At present, the main force suppressing the Dragon Vein on Great Zhou's side was actually those True Martial Realm experts. Yang Spirit Realm figures like Ji Xuanyuan were merely assisting from the sidelines; their presence was neither here nor there.
Thus, when Ji Yanxiu went to the Imperial Palace to request an audience with Ji Xuanyuan, someone immediately led him to see Ji Xuanyuan.
Inside a side hall of the imperial city, Ji Xuanyuan was already waiting. Ji Yanxiu stepped forward and cupped his hands. "Greetings, Patriarch."
In terms of seniority, Ji Xuanyuan was actually a generation above even Ji Haodian. Back then, Ji Haodian had addressed him as Imperial Uncle. Thus, it was not wrong for Ji Yanxiu to call him Patriarch.
Yet Ji Xuanyuan merely said blandly, "Great Zhou has only one Patriarch. Your Highness the Crown Prince should use another form of address."
Ji Yanxiu was somewhat at a loss. Why did he feel that Ji Xuanyuan seemed somewhat displeased with him?
Logically speaking, the Ji Imperial Clan had only one true Patriarch, Ji Wuling of the True Martial Realm. But Ji Xuanyuan was an elder, and calling him Patriarch was simply a respectful title. Why did Ji Xuanyuan still seem so unwilling to accept it?
Somewhat embarrassed, Ji Yanxiu said, "Your Highness, this is what happened. Today, Su Xin openly led men to attack my Crown Prince's Mansion, and even injured my subordinate Wu Mingchong. Such conduct is simply too outrageous!"
The more Ji Yanxiu spoke, the angrier he became. "Great Zhou has always been exceptionally tolerant toward its officials, but tolerance does not mean indulgence. A ruler is a ruler, a subject is a subject. If there is no longer any distinction between high and low, superior and subordinate, what sort of order is that?