Establishing a New Family Head

Upon returning to Azure Lotus Mountain, Wang Mingyuan personally presided over the funerals of Wang Yaoliang and the other two. They were buried with great pomp, and he publicly announced improved treatment for their descendants.

After the funerals, Wang Changsheng went to the study and reported to Wang Mingyuan on his progress in learning artifact refining.

"Mm, not bad. Study artifact refining well. The Lineage's future will depend on you."

Wang Mingyuan encouraged him.

"Father, the Liu Family took part in the attack on Ninth Uncle-Grandfather. Why do we still have to cooperate with them? Couldn't we work with other families instead?"

After hesitating slightly, Wang Changsheng could not help but ask.

"The Song, Liu, and Sun Families joined forces against our Wang Family. Only by cooperating with the Liu Family can we divide them. Without tangible benefits, the Liu Family will not let this matter rest. All under heaven bustle and jostle for profit; people come and go for gain. Sheng'er, remember this: the Lineage's interests will always stand above personal interests. A Lineage that places personal interests above the Lineage's interests will never last long."

Wang Mingyuan solemnly instructed him.

Wang Changsheng suddenly understood and asked curiously, "Father, how did you deceive the Liu Family? The Quarry was clearly a mineral vein—how did it become a Spirit Vein? Could there really be a Spirit Vein there?"

"Of course not. How could there be such a good thing? There is a set of Illusion Spirit Formation talismans in the clan treasury, capable of setting up a Tier 2 Low Grade Illusion Spirit Formation. Everything Liu Huaijie saw was an illusion. Even if a Foundation Establishment Cultivator or a Tier 2 Low Grade Formation Master went there in person, they would not discover anything unusual."

"So that was it. Then what about the Sun Family? How did Second Uncle make the Sun Family stop?"

"Hmph. These people never rise early without profit. We gave them a Yellow Grade Tier 2 Earth Attribute Cultivation Method, and only then did the Sun Family let the matter go! If our Lineage were strong enough, why would we need to swallow humiliation and seek compromise? Others would not dare bully us like this either. In the end, our Lineage is simply too weak. Sheng'er, your 'Chang' generation is the Lineage's future. Do not slack off. Cultivate diligently."

Wang Changsheng nodded in agreement. The Lineage had rented out a shop and given away a cultivation method, and only then had it settled matters with the two families.

"The Song Family was the mastermind behind this affair. The Liu and Sun Families agreed to help because the Quarry had a mineral vein. Without that mineral vein, and after taking benefits from us, they naturally will not cooperate with the Song Family any longer. But the Song Family certainly will not have an easy time this time. Enough of this. Go back and study artifact refining. Strive to become an Artifact Refiner."

"Yes. This child takes his leave."

Pingyang Prefecture, Song Family.

Song Ziyang was furious. The three families had originally agreed to join forces against the Wang Family. It would have been one thing if the Liu and Sun Families had withdrawn, but they had instead joined hands to extort a sum from the Song Family. They claimed that the Song Family's intelligence had been wrong—the Quarry was clearly a First Grade Middle Rank Spirit Vein, not a mineral vein. Their clansmen had seen it with their own eyes.

Both the Sun Family and the Liu Family had lost people. They came to the Song Family's door and demanded compensation for their losses.

Naturally, Song Ziyang refused to show weakness. He brought up his son-in-law, Lin Huaian. His son-in-law was the Family Head of the Red Leaf Ridge Lin Family, and Song Ziyang's rise to the position of Family Head had much to do with Lin Huaian.

He had thought that borrowing the Red Leaf Ridge Lin Family's name would frighten off the Sun and Liu Families.

Yet unexpectedly, the Liu and Sun Families brought up the Wang, Zhao, and Zhang Families. The five families were bound by marriage alliances. The attack on the Wang Family had been proposed by the Song Family. If the Song Family refused to yield, the Liu and Sun Families would support the Wang Family in retaliating against the Song Family. It was a naked threat.

Song Ziyang still had some confidence when facing two Immortal Cultivation Families, but against five Immortal Cultivation Families, he did not have that courage. More precisely, he could not offer enough benefits to make the Lin Family stand up for him.

In the end, Song Tianming had to step in and cede some benefits before the Sun and Liu Families agreed not to support the Wang Family's retaliation against the Song Family.

After seeing off the representatives of the Sun and Liu Families, Song Ziyang immediately went to the Secret Chamber where Song Tianming cultivated.

"Second Uncle, the Liu and Sun Families have gone too far in bullying us. I will write to Huaian at once and have him stand up for us."

Song Tianming glared, then scolded him without courtesy, "Enough. Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough? Huaian may be your son-in-law, but would he face five families for our Song Family's sake? We were in the wrong from the start. Speaking of which, this was all my fault. I should never have agreed to let you make a move against the Wang Family. Now look at us—we lifted a stone only to smash our own feet."

"Second Uncle, it was all the Wang Family's doing. I do not know what trick the Wang Family used to make the Liu and Sun Families stop. It is not your fault."

Song Tianming shook his head and Said Seriously, "If you are wrong, you must admit your mistake. To know one's error and amend it—there is no virtue greater than that. It is not too late to realize your mistake now."

At that moment, a refined-looking Middle-Aged Man walked in.

"Second Uncle, Eldest Brother."

Song Tianming nodded and said sternly, "Zixian has come at just the right time. I have an important matter to announce. Starting today, you will be the Family Head of the Song Family. From now on, Ziyang will remain in the Secret Chamber next door to cultivate. Without my instructions, he is not permitted to take a single step outside the Secret Chamber. Otherwise, he will be severely punished without mercy."

Song Ziyang's face went pale. His legs gave way, and he dropped to his knees, pleading tearfully, "Second Uncle, you cannot depose me. My father treated you well when he was alive! My son-in-law is Lin Huaian. I am the best choice to be Family Head. You cannot depose me."

Seeing Song Ziyang in such a state, Song Tianming felt even more disgusted. He sneered, "If you are allowed to remain in charge, the Lineage will be exterminated sooner or later. This time, you let greed stir in your heart and joined the Sun and Liu Families against the Wang Family, only to lift a stone and smash your own feet. I am also to blame for having my heart blinded by lard, for listening to your slanderous words. Otherwise, matters would not have reached this point. If greed stirs in your heart again next time and you move against another family, I fear it will not end so easily. If you remain in charge, the Song Family will perish sooner or later. What I cannot tolerate most is that you cannot even tell the difference between a Spirit Vein and Spirit Ore."

"Second Uncle, the Quarry was clearly a mineral vein, not a Spirit Vein at all. The Wang Family must have deliberately created a false appearance to deceive the Liu and Sun Families."

Song Ziyang retorted stubbornly.

"Where is the evidence? If you could have produced even a single piece of ore, the Liu and Sun Families would not have withdrawn. Both families sent people to inspect the Quarry. It was clearly a Spirit Vein. The Wang Family reclaimed Spirit Fields atop the Spirit Vein. The frequent comings and goings of Wang Family members were to transport materials and construct a Formation, yet you mistook it for the transportation of ore. Do not tell me the Liu and Sun Families' people were all blind, unable to distinguish between a Spirit Vein and Spirit Ore. In just a few days, even if the Wang Family had set up a Spirit-Gathering Formation, the soil would not contain abundant spiritual energy, and the roots of spirit plants would not have sunk deep into the earth. The Sun Family sent a First Grade Middle Rank Formation Master to the Quarry, and even he found nothing unusual. Do you still wish to quibble?"

Song Tianming rolled his eyes at Song Ziyang and scolded him without holding back.

"Second Uncle, Eldest Brother acted for the Lineage's sake as well. All these years, he has worked tirelessly without complaint. Please spare him this once. With this lesson, Eldest Brother will not make the same mistake again."

After hesitating slightly, Song Zixian pleaded on Song Ziyang's behalf.

Song Ziyang was Lin Huaian's father-in-law. Song Zixian might not necessarily be able to sit firmly in the position of Family Head, so he might as well take the initiative and yield it.

"Yes, Second Uncle! I will not dare do it again. Please spare me this once!"

Song Tianming snorted coldly. "Hmph, I am not dead yet! I still have the final say in the Song Family. Lin Huaian is an outsider in the end. The Song Family's internal affairs are not for him to meddle in. Zixian, now that you are Family Head, what do you plan to do?"

After this incident, he had completely resolved to remove Song Ziyang from his position.

He wanted to seize every advantage, and when trouble came, he shirked responsibility. Such a person was unfit to be Family Head. If Song Ziyang had voluntarily admitted his mistake, Song Tianming might still have allowed him to remain Family Head. Yet from beginning to end, Song Ziyang had never admitted fault.

Upon hearing this, Song Ziyang slumped to the ground, his face deathly pale.

Song Tianming was already treating Song Zixian as the Family Head. He no longer had any chance at all.

Song Zixian considered for a moment before saying, "Wang Yaozong went to Green Bamboo Market and claimed that Heretical Cultivators had attacked Wang Family members. The Wang Family does not wish to make this matter too big. Since that is the case, we should treat it as the work of Heretical Cultivators. Of course, we were in the wrong in this matter. If this nephew remembers correctly, Wang Mingyuan's birthday will be in one month. We can send someone to offer birthday congratulations and hopefully repair the relationship between our two families. No matter what, we must keep up appearances. In addition, we should properly comfort the families of the clansmen who died. After all, they were only acting under orders. The fault was not theirs."

"Mm, then we shall do that. Take Ziyang away. If he dares take a single step out of the Secret Chamber without my instructions, treat it as betrayal of the clan. Kill without mercy."

"Huaian is Eldest Brother's son-in-law after all, and there is also Huiyun. She is, at the very least, the Lin Family's matriarch. I think removing Eldest Brother from the position of Family Head will be enough. There is no need to imprison him, is there?"

Song Zixian hesitated slightly before making the suggestion.

Song Tianming waved his hand and ordered, "No. Do you see any sign of remorse in him? If he is not imprisoned, he will only interfere with your handling of clan affairs. It is settled. Take him away. I do not wish to see him again."

Song Zixian rejoiced inwardly, though he agreed outwardly. He helped up the ashen-faced Song Ziyang and withdrew from the Secret Chamber.

Thank you, Daoqie Mantou Naihuangbao, for the reward.