Could the Eighth Elder Be Replaced?

What they had just said with such righteous indignation had nearly made them forget Yang Chen's past in the Yang family.

Yes, it seemed they had never given Yang Chen anything.

They had instinctively treated Yang Chen as one of the Yang family's other geniuses, but Yang Chen was not. He was completely an outlier within the Yang family. In the past, he had idled his days away, and no one had thought he was worth nurturing. Naturally, they had not allotted him any resources. They had even treated him as a discarded pawn and paid him no mind.

And now they wanted to talk about nurturing him? Wasn't that laughable?

Yang Chen's tone was stiff. His cold gaze swept around the room before finally settling on Eighth Elder Yang. He said in a deep voice, "As for the Yang family nurturing me? Sorry, but I truly can't recall the Yang family ever doing such a thing."

Seeing that Yang Chen did not avoid looking directly at him, Eighth Elder felt as though someone had stepped on his tail. His fury shot to the heavens as he shouted, "Yang Chen, this is sheer rebellion! As a member of the Yang family, do you not have even the slightest sense of honor for the Lineage? You should know that if the Yang family does not send you, what can you possibly gain?"

Ever since Yang Jinhe had promised Yang Chen twenty percent of the resources, he had been unable to sit still.

One had to know that in the past, whenever those geniuses entered Demon Beast Mountain and returned with resources, the higher-ups of the Lineage would divide thirty percent among themselves.

The clan leader took ten percent, while the remaining sixty percent was kept to nurture the next generation of the Lineage.

If Yang Chen directly took ten or twenty percent, then some portion of the resources allocated to those higher-ups might have to be deducted.

How could he possibly be willing to accept that?

Yet he had forgotten.

If Yang Chen did not enter Demon Beast Mountain, how would the treasures within Demon Beast Mountain flow into the Yang family?

"Sense of honor? Heh heh, Eighth Elder, you truly have a sharp tongue. First, you pinned the label of rebellion on me, then you accused me of having no sense of honor for the Lineage? Then let me ask you: since the day I, Yang Chen, was born, have any of you Yang family higher-ups ever made me feel even the slightest warmth of a family?"

Yang Chen's expression and tone were icy. "Sorry, but I have never felt that I was part of a family. As for this so-called sense of honor, sorry, Eighth Elder, you should go tell someone else. Also, if you truly think it is inappropriate to send me, Yang Chen, to participate in the Hundred Clans Trial War, the Yang family can simply ask someone else to go. I, Yang Chen, have no interest in doing thankless work that exhausts me for no reward. To be honest, if not for the sake of Second Master and Fourth Master, I might not even have agreed to take part in this Hundred Clans Trial War."

Within the Yang family, the only ones who had ever nurtured him were Second Master and Fourth Master.

Although what Second Master and Fourth Master had done had been fundamentally meaningless, at the very least, Yang Chen had felt the warmth of a family from Second Master Yang and Fourth Master Yang.

As for everyone else? Yang Chen had truly felt nothing.

Since that was the case, what was the point of saying all this? Was this some kind of joke?

He was going to painstakingly participate in the Hundred Clans Trial Battle and head to Demon Beast Mountain, only to have to watch others' faces when the resources were distributed in the end. Did they really think he was a soft persimmon to be kneaded however they pleased?

"You said it yourself." Eighth Elder Yang snorted coldly. "Clan Leader, you heard him too..."

"Shut up!" Yang Jinhe's icy gaze turned toward Eighth Elder Yang. "If Yang Chen does not participate, then pick someone for me. If Eighth Elder Yang thinks there is someone who can achieve a good ranking in the Hundred Clans Trial Battle, feel free to name them."

"I..."

Eighth Master Yang immediately wilted.

Where was he supposed to find someone?

It seemed that other than Yang Chen, the Yang family truly could not find anyone else capable of attaining a good ranking in the Hundred Clans Trial Battle.

Yang Jinhe also felt that Eighth Master Yang had lost his mind.

If they did not first enter Demon Beast Mountain, what was the point of discussing how to divide the benefits?

In truth, other than Yang Chen, who else in the Yang family could achieve a good ranking in the Hundred Clans Trial War?

Yang Wu, who had originally been the candidate, was already crippled. As for the remaining few geniuses, the strongest among them were merely at the middle stage of the Body Refining Realm Fourth Level and had never seen much of the wider world. In the Hundred Clans Trial War, let alone reaching the top thirty, he would already be satisfied if they were not eliminated too early.

Eighth Master Yang was still unconvinced and snorted coldly. "I reserve my opinion."

Yang Jinhe sighed. "Yang Chen, I know you are dissatisfied. What the Yang family did in the past truly wronged you. That is also why I offered you such generous terms. Of course, whether you can seize them will depend on yourself."

In truth, how could he not have some regrets in his heart?

If he had paid a little more attention to Yang Chen back then, if he had not shut Yang Chen out when Second Master Yang had brought him over, would they have ended up haggling like this today?

If he had known earlier that the genius Li Youyan valued was actually Yang Chen, then no matter what, he would never have shut Yang Chen out.

As long as they had made Yang Chen feel even a trace of family warmth, Yang Chen might not have raised his price on the spot today and directly discussed the division of benefits. In the final analysis, it was because the Yang family had not given Yang Chen sufficient treatment. Yang Chen's demands today were perfectly normal.

Seeing Yang Jinhe being so courteous, Yang Chen naturally could not slap a smiling face. After all, he was still a junior of the Yang family. He calmly cupped his hands and said, "Clan Leader, you are too courteous. I, Yang Chen, will certainly give it my all."

"Haha, it is good that you are confident. Speaking of which, your strength will directly affect the results of the Hundred Clans Trial War. The items in this Storage Bag can be considered cultivation resources I am giving you as clan leader. They may not allow you to improve greatly in a short time, but they are excellent treasures that will aid your cultivation. I hope that before the Hundred Clans Trial War, your martial cultivation can improve further." Yang Jinhe spoke with great kindness.

Yang Chen naturally understood Yang Jinhe's intentions. There was a trace of apology in his words, so there was naturally no reason for him to refuse.

However, just as he was about to reach out and take it, Eighth Elder Yang inappropriately stood up again. "Clan Leader, these resources were painstakingly gathered by the Lineage. If Yang Chen can truly achieve good results in the Trial War, then naturally I would have nothing to say if you gave him these resources. But he has not even begun participating yet, and you are already giving him such generous rewards. What if this boy is all show and no substance?"

Seeing Eighth Elder Yang press forward so aggressively, Second Master Yang finally could not remain seated. "Old Eighth, do not go too far."

Fourth Master Yang also said coldly, "Eighth Elder, aren't your words a little excessive?"

Yang Jinhe closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

When he opened his eyes again, they were filled with fury. Then he let out an angry roar: "Insolence!"

This furious roar carried the force of the Spiritual Martial Realm. Like a bolt from the blue, it exploded throughout the great hall, leaving everyone present dizzy and seeing stars. It also thoroughly displayed Yang Jinhe's strength. For a moment, the entire hall was silent as a cicada in winter.

Yang Jinhe rebuked him, "Eighth Elder, must I, Yang Jinhe, ask whether you approve before I do anything? Or perhaps you should take this clan leader's seat instead? Or do you have some objection to me as clan leader? Since you say these resources were painstakingly collected by the Lineage, do you mean I no longer even have the right to distribute them?"

He had given these resources to Yang Chen precisely so that Yang Chen could achieve better results in the Hundred Clans Trial War. As long as Yang Chen entered Demon Beast Mountain, the Lineage would naturally not lack heavenly treasures and earthly materials.

Yet Eighth Elder Yang was so short-sighted that, because of a momentary factional dispute, he pressed forward relentlessly. How could Yang Jinhe not understand Eighth Elder Yang's petty calculations?

Under Yang Jinhe's stern reprimand, Eighth Elder Yang trembled all over. Frightened, he hurriedly apologized, "N-No, I would not dare, Clan Leader. I misspoke."

"I hope there will not be a next time. Otherwise, I would not mind having someone else sit in your position as Eighth Elder." Yang Jinhe shot Yang Jinhe a cold glance.

This outcome was something Eighth Master Yang had not expected.

As the Yang family's Eighth Elder, whenever he spoke in the past, Yang Jinhe would certainly listen. How could Yang Jinhe possibly fall out with him over some so-called genius who had not even matured yet?

But he discovered that he had been wrong.

For Yang Chen's sake, Yang Jinhe had truly fallen out with him.

Could it be that his status was not even equal to Yang Chen's?