C86 What Right Do You Have to Oppose Me?
C86 What Right Do You Have to Oppose Me?
After all, there were very few direct descendants in the Chu Family. In fact, most of them were members of the branch family and outsiders who were loyal to the family. His words were obviously looking down on these people who had lower status than him.
"So why should I object? The Chu Family values martial arts and is famous for their outstanding skill in alchemy. Furthermore, our ancestors advocate the use of morals to persuade others and to manage the family, giving suggestions here and there."
"Grand Elder, Patriarch, I feel that your decision will only harm the development of the Chu Family, which thus justifies my doubts."
Chu Hongwei's third reason for objecting the decision came from one of the rules of Chu Family, which was out of everyone's expectation.
"Chu Hongwei, I had always thought that you were an unwise warrior. I never thought you would become so smart after a few years of training," the Grand Elder said with a smile when he saw Chu Hongwei's objection.
"Grand Elder, it doesn't matter whether I am a warrior or not. What matters is how you answer my question." For the sake of Young Patriarch's position, Chu Hongwei no longer cared about anything else. At this point, he certainly wasn't afraid of offending Grand Elder.
If he could turn the tables today, even if he offended Grand Elder, he would still have a chance to ease the relationship between him and Grand Elder in the future. However, if he ended up failing, he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to stay in Chu Family anymore. Perhaps his life might even be in danger.
Because of this reason, the Second Elder, who originally wanted to berate his son, opted to remain silent and let him do whatever he wanted.
As long as he didn't step forward to help, even if Chu Hongwei failed today, given his status and prestige, it wouldn't be a problem for him to protect his son.
"Chu Hongwei, allow me to refute your claims!" Chu Zhongtian exclaimed upon seeing Chu Tianyun's face turned livid, the Grand Elder laughing in anger, and the Second Elder remaining silent. He knew full well that he needed to step forth now.
If he didn't want to be Young Patriarch, he could choose to stay silent or even leave early. But since he absolutely needed that position, he had no choice but to refute at that moment.
"I wonder just how the future Young Patriarch will respond to my objections!" Chu Hongwei laughed in his heart when he saw Chu Zhongtian taking the initiative to step forward.
The reason why he took the risk to offend Grand Elder just now was precisely to drag Chu Zhongtian into the conversation. Since the Grand Elder has a lot of experience in such matters, he would easily be able to refute Chu Hongwei's objections after recovering from his initial shock.
But could the same be said for Chu Zhongtian?
Figuring that Chu Zhongtian was still young and inexperienced, Chu Hongwei assumed that it would be impossible for him to give everyone a satisfactory answer. He also intended to take advantage of this opporutnity to make Chu Zhongtian lose fact in front of the whole family and humiliate him to the point where he would be embarrassed to take over the position of the Young Patriarch.
"Chu Hongwei, I will use three counter-arguments to refute your three reasons for opposing my succession!" Chu Zhongtian said in a relaxed manner as the corners of his mouth curled up.
"Chu Hongwei, you are already twenty years old this year. Having started cultivating at the age of sixteen, you've been using countless precious resources to improve your cultivation over the past four years. Even then, you've barely managed to break through to the Third Layer of the Body Refining Realm."
"But what about me? I'm only seventeen this year. With my meridians being damaged for nearly a whole year, I've only started cultivating again two months ago, yet I'm already at the Sixth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm and on the verge of breaking through to the Seventh Layer of the Qi Refining Realm. What right do you have to say that I'm weaker than you?" Chu Zhongtian spoke with an increasingly intense tone.
"That's right. If Young Master Tian hadn't mentioned that to me, I wouldn't have even thought about it. To actually breakthrough six minor realms in the span of two months, he must certainly be some sort of genius!"
"Yeah, I spent nearly two and a half years, yet I've only broken through to the Sixth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm myself."
"With Young Master Tian's talent, couldn't he very well surpass Chu Hongwei within a single year?"
After all, Chu Zhongtian's meridians had been damaged for nearly a whole year. Having been sent to Luolin Town at that time, he laid low and stayed out of everyone's sight. As such, everyone forgot that he had not cultivated for almost a whole year. It was only after hearing his words that they suddenly recalled something.
He had only used two months to break through a total of six minor realms! With his speed of cultivation, it would certainly not take long for him to catch up to Chu Hongwei.
The ones who initially doubted Chu Zhongtian's cultivation and strength immediately changed their minds and started supporting him instead.
"You!" Chu Hong was rendered speechless, never expecting Chu Zhongtian to refute his statements using such logic and reasoning. In fact, Chu Hongwei had no way of refuting his counter-argument whatsoever as both his talent and comprehension ability were incredibly shocking.
"As for your second reason of objection, Chu Hongwei, I can only say one thing about it. You're simply an ignorant fool!" Chu Zhongtian shouted as he jumped onto the high platform and pointed at the rest of the Chu Family members in the plaza.
"Chu Hongwei, turn around and take a look. Look at the people behind you. Most of them are from the branch of the Chu Family, as well as outsiders who have been working for the Chu Family all these years. Without them, would the Chu Family have become one of the three great families in the state of Qi?"
"If they had not poured their blood, sweat, and tears everyday for the sake of our Chu Family, do you think you'd be living your current peaceful life right now?"
"If they had not worked their hearts out during their time outside the family, do you think you'd have enough resources to help you in your cultivation? Do you think you'd have broken through to the Body Refining Realm at the age of twenty?"
"Chu Hongwei, in exchange for your worry-free life, these people had to work extremely hard every single day, so how dare you look down on them? Do you still have any conscience left in you?" The last sentence can be considered to have been said by Chu Zhongtian with his utmost sincerity.
If he hadn't transmigrated and obtained the ability to replicate techinques, he would most likely have been standing among the crowd that Chu Hongwei was looking down on today. Thus, Chu Zhongtian could be said to have uttered those words earnestly. At the same time, those exact words of his touched the hearts of all the branch disciples present.
"Well said!"
"That's right. Chu Zhongtian, you've spoken everything we would've wanted to say in our stead. We've been toiling in the outside world all for the sake of the Chu Family, not for letting such a shameless person like Chu Hongwei live a comfortable life."
"Yeah! If it weren't for us working so hard to earn the Spirit Stones and other cultivation resources, how could Chu Hongwei have broken through to the Body Refining Realm?"
"Chu Zhongtian, you're slandering me! That's not what meant at all!" Chu Zhongtian's explanation and everyone's reaction made Chu Hongwei realize that he had just made a crucial mistake, a rather fatal one in fact. In other words, even if he managed to defeat Chu Zhongtian today, he would not be the one having the last laugh.
On the other hand, the second objection raised by Chu Hongwei actually sounded reasonable in the hearts of the disciples of the Chu Family. After all, they have never once considered the disciples of the branch families as the cornerstones of their growth. This was also the reason why none of the elders present felt disgusted by Chu Hongwei's argument. The members of the branch families could only sigh helplessly.
At that moment, Chu Zhongtian's arguments had not only provoked thought in the minds of the clansmens but also the disicples of direct descent within the Chu Family. Even Chu Tianyun and the other elders had fallen into deep thought upon hearing his words.