Family Cultivation: My entire family are Villains

Outside the western gate of Zhaoyang City, the biting cold wind whistled through.

After all, it was only the beginning of March, and although the coldest period had passed, there was still a chill in the air, compounded by the heavy rain a few days ago that left the air damp and cold. The wind scraping against the face still felt somewhat painfully raw.

In such weather, the citizens of Zhaoyang City would usually stay indoors or, at the very least, remain obediently within the city and not venture outside.

However, at the western gate, there was now a large crowd gathered. Apart from a group of about a thousand people standing in orderly solemnity at the very front, the rest were divided along both sides of the official road, some in groups of three to five, others in larger clusters, together forming a line approximately four to five hundred meters long.

At a rough glance, there were at least tens of thousands of people...

Considering that the total population of Zhaoyang County was just over three hundred thousand, this sight could confuse an uninformed onlooker into thinking something chaotic had occurred in Zhaoyang.

With tens of thousands of people gathered, one would expect some murmur of conversation, yet it was surprisingly silent; only the whooshing wind rustling through the trees made any sound as tens of thousands of people all looked toward the end of the official road in silence.

Clearly, they were all anticipating something...

At the front of the line, thousands of Hou Family Warriors dressed in black stood with heads held high, their energy and spirits showing through their stern expressions as they lined the sides of the official road. Like the others, their eyes, filled with anticipation, were also fixed on the far end of the road.

At the very front of the official road, there were two young figures on horses, one dressed in a dark red outfit on the left, and the other in a white scholar's robe on the right. In the entirety of Zhaoyang City, the only people with both such status and dressing habits were none other than the Fourth and Fifth Elders of the Hou Family.

"To think that tens of thousands of people have come out spontaneously to welcome us, it seems that the news from the county has already spread. Big brother will probably be very happy when he sees this scene upon his return!"

Compared to Hou Yujie, whose face showed a hint of urgency, Hou Yuduan, as the youngest, was much calmer. He glanced back at the welcoming crowd and spoke with a smile.

Hou Yujie did not respond, his aura slightly chaotic with emotion, with shadows lingering around his body as he tried to calm his emotions and regulate the circulation of his Gang Qi.

Seeing the fluctuation of Gang Qi around Hou Yujie, a sincere joy appeared on Hou Yuduan's face. He was about to speak when suddenly, Hou Yujie, ahead of him, spoke up.

"We're here!"

Hou Yuduan quickly looked up towards the western official road, his expression instantly intense...

At the end of the official road, a cloud of dust slowly rose. Two martial artists in black riding horses came into view first, and in just a few breaths, a procession of about thirty riders with a carriage in the middle appeared at the end of the road.

Upon seeing this scene, the tens of thousands of gathered people at the western city gate boiled over...

"He's back, the Master of Hou Family is back!"

"It's them, it's them, that's Su Li at the front, I have seen him..."

.........

A buzzing sound of discussion arose, not exceedingly fervent, but the excitement in everyone's eyes was undeniable. The expressions varied—admiration, curiosity, reverence, and even some carried a hint of fanaticism.

As Hou Yuduan had mentioned, the events that occurred in the prefectural city had been spread throughout the entire Zhaoyang County by merchants traveling between the Prefectural City and Zhaoyang.

Slashing the son of Qijue Gate's leader Yu Chendong, killing the disciple of Divine Illumination Law King, Ding Dian, Cheng Yue, with the Prefectural Governor personally stepping forward, with the support of the County Magistrate and gaining favor with the Great Luo Sect, obtaining a direct ennoblement by Peng Yuhu with the Jade-faced Divine Fan of Xingnan Prefecture, the Hou Clan of Zhaoyang, rose in rank...

These major acts of Hou Yuxiao in the Prefectural City had become the hottest topic in Zhaoyang County over these days, almost everyone had something to say about it upon meeting.

For decades, Zhaoyang County had lacked presence in Tongling County!

Each of the deeds achieved by Hou Yuxiao, if taken alone, was significant enough to have a reputation resounding throughout the county.

The "Thousand-Faced Handsome Man", "Black Ape Demon", "Sky-supporting Staff"—these three titles of Hou Yuxiao were known to every one of the over two million people in Tongling County.

The meteoric rise of Hou Yuxiao's reputation symbolized the ascension of Zhaoyang County; their elevated status in the county also brought collective honor to its residents.

The two phrases by Peng Yuhu, calling him a rare young talent of Xingnan Prefecture and saying "to have a son, have one like Hou Yuxiao," had almost become a catchphrase of the people of Zhaoyang County.

More importantly, the Hou Clan of Zhaoyang had ascended into the ranks...

From now on, Zhaoyang County would be listed among the third-tier forces, bringing ecstatic news that could drive the entire population wild.

Rising into the ranks, the beneficiaries were not only the Hou Family. Those living in Zhaoyang County for a long time also reaped the benefits: tax relief, recommendations and endorsements, and trade permits—these three privileges were closely related to the citizens of Zhaoyang County.

Tax relief meant lighter taxes for the Hou Family, which naturally resulted in reduced taxes for them; recommendations meant recommending warriors from the Hou Family, and where did these warriors come from if not from their families in Zhaoyang County; as for trade permits, they were key for expanding their businesses.

What Hou Yuxiao brought to the people of Zhaoyang County were tangible fame and benefits, making it hard not to foster such intense adoration for him among the citizens of Zhaoyang County, which was the primary reason they had spontaneously gathered here to welcome him.

If the emotional state of Zhaoyang County's people upon seeing Hou Yuxiao return was just excitement, then the mood of nearly a thousand Hou Family warriors led by Hou Yujie and Hou Yuduan was almost uncontrollable.

After all, if it came to a sense of honor, the citizens of Zhaoyang City were merely living under the rule of the Hou Family, but they themselves were part of the Hou Family. With such great fame of Hou Yuxiao, the benefits they could enjoy were indeed substantial...

Although they all still maintained standing positions, their faces had already turned red with emotion. As the procession drew nearer, their expressions became increasingly agitated.

The carriage quickly made its way to the front of the procession.

Upon seeing the dense crowd at the city gate, Su Li and his companions understood what was happening.

Although he knew there would be a reception, the sheer number of people was beyond his expectations, thus a look of surprise appeared on his face.

However, since they were indeed returning in triumph, and knowing everyone was there to welcome the Family Head, he deliberately slowed down, allowing the carriage to go ahead while he followed behind with thirty riders.

When the carriage stopped less than five meters away from the crowd, Hou Yujie and Hou Yuduan, seeing Hou Yuxiao step out from the carriage, could not contain their excitement and stepped forward, saying in unison,

"Yu Jie, greets the Family Head!"

"Yu Duan, greets the Family Head!"

Hou Yuxiao had already noticed the scene at the city gate. It was hard for him not to be stirred, as it was his first time experiencing such a reception by thousands.

Seeing Fourth Elder and Old Fifth bow to him, he emitted a strand of Gang Qi to lift them, but as soon as the Gang Qi touched Hou Yujie's body, he was startled and then a look of delight appeared on his face.

Fourth Elder had made a breakthrough…

It had been less than twenty days, and he had broken through the Half-Step Gang Qi.

Just as Hou Yuxiao was about to praise Fourth Elder, suddenly, thousands of Hou Family Warriors standing erect on both sides of the official road moved.

"Subordinate, greets the Family Head!"

All eyes on Hou Yuxiao, their expressions emotional, they bowed and knelt in unison, shouting fervently.

These were thousands of vigorous warriors, and their voices instantly soared to the heavens, filling the skies for miles around with their majestic might. Many of the common folk couldn't help but cover their ears.

Hou Yuxiao, seeing the fervent expressions on everyone's faces, also felt stirred and was about to speak again when he realized that the moving scene was far from over.

The feverish fervor seemed contagious as tens of thousands of Zhaoyang City citizens gathered near the west city gate also began to stir.

"Greetings, City Lord!"

One person knelt down towards Hou Yuxiao and shouted respectfully. Although just an ordinary citizen, he used all his strength, and his voice traveled over a hundred meters.

Then the second, third, fourth, one by one, the tens of thousands of people at the city gate also suddenly kneeled in unison. Their eyes were all focused on Hou Yuxiao, their emotions not as intense as the Hou Family Warriors, but their expressions also filled with emotion.

"Greetings, City Lord…"

Tens of thousands of people, fervent in expression, shouted in unison, instantly sending a resounding echo across miles, startling birds and beasts from the dense forest around, with a momentum no less than that of the earlier Hou Family Warriors.

With the news of Hou Family's promotion circulating, it was no secret in Zhaoyang County or even in the entire prefecture that there would no longer be a County Magistrate or Magistrate.

This "City Lord" was the most thorough expression of Zhaoyang County's citizens' fervent emotion for Hou Yuxiao. Zhaoyang County, or rather Zhaoyang City, henceforth, would have only one master, that was... Hou Yuxiao.

Seeing tens of thousands kneeling before him, almost representing the whole city, along with his own thousand warriors, Hou Yuxiao was deeply moved. The word "excited" scarcely conveyed his feelings.

Not just him, but Hou Yucheng and Hou Yuling who had stepped out of the carriage, and Hou Yujie and Hou Yuduan, who had also come to welcome him, watched this scene, their faces also showing deeply moved expressions.

Having annihilated the Flying Eagle Sect and the Green Wolf Gang, killed Ren Feng, repelled the Mountain Sword Sect, defended Zhaoyang City, driven away Cheng Yue, and unified Zhaoyang under Hou Yuxiao, the Hou Family had already established actual rule over Zhaoyang City.

If, at that time, the Hou Family was the ruler of a city,

Then, with the Hou Family attaining qualification at the prefectural city, the name of Hou Yuxiao, the Sky-supporting Staff, spreading throughout the three counties of Tongling Prefecture and even the entire region of Xingnan Prefecture, making the citizens of Zhaoyang feel honored, over ten thousand spontaneously came out to welcome Hou Yuxiao's return.

From the moment tens of thousands knelt and shouted in unison,

The status of the Hou Family as a city's ruler was thoroughly established.

"Zhaoyang, from now on, belongs to my Hou's City!"

Hou Yuxiao looked at the over ten thousand people kneeling before him, at the towering west city wall behind them, and the outline of the entire Zhaoyang City, his heart surged with pride, his face briefly displaying a wild ambition, and he murmured in a low voice, his words utterly domineering.

The voice was very soft, only the closest Hou Yucheng, Hou Yuling, Hou Yujie, and Hou Yuduan could hear.

The expressions on their faces, similar to Hou Yuxiao's, scanned the city with domineering in their brows but also a touch of wild ambition and a flicker of vengeful fire hidden deep within their eyes.