The Clan Meeting

"Father, when we go to the Ancestral Residence tomorrow, the elders will definitely invoke the clan rules and the greater good. When that happens, just go along with them and lead them into trapping themselves with their own clan rules..."

Once his father had calmed down a little, Jiang Chen brought up the matter of the Ancestral Residence tomorrow.

"Don't worry. I know how to deal with those old geezers."

Jiang Sihai laughed heartily, no longer worried about their trip to the Ancestral Residence the next day.

"By the way, Father, there's something you need to be prepared for."

Jiang Chen then told him about the Zheng Clan.

There had been no need to say much when the Zheng Clan had no suspicions, lest it worry the family.

But now that the Zheng Clan had made a move, he had to tell them.

If he kept it under wraps now, they might be caught completely off guard.

"Zheng Hao and the others... You killed them?!"

The smile froze on Jiang Sihai's face as he stared blankly at Jiang Chen, whose expression remained unchanged.

When he'd heard that Zhang Hao and the others had been ambushed and killed last time, he'd worried that Jiang Chen might be caught up in it too.

So all that worrying had been for nothing.

Jiang Chen had been the one to do it.

At that moment, Jiang Sihai suddenly felt as if a veil of mist had settled over Jiang Chen.

He could no longer see through his son!

"Chen'er, what do you plan to do?"

After his shock subsided, Jiang Sihai's expression turned solemn.

What had happened was done. There was no point dwelling on it; they needed to consider how to handle whatever might happen next.

If Jiang Chen had still been the same as he was six months ago, Jiang Sihai wouldn't have asked for his opinion.

But things were different now.

From now on, anything concerning the family would have to be discussed with Jiang Chen.

That was the weight a martial artist carried.

"I'll be staying at the martial hall from now on. That way, even if the Zheng Clan has its suspicions, they won't be able to do anything to me."

"The important thing is the family. You'll have to keep a close eye on things and make sure no one takes advantage of a gap in our defenses."

Jiang Chen said.

That was why he'd told his father everything.

He wasn't worried about the Zheng Clan coming after him. It was the family that needed to be protected.

"Don't worry. Your old man hasn't lived all these decades for nothing."

Seeing that Jiang Chen was worried about the family, Jiang Sihai smiled.

He wasn't a martial artist, but he'd never been short of them at his side.

He'd always stationed the martial artists he hired at his various businesses. It wasn't until the Azure Dragon Gang appeared that he'd specifically hired people to live at home.

Since Jiang Chen didn't need him to worry about his own safety, Jiang Sihai could relax.

"Father, by the end of the year, whether it's the Green Wolf Gang or the Zheng Clan, every threat and trouble will be resolved."

Jiang Chen made that promise.

All the trouble he faced now stemmed from his lack of strength.

Once he had built up enough power, none of this would be a problem.

"Chen'er, don't put too much pressure on yourself. Take it slow."

Jiang Sihai patted Jiang Chen on the shoulder.

He could sense how pressed for time Jiang Chen felt. Aside from the matter with the Zheng Clan, there were probably other things Jiang Chen hadn't told him.

He didn't ask about them.

Just like with the Zheng Clan, Jiang Chen would tell him when the time was right.

"What are you two doing, sneaking off to the study to talk in secret?"

Just then, someone knocked on the door. Lin Shuyun had come over after preparing dinner.

"Mother, I've reached the Three Qi and Blood Gates."

Jiang Chen shared the good news.

"Three... Three Qi and Blood Gates?!"

Lin Shuyun reacted just like Jiang Sihai, freezing on the spot.

"Is that true?!"

It took her a long while to recover. She looked at Jiang Sihai in disbelief.

"Chen'er really did break through."

Jiang Sihai nodded with a smile, confirming it.

"That's wonderful! I knew my son would amount to something!"

Lin Shuyun was beside herself with joy, bouncing up and down in excitement.

Ever since Jiang Chen had joined the martial hall, there'd been no end to the gossip and sneering.

Everyone said he was a hopeless lump of mud that couldn't be shaped.

She'd heard it all and worried herself sick, but she'd had no way to argue back.

After all, back then Jiang Chen really had been utterly hopeless.

Thankfully, Heaven had opened its eyes. A brush with death had not only brought Jiang Chen to his senses, but also revealed his astonishing talent for cultivation.

In just two short months, he'd reached the Three Qi and Blood Gates.

She'd like to see who dared talk behind his back now.

"Chen'er must be hungry too. Let's eat first."

Jiang Sihai could naturally understand Lin Shuyun's delight. He said with a smile,

"Chen'er, Mother made your favorite braised pig's trotters..."

Lin Shuyun, her face alight with joy, led Jiang Chen off to eat.

Dinner ended amid laughter and cheer.

Jiang Chen didn't slack off. He returned to his room and sat in meditation to cultivate.

The night passed without incident. The next day, at Chen Hour—

"Young Master, it's time to go to the Ancestral Residence."

A maid's voice came from outside the door after a knock.

"All right!"

Jiang Chen finished cultivating, changed into clean clothes, and went to the main hall.

"Let's go."

Jiang Sihai had already prepared the carriage.

After roughly two quarters of an hour, the carriage arrived at the Ancestral Residence.

"Sihai, it's been a few months. You've put on weight again!"

Outside the Ancestral Residence, Jiang Junyue, who had been waiting, laughed as he came over to greet them.

"Alas, once you hit middle age, even drinking water makes you put on weight."

Jiang Sihai smiled and exchanged pleasantries.

He and Jiang Junyue had never gotten along, even as children.

More precisely, they'd competed with each other their whole lives.

They'd fought over everything, from their rankings at school to the profits from their businesses.

It had only ended when Jiang Xuan was found to have Medium Bone Aptitude.

You could say Jiang Junyue had risen in status on the strength of his son.

"Fourth Uncle!"

Jiang Chen greeted him as well.

"Chen'er's here."

Jiang Junyue smiled as he sized Jiang Chen up.

He did look much more vigorous.

It seemed Jiang Sihai hadn't been lying: Jiang Chen really had reached the Second Qi and Blood Gate.

That made him secretly pleased.

With the talent of someone who had Ordinary Bone Aptitude, Jiang Chen could only have progressed this quickly by taking a forbidden drug.

He wondered what expression Jiang Sihai would make when he found out.

They'd competed for half their lives, but when it came to their children, Jiang Junyue had completely crushed Jiang Sihai.

"Let's go in first. We shouldn't keep the elders waiting."

After a few perfunctory pleasantries, the three entered the Ancestral Residence.

A crowd of clan elders had gathered in the spacious hall.

Naturally, Jiang Guiyuan, the family's strongest fighter, sat in the seat of honor.

The elders flanking him were the clan's middle-ranking fighters.

Every core elder was a martial artist.

Their cultivation levels varied, but all had at least set foot on the path of martial arts.

"Grandfather, Sihai and Chen'er are here."

When Jiang Sihai and Jiang Chen arrived, Jiang Guiyuan and the others all turned their attention to Jiang Chen.

"Hm?"

As they took a closer look, Jiang Guiyuan and the others' expressions shifted.

They were all martial artists, with exceptionally sharp eyes.

Compared with more than half a year ago, Jiang Chen had clearly changed. He was full of energy, his gaze clear, and his whole bearing different.

He didn't look like someone who had taken a forbidden drug.

"Third Granduncle, Seventh Granduncle..."

Jiang Sihai greeted them.

"Third Granduncle, Seventh Granduncle..."

Jiang Chen followed his father's lead.

"Sit."

Jiang Guiyuan said with a kindly smile.

"Sihai, we asked you here today about the matter we discussed last time. The situation in Prefecture City has changed dramatically, and our Jiang Clan is in grave danger. The only way to break this deadlock is to devote all our resources to supporting Xuan'er."

"That's right. Xuan'er has already begun attempting to break into the True Martial Realm. Once he officially breaks through, he'll have a chance to become a personal disciple of the White Ape Martial Hall. If he then places well in the Martial Exam, no one will dare covet our clan again."

"Sihai, we know you're thinking of Chen'er too, but the survival of the entire clan must come first."

"Once Xuan'er has established himself in the City Guard—or even gone to the Upper Sect—Chen'er will benefit from it too..."

After the maids served tea, the elders began to speak.

They invoked the greater good of the whole clan on one hand and dangled a bright future on the other. They certainly knew how to make their case.

Throughout all this, neither Jiang Guiyuan nor Jiang Junyue said a word.

"The elders are right!"

"When our clan produces a martial arts prodigy, we have to pool the entire clan's resources to cultivate him. No one is allowed to break this clan rule!"

Once the elders had finished speaking, Jiang Sihai set down his teacup and immediately voiced his wholehearted agreement!