bookbashuk 657. A brave man cuts off his own arm.
657. A brave man cuts off his own arm.
Ling Yuan and Ling Xuanmo exchanged a quick glance, both seeing confusion and bewilderment in each other's eyes. The Xiao Clan was also one of the families descended from Dou Di, and had even once stood at the pinnacle of the continent, but had been extinct for a long time. They didn't know why the Supreme Elder had brought it up at this critical juncture.
"Leaving aside the decline of the Xiao clan, I truly admire Xiao Xuan!"
Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the pavilion froze for a moment. Both Ling Yuan and Ling Xuanmo showed signs of panic; they knew very well how the Supreme Elder had developed this headache.
The fearsome reputation of the Supreme Elder Ling Haonan in his youth came to an end with a crushing defeat. In that encounter deep within the ancient ruins, the once-proud and vigorous Ling Haonan was utterly crushed by Xiao Xuan, the prodigy of the Xiao Clan. The hidden ailment on Ling Haonan's head was inflicted after his battle with Xiao Xuan.
Almost everyone in the Spirit Clan thought that Ling Haonan would regard Xiao Xuan as his greatest enemy, but unexpectedly, he actually said that he admired Xiao Xuan. The Supreme Elder's words and actions today were all abnormal.
Ling Haonan seemed to sense the turbulent emotions in the hearts of the two younger men, and said with a complicated expression, "What's wrong? You don't have to think like the other clansmen that there's something wrong with talking about this."
"Shame is the mother of courage. What's so shameful about losing to Xiao Xuan? Who among our generation hasn't lost to Xiao Xuan at some point?"
"There's one thing about Xiao Xuan that I admire most: when the Xiao clan was on the verge of collapse and its days were numbered, he didn't choose to cower and run away. Instead, he used the last bit of luck and resources of the Xiao clan to fight that earth-shattering final battle!"
Ling Haonan's voice suddenly became hoarse, carrying a heavy sense of empathy: "Even though he ultimately failed, and the Xiao clan was completely wiped out, his courage and spirit were worthy of the Xiao Emperor's blood flowing in his veins!"
"In truth, the Spirit Clan today is remarkably similar to the Xiao Clan of yesteryear. The difference is that the Spirit Clan is far more devastated. When the Xiao Clan fell, it still had Xiao Xuan, a nine-star Dou Sheng powerhouse, to hold its ground. But today, no one in the Spirit Clan is capable of shouldering such a great responsibility." His words grew increasingly heavy, as if he wanted to awaken not just the two people before him, but all the members of the Spirit Clan!
"This is what I must say first today!"
Ling Yuan's brows furrowed even deeper, revealing his inner torment. He took a deep breath and finally spoke carefully: "Elder, we all understand your good intentions. Xiao Xuan's courage is commendable, but the Xiao Clan's desperate gamble has resulted in its complete annihilation, with its millennia-old foundation reduced to nothing."
"Although our Spirit Race is facing numerous difficulties, our lineage has not been broken, and there are still capable people among the younger generation."
"Inheritance?" Ling Haonan shook his head. "How ridiculous! The rising star we've carefully nurtured is actually a good-for-nothing like Ling Zhuo. Ling Zhuo is our hope. Don't you find this laughable?"
These words struck Ling Yuan and Ling Xuanmo like a heavy hammer, causing their expressions to change instantly. Ling Xuanmo opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to argue, but Ling Haonan's sharp gaze immediately swept over him.
"I know what you're trying to say. Feng Zhui is indeed a good kid. He has a certain fierceness and wildness that suits my taste, of course, this is also related to the environment he grew up in." Ling Haonan said in a deep voice, "Xiao Mo may be able to sit in your seat, but he will absolutely never sit in Xiao Yuan's seat in the future!"
"What other clansmen dare not say, what they do not wish to see, I will say clearly today! Everyone still thinks we are the top power on the continent, and no one dares to offend us! But what is the reality? Among the imperial clans, how much foundation do we still have? What advantages do we still have? Nothing!"
"Take these young people for example: Soul Wind and Soul Jade of the Soul Clan, Fire Xuan of the Flame Clan, Gu Qingyang of the Ancient Clan, and Lei Dong of the Thunder Clan—aren't they all far superior to Feng Zhui?"
"Any one imperial clan, taken individually, is undoubtedly superior to the spirit clan. Continuing to be so hesitant and timid, seeking only immediate stability, will only lead to their demise!"
Ling Haonan suddenly stood up, his hunched figure appearing unusually upright at this moment, as if he wanted to completely pour out the worries and resentments that had accumulated in his heart over the years.
"The Yan Clan is afraid, and the Ancient Clan is also terrified. In a few hundred or a thousand years, our old generation will die of old age, and the younger generation will be unable to carry on the legacy."
He let out a low, mournful laugh. "I'm afraid that by then, we won't even dare to easily offend the Soul Palace, which is dependent on the Soul Clan! A Dou Di descendant family reduced to having to act according to the Soul Palace's whims? Is this the kind of inheritance you want to see?"
"Returning to the Xiao Clan, nowadays, besides sighing, who truly looks down on them from the bottom of their heart? What Xiao Xuan did was a heroic act of cutting off his own arm, a desperate gamble. Even if he lost, he still retained some of the spirit of his ancestors. If he just survives, besides waiting to be swallowed up by other powerful Dou Di families one day, what other way out does my Ling Clan have?"
A deathly silence fell over the pavilion. The aroma of the soothing tea seemed to condense in the air. The expressions on Ling Yuan and Ling Xuanmo's faces shifted dramatically—shock, shame, worry, resentment… all ultimately settling into a heavy, silent stillness.
Only then did he slowly sit back down, his once straight back now appearing to bend slightly under the weight of some invisible burden. With an unprecedentedly weary and hoarse voice, he revealed the truth behind his unusual behavior that day.
"What's forcing me to make this decision now is that I don't have time..."
boom!
Ling Yuan and Ling Xuanmo abruptly raised their heads, their pupils contracting to their maximum size. Almost simultaneously, they stood up abruptly, their long-maintained composure shattered by the shock and panic in their hearts.
"The Supreme Elder??"
Ling Yuan's voice trembled like never before, his eyes filled with indescribable panic. Ling Xuanmo's eyes were bloodshot, and he cried out in alarm, instinctively taking a step forward as if trying to grab something, but then froze in mid-air.
Looking at their withered faces, Ling Haonan revealed a faint, relieved smile: "I only discovered this recently. This tea has absolutely no effect on me anymore. I won't live much longer..."
Ling Haonan spoke in an extremely soft tone, as if stating a fact that had nothing to do with him.
The life of Ling Haonan, the Supreme Elder who has protected the Spirit Clan for thousands of years, has come to an end. This is news that is absolutely difficult for any core member of the Spirit Clan to accept.
The same was true for Ling Yuan and the Ling Xuanmo before them, perhaps even more so. Ling Haonan meant far more to them than the title of Supreme Elder; it was a dependence and familial bond ingrained in their very being!
A deathly silence flowed, swallowing up all other sounds within the pavilion. The herbal fragrance of the soothing tea stubbornly lingered, but now it was so strong it was almost suffocating.
"My old bones can no longer protect the Spirit Clan, but if I were to eke out my last breath and die in the Spirit Clan, I would die with regrets! I would also be letting down the departed ancestors of the Spirit Clan. While I still maintain a stable strength, I must give it my all!"