Chapter 1701 — The Opening Salvo

The matter of the ancient sect's betrothal was an absolute secret. As for which sect it was, Chen Kuanglan could not possibly speak of it casually, and back then that ancient sect had forbidden him to tell anyone... Besides, so much time had passed with no word at all, and the whole affair was most likely dead in the water. Chen Kuanglan had never counted on using it as a bargaining chip for the Chen family.

He had already been in utter despair before coming here, so he was not surprised now. He merely glanced at Divine Physician Kang and said, "You may as well assume there is nothing. The Chen family currently has no money, no backing, and no cultivators..."

"Patriarch Yu, how can a family like this still be counted among the great clans? Isn't that a bit strange?" Divine Physician Kang asked, somewhat astonished.

"Mm... for now we are only taking stock of each family's strength. As for everything else, we will discuss it in a moment." Yu Shuixing nodded and spoke, but anyone could hear what he meant: "Next comes the time for everyone to settle their grievances. Does anyone have any grievances? You may bring them up."

What grievances could these people possibly have? So after Yu Shuixing asked, everyone's eyes converged on Old Master Chen Kuanglan's side! The events of recent days were no secret, and everyone knew about the affair between the Yu family and the Chen family!

In truth, the Chen family could be called the victim here, but there was no help for it — whoever held power now was in the right. The Yu family was plainly out to bully the Chen family, and the Chen family could not muster the slightest resistance.

"Since no one will speak, then let us begin with the Yu family!" Yu Shuixing turned his head mildly toward Chen Kuanglan and said, "Old Master Chen, your Chen Yutian meddled for no reason at all in the matter between my son and his girlfriend. What is the meaning of that?"

"Give a dog a bad name and hang him — what excuse can't be found?" Chen Kuanglan had thrown caution to the wind. There was no chance of turning things around this time anyway, but before leaving the Great Clan Assembly, he had to make things clear, didn't he? He was weak; the Chen family had no money, no cultivators, no patron, and could give up the title of great clan — but it could not bear an undeserved injustice! So Chen Kuanglan had to make things clear: "Qiu Lingshan was never your son's girlfriend, was she, Patriarch Yu? On that point, Qiu Lingshan seems never to have acknowledged it, so how can you call it meddling? Besides, my grandson and Qiu Lingshan are entirely innocent — nothing happened between them at all. Your son wounded my grandson for no reason whatsoever. On this matter, will Patriarch Yu give us an explanation?"

"An explanation for you? You old fool, have you gone senile?" Before Yu Shuixing could open his mouth, Divine Physician Kang spoke first, pointing at Chen Kuanglan: "Never mind you great clans — even I, who am not of the great clans, have heard of the marriage between Yu Feng and Qiu Lingshan. Are you saying you haven't? Are you talking nonsense?"

Divine Physician Kang's words made the veins bulge on Chen Kuanglan's forehead with rage. This Divine Physician Kang and Yu Shuixing were singing the same tune, plainly out to make trouble for him!

"Patriarch Chen, how do you explain this? Let us all be practical and speak according to the facts. It truly was your Chen Yutian who thrust himself in, and the result was a rift between my son and Qiu Lingshan of the Song family. On this matter, you owe our Yu family an accounting, do you not?" Yu Shuixing thought to himself that Divine Physician Kang was not bad at all — he had a good eye for the situation and knew how to play along, letting him smoothly turn the tables and bite back at the Chen family.

"I owe you an accounting?" Chen Kuanglan clenched his fists and glared at Yu Shuixing, a wave of sorrow rising in his heart! He was plainly the victim, yet it was made to seem as though the Yu family had suffered some great loss!

"What, does Old Master Chen not wish to abide by the rules of the great clans?" Yu Shuixing asked mildly.

"Patriarch Chen, to recover my face, I intend to challenge your Chen Yutian. Of course, anyone in your Chen family may take his place, and you may step into the ring yourself, Old Master Chen — I won't say you're bullying the young with your age! Ha ha!" Yu Feng followed right on Yu Shuixing's words, laughing as he spoke.

"You—" Chen Kuanglan's heart was filled with humiliation. He rose abruptly to his feet, eyes bloodshot as he looked at Yu Shuixing and Yu Feng: "Yu family, do not push people too far! Putting on the airs of the victim — have you no shame? Do you think I, Chen, don't know what you're after?"

"What do you mean by that, Old Master Chen? Everything now is being done according to the rules of the great clans. If you feel our Yu family has wronged you, then you may bring it up as well — challenge our Yu family!" Yu Shuixing said mildly. "Challenge me, or challenge Yu Feng — either is acceptable!"

"You..." Chen Kuanglan clutched at his chest in fury, nearly spitting blood! Their Chen family had no cultivators — how could they be a match for the Yu family's cultivators? To challenge them would be no different from walking to their deaths!

Though Chen Kuanglan had come prepared to be struck from the ranks of the great clans, to be humiliated like this by the Yu family, he still could not keep his composure. The Yu family had truly gone too far — taking the advantage and then playing innocent, even putting on the airs of the victim!

"Don't think I don't know what you're after. You just want me to withdraw from the ranks of the great clans, don't you? Fine, I'll withdraw — you needn't say another word! This was supposed to be an assembly of nine great clans, and now there's an extra Kang family. Yu Shuixing, do you think I can't see what you're scheming? The two of you singing in harmony to squeeze me out — do you think I can't tell? This time I'll propose withdrawing from the great clans myself, so you needn't trouble yourselves!" Chen Kuanglan laughed bitterly and swept his gaze over everyone present, yet not one spoke up for him. Though everyone knew the Yu family was twisting right and wrong, calling a stag a horse, who at this moment dared speak for the Chen family?

Chen Kuanglan's gaze finally came to rest on Old Master Song Xiangwen of the Song family. After all, Chen Yutian had been wounded for Qiu Lingshan's sake. If Song Xiangwen did not say a word now, that would be too *** despicable!

But Song Xiangwen was barely able to protect himself at this moment. Though he felt deeply apologetic, he dared not speak rashly now either, and merely tried to smooth things over: "Old friend, don't get so worked up. Let us all sit down and talk it over slowly..."

"Indeed. Or does Old Master Chen think that by withdrawing from the great clans, the matter is settled?" Yu Shuixing pressed on. "Before you withdraw from the great clans, you owe me an accounting, do you not?"

"You— you—" Chen Kuanglan trembled all over with rage!

He had never imagined Yu Shuixing could be so shameless. He had already made such an enormous concession, yet Yu Shuixing was still pressing him relentlessly, closing in step by step! Old Master Chen was so furious that his chest heaved, and even his breathing grew uneven...

For the fastest updates, please read without pop-ups.