565 Tension.
Yue Jing stood up and challenged Yue Ming directly in front of everyone in the family. The elders and the youngsters were all shocked to the point that they all watched her in a daze. Yue Jing had a very low image in the family. She has always been obedient, well mannered, and never spoke much, it was to the point where the people did not remember her voice.
They did not expect her to be the person out of the whole younger generation to stand up and that too against her own brother. Yue Jiren furrowed his brows and said, “On what basis?”
Yue Jing heard his nonchalant tone and said, “On the basis of the blood flowing through my veins. On the basis of my strength, and on the basis of my alchemy skills. I have the right to challenge him so why should I not? Or should I just sit by when he comes closer to me with some of his motives, to achieve his goals?”
Her plain tone was a disrespectful display to the elders. They did not expect a child to lash back at their parent in such a manner. An elder spoke up, “The way you just argued with your father, that is not an attitude suitable for a leader, I object to your participation.”
Yue Jing smiled and said, “With all due respect elders, do you wish for the young leader of the family to be a puppet who dances to the tunes of the others?”
Her question was a direct counter to what the elder had said. The elder said, “When did I say that we need a puppet? How dare you accuse me in such a manner.”
Yue Jing replied, “I am not accusing you, Elder, I merely questioned your motives. Pardon me for being too young to understand, but I used to think that a leader must stand at the forefront to lead the people who entrusted their pride, respect, and faith to them. However, if the family does not allow me to safeguard my self-respect and pride. I also agree, I should not challenge him.”
Her words were like a sword and she used them to cut down all the shallow-minded old weeds inside the dining hall. The elders were left tongue-tied at her questions, and her argument. They have never expected this young girl to be so clever and so sharp with her words.
While some of the old relics thought she stood in contempt of their authority, some had their eyes sparkling. This was the leader they should have. Sharp and calm, just like a sword wielded against the enemies. Decisive and ruthless for the sake of family. More importantly, someone who understands that individuality is as important as staying inside the family.
Jenny, who has been drinking her sou silently said, “May I hear any other objections than her behavior with her father. She is a teenager, which one of us was not rebellious when we were this age?”
Another old man stood up and asked, “Matriarch, it seems to me that you intend to support her participation.”
Jenny nodded and the old man continued, “I wish to ask, that if Yue Jing defeats Yue Ming, and she becomes the young leader of the family then, will we have to let her child, who will be born by her union with an outsider, to inherit the position?”
The question was reasonable. The big families all prioritized pedigree more than anything else. They did have the right to know what the future will be like. Yue Jiren smirked lightly. He was aware this question will be raised and that was why he had not taken the lead in undermining her daughter.
Before Jenny could answer. Yue Jing smiled and said, “I swear upon my dao heart that in this life, I shall never marry, and I shall never give birth to a child. If in the future, I do adopt a child, then that child will not have the right to stand up in contention for the throne of the family master.”
Her resolve was displayed in full vigor. Yang Dao frowned with displeasure, but the elders were all surprised. The elder who raised the question asked, “Why do you go so far? Do you know that a Dao heart oath can never be broken or you will become useless, the destruction of your cultivation is worse than death?”
Yue Jing replied to him while gazing at her father’s face, which happened to be filled with shock, “My father had always taught me that without great sacrifices you cannot achieve great results.” ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
Yue Jiren gnashed his teeth in rage. The man never expected this little girl to be so defiant. Yue Lei Wang saw this and said, “Anything else you all have to say? If not, then I would like to have the battle to be held right away. It saves time.”
Yue Jiren could not hold back any longer and ask, “Do you have the strength to contest against your brother?” his voice was calm, yet his eyes were murderous toward his own daughter. If not for the fact that this all was taking place in the presence of the elders, Yue Jiren might have already killed Yue Jing.
The girl did not say anything with her mouth, but her golden core cultivation level aura was released. The young people felt suffocated while the old ones felt a pleasure. They did not expect Yue Jing to be such a genius. Yue Jiren himself was surprised. He turned to cast a gaze at Yue Ming and found his son staring at Yue Jing, his sister with hatred-filled eyes.
Yue Lei Wang said, “The battle shall be held in the training grounds of the family. Until you are unable to carry on or you surrender, the fight will not stop. Anyone who is caught using the means that breach the code of a duel, will be granted the death sentence. Anyone interfering with the duel will be killed. Is it clear?”
Yue Jing smiled and said, “I accept the rules and the match, patriarch.” as she bowed to the old man. Yue Lei Wang cast a gaze at Yue Ming, who finally stood up and bowed to the patriarch in acceptance.
That said, it only took the whole family to move to the training grounds. Yue Ming had not changed his attire, but Yue Ming was wearing the black armor that Yang Dao had made for her from the materials he found on Titanica.
The two people stood inside the dim-lit training ground. Yang Dao glanced at the night pearl lamps and said, “The lighting in this place is not very adept. Shall I make things a bit more bright?”
Everyone gazed at him with complex emotion. The mood was so tense that the people would not even breathe loudly yet this kid had the guts to say that things were dim. Jenny being the supportive grandmother she was patted the head of her grandchild and said, “Go, do it.”
Yang Dao took a step and jumped into the void to stand in between the two participants. He said, “The rules of the duel are set already, but I hope that none of you tries to deliberately harm the other person mortally. That is not something the future leader of the family should do. Hurting a kinsman. As for the light-up, here we go.”
He took a deep breath and placed his hand in front of his mouth like a conch and blew hard in it. What appeared in front of the other people was a mystical sight. Yang Dao manipulated the fire energy inside him and channeled it outside in the shape of a bird. The bird was as big as a human and it circled the two participants at a low distance. The tail of the bird left a trail of fire around the people.
The ring of fire kept levitating in the void as it surrounded the two people. Now everyone could see the movements inside the training ground clearly. Yang Dao hopped his way to come close to Yue Jing and patted her shoulder gently as he said, “Do your best. Keep your calm.”
Yue Jing smiled at him sweetly and said in a low voice, “I know, brother. Go stand back and watch me use the sword better than you.”
Yang Dao did not mind her joke and smiled with a nod. He was aware that her calm countenance was just a bizarre facade for the people to not discern her fragile heart inside. However, Yue Jing was still getting stronger than before. After facing the mental demon during her recent breakthrough, her strength and confidence were growing stronger with each passing moment.
After Yang Dao left, she heard a voice in her head, “Girl, do you think, you can really win and gain anything? You better forfeit this challenge.”
Yue Jing cast a glance at her father on the sidelines and took out her sword from her space ring. Then she said to Yue Ming, “Come at me with all you have. I declare that if you managed to kill me, you will not be held responsible. Come, Yue Ming, show me how strong you are.”
Her words enraged Yue Ming even more than her eyes. He has been tolerating this pair of eyes that used to look at him with a sense of reverence no matter how he treated her. But now all he found was indifference. He was very angered by this.
Yue Lei Wang said, “Begin.” and the two people vanished from their spots.