"Hmph!"

Upon hearing Chen Bingzhang's words, although Chen Yaohong's expression remained cold, he reined in his temper, snorted, and sat back down on the sofa. Today's meeting was simply too serious for even him to act recklessly.

Seeing this, Chen Huaqin's expression remained unsightly, but he no longer dared to provoke the father-son duo of Chen Zhenguo and Chen Yaohong. Instead, he turned back to Family Head Chen Bingzhang and asked with a grim face, "Family Head, are you suggesting we just stand by and watch that day arrive? That we let those people target us until we're severely wounded and crippled?"

"Huaqin, I know you're thinking about the family's interests, about what's best for our Old Chen Family. But this matter isn't as simple as you think," Chen Bingzhang replied. At his words, Chen Huaqin's expression couldn't help but shift.

He followed up with a sullen look, "Brother, I don't understand what you mean." How could this matter not be as simple as he thought? Just how complicated could it be?

But Chen Bingzhang's next words stunned him. In fact, everyone else in the room froze on the spot, their expressions reflecting utter shock. Old Master Chen spoke, "It's actually very simple. This is no longer about whether we are willing to welcome them, the father and son, back into the Old Chen Family. It's about whether they, the mother and son, would even deign to consider us. To be frank with you all, I already sent someone to find that young woman, Little Ling, and express our willingness to welcome her and her son into the Chen Family. However, she very calmly refused."

"What!? Uncle, is that true? Little Ling really didn't agree? I knew it… She must still hate me," Chen Zhenguo cried out, his expression twisting in anguish as he muttered to himself.

"You left the two of them to fend for themselves for over twenty years. Did you really think they would forgive you so easily?" In contrast, Chen Yaohong wore an expression that suggested this was only to be expected. "Every cause has its effect," he said slowly. "This is the path you chose. Even if it now seems you were wrong and you regret it, a price must still be paid."

He sighed softly and shook his head. In fact, he was one of the few who hadn't objected back then. But he hadn't gone against the Old Master's decision for the sake of Chen Fei and his mother, either. He merely remained neutral, a choice that had ultimately led to today's bitter harvest. He, Chen Yaohong, might have lost an incredibly outstanding grandson. This was one of the greatest regrets of his life.

"What? She deigns to consider us? Who does she think she is? Is our Old Chen Family not even worthy of her notice? I should have known! A commoner will always be a commoner; you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear!" Chen Huaqin exploded with rage. He couldn't believe it. Their Old Chen Family had already shown such immense mercy and bestowed such a great honor by offering to accept the mother and son, yet she had the gall to reject them so arrogantly. Is she looking down on us? Despising the Old Chen Family? How dare she! That peasant woman from the countryside is truly small-minded and unfit for polite society.

"Chen Huaqin, I'm warning you one last time. Watch your mouth. If there is a next time, don't blame me for getting nasty. The family is already in turmoil, and I don't mind making things even messier," Chen Yaohong cut in before Chen Zhenguo could even speak, his tone dangerously hostile and his face like ice. This time, everyone could tell he was absolutely serious.

Chen Huaqin's words were simply too vile. Even if Chen Fei and his mother refused to acknowledge him or the Old Chen Family, they were still his daughter-in-law and grandson. How could he possibly sit by and listen to such insults? This proved that Chen Yaohong was indeed more of a man than his son, Chen Zhenguo. At least he wasn't so cowardly. When he said he would turn hostile, he meant it.

"I... you... I... hmph." After being pointed at and berated so fiercely, Chen Huaqin stammered for a good while but ultimately didn't dare to truly confront the notoriously short-fused old man. He could only manage a cold snort, his face dark as he fell silent.

"Let me finish," Old Master Chen Bingzhang said, no longer bothering to mediate. He simply continued on his own, "The reality is that it's no longer a matter of whether the Old Chen Family is willing to accept them, but whether they are willing to accept us. I feel it's necessary to tell you all about that boy's current situation and provide some details."

At Old Master Chen's words, everyone in the study pricked up their ears. They were all intensely curious. What kind of ability or trump card did this mother and son possess that gave them the audacity to look down on the Old Chen Family?

Even with the Old Master gone, which made the Old Chen Family seem somewhat inferior to the Liu and Sun Families they had once been equals with, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse! The Old Chen Family had no less than three elders at or retired from the vice-national level. Not to mention, they had a considerable number of Direct Lineage members at the ministerial level. Such a foundation was astonishing even in the entire Forty-Nine City. How many families could compare?

But now, their proud Old Chen Family had been scorned, rejected by a woman from the countryside. How could they, the proud Direct Lineage of the Old Chen Family, possibly accept that? Of course they were furious.

However, Old Master Chen Bingzhang's next words left them astonished, even dumbfounded.

"Perhaps some of you are unaware," Old Master Chen said, "but besides his excellent medical skills, that boy is also an Ancient Martial Artist—a very, very powerful one. He currently holds a nominal position as chief instructor for the Special Action Department of the Three Provinces of Lingnan. The head of that department had to personally plead with him, and he only agreed on the condition that the role was purely in name only."

"Furthermore, thanks to Old Master Xuu and his own strength, the higher-ups have made an exception and granted him a vice-provincial rank. This means that, aside from a select few in this room, none of you can compare to him in official standing, to say nothing of his power." As he said this, Old Master Chen Bingzhang couldn't help but shake his head with a sigh.

As a retired official who had once held a Vice National Level Position, he was of course keenly aware of what a supremely powerful Ancient Martial Artist signified. In fact, the very reason the Chen, Sun, and Liu families held such a transcendent status in the Forty-Nine City was that their respective elders had personally founded the three major special departments. Now, with the Old Master's death, the Chen Family's control over their department had suffered a Waterloo-like collapse. This was the true reason for the decline in their power and influence. It was a clear demonstration of the terrifying power and influence wielded by those with Extraordinary Martial Power—enough to affect the rise and fall of a top-tier Red Family like their own.

"Vice... vice-provincial rank? How is that possible? Has he already reached the Innate Ancient Martial Arts Realm!?" Chen Zhenguo was so shocked he was nearly speechless, stammering in disbelief.

As the deputy director of a special action bureau in Capital City, he knew perfectly well what it meant for the higher-ups to offer a vice-provincial rank as a bargaining chip. The person in question would have to be, at the very least, a Strong Innate Ancient Martial Artist! Or perhaps an S-rank Ability User! But the problem was that boy… his son… how old was he now?

Just over twenty years old... How could he possibly have reached such a level? How is this possible!? Besides, even for an ordinary Innate Expert, the government wouldn't offer a vice-provincial rank for a mere nominal position unless they had completely pledged their loyalty to the country, right? Unless...!?

"This information is normally classified. It took quite some effort for even me to look into it. So, after you walk out of this study, you had all best forget everything you've heard. Otherwise, you'll only bring trouble upon yourselves. What I'm trying to say is that with the boy's current accomplishments, our Old Chen Family's so-called 'acceptance' holds very little appeal for him, not to mention…" At this point, Old Master Chen simply shook his head and trailed off.

Then, he slowly rose to his feet. "Alright, let's drop this matter. Let nature take its course. I understand what you all fear, and the family will do its best to protect you. After all, the Old Chen Family has not fallen. The Old Master has merely passed away, isn't that right? What family doesn't eventually face such a day?"

As he spoke, he started walking toward the study door. It was then that he suddenly recalled the Old Master's last words on his deathbed, a final lament that seemed filled with regret: "All my life, I believed that everything I did was right. I never imagined... I was blind. I was truly blind!"

Even now, he felt his father, the Old Master, had been far too stubborn and had made a grave mistake back then. If he hadn't, the mother and son wouldn't be so resistant to them now. And the price the Old Chen Family would have to pay was likely that in a month or so, those who had always looked down on them or wished to kick them while they were down would come out of the woodwork to make their move. They would make the Old Chen Family suffer a devastating blow and cripple its strength.

Alas. What's unavoidable cannot be escaped. After all, what family doesn't eventually face such a day?

"This…"

As he left, those remaining in the study looked at each other in dismay. Even Chen Huaqin was now speechless, his face a mask of shock. If what Chen Bingzhang said was true, then his earlier words and his self-righteous assumptions were nothing but a complete joke. An Innate-level Ancient Martial Artist in his twenties, a vice-provincial official in his twenties—what an incomparably bright future awaited him! Such a person truly had the standing to not need to cling to the Old Chen Family's coattails. As long as he didn't die prematurely, his future achievements would be limitless.

And the Old Chen Family... had they well and truly missed their chance?

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