Chapter 2605

Seeing the complex looks of these few Heavenly Spirit Tribe elders, Huang Lao laughed.

"No need to ask your Spirit Ancestor, right?"

"Senior, you…………………………"

"Haha, I was just speaking offhand. Alright, you handle things behind closed doors yourselves, then come find me later."

"Yes."

Upon hearing this, although the few Heavenly Spirit Tribe elders felt some anger inside, they still nodded.

Afterwards they left straight away, leaving only the few Heavenly Spirit Tribe elders and the Spirit Ancestor inside the hall.

They are a family; settling their own affairs behind closed doors, it's not proper for an outsider like Huang Lao to be present.

After returning to their residence, Ye Zhangqing, Xu Jie, and Zhao Zhengping saw Huang Lao come back and also curiously asked.

"Huang Lao, how did it go?"

"It's indeed dog-blood drama, but those few old fellows of the Heavenly Spirit Tribe have indeed surrendered; as for that Spirit Ancestor, I heavily injured him, and he'll probably be dealt with."

"After all, with his actions, no one will obey him in the future."

"Indeed, the clan chief actually fears these things; shouldn't he be happier the more outstanding the younger generation becomes?"

"Who knows? With a thousand people, a thousand faces, everyone is different."

The Spirit Ancestor's actions can only be said to stem from caring too much—caring about power and status, caring about the respect of the clansmen.

He fears that one day he will fall from his divine pedestal, and fears that someone within the Heavenly Spirit Tribe will replace him.

This is evident from the fact that even with only a breath left, he still clings tightly to power in his own hands.

If it were anyone else, after sustaining such injuries they wouldn't have the energy to worry about these matters, let alone think about eating more or playing more.

However, these matters have nothing to do with Ye Zhangqing and the others; they just treated it as idle chatter.

After a full day passed, those few Heavenly Spirit Tribe elders finally appeared at Ye Zhangqing's residence to pay respects to Huang Lao.

They only said one sentence.

"Senior, our Spirit Ancestor perished last night; now we few are in charge of the Heavenly Spirit Tribe."

"Hmm, then each of you shall submit two strands of soul origin."

Upon hearing this, Huang Lao calmly said, without further inquiry, that death and dissipation of the soul is normal, and as for the secrets therein, there's no need to elaborate.

But the few elders were stunned, and one voiced doubt.

"Senior, why two strands?"

Having surrendered to the Human Race, as Heavenly Spirit Tribe elders, submitting their own soul origin is unproblematic; it should be so.

After all, since you chose to submit, you must give them some leverage; this also serves as a guarantee.

But usually only one strand is submitted; how did it become two here?

Huang Lao's explanation for this is also simple.

"Keep one strand as a backup."

"Huh???"

Upon saying this, the few Heavenly Spirit Tribe elders were stunned.

"Is this thing even needing a backup? Are you sure you're not joking?"

Seeing the few completely bewildered, Huang Lao laughed and said.

"The soul origin normally has no use; it merely controls the soul—one strand or two makes no difference."

"That's how you put it, but Senior, according to the rules this should be……………………"

"Rules? Aren't my words now the rules?"

"Yes yes, this……………………"

Huang Lao's words naturally became the rule; after hesitating repeatedly, the few Heavenly Spirit Tribe elders each ultimately submitted two strands of soul origin.

Indeed, as Huang Lao said, this soul origin—whether one or two strands—actually makes little difference.

Their reluctance stems only from the fact that submitting an extra strand adds another potential danger, since whoever holds this soul origin can control their life and death.

This is worry about future mishaps, such as the soul origin being unfortunately lost, etc.

But faced with Huang Lao's dominance, they couldn't refuse; having come this far, they had no choice but to submit.

After receiving the soul origins of the few, Huang Lao nodded in satisfaction, but his next statement truly left them dumbfounded.

"Hmm, not bad; the soul origins of the others, you have one day to hand them over to me, same rule—each person two strands."

"Huh???"

Upon saying this, the few Heavenly Spirit Tribe elders were truly stunned—other people? What other people?

"Senior, what you're saying……………………"

"Didn't you understand? The other members of your Heavenly Spirit Tribe."

"Ah……………………………"

Upon hearing this, the few fell completely silent.

Never heard of the whole clan having to submit soul origins; when other extraterrestrial tribes beyond the heavens choose to submit, it's only the clan elders, at most plus the clan chief—figures of elder rank and above—submitting their soul origins suffices.

Where has there ever been a case of the whole clan submitting?

Although the Heavenly Spirit Tribe in Beyond the Heavens isn't a major clan, when you add up everyone from top to bottom, the tribe numbers in the hundreds of thousands.

You want all of them to submit—isn't that a bit exaggerated?

One elder, with a strange expression, said.

"Senior, requiring the entire populace to submit—isn't that a bit too outrageous?"

Having mustered the courage to speak up, and indeed it's outrageous, it's just too damn outrageous.

With those hundreds of thousands of people, just lining up for a meal would already take considerable time.

"Just seeking peace and stability."

But Huang Lao gave no further explanation, didn't even give those few a chance to refuse, and simply decided as such.

In one day, anyone who refuses to turn it over is insincere, and insincerity harbors a future betrayal risk—so we must nip it in the bud.

Then don't blame him for being ruthless.

Huh???

Huang Lao's words truly left those few Heavenly Spirit Tribe elders stunned.

How did you figure all this out? We few elders have already turned it over—isn't that enough?

If it's not enough, just have the elders give more—do the common tribespeople really need to?

Besides, you don't even spare the elderly and children—this is over the top; what threat could they possibly pose?

Unfortunately, Huang Lao was adamant, and he directly ordered those few elders to go prepare.

At this time tomorrow, hand over the origin souls of all Heavenly Spirit Tribe members.

Stunned, they walked out of the courtyard, and an elder spoke up.

"Are we really going to hand it over?"

"What should we do then?"

"But with so many people, how are we to do it?"

Each handle their own line, gather them swiftly, and allow no refusal.

Sigh, there's nothing else we can do.

These few Heavenly Spirit Tribe elders are the heads of each branch in the tribe, which is why they were selected as tribal elders.

They enjoy high prestige in their respective branches, so assigning each to oversee their own line will surely be more convenient.

But isn't there still one elder whose mind has already broken?

At this point, someone remembered and asked.

"What about the Xuan line? Their elder's mind has already shattered."

"... First we handle our own, then after finishing we'll all go to the Xuan line together."

"Alright."

Immediately, the few elders went their separate ways; Huang Lao gave only one day—this time is tight and the task heavy, permitting no delay.

Meanwhile, in Yuàn zhōng, Huang Lao kept one portion of the origin soul for himself and tossed the other to Xu Jie.

Old Three, take this; with it you can command the Heavenly Spirit Tribe.

Huh???