30: Internal strife within the Zhang family

At this moment, Zhang Hai, inside the Zhang Family residence, sat on his bed, holding a golden egg in his arms. With eager anticipation, he slowly placed his hand on the egg.

A surge of powerful spiritual energy injected into it quickly vanished as if a mud ox had entered the sea. Something inside the egg seemed to be frantically devouring his spiritual energy.

His Foundation Establishment Peak cultivation rapidly began to recede, as if the thing inside the egg had completely devoured his cultivation, sucking it dry until Zhang Hai released his hand only after every last drop of spiritual energy was squeezed out.

"This... this shouldn't be happening!"

Zhang Hai looked at the giant golden egg before him, a hint of frustration on his face.

He had been nurturing this egg for quite some time, but no matter how much spiritual energy he injected, he couldn't successfully hatch the creature within.

The creature was like a bottomless pit.

As a descendant of a Beast Tamer Family, Zhang Hai knew very well how to obtain a powerful natal beast.

Directly purchasing an already hatched natal beast from the market was what most ordinary Beast Tamers would do, but such natal beasts generally had average combat power and weren't particularly strong.

If one wanted a more powerful Spirit Beast, it had to be nurtured from the embryo stage.

By injecting a large amount of one's own spiritual energy into it, the creature would be bound to oneself from birth. natal beasts born this way would not only have a telepathic connection but also be incredibly loyal.

This way, one could obtain a natal beast that was perfectly in sync with one's thoughts and extremely powerful.

Each Beast Tamer could have at most one natal beast in their lifetime. Other Spirit Beasts could exist, but none would be as loyal or powerful as the natal beast.

From a pile of eggs provided by the Family, Zhang Hai ultimately chose to search in a Secret Realm himself. After experiencing near-death situations and triggering a hidden bug in the Secret Realm, Zhang Hai finally managed to obtain this golden beast egg of unknown origin.

Since acquiring it, Zhang Hai had been injecting all of his Cultivation gains into it day and night, continuing for three years.

However, during these three years, his Cultivation showed no progress. He was gradually caught up by his peers, then faded from a Prodigy into an ordinary Cultivator, becoming nothing more than a good-for-nothing.

He once possessed talent comparable to Su Aotian. The Su Family also had intentions of winning over the Zhang Family at that time, so the two families arranged a child betrothal: a direct daughter of the Su Family would marry the eldest son of the Zhang Family.

This was to make Zhang Hai a future member of the Su Family.

But as Zhang Hai's halo faded and he became just another person, the Su Family's attitude changed. Disregarding the Zhang Family's reputation, they directly sent people to break off the engagement.

They harshly slapped the Zhang Family's face in front of the entire city, tearing the marriage contract to shreds.

The Zhang Family was furious but helpless. To them, the Su Family was like a local tyrant; opposing them would lead to no good end, only a dead end.

If the Su Family's excessive actions had stopped there, it would have been fine. However, when they came to break off the engagement, Su Aotian noticed the Zhang Family's youngest daughter, Zhang Manman.

Not only was she sweet-looking, but her figure was also graceful, which immediately aroused his malicious intent.

Su Aotian didn't hesitate and abducted her, making her one of his countless possessions.

The Zhang Family searched day and night, but no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't find any trace of Zhang Manman.

Just as they were about to give up, they suddenly received a message from Zhang Manman before her death.

The message roughly stated that she was so tormented by Su Aotian that she no longer wished to live, and thus chose to commit suicide.

Upon learning this, the Zhang Family was enraged, but they had no way to contend with the Su Family. They could only swallow their anger and pretend not to know about it.

Every day, Zhang Hai's parents cried their eyes out. Zhang Manman was also their daughter, born after ten months of pregnancy, so how could they not feel heartache?

Zhang Hai was furious. After learning of this, he swore to avenge his sister, but he couldn't even hatch an egg now, so how could he speak of revenge?

Currently, he could sense that the energy contained within the egg had reached its Peak, but the problem was that the egg simply wouldn't hatch.

Zhang Hai was scratching his ears and cheeks in frustration, but there was nothing he could do.

Before this, eager for revenge, he had sensed that today the energy in the egg would reach its Peak and hatch. He had specifically made a bold statement that he would challenge Su Aotian.

Su Aotian naturally scoffed at him before accepting the challenge and told him that if he didn't come, the Zhang Family would be annihilated.

Now Zhang Hai was in a dilemma. His strength was only at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage, and the egg hadn't hatched. If he went now, it would be no different from seeking death.

If he didn't go, the Zhang Family would be expelled from Jinyun City, and from then on, they would have no place to settle in Yuanzhou Province!

As he worried, he suddenly heard a commotion outside.

Zhang Hai walked into the courtyard and saw several of his uncles and elders, with mocking smiles on their faces, looking at his parents.

"Zhang Linfeng, don't you know what kind of person your son is? He was once regarded as the most dazzling Prodigy by our Zhang Family, but now he's become a good-for-nothing!"

"Exactly! What right does such a good-for-nothing have to inherit the Family Head position in the future?"

"If it were your daughter, we would be convinced, but where is your daughter? She ran off without a trace, and we can't find any clues anywhere. Your Family should automatically give up the right to inherit the Family Head position and let us choose a new future Zhang Family successor!"

A group of people surrounded Zhang Hai's parents, chattering away.

Zhang Hai's father, Zhang Linfeng, was once also a Prodigy. After offending the Su Family, he was secretly ambushed, his Cultivation crippled, and his path of cultivation severed. With his son crippled and daughter missing, their lineage, by all accounts, no longer possessed the right to inherit the Zhang Family Head position.

The entire Zhang Family was now in chaos. For power, these relatives who once seemed close had long since begun open and secret struggles.

Today, they even directly targeted Zhang Linfeng. Their purpose in appearing here now was to force Zhang Linfeng to abdicate.

"Let's discuss this matter later. Zhang Hai is about to fulfill his promise to challenge Young Master Su of the Su Family. Before that, please do not have any thoughts or internal strife. After this matter is concluded, I will voluntarily resign from the Family Head position, and you can then elect your own successor."

"If anyone dares to continue causing trouble at this juncture, don't blame me for exercising the Family Head's authority and directly expelling them from the Zhang Family!"

Zhang Linfeng was no ordinary person. Even with much of his Cultivation crippled, his remaining prestige was enough to suppress the group before him.

Everyone's faces showed disdainful smiles. They seemed to be waiting for tomorrow's good show. In any case, their goal had been achieved; the forced abdication was successful. Tomorrow, Zhang Linfeng would step down, and they would then have to prepare well to inherit the next Family Head position.