Chapter 149 – Scheme

“Audacious! You dare raise your voice in front of Grandfather?!”

Chen Fan smacked his palm on the table and stood up, his icy gaze fixated on Chen Tianyin.

“You...”

Chen Tianyin couldn’t resist taking two steps back under Chen Fan’s sharp gaze.

Nevertheless, his flames of anger immediately burned hotter. He didn’t expect a little rascal like Chen Fan to dare rebuke him.

Chen Fan's eyes exuded coldness as he retorted, “What do you mean, you! The representatives of the two clans haven't even appeared, and yet you've come here to demand my punishment. Are you our clan’s Grand Elder or someone from their clans?”

“You’re slandering me, how audacious!” Chen Tianyin seethed, but panic was evident in his eyes.

When did this brat’s tongue become so sharp? He counterattacked and accused me of being a spy of the two clans.

“Me, slandering you? Then let me ask you, Chen Tianyin, if you aren’t affiliated with those clans, why did you bring a group here to seek my punishment?” Chen Fan said coldly.

“I—”

“You shut up!” Chen Fan cut him off before he could retort. "No need for excuses. Do you think I'm unaware of the schemes you're plotting?"

“You want to use this opportunity to cripple me. That way, your precious grandson can become the young patriarch of the Chen Clan. Am I wrong?”

Surprisingly, Chen Tianyin calmed down at this point. He fixed a dark gaze on Chen Fan.

Now that Chen Fan had unraveled their plans, pretense was unnecessary. They could use this opportunity to exert pressure on Chen Tianxiong.

“Hmph, you heard that, Chen Tianxiong. Tell me, how will you handle this matter?” Chen Tianyin shifted his gaze toward Chen Tianxiong.

Chen Fan’s glibness was useless now.

Chen Tianxiong had no idea Chen Fan had crippled Tan Yunbao on his way home. He had undoubtedly caused a huge trouble.

Still, he inquired, “Xiaofan, tell us what happened in detail.”

“Alright.”

Chen Fan recounted in detail the incident.

“Hmph, Chen Fan, you crippled Tan Yunbao for someone so insignificant. Do you realize the calamity you’ve brought upon our clan? You accuse me of vying for the position of young patriarch for my grandson, but as the young patriarch, have you considered the consequences of your actions? Are you qualified to be our young patriarch?” Chen Tianyin said.

“Insignificant?” Chen Fan scoffed. “Chen Tianyin, when did the descendants of our Chen Clan become insignificant in your eyes? Is this how our clan's Grand Elder behaves?

“Even if we ignore the matter of Tan Yunbao trying to capture our clan member, he tried to break my limbs and humiliate me. Was I supposed to stand there and endure the humiliation? Is that how you wanted our clan’s young patriarch to act?”

The statement left Chen Tianyin at a loss for words.

“What a sharp tongue, twisting words and forcing logic. Tan Yunbao was only scaring you. Would he really have acted on his words?” remarked a middle-aged man, stepping forward from behind Chen Tianyin. He was Chen Tianyin's son, Chen Hai, with an eighth-level cultivation.

“Trying to scare me?”

𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Chen Fan laughed and pointed at Chen Hai. “Step forward. I’ll slash at you once. You’re not allowed to retaliate. Tell me, will I act on my words?”

“Hmph, no matter how glib your tongue is, it doesn’t change the fact that you’ve committed a grave mistake!” Chen Hai harrumphed coldly and said, “Old Patriarch, Chen Fan must explain this—!”

“What explanation do you want? Let me hear it," interrupted someone with a cold voice.

A middle-aged man walked in. He was tall and slender, bearing a powerful aura, and resembled Chen Fan.

“Zhengqing.”

“Father.”

This person was none other than the current patriarch of Chen Clan, Chen Fan’s father, Chen Zhengqing.

Chen Zhengqing smiled when he saw Chen Fan and said, “No need to be scared, Xiaofan. You did the right thing. They dare bully our Chen Clan’s descendants in broad daylight, showing no respect for our clan. Crippling him was the right move!”

“Haha, Chen Zhengqing, you’re going to protect this little bastard?” Chen Hai raised his voice when he saw Chen Zhengqing walking in front of Chen Fan to shield him.

“If my son is a little bastard, then am I the old bastard?” Chen Zhengqing said indifferently, “Chen Hai, are you indirectly insulting me?

“Hmph!”

Chen Tianyin harrumphed coldly and said, “You came at the right time, Chen Zhengqing. Those two clans will surely attack our Chen Clan because of your son. We will have to pay a huge sum for compensation. Your son caused such heavy losses for the clan that not even death by a thousand cuts is enough to pay for his sins.

“You need to give an explanation to everyone. Chen Zhengqing, you failed to teach your son and are also partly responsible. You must resign from your position, and we’ll re-elect a patriarch.”

“Oh? You want a new patriarch? So, you want the young patriarch position and the patriarch position.”

Chen Zhengqing stood unmoving like a rock. “Who will be the patriarch? Is your son Chen Hai going to take the position? Is he worthy?”

“Chen Zhengqing!” Chen Hai shouted furiously, and cold qi immediately erupted from him.

Layers of ice crystals formed around him, flickering with light, his anger kindled by Chen Zhengqing's contemptuous attitude.

“What, you want to fight me?”

Chen Zhengqing stared at him with a sharp gaze, immediately melting away the surrounding ice.

“Enough!”

Chen Tianyin shouted coldly. His Qi Grandmaster aura erupted, and he said, “Chen Zhengqing, Chen Tianxiong, it’s a fact that Chen Fan crippled Tan Yunbao and slapped Liu Ruyan.

“Now that the Tan and Liu clans are joined by marriage, pulling a single hair will move the whole body. If the two clans decide to make things difficult for us, our clan will be in trouble. Do you want to see our Chen Clan’s foundation ruined?

“I’m here today not for the patriarch or young patriarch or whatever position. I am here for the future of our Chen Clan!” Chen Tianyin said righteously, making some of the elders who were originally on Chen Tianxiong’s side nod to themselves.

“Hmph, then what should we do, in your opinion?”

Chen Zhengqing harrumphed coldly. “Don’t bother opening your mouth if you’re going to suggest disposing of my son.”

“It’s fine if we don’t dispose of Chen Fan. Hear me out. First, the two clans will surely grab this opportunity to make a huge demand. We won’t take out a single cent to pay for the clan’s losses this time. Your son caused this. You can’t make everyone bear the burden. You have to think of a solution yourself.

“Second, you should resign as the clan's patriarch, Chen Zhengqing.

“Third, you must hand over your son and have him receive punishment in front of everyone to appease the two clans’ anger.”

Once Chen Zhengqing agreed to the conditions, Chen Tianyin, Chen Hai, and the others would become the ones in charge of making the decisions in the Chen Clan. If someone from them became the patriarch, the position of Chen Clan’s young patriarch would also go to Chen Tao.