"Capture the ringleader first!"
The crippled old man, at the peak of the Earth realm, subdued the Grandmaster of the Jiangnan Sect in just two or three moves.
The remaining Xuan realm martial artists were also knocked to the ground one by one by the Eighth Elder of the Chen family.
The Grandmaster of the Jiangnan Sect spat out a mouthful of blood, pinned to the ground by the crippled old man, his face grim as he said, "Well done, Chen family of Shu Mountain. My Jiangnan Sect will not let this matter rest with you!"
"I told you, I, Chen Jiuyang, will take on the grievances between you and the Jiangnan Sect on her behalf. Feel free to come to the Suzhou branch of my Chen family later," Chen Jiuyang said, anxious to treat Ji Lengyue and having no time for further discussion. He then left with his people.
He hurriedly carried Ji Lengyue back to the villa district of the Chen family in Suzhou.
Ji Lengyue was severely injured this time. Chen Jiuyang treated her in the villa for two to three hours. After ensuring Ji Lengyue's complete recovery, he walked out of the villa with a slightly weary expression.
Outside the villa, a dense crowd of Chen family members had already gathered.
While Chen Jiuyang was treating Ji Lengyue, the head of the Chen family had already led a group of people from Shu Mountain to Suzhou.
The head of the Chen family was relieved to see Chen Jiuyang safe and sound. He nodded slightly and then spoke, "Jiuyang, I have already taken control of all the people from the Suzhou Chen family. I will give you a clear explanation regarding the interception of your medicinal herbs in front of you."
Chen Jiuyang, after all, had not grown up in the Chen family. Although he was now the young master of the Chen family, he had no actual control within the family. The head of the Chen family, like other important figures in the family, had personally selected and promoted them, which was why he could sit firmly in his position without anyone daring to disobey his orders.
It was only the second day since Chen Jiuyang arrived in Suzhou, and the medicinal herbs required for his cultivation had been intercepted by a mole within the Chen family. This truly embarrassed the head of the Chen family. He had personally brought people to reassure Chen Jiuyang.
Chen Jiuyang nodded, "Then I'll trouble the family head."
Servants brought two grand tutor chairs. The head of the Chen family sat in the center, with Chen Jiuyang seated slightly behind him. Everyone else stood.
The densely packed Chen family members, numbering at least seven to eight hundred, were all gathered here, creating a suppressed and solemn atmosphere.
The head of the Chen family spoke, "Chen Feiyang, the person in charge of the Suzhou Chen family, step forward."
A middle-aged man in martial robes, with a pale face and a cultivation of half a step into the Earth realm, stepped forward, cupped his fists, and said, "Family head!"
The head of the Chen family spoke expressionlessly, "Let me ask you, how has the investigation into the interception of our young master's medicinal herbs progressed?"
Chen Feiyang's forehead was beaded with cold sweat. "Reporting to the family head, this matter is suspicious. We reviewed the surveillance footage. There were no issues from the time the plane landed until the container was delivered to the Suzhou Chen family villa. Only when we opened the container did we discover that it was empty and did not contain the medicinal herbs the young master required."
"I have thoroughly investigated all surveillance videos and related personnel, and there are no problems."
Chen Jiuyang's brow furrowed immediately, and he looked at the head of the Chen family.
A cold glint flashed in the eyes of the head of the Chen family. "According to you, the problem did not originate from the Suzhou Chen family, but rather a mole from our Shu Mountain main family committed such an act?"
Chen Feiyang's face turned pale. "Family head, I didn't mean that."
The head of the Chen family roared angrily, "Chen Feiyang, I'll give you one last chance. Where did the medicinal herb resources that my Chen family allocated to our young master go?"
Chen Feiyang gritted his teeth and said, "Family head, I truly do not know. The evidence is before you. The Suzhou Chen family is indeed not involved in this matter."
"Very good, very good, very good," the head of the Chen family said, his anger erupting as he repeated "very good" three times. "It seems you won't give up until you're at the Yellow River!"
"Guards, apprehend Chen Feiyang, cripple his cultivation, and confiscate all resources for his wife and children!"
As the head of the Chen family's voice fell, several Earth realm elders who had accompanied him suddenly attacked Chen Feiyang.
"Boom!"
Chen Feiyang instinctively resisted and struck out, managing to block the attacks of three Earth realm Chen family elders.
The head of the Chen family sneered, "You've reported yourself as half a step into the Earth realm every year, deeming yourself unqualified to return to the Shu Mountain Chen family to take charge. Chen Feiyang, let me ask you, where did you acquire this second-level Earth realm cultivation you are now displaying?"
The strength Chen Feiyang had just revealed was far from half a step into the Earth realm; it was a formidable second-level Earth realm cultivation.
Chen Feiyang's facial features contorted. He knew that the head of the Chen family had seen through him from the very beginning. His expression turned ferocious as he roared, "Why should all the best resources be supplied to the Shu Mountain Chen family main branch, while we, the descendants of the branch families, have to use second-best resources?"
"He, a mere Xuan realm cultivator who has made no contribution to the Chen family, can use so many resources unconditionally. How can you expect so many of us in the Suzhou Chen family to be convinced and content?"
Chen Jiuyang's heart sank. The thing he had feared had indeed happened. What was not earned through his own hands would always carry risks.
The head of the Chen family scoffed coldly, "If a tree is not large, how can it shelter saplings? Don't you understand such a simple principle? It's just selfish desires at play."
"No need for further nonsense, cripple him."
"Hold on." At this moment, Chen Jiuyang stood up, scanned the hundreds of Chen family members present, and finally fixed his gaze on Chen Feiyang. "The rules of the Chen family are relatively fair. If you have the capital and strength, you should be in my position or the family head's position."
"What do you mean by everyone being convinced and content? In the recent trial for the young master position, anyone under fifty years old could participate in a fair selection. Before that, I, Chen Jiuyang, had never enjoyed any resources from the Chen family."
"Look at yourselves. You've lived in the Chen family since childhood, enjoying wealth and status, never striving or progressing externally. You're like a herd of fattened pigs, where even a suit costs tens of thousands of yuan."
"Are kings and generals born with noble blood?"
"If you have a problem with me, challenge me openly. Engaging in these messy, time-wasting tactics ultimately reveals you all to be a bunch of trash."
The faces of the Suzhou Chen family members turned grim. They had assumed that the head of the Chen family and Chen Jiuyang would play good cop and bad cop, raising the butcher's knife high only for the young master, Chen Jiuyang, to gently bring it down with a small stick to win people over.
Who would have thought that Chen Jiuyang would open his mouth to insult them as trash?
This infuriated the people of the Suzhou Chen family, yet they were unable to refute him.
Chen Jiuyang spoke, "Family head, the matter has been clarified. The family traditions of the Chen family branches need to be rectified. I am pressed for time and will not waste it here. I need to go and cultivate."
Chen Jiuyang turned and walked back into the villa with disdain.
The atmosphere of the Shu Mountain Chen family main branch was still good, but these branch families were quite unruly.
The head of the Chen family's expression turned solemn. "Deal with all relevant individuals according to family rules. The atmosphere of my Chen family indeed needs to be properly rectified."
Mercy does not lead armies, and kindness does not serve in the military. How could the head of the Chen family not understand such simple principles?
Chen Jiuyang's personality was not one to curry favor. Currently, he needed the Chen family's resources, but in the future, it would be the Chen family that needed his strength to uphold its prestige. These troublesome individuals.
As soon as Chen Jiuyang entered the house to cultivate, someone reported, "Family head, people from the Suzhou Jiangnan Sect have come to cause trouble, demanding that Chen Jiuyang, the young master of the Shu Mountain Chen family, give them an explanation."
The head of the Chen family's face darkened. Chen Jiuyang's actions truly gave him no peace. One wave had not subsided before another began.
So be it.
The head of the Chen family sighed, "Let's go. I'll go meet this Suzhou Jiangnan Sect."