"Well, how else would I spice up this meeting?" Xuan smiled. "It’s just a test of mine, you could say. It’s one of the strongest poisons I’ve made, so I just wanted to see whether or not you could detect it."

"We can all detect it, boy," said Lin Fei as he leaned back in his seat. "You choose to test us when it should be the other way around. Truly, your arrogance knows no bounds."

"Hah, if he wasn’t arrogant, then I wouldn’t have called you two down here," Chen Shun chimed in.

Chen Zemin tapped the table, getting everyone’s attention. "Nephew Shun... Why have you really called us?"

"Hmm? Didn’t I tell you? Xuan here is a once-in-a-century prodigy, so—"

"I have changed your diapers, boy. Don’t think you can fool me with something this stupid." Chen Zemin cut him off with a scoff.

"Xuan might be a prodigy, but I’ve already lived long enough to see prodigies that would make Xuan look like an ant. Just 11 years ago, I saw someone defeat a Spirit King in a single blow while only being a Spirit Master."

"Can vouch for that one, I was there. Bastard left without even giving us his name," Lin Fei snickered, and then grabbed one of the cups Xuan had set down on the table.

He raised the cup to his lips, and as he was about to take a sip, Chen Shun released his Qi, letting it flow freely. In turn, everyone raised their guards, and there was no time for drinking.

But unbeknownst to all the monks present, Xuan had a plan all along.

Once the Abyssal Heart Pill is crushed, it becomes an airborne poison. Most importantly, the airborne poison mixes with the surrounding scents, becoming odorless.

And from the moment I placed those three cups down, the poison started making its way into the bodies of everyone present.

The Qi pressure of Chen Shun and Chen Zemin clashed, causing the space to crackle as it started getting hard to breathe and circulate their Qi.

Xuan wasn’t nearly as affected as he had anticipated, but to make them drop their guards, he must show some weakness.

Subtly controlling his Void Qi, Xuan suddenly inflicted an internal injury on himself, and whilst their clash of Qi was happening, he spat out a mouthful of blood onto the table, making everyone turn toward him.

It wasn’t a serious internal injury, but Xuan decided to make it look way worse than it should’ve been.

And he did so by vomiting another mouthful of blood, and then another.

Eventually, Chen Shun and Chen Zemin retracted their Qi pressure and stared at Xuan like he was some zoo animal.

"Well damn... So much for a genius," Lin Fei commented.

"To suffer such severe internal damage when you’re not even being targeted..." said Chen Zemin as a look of disdain appeared on his face. "How repulsive..."

"My bad." Xuan apologized, wiping the blood off his lips. "I’m just not very used to such a clash. My cultivation is still weak after all."

Chen Shun smiled. "Yes, he had a similar reaction the last time I exerted my Qi pressure on him. He seems to lack the basic Mental Defense foundation."

I didn’t, though? Is he covering for me? Xuan pondered, his brows furrowing. Is this another scheme of his, and he’s just using me as a pawn?

"Well, I suppose I’ll have to correct that weakness of his. Personally." Chen Zemin decided, and then glanced back toward Chen Shun.

Noticing that there was no way out of this, Chen Shun leaned back in his seat and crossed his legs, a faint smile appearing on his face.

"Uncle, I’ve grown tired of this punishment. I’ve liberated 34 low-level worlds by now. My cultivation has stagnated for 34 years because of that... I wish to go back to the Lower Heavens and resume my path of cultivation."

He pointed at Xuan, his voice lowering.

"Xuan will serve you well. Mold him as you please. He’s the perfect successor I’ve prepared in my stead. And lastly... Grant me my freedom."

Perfect successor? Just where is he trying to go with this?

"..."

An amused expression appeared on Chen Zemin’s face. "Very well, I’ll let the higher-ups know."

"That’s sadly not enough." Chen Shun shook his head with a detached look. "Uncle, surely you know I’m not one to kowtow and beg for forgiveness. I’ve spent so long improving the Grand Jade Temple from the shadows. Just how many talents did I send your way? And yet, you choose not to acknowledge me."

The room fell silent, except for the sound of their Qi clashing again.

"I told you time and time again, dear nephew... You brought danger to the Grand Jade Temple, and to the Demonic Faction. You exposed us, but guess who was the one responsible for saving your naive, greedy, and insolent self?

Chen Zemin stood up, his gaze cold.

"You will never return to the Lower Heavens, and my decision is final."

"Uncle, your anger doesn’t erase my value," Chen Shun said. "Do you care so little about the Grand Jade Temple that you would choose to chain me down? You know I have the potential to reach the Spirit King realm. Don’t you?"

Despite the back-and-forth family quarrel, Chen Zemin seemed to not budge in the slightest. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"So this is how it is... Fine. If you insist on not letting me go, then I will give you no choice but to face the consequences."

Chen Shun rose from his seat and unsheathed a longsword he had hidden away in his robes.

He pointed the tip of the blade at his uncle, then spoke:

"In accordance with heaven’s will, I, Chen Shun, challenge you to a duel to the death."

The moment he spoke those words, a bright flash of light descended from the sky, pierced through the roof, and embedded itself inside Chen Shun’s heart, leaving him unharmed.

Chen Zemin’s eyes widened. "Boy... Do you understand what you’ve just done?"

"I’m out of options, uncle." Chen Shun smiled. "Our family line can only have one head, after all."

"You’ve finally shown your true colors..." Chen Zemin mumbled. "You think just because our ancestors created the Grand Jade Temple, you can get a pass? Very well, dear nephew. It appears like I’m left with no choice..."

Taking a deep breath and unsheathing a sword of his own, he said:

"In accordance with heaven’s will, I, Chen Zemin, accept this duel to the death."

Like before, another ray of light arrived, embedding itself into Chen Zemin’s chest, and like that, the fight to the death between the two was confirmed.

Xuan had his hand over his mouth. Not because he was shocked, but rather, he was holding back a massive grin from showing.

What an opportunity!