"What do you mean by that?" Ye Lingtian suddenly felt a surge of unease.
“We, the six elders, jointly reject the patriarch’s prior decree,” the Grand Elder said flatly. “As of now, the command that the winner of the clan competition shall become heir is officially revoked.”
“I second the motion.”
The remaining five elders all nodded in agreement.
Ye Lingtian’s expression turned grim. He glared intensely at the clan’s top figures.
He gave a hollow laugh and said coldly,
“So this is what power tastes like, the elites manipulating rules and authority to toy with others.
“Feiling is simply more suited to lead the Ye Clan,” the Grand Elder snorted. “Ask anyone here, what kind of image do you think you’ve left in their minds?”
Ye Shilong, the patriarch, sighed.
“Lingtian, once your brother becomes the next patriarch, you can serve as an elder and assist him.
Ye Lingtian couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh.
All those years of enduring humiliation, suffering in silence, just for this one chance.
And now, all of that… had become nothing more than a cruel joke.
“I don’t accept this!” Ye Lingtian lifted his head and roared with fury.
He knew this was his one and only opportunity. If he gained nothing from this, it would be almost impossible to rise again.
“So what if you don’t accept it?” the Grand Elder sneered. “You’ve wasted your years in debauchery. How could you possibly have reached the Paragon Meridian Realm? Look at yourself now, I suspect you’ve aligned with some demonic force.”
Demonic energy rolled off Ye Lingtian’s body as he gave a mocking laugh.
“Oh? So now you’re handing me a sentence?”
“The clan will investigate thoroughly. But for now, you’re not going anywhere,” the Grand Elder said indifferently.
As his words fell, a mighty aura from the Empyrean Meridian Realm surged from his body, crushing down on Ye Lingtian.
Though the Grand Elder had only just entered the Empyrean Meridian Realm, it was more than enough to completely suppress a Paragon Meridian cultivator.
Ye Lingtian felt as if a mountain had dropped on him, his body frozen, immobile under the overwhelming pressure.
“I can’t lose, to this piece of trash!” Suddenly, Ye Feiling, disheveled and wild-eyed, stood up from where Ye Lingtian had knocked him down.
His mind a whirlwind, his pride as the golden child couldn't handle this defeat. His eyes turned crazed.
“Die, you wretch!” he roared, raising his sword and charging at Ye Lingtian.
Sword energy flared viciously, his expression twisted, he had no intention of holding back.
Just as the blade was about to pierce Ye Lingtian’s abdomen, a blue figure darted out of the crowd and threw herself in front of him.
The sword plunged into her.
Gu Yun looked down at the sword embedded in her chest, then turned and smiled at Ye Lingtian.
“Lingtian... this is all I can do...” she whispered.
A violent surge of demonic energy erupted around Ye Lingtian, mad, unstable, and filled with grief.
So intense was the eruption that even the Empyrean Meridian pressure from the Grand Elder momentarily faltered.
Ye Lingtian caught the blood-soaked girl in his arms. His eyes were bloodshot. He tried to speak but choked on his own breath.
All he could do was shake his head in anguish, softly repeating:
“Lingtian, you know,” Gu Yun said weakly, raising her trembling hands to wipe away his tears,
Blood gushed from her chest like an open river. Her face paled. The light in her eyes began to dim.
“Don’t worry. Once you’re better, I’ll take you away from here. Somewhere no one can find us, no one can bother us,” Ye Lingtian said urgently.
His hands trembling, he poured countless pills from his spatial ring into her mouth.
But the sword had not just pierced her, it had destroyed her organs with its sword energy. Unless a miracle-grade elixir existed, nothing could save her.
“Promise me… you’ll live well,” she whispered.
With a final smile, her hands slid from Ye Lingtian’s face, and her eyes closed forever.
Ye Lingtian howled in despair, shouting her name again and again, but there was no response.
Once, he thought his dream was glory, conquest, greatness, to do something earthshaking.
But now, as the girl died in his arms, he realized the truth:
She had been everything.
“Glory... fame.... and conquest… mean nothing. I never should have come here...”
“You deserve to die!” Ye Lingtian growled, lifting his gaze, eyes burning with vengeance, locked onto Ye Feiling.
Ye Feiling took several steps back, gulping nervously.
“Enough!” the Grand Elder frowned. “Do you want to make the Ye Clan a laughingstock in front of all these guests?”
Ye Lingtian didn’t respond. He surged forward, demonic energy swirling, charging at Ye Feiling.
“I said enough! Are you deaf?” A giant palm formed from spiritforce slammed Ye Lingtian to the ground.
Still, he struggled to rise, laughing bitterly, then dashed again toward Ye Feiling without a second thought.
Ye Feiling didn’t dare face him, he turned and fled.
“Ye Lingtian, will you kill your own kin?” the Grand Elder barked. His Empyrean Meridian pressure locked Ye Lingtian in place.
No matter how hard Ye Lingtian struggled, it was no use.
“Patriarch, elders, I believe his mind has been overtaken by a demonic entity. He must be executed,” Ye Feiling added, seizing the opportunity.
Ye Shilong frowned. After a moment, he replied coldly, “Put him in solitary confinement for now.”
Ye Lingtian, immobilized, could only watch as two Ye Clan disciples came to take him away.
His face held no expression. His eyes were blank as death, fixed silently on Gu Yun’s body.
After he was taken away, Ye Shilong addressed the guests with a few words of apology.
As the competition ended, one thing was certain:
This event would spark a storm in Primordial Ancient City.
And it would be the center of gossip at every tea table for weeks to come.