In the car.

After the motorcade left Dingyun Lake, Shen Xiaoqin glanced in the direction of the villa and looked at Butler Lu solemnly, "Butler Lu, how is he... Why would Chen'er be involved in a vortex upon returning to the family? What about him? Doesn't he care? Hasn't he done anything over these years? Won't he pave the way for Chen'er?"

"Sigh!" Butler Lu sighed softly, "Madam, the Young Master... he does want to pave the way for young master Chen'er, it's just that..."

Butler Lu recounted a secret fortune of the Jiang Family, and Shen Xiaoqin listened in shock, staring blankly at Butler Lu and unable to speak for a while.

"Madam, please keep this secret for the time being and don't let young master Chen'er find out. Given his temperament, if he knew about this, he would definitely confront them. But that place is no ordinary place! With the young master's current strength, I'm afraid..." Butler Lu seriously enjoined.

Shen Xiaoqin nodded, tears welling in her eyes, "I know, I won't tell Chen'er, it's just... I thought I would see him soon, but I didn't expect..."

While speaking, tears streamed down from Shen Xiaoqin's eyes, "So many years have passed, he has been gone for so many years! I..."

...

Jiang Chen and his three companions sent Shen Xiaoqin and Butler Lu back to the villa. Xuan Long turned to Ye Yuwan, "Miss Ye, apologies, but could you please step away for a bit?"

"Oh, okay!" Ye Yuwan had heard Butler Lu's words outside and understood that Xuan Long and Jiang Chen had serious matters to discuss, so she obediently went upstairs.

The three of them took their seats, and Xuan Long began to narrate the forces secretly developed by Grandpa Ye over the past twenty or so years.

"...Young Master, that's all there is to it!"

When Xuan Long finished speaking, Jiang Chen's eyes shone, and he looked at Xuan Long, "All this... these are the forces Grandpa has secretly built up over these twenty years?"

"Not exactly in secret, just that outsiders have not been made aware these forces belong to Grandpa!" Xuan Long replied with a smile.

Jiang Chen blinked, still finding it hard to accept this sudden revelation. He needed time to digest the news.

"Young Master, there's one more thing."

Xuan Long spoke again, "When you go back to the Jiang Family, you will need to undergo an ancestral rite assessment. This is a test every direct descendent must undergo to confirm their position as the heir of the family head. When Jiang Minghui inherited the position of the family head, Grandpa didn't put him through such a test because passing the assessment grants control over a secret power of the Jiang Family!"

"Secret power?" Jiang Chen's eyes sparked with curiosity, "Are you saying there's a force even stronger than the ones you've just mentioned?"

The forces Xuan Long had mentioned were already incredible to Jiang Chen, and the sudden news of yet another secret power took him by surprise.

"Young Master, what I just mentioned were just some commercial forces developed by Grandpa over the years, whereas that secret power is absolute martial force!" Xuan Long proudly stated, "Our Jiang Family's standing among Jincheng's top eight elite families owes much to this force."

"Let me put it this way!" Xuan Long composed his thoughts and spoke gravely:

"Now that you, Young Master, know about the existence of martial artists, that mysterious force is our Jiang Family's martial artist power. Yan Hu and I were selected from that power, while the other team members were secretly recruited by Grandpa and don't even qualify to join that force!"

"Not qualified?!" Jiang Chen exclaimed in surprise, "But they... they're all Earth Level Martial Artists, how can they not..."

"The lowest rank within that force is Heavenly Peak Martial Artist, and ordinary team leaders are Semi Innate Grandmasters!" Xuan Long said with a light laugh, "However, the number of people in that force isn't very large."

"Oh, how many specifically?"

Jiang Chen showed interest; if he could master that force, an idea in his mind could be realized!

"That... Young Master, I can't tell you the exact number for the time being, since you haven't passed the assessment yet. All I can say is, the number in that force is more than what we have now!" Xuan Long hesitated slightly, looking apologetically at Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen nodded slightly and, after thinking for a moment, spoke seriously, "Can you tell me about the assessment?"

"That's fine. As the eldest grandson of the main line, you must participate in this assessment. It's proper to inform you!"

Xuan Long nodded, "The assessment consists of three parts. First is business acumen; you must have you own commercial force, which Grandpa has already established for you.

The second is personal strength, and your strength has already met the standard.

The third is influence, which actually refers to connections.

However, I must remind you, Young Master, that you are not the only one undergoing the assessment. All descendants at your generation within three collateral lines can participate.

That is to say, all descendants of Grandpa's father's line, including those in your generation, are eligible to participate!"

"This... I remember my mother mentioned that my father was an only child, and Grandpa had two brothers, so does that mean I need to compete with the grandsons of Grandpa's two brothers?" Jiang Chen confirmed.

"Yes!"

Xuan Long nodded, "The current family head is Jiang Minghui, the eldest son of Grandpa's second brother. I think, once he knows about your existence, he will definitely prepare for this challenge.

Although the family rules state that the direct bloodline must inherit the position of family head, others who pass the assessment can hold the position of elder within the family. The council of elders is a check on the family's power.

However, as long as the family head ranks first in the assessment and gains control of that power, the council of elders is practically a formality.

Grandpa managed that in his time, but in the generation of Jiang Minghui, because of the incident with your father, Grandpa forcefully prevented the ancestral rite assessment from taking place.

And now, as you are about to return to the family, Jiang Minghui will surely push for the assessment to be held as soon as possible, without giving you time to develop your own forces and connections."

"I understand!" Jiang Chen nodded, his eyes gleaming with resolve, "Nobody can take away what's mine!"

Xuan Long and the others looked at the spirited Jiang Chen and smiled gently.

They used to feel that Jiang Chen was a bit too indifferent, and although he changed slightly after the kidnapping incident involving Ye Jingyi and Gong Lin, there was still room for improvement. Now, after experiencing such an event once more, Xuan Long and the others felt that Jiang Chen had fully developed the makings of a sovereign!

"You two go and take care of the aftermath for our brothers. Then... Xuan Long, there's no need for you to come back, head overseas directly!" Jiang Chen thought for a moment and then spoke softly.

"Going overseas?" Xuan Long was taken aback and asked in surprise.

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