104: Chapter 104 Han-Lu Council

Chapter 105: Han-Lu Discussion

Not long after, he was brought into the Han Clan council hall.

Clan Chief Han Jingchong sat at the head, his expression gloomy.

Han Zhaoye stood to the side, his sword still at his waist, his expression calm.

Several other Han Clan elders and Guest Elders were lined up on both sides.

Feng Yan knelt below the hall and recounted, word for word, the content he had memorized.

There was silence in the hall for a long time.

After hearing this news, Han Jingchong frowned.

"Are you sure you saw it clearly?"

Feng Yan prostrated on the ground and said, "This humble one would never dare to deceive. That letter was personally delivered by Manager Gu Huaiheng to the External Affairs Department, claiming it was an urgent report to be sent to the Gu Clan's back mountain tomorrow."

"This humble one risked death to steal a look, which is how I obtained this information."

Han Jingchong did not speak immediately.

A Han Clan elder in the hall said in a low voice, "How could the Gu Clan's back mountain urgent report be so easily seen by you?"

Feng Yan's face turned slightly pale.

He had not failed to consider this question, but that letter had been right before his eyes.

Jiang Xingshi's name, the Silver Scroll, the Spring Equinox Fourth-Grade Qi—

With all these things strung together, it was just too realistic.

Han Zhaoye suddenly said, "The news comes too conveniently."

Feng Yan's body stiffened.

Han Zhaoye glanced at him and said in a calm tone, "The Gu Clan may not be unaware of who you are."

The blood drained from Feng Yan's face.

Han Jingchong looked at Han Zhaoye.

"Zhaoye, do you think this is a scheme by the Gu Clan?"

Han Zhaoye said, "Most likely."

The expressions of several people in the hall changed slightly.

Han Jingchong narrowed his eyes.

"If it is a scheme, should we discard it and not use it?"

Han Zhaoye shook his head.

"The scheme may not be false."

"If the Gu Clan wants to use the hand of our Han Family to suppress the Jiang Family, they would not use something entirely fake."

He said slowly, "Jiang Xingshi inheriting the Spring Equinox Qi and obtaining the Silver Scroll is likely true."

"That this child could inherit the position of Clan Chief immediately after absorbing Qi, and personally ascend Qingwu Terrace to test the Gu Clan's attitude, might also be true."

"Even if it is only thirty percent true, that is enough."

Han Jingchong looked at him.

Han Zhaoye continued, "Jiang Yuhe is away, Jiang Chengning is in seclusion, and Lin Suwen has been transferred away from the mountain with the eastern mobilization."

"The person currently truly sitting at the desk on Baili Mountain is Jiang Xingshi."

He paused for a moment.

"If he were just a mediocre person, then so be it."

"But he is not."

"A mediocre person would not borrow the eastern mobilization to ask for help, nor would he personally ascend Qingwu Terrace to force the Gu Clan to take a stance."

A clan elder next to him said in a low voice, "But if the Gu Clan intentionally released this letter, they are trying to kill with a borrowed knife."

Han Zhaoye said, "Then let them borrow it."

He raised his eyes, a sharp glint appearing in them.

"The knife is in our hands."

"Whether to kill, when to kill, and how to kill is not decided by the Gu Clan."

Han Jingchong was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed.

"Good!"

"A fine 'the knife is in our hands'."

He looked at Feng Yan.

Feng Yan was still kneeling below the hall, his face deathly pale, not daring to look up.

Han Jingchong said, "If this matter is true, you have performed a meritorious service."

Feng Yan immediately kowtowed.

"This humble one is willing to die for the Han Family!"

Han Jingchong did not look at him again, but said to others, "Take him away and settle him first; do not let him appear again."

Feng Yan felt relieved, thanked him profusely, and was taken away.

After he left, Han Jingchong said, "Zhaoye, what do you think of Jiang Xingshi?"

Han Zhaoye said, "I have not seen him, so it is hard to draw a conclusion."

Han Jingchong said, "Then let us see him first."

Han Zhaoye raised his eyes slightly.

Han Jingchong said slowly, "The Jiang Family has added a new nail recently."

"Ji Hanzhou."

"This person is in the Late Stage of Qi Refining and resides in the old lands of the Yao family. The Jiang Family placed him there not only to suppress the remaining households of the Yao lands but also to use his influence to pressure our family."

"Now that Jiang Yuhe has left, the Jiang Family is merely using the tiger's might as a fox."

Han Jingchong looked at Han Zhaoye.

"Go and see Ji Hanzhou."

Han Zhaoye nodded.

"I understand."

Meanwhile, the Han Family sent a letter to the Lu Family.

The afternoon of the next day.

Patriarch Lu Xuanpu of the Lu Family arrived at the Han Family.

Accompanying him were Lu Zhaolin and Lu Yuanze.

Patriarch Lu Xuanpu was currently at the eighth level of Qi Refining, his aura steady. After entering the hall, he first exchanged greetings with Han Jingchong.

Lu Zhaolin was at the sixth level of Qi Refining, standing behind Patriarch Lu Xuanpu. He was the Sword Cultivator who had defeated Wen Zhibai on the dueling platform.

Lu Yuanze stood further back.

He was currently only at the third level of Qi Refining. Having been defeated by Sun Jingxiu on the water platform, his expression remained unpleasant whenever the Jiang Family was mentioned.

Han Jingchong recounted the news that Feng Yan had brought back.

After listening, Patriarch Lu Xuanpu frowned deeply.

"Jiang Xingshi?"

"That new Clan Chief who just absorbed Qi into the Dao?"

Han Jingchong said, "Exactly."

Lu Yuanze could not help but say, "How old is he? Even if he has become Clan Chief, how much ability can he have?"

Lu Zhaolin shook his head.

"One cannot look at it that way. The most troublesome thing about the Jiang Family over these years is not the high cultivation level of any single person, but that they produce pillars of talent generation after generation."

"Jiang Chengning is like this."

"Jiang Yuhe is like this."

"This Jiang Xingshi now is likely the same."

Patriarch Lu Xuanpu looked at Lu Zhaolin and nodded slightly.

"Zhaolin is right." He turned to look at Han Jingchong. "But since this news originated from the Gu Clan, is it credible?"

Han Jingchong said, "The Gu Clan wants to kill with a borrowed knife."

Patriarch Lu Xuanpu said, "Then why should we be this knife?"

Han Jingchong sneered.

"Because if Jiang Xingshi truly becomes a force to be reckoned with, the first to suffer will be us."

"The Gu Clan has Old Ancestor Gu Chengyue sitting in command, and the Foundation of Qingwu Terrace remains. No matter how strong the Shen Clan is, they dare not swallow the Gu Clan in one gulp."

"But our Han and Lu Familys face the Jiang Family across the river."

"Once the Jiang Family replenishes its main lineage, suppresses its attached clans, and with Jiang Yuhe returning, plus people like Jiang Xingshi, Jiang Shoushan, and Ji Hanzhou holding the fort, the west bank will no longer be a small clan that can be easily kneaded."

"By then, the old accounts of the Qian and Du Clans at Luoxi Mouth will all be settled one by one."

Patriarch Lu Xuanpu fell silent.

The battle on the water platform that day with Jiang Yuhe had already caused him to lose all face within the clan.

If they allowed the Jiang Family to establish Jiang Xingshi, the Lu Family would only be less able to hold its head up before the various clans on the riverbank in the future.

Lu Zhaolin said in a low voice, "If we want to move against Jiang Xingshi, we must do it early. He has just absorbed Qi and his cultivation is still low, but he already holds the title of Clan Chief."

"Killing him is easier than killing Jiang Yuhe."

Han Jingchong said, "We cannot be too hasty either. Since he is the Clan Chief, the Jiang Family must have protection, and the fact that the Gu Clan sent this news means they want us to be anxious to act."

Han Jingchong continued, "The eastern mobilization has already begun."

"Once Lin Suwen, Old Crow Chen, and Sun Jingxiu leave, the Jiang Family will be left partially empty."

"This is the opportunity."

Patriarch Lu Xuanpu said slowly, "The Qian Clan and Du Clan have old grudges with the Jiang Family, and the east is in chaos."

"The Gu Clan will also stir up trouble in the dark."

"As long as the situation is made chaotic enough, in the end, everyone will look like the culprit, and no one will be able to produce evidence."

Lu Zhaolin said, "If we can eliminate Jiang Xingshi, the Jiang Family's new generation will be severed."

Patriarch Lu Xuanpu looked at Han Jingchong.

"The Lu Family can assist, but if this matter succeeds, the benefits after Luoxi Mouth cannot be monopolized by the Han Family."

Han Jingchong smiled.

"That is natural."

"If the Jiang Family falls, the west bank will be re-partitioned, and the Lu Family will naturally have a share."

The two looked at each other.