Translator: Exodus Tales Editor: Exodus Tales
After Ximen Yanyan finished speaking, the place was completely silent. No one responded. Instead, everyone’s eyes fell on the Great Elder.
The Great Elder, Yang Yan, was the brother of Yang Lie, the previous Cloud Sky City Lord. He was now ninety-five years old. At the moment, he kept his eyes closed and looked as if he were asleep. It seemed like he wasn’t going to speak.
Suddenly, a middle-aged elder stood up. “I’ve something to say and a few questions to ask.”
Ximen Yanyan answered, “Uncle Tang Bozhao, please go ahead!”
This person’s position and identity were the same as Ximen Wuya’s. He was a son-in-law of Cloud Sky City. His wife was the daughter of another one of Yang Lie’s brother. Therefore, Ximen Yanyan called him uncle. He was ranked fifth in the Elder Society.
Tang Bozhao looked at Yang Dingtian and asked, “May I know your cultivation, please?”
“I just passed the enlightenment period,” Yang Dingtian replied.
“What?” Tang Bozhao shouted in a shocked voice, showing his disbelieving expression. “Just passed the enlightenment period? A person who has just passed the period of enlightenment wants to be the new Cloud Sky City Lord?”
“Everyone, under the leadership of City Lord Ximen, we have used the method of iron and blood to invade and occupy land, to conquer countless factions and bring them under Cloud Sky City. Because of the powerful and invincible City Lord Ximen, we have managed to expand our territory by thousands of square miles from an initial territory of less than a hundred square miles. In the past twenty years, we have killed countless people and created thousands of enemies. When Ximen City Lord was still here, there was absolutely no one who dared provoke us. But now, Ximen City Lord is no longer here. Cloud Sky City has encountered its most critical crisis.”
“Within these thousands of miles, how many forces deeply hate Cloud Sky City? How many forces had surrendered on the surface but are secretly nurturing their hatred? If we become even slightly weaker, these groups will pounce on and attack Cloud Sky City. When that time comes, are we going to let a person who had just passed the enlightenment period become the new Cloud Sky City Lord? To protect all of us?” Tang Bozhao coldly concluded. “Won’t we just die even faster?”
“So, I firmly oppose Yang Dingtian becoming the heir to Cloud Sky City,” Tang Bozhao said without hesitation.
“Objection!”
“Objection!”
…
Among the eight elders present, only two did not object. Yanyan’s mother was currently immersed in the great sorrow filling her despairing heart. Although she was sitting there, it seemed like only her body was there and her soul had gone with her husband.
Ximen Lie was just sitting in silence. The Big Elder still kept his eyes closed, as if sleeping. Yanyan did not have the authority to vote.
The other person who did not object was Ximen Ju, the director of Cloud Sky City and Ximen Wuya’s second foster son. He was also the one who held the greatest authority among all the foster sons. He was the most well-regarded and beloved among them.
Yanyan’s eyes flashed with gratitude when she saw that Ximen Ju had not raised his hand. At least the well-regarded and beloved foster son was still loyal.
Ximen Yanyan stared coldly at Tang Bozhao. “Are you trying to go against my father’s decision?”
Tang Bozhao answered slowly, “Excuse me, do you have any evidence to prove that the City Lord appointed Yang Dingtian as heir? Did anyone other than two of you hear or see him do it?”
Then, Ximen Yan walked out slowly and bowed to the elders. “I was just outside the door the whole time. I did not hear or see anything.”
Tang Bozhao nodded. “Thank you for testifying. You can go now.”
Ximen Yan sneered at Yang Dingtian and walked away.
Ximen Yanyan’s little face immediately turned white. She then sneered, “Isn’t my betrothal to Yang Dingtian enough? Or are you saying that my husband can’t be the heir of Cloud Sky City?”
Tang Bozhao replied, “Who knows if you had an affair with him and are just looking to install him as the next Cloud Sky City Lord?”
Ximen Yanyan trembled slightly. She couldn’t help but spit up some blood, but she swallowed it back.
Tang Bozhao then continued, “Making a pledge to get married without parental approval isn’t valid. Therefore, the marriage between you and Yang Dingtian cannot be considered legal. As the daughter of the City Lord, you should associate with those of a higher status. You should make a greater contribution towards Cloud Sky City.”
Yanyan’s complexion changed immediately. “What do you mean?”
Tang Bozhao said, “Not long ago, the Northwest Qin family sent us a messenger who declared their intention to ally with Cloud Sky City. They wished for Ms. Yanyan to become the Northwest Qin family’s young lady. Before this incident, we might have not cared about this. But now, we need a strong ally to ensure the safety of Cloud Sky City. After all, Cloud Sky City has no Guru other than the City Lord.”
It seemed that the Northwest Qin family had known about the incident involving Ximen Wuya in advance.
Ximen Yanyan could no longer suppress her anger. A mouthful of blood finally spurted out from the corner of her mouth. She couldn’t believe that these people not only wanted to deprive Yang Dingtian of his position as Cloud Sky City’s heir but also wanted to gift her to the Northwest Qin family.
“Uncle,” Yanyan’s mother suddenly said. “My husband has just…, is your Yang family so eager to rebel?”
The Great Elder Yang Yan opened his turbid eyes and said slowly, “Mrs. Ximen, aren’t you forgetting that you are also from the Yang family?”
Master’s wife shook her head. “No, I’m from the Ximen family.”
“Humph, woman are so fickle and indifferent with their feelings.” Another elder suddenly got angry and stood up. “Even if you, Yang Peipei, are from the Ximen family, Cloud Sky City has always belonged to the Yang family. Ximen Wuya’s authority as City Lord was only temporary. Now that he is gone, Cloud Sky City should undoubtedly go back to the Yang family.”
Mrs. Ximen, also known as Yang Peipei, stared with her beautiful eyes and said slowly, “Unfortunately, the Yang family today only has a few old men left and nobody else.”
“Isn’t that because of your man, killing all Yang’s family people?” The elder was mad.
Mrs. Ximen replied righteously, “Uncle, don’t forget that your Yang family was not willing to accept the fact that my husband held the position of Head of Cloud Sky City and even joined with enemies to kill my father, kill my family, and seize his position. In this situation, my husband only killed the Head of your family and spared most of the others. He only banished them.”
“Also, uncle, you betrothed your daughter to the Northwest Qin family as a concubine, trying to win strong support. Now, you want to send my daughter as goods to the Northwest Qin family? You’ll need to wait until I die,” Mrs. Ximen said coldly. “My husband betrothed Yanyan to Yang Dingtian, so Yang Dingtian will be the new Head of Cloud Sky City.”
Yang Peipei violently drew her long sword and said coldly, “Whoever has objections, ask the sword in my hand first!”
As expected, Mrs. Ximen was also hot-tempered.
“Humph, then I will teach you a lesson.” The Second Elder snorted and leaped forward. He then rushed towards Yang Peipei.
“Hold on!” Yang Dingtian shouted to stop them.
Second Elder coldly and disdainfully said, “This isn’t the place where you can speak.”
Yang Dingtian said, “I know that it is completely ridiculous for me to become the heir of Cloud Sky City with my current cultivation. Besides every single elder here objecting, I think the majority of disciples in Cloud Sky City will object as well.”
Ximen Yanyan stared at Yang Dingtian when she heard what he said and asked, “Yang Dingtian, what are you saying?”
Yang Dingtian continued, “I remember that when Yang Lie appointed his son-in-law, Ximen Wuya, as the new heir to Cloud Sky City, there was dissatisfaction among the entire Elder Society, especially among those from the Yang family. This schism caused Cloud Sky City to have no head for an entire year after Yang Lie died. In order to calm public anger, Martial Uncle Ximen Wuya proposed a competition to decide the next Head through martial force. Any nineteenth generation disciple of Cloud Sky City could participate in the competition to fight for the position.”
It was true. Although Ximen Wuya was appointed as the next Cloud Sky City Head by Yang Lie, in the end, he still won the position through a competition, defeating everyone else in Cloud Sky City to become the new Head.
Yang Dingtian continued, “So, I suggest that the next Cloud Sky City Head will also be decided through a competition. Whoever wins the final victory will become the next Head of Cloud Sky City. Is that ok?”
After Yang Dingtian finished speaking, the entire hall became silent.
A few minutes later, Great Elder Yang Yan asked, “So, when do you think the competition should be held?”
“That’s it.” Tang Bozhao sneered. “It can’t be in five or ten years. Otherwise, we will have no Head the entire time.”
“In two years,” Yang Dingtian answered. “I promised to fight Ximen Yan in two years. If I lose, I will give up the position of heir and be banished from Cloud Sky City. We can just make that fight part of the competition.”
“Two years is too long,” Great Elder Yang Yan Big Elder said. “The position of Head of Cloud Sky City cannot be vacant for such a long time. The competition should be held next Winter at the very latest.”
“No way,” Yang Peipei objected. “One and a half years is too short. Absolutely not.”
The longer the competition is delayed, the better Yang Dingtian’s chances.
Yang Yan said slowly, “You oppose? Alright, let’s decide by vote. Anyone who agrees to hold the competition next winter on the 29th of December, please raise your hand.”
Immediately, several elders raised their hands.
It was still six to two. In short, in any vote, Yang Dingtian’s side was absolutely disadvantaged.
“The vote has passed,” Yang Yan slowly declared. “Yang Peipei, Ximen Lie, are you going to abide by the result of the vote? If you two won’t, then you two will be expelled from the Elder Society.”
Yang Peipei and Ximen Lie looked at each other for a moment before nodding to agree. “We agree that the competition will be held on the 29th of December next Winter.”
“That’s good. This will be the final decision. Dismissed,” Yang Yan said, walking away on his crutch.
After taking a few steps, Great Elder Yang Yan spoke to Yang Ding Tian, “Thank you for your proposal to solve Cloud Sky City’s dilemma. However, you are unable to join the competition, because you aren’t a disciple of Cloud Sky City.”
“What?” Yang Dingtian exclaimed.
Ximen Yanyan and Ximen Lie’s expressions changed immediately.
Great Elder Yang Yan then smiled and repeated, “Because you are not a disciple of Cloud Sky City.”
Yang Dingtian’s heart immediately turned cold. Yang Yan was mostly silent this entire time, so Yang Dingtian thought that he more or less had a bit of morality. However, it turned out that he was so shameless.
Swallowing his anger, Yang Dingtian sneered. “I’m Ximen Yanyan’s husband, the son-in-law of City Head Ximen. Why am I not a disciple of Cloud Sky City? Why can’t I participate in the competition next year to fight for the position of heir?”
Great Elder Yang Yan did not speak, but Tang Bozhao sneered and said, “Because you’re too weak. You’re not qualified to be a disciple of Cloud Sky City.”
