Seeing that something was off, Chen Xiaojun steered the conversation back. "By the way, Grandpa, Second Granduncle, about that Jingkang Agreement you mentioned-didn't the Demon Sheep Sect know about it?"
Chen Yu had regained his composure by then. He settled his emotions, his expression easing slightly, and replied, "The Demon Sheep Sect developed over the past few centuries. After the last calamity, it expanded rapidly and rose to prominence. Its seventh-grade martial soul, the Three-Eyed Demon Sheep, only evolved into existence within the past two or three hundred years."
"They might not know about an agreement from a thousand years ago. Perhaps they heard about it but never truly felt its weight. Perhaps arrogance blinded them, or perhaps certain forces drove them to lash out like a cornered dog."
"In any case, their reasons aren't important. They have nothing to do with us."
"If they dare stretch out their claws, we chop them off. These sects and great families fear might, not virtue."
A cold gleam flashed in Chen Yu's eyes as he spoke.
Chen Xiaojun sensed a deeper meaning in those words. "Grandpa, was there some significance to what you said about the Three-Eyed Demon Sheep only evolving into existence in the past two hundred years?"
Chen Cong picked up the conversation and explained to Chen Xiaojun, "Martial soul evolution is always a gradual process."
"Even when a mutation produces an evolution, the chances of inheriting that mutation are very low."
"The higher the grade, the lower the chances. More often, the martial soul reverts to its original form."
"Only after multiple evolutions does it gradually stabilize."
"Every advancement in grade has to pass through stages of gestation, breakthrough, fluctuation, and stabilization."
"According to research and statistics from across the continent, a high-grade martial soul takes at least several