Above East Lake.
The surface of East Lake actually has quite a few islands, but they are mostly unremarkable, inhabited by ordinary people. Unlike Bright Mirror Lake, where every island has a faction. However, Flying Fish Island is an exception; it is the only faction established on an island in East Lake, and it is a family power.
The Qin Family is the true master of Flying Fish Island.
However, the Qin Family is divided into the main line and the secondary branches. The current Clan Leaderâs line is naturally the main line, while others are secondary branches.
Of course, the identities of the main line and secondary branches are not fixed. Every few decades, their status might shift. After the assessment a few months ago, Qin Moâs failure shook the position of the main line. Although there is another assessment, everyone on Flying Fish Island believes that the Qin Familyâs main line will soon become a secondary branch. This is because no candidate for Clan Leader who failed the first assessment has ever turned the tables in the second.
Not because of anything else, but because once the gap appears, it canât be reversed in a few months. Moreover, at this time, the secondary branch will put all their resources on their Young Clan Leader.
At the very center of Flying Fish Island, surrounded by a winding stream, stands a large mansion with no end in sight.
This is the territory of the main line.
On usual days, the mansion, inside and out, would be bustling. There would be shouts from family members practicing cultivation and laughter from children playing. But now, the entire mansion is filled with a severe atmosphere, with people walking briskly through corridors and paths.
The noise has been replaced by the sound of marching bootsâall around the mansion, fully armed Body Refining Cultivators can be seen.
In a three-story pavilion, a few people are seated at this moment.
They are sitting around a round table, led by a middle-aged man with some gray hair, his expression extremely stern, like heâs accumulated a lot of anger, ready to explode at any moment. As a result, the five or six people around him are sitting in silence, waiting for him to finish reading the letter.
The one reading the letter is the Clan Leader of the main lineâQin Hai.
After quite a while, Qin Hai suddenly tore the letter in half and said in a furious voice: "Qin Chuan, Qin Ruâan, you act so quickly! Youâve mobilized most of the secondary branchâs elites to block all cultivation areas, ports, and even took over my business... canât wait to force me to step down?"
The slam on the table made all five or six of them shudder.
Of course, it wasnât out of fear from the hit, but they most dreaded that the bad news had indeed arrived.
The secondary branch rebelled!
Flying Fish Island was in total chaos.
A few days ago, the restlessness of the secondary branch had already made them feel something was wrong, but they never expected that the secondary branch would act so quickly.
A woman stood up hastily asking: "Clan Leader, what about those elders? They have been guarding those places all along..."
"It wasnât written in the letter... Most likely, things donât look good for them. Qin Chuan and the rest are not benevolent. Since they want me to step down, they certainly wouldnât let those elders leave unscathed."
Qin Hai slowly spoke the result he least wanted to accept.
He had done everything possible to prepare for the potential friction between the main and secondary lines, even writing to Qin Shan from miles away, asking him to come back and lend support.
But he still underestimated the fear in Qin Chuan and the othersâ heartsâthey must have known that Qin Mo joined a hidden Sect.
Just as he was making arrangements, Qin Chuan and his group took action.
It was at this time that the door suddenly knocked.
"Clan Leader, Ruâan Patriarch has arrived."
"I knew he would come!" Qin Hai abruptly stood up, opened the door, and walked out directly.
All the remaining high-level members of the main line in the room followed him out.
They all knew Qin Ruâanâs arrival wasnât a good sign.
"Qin Bo, go invite Qin Tian Patriarch." The woman hurriedly said to the person next to her who was following Qin Hai.
"Yes!"
The person did not dare to delay, quickly running to the other end of the mansion.
Qin Ruâan is at Half-Step Divine Profound, fortunately, Qin Tian is also at that level, so she had to invite Qin Tian. Of course, this might not necessarily stop Qin Ruâan from continuing to press the Clan Leader to step down and make the secondary branch cease, but it could prevent Qin Ruâan from doing whatever he pleases in the "sanctuary" of the main line today.
On the other side, the moment Qin Hai opened the vermilion door, he roared.
"Qin Ruâan, what are you doing here!"
Outside the door stood an elderly man, his beard fluttering, looking at people with a gaze as if he had the world at his feet, as though he was invincible.
He is the greatest reliance of the secondary branchâQin Ruâan.
Over the years, the secondary branch dared to make little moves in the shadows because of Qin Ruâanâs existence.
Facing the blockade of over a hundred Body Refining Cultivators and five or six Profound Realm cultivators, he showed no extra emotion, only a cold smile, and said: "I am here to tell you, you have three days to relinquish your position as Clan Leader. Otherwise, the captured elders will face more than just being tied up."
"Youâre threatening me?"
Killing intent surged in Qin Haiâs eyes immediately.
Sensing this intent, Qin Ruâan showed an unbothered and relaxed expression, saying: "Iâm here to deliver an ultimatum, considering it takes extra time to actually threaten you, youâre not worth it. Take a good look in the mirror at your actual power; if I want to kill you, one sword is all it takes... Iâll say it one last time, Iâm only giving you three days, after those three days, think for yourself about what will happen."
"Qin Ruâan, I tell you, asking me to step down is a pipe dream. The rules set by our ancestors state that if my son still falls short in the second assessment, I am willing to step down as Clan Leader and follow your lead. But if you intend to break the ancestral rules and declare war on the main line, bring it on, I, Qin Hai, will take you on!"
However, Qin Haiâs bold words were met with merely a cold laugh.
It came from Qin Ruâanâs cold laugh.
"At this point, youâre still talking about ancestral rules, Qin Hai, when did you become so naive? The assessment? It is a joke. A faction established by the strong yet allows a group of kids to decide Flying Fish Islandâs destiny for decades with plays of contests. Initially, I truly thought I could win the Clan Leaderâs position through the assessment, but didnât expect you to be quite shrewd, sending your son into a hidden Sect to cultivate, trying to turn the tide... well played."
Hidden Sects, very hard to find in Heaven and Earth Lake.
Once they appear, astonishing to the world.
Everyone wants to find them, canât be found, yet Qin Hai found it.
"However, it doesnât matter, I have plenty of ways to make you step down. Just three days... If you donât relinquish your position, I will make sure your Qin Hai line disappears forever."
After speaking, Qin Ruâanâs cold eyes swept out.
Body Refining Cultivators retreated at a glance.
Even Qin Hai, witnessing this gaze, couldnât help but shiver.
At that moment, an enraged voice came.
"Iâd like to see how Qin Ruâan plans to make Qin Tian disappear!"