Song Zining observed everyone’s expressions, then calmly said, “So, it seems that you all are determined to get an explanation from me today?”
“Exactly!”
“Even if the Seventh Young Master is already famous throughout the land, you cannot disregard us all so blatantly.”
Song Zining nodded, as if about to speak. The crowd quieted, waiting for him to continue. Unexpectedly, his trademark charming smile suddenly appeared, but his expression turned cold as he barked, “I, Song Zining, am going to take care of my brothers, and what can you do about it?”
This statement was a complete surprise; no one had expected the normally polite and cultured Seventh Young Master of the Song Clan to openly tear away the mask and lay bare the truth.
This was more than just speaking his mind; it was an unashamed provocation.
Elder Lu of the Lu Family stood up abruptly, pointing at Song Zining, trembling with rage, and yelled, “You insolent brat, how dare you be so arrogant! If you don’t give us an explanation today, you’ll never leave this place alive! My nephew’s life is not something to be taken lightly.”
Song Zining glanced at Elder Lu, then turned to the others, saying, “The lives of your family members are important, but Qian Ye’s life isn’t? You should know in your hearts how each of you performed in the battle on the Holy Mountain. Hmph, you were all cowards in battle, yet you compete fiercely for positions. I, Song Zining, may not be able to argue with you, but why waste words? I will do as I please. Do you, a bunch of cowards, really think you deserve an explanation from me?”
Elder Lu’s face turned red and pale with anger, shouting, “How arrogant! How arrogant! The Song Clan can’t discipline you, but I, for one, would love to teach you a lesson in place of your elders!”
Song Zining showed no fear, sneering, “You want to teach me a lesson? Very well, in three days, when my injuries have healed, I will be waiting outside the city for you, and we shall fight to the death!”
Elder Lu was stunned, pointing at Song Zining and stammering, “You, you…” but unable to find the right words.
Before he could speak, Song Zining continued, “Elder Lu, surely you’re not thinking of fighting me while I’m still injured, are you?”
Elder Lu’s expression stiffened, as if his intentions had been exposed. Although his original force cultivation was higher than Song Zining’s, the Lu Family was a lower-class lineage, incomparable to the massive Song Clan in terms of secret arts and martial equipment. This narrowed the gap in strength significantly. Moreover, in recent battles, it had become clear that the Empire’s most outstanding young geniuses fought fearlessly, making them truly terrifying.
If Song Zining fully recovered in three days and stepped onto the arena, it was likely that Elder Lu would not be the one walking out alive. He knew this, and so did everyone else.
But with Song Zining’s words out in the open, Elder Lu couldn’t bring himself to challenge him immediately. Even if he did, it would be useless; Song Zining was not foolish.
In an instant, Elder Lu and Song Zining became locked in a life-or-death confrontation, far from what he had intended. But now, to back down would be a loss of face, a humiliation he would carry for years.
Someone nearby, seeing the deadlock, tried to mediate, saying, “Elder Lu didn’t mean it that way. Seventh Young Master, don’t be hasty. The Empire is in a time of turmoil, and we mustn’t turn on each other. The Lu Family has lost a key member, and the loss is significant. We should discuss how to compensate them.”
Everyone agreed, and Elder Lu took the opportunity to sit down. All eyes turned to Song Zining, their intentions clear.
Song Zining, unyielding, fanned himself, saying, “You all want the second batch of positions, right? Ideally, I would give up my position, or at least move it to the back.”
Their smiles grew awkward, replying, “It doesn’t have to be like that. We feel quite embarrassed, hehe, hahaha!”
Song Zining’s smile faded, and he said coldly, “I will not give up my position, nor will I change the order. Whoever wants my position, stand up now and let me see you.”
The crowd was silenced, and someone forced a smile, saying, “What does the Seventh Young Master mean by this?”
Song Zining laughed, saying, “You all hold back in decisive battles but vie eagerly for positions! Whoever wants my position, stand up and let me see you. Don’t think of forcing me to give up my position, then secretly dividing it among yourselves. Let me tell you, I hold grudges, and I have never learned to be broad-minded. Whoever wants to be my enemy, think carefully. If you want to kill me, do it in the next year or two. Otherwise, if I live for three years, I will destroy any lineage, no matter how small.”
Elder Lu’s face turned pale and green, becoming restless. He had threatened Song Zining with the Lu Family, and now Song Zining was threatening to wipe out the Lu Family!
Seeing the silence, Song Zining pointed to the sky, mocking, “Even if you resolve to do it, it’s useless. I might as well tell you, I have backers too.”
Everyone knew that Song Zining and the Song Clan had a strained relationship. But it was also known that the patriarch of the Song Clan favored Song Zining, and they were trying to get him to return. If anything happened to him, they would not ignore it.
Furthermore, Song Zining was famously well-connected, with ambiguous relationships with many powerful figures in the Empire. No one knew which faction he truly belonged to. If he were eliminated, unless it was done flawlessly, it might provoke a powerful figure’s wrath.
At this thought, their smiles became stiff. They were mostly from lesser lineages, and the top families had already secured their positions. Now, they were merely banding together to force Song Zining to submit. In a one-on-one situation, they might not withstand Song Zining’s future retaliation, let alone the wrath of a true powerful figure.
Seeing that they couldn’t suppress Song Zining, many turned to Eunuch Zhang, representing the Imperial Family, hoping he could curb Song Zining’s arrogance.
Eunuch Zhang, sensing the moment, cleared his throat and said, “This matter was started by the Seventh Young Master, and the opportunity of the Great Vortex is not absolutely necessary for him. If he would move his position back, it would be a win for everyone. If you do this, let us hear your other conditions.”
Everyone listened intently. A spot in the Great Vortex was crucial, offering a chance for the entire family to advance. Eunuch Zhang’s words suggested a compromise: Song Zining would give up his position, and the others would offer compensation.
The proposal was acceptable to all. Wealth and resources could be accumulated, but without a breakthrough genius, the family would stagnate.
Song Zining smiled, saying, “Very well, I have one condition: investigate the origins of Yun Zhongyun Hai to the very end.”
Eunuch Zhang’s expression changed, saying, “Isn’t this already settled? The traitors fled in fear, and Head Steward Liu killed them. It’s a concluded matter.”
“Is that so? What a pity.”
Eunuch Zhang straightened up, looking grave, saying, “If the Seventh Young Master insists on investigating, I can agree. But I can only do my best. What I can uncover is not within my control.”
“If Eunuch Zhang cannot guarantee it, let’s forget it. Otherwise, if nothing comes of it, ‘doing my best’ won’t look good for anyone. If it comes to that, I might need to talk to someone higher up.”
Eunuch Zhang’s face changed again, looking uncomfortable. He leaned forward, asking, “May I ask whom the Seventh Young Master plans to speak to?”
Song Zining smiled ambiguously, saying, “A name I dare not say, and one you wouldn’t want to hear.”
Eunuch Zhang sighed, saying, “In that case, I suppose I cannot handle this matter. Farewell!”
Eunuch Zhang stood and left, and the Imperial Family followed. Now, only the lesser lineages remained. The smaller families, expecting support from the Imperial Family, found themselves abandoned when Eunuch Zhang left upon hearing Song Zining’s demand.
Left alone, the smaller lineages felt exposed.
Song Zining swept his gaze over them, slowly smiling, saying, “I, Song Zining, will take care of my brothers. What can you do about it?”
After a while, the lesser lineages left the flagship, disheartened, silent, and somber. They realized they could not deal with Song Zining once he had torn off all pretenses.
Revenge on Qian Ye was out of the question. Head Steward Liu, the best fighter in the palace, had risked his life to save Qian Ye. Even without that, Qian Ye’s current power was formidable. If he advanced further in the Great Vortex, who could stop him?
In the battle on the Holy Mountain, even if they hadn’t seen it, they knew that Qian Ye’s three primal gunshots had dealt the fatal blow to Luo Bingfeng. The final shot, in particular, had been earth-shattering.
Who could stop such a shot, and who dared to?
Compared to the fearsome Qian Ye, they preferred to target Song Zining. At least the Seventh Young Master was known for his strategic mind, and perhaps he would be more pliable. With Qian Ye, he might have already attacked.
But no one expected the Seventh Young Master of the Song Clan to tear off all facades, ready to fight to the death rather than back down. Was this just to spite, or was it revenge for the earlier plot against Qian Ye?
No one knew, but the words “I, Song Zining, will take care of my brothers. What can you do about it?” echoed in their ears.
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