Earlier, while on the road, Xu Ran received a prompt from the system missy, so he traveled at top speed.
Fortunately, he wasn't too late.
Although the Zhu Clan was besieged by many strong opponents, those people were intent on annihilating the Zhu Clan's stronger members first, before casually slaughtering their younger generation. Thus, the Zhu Clan hadn't suffered too heavy losses yet.
However, what infuriated Xu Ran and Zhu Zhuqing the most was that "Zhu Zhuyun" had almost encountered danger.
Xu Ran, in particular, was extremely distressed. If he had arrived even a bit later, Zhu Yun might have been in danger. If something like that had happened, he would never forgive himself for as long as he lived.
His woman, how could he allow others to defile her?
Whoever dared to have such thoughts must die!
Zhu Zhuqing was also furious. Originally, when Xu Ran told her to be more mindful of safety, she hadn't taken it seriously. Seeing such a thing happen, how could she not be angry? It was hard to imagine, what if she had experienced such a situation? How terrible would that be? In order not to disappoint Xu Ran, she would have probably taken her own life to prove her innocence.
As Xu Ran's voice faded, the noisy sounds of fighting around them diminished considerably.
Everyone watching Xu Ran and Zhu Zhuqing arrive didn't know what to think.
The people of the Zhu Clan, who had already resigned themselves to death, were filled with righteous indignation upon seeing their young miss about to be insulted. Now, seeing Xu Ran's arrival, they were all incredibly excited and moved to tears.
Xu Ran had come! They were saved! The Zhu Clan was saved!
"Hahaha. The Zhu Clan is saved, the Zhu Clan is saved!"
"Who dares to bully my Zhu Clan now?"
"..."
The young disciples of the Zhu Clan used all their strength to shout, looking at the man in the black robe in mid-air with eyes full of admiration.
"Brother, what's this?" Those of the Zhu Clan who hadn't seen Xu Ran before speculated joyfully upon seeing this scene, though they still had some doubts.
After all, it was too fantastical.
Xu Ran had arrived just in time.
They, the elders, and the Family Head had all been prepared to die in battle, yet in the end... had the legend who left the family come back?
With Xu Ran's appearance, he was sure to turn the tide of the entire battle. After all, Xu Ran was recognized as a powerful figure even by the Martial Soul Hall!
"Are you out of your mind? This is the legendary figure of our Zhu Clan, the man in the black robe is Young Master Xu Ran. And that woman in the black dress with the serene beauty is Miss Zhu Yun's younger sister, Second Miss Zhuqing," someone explained, looking disdainfully at the group that still hadn't grasped the situation.
Though disdainful, the excitement and joy on their faces couldn't be concealed, and their tone was very gentle.
After such a battle, while the clan suffered some losses, the sense of unity and honor within the family had grown much stronger. There had been many conflicts within the family before, but when faced with life and death, and protecting the family together, those original conflicts had disappeared.
This was indeed a blessing in disguise.
"Xu Ran. Haha, you've returned."
Zhu Zìháo looked at Xu Ran and Zhu Zhuqing as they returned, his face beaming with happiness. He had already sustained minor injuries, but he didn't care about his wounds at all.
As Zhu Zìháo's voice fell, the entire battlefield changed dramatically.
There were those who were joyful and those who were fearful…
The Zhu Clan people naturally raised their morale. However, the people from the Dai family and the Xu family had complicated expressions, some filled with fear.
"He actually managed to come at this time? Why? Why? Could it be that heaven wants to destroy my Dai family? I am not willing!"
"No! What does it matter that Xu Ran has come? I don't believe Xu Ran can oppose so many people. Much of Xu Ran's reputation on the Continent is false, attributed to his youth which gives his legend extra color, making it exaggerated. Perhaps Xu Ran's strength isn't that formidable," Emperor Dai murmured.
He didn't believe that Xu Ran, at such a young age, could possess such combat strength.
A repeated lie becomes the truth, perhaps Xu Ran's reputation was a misconception, and the people of the Continent had been mistaken all along due to some fluke.
"How does Xu Ran matter? He cannot change the outcome of the battle, and today, your Zhu Clan is still doomed to die!" Emperor Dai roared disdainfully. But despite Emperor Dai's attempt to bolster morale, the warriors from the Dai and Xu families were still extremely demoralized.
"I'll kill you later."
Xu Ran lifted his head and looked indifferently at Emperor Dai, as if seeing a dead man.
His gaze then shifted to Xu Wu, filled with a bone-chilling murderous intent.
His woman was his reverse scale.
Dragons have their reverse scales, touch them and one is certain to die.
To dare touch his woman was to be ready to face death.
Xu Wu felt a shiver run down his spine under Xu Ran's gaze. He was utterly shocked, feeling a strong sense of oppression from a mere look that sent a chill through his body.
And that was only from a stare!
At this moment, Xu Wu grew apprehensive.
He was beginning to have regrets. Xu Ran didn't seem to be as vulnerable as he had thought. Even if Xu Ran wasn't as strong as rumored, he was certainly no weakling.
The pressure that Xu Ran gave him was intense, indicating that Xu Ran's strength was at least not inferior to his own.
"Xu Ran, you've come. Wuu wuu..."
Zhu Zhuyun had already lost all hope, but the moment she heard Xu Ran's voice, she trembled all over.
She knew that voice all too well.
Xu Ran's sudden appearance at the last moment brought her to tears of joy. Xu Ran had finally arrived.
Zhu Zhuyun wrapped her arms tightly around Xu Ran's neck, weeping profusely.
This time, she was genuinely terrified. Although she had been involved in her family's affairs early on, she had never before witnessed such a scene. Had Xu Ran arrived even a moment later, the Zhu Clan might have been lost. How could she not be afraid of such a calamity?
Especially since others harbored malicious intentions towards her, she couldn't even seek death as an escape.
The body she took care to maintain was for Xu Ran alone, absolutely not to be sullied by any other man. Thankfully, Xu Ran arrived; otherwise, she would have been forced into a situation regretful even in death.
"I'm sorry, I'm late."
Xu Ran gently patted Zhu Zhuyun's delicate back, feeling her sweat-soaked dress, his heart filled with compassion.
"It's not your fault. It's all on me for not being able to protect myself," Zhu Zhuyun sobbed.
"I promised to protect you. Those who dare to bully you will be killed by me," Xu Ran said with an ice-cold tone, his eyes fixing on Xu Wu ahead.
"Hmm," Zhu Zhuyun nodded in agreement, leaning into Xu Ran's embrace, full of grievance.
She naturally loathed Xu Wu to the extreme, wishing Xu Ran would kill him immediately.
"So you're Xu Ran? You want to kill me?" Xu Wu's look turned icy as well. He didn't believe that someone as young as Xu Ran could really kill him. He had been a renowned power on the Continent for years, and in the Xingluo Empire, only Emperor Dai and Zhu Zìháo ranked above him. How could such a young man, Xu Ran, claim to do so?
"Kill you? Is it that difficult?" Xu Ran looked disdainfully at the person in front of him.
Everyone here, he could annihilate without exerting the slightest effort.