Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Ancestral Coffin
In the meeting hall of the Situ Family, dark clouds loomed overhead, with many people’s faces showing signs of unease.
"Great Elder, the Wang Family and the Wan Family have been attacking our businesses like mad dogs these past few days,” a servant reported from below: “Several of our pill workshops and weapon vaults have already been forced to close.”
"In the past, our three families developed peacefully. I didn’t expect that as soon as Father passed away, they wouldn’t be able to contain themselves,” Situ Bo, the eldest son, said indignantly, “If you ask me, we should just fight them. Let them know we’re not to be trifled with and get them to think twice before they act.”
"Even if we wanted to fight now, we couldn’t,” the Great Elder said without lifting his head: “The Family Head was at the peak of the True Vein Realm, and he constantly kept the other two families’ heads in check.
Now that he’s gone, how can we fight?”
"The people of our Situ Family are all in a panic. I think it’s better to choose a capable leader first,” the second son, Situ Yu, stood up and said.
...
"I believe the second brother has a point. I may not be very talented, but I’ve extensively read poetry and literature. I am willing to lead our Situ Family through this crisis,” the third son, Situ Jing, said with a resolute tone.
"I think the position of the Family Head shouldn’t be decided by age but by ability. After all, it concerns the welfare of the entire clan,” Situ Yu spoke with neither inferiority nor arrogance: “I believe I do have some talent.”
The Great Elder, sitting at the head, frowned and slammed the table, saying, “Arguing over the position of the Family Head like this, what kind of dignity is this? I will temporarily act as the Family Head until we decide on a new candidate.”
"At least give us a standard, Great Elder. How about we have a contest? Whoever wins can inherit the position of the Family Head,” the three brothers exchanged glances and looked at the Great Elder.
Although there was significant competition among the three of them, they were all intent on securing the Family Head position but were reluctant to just let the Great Elder take it so easily.
Situ Yunqing sat silently in the corner, watching the arguing crowd and couldn’t help but feel sorrow for the family.
A sincere sorrow.
All of these people were fixated on seizing power, yet they lacked the capability, and they were all driven by their selfish desires, paying no heed to the family’s safety and wellbeing.
Situ Yunqing even felt that if she were in charge of the Situ Family, she would do a much better job than any of them.
Unfortunately, she was powerless and without influence and had no means to contest for anything.
At this time, the first person to cross her mind was actually Xu Zimei.
She had also inquired into his identity, which was said to be a disciple of the True Martial Holy Sect, and with no trivial background.
Situ Yunqing pondered, unwilling to be just a mere figurehead, to live a dull life without significance.
Three days later, because of the covert confrontations among the three major families of Zhouque City, the people inside the city were all somewhat on edge, as if dark clouds hovered over the city, with an impending sense of a storm about to break out in the building.
"Have you heard? Situ Bo, the eldest son of the Situ Family, was the victim of an assassination attempt the day before yesterday.”
In the Linjiang Restaurant, someone discussed in a low voice, “Exactly, the Situ Family really is beset with one misfortune after another. I heard their second son was also targeted for assassination last night.”
"Didn’t I hear that their third son also seemed to have been targeted for an assassination?”
The Linjiang Restaurant was crowded with people, but most of the conversations centered on the Situ Family.
Many people were not optimistic about the future of the Situ Family.
"Do you think it was the doing of the Wang and Wan Families? They want to take advantage of the situation to annihilate the Situ Family and change the three-legged stand-off.”
"Who knows? It could even be someone from within the Situ Family, all vying for the position of Family Head.”
Within a guest room at the Linjiang Restaurant, Xu Zimei listened to Xiao Guizi’s report, rhythmically tapping his right hand on the windowsill.
"I’ve already warned the Wang and Wan Families, and they definitely haven’t sent anyone to assassinate,” Xiao Guizi said, “Those assassinations must have been carried out by someone from inside the Situ Family.”
"Once everything is ready, we’ll move in for the capture tomorrow. There’s no need to waste any more time,” Xu Zimei said.
"Understood, I’ll go make the arrangements,” Xiao Guizi nodded and left.
The night was seductive, with sparse dim stars clinging to the edge of the sky, as the whole Zhouque City lay in slumber.
Early the next morning, when all things were still groggy and not fully awake,
The disciples of the Wang and Wan Families had already surrounded the entire Situ Family.
Wang Cheng, the Family Head of the Wang Family, and Wan Cangqiong, the Family Head of the Wan Family, strode forward to the gates of the Situ Family.
"Are you intending to wage war against my Situ Family?” the Great Elder bellowed, awakening the whole of Zhouque City still in the early stages of rousing from sleep.
"Situ Mang, don’t struggle in vain. Today, we shall erase your Situ Family’s name from Zhouque City,” Wan Cangqiong declared loudly.
His True Vein Realm peak aura radiated outward, causing a slight change in the Great Elder’s expression. Although he too was in the True Vein Realm, he was only at the seventh level and was no match for Wan Cangqiong.
"Family Heads of the Wan and Wang Families, we seem to have no grudges. Why must you push us to our death?” the Great Elder began to persuade, “Even though our Situ Family’s Family Head is no longer here, we are not easily bullied.
I can assure you, our Pill Workshops and the Weapons Pavilion within Zhouque City are willing to share profits equating to fifty percent with your two families.”
"Situ Mang, you’ve been in power for decades. Haven’t you understood?” Wang Cheng scoffed, “Might makes right, conquering your Situ Family needs no reason. It’s survival of the fittest.”
"If you all are intent on fighting, then I am prepared to see it through to the end,” the Great Elder said solemnly to the people behind him, “Summon the ancestor.”
Following that, a purple-black coffin engraved with pieces of red Crystal Stone was brought out. It appeared to have been stored for a long time.
"You both better think carefully. Once I open the ancestral coffin, it will be a fight to the death,” the Great Elder asserted menacingly.
"Let’s give it a try then. I’d like to meet the previous head of the Situ Family,” Wan Cangqiong was not panicked, he just became slightly more vigilant, he said.
Lying within this ancestral coffin was the previous head of the Situ Family. In fact, many strong figures who have little life left and no hope of breaking into higher levels will choose to seal themselves away.
The red Crystal Stone on the outside of the coffin is called Dust Blood Stone, which can effectively slow down the passage of time.
These ancestors sealed themselves within the coffins adorned with Dust Blood Stones, and under the influence of the stones, their lifespan consumption would be reduced to the lowest.
This meant that, although they originally only had five years of life left, because the flow of time was slowed, they might extend their life to ten or even twenty years.