As Elder Feng began to speak, Qin Tiannan's expression changed immediately. He wanted to stop him but didn't have any grounds to do so. After all, one can't just silence others from speaking.

The surrounding elders looked expectant, thinking that since the matter hidden in everyone's hearts had been spoken, they might as well listen to what the Patriarch had to say.

"Elder Feng, that little thief is still down there. Let us first join forces to catch the thief."

Qin Tiannan frowned at him, trying to make him shut up.

Elder Feng hesitated for a moment, but the moment he saw Qin Tiannan's face, a look of helplessness immediately washed over him.

"Patriarch, I truly understand the difficulty you've faced in expanding the family over the years. Every family matter requires thorough attention to every detail. Your twenty years of unyielding effort have developed the Qin Family into the number one Noble Family in Tianning."

"I can deeply empathize with the bitterness within. I feel your sleepless nights tossing and turning, and I can sense the Patriarch's ambition to rejuvenate the Qin Family."

Qin Tiannan's expression softened slightly, showing a bit of gentleness. He looked at Elder Feng with increased admiration, thinking to himself, this person truly understands me.

The other elders, however, didn't seem too pleased with Elder Feng's fawning words. Is he flattering him?

As everyone thought, after today, Elder Feng would likely become a confidant to the Patriarch.

Only a moment passed before Qin Tiannan could enjoy this, but Elder Feng took a sharp turn and sighed heavily.

"Clearly, the Patriarch has enough ability and strategic insight, fully ambitious, yet is stuck with a group of useless people who only talk about cultivation and don't use a bit of their brains, or simply have none."

"More than ten elders just pose for intimidation, but for everything, they seek instruction, and none is competent for major responsibilities. With such a group of useless people, it's difficult to lead, and it may be a long time before the Qin Family steps out of Tianning Prefecture, unable to carry these burdens any longer."

The scene fell into a deathly silence. The words 'useless' and 'trash' echoed endlessly in everyone's minds.

Is this how the Patriarch views us?

Elder Lei felt the most hurt at this moment. He was an outsider who joined the Qin Family and always regarded the interests of the Qin Family as paramount.

He didn't expect to be deemed incompetent by the Second Qin. Why does the Patriarch view him as the same useless trash?

This Qin Family, he no longer loved. It was too exhausting, and one had to be wary at every turn; he was the only straightforward person.

The family elders' faces were equally complex but dared not voice their anger and remained silent, seething inside.

It was through years of established prestige that Qin Tiannan's authority went undisputed.

Though no one questioned him, Qin Tiannan's expression turned impossibly grim. Moments ago, he looked at Elder Feng with admiration, yet now he wished he could sew his mouth shut.

These were indeed words he kept buried deep down, but since he had chosen to keep silent, it meant these useless people still had some use left in them.

But now, Elder Feng had blurted it all out, and from now on, the upper echelon of the Qin Family would likely become disunited.

No need to wait for later, for at this moment, Elder Lei suddenly clasped his hands together and said in a muffled voice, "Since the Qin Family regards me, Lei, as such, then this useless Lei bids farewell."

"Wait..."

Qin Tiannan reached out to try to persuade him, but before the words could leave his mouth, Elder Lei spun around, summoned a Flying Sword, and shot into the sky, leaving in an instant.

After saying all of this, Elder Feng's eyes suddenly cleared, and then his face changed dramatically. The words and actions he had just performed were vivid in his memory, and the more he thought about it, the more terrified he became, his face turning ashen.

"This is all your doing."

Qin Tiannan no longer cared if he acted unwillingly; it was Elder Feng's mouth that caused this, and he must bear the responsibility.

Down below in the sea of fire, Han Yu was clutching his belly, laughing uncontrollably. He laughed until his stomach cramped with pain; he had laughed himself into a stitch.

He hadn't anticipated that a single Empathy Pill would wreak such havoc, able to sow discord amongst the Qin Family's elders; the pill had been worth it.

Ping's potential indeed knew no bounds, both at its lowest and highest points.

Qin Tiannan glanced around with an iron-clad expression, letting out a long breath, his hatred for Han Yu growing even fiercer.

This thief, wielding the ability to exert great harm on low-tier cultivators, was holding the Qin Family at bay. His pills were odd too, first making his son emotionally unstable, now causing an elder to speak without filter.

This person cannot be left alive; he will eventually become a significant threat.

Thinking about this, he glanced at the only two left, Second Qin and Elder Feng, and sighed slightly, not daring to say anything harsh.

"Now only the three of us can join forces and venture down. Seven elders will be responsible for clearing the Fire Zone. If this thief is spotted, kill him immediately."

Hearing this, Second Qin frowned. The idea of going down to the Fire Zone filled him with immense reluctance, and unless Han Yu showed himself, they could only clear one area at a time, risking ambushes on their half-step divine gaze cultivators could lead to tremendous losses.

The seven half-step divine gaze cultivators clearly shared this concern. By being tasked with clearing the path, it essentially set them as the vanguard. The fire sea was so vast; to completely flush Han Yu out might exhaust them entirely.

By the time their True Essence was depleted, a single ambush might be enough to finish them.

Elder Feng glanced over at the elders, his face conflicted, and said with a wry expression, "I can understand your reluctance to take the risk. After all, venturing down means clearing the path while preserving oneself—it's too difficult. Why does the Patriarch not want to wait until the fire recedes before venturing down?"

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