"I wouldn't dare! I wouldn't dare!"

With a sudden shift in expression, Zhou Hai waved his hands hastily, saying, "I-I'm just a bit worried. After all, the Great Ancestor is a Saint Realm expert!"

"Don't worry. That old man thinks he can resist the God? He shouldn't even dream about it! He absolutely can't withstand the God's Soul-Controlling Parasite. This parasite was specifically refined by the God to subdue Saint Realm experts. An old geezer from the Southern Country who was also in the Saint Realm has already been controlled by the God using this method. Controlling the old man is just a matter of time!"

A glint of greed flashed in Zhou Wanrong's eyes. "Once the God controls that old man, the entire Northwest will belong to us!"

...

In the Supreme Suite #1 of the Longteng Hotel in Jin City.

Jiang Chen and the others sat on the sofa in the living room, divided between hosts and guests.

"Mr. Jiang, I truly apologize. I didn't expect that bastard Liegang to be so brazen and disrespectful towards you. Please be magnanimous and don't stoop to his level!" Zhou Liecheng spoke with great remorse, humbling himself with a low posture.

Jiang Chen glanced at Zhou Liecheng and said indifferently, "Zhou Liecheng, is there something you're hiding from me?"

"Ah?" Zhou Liecheng froze, staring at Jiang Chen in astonishment. "Mr. Jiang, what do you mean by that?"

Jiang Chen gave Zhou Liecheng a meaningful look. "Do you know the Soul Devouring Group?"

Leng Ming and the others were all taken aback, exchanging grave, frowning looks in Zhou Liecheng's direction.

A jolt of panic surged through Zhou Liecheng, his expression turning noticeably unnatural, his gaze flickering with hesitation.

"You invited us here and even hinted at bringing in Huangluo Clan's Li Jiang and the Yue Family's old ancestor. Wasn't it to ask for our help? The things you said in the Yue Family's back mountain—were they not implying that the Zhou Family had been tainted with some corrupt presence? If I've misunderstood, then apologies. We'll take our leave now!"

Jiang Chen spoke calmly, staring straight into Zhou Liecheng's eyes.

"No!"

Zhou Liecheng hurriedly interjected, gritting his teeth and speaking in a low voice: "Yes! I invited all of you here, and even shamelessly involved the Huangluo Clan and the Yue Family's patriarchs, because I absolutely need your help. It's just… just that Mr. Jiang's question came so suddenly, I wasn't mentally prepared!"

Jiang Chen spoke softly, "Then start preparing now. The Zhou Family's ancestor worship ceremony isn't until the day after tomorrow. We can wait."

"No, no, no. I'll tell you!" Zhou Liecheng quickly waved his hands.

Everyone fixed their eyes on Zhou Liecheng, their expressions turning stern. His cautious behavior gave them a sense that the situation was extraordinarily complex.

After organizing his thoughts, Zhou Liecheng spoke with a somber expression: "The Second Branch's Zhou Wanrong has aligned himself with the Soul Devouring Group!"

"What!? Second Uncle Zhou…" Pu Liang cried out in shock.

"Pu Liang, please let him finish." Jiang Chen raised his hand and interrupted Pu Liang.

Pu Liang immediately fell silent, and everyone's brows furrowed tightly.

"The Second Patriarch brought the Offering Hall and defected to the Soul Devouring Group. Moreover, they worked with the Eight-Headed Serpent to implant a Soul-Controlling Parasite in the Great Patriarch."

With a sigh, Zhou Liecheng continued: "Now, the Great Patriarch is unconscious and has been confined to a cave in the back mountain, which is sealed by a sinister aura. The Second Patriarch forbids us from approaching the Great Patriarch!"

"Grandfather once deduced that the sinister aura is likely a fluctuation of Saint Realm energy. Considering the Second Patriarch's semi-Saint Realm strength and the First Offering Liu Zhicheng's support, we'll need at least three or more Saint Realm experts to confront them!"

"That's why I took the bold step of inviting the Huangluo Clan and the Yue Family's patriarchs to intervene."

Jiang Chen squinted his eyes slightly and said softly: "Is it only your Second Patriarch and the Offering Hall that have sided with the Soul Devouring Group?"

Zhou Liecheng was momentarily taken aback, looking at Jiang Chen in confusion. "To my knowledge, only the Second Patriarch has defected to the Soul Devouring Group. If there were more traitors, the Second Patriarch wouldn't need to keep such a close watch over us!"

"No!"

Jiang Chen shook his head. "It's not just your Second Patriarch. At least one other branch of your family has also defected to the Soul Devouring Group!"

Zhou Liecheng flinched, quickly asking, "Which branch, Mr. Jiang? This is not something to joke about!"

Jiang Chen cast a cool glance at Zhou Liecheng. "Do I look like I'm joking? At the airport, I observed that Zhou Liegang had traces of the Soul Devouring Black Mist in his body. He seems to have been under the parasite's control for quite some time."

"What? Liegang?!"

Zhou Liecheng exclaimed in shock, staring at Jiang Chen in utter disbelief.

"Wait!"

Suddenly thinking of something, Zhou Liecheng's eyes widened in horror. "Second Uncle Zhou Hai is the Second Patriarch's biological grandson. Could it be… could it be that their entire branch is… No, that's impossible! If so, wouldn't even Second Granduncle be…?"

"Here's what we'll do. Words alone won't be enough. Call Zhou Liegang and, under the pretext of apologizing to me alongside Liu Tiancheng, bring them over. I'll prove it to you." Jiang Chen said calmly.

"Alright!"

Flustered and shaken, Zhou Liecheng nodded repeatedly, retrieved his phone, took a deep breath, and dialed Zhou Liegang's number.

"Hello, big brother!"

A trace of inner conflict flickered in Zhou Liecheng's eyes. After hesitating briefly, he suddenly erupted in anger: "Liegang, bring Liu Tiancheng and get your ass to Longteng Hotel's Supreme Suite #1 immediately to apologize to Mr. Jiang..."

"What? Still questioning why? You're asking why? After the way you and Liu Tiancheng insulted Mr. Jiang, you dare expect me to apologize on your behalf?"

"Don't you dare throw a tantrum with me! Do you even know who Mr. Jiang is? He's a blood ally of both the Huangluo Clan and the Yue Family, two powerful hidden clans. If you don't earn Mr. Jiang's forgiveness, do you want the Zhou Family to simultaneously offend these two giants? Do you want to see the Zhou Family destroyed because of you?"

"…Get over here immediately, at once!"

After unleashing his tirade, Zhou Liecheng promptly hung up the call!

Whew!

Letting out a long exhale, Zhou Liecheng sank into the sofa, looking utterly drained.

Jiang Chen and the others all fell silent, their expressions shadowy as they refrained from disturbing Zhou Liecheng.

A family facing such turmoil was surely hard to bear.

After all, these were his own kin. Zhou Liecheng had little attachment to Zhou Wanrong due to their generational and physical distance, but Zhou Hai and Zhou Liegang were family whom he encountered almost every day!

If it were merely about a struggle for power, it would be easier to endure. But what they were doing now—handing over the entire family to an internationally infamous terror organization—was beyond unbearable!

"It's likely they truly have defected to the Soul Devouring Group. With Liegang's temper, he would never agree to apologize under normal circumstances. But he did agree this time!"

Closing his eyes, Zhou Liecheng spoke in a defeated tone: "And, after the family split, Second Granduncle aligned himself neutrally between Grandfather and Father. Second Uncle supported Father, but Liegang unexpectedly supported me. I couldn't make sense of it—how could three generations of the same bloodline diverge so significantly?"

"But now… I get it!"

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