Everyone’s gaze was fixed on Dongfang Wudao. Though they didn’t say it aloud, many felt that perhaps he was still a bit young… a little soft-hearted.
Dongfang Qingtian walked up to Dongfang Wudao and knelt down in silence.
“Why do you kneel?”
“Thank you, Divine Son, for giving me the chance to learn the truth and realize I wrongly blamed my father.”
Ninth Elder trembled slightly upon hearing the word “father.”
“It wasn’t me who gave you this chance. It was Ninth Elder.”
Dongfang Qingtian lifted his head and glanced at Ninth Elder.
No one else in the hall said a word. Whatever Dongfang Wudao decided, they wouldn’t object.
But now, things seemed to have turned out for the better.
Dongfang Qingtian had awakened to the truth and now felt genuine gratitude.
He also understood how much Ninth Elder had borne for him.
“From this day forward, you are no longer part of the Dongfang Clan’s inheritance sequence. That is your punishment. Do you accept it?”
“I do.”
“Good. In that case, go work at that tavern as a waiter.”
As Dongfang Wudao finished speaking, he moved his spiritual sense, and a formation suddenly activated around Dongfang Qingtian.
The people in the hall were visibly shaken.
And then… they became excited.
“One Thought to Form a Formation… it’s One Thought to Form a Formation!”
Everyone in the hall lost their composure.
Even in the ancestral ground, several old ancestors were stunned as they watched Dongfang Wudao.
Originally, they had just wanted to see how he would deal with Dongfang Qingtian.
But Dongfang Wudao had given them an unexpected surprise.
Seventh Ancestor stroked his beard. “Good, good! I never imagined that Wudao could comprehend this at such a young age.”
“I myself only grasped it at the age of one hundred. As expected of our Dongfang Clan’s Divine Son.”
“You taught him?” Ninth Ancestor and Eighth Ancestor turned to him.
“No!”
“Then why are you so smug?”
“Comprehending it on one’s own is a whole different level from being taught.”
“You two can also form a formation with a thought, but why is mine stronger? Have you figured that out?”
Hearing this, Ninth Ancestor and Eighth Ancestor fell silent, deep in thought.
Dongfang Qingtian knelt, his eyes also filled with shock. Only now did he understand—his defeat was not unjust.
“I hope you come to understand your true heart, know what you want. When you return, rise to the heavens.”
Dongfang Qingtian kowtowed once, then stood.
He turned to Ninth Elder and kowtowed nine more times, then left.
[Congratulations, Host! You have earned the sincere submission of the Chosen One, making him a loyal follower. You have gained 700,000 Reversal Value.]
Dongfang Wudao heard the system prompt but felt disappointed. There was no special ability granted this time.
Naturally, Dongfang Wudao had his reasons for all of this.
“Now, I’ll need all of you to cooperate with me in a little performance.”
“I’ve sealed his strength and removed him from the inheritance sequence to let him see others’ true intentions. Some people have extended their hands too far.”
“Let him see for himself how they behave.”
“Dongfang Cangqiong, in a few days, provoke him and give him a beating. Just say that Ninth Elder wasn’t allowed burial in the ancestral graveyard and he only lived because of that.”
“We need to act from the highest place, to strike certain people down. The Dongfang Clan’s name must not be disgraced.”
“Then we’ll see how he reacts. If it goes well, we’ll say he willingly humbled himself for the clan.”
“If his performance is good, I don’t mind giving him another chance.”
After hearing Dongfang Wudao’s plan, everyone fell into deep thought. They were shocked by how cunning and far-sighted he had become after only three years away.
“I heard Ninth Uncle got drunk,” Dongfang Wudao added casually.
The room fell silent.
And then Dongfang Wudao left the hall.
In truth, he had another motive: he wanted Shen Qingqiu to believe that he still had a soft side.
That Shen Qingqiu seemed to know the future events.
Sometimes, you had to let people see a sliver of hope, didn’t you?
“Dongfang Wudao might be the most dazzling Divine Son our clan has ever had,” the Grand Elder said as he watched Dongfang Wudao’s figure.
Everyone froze—Grand Elder rarely praised anyone.
But no one refuted him. Dongfang Wudao had said Ninth Uncle was drunk.
They’d all thought he would kill Dongfang Qingtian, so they went to drink with Ninth Elder out of fear he’d be heartbroken.
That one sentence from Dongfang Wudao… hinted at so much that the elders couldn’t help but admire him.
“Patriarch, let me become Wudao’s protector,” Ninth Elder said.
Everyone was stunned.
“No need. Wudao can form a formation with a single thought. Even the ancestors have taken notice. They’ve already sent someone to protect him—a Supreme Realm expert.”
Ninth Elder nodded, no longer pursuing the matter.
The Dongfang Clan had many elders, but only the most outstanding were titled as such.
Ninth Elders, Nine Grand Elders, Nine Ancestors.
All nine ancestors were at the Supreme Realm. That didn’t mean there were only nine Supreme Realm experts—just that the rest were slightly weaker.
After Dongfang Wudao left, he went to the residence of the Third Grand Elder.
“Grandpa San.”
As Dongfang Wudao called out, a middle-aged figure appeared and looked at him.
“Wudao, you’re here. Come in.”
Dongfang Wudao stepped inside and looked at Dongfang Shi’an.
“I heard you arranged a marriage for Sister Qingxin.”
Dongfang Shi’an nodded. Everyone in the clan knew.
“She wants to annul it.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Wudao, I can’t say right now. But I have my reasons.”
“Grandpa San, I met an old senior at Soul-Breaking Cliff. The old Chenghuang.”
“He said someone is blocking our Dongfang Clan’s fortune.”
“What?!” New chapters come out on g.com first.
Dongfang Shi’an stood up, eyes full of disbelief.
“Could it be related to Qingxin’s engagement?”
Dongfang Wudao nodded.
“It seems there really is a problem… Back then, I met Zhou Xin. We fought over something, and I pushed him into a river and drowned him.”
Dongfang Wudao froze. Was he sure it was drowning?
“I once met his grandson. The kid had something unusual about him. He was young, but his talent wasn’t bad.”
“After the engagement, I took the opportunity to kill his grandfather and even gave him some resources for cultivation.”
“I feel like the boy carries tremendous fortune. He may have great destiny awaiting him.”
“Their family had many powerful ancestors, but after a major upheaval, only Zhou Xin remained. As for any hidden powers, I’m not sure.”
“You really know how to calculate, Grandpa San.”
Dongfang Shi’an gave a sheepish laugh. It wasn’t exactly honorable, but they believed in fortune.
From the first time he saw the boy, he knew he wasn’t ordinary.
“Wudao, help me with this matter.”
“I understand, Grandpa San.”
After that, Dongfang Wudao left.
…
In Zhentian Realm’s Wangtian City, Zhou Clan.
At this moment, the gates of the Zhou Clan opened wide.
People streamed out.
Many on the streets watched curiously.
For years, the Zhou Clan had been one of the Four Great Clans of Wangtian City.
Though they never took the City Lord’s seat, no one dared provoke them. Even the City Lord treated them with courtesy.
Because the Zhou Clan had ties to the Dongfang Clan of the Celestial Realm.
Even the emperor of the Tianyue Empire had once visited the Zhou Clan.
In any case, the Zhou Clan had never shown great ambition.
People speculated it wasn’t that they lacked ambition—just that their strength wasn’t enough.
After all, the Zhou Patriarch was only at the early stage of the Divine Palace Realm.
“Never expected such an honored guest to visit the Zhou Clan.”
“Wonder who it is? Even the Patriarch, Elders, and younger generation came out to welcome them.”
“That must be Zhou Shian, right?”
“Yes. I heard he became a cripple. With the Zhou Clan making such a show… could the Dongfang Clan be here to break off the engagement?”
“Hey, watch your mouth. We don’t want trouble.”
“He’s been a cripple for three years. Why wait until now to annul it?”
“But he looks calm. There’s confidence in his eyes. Maybe… he’s recovered his strength?”
Just as they were discussing…
The skies over Wangtian City suddenly darkened. Then a golden light burst forth.
A jade palace appeared in the air, exuding an aura that suppressed the Eight Directions.