Hearing this, Ling Xun’s eyes lit up, and he immediately snapped, “Exactly, Ling Hu, by killing Su Yun, your foolish act will bring calamity to the entire family!”
“Hahaha…” At this, Ling Hu burst into laughter, “What a father-son duo, what a family head and heir!”
Ling Hu’s gaze locked onto Ling Lie, his tone icy, “Ling Lie, if I couldn’t defeat your son, it would prove I was lying, and I’d face family punishment. Now, I’ve defeated your son, proving my words are true, yet you say I’ve made a grave mistake and must be handed over to the Su family. No matter what, I’m wrong either way, aren’t I? Deep down, you and your son just want to deal with me, don’t you?”
“Outrageous! I’m addressing the issue at hand. You killed Su Yun, causing a huge mistake. Am I slandering you?” Ling Lie roared, his aura of authority spreading.
“No one here, except us, knows I killed Su Yun. Are you and your son planning to betray the Ling family by informing the Su family?” Ling Hu shot back sharply.
Ling Lie’s brow furrowed, realizing he had overlooked this. But as the family head, he wouldn’t lose composure. Suppressing his anger at being called out by Ling Hu, he responded gravely, “With the Su family’s strength, how long can it be hidden? This will come to light sooner or later.”
“Then let it come to light later,” Ling Hu said coldly, “Ling Lie, you and your son can stop pretending. Targeting me is just because you’re afraid I’ll expose your crimes, isn’t it?”
“Five years ago, you poisoned me with Black Seal Poison, halting my cultivation. Four years ago, my father disappeared, and you tried to move against me, forcing me to flee. Today, I, Ling Hu, have returned to settle the score!”
Hearing Ling Hu’s words, the other elders frowned. They knew what Black Seal Poison was.
They had suspected why Ling Hu’s cultivation stalled back then, even considering that the two major families might have used some means against him.
Now, hearing Ling Hu’s accusations and his confrontation with Ling Lie and his son, they began to piece things together.
Ling Zhongqian and a few others grew deeply worried. They knew Ling Lie was behind the poisoning, but for Ling Hu to call it out now was tantamount to openly breaking with Ling Lie’s faction, which was highly unwise.
After all, Ling Lie was the current family head and a first-level Martial Monarch. Without absolute strength to suppress him, even Ling Hu’s limitless potential couldn’t topple Ling Lie or force him to step down.
Instead, it would provoke a fiercer counterattack from Ling Lie.
“Hmph, Ling Hu, what nonsense about Black Seal Poison are you spouting?” Ling Xun, exposed publicly, flew into a rage.
“What, angry because your crimes are exposed?” Ling Hu said coldly.
“You…” Ling Xun, furious, was struck by Ling Hu’s words and didn’t know how to respond.
“Enough!” Ling Lie, at the head, his face now as cold as eternal ice, roared, partly out of anger at Ling Hu and partly to prevent Ling Xun from misspeaking.
Then, he turned to Ling Hu darkly, “Ling Hu, since you claim I poisoned you with Black Seal Poison, do you have proof?”
Back then, he had acted with utmost secrecy, unnoticed even by Ling Xiao for a year. He didn’t believe Ling Hu could produce any evidence.
“No proof for now,” Ling Hu said.
Hearing this, Ling Lie inwardly sighed in relief, a cold smirk flashing through his mind as he thought Ling Hu dared to accuse him without evidence, practically courting death.
“Ling Hu, do you realize what you’re doing? Bringing outsiders into the family meeting hall, slandering elders, slandering the family head and heir, these crimes combined are enough to strip your cultivation and expel you from the family!” Ling Lie said gravely, a thick chill spreading through the room.
At these words, Ling Zhongqian frowned and quickly said, “Family Head, this might be a misunderstanding caused by rumors spread by the Su family back then. However, Ling Hu is undeniably the most outstanding genius in Ling family history, the hope for our family’s rise. Expelling him would be a tremendous loss to the Ling family. I urge the Family Head to consider the bigger picture.”
As he spoke, he glanced at Ling Hu, signaling that reaching Martial Venerable was a good thing, but giving Ling Lie leverage to act now would be a loss not worth taking.
Yet Ling Hu remained unmoved, as if too dense to catch Ling Zhongqian’s hint.
“Hmph, a clansman who doesn’t respect elders, what use is his growth? He might one day forget he’s a Ling. If we don’t punish him today, where’s the dignity of our family rules!” Ling Lie snorted, “Besides, he killed Su Yun, which will inevitably enrage the Su family. Expelling him means that when the Su family comes, it has nothing to do with our Ling family.”
“Family Head, this is a serious matter. Please stay calm. After all, you didn’t use Black Seal Poison!” Ling Zhongqian spoke again, determined to protect Ling Hu even if it meant a complete fallout.
“Are you the Family Head, or am I?” Sensing the threatening tone in Ling Zhongqian’s words, Ling Lie’s voice grew icy.
“Family Head, this concerns the future of our Ling family. If you insist on acting alone, it will have to be decided by the Elder Council. Such major family matters cannot be decided by the Family Head alone.”
At this, Ling Zhongqian’s tone suddenly hardened, “As Great Elder, I propose we convene the Ling family’s highest meeting, the Elder Council!”
Ling Lie’s expression turned completely cold. The Elder Council was a meeting that limited the Family Head’s authority, convened for major matters like family crises, choosing a Family Head, selecting an heir, or significant decisions.
The Elder Council could be proposed by the Great Elder, and if one-third of the members agreed, it would officially convene.
If Ling Zhongqian’s proposal to convene the Elder Council gained one-third support, Ling Hu’s punishment would be decided by the council.
However, Elder Council decisions required a two-thirds majority to pass.
Having managed the Ling family for four years, Ling Lie had many loyal elders, and neutral ones would think twice before crossing him. He was confident no two-thirds majority would pass.
He was curious to see how many would vote for Ling Hu.
To maintain stability against the Su family, he hadn’t moved heavily against Ling Xiao’s faction before.
It seemed, after this, some people, even at great cost, needed to be dealt with.
“I agree to convene the Elder Council!”
“I agree too!”
“I agree.”
Several elders spoke up, and with Ling Zhongqian’s vote, they quickly reached five. After a brief silence, three more elders nodded.
With twenty-one elders, plus one vote from the heir and one from the Family Head, totaling twenty-three votes, eight was enough to meet the Elder Council’s convening threshold.
Since the numbers met the requirement, Ling Lie said no more, stating directly, “Fine, the Elder Council is convened. Ling Hu brought outsiders into the family meeting hall, slandered the family head, and killed Su Yun, committing a grave error. Should he face family punishment or be protected? Elders, decide, but I urge you to think carefully!”
Ling Lie’s voice was calm but carried a heavy tone of threat.
