Chapter 757

Lothema’s purpose was clear: he wanted to use Li Chen’s eyes and methods as an “ancient great being” to cultivate a few top-tier talents for his family, while also further demonstrating his loyalty to Li Chen and seeing if he could secure some favors.

And this was exactly what Li Chen had anticipated.

Li Chen stopped walking, his gaze coolly sweeping over the young faces on the training ground. After a moment’s pause, he spoke as if granting a mere favor: “Very well, since I have nothing better to do, go and summon every young descendant in your clan—no matter direct or collateral line—to the central square. Let me take a look.”

Lothema was overjoyed and immediately bowed deeply: “As Your Majesty commands!”

He immediately issued orders for all family members within the castle who met the age requirement—whether direct or collateral—to gather at the central square at once!

Not long after, Li Chen sat atop a temporary jade throne, placed on a luxurious velvet carpet in the center of the Whisperer family’s central square.

Below him, rows of young faces knelt in perfect formation—from teenagers to young men in their early twenties—numbering several hundred.

Each one trembled with excitement and fear, daring not to breathe, awaiting the inspection of the “Ancient Spirit King.”

Li Chen’s gaze slowly swept across the crowd, his brow barely twitching in faint displeasure.

He saw the chieftain’s son, the legitimate grandsons of several elders, and many young elites dressed in fine attire with strong spiritual presence.

But he saw no sign of Sylph.

Indeed, her status in this family was so low that she didn’t even have the qualification to attend such a collective inspection.

Li Chen sneered inwardly, yet his expression subtly shifted to clear displeasure and disappointment. He let out a soft “tch,” the sound faint but crystal-clear to every ear present:

“A family this large—and these are all the young bloodlines you have?”

His words fell like ice water, sending the kneeling youths into panic. Each lowered their heads further, drowning in fear and shame.

Even these, the family’s finest, were unworthy of His Majesty’s notice?

Lothema, standing beside Li Chen, was instantly drenched in cold sweat—his back soaked through.

He groaned inwardly: ‘Of course—an ancient supreme being! His standards are impossibly high! These are the family’s most gifted, most heavily cultivated talents! And still he rejects them!’

Seeing Li Chen lose interest and prepare to rise, Lothema gritted his teeth and, desperate, bowed urgently: “Forgive me, Your Majesty! It was my oversight! There are still collateral-line descendants and young ones assigned to duties elsewhere—I’ll summon them all immediately! Not a single one shall be left out!”

Lothema planned to summon every collateral-line member and menial servant.

All he now desired was for even one family member to catch His Majesty’s eye—even a casual comment would be a supreme honor for the clan!

Li Chen sat back down, giving a noncommittal “hmm,” granting silent approval.

Lothema felt as if released from death row. He personally dispatched his most trusted aides to swiftly gather every collateral-line descendant and menial servant—those long ignored, even forgotten in the shadows.

Li Chen sat upon the jade throne, leisurely sipping the tea offered by the Whisperer family—said to be brewed from a thousand-year snow-capped spiritual tea—occasionally picking up a small piece of delicate spirit-honey cake with a silver fork, as if this entire “selection” were merely a tedious pastime.

Amid Lothema’s anxious wait, another group of young descendants arrived in haste.

This group was no smaller, but their clothing was plainly worn, some still bearing traces of labor, their expressions far more fearful and uneasy—starkly contrasting the gilded, polished direct-line youths before them.