A hint of emotion flickered in Chu Chen's eyes. He remembered when he was only eight years old, his parents were suddenly murdered, leaving him alone and orphaned.
"Grandfather instructed me before he died that this place will always belong to me alone!"
With that, Chu Chen pushed open the courtyard gate and walked straight in.
"Creak!"
The courtyard gate closed, emitting a faint creaking sound.
The courtyard was very quiet. After Chu Chen entered, he saw a black-clothed old man sitting by a stone table in the courtyard, sipping tea with his head bowed.
"Grandfather, your grandson has come to pay his respects!"
Chu Chen bowed respectfully, his attitude extremely humble.
Chu Canghe did not speak. He kept his head bowed, tapped his fingers on the stone table a few times, and slowly said:
"I already know that you killed Chu Yiyun. I do not blame you for this matter. After all, that child was too proud. His death at your hands can be considered his own fault."
"Grandfather, you truly don't blame me?" Chu Chen asked in surprise.
Chu Canghe waved his hand and sighed, "You are also a victim. Moreover, what is the first rule of the Chu family?
It is forbidden for disciples within the clan to kill each other. Unfortunately... the narrow-mindedness and malicious hearts of those siblings will sooner or later lead to disaster!"
"I understand."
Chu Chen took a deep breath and cupped his hands in thanks, "Thank you for your magnanimity, Grandfather!"
Immediately after, Chu Chen asked again, "Grandfather, you should still remember that jade pendant, right?
What is its mystery that made Chu Yiyun risk stealing it?"
"Heh heh, I didn't intend to tell you about this matter."
Chu Canghe said with a faint smile, "But since you've asked, I don't mind telling you that the jade pendant is indeed a token of the Chu ancient ancestor!"
Chu Chen's pupils suddenly contracted, and a storm surged in his heart!
"The token of the Chu ancestor Chu Zhantian, why is it in Chu Yiyun's hands?"
He frowned, lost in thought, and then said, "Could it be that the secret treasure stolen by Chu Yiyun is related to the ancient ancestor Chu Zhantian?"
"Perhaps..."
Chu Canghe shook his head, "You don't need to know too much about the specifics for now."
As he spoke, Chu Canghe took out a simple bronze token from his embrace and handed it to Chu Chen, saying:
"Keep this safe. This token symbolizes the family's inherited treasure and was personally refined by the ancestor."
"Yes, Grandfather, rest assured, I will treasure it well!" Chu Chen nodded heavily.
Taking the jade pendant handed over by Chu Canghe, Chu Chen solemnly put it away.
Chu Canghe looked at Chu Chen and said in a leisurely tone, "Chen'er, the fate of the Chu lineage is probably difficult to change. If you have time, improve your cultivation as soon as possible."
"Grandfather, rest assured, your grandson will not disappoint you!" Chu Chen said seriously.
"Yes, I believe you."
Chu Canghe nodded with satisfaction. Then he patted Chu Chen's shoulder and said, "Grandfather needs to go into seclusion for cultivation these few days. There are some things I need to explain to you. Come with me."
Chu Chen followed behind Chu Canghe,绕过几条弯曲的小径后，走进了一座幽暗偏僻的院子中。
"This is where I usually rest and recuperate. Normally, unless it is a matter of extreme importance, no one is allowed to step foot here!"
After entering the courtyard, Chu Canghe stopped and turned to look at Chu Chen, his expression solemn as he cautioned:
"I know what you want to do, but this is absolutely not allowed. Otherwise, your situation will become even more difficult!"
"Grandfather, rest assured, your grandson knows the gravity of the situation. It's just that there's something I've held back for too long and can't bear it any longer!"
Chu Chen said with a determined expression, "I want to avenge myself. Even if I am shattered to pieces, I will not let the murderer go unpunished!"
"Alas!"
Chu Canghe shook his head and sighed, "Fine, have it your way."
Chu Chen's eyes flickered and he said, "But Grandfather, don't worry, I won't act rashly."
After speaking, Chu Chen left the courtyard.
Night fell.
The moonlight was hazy, and silver light enveloped every inch of the Tianwu Dynasty.
In a majestic imperial palace, a tall figure stood on a high platform, overlooking the entire royal city.
This was Chu Feng.
Today was the Chu family's ancestral worship ceremony.
Although Chu Feng had a special identity, he was no exception and was also a disciple of the Chu family.
In the eyes of the Chu clan members, he was just a good-for-nothing, not even comparable to Chu Yifeng's hair.
"Heh heh, the Chu family's ancestral worship ceremony is finally about to be held. I'd like to see what kind of spectacle this year's ceremony will bring?"
Chu Feng muttered to himself with a smile.
This year's ceremony would be presided over by him.
In previous ancestral worship ceremonies, the Chu family's ceremonies had been disastrous, with not even a proper ritual.
Therefore, Chu Feng wanted to use the name of this ancestral worship ceremony to severely humiliate the Chu family members and make all these Chu elders lose face!
He wanted to make those old guys of the Chu family kneel at his feet!
And... this was just the beginning!
After this, he, Chu Feng, would continue to grasp the power of the Chu lineage and completely subdue everyone in the Chu family!
By then, Chu Chen's parents, Chu Yiyun and Chu Mengyao, those two good-for-nothings, would all have to kneel at his feet and beg for his forgiveness!
That feeling...
Just thinking about it felt wonderful. "Dong—"
Just as Chu Feng was lost in his own fantasies, a melodious bell chime suddenly sounded.
"Dong!"
"Dong dong!"
"Dong!"
One after another, continuously, a total of nine times, deafeningly loud.
At this moment, countless people in the entire capital looked up at the sky, their faces filled with astonishment.
The Chu family had actually rung the alarm bell?
"What happened that caused the alarm bell to be rung?"
"Could it be that another powerful expert has fallen?
Or has a direct descendant of the Chu family been expelled from the Chu ancestral shrine for committing a mistake?"
In an instant, the capital was in an uproar, with discussions everywhere.
"The nine bells ringing means that something big has happened!"
"What could it be? Could it be that a powerful being is causing trouble?"
"It is said that the Chu family's ancestral worship ceremony will be held in three days, and the direct descendants of the Chu family must participate. The Chu family head will select suitable heirs!"
"So that's how it is. No wonder the Chu family's alarm bell rang. This selection of son-in-laws will probably be very lively!"
...
The Chu family's ancestral altar was located in a vast square in the central area of the capital.
In the very center of the square stood a shrine hundreds of feet high. The spiritual tablets of the Chu family ancestors were enshrined on the shrine, and on both sides of the shrine stood densely packed hundreds of divine statues.
Each divine statue was lifelike, with a majestic face, exuding a vast and boundless might!
On all four sides of the square, figures in red robes stood solemnly, their gazes fixed on the central shrine.
These figures in red robes were all core disciples of the Chu family.