Jiang Chen opened the door.
He called for Yiyi.
Now that he had successfully reforged his Top-Grade Martial Vein and broken through in his cultivation, he was ready to go see his parents.
He wanted to give them a surprise.
Yiyi had been waiting anxiously. When she heard Jiang Chen's voice, she was overjoyed.
She hurried inside and saw the current Jiang Chen. His aura was contained within him, and he radiated an inexplicable magnetism.
She froze for a moment.
Jiang Chen shook his head and said to the dazed Yiyi, "Yiyi, prepare some hot water. I need to wash up, then I'm going to see my mother and father."
Yiyi finally snapped out of it.
She exclaimed, "Young Master, your body... you're better?"
She couldn't believe it. Jiang Chen was actually standing on his own, without needing her support at all.
This meant that Jiang Chen had recovered.
Jiang Chen nodded. "Yiyi, keep this a secret for now, understand?"
Yiyi nodded.
She had been with Jiang Chen for a long time and never pried into his affairs. Naturally, she was also fiercely loyal to him.
As a maid, she would never interfere in her master's business.
However, she quickly added, "This is bad, Young Master! The clan is holding a family meeting right now. Your mother and father have both gone."
Jiang Chen faltered, then asked, "What's happening?"
A family meeting meant something major was going on.
He had a bad feeling.
'This is probably about me.'
Yiyi hesitated for a moment before saying, "I heard... they're going to choose a new Patriarch..."
Hearing this, Jiang Chen's expression changed.
"Bastards. Just as I thought. A pack of ambitious wolves."
"We're going to the main hall first."
"Quick, bring me my coat."
Yiyi understood immediately.
She brought a purple coat and draped it over Jiang Chen's shoulders.
Wearing the coat, Jiang Chen immediately set off for the family's main hall with Yiyi, moving as fast as the wind.
"Young Master, you've changed so much in the last two days."
Following Jiang Chen, Yiyi felt that her Young Master's transformation was immense.
Jiang Chen said nothing.
He knew this family meeting was definitely not for anything good.
They hurried on their way.
「The Jiang Family's Main Hall.」
At this moment, all of the Jiang Family's experts were present, including the current Patriarch, Jiang Han, and his wife, Xiao Yun.
The other experts were also in attendance.
Sitting on the left-hand side, a rather gaunt man spoke up. "Brother, your son has lost his Martial Vein and become a cripple. Everyone knows this."
"But in our Jiang Family, any Patriarch must be able to continue the family bloodline."
"In his condition, I'm afraid your son won't be able to do that."
"Therefore, it's time for a new Patriarch. This will also be beneficial for our Jiang Family."
The man's name was Jiang Gan. He was Jiang Han's cousin and ranked third among them.
He had long been displeased with Jiang Han. Now, using the excuse that Jiang Chen had become a cripple, he had begun to force Jiang Han's hand.
Jiang Han's expression was incredibly grim.
He said angrily, "Jiang Gan, what about my son? Just because he lost his Martial Vein, I'm no longer fit to be Patriarch?"
But Jiang Gan just chuckled. "Brother, you have to think of the Jiang Family, after all."
"If you're Patriarch and your son still had his Eighth-Grade Martial Vein, we wouldn't have any objections. But as things are now, I object."
He looked around at the crowd and asked, "Who else here objects to Jiang Han remaining Patriarch?"
Soon, after a moment's hesitation, many people raised their hands.
"That's right. No matter what, the Patriarch's heir must be a clan member who possesses a Martial Vein."
"Without a Martial Vein, it's easy for unexpected problems to arise. We should change the Patriarch."
"I have no objection either. I'm firm on changing."
"Yeah, I think it would be best to make Jiang Men the Patriarch."
"That's right. Jiang Men's cultivation is also at the Martial Master Third Heaven, and he's highly respected within the clan."
It was as if everyone had planned this. In addition to forcing Jiang Han's hand, they were also pushing Jiang Men forward.
At that moment, a fat man sitting to Jiang Han's right revealed a smile.
His face was full of smug satisfaction.
He was Jiang Men, and his cultivation was second only to Jiang Han's.
Of course, the most crucial point was that his son possessed a Seventh-Grade Martial Vein and had limitless potential.
However, Jiang Men deliberately stood up and made a show of refusing.
"Make me, Jiang Men, the Patriarch? Isn't that a bit inappropriate?"
"I'm afraid I wouldn't be a good Patriarch."
He had long coveted the position of Patriarch from Jiang Han but had never found a good reason to seize it.
Now, under his instigation, everyone had started to follow his script and force Jiang Han's abdication.
Jiang Han's face grew even darker.
Xiao Yun stood up, fuming.
"You people have gone too far!"
"The position of Patriarch isn't something you can just change whenever you feel like it! Replacing the Patriarch is such a momentous event. How can you treat it like a child's game?"
Naturally, Xiao Yun was not willing to let her husband's position as Patriarch be stolen.
She spoke up forcefully.
But a clan member sneered, "Xiao Yun, you're just a woman. This is none of your business. You'd best not interfere."
"You..."
Xiao Yun was so angry she was left speechless.
Jiang Han's expression changed drastically.
But the situation was against him, and he couldn't just resort to violence.
He quickly restrained his wife.
"Yun, don't get worked up. Let them talk."
The clan members all began to speak at once.
"The Patriarch of our Jiang Family must have a Martial Vein, and it can't be a poor one. Anything below a Fifth-Grade Martial Vein is unacceptable."
"It's always been this way. Jiang Han, your son is now a cripple, so none of us will agree to you continuing as Patriarch."
"That's right! Just let Jiang Men be the Patriarch."
"We support Jiang Men as Patriarch!"
Jiang Men now looked at Jiang Han with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
He gave a faint smile.
"Jiang Han, since things have come to this, you should know your place."
"Just step down. Everyone supports me, Jiang Men. And I know for a fact my abilities are no worse than yours."
"Besides, my son, Jiang Zuo, has a Seventh-Grade Martial Vein."
Jiang Men dropped the pleasantries. Since everything was out in the open, he no longer hid his ambition.
He had coveted the position of Patriarch for a long time.
Jiang Han's face was ashen. He had no grounds for rebuttal.
Although his son once had an Eighth-Grade Martial Vein, he was now just a cripple in everyone's eyes.
He trembled with rage.
"You..."
He looked around at the crowd. Barely anyone supported him. A few others were hesitating, unsure of which side to take, and simply remained silent.
The situation was extremely unfavorable for Jiang Han.
Finally, Jiang Han roared, "I can just have more children!"
"I refuse to believe my offspring are inferior! If I can have one son with an Eighth-Grade Martial Vein, I can have another!"
He was getting desperate. He absolutely refused to step down.
After all, he hadn't made any mistakes. In fact, he had made huge contributions to the family.
To be driven out like this was too humiliating.
He couldn't accept it.
"Haha! You've got some nerve saying that."
"You and your wife... who knows when you'll be able to have another?"
"Yeah, for all we know, you might just have another cripple."
"Exactly! Whether you have more kids is your business, but family matters can't be delayed. Just step down."
The crowd completely ignored Jiang Han's objections.
Jiang Han shivered with rage.
"You... That's enough."
Suddenly, an angry shout came from outside the main hall.
The voice wasn't loud, but it was laced with a simmering rage, clearly displaying the newcomer's anger.
It revealed the fury of the person who had arrived.