In the Moonlit Forest, a tense atmosphere enveloped the surroundings as the heated argument between Ling Feng Yun and Ling Chenyuan reached its peak.
The wind whispered through the trees, causing leaves to dance and setting the stage for the dramatic confrontation.
"Ling Feng Yun," Ling Chenyuan's voice quivered with a chilling edge, his words filled with a mixture of disbelief, pain, and anger.
"H-h-h... How... c-could youuuu.... even dare to contemplate forsaking our clan and weakening its foundation?
Do you not care about the consequences it could bring?" His voice trembled as he struggled to keep his emotions in check.
Ling Feng Yun's countenance remained unyielding, betraying no hint of remorse.
"I have my own motivations and dreams," he retorted, his words laced with apathetic indifference.
"Reasons that lie far beyond your understanding and concern."
"Do not spout such deceitful words! What possible justifications could ever justify the betrayal of the very clan that has nurtured and elevated you?" Ling Chenyuan's voice resonated with a mix of frustration and rage.
Ling Fengyun's narrowed gaze betrayed a flicker of cunningness, while within the depths of his composed demeanor, a glimmer of uncertainty remained.
"I have no intention of betraying the clan," he turned toward the crowd of the clan members and stated firmly.
However, his words were undermined by the wavering tremor in his voice, exposing the inner turmoil that plagued him.
He had always proclaimed his unwavering loyalty to the clan, yet deep down, an unquenchable yearning for something more*(Greed for power) coursed through his veins.
He longed to transcend his role as a Grand elder within the Ling Clan and grasp the reins of authority.
No longer could he endure the condescending gaze of Ling Chenyuan, the clan leader who he believed was holding the clan back.
Ling Fengyun's face was a mask of conflicting emotions.
"My loyalty lies with the clan," he again turned toward Ling Chenyuan, who was standing off to the side, his face twisted in anger and he felt a surge of hatred toward him.
He had always been jealous of Ling Chenyuan's position as clan leader, and now he had the perfect opportunity to take it from him, so he continued,
"But it does not mean blind obedience to the current leadership. I envision a future of greatness for our clan, and I refuse to let it be hindered by those lacking the vision to perceive it."
The crowd listened in silence, their expressions ranging from shock to disbelief.
Some of them began to whisper amongst themselves, and there was a growing sense of unrest in the air.
Some of them were clenching their fists, and their faces were flushed with rage.
Ling Fengyun could feel their eyes on him, and he knew that they were judging him.
The weight of his own hypocrisy weighed heavily on him. He knew that he was being dishonest, and he felt ashamed of himself. He tried to suppress his doubts, but they kept creeping back into his mind.
He knew that his ambitions contradicted his supposed allegiance to the clan, but he couldn't ignore the burning desire within him.
So, he justified his actions by convincing himself that they were for the greater good and his dreams and that he was the one who could guide the clan to greatness.
Ling Chenyuan snarled in anger. "You dare speak of vision? All I see is your insatiable ambition.
You would discard everything we have worked for, solely for your personal gain."
Ling Feng Yun's face remained impassive as he spoke, his voice as cold as stone. "I seek what is best for the clan. If that means departing, so be it."
Hidden malice flickered in his eyes as he continued, "In fact, it is you, Ling Chenyuan, who is blinded by your love for your son.
Your favoritism towards him has hindered the clan's progress for far too long, and you are to be held accountable for it."
Ling Feng Yun's gaze bore into Ling Chenyuan's eyes, as he continued, his voice dripping with disdain.
"A person who treads lightly, displaying a lack of ambition and a coward, can be none other than you," he uttered with a mix of anger and disappointment.
"You back away from taking risks, avoiding confrontation at every turn, content to remain in the confines of your own safety zone."
Ling Chenyuan's face contorted with anger, veins in his forehead bulging.
"You accuse me of being blinded by my love for my son, yet it's you who are blinded by your own nonsensical ambition and greed, not understanding that it could bring destruction to the clan!" he roared.
His voice trembled with rage as he continued.
"You treacherous hypocrite want Ling Tian to participate in this contest, even though he is merely at the 3rd level of body tempering, fully aware that it would be suicidal for him to face mid- and peak-level common beasts!
Your actions are not driven by the best interest of the clan, but rather by the pursuit of your own selfish ambitions!"
Ling Feng Yun's expression contorted with amusement, his lips curling into a twisted grin.
"You speak as if I am the only one with ambition* (meaning there are others, who want to make their clan more powerful and Mighty).
I simply hold a different vision for the clan's future. A future where talent and merit are valued above all else, regardless of family ties."
His eyes gleamed with disdain and loathing.
"And as for your son, Ling Tian, he has yet to prove himself.
Your claims of his breakthrough at a critical juncture are nothing more than lies to shield your own flesh and blood."
Ling Feng Yun's expression contorted with a mixture of madness and amusement, his lips curling into a twisted grin.
As he spoke, his voice carried a deranged fervor, laced with a touch of arrogance.
"HAHAHAHA! And I will make the clan achieve greatness! One that will see us rise to heights never before imagined, and leave our mark on history forever." he exclaimed, his words dripping with madness.
His eyes gleamed with a cunning light, betraying the depths of his deceptive nature.
At that moment, Ling Feng Yun seemed consumed by a delusion of superiority, his distorted vision clouding his judgment.
He continued with a manic laughter bubbling from deep within, resonating with a chilling echo through the once serene forest.
The sound reverberated, reflecting the darkness that had enveloped his heart.
Ling Chenyuan's face hardened, his expression full of disbelief at how stupid and greedy Ling Fengyun was for power.
His patience seemed to have reached its limit, and he didn't want to listen to any more nonsense.
He turned to the people of his clan and loudly questioned them, "Everyone, who is the ruler of Yueming Kingdom? Who holds the most supreme power here? Who is the true giant?"
When everyone heard this, they were a bit shocked and stupefied, because everyone in Yueming Kingdom knew who was the supreme power of the kingdom.
One of the juniors from the new generation spoke up, "It's the royal family of the Yueming Kingdom, the Ye family."
When Ling Chenyuan heard this, he continued with his questioning,
"Then tell me, would the giant let someone else rise to power under his nose to oppose it? Can there exist two lions in the same territory?"
This time, everyone was shaken, as they understood the hidden meaning behind the clan leader's question.
Can a giant let someone else rise to power under his nose to oppose it?
Can there exist two lions in the same territory? It was clear that they would never let it happen, and they would destroy anyone who questioned their authority.
This time, one of the seven elders of the Ling clan came forward and spoke up, "Never. The emperor would never let this happen. It's his domain."
Ling Chenyuan got his answer and continued, but this time his voice was piercingly cold, no longer questioning but instead reprimanding as he turned toward Ling Fengyun, who was watching this unfold with a nasty expression as he had eaten shit.
"Huh? And yet you old fool want to make the clan stronger and achieve your ridiculous greed for power when you have nothing to support, nothing to rely upon, and nothing to counter the giant?" he asked.
He continued laughing mockingly as he glanced at everyone and continued,
"Which is truly ridiculous. I was watching previously all of you, when this old fool"
he turned to Ling Fengyun and pointed his finger at him, "was speaking his nonsense and noticed that a lot of people had an admiring reaction and burning passion, showing that they agree with this fool's ambitions.
The passion for the greatness of the clan is admirable and boastful, but you need power for that to be realized."
His voice again turned cold as an abyss. "But you fools, tell me, does the Ling clan have the power to go against the royal family, whose head is an Earth-rank partitioner who alone can destroy our family?
When the emperor has allocated one of the three major cities to the four Great families of the kingdom so they can keep each other in check, knowing full well the ambitions of the four families?
And you all know full well that if His Majesty found out about the rebellion, you know full well that it's a capital crime, and seven generations of the clan will be punished or might be eradicated."
When he finished speaking, he turned to look at everyone's expressions.
Shshhhh~~~
Pure silence. As everyone presents gulped a mouthful of saliva, petrified, not daring to deny the powerful claim.