Chapter 2922 — The Decision of the Ancient Feng Family

That was her choice—Gu Pengzhan, the man she had loved her whole life. It was only a pity it had cost him and their daughter so much. All these years, though he had become a highly successful figure in the mortal world, in the eyes of the Grand Elder of the ancient realm he was utterly beneath notice.

"Yes, Palace Master!" Elder Li sighed. "But if we do this, the people around the young lady will surely be baffled... ah..."

Palace Master Wan'er pressed her lips together and said nothing more. Nothing she could say would change the reality before her. At least they were only demanding that Wei Zhao hand over the spirit herbs or pills, and were not making further trouble for him—which set her heart slightly at ease.

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In the Ancient Feng Family, Feng Tianhu had never imagined that Feng Shihua would actually come back alive! But what delighted him was that Feng Shihua had brought back the Great Returning Pill—Feng Nitian was saved! So even though Feng Shihua had not died, Feng Tianhu still wore a broad smile. "Shipian, you've worked hard! Worthy of the first-in-line heir to the young family headship of our Ancient Feng Family—to pass such a grueling trial, not bad, not bad at all!"

Feng Shihua did not look like a schemer, but in truth he was the sort whose great wisdom wore the guise of foolishness; it was simply that there were matters he did not care to think too much about, nor to fight over. Looking at his uncle's smile, Feng Shihua smiled and nodded. "It was all thanks to a benefactor's help. Otherwise I could never have passed the trial."

"A benefactor?" Feng Tianqi had come out to greet him as well, and at Feng Shihua's words he was briefly taken aback. "What benefactor?"

"Father, during the trial I acknowledged a leader. If not for him, I would never have passed so smoothly!" Feng Shihua had decided to speak of this matter. Blessing or calamity, it was better to say it sooner—if disaster could not be avoided, it would come sooner or later anyway.

"What?" Feng Tianqi's brows knitted at once. Feng Shihua was his son, the future young master of the Ancient Feng Family—how could he casually acknowledge someone else as his leader? If that were so, would the Ancient Feng Family not become another man's underling?

"Feng Shihua, what is the meaning of this? You are of the Ancient Feng Family—how can you acknowledge a leader at random? Do you not realize that by doing so, you have automatically forfeited your qualification as first-in-line heir to the young family headship?" Feng Tianhu scolded before Feng Tianqi could say anything further. He knew Feng Shihua had brought back the Great Returning Pill, which meant Feng Nitian was saved, and his mind turned once more to pushing Feng Nitian back into place. Even if that failed, he still had a trump card in reserve. The pressing matter before him was to strip Feng Shihua of his first-in-line heir qualification, and quickly.

So the moment he opened his mouth, he pinned a label on Feng Shihua's conduct. On the surface his words sounded like the scolding of one who could not bear to see promise go to waste, complaining that Feng Shihua had no sense of proportion. In truth, he was declaring that Feng Shihua's actions had already disqualified him from becoming the young family head's heir.

What heir to a young family head acknowledged another as his leader? If Feng Shihua became the young family head, would the Ancient Feng Family not become another's underling? So that single sentence of his essentially cut off Feng Shihua's road behind him.

Old Master Feng, wise with years, could hardly fail to understand Feng Tianhu's meaning. But Feng Tianhu was not wrong, either—if Feng Shihua had acknowledged another as his leader, then naturally he no longer had the right to be young family head of the Ancient Feng Family.

"Shipian, what you did was indeed somewhat improper!" Old Master Feng narrowed his eyes and said mildly. "You are the first-in-line heir to the young family headship. Every word and deed of yours represents our Ancient Feng Family!"

"Grandfather, the circumstances at the time did not permit me to do otherwise. If I had not acknowledged that man as my leader, then never mind obtaining the Great Returning Pill—I would have had difficulty even returning alive!" Feng Shihua sighed inwardly. He had long known this would happen once he came home, but there was nothing he could do about it.

"The reputation of our Ancient Feng Family is what matters most!" Feng Tianhu said, as though he could not bear to see such promise spoiled.

"Shipian, the leader you acknowledged—what sect is he a disciple of?" Feng Tianqi did his best to shift the subject. He wanted to know the identity of the leader Feng Shihua had acknowledged. If this leader were a direct disciple of some great sect, or even a young sect master, then it might still be acceptable. In the ancient realm, the Ancient Feng Family was not a top-tier existence but a bottom-tier one; if they truly had such a leader, it would actually benefit the Ancient Feng Family.

Feng Tianhu frowned. He understood Feng Tianqi's meaning perfectly well, but there was no way to stop Feng Shihua from answering.

"His name... is Wei Zhao. He is a lone cultivator..." Though Feng Shihua knew that revealing Wei Zhao's identity would likely give Feng Tianhu all the more pretext to attack, he had no wish to lie.

Wei Zhao's identity was that of a lone cultivator to begin with. It could be investigated; there was no concealing it at all.

"What?! A lone cultivator?" Before Feng Tianhu could speak, Feng Tianqi was the first to cry out in astonishment. "Shipian, what were you thinking? How could you acknowledge a lone cultivator as your leader? Do you know what a great negative impact this will have on our Ancient Feng Family?"

"Enough, Second Brother, don't blame Shipian. He is young, away on his first trial, and does not know better—let it be!" Feng Tianhu waved his hand, putting on the air of a good man. "The rice is already cooked. The only way now is for us to announce to the outside world that Feng Shihua is stripped of his qualification as first-in-line heir to the young family headship. That way, there will be no problem!"

Feng Tianqi's expression was extremely grim. He was furious at Feng Shihua's reckless behavior, but Feng Shihua was his son after all, and his own temperament was in fact somewhat like his son's—the easygoing, good-natured type. At this moment he did not know what to say either, and could only say bitterly, "Shipian, look at the fine mess you've made!"

"Father, your son does not believe he did anything wrong. If this matter has harmed the reputation of our Ancient Feng Family, then your son is willing to bear all responsibility!" Feng Shihua said stubbornly. "Given the circumstances, I had to pass the trial, and I had to obtain the trial's spirit herbs to exchange for the Great Returning Pill for my younger brother. I had no choice but to do it! And I was not the only one—Li Ciba, a disciple of the Divine Fist Hall, also acknowledged Wei Zhao as his leader!"

"Then..." Feng Tianhu was about to say something, but Old Master Feng cut him off.

"Oh? A disciple of the Divine Fist Hall also acknowledged that lone cultivator as his leader?" Old Master Feng waved his hand, signaling Feng Tianhu to be quiet, then looked at Feng Shihua with some surprise and asked.