"Nonsense, your sister was clearly harmed by her own wet nurse. How can you blame our fourth sister? That silly Ji can't fool anyone; she can't get close. Only the wet nurse could have deceived her!" Ji Qianlong retorted furiously.
"Hmph, whether it's slander or not, it's clear with one listen." Ji Wuye didn't want to waste more words. He took out a sound-recording stone and played the sound.
Everyone present had cultivation and keen hearing. They naturally recognized Ji Qianqian's voice and that of the young master from an enemy sect. Silence fell upon the crowd. The matter was conclusive! The elders remained silent. Miss Ji Si was a genius among the younger generation of the family, while Ji Jiu was a fool. If her elder brother Wuye hadn't possessed extremely high cultivation talent, no one would have cared about a fool. Considering who was more important, the scales had already tipped. Naturally, they chose Ji Qianqian, who had superior talent and could bring benefits to the clan.
Ji Qianqian, trembling, hid behind Madam Ji, unsure of how the clan would deal with her.
Uncle Ji hesitated, but his lifelong integrity compelled him to stand with Wuye.
"Patriarch, although Ji Qianqian is your daughter, she must still be dealt with according to clan rules. Colluding with outsiders to harm fellow clan members is an aggravated offense, requiring the abolishment of her cultivation and expulsion from the clan!" Uncle Ji ignored the glances of others and was the first to speak in support of Ji Wuye.
"What? Insolent! You're concluding my Qianqian is responsible based on just a few words? Even if that were the case, it's her fortune that the foolish Ji was favored by my nephew. Truly ungrateful!" Madam Ji, seeing that the other elders remained silent, became even more audacious. She believed that with merely Elder Ji Shui, an insignificant elder, determining Qianqian's guilt was a pipe dream!
As soon as Madam Ji spoke, the crowd fell silent again. Did the Patriarch's wife not know what kind of person her nephew was? Whoever he favored met with misfortune. Relying on a powerful grandfather, he was arrogant and tyrannical in Jiuye City, notorious for his wickedness, and had harmed countless virtuous women.
For those with a shred of conscience, these words were a stinging slap in the face. They were now indirectly shielding such a degenerate. Everyone began to question the character of Miss Ji Si...
An elder suddenly spoke up, advocating for severe punishment for Miss Ji Si and siding with Ji Wuye. Although talent was important, a lack of moral integrity would also prevent one from going far.
"Hmph, I knew this would happen, so I didn't hold out much hope that you would uphold justice for my sister. Since that's the case, I will seek justice for my sister myself. Ji Si must die today, so what if she is expelled from the clan?" Ji Wuye's voice was chilling. He looked at Ji Qianqian, hiding behind them, and a smirk played on his lips. This venomous and irresponsible wicked woman must be killed to appease his hatred!
"Wuye, you must think clearly. Without the clan's backing, you could be devoured by others at any time." Ji Shui advised. He didn't want the promising talent he saw to be suppressed and fall into the mud after leaving the clan.
"Uncle Ji, I never relied on anyone in the sect. Instead, what my parents left me was taken by others." Ji Wuye looked at Ji Qianlong's sword, which belonged to his father and was an eighth-grade spiritual artifact. It was known that in the ranking of weapons, starting from the lowest grade to the tenth, eighth-grade spiritual artifacts were already considered rare.
Ji Shui was taken aback. He sighed. This child had indeed been bullied terribly in the clan. Even his parents' possessions were divided among the clan. Back then, his own voice was too weak to help him, and now he had no right to lecture. Without experiencing someone's hardship, one cannot advise them to be kind! Forget it...
"Ji Qianlong, is my father's sword comfortable to use? You said back then that once I grew up, it would be returned to me. Is it time to return it now? Patriarch, what do you say?"
"What is your sword? You gifted this sword to me back then. Since you've given it away, how dare you demand it back?" Ji Qianlong said sinisterly.
"Long'er, return the sword to him!"
The Patriarch, who had remained silent since his arrival, finally spoke. He had been observing the veiled woman beside Ji Chenmu. He couldn't discern her cultivation. However, when the ancestor of the Qiu family brought back the body of the young master from the Qiu family, he had heard rumors that the young master was killed by a woman. Furthermore, she had exchanged a palm strike with the ancestor of the Qiu family and retreated unharmed. Therefore, this must be that woman. And Ji Wuye's condition seemed to have improved considerably. Ever since he deliberately led Ji Wuye to practice that overbearing technique, his body had been on the verge of collapse, eventually leading to qi deviation and self-destruction!
"Crazy old man, are you insane? That is Long'er's sword, why give it to him?" Madam Ji was displeased. Ji Wuye and his sister might have killed someone from her enemy's clan. Giving away this spiritual artifact would only empower them!
The Patriarch of the Ji clan cast a cold gaze at Madam Qiu, a gaze filled with warning.
Madam Ji felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar under his gaze. When did the old man's eyes become so terrifying? She immediately dared not speak further.
"Father, this sword is almost recognizing me as its master. I will absolutely not give it away!" Ji Qianlong was both angry and frustrated. If the sword had recognized him as its master earlier, he could have unleashed its full power and wouldn't have feared Ji Wuye demanding it back. However, the treasure sword had been in his hands for a full ten years, yet he still couldn't make it recognize him as its master.
The Patriarch of the Ji clan took a deep breath. How could he have such a foolish son? Couldn't he see the situation? He wished he could appease the situation and then deal with it gradually... but his wife and son were constantly dragging him down.
"Tsk~ It's not yours, so it will never belong to you. After so many years, you still haven't managed to make the treasure sword recognize you as its master. Truly laughable!" Ji Wuye sneered, raising the corner of his mouth. This simpleton always thought he was the best. It was only because the disciples of the sect dared not offend the Patriarch and intentionally lost to him. He himself had endured it every time he was bullied by him, all for his sister.
"You~ You insignificant runt, are you tired of living!" Ji Qianlong was so angered that he immediately charged forward.
Ji Wuye revealed a triumphant smile, dodged his attack in a flash, swiftly snatched his sword, and then kicked Ji Qianlong in the backside... Ji Qianlong flew out and, with a thud, landed face-first on the ground!
Ji Wuye's heart ached with sorrow. He had finally retrieved his father's lifebound sword. He slowly caressed the blade, reminiscing about his father practicing swordplay, as if he could still see his father's appearance and hear his voice.
"Ji Wuye, you shameless villain, return my treasure sword! Father, quickly order people to arrest him. What are you waiting for? Expel him from the clan!"
"Someone, help the young master up and escort him back to the inner courtyard for treatment," the Patriarch of the Ji clan commanded, his eyes flickering.
"Ye'er, your father's sword is returned to you today. You still have to call me uncle. We are blood relatives connected by bone and muscle. As you can see, your sister is unharmed. How about the clan compensating some spirit stones and treasures, and then we can let bygones be bygones?"
Just as Ji Wuye was about to speak, Ju Yin tugged at his sleeve and said,
"Patriarch Ji, add one more condition to your terms: abolish Ji Qianqian's cultivation, and we will not pursue the matter further..."