Chapter 2154

Lu Zhensheng defended himself weakly: "This is a treasure left by our immortal ancestor for descendants—how, how could it harm anyone!"

How feeble and powerless this argument was, all the Lu family members present heard it clearly.

"Is that so?" He Lingchuan pointed to the golden ring, "Since you say it won't harm anyone, if you can just hold it, I will immediately withdraw my troops and never set foot in Bailie again—how about that?"

Lu Zhensheng clasped his hands inside his sleeves, not daring to stretch them out.

Earlier, the two black-armored soldiers died upon touching it—he himself would not be an exception.

He Lingchuan first tossed him aside, then only asked the Lu clan elders, such as Lu Lianqing: "In this verification, which of the clan elders saw clearly?"

Lu Lianyun glanced at Lu Zhensheng, hesitated for a second, was about to speak, but Lu Lianqing had already spoken first, his voice booming like a bell, ensuring everyone inside and outside the ancestral hall heard clearly:

"The verification is clear—the immortal ancestor's treasure not only acknowledges the Great Emperor, but even becomes complete in his hands. You, you truly are indeed the son of destiny of our Lu family!"

This reasoning, the other clan elders nodded in agreement one after another.

The performance of the Nine Abyssal Great Emperor had already exceeded everyone's expectations—not surprise, but terror.

To speak frankly, even if the immortal ancestor's treasure could not destroy him, shaking one's head would bring consequences I could certainly not bear.

Moreover, if the Lu family could have such a formidable clan leader, wouldn't that be a hundred times stronger than Lu Zhensheng, this good-for-nothing?

After recognizing the Nine Abyssal Great Emperor as clan leader, would Bailie still need to endure humiliation in the future?

At this moment, the designation of "son of destiny" no longer needed Lu Zhensheng's approval.

Lu Zhenxian immediately interjected: "With great destiny upon one's person, one need not fear this deadly trap where touching means death! The Great Emperor as leader of my Lu family—please accept my bow, Zhenxian!"

One sentence, and the contradiction was thrust back onto Lu Zhensheng. Then he led the whole family in kowtowing to the Nine Abyssal Great Emperor, seeking to solidify this conclusion.

The Lu Liu family immediately knelt down, and the ball was kicked to the feet of other Lu family members.

To follow or not to follow in kneeling? To kneel is to acknowledge the Nine Abyssal Great Emperor's status as clan leader!

Not kneeling...

In this situation, could one possibly refrain from kneeling?

"Wait!" The Commander of Martial Affairs gritted his teeth and shouted, "The succession of the Lu clan chieftain has always required reporting to Moudu and receiving investiture from the Great Mou Emperor—private bestowal is not permitted."

How could he not know the current situation was unfavorable to him? But duty calls. He was sent to protect Lu Zhensheng—how could he stare wide-eyed at the Lu clan chieftain changing hands and remain silent?

"Always?" Lu Feiyan sneered, "Mou State has existed for only over 150 years since its founding, while our Lu family's history spans nearly three thousand years. Before Mou State was established, who came to bestow investiture upon the Lu clan chieftain? Ridiculous!"

The Nine Abyssal Great Emperor paid no heed to the Commander of Martial Affairs.

Not in a hurry.

He only swept his gaze across the other Lu clan elders.

Lu Lao San and Lu Lao Wu were still somewhat hesitant, but upon meeting his gaze, they instantly shuddered and knelt.

The other clan elders also followed suit and dropped to their knees.

As for the other Lu family members, needless to say—the clan elders and stewards had all knelt; who among us would not kneel?

Clatter-clatter-clatter—all the sounds of knees hitting the ground.

Inside and outside the ancestral hall, everyone knelt in a mass.

After just over ten breaths, those still standing upright in the field, aside from the Mou soldiers and black-armored troops, were only Lu Zhensheng and his son.

The Commander of Martial Affairs' face alternated between green and pale—the Lu family had slapped him in the face with their actions.

Lu Zhenxian had not yet risen when he loudly declared: "Report to the clan leader: the previous clan head, Lu Xuan Yuan, died suddenly in an accident, and his kneeling posture was exactly the same as these two black-armored guards! At the time it was an unsolved mystery, but now—now—"

He pointed at Lu Zhensheng: "You had better explain yourself clearly!"

He was simply following the principle of suspecting whoever benefited most and whoever was most suspicious—no fault in that.

The previous Lu clan head was Lu Xuan Yuan of the main line, namely Lu Xiaoyun's father and He Lingchuan's maternal grandfather. He died unexpectedly, Lu Xiaoyun lost her support, Lu Zhensheng bullied her as a helpless woman, smoothly seized the clan head position, and Lu Xiaoyun was forced to flee overseas.

Lu Xuan Yuan's death was suspicious, and for years it had been the subject of much gossip, though clan members, even if they suspected Lu Zhensheng, had not a shred of evidence.

After experiencing today's upheaval, not only Lu Zhenxian but others also harbored secret doubts.

"Nonsense!" Lu Zhensheng flew into a rage, "Even if Lu Xuan Yuan was killed by the immortal ancestor's treasure, what does that have to do with me?"

The past is like wind-blown clouds—where could there still be evidence directly linking him to Lu Xuan Yuan's death?

He here harbored a侥幸 (hopeful侥幸), but the Nine Abyssal Great Emperor curled his finger, summoning the gold snake biting the ring before him, and blew lightly.

Immediately, a sheet of golden light spread toward all directions.

Within a radius of fifty zhang, everyone was swept by the golden light.

Everyone was startled, the timid immediately went weak in the legs, fearing to follow in the footsteps of those two black-armored guards—but they soon discovered the golden light passing over their bodies felt only slightly cool, causing no harm whatsoever.

Lu Qingbin turned his head to look at his sister and father, his face full of astonishment: "You, you! Behind your heads..."

Lu Feiyan interjected: "You too!"

Those swept by the golden light saw one after another image appear behind their heads—illusory, like a revolving lantern.

The image appearing behind Lu Qingbin was of studying martial arts, commanding troops, and killing.

Behind Luo Xie, it was of paying respects to a master and the destruction of a village.

The images appearing behind each person were different, yet they themselves remained unaware.

After just about fifteen breaths, the light and shadow gradually faded, and the scene returned to calm.

Lu Lianyun said weakly: "What, what are these?"

"They are the pivotal moments of destiny in your lives." He Lingchuan added rigorously, "Up to now, their existence has constructed the course of your lives."

Lu Qing'an stared fixedly at the image behind Lu Zhensheng's head, his voice trembling: "Father, father!"

Lu Zhensheng looked behind himself, saw nothing, but knew something was wrong: "I, I—is there... behind my head?"

Lu Qing'an nodded, his face turning pale.

The illusory images behind others' heads had vanished, but only Lu Zhensheng's continued.

Right there in the open, before everyone's eyes.

He Lingchuan pressed his index, middle, and thumb together, then gently expanded outward—the illusory image behind Lu Zhensheng's head suddenly enlarged.

Now everyone could see clearly.

And the fateful moments unique to Lu Zhensheng included killing, offering sacrifices at the ancestral shrine, and so on. But what held everyone's gaze was another set of images:

Still in this ancestral shrine, two people stood before the spirit altar—one was Lu Zhensheng, but looking much younger, and the other—

Lu Zhenxian blurted out: "That is the family head, Lu Xuan yuan!"

Lu Xuan yuan's expression was somewhat angry, as if he had scolded Lu Zhensheng, and was about to turn and leave.

Unexpectedly, Lu Zhensheng suddenly drew his blade and pressed it against the back of Lu Xuan yuan's neck, forcing him to walk to the cauldron, and then slapped it with one palm, activating it.

Lu Xuan yuan naturally did not want to reach out, but Lu Zhensheng said something unknown, and Lu Xuan yuan finally sighed deeply, raising his hand to press against the bronze fragments inside the cauldron.

What happened afterward was known to all the Lu family members watching.

After more than twenty years, no one had expected to witness the scene of the murder replayed from that day.