a request; it was a shakedown

George and his companions had finally reached the middle region of the Heavenly Path Psychic Sanctuary.

Their initial plan had been to lie in wait at the outer region for a month, ambushing unsuspecting Rising Stars lured in by their treasures.

However, the flow of potential victims had dwindled to a trickle, forcing them to venture deeper in search of richer pickings.

They hadn't anticipated the carnage that awaited them.

The middle region had been thoroughly ransacked, its Rising Stars decimated.

Even seasoned experts from the inner region had descended upon the area, their fury palpable.

It seemed their own promising disciples had met untimely ends within the middle region, and they were hellbent on finding the culprits.

Whispers of the culprits' terrifying prowess spread like wildfire.

They were a two-person team, striking with deadly precision whenever a Rising Star strayed from their group, vanishing without a trace.

They left no bodies behind, only the lingering echoes of their power.

The most experienced Competent Force Psychics could only glean fragments of information from the remnants of mystical energy left behind.

One wielded a bow with deadly accuracy.

The other... they had only intervened once, when their companion had been pushed to the brink.

That single intervention had resulted in the death of Sunshine Mansion's most promising prodigy, a Developing Skill expert with a mutated Water-type Single Psychic Constitution, said to be invincible within his level.

The battle had been legendary, drawing the attention of countless Competent Force Psychics, leaving them no time to conceal the aftermath, allowing others to deduce the events that had transpired.

"Those little bastards are loaded with loot, causing such a ruckus," George grumbled, his face contorted in envy.

He had just interrogated a captured Rising Star, learning of the chaos engulfing the middle region.

"Looks like we missed out on the real treasures. All we managed to snag in the outer region were a few trinkets, nothing above seventh-rank, and only two sixth-rank artifacts."

"Stop your complaining!" William whined, covering his ears.

For some reason, the dagger in his lap twitched, its edge drawn to the pulse throbbing in his brother's neck.

"Was my plan flawed? Absolutely not! If you want to blame someone, blame Joseph. If he hadn't gone on a rampage against those Rising Stars, we'd be rolling in riches right now."

"Enough, you two. I found Joseph!"

Justin materialized silently between his bickering companions, his sudden appearance startling them into silence.

The trio exchanged a knowing look and vanished, reappearing moments later, surrounding Joseph and Katie.

"Grandfathers... what are you doing here?" Joseph stammered, his mind flashing back to their terrifying encounter in the outer region.

He had just eliminated a formidable Developing Skill Rising Star, but despite his recent victory, he couldn't shake the feeling that these three, despite being at the same cultivation level as his victim, possessed a different, more profound strength.

Back home, rumors of their eccentricities were legendary.

Great Grandfather Thomas often spoke of their unpredictable nature.

Grandfather George had a peculiar affinity for coffins, even going so far as to disturb the Forebearer's final resting place.

Grandfather Justin had an even stranger quirk: he thrived on pain, his excitement growing with every strike he received as a child.

And Grandfather William... his reputation as an unhinged killer preceded him.

"Joseph, my boy, we need a favor," George said, wiping away a fake tear, his voice thick with feigned despair.

"I've been working my tail off out here, trying to make something of myself, but your dear old Grandfather George... I'm past my prime, a failure, I tell you. I haven't accomplished anything worthwhile, haven't acquired a single treasure worthy of mention. I made a promise to the family before I left: I wouldn't return without reaching the Competent Force level. But I'm short on resources, you see.

And your Grandfathers William and Justin... well, we're..."

"Flat broke!" the trio chimed in unison.

Joseph sighed, his heart sinking.

He understood their plight all too well.

He had been in their shoes countless times.

As a child in Johnson Duke's Mansion, his elders had swindled him out of every gift he received during festivals.

As a young man, hiding from Michael's attempts to possess him, his own father had tricked him out of his resources.

Even now, as the Covert Branch Director of Heavenly Justice Hall, a significant portion of his earnings went towards appeasing his elders.

And now, these three... this wasn't a request; it was a shakedown.

He glared at his upside-down grandfathers, gesturing towards his bound feet.

"I get it, I really do. But could you at least put me down before we continue this conversation? I'm not getting any younger, you know. Generation after generation, all you elders do is exploit us poor juniors. Have you no shame?"

They reluctantly released him, and after a "friendly" discussion, Joseph found himself handing over his storage ring, watching in dismay as they divvied up its contents.

"Grandfathers, I can see you're all on the verge of breaking through." Joseph fixed them with a stern gaze.

"But let me be clear: these resources were hard-earned by Katie. You can take what you need for your breakthroughs, and not a single scrap more. Otherwise, I'll report this blatant robbery to the Forebearer, to our ancestors!"

Katie, for her part, seemed unfazed.

She had long accepted that their elders were perpetually broke.

Your next chapter is on M-V-L

These three, in particular, looked like they hadn't eaten in weeks.

"Yes, yes, we understand," William said dismissively, waving a hand.

"Once your dear Grandfather William breaks through the Six-Nine Heavenly Tribulation, you'll be swimming in riches."

"As expected of William, always aiming high. I'm only at the Five-Nine Heavenly Tribulation," George chimed in, casually stuffing a sixth-rank mystical herb into his storage ring.

"I envy you youngsters. Me? I'm stuck at the measly Three-Nine Heavenly Tribulation."

His brothers shot him a dubious look.

"Brother, that's pushing it."

Joseph didn't believe a word of it.

He rolled his eyes.

No wonder Great Grandfather Thomas often referred to these three as the most shameless of the third generation elders in the entire Blackwood clan.

If their Heavenly Tribulations were truly that weak, pigs would fly.

Grandfather George had inherited the legacy of countless Azure Cloud predecessors; he was practically swimming in karmic fortune.

Grandfather Justin had cheated death more times than anyone else in the Blackwood family combined, each near-death experience pushing him further beyond his limits.

And Grandfather William... his true strength remained a mystery, but rumors of his monstrous kill count were legendary.

Great Ancestor Olivia had taken him under her wing after sensing his inherently destructive nature, a consequence of his cultivation path.

Such individuals rarely lived past a hundred years.

Joseph suspected these three weren't just eccentric elders; they were the Blackwood family's most dangerous hidden weapons.

Their gleeful looting was interrupted as their Forebearer Psychic Positions lit up simultaneously.

The message they received drained the color from their faces.

"Great Grandfather Marcus has been trapped by Neil?" Joseph's brow furrowed.

"She's clearly up to something. But with the Forebearer's awareness, rescuing Great Grandfather shouldn't be impossible."

He bowed towards Ethan's Psychic Position.

"Forebearer, Joseph has a plan!"

"..."

Ethan gazed at the eternally bright sky of the Heavenly Path Psychic Sanctuary, a weary sigh escaping his lips.

Here we go again. Another plan.