97: Will you give me the Emperor's Bone or not?

Three days later.

Gu Feng officially succeeded the position.

Besides the clan members, the observers included the lords of the four major vassals and the leaders of various forces in the Sword Province.

As for people from other states, they had already visited last time, so they only sent messages of congratulations this time.

Gu Feng felt somewhat helpless about this; being the Clan Chief really lacked a sense of experience.

Just as the succession ceremony ended, he received a message from Leng Yue ordering him to the Gu Clan Council Hall.

Outside the Council Hall.

Gu Feng looked at the high-hanging Council Hall plaque ahead and sighed softly.

Yun Shang took his arm, her tone worried: "Husband, Mother does not come with good intentions."

"I just saw Concubine Su go in, and Big Brother and the others are there too."

"Even Gu Yingying, who was away, has been called back."

Gu Feng stood with his hands behind his back, possessing some of the dignity of a Clan Chief, and sighed: "So what if I'm the Clan Chief? In this world, strength reigns supreme after all."

"Now in the Gu Clan, I am constrained by Mother and Concubine Su; being this Clan Chief is truly stifling."

"If I had known it would be like this, it would have been better not to return."

As soon as he finished speaking, Leng Yue's impatient voice came from inside the hall: "Fenger, come in already."

Gu Feng tidied his appearance, but just as he took half a step, he was pulled back by Yun Shang.

Her eyes were full of worry: "Husband, what if Mother mentions the emperor bone again? What should we do?"

"How about you come back to Yunxiao Pavilion with me?"

Gu Feng shook his head and patted the back of her hand: "Let's go. Even if it's a Dragon's pool or a tiger's den, I have to venture in."

He looked toward the hall doors, his gaze firm: "I don't believe Mother would truly ruin her biological son's future for the sake of Cao Bu."

Having said that, he resolutely stepped forward.

Yun Shang, her face full of sorrow, quickly followed.

Just as they reached the hall doors, a "boom" sounded, and the heavy doors opened automatically.

The scene inside came into their view.

At the very head sat a magnificent, giant chair.

The row of seats on the left was empty.

The right side, however, was full of people. At the head was Leng Yue, followed by Su Li, Cao Bu, Li Xinxue, Gu Lingshuang, Gu Yin, and Gu Yingying—seven people in total.

On both sides of the hall doors, Aunt Bai and Aunt Xue were waiting.

"Greetings, Clan Chief. Greetings, Clan Chief's Wife."

Led by Leng Yue, the nine people bowed in unison.

Gu Feng's fists clenched; he didn't feel any of the treatment a Clan Chief should have, but only felt a wave of pressure hitting him.

Yun Shang's face turned pale, vaguely sensing Leng Yue's determination.

Gu Feng forced himself to stay calm and took a deep breath: "There is no need for such formalities."

Saying this, he stepped into the hall, with Yun Shang following closely behind.

After the two entered, Aunt Bai and Aunt Xue stepped outside, slowly closing the hall doors and standing on either side as guards.

Inside the Council Hall, Gu Feng sat on the Clan Chief's throne.

On the left was only Yun Shang, while on the right were the seven people including Leng Yue.

This situation seemed to already foreshadow something.

Yun Shang's expression was poor, and Gu Feng's was the same; the entire hall fell into a long silence.

After a dozen breaths or so.

Leng Yue looked around, her gaze finally landing on Gu Feng, her tone categorical: "Let's consider this a family council today. Everyone can speak their minds."

No one spoke.

Everyone present knew in their hearts what the core of this council was.

Gu Feng looked at Leng Yue, his eyes slightly red. He took a deep breath and forced a smile: "Mother, please speak. What is the matter?"

Leng Yue's expression was solemn: "Fenger, think carefully about how much your big brother has sacrificed for the Gu Clan."

"Some in the Gu Clan might not know, but as his younger brother, you should know better than anyone."

"Therefore, for your big brother's future, you must extract the emperor bone."

As soon as these words were spoken, waves of shock rose in the hearts of those present.

Although they had a premonition, hearing it with their own ears was another level of impact.

Gu Yin glanced at Leng Yue. No wonder when she went to Moyue Residence three days ago, she felt the atmosphere was off; thinking back, the mother and son must have reached an impasse over this matter.

Su Li and the others were already biased toward Cao Bu; though surprised to hear this, they didn't have much of a reaction.

Even the uninformed Gu Yingying and others truly hoped Cao Bu could Cultivate again.

As for Gu Lingshuang, in her eyes, besides Cao Bu, no man was any good.

Including Gu Feng, who had been advising her to stay away from Cao Bu these past few days—he clearly wanted her to be lonely forever, a truly malicious intent.

Gu Feng's heart sank to the bottom. He could hear the resolution in Leng Yue's words better than anyone; it was ten or a hundred times more forceful than a few days ago.

Yun Shang clenched her fists and couldn't help but speak: "Mother, if the emperor bone is gone, the Gu Clan will lose a future Great Emperor!"

Leng Yue responded coldly: "Don't worry, I will nurture Bu'er into a Great Emperor to continue protecting the Gu Clan."

She paused, her tone softening slightly: "Fenger, I know you are hurting, but both you and Bu'er are my heart's blood. I cannot bear to give up either."

"But for now, your big brother's life must be the priority."

"As for the future, I will find a way to compensate you."

Gu Feng's eyes turned completely red. He stared fixedly at Cao Bu, gritting his teeth.

He didn't understand what Cao Bu had said to his mother to make her heartless enough to want his own son's emperor bone.

Cao Bu's expression was calm as his fingers stroked an black jade thumb ring, the corner of his mouth lifting almost imperceptibly.

The protagonist of this chapter was Gu Feng; he was just an involuntary supporting character.

He hadn't wanted to come, but his strength was inferior to Leng Yue's, so he was ultimately brought here by force.

"Mother, am I really your son?" Gu Feng's voice trembled as he asked the question from the bottom of his heart.

Leng Yue seemed not to hear the underlying meaning, or perhaps she did and didn't take it seriously.

She said decisively: "Of course you are my son."

"It is precisely because you are that you should understand even more that Bu'er sacrificed everything for the Gu Clan."

"Now only the emperor bone can restore his Dantian."

"Fenger, as the Clan Chief of the Gu Clan, are you going to stand by and watch him die?"

Gu Feng stared at Leng Yue, his eyes filled with heartache.

Leng Yue's expression remained unchanged as she looked around at everyone: "Since everyone is here today, let's have a show of hands."

"Those who agree to Fenger extracting the emperor bone for Bu'er, raise your hand."

As soon as she finished speaking, she raised her hand without any hesitation.

Gu Feng saw this, and his heart ached so much he could hardly breathe.

Then, Su Li also slowly raised her hand.

Seeing Leng Yue lead the way, Li Xinxue and the others, who were already biased toward Cao Bu, also raised their hands one after another.

Gu Yin hesitated for a moment but finally raised her hand as well.

The only ones who didn't raise their hands were Cao Bu, Yun Shang, and Gu Feng.

Seeing this, Yun Shang was so anxious her voice trembled: "Mother, you are all bullying him!"

Leng Yue ignored her and continued: "Six votes in favor, three abstentions. The result is that Fenger will extract the emperor bone..."

"Both my husband and I disagree!" Yun Shang hastily interrupted.

Leng Yue paused and changed her wording: "Six votes in favor, one abstention, and two against. The final result remains unchanged: Fenger will extract the emperor bone for Bu'er."

Gu Feng's eyes were blood-red as he suddenly stood up.

His body trembled slightly, and his voice was bone-chillingly cold: "Mother, the emperor bone is something I was born with; it concerns my future on the Martial Path!"

"If it is forcibly extracted, my achievements in this life will at most reach the Quasi-Emperor level, or perhaps not even that!"

"Can you really bear to let me become an ordinary person?"

His gaze swept across the people on the right, finally settling on Cao Bu, a mocking sneer pulling at the corner of his mouth: "Or is it that in your heart, Mother, I, your biological son, ultimately cannot compare to an Adopted Son?"

Leng Yue's face darkened. Just as she was about to speak, Cao Bu suddenly stood up: "Brother Feng, I never wanted your emperor bone."

"Adoptive Mother, let's forget this."

"I, Cao Bu, would rather be ordinary for the rest of my life than see you mother and son turn against each other because of me."

After saying this, he struggled, trying to leave.

"Bu'er, sit down!" Leng Yue shouted sternly, a surge of pressure making Cao Bu unable to move.

She looked at Gu Feng, her tone sorrowful: "Fenger, I'm asking you one last time. This emperor bone, will you give it, or not?"