The one who spoke was not the Second-Ranked Prince of Donglin but a young man in his mid-twenties dressed in a yellow robe. He had a grand appearance and paced slowly back and forth while holding a folding fan.
All eyes landed on his figure, slightly dazed.
“It’s the son of the Second-Ranked Prince of Donglin!”
“So, it’s the Young Master!” Everyone started to discuss spiritedly in private.
“Mentor Qin is here too.”
“Mentor Qin is the third greatest powerhouse under the Second-Rank Prince. Rumor has it that he already has the strength of a top Ninth Stage combatant.”
There seemed to only be a slight difference between mid-Ninth Stage and top Ninth Stage but strength-wise, they were a world of difference. When an average combatant had reached mid-Ninth Stage, he might not be able to advance for decades or even for a lifetime. After reaching the Ninth Stage, continuing to advance was more difficult than climbing the sky. In the entire Donglin County, there were only seven to eight top Ninth Stage combatants.
Upon hearing the people talk, Liu Zhen put on an indifferent expression and swept his gaze across the crowd as if this was his house. Previously, when he stopped at Liuye Town nearby, his Imperial Father sent him a messenger hawk, and he immediately rushed over, traveling day and night.
Ye Chengxuan looked at these people and narrowed his eyes. The Second-Rank Prince’s son Liu Zhen charged here without even paying respects. He must be up to no good!
If other clans produced peerless geniuses, the Second-Rank Prince of Donglin would pay a visit. However, the Second-rank Prince of Donglin had repeatedly assisted the Yun Castle going against House of Ye. Even when Ye Zhantian went on his knees to ask for medicine, he was expelled from Junwang Palace. This contradiction was already irreconcilable. Even if the Second-Rank Prince of Donglin wanted to make up, the people of House of Ye would always bear this grudge.
Junwang Palace was the largest force in Donglin County. There were three top Ninth Stage combatants, six mid-Ninth Stage combatants, and nine beginner Ninth Stage combatants. Such strength was a great deterrent to any clan in the entire Donglin County, and rumor had it that they still had people in the upper echelons. It was not a time where the House of Ye could afford to provoke them.
“Young Master.” All the clans and Lords bowed. If there was a conflict between the Second-Rank Prince of Donglin and the House of Ye, which side should they stand on? Perhaps they would help neither.
Although the House of Ye had a peerless genius who could become a top combatant, that was in the future. If the Second-Rank Prince of Donglin became angry, Ye Castle might be razed to the ground. Unless Master Apothecary Xuanyi also sent his people, they would have to see how the situation developed.
Ye Chen sat in front of the hall, his thoughts stirring. His Astral Body examined those present – one top Ninth Stage, three mid-Ninth Stage, five beginner Ninth Stage, and the rest being Eighth Stage. The Young Master was also at peak Eighth Stage.
“Ye Castle is bustling today. It’s more lively than when my father took office.” Liu Zhen waved his folding fan and walked into the hall, sneering.
“The Young Master has come a long way. Ye Castle is honored to have you here. Men, arrange a seat for the Young Master.” That was what Ye Changxuan said but he was constantly thinking about countermeasures. This was Ye Castle and there were many Chiefs and Lords present. Even if their strength was far inferior to the Second-Rank Prince’s, they could not appear weak.
Liu Zhen gazed straight in front of the hall and looked at Ye Chen. His eyes narrowed and flashed sharply. “Is that the new Chief of the Ye Clan? How insolent! You’re still not coming here to greet me, the Prince, even after seeing me?”
“Young Master, this is Ye Castle not Junwang Palace. Since the Young Master didn’t pay his respects, how could I greet him?” Ye Chen replied casually. Liu Zhen’s domineering manner made Ye Chen very unhappy. Liu Zhen was here to pick a bone with the Ye Clan, so Ye Chen would not bother to be polite to him.
“What a sharp tongue!” Liu Zhen’s gaze swept across the Ye Clan. “This is your Ye Clan’s so-called peerless genius. Don’t be complacent. Before you become a Tenth Stage combatant, my father’s word is still the law in Donglin Country. The clans are still under my Father’s jurisdiction. If the Dark Troopers calvary come, not even a blade of grass will be spared!”
The Chiefs and Lords of the other clans did not dare to respond. Junwang Palace was too strong. Besides top combatants, there were more than a thousand Seventh Stage Dark Troopers. It was quite dangerous for the House of Ye to go against Junwang Palace now.
Ye Changxuan, Ye Zhantian, and the others clenched their fists. Although they felt vexed in their hearts, they could not fall out with Junwang Palace. Otherwise, the army would storm the place, and the Ye Clan’s family estate would be destroyed.
“Please calm down, Young Master. Ye Chen is only a seventeen-year-old child. He’ll inevitably be impulsive.” The Xu Clan Patriarch, Xu Jian chuckled and stepped forward to mediate the situation.
“Xu Jian, who do you think you are? Scram. I’ll say this now, so each of you better listen closely. As long as your family estates are in Donglin County, you should just sit quietly and obey. If anyone dares to form cliques, heh…” Liu Zhen snorted coldly, his words unforgiving.
Xu Jian’s face flushed red but he did not dare to argue, so he simply stepped down in resentment.
Although many Chiefs and Lords were enraged at Liu Zhen’s arrogance, they were helpless.
“I’ll say this one more time. You, get down here now. I came all the way here yet none of you have offered up your seat to me. If your House of Ye is obedient and willing to submit to my father, I’ll let your clan remain safe and sound. Otherwise, I’ll let my father send out the Dark Troopers to stomp this place to the ground!” Liu Zhen pointed to Ye Chen sitting at the top seat of the hall and said aggressively.
Seeing Liu Zhen pointing at him, Ye Chen grew livid. Ye Chen gripped the armrest as his Celestial Chi bubbled in his body. If it were in the past, he might have already acted in anger. Liu Zhen would not leave Ye Castle alive! However, once he had made a move, Junwang Palace would surely besiege Ye Castle. The consequences would be unimaginable.
However, the Ye Clan could not give in like this!
All the Chiefs and Lords understood that the Second-Rank Prince of Donglin sent Liu Zhen to bully the Ye Clan. If the Ye Clan was willing to submit, they would be safe. If they refused to submit, they would end up in misfortune. However, if they submitted, the Second-Rank Prince of Donglin might use some special methods to control the Ye Clan. It was said that everyone in the Second-Rank Prince of Donglin’s Dark Troopers had to take a certain medicine. If the antidote was not taken within a month, they would end up with a fate worse than death. That was why the Dark Troopers were extremely loyal to the Second-Rank Prince of Donglin. If the House of Ye ended up getting controlled, they would never break free.
The Second-Rank Prince of Donglin was too powerful. If they turned against each other, the House of Ye would most likely be exterminated.
Ever since Ye Chen arrived in this world, the House of Ye had suffered many disasters. First, it was being suppressed by the House of Yun. Ye Chen wanted to show his strength to help the Ye Clan out of its predicament, but it attracted the Second-Rank Prince of Donglin’s attention, who was behind the House of Yun.
Did Ye Chen have to bow before Liu Zhen? It was impossible!
Liu Zhen walked toward the top seat step by step. The atmosphere in the hall instantly grew heavy. Mentor Qin and the others stared at Ye Changxuan and the other members of the Ye Clan in a state of mutual hostility. If Ye Chen still refused to come down, they would take action!
All the Lords and Chiefs did not dare to speak. They had to bow their heads too under the Second-Rank Prince of Donglin’s might. They wondered just how far the House of Ye would go against the Second-Rank Prince of Donglin. If the House of Ye refused to submit, the Second-Rank Prince of Donglin would send troops out.
The Ye Clan was unfortunate. They had just tasted a hint of prosperity but now, they might be destroyed. The Chiefs and Lords could not help but feel sorrow. If their clans also produced a peerless genius, they might end up with the same fate.
In this world, one had to rely on strength to speak!
Liu Zhen approached step by step, and a glint of killing intent flashed in Ye Chen’s eyes. Mentor Qin saw the look in Ye Chen’s eyes and snorted coldly. The power of a top Ninth Stage combatant rose and spread, and everyone present could feel the heavy oppression.
“Does the House of Ye want to rebel?” Liu Zhen stared at Ye Chen coldly and laughed. “I’d like to see if your Ye Clan has the guts to do that.”