Chapter Fifty-Nine: Luring the Snake out of its Hole

  ……

  Today is a grand day for the entire Chen family.

  Some people of different identities gathered in the grand hall. They were arranged in order of seniority and age, waiting quietly. The atmosphere was solemn and dignified.

  Led by Chen Zhengfeng, everyone was waiting for the long-closed Taishang Laojun to come out of his seclusion.

  "Boom!"

  A stone wall door in the shape of a diamond split open, divided into more than ten pieces, each piece touching the splitting end like a dagger tip, slowly retracting into the wall.

  Revealing a colorful entrance, with waves rippling and swirling.

  He Lian Huo Wu stood in the front position, her bright eyes sparkling like clear water. She wore a red dress with a blue silk ribbon tied around her waist, and her slender figure was even more elegant and refined.

  After the clan comparison, she received great attention and became a core disciple, enjoying superior resources. Now, she has suddenly broken through to the spiritual master level, becoming the youngest spiritual master in the family's history, with an dazzling aura that provokes jealousy.

  But she was obviously distracted, her second brother Chen Mo had been away for several months, and she didn't know if he was doing well or if he had encountered any danger.

  A grand ancestral hall, with a wooden plaque "Ninghui Hall" hanging in the center, spanning over ten feet. The top is adorned with colorful patterns and presents a diamond-shaped appearance, with carvings of ancient ferocious beasts on its surface.

  Four white jade pillars stand on either side, with tendrils of vines and leaves carved into them. On the greenish-blue vines, spiritual fruits are vividly depicted, as if they were real objects.

  Concealed behind the wooden plaque, silently operating the Breath Retention Technique, breathing as if present yet absent. Sitting on a small tortoise shell, gazing through the gap at the grand hall, taking it all in with one glance. Seeing the aura displayed on He Lian Huo Wu's body, thick and introverted, already at the level of a Spiritual Master, feeling a sense of relief in his heart.

  This girl is indeed a genius.

  Chen Jia's famous guests had all arrived, each with an expectant look on their face, staring intently at the entrance, afraid of missing something.

  Chen Zhengfeng wore a brocade robe wrapped around his body, with a jade pendant hanging from his neck, and a devout expression on his face.

  The two elderly men, Chen Hongyuan and Chen Guangbiao, sat calmly on either side, dressed in long green robes, their eyes closed as they meditated, completely at ease.

  Billows of white mist burst through the multicolored doorway, slowly dispersing outward. Transparent ripples form a canopy, rippling in waves.

  Everyone's eyes were filled with anticipation.

  For a brief moment, the five-colored gate was quiet and still.

  "It won't be anything serious at his age, will it?" someone in the crowd couldn't help but say.

  "Don't talk nonsense." Chen Zhengfeng sternly scolded. The young man hastily lowered his head.

  Chen Zhengfeng was furious, but his heart was also apprehensive. The Supreme Elder Chen Yixian had been in seclusion for a year to break through the Pre-Heavenly stage. The Spiritual Master's peak clashed with the Pre-Heavenly stage like a life-and-death gamble; if there was even a slight mistake, it would either lead to being crippled or death.

  If the Elder Taishang can smoothly advance to Xiantian, the family's prestige will inevitably surge, and the rise and fall of the family will be decided in this one move.

  Suddenly, a burst of laughter echoed from outside.

  Only then did Chen De Shui appear, advancing with a powerful and majestic stride. Two black-clad men with masks covering their faces followed closely behind him, accompanied by a group of rough-looking followers. Without any regard for others, he strode forward boldly, and the people in the hall also hastened to make way for him.

  "Chen De Shui." Chen Mo's eyes flashed with anger, and he suppressed the urge to explode with a deep breath, waiting for the right moment to appear.

  "Three Elders, today we respectfully welcome the Supreme Elder out of his retreat. You've brought some idle people to barge in, what's your intention?" Chen Zhengfeng stood with his hands behind his back, looking at him with an unpleased gaze. The two black-clad men beside him had a cold and stern aura, emitting a chilling killing intent that made one's heart skip a beat.

  "Out of prison? Ha ha." Chen Deshui loudly laughed and said: "Are you still waiting for him to come out of prison? I think he's more likely to be in trouble than good fortune."

  The Chen family was stunned, whispering and discussing what had just happened.

  "You scoundrel, how dare you spread rumors and deceive the people here?" Chen Zhengfeng's face was filled with rage.

  "Are you bewitching the crowd?" Chen De Shui said indignantly: "If you, Chen Zhengfeng, had a bit of ability, how could you force Tai Shang Lao to attack Xiantian?"

  Chen Zhengfeng's pupils contracted and he said in a low voice: "Chen Deshui, if you have any opinions, just say them out loud, don't be ambiguous."

  As for the two elders, they were both silent and unresponsive, as if it had nothing to do with them.

  "De Shui, your aura is very heavy."

  An aged and majestic voice echoed in the hall of the clan.

  An elderly man in a loose white shirt floated out of the transparent ripples, with a ruddy complexion, silver hair scattered naturally, majestic and dignified, full of spirit, with a youthful face and crane-like hair.

  "Great Elder." Chen Zhengfeng hastily went forward to greet him, and upon taking a closer look, his face lit up with joy. He hurriedly said: "Congratulations, Great Elder, on your ascension to the Pre-Heaven realm."

  The rest of the tribe members mostly showed a look of surprise.

  If a family can produce an innate top-class expert, it means the rise of the family's status and naturally becomes a major event for the Chen family.

  "Chen De Shui, Chen De Shui, see how long you can be smug." Chen Mo was also somewhat exhilarated. For a small family like theirs, having or not having an innate powerful member made a difference even in the tone of voice when speaking to outsiders.

  Chen Deshui's look of satisfaction dissipated a lot, and he said respectfully: "Congratulations, Supreme Elder. The rise of my clan is all thanks to you."

  "De Shui, you seem to be quite disappointed?" The Supreme Elder Chen Yixian said with a hint of sarcasm, his eyes vigilantly falling on the several outsiders.

  One of them breathed slowly, as if he was there and yet not. The aura emanating from his body was shrouded in a strong and powerful air.

  Chen Deshui, who was originally fearful, shrank his head, but thinking of various killing formations and assists, he became bolder: "Taishang, you have misunderstood me."

  "Chen De Shui, with the superior here, you have something to say, just speak directly." Chen Zhengfeng frowned and said: "Hiding and covering up, what kind of man is that?"

  "Since that's the case, then I won't be polite." Chen De Shui's face changed, and with a full momentum, he said: "You, Chen Zhengfeng, are incompetent and unvirtuous, continuing to occupy the position of clan leader, it's truly a shame to our family."

  For a moment, there was a commotion all around. Chen Xuan and his companions, with their faces full of anger, jumped up immediately.

  "Alright, alright!" Chen Zhengfeng stopped the commotion and laughed in extreme anger: "You finally dare to be a man and speak straightforwardly. Fine, let's say I, Chen Zhengfeng, am incompetent and unvirtuous. What is someone like you, Chen Deshui, who is deceitful and despicable? Even if I were to step down, even after eighteen others have taken the position, it would still not be your turn."

  "Haha!" Chen Deshui burst out laughing instead of getting angry, and loudly said: "Whether or not it's my turn isn't up to you to decide. Elder Taishang, what do you say?"

  "Despicable!" The Supreme Elder Chen Yixian's aura condensed, just as he was about to lose his temper, a sharp pain suddenly pierced through his dantian, like a knife cutting into his abdomen. The Supreme Elder's eyebrows locked tightly together, and several strands of black energy could be seen flowing along his meridians, surging up to his face. Large beads of sweat broke out on his forehead, and his complexion alternated between pale and dark.

  Many people suddenly froze, what on earth happened?

  Seeing this, Chen De's face became complacent. It seems that the great elder Chen Hongyuan has clearly succeeded in his plan. This poisonous gas exists in the body, ordinary people would have been on their last breath long ago. Even if someone has some cultivation, without an antidote, they will either find it difficult to move their vital energy or die from forcibly circulating their Qi.

  "Hmph, it's better if the senior elder doesn't get angry, or else he'll burst his veins and harm his life, which would be a pity for all his cultivation." Chen Deshui said with a cold smile.

  "You..." The Taishang Elder's words were left unspoken, his expression twisted in agony, as a mouthful of hot blood suddenly spurted out.

  "Chen Deshui, are you playing tricks? You're a degenerate with a heart of death!" shouted Chen Zhengfeng, the clan leader, like a raging lion.

  "The fox's tail has finally been exposed." The corners of Chen Mo's mouth, hidden behind the signboard, slightly curled up. The elderly Taishang Laozu was so professional in acting, and the tribe leader, who was usually serious, was not inferior when it came to acting. Indeed, old ginger is still spicy, and one can't help but admire.

  Chen Mo leaned to one side, motionless, gazing at the frightened and stunned expressions of the Chen family's younger generation below, feeling the tense atmosphere in the hall like an impending storm.

  The Chen family's century-old foundation is precarious, as if it may collapse at any moment.

  However, all of their arrangements have not been revealed yet, and Chen Mo has to continue enduring.

  Chen De Shui looked up at the sky and laughed loudly: "Chen Zhengfeng, you're going to die soon, yet you still dare to be so arrogant. Honestly hand over the position of clan leader, and I'll spare your life."

  "Chen Deshui, you're too arrogant!" Chen Zhengfeng's eyes widened in anger, his body charged forward, and in the blink of an eye, he dragged out a figure from the shadows, charging straight at Chen Deshui.

  Suddenly it was like a thunderbolt flashing.

  He was a Ling Shi of the 7th rank, and his Swift Thunderbolt had already reached a minor level of completion. The multiple illusory shadows made people think that it was a gust of wind that was chasing after the stars and the moon.

  Chen De's eyes were filled with disdain, stirring the earth-based Xuan Qi in his Dantian, and a thick power surged into his arms, as solid as copper walls and iron walls.

  A loud clap of thunder suddenly burst forth, like a mighty peal in the vast expanse of the sky, rumbling on and on.

  The two of them each retreated several steps back.

  Two people with opposing views locked eyes, sparks flying everywhere, their auras clashing, unable to coexist.

  "You'd better surrender and give up the position of clan leader, or you might still be able to save your life and that of your son." Chen Deshui sneered repeatedly.

  "You're dreaming." Chen Zhengfeng took a step forward, his body crackling with electricity, and slapped out with his palm.

  "Tian Lei Po" Amidst the rumbling thunder, like a sharp and unparalleled divine axe, it cleaves through the sky and splits open all obstacles.

  Chen Mo was secretly pondering the difference between his own Thunder Break and that of the clan leader, silently rehearsing it in his heart.

  In a flash of lightning, a black shadow rose and crossed over people's heads, descending from the sky with an extremely shrill wind sound, its killing intent as sharp as a blade.

  The two forces of the "Hóng" character collided with a loud crash, unleashing a fierce gust of wind that howled like a pack of wolves and sent shivers down people's spines. The ground in the great hall shook, causing everyone to involuntarily take a step back.

  Unexpectedly, Chen Zhengfeng quickly retreated with a 'thud', backing into the pillar behind him. He shook three times before stopping. His fists were clenched and blood was flowing from his arms, trembling non-stop. A drop of thick blood dripped from the corner of his mouth onto the white stone floor of the hall, creating a stark contrast between red and white that shocked onlookers, indicating he had suffered significant injuries.

  In an instant, silence, oppressive stillness.

  Chen Deshui waved his sleeves and stood unscathed in the great hall.

  At this moment, a black-clad figure stood beside him, his eyes half-closed and half-open, exuding an eerie and mysterious aura that sent chills down one's spine.

  ……