Most of the people on the table stayed silent. They had all heard of the patriarch's poisoning, and anyone with a functioning brain would know that since they were all called here for an emergency meeting, the rumors must be true.
Bai Yuchen was enraged by the man's attitude, "This isn't the time for jokes third brother", he roared, "if we don't find a way to save him, then our clan is done for"
The man's smirk fell instantly, his usual arrogance nowhere to be seen. He had lived a carefree life, where everywhere he went, his word was law, all because of the strength of his father, so now he felt like his world came crashing down on him. "Impossible, impossible, impossible..." he muttered with a blank expression.
An elderly man with a long white beard interjected with a worried face, "Since the clan's rise we have made many enemies, and now that the patriarch is poisoned they won't waste this chance"
One of the men suddenly slammed the table and spoke with a threatening tone, his body emitting a heavy second rank of martial arts pressure, "There is a traitor among us! The patriarch never left the clan manor for the past year but he still somehow got poisoned", he said his eyes like daggers stabbing into the hearts of the surrounding people, "WHO IS IT?"
Bai Yuchen hurriedly interjected, "We can't afford to have an internal strife right now, second brother", he said his eyes scanning everyone, "if anyone has a suggestion to solve this calamity, please feel free to speak"
A long silence ensued. Every single clansman looked down in shame. They all relied heavily on the patriarch's strength, and now that he was out of the picture, they all seemed helpless.
THUD!
At that moment, the door suddenly swung open, and a young man with sword-like eyebrows and bronze skin entered the room with slow and confident steps. He had his long crimson hair in a warrior bun and was wearing a dirty black robe with the word Bai engraved in blood red.
Bai Yuchen frowned slightly, "Zhiyuan, this isn't a place you can enter yet"
Bai Zhiyuan smiled slightly his deep black eyes oozing out with confidence, "Father, I know that only the older generation is allowed to join this meeting, but I have found a way to save grandfather!"
Instantly, the room descended into chaos, as the clansmen turned agitated.
"little Zhiyuan this is no joking matter", one of the old men scolded in an angry tone.
"We already don't have much time, and this kid is wasting it even more. I say we punish him by taking away his qualifications to participate in the war for the clan inheritance" another man added his eyes flashing with malice. Even when the clan's future was on the line some of the greedy people couldn't stop competing for the clan's resources.
Bai Yuchen suddenly spoke, "Give him a chance, we don't have any suggestions to do anyway", he had been observing his son since he had entered, but he felt a whole new feeling from him.
His son had always been shy and cowardly not even daring to raise his head in front of the upper clansmen. But he seemed to have completely transformed, his head was held high almost looking down on the clansmen and his eyes held an icy indifference as if this whole ordeal was beneath him.
Seeing this huge change, he decided to take the gamble, if his son failed then all of his line of the family would be marginalized, but if he succeeded...
Bai Zhiyuan seeing everyone quiet down started to explain, "I think most of you know that once the news of grandfather's poisoning reached my ears I left the clan to look for a way to save him"
Most of the people nodded, while the minority who were too far from the city to hear the news, asked the people next to them before nodding slowly in understanding.
Bai Yuchen's second brother, a man with a soft and refined face as well as a pair of thoughtful and observant eyes nodded, "We have indeed heard of your departure, but how can you save him when you don't even know the name of the poison?"
Bai Zhiyuan continued his story completely disregarding their doubts, "I traveled a long distance and through terrifying terrains even descending the cliff of despair hoping to find a treasure that could save the patriarch."
The clansmen were shocked, the cliff of despair was a very steep cliff on the outskirts of the White Lotus Kingdom, due to its terrifying depth and the fact that nobody ever survived after descending to explore it, the citizens of the Kingdom deemed it as an abyss; an entrance to hell.
But this kid who was still wet behind the ears, dared to proclaim that he had survived it. The clansmen's eyes turned even more doubtful, while some of them were clearly displaying disdain as if looking at a clown.
Bai Zhiyuan was unperturbed he continued his story at a leisurely pace, "Just when I had lost all hope and I was wallowing in despair at the bottom of the cliff, an extremely handsome man descended from the heavens on top of giant majestic black crane"
Hearing this, the clansmen who were half-listening, half-dazed, straightened up, their eyes glistening with hope. They all knew what a giant black crane meant, It was the mount of high-level cultivators of the Divine Wind Sect.
However, to their absolute dismay, Bai Zhiyuan didn't continue his story, he merely spoke with an icy tone, "Now that you know I'm capable of saving grandfather, Lead me to his room"
The upper clansmen were enraged but they held back their anger because they couldn't force him to continue the story, after all, everyone has his secrets and this is Bai Zhiyuan's opportunity.
Bai Yuchen didn't hesitate leading his son directly to the patriarch's room.