65: Chapter 65 My ancestor loved to crush people with his bare hands.

Yuan Chu leaned in close to Jiang Feng's ear, her voice lowered to a whisper, filled with the gleeful pleasure of a spectator.

"Husband, that girl in red just now, she talks tough, but she's terrified inside. She's afraid you'll really just wash your hands of this, take all the Loose Cultivators with you, and hand over the entire West City to the beast tide."

"The one in white is even more interesting; she's even wondering if she and her sister would be bullied if they really entered our Jiang Family."

Jiang Feng's hand, holding the teacup, paused for a moment.

He couldn't help but laugh, though it was a wry laugh.

Yuan Chu began counting on her fingers and continued.

"They came here this time behind their father's back. Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao has wasted so many years in Huoyang Commandery. While he has managed to accumulate enough cultivation to reach the Foundation Establishment Great Circle, he has never truly been able to control this commandery. Every time there's a beast tide, he loses soldiers and generals, and the tax revenue is at the bottom every single year. The higher-ups in Yanjing have long since lost their patience."

"A while ago, the two sisters went to Yanjing to smooth things over for their father. As a result, they were given an ultimatum: if this beast tide is botched again, Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao's position as Commandery Lord will be over."

Yuan Chu sighed, a hint of emotion in her tone.

"Their father is so obsessed with Face that he doesn't tell his daughters anything. The two girls found out on their own, and in their desperation, they came to our Qixia Alchemy Pavilion to try their luck."

Jiang Feng didn't respond; he set down his teacup and tapped his fingers lightly on the tabletop twice.

A Foundation Establishment Great Circle cultivator, guarding the land of Huoyang Commandery, yet unable to even balance the interests of a few local clan leaders.

In other words, he had sat in that chair for decades for nothing.

A bigger idea swirled in his mind, and just as it began to take shape, it was interrupted by Yuan Chu.

"Husband, that idea of yours... you're quite bold."

She blinked, her lips curling upward.

"But I like it. If you succeed, there will be a reward!"

Jiang Feng flicked her nose, but didn't say anything.

However, the resolve in his heart was already firm.

Three days later, at the Commandery Lord's Mansion, in the conference hall.

Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao sat in the main seat, but even his brocade robes couldn't hide the worry between his brows. A dignified Foundation Establishment Great Circle cultivator, yet sitting there, he lacked any demeanor of a powerhouse.

On his left, Patriarch Qin Hai was dressed in black, his eyes closed, saying nothing.

On the right, Clan Leader Zhou and Clan Leader Zhu sat side by side, both sitting straight, neither looking at the other.

Huangfu Yunni and Huangfu Yunshang stood behind their father; Huangfu Yunni's fingers were quietly gripping her cuffs tightly.

When Jiang Feng strolled in, the gazes of everyone in the hall descended upon him.

Graying hair, a Face weathered by sixty years of trials, and a cultivation level of Qi Refining Level 6.

Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao's brows twitched slightly, but he didn't speak.

Clan Leader Zhou and Clan Leader Zhu exchanged a look.

These two old clan leaders, who had been scared into submission after Qixia Alchemy Pavilion wiped out the entire He Family in the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, now watched this old man swagger in, and the same thought popped into their minds simultaneously.

Where on earth is this person normal?

Jiang Feng found a seat and sat down, casually scanning the furnishings in the hall, his expression relaxed.

Yao Shifei stood behind him, dressed in green, her aura deeply concealed, making her unfathomable.

Patriarch Qin Hai didn't move, nor did he open his eyes.

Only the two Huangfu sisters stared fixedly at Jiang Feng, their eyes harboring something indescribable—three parts anger, two parts wariness, and the rest, even they themselves couldn't sort out.

"Ahem."

Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao rubbed the space between his brows and spoke first, his voice laced with unconcealable exhaustion.

"Since everyone is here, let us begin..."

"Commandery Lord, wait a moment."

Jiang Feng raised his hand.

A maid had just served tea; he picked it up, blew on the steam, and his gaze passed over Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao and landed on Patriarch Qin Hai's Face.

"Before we get to business, I have a question I'd like to ask Patriarch Qin Hai."

The hall fell silent.

Clan Leader Zhou and Clan Leader Zhu both straightened their backs simultaneously.

Patriarch Qin Hai lifted his eyelids a slit, not speaking, just looking at him.

If it were anyone else in Huoyang Commandery, they would have gone weak in the knees on the spot under that gaze.

Jiang Feng held his teacup, unhurried.

"I heard that Patriarch Qin Hai has been secretly investigating our Qixia Alchemy Pavilion during this period, and even sent men to trace us all the way to Jiangyuan City."

He paused.

"I wonder, have you found out about our Jiang Family Old Ancestor, Ancestor Jiang Xuan?"

Bang.

Patriarch Qin Hai's hand gripping the armrest suddenly tightened, his knuckles turning white.

The spiritual energy around his body surged uncontrollably for a moment, and the surface of the water in his teacup rippled finely.

Jiang Family Old Ancestor, Ancestor Jiang Xuan—how could he not have found him? It was this person who killed his only Bloodline, Senior Brother Qin Feng.

On the side, Clan Leader Zhou's eyelid twitched, and Clan Leader Zhu lowered his head, quietly moving his teacup two inches away.

Huangfu Yunni's expression changed slightly, and she quietly looked at her father. Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao sat there, his expression deep and dark, not speaking for a moment.

No one in the hall spoke.

Soon, Patriarch Qin Hai suppressed this emotion.

Forcing that surging spiritual energy back bit by bit, his Face returned to a gloomy state, and not even the curve of his eyelids changed.

But his fingers were still white.

Jiang Feng saw all of this, smiled slightly, and continued slowly.

"Patriarch Qin Hai, investigating is your right; I have no right to interfere."

He set down his teacup with a crisp clink.

"I'm just reminding you that our Old Ancestor has a rather bad temper."

His gaze lingered on Patriarch Qin Hai's Face, and the corners of his mouth moved slightly.

"In his life, the old gentleman has a habit: when he encounters those who won't stop staring at the Jiang Family, he never likes to waste words."

"He just likes to crush people with his bare hands."

He enunciated the last four words very slowly, very softly, and very clearly.

Jiang Feng knew that the matter of Senior Brother Qin Feng couldn't be hidden from the Qin Family; rather than waiting to be attacked passively, it was better to lay it all out directly.

After all, Ancestor Jiang Xuan was at the Golden Core Great Perfection; if the Qin Family really dared to make a move, they would have to weigh whether they could withstand the fury of a True Monarch.

As soon as Jiang Feng's words were finished.

The conference hall fell deathly silent.

Patriarch Qin Hai sat there, without moving a muscle, never speaking.

But everyone saw it: the veins on the back of his hand resting on the armrest were bulging, and his eyes were terrifyingly gloomy.

Huangfu Yunni bit her lip hard, her heartbeat feeling a bit off.

Was this old man really not afraid of death, or did the person behind him really give him this confidence?

She subconsciously looked for Huangfu Yunshang, meeting her sister's gaze.

Huangfu Yunshang shook her head very slightly at her.

Jiang Feng picked up his teacup and took another sip, his expression calm, not taking the previous matter to heart.

He raised his head and looked at Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao, who had a complex expression at the head of the table; his voice shifted, carrying a hint of seriousness.

"Commandery Lord, now we can begin to discuss the real business."