After finis.h.i.+ng the fruit, he threw the seeds on the tray before wiping his hands. This only further enraged the ancestors with fire in their eyes. They wanted nothing more than to tear him to pieces.
“Would you like to hear my opinion?” After cleaning his hands, he calmly said: “I’ll go ahead. Why bother killing and seeing blood because of this?”
“Ultimately, both clans still want to keep the alliance, not wanting to break all pretense since you still need to face the lurking Soaring Hawk. If this is the case, then let bygones be bygones. The sky wants rain and a child wants its mother; just let them be.”
He paused for a bit before continuing: “Your clans are still in a marriage alliance, at least from the last generation. Thus, why the need to break a couple and force a loveless marriage? As for your Dongfang Clan, will you feel better after killing me, the adulterer? You still won’t be able to get a Wenren girl into your clan as a bride. As for the Wenren Clan, would you feel better by imprisoning your own daughter, never letting her see the sun again?”
“In the end, your Dongfang Clan will be responsible for this imprisonment. The grudge will still be there after the punishments are carried out.” Li Qiye said with a smile.
“Junior, don’t bother trying to spout your nonsense!” A Wenren Ancestor furiously shouted to shut him up.
In this complication, the Wenren Clan was at fault so they hoped that everything would be over with.
“Nonsense?” Li Qiye shook his head: “I’m only showing you the correct way. It’s not like the alliance won’t be there without a marriage. The powerful foe will still be there. Your alliance is not predicated on benefits, it is necessary to combat the existential crisis. No matter how you looked at it, your two clans need to stay together. When the mouth is open, the teeth will be cold…”
“Since it is so, why not be more benevolent and just let this thing pa.s.s? Don’t let this failed marriage leave a knot in your mind. Killing me and imprisoning the daughter from the Wenren won’t solve anything. Let’s be honest, both sides do not like the current situation but everyone should let it go for the sake of the future.”
Li Qiye’s spiel was endless and made the ancestors quite angry.
However, Dongfang Cong stood up and said: “Fellow Ancestors, I feel that this makes sense. Our alliance is not because of the marriages. We have been close for many years now with ties as deep as the ocean and vast as the mountains. Even without the marriages, our friends.h.i.+p still has roots from the past. Since this is the case, why should we turn a wedding into a funeral? Why not just let this pair be together? It will be a happy commotion instead if we can see past this. Everyone will feel better and it won’t affect the friends.h.i.+p between our clans.” Dongfang Cong carefully articulated in a solemn manner.
“Cong’er, don’t listen to his nonsense.” One Dongfang Ancestor immediately stopped him.
Li Qiye, on the other hand, started clapping: “Good, well said, what a prodigy. Your att.i.tude is worthy of being in my sight. With such a heart, there is no fear of not accomplis.h.i.+ng great deeds.”
“How presumptuous!” The Dongfang Ancestor could no longer stop himself from shouting: “Junior, we still haven’t torn you to pieces because we respect the Wenren Clan but you dare to run your mouth?! Take him outside, kill him!”
Some experts immediately rushed towards Li Qiye. For both of the clans, leaving him behind would only cause more problems. Why not just kill him now?
Li Qiye simply smiled and still remained seated as the experts headed for him.
Wenren Lurui could only sigh. She couldn’t help him at all since she was having trouble protecting herself, let alone a.s.sisting him.
Suddenly, loud commotions came from outside. It sounded like fighting.
“What’s going on?” The ancestors here were surprised and didn’t want further complication.
“Ancestor, not good, Hai Yangying is here.” An expert from the Dongfang Clan rushed in with sorry appearance.
The ancestors were alarmed after hearing this! Even the experts wanting to catch Li Qiye stopped and looked outside nervously.
“What’s going on? I’m visiting in good faith but was faced with swords? This is the hospitality of the Dongfang Clan?” A hearty laughter came from outside.
Next, a youth came in with a vigorous aura and a pair of sharp hawk eyes, capable of piercing through everyone.
Two rows of experts accompanied him. It was clear at first glance that they were quite formidable and aggressive.
“Hai Yangying.” Everyone’s expression darkened outside of Li Qiye after seeing the youth.
“Dongfang Clan Master, you greet guests with swords?” Yangying smiled and said after rus.h.i.+ng into the chamber.
The clan master and the ancestors here weren’t happy. However, since he claimed to be a guest, they couldn’t express their displeasure.
In fact, everyone here put on a serious expression as if they were about to head into battle.
Yangying was the crown prince of Soaring Hawk. Rumor has it that he was about to take over as the next king. Moreover, his talents were quite great. He had the potential to become the strongest in the State of Soaring Hawk. Jians.h.i.+ and Cong in the same generation were no match for him.
“Nephew Hai, it must have been a long journey. Please go rest in our esteemed guest quarter. The Dongfang Clan will treat a guest well.” The Dongfang Clan Master replied.
Though there has been constant friction between the clans and Soaring Hawk, they were small-scale skirmishes. An all-out war has not broken out so not all pretension and formalities were broken.
His sudden intrusion into their deliberation chamber was only met with swords. This was already very polite of their clans.
He looked around fiercely and aggressively. After seeing Wenren Lurui, he smiled: “Miss Wenren, long time no see. I heard you have been missing for a long time now after leaving the Wenren Clan and running away from your marriage…”
The experts from both clans didn"t like this. They had a bad feeling with Yangying’s appearance right before they could quietly end it.
Lurui interrupted him: “Prince Hai, you’re mistaken. I’m born a Wenren and will die a Wenren!”
Lurui became quiet after hearing this. This development was out of everyone’s expectation!
Li Qiye didn’t care at all about this new intruder. He picked up another fruit and took his time eating while leisurely watching the situation.
Yangying withdrew his gaze and smiled: “I came in order to see a trial of the adulterer. It seems like I have come at the wrong time.”
“Young n.o.ble Hai, please leave.” The Dongfang Clan Master lowered his tone.
Yangying replied: “Clan Master, I’m not here to interfere with your internal affairs. However, I received news that your clans have secretly captured a cultivator from our Crouching Dragon Continent so I came to ask about this specifically.”
“No such thing is happening.” The clan master denied right away.
“But I have received information that this person is a cultivator from our continent!” Yangying was confident and pointed at Li Qiye: “But now, he is captured here. Why are your clans secretly capturing cultivators? I’m waiting for an explanation.”
The people here were alarmed after hearing this. It meant that Yangying deliberately wanted to make a big deal out of this publicly.
1. We’ll ignore the Miss and Mrs. problem for now