Chapter 161: Clan Ascension

Because of Second Uncle Hua's disturbance, the atmosphere in the Hua family courtyard was somewhat subdued. It wasn't until Old Master Hua stepped in that the second and fourth branches were sent back to the rear courtyard.

"Jiuniang, did I cause you trouble?"

After the front courtyard quieted down, Hua Liulang entered Hua Changxi's room with a look of remorse.

Hua Changxi looked at him: "Sixth Brother, the spirit stones you earn are yours to spend as you wish. Not only I, but no one else in the family has the right to interfere."

"If someone develops feelings because of your distribution of spirit stones, that's not your problem—it's theirs. I won't take on other people's troubles, and you don't have to either."

Hua Liulang said in a low voice: "Although what Second Uncle said made me very angry, if I really had to completely ignore them, I couldn't do that either."

Hua Changxi: "After experiencing it a few more times, you'll understand what you truly want. Once you clarify your own needs, making decisions won't be hard."

Hua Liulang looked at Hua Changxi curiously: "Jiuniang, are you so decisive with the family because you already know what you truly want?"

Hua Changxi: "...What I want, I'm still searching for; but what I don't want, I've already made clear. I want to live my own life. I make my own decisions. Anyone who tries to impose their will on me is someone I need to stay away from."

Upon hearing this, Hua Liulang fell into deep thought.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Hua Hongqi's party and the Sheng family's party had each returned to their respective residences.

Dingyuan Bo Mansion.

As soon as Hua Hongqi returned to the mansion, he went to the study to see the Bo Ye and the Shizi.

"Grandfather, Father."

Hua Boye looked at his eldest grandson and asked with a smile: "How did you feel visiting Hua Bin's house today?"

Hua Hongqi said solemnly: "Grandson feels that we should pay a bit more attention to Hua Bin Ye's family."

Hua Boye and Hua Shizi both looked over, waiting for Hua Hongqi to continue.

Hua Hongqi: "Before, our family's focus on Hua Bin Ye's family was mainly on Hua Shiniang of Taisu Palace. But after meeting Hua Jiuniang today, Grandson feels that Hua Shiniang's twin sister is also far from simple."

Hua Boye became interested: "Oh, how is she not simple?"

Hua Hongqi quickly recounted how Hua Changxi had used spiritual pressure to intimidate the clan elders, struck down the spirit beasts of Hua Hongguang and Sheng Pengfei, and thrown the two out of the Hua family courtyard.

"From a mundane perspective, this young lady Hua Jiuniang is indeed a bit too unruly and arrogant. But Grandson saw in her a kind of confidence that looks down on everything."

With that, Hua Hongqi took out the jade pendant that had been cracked by Hua Changxi's external spiritual pressure: "Moreover, Hua Jiuniang's cultivation... is unfathomable."

After looking at the jade pendant, Hua Boye and Hua Shizi exchanged a silent glance.

Seeing the two silent, Hua Hongqi added: "Grandfather previously asked Grandson to register those clan members with lotus markings on their bodies, right? Hua Jiuniang has a red lotus between her brows."

Hearing this, Hua Boye's spirits lifted: "Are you sure the lotus on Hua Jiuniang's forehead wasn't painted on by herself?"

Hua Hongqi: "Grandson cannot confirm that yet, but the red lotus between Hua Jiuniang's brows is too lifelike. Grandson thinks it's impossible to achieve such an effect by painting."

After hearing this, Hua Boye was silent for a moment, then looked at the Shizi: "Find a way to arrange Shu Ran into the No. 13 Qi-Huang Clinic, and make sure to find out what's going on with the lotus pattern on Hua Jiuniang's forehead."

Seeing Hua Boye take this matter so seriously, Hua Hongqi asked in confusion: "Grandfather, does the lotus marking on clan members have some special meaning?"

Hua Boye looked at his grandson, thought for a moment, and decided it was time to tell him some things: "In ancient times, every clan had its own totem. Our Hua clan also had its own totem."

Hua Hongqi was stunned: "The Hua clan's totem is... a lotus?"

Hua Boye nodded.

Hua Shizi took over: "After all, ancient times are far from the present. Over so many years, the clan's bloodline has been diluted considerably. Those who can reveal the totem marking are people with atavistic abilities."

Hua Hongqi's eyes trembled: "Atavism..."

Hua Shizi: "As long as one can atavize, one can obtain atavistic divine abilities." With that, he sighed. Not a single person in the direct line of the Bo Mansion carried a lotus marking.

Hua Hongqi thought of something and looked at Hua Boye: "Grandfather, when we visited Wuyi Hou Mansion before, the golden tiger that He Zhixuan released externally—was that the He family's atavistic divine ability?"

Hua Boye nodded: "Correct. Now you understand why Wuyi Hou Mansion would go to such lengths to befriend Hua Bin's family, right?"

Hua Hongqi nodded: "When He Zhixuan released the golden tiger, Grandson saw that his body was very tense. Releasing a divine ability requires a strong body as support. The He family wants Hua Bin Ye's body refinement technique."

Hua Shizi: "It's not the Qi-Huang Body Refinement Technique, but the Nine Revolutions Mystic Art."

Hearing this, Hua Hongqi's mind conjured the image of Hua Jiuniang, and he said with some schadenfreude: "The He family is probably going to be disappointed. Hua Jiuniang won't hand over the Nine Revolutions Mystic Art."

Then, his smile faded, and he looked at Hua Boye and Hua Shizi with a bitter face, "If the He family can't get it, neither can we."

Hua Boye stroked his beard: "Hua Bin still has some feelings for the clan."

Hua Hongqi shook his head: "It's useless. When Hua Jiuniang intimidated the clan elders, she didn't even spare Hua Bin. She won't listen to Hua Bin."

Hua Shizi said: "Since appealing to emotions won't work, then cooperate. For the Hua Bin family to rise again, they need the support of the marquis's estate and the clan. Now the court is unstable, and everywhere is becoming more chaotic. Fighting alone won't work."

Hua Hongqi nodded, and as he spoke, he took out a pouch containing fifty spirit stones: "This was given by Hua Liulang when we left the Hua family. Every guest had one."

Seeing the spirit stones, Hua Boye and Hua Shizi were both stunned: "Hua Bin actually has a spirit mine in his hands."

Hua Hongqi recalled the reactions of the Hua family members when Hua Liulang gave the spirit stones. Only Hua Jiuniang looked indifferent, while everyone else had pained expressions.

"The spirit mine is probably not controlled by Hua Bin. It should be Hua Jiuniang's."

Hua Boye looked over: "What do you mean?"

Hua Hongqi: "Your grandson means that Hua Jiuniang probably hasn't turned the spirit mine over to the family."

Hearing this, Hua Boye was stunned for a long time. Before, when others said Hua Jiuniang was unruly and arrogant, he hadn't felt much. But not turning the spirit mine over to the family made him deeply realize what kind of person Hua Jiuniang truly was.

"Not handing over resources like a spirit mine to the family — Hua Jiuniang really is someone who has no family in her heart."

Hua Hongqi: "It's not to the point of having no family in her heart. The spiritual energy density in the Hua family courtyard is several times richer than that in our cultivation room. To maintain the operation of the spirit gathering array, the monthly consumption of spirit stones is no small amount. Hua Jiuniang still has her family in her heart."