Tang Qiye waved his folding fan, looking at Meng Qi with a half-smile: “I’m just saying, young man, the position of family head is of utmost importance. We must have the Six Gates verify your bloodline and invite other noble families to witness the process. Only then can we confirm your identity. We can’t simply hand over the family’s authority to someone without proper verification. It’s not that we doubt you—it’s just a necessary formality.”
Since the Six Gates represented imperial authority and inevitably had their own stance during bloodline verification, three neutral noble families were required to supervise and attest the process, preventing any master of disguise or transformation from impersonating a legitimate heir.
As verifying a bloodline required advance preparation—including applying to the Six Gates branch in Huan Prefecture for unusual individuals or materials—the earliest it could take place would be two days later, serving conveniently as a legitimate excuse for delay.
Of course, bloodline verification wasn’t mandatory; families only pursued it when they strongly suspected a disciple’s authenticity.
No wonder Tang Er and Tang Qiye hadn’t pressed too hard—they were directly moving to the final step. If Meng Qi turned out to be fake, that would be ideal. But even if he were genuine, these two days would provide ample time to act… Reflecting silently, Meng Qi slightly nodded: “No problem, I’m not in a hurry. I can wait a couple of days.”
After all, in two or three days, none of this would concern him anymore!
Seeing his calm and confident demeanor, Tang Er and Tang Qiye’s expressions momentarily changed before returning to normal. They nodded in agreement, while only Tang Mingyue muttered: “If you can suspect my Second Brother is fake, I can also suspect you two are impostors. It’s not like you’ve always been at home—anyone could have been swapped secretly.”
As expected, Tang Er and Tang Qiye ignored her complaint completely, showing no reaction whatsoever.
Maintaining his cold and dominant attitude, Meng Qi hoarsely pressed further: “Where is Uncle Shu?”
Slightly embarrassed, Tang Er answered: “Your Uncle Shu was incited by the Fifth Young Master and participated in the assassination of the Huahua Sword Sect’s officials and their relatives. He fled long ago and his whereabouts are unknown.”
As if I were a child to be fooled so easily… Meng Qi inwardly scoffed. Judging from their current allegiance to the Wang family, if they truly had no prior knowledge of the Fifth Uncle Tang Lao Wu and Tang Shu’s actions, it would be laughable.
Remaining expressionless, Meng Qi said indifferently: “Even Second Uncle doesn’t know? Hmph, the Fifth Uncle and Uncle Shu disregarded the family and acted recklessly. They deserved their fate.”
Tang Shu isn’t dead yet… Tang Er and Tang Qiye exchanged glances. However, such matters could be done but not spoken aloud. Once exposed, when it came time to appease the Huahua Sword Sect’s anger to avoid mutual destruction, they themselves might be sacrificed as scapegoats.
Before the two could speak, Meng Qi continued on his own: “Second Uncle, Seventh Uncle, although I must wait for the bloodline verification before taking over the family’s authority, surely you won’t stop me from visiting Grandfather or paying respects at the ancestral hall?”
Hmph, as if you’re definitely going to become the family head in two or three days… Compared to Tang Er, Tang Qiye was less reserved, and his expression slightly revealed his inner thoughts.
“Of course not. My nephew Jing, that you’ve returned to the right path and understand filial piety is a blessing for our Tang family.” Tang Er slightly nodded, his tone seemingly praising, yet carrying an undertone of mockery.
Within noble families, when a traveler returns home, the first two things to be done are visiting elders and paying respects at the ancestral hall. Tang Er and Tang Qiye saw no issue with this.
“Second Brother, I’ll accompany you.” Tang Mingyue wanted to quickly inform her brother about the family’s current situation.
Meng Qi gently nodded and walked with Tang Mingyue toward Grandfather Tang’s room.
“Mingyue, go gather all the clan members currently at home—except those on guard duty—to the ancestral hall.” As they approached the door to Grandfather Tang’s room, Meng Qi suddenly spoke.
Tang Mingyue had just finished explaining the family’s internal tensions when she received this sudden order, momentarily stunned.
With a gentle tone, Meng Qi told her: “This matter is suspicious; we must act swiftly and decisively.”
In other words, the sooner things became chaotic, the better.
Huh? Tang Mingyue, with her large, clear eyes wide with confusion, stared at him.
Seeing her confusion, Meng Qi whispered: “Both Second Uncle, Fifth Uncle, and Seventh Uncle have allied with the Wang family, cooperating closely. Yet there can only be one family head. What exactly are they being tempted with?”
If they genuinely wanted the family headship, they wouldn’t align with the same faction as their rivals, nor cooperate so amicably without sabotaging each other.
Precisely because none of them had sought the Huahua Sword Sect’s support in their struggle for leadership, Meng Qi sensed the scent of a hidden conspiracy.
Tang Mingyue’s expression turned serious: “That’s right! Second Uncle, Fifth Uncle, and Seventh Uncle used to wish each other dead. Second Brother, I’ll go gather the clan members right away!”
For decades, Grandfather Tang had led the Tang family, and the First Branch’s influence was deeply rooted. Despite Tang Er’s recent efforts to replace stewards and guards, and to win over elders and guests, he couldn’t fully weaken the First Branch in such a short time. It was precisely this that led Meng Qi to instruct Tang Mingyue to summon all clan members to the ancestral hall.
Watching Tang Mingyue quickly leave, Meng Qi took a deep breath and turned to push open the door. A strong sandalwood scent immediately filled his nose.
The room was large, with all the windows sealed shut, making it dim and gloomy. The air was stuffy due to poor ventilation, and with the medicinal and sandalwood smells mixed together, it became even more suffocating.
“Grandfather Ren.” Meng Qi lightly nodded toward the elderly figure seated inside.
This was Tang Ren, one of the Five Elders, once the most promising Tang family martial artist with the potential to break through to the Half-Step Beyond Scenery realm. However, now aged and frail, that possibility had long passed.
He was Tang Ji’s concubine-born younger brother. Having been well taken care of by his elder brother, after achieving martial mastery, he had always been responsible for Grandfather Tang’s safety and wielded the Tang family’s sacred weapon, the “Canglan Blade.”
Looking at Meng Qi, the now graying Tang Ren nodded slightly: “You’ve grown up. Good.”
He had already heard reports about Meng Qi’s recent actions, including removing his human-skin mask and calmly awaiting bloodline verification.
Approaching the bed, Meng Qi saw the aged Grandfather Tang, his face wrinkled, his sparse hair completely white. His eyes were tightly shut, his breathing ragged with a phlegm-like rattle, making onlookers constantly fear that he might not draw another breath.
He suddenly stirred, as if sensing the return of Second Young Master Tang Jing. His right hand slightly trembled, his eyelids slowly opened, and with great difficulty, his head turned toward the door.
Meng Qi quickly walked over, grasped Grandfather Tang’s hand, and saw his cloudy eyes filled with a layer of tears—joy, pleading, sorrow, and pain all mingled within. He tried to speak, but only a hoarse, rattling sound emerged from his throat.
For some reason, seeing Grandfather Tang’s tear-filled eyes, Meng Qi suddenly recalled the two streams of tears from the dying Tang Jing—the same pleading and unwillingness, the same sorrowful emotion that evoked deep sympathy.
These two different pairs of eyes, their tears and gazes, intermingled in Meng Qi’s mind, giving him a sense of karmic connection, as if he had somehow become the medium through which this karmic chain was passed on.
“I took your identity, and thus bear your karma…” A sudden thought surfaced in Meng Qi’s mind, as if he had grasped something, yet remained utterly confused.
He tightly held Grandfather Tang’s right hand and solemnly said: “I’m back…”
Meng Qi couldn’t continue speaking, as he knew he lacked the emotional depth to make his performance convincing.
However, to Grandfather Tang and Tang Ren, it sounded as if he were too overwhelmed with emotion to speak.
Grandfather Tang weakly gripped Meng Qi’s hand, gave it three feeble shakes, then closed his eyes again, slipping back into unconsciousness.
Meng Qi waited for a while, took a deep breath, stood up, bowed to Tang Ren, and walked toward the door.
“Go ahead. Do what must be done.” Tang Ren gazed at Grandfather Tang on the bed and murmured softly.
Meng Qi slightly nodded, opened the door, stepped outside, and a ray of sunlight poured in, casting a patch of brightness into the dark and oppressive room.
The ancestral hall’s location in noble families was always carefully chosen. Meng Qi could easily find it just by observing the layout, without needing a guide. Not that he needed one—there were always family servants to attend to the heir’s needs.
Maintaining his cold and rigid demeanor, Meng Qi didn’t speak to the servants. Upon reaching the ancestral hall, he stepped inside. He saw spirit tablets in front and on both sides, and a vast central space large enough to hold hundreds of people. Though called a hall, it was essentially a grand temple.
After lighting a stick of incense, Meng Qi stood silently facing the main spirit tablet with his back to the entrance. Soon, Tang clan members began to arrive. Looking at Meng Qi’s back, some showed joy, others excitement, some anxiety, and a few even hatred.
“Little Er, what are you trying to do?” Not long after Tang Mingyue entered the hall, Tang Qiye stormed in with an angry expression, puzzled by Meng Qi’s actions.
Beside him, Tang Er’s face was dark, and several elders looked suspicious.
Meng Qi slowly turned around, his lips tightly pressed, his features sharp, his eyes cold: “Second Uncle, Seventh Uncle, there are things that must be clarified before our ancestors and all the clan members.”
A collective gasp arose from the Tang family members. They had sensed the recent undercurrents of change, but as non-leaders, they didn’t fully understand the key issues or specific details. Now, would the eldest son of the First Branch finally reveal what was going on?
“Playing mysterious games again. What exactly is it?” Tang Qiye impatiently asked.
Tang Er coldly added: “You haven’t even completed the bloodline verification yet!”
Meng Qi calmly replied: “I’m not speaking now as the eldest son, but as an ordinary Tang clan member, a descendant of our ancestors, asking Second Uncle and Seventh Uncle—why provoke the Huahua Sword Sect?”
“Alliance with the Wang family is acceptable, but why provoke the wrath of a major martial arts sect? Who can withstand the fury of such a powerful sect? Even if the Wang family sends help, when two colossal forces clash, even a minor ripple could destroy our small family. Do you intend to ruin the Tang family?”
His voice grew increasingly stern.
The Tang family members erupted into murmurs. They had heard similar rumors, but there were also other interpretations that hadn’t caused them much worry. Now, with Meng Qi confirming the worst, their hearts were filled with anxiety. Even with the Wang family’s protection, the Huahua Sword Sect might still act to save face. If experts from the Beyond Scenery realm clashed, the Tang family would be the first to suffer. Blood flowing like a river would be no exaggeration.
Rely on the Six Gates? If the Tang family had the right on their side, the Six Gates wouldn’t hesitate to pursue Huahua Sword Sect disciples. But if the Tang family had provoked the Huahua Sword Sect first, the Six Gates might turn a blind eye, avoiding civilian casualties during the conflict. They would only step in to mediate once the Wang and Huahua families were nearly exhausted. By then, the Tang family might be sacrificed to restore stability!
“Second Uncle, you’re only temporarily acting as family head. How could you make such a major decision so rashly?” Meng Qi sharply questioned Tang Er.
In the crowd, clan members aligned with the First Branch began to clamor, creating a confrontational atmosphere.
This was the advantage of mobilizing the masses.
Tang Er coughed: “I didn’t want to either, but the Fifth Young Master suddenly went mad and, together with Uncle Shu, ambushed the Huahua Sword Sect members. At this point, we had no choice but to fully ally with the Wang family.”
“The Fifth Uncle is already dead, so let’s set that aside for now. But Tang Shu is still alive. This man, who acted recklessly behind the family’s back, must be severely punished to ease tensions with the Huahua Sword Sect.” Meng Qi spoke as if issuing orders.
Tang Er said solemnly: “But he’s already fled.”
“He fled, but his immediate family remains. They must be punished. If he doesn’t return, the punishment will be doubled!” Meng Qi declared coldly.
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