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Chapter 132 - Missing the Forest for the Trees

"Clan King..." For a moment, all voices fell silent. The hall descended into an eerie stillness, every gaze fixed upon the man in white armor, emotions swirling in their eyes.

Walking to the foremost position, the man in white armor turned and seated himself, spreading his arms onto the armrests, exuding an overwhelming presence, authoritative without anger.

"Second Brother!" The man in green battle armor, the very one Chen Xi had recently suppressed, known as Chen Mo, gritted his teeth.

"Speak," the man in white armor commanded in a deep voice.

"For Chen Xi to have remained dormant for a year and then break through to the Establishment Wind Fire Tribulation Realm, I am both surprised and genuinely pleased for her," Chen Mo voiced, with thousands of Chen Clan members watching him intently.

"And?" the man in white armor queried.

"Everyone knows that you banished her from the Chen Clan a year ago merely to protect her. Now, it\'s evident that your good intentions weren’t in vain!" Chen Mo continued.

"Can you skip the pleasantries?" The man in white armor shot him a frosty glance.

"Yes... Second Brother! Our Chen Clan does not fear the Grand Temple, let alone the Ancestral Temple or the Ye Royal Family. We also aren\'t intimidated by Ye Xingchen! Given Chen Xi\'s achievements today, we all believe there’s no issue in taking her back and nurturing her further. She\'s one of the Chen Clan, and for her, even if it means offending Ye Xingchen and the many great forces behind him, so what?" Chen Mo declared passionately.

"You\'ve taken all the good lines, little brother," the man in white armor remarked coolly. "My daughter returns after a year\'s rest, achieving the Establishment Wind Fire Tribulation Realm. Do I need your approval to protect her?"

"Brother..." Chen Mo began awkwardly.

"Brother," interrupted the golden-armored man, Chen Zhao, the eldest of their generation. "Our little brother is just trying to say what we\'re all thinking. We\'re family. We won\'t be so cowardly as to shy away from protecting our own just because of some menacing foes."

"Menacing foes?" The man in the white armor chuckled coldly. "Well, they are formidable. Seems like half the Heavenly Realm has gathered around this Ye brat, supporting his challenge to the authority of the Divine Dawn Empress!"

At this statement, the expressions of the thousands present subtly shifted.

"Mind your words. Walls have ears. We wouldn\'t want those old scholars from the Grand Temple making a fuss," Chen Zhao whispered cautiously.

"A true man fears no gossip," the man in white armor retorted coldly.

No one dared to counter. This white-armored figure was the Supreme Marshal of the Nine Heavens Immortal Army, holding immense military power. His reputation in the Immortal Army was hard-earned over countless years.

Glancing at Chen Zhao and Chen Mo and then sweeping his gaze over all the clan members, he proclaimed, "You all seem to think that with Ye Xingchen shining brightly and my dear daughter just returning to marry some mortal Sword Cultivator, we\'re practically begging to be humiliated. Plus, a girl banished from our clan comes back in just a year and plans a grand wedding. This act challenges not only that Ye brat but also the Grand Temple, the Ye Royal Family, and the Ancestral Temple, right?"

The clan members collectively inhaled, bowing their heads slightly in silence.

"Please, rein her in. Now that she\'s home, she should keep a low profile, unlike before, to avoid further complications. She\'s smart. With focus and dedication, she\'ll surely match you one day!" Chen Zhao\'s voice rose slightly, echoing the sentiment of the entire clan.

"Indeed..."

"Holding a wedding now is rather embarrassing."

BUZZ! While they whispered amongst themselves, the man in the white armor abruptly stood up. The atmosphere in the temple vibrated with a humming resonance, an invisible force pressing down on everyone.

For a moment, the room fell silent, every eye fixed on the man in white armor, whose face was fierce as a tiger.

"No more wasted words," he declared. "The invitations are ready, and they\'ve been sent to all the major forces, Immortals, and factions in the Heavenly Realm. The wedding will take place at the appointed time. Everyone, get to work!"

With that, the man in white armor turned and strode towards the exit.

"Brother!" Chen Zhao rose to his feet, his voice a heavy call, eyes burning as he stared at the retreating figure.

The white-armored man paused, turning back with an icy glare. "Big Brother," he said coldly, "I am the Clan King. I call the shots here. Understood?"

"I understand." Chen Zhao sank back into his chair, resting against its back, eyes closing.

A collective sigh wafted through the room as heads bowed. They all knew the Clan King was nearly flawless in his rule, save for one Achilles heel, his overindulgence towards his daughter. Had he not learned from the disaster a year ago? The invites were sent; there was no turning back now.

"Tonight, just like a year ago, our clan will be the laughingstock of the Heavenly Realm," Chen Mo mumbled, sinking into his chair with a defeated expression.

"Why aim for a mere blade of grass when there are brilliant stars in the sky?" murmured some of the older clan members. "A blade of grass will always be just that, while even the brightest star has its moments of dimness."

"It\'s like staring at a leaf and missing the entire sky," another sighed.

The older generation recalled the once-close relationship with the Ye Royal Family. And now? All because of a marriage contract.

Yet as they stewed in confusion and disappointment, an unexpected interruption came.

A woman clad in orange armor burst into the hall, shouting, "Brothers! Explosive news!"

Her name was Chen Lin, Chen Xi\'s third aunt.

"What is it?" the man in white armor demanded, the crowd\'s confused eyes upon her.

With a peculiar expression, Chen Lin announced, "Ye Xingchen... he\'s been defeated again!"

"What do you mean?" Chen Zhao, eyes wide in surprise, looked at Chen Lin for clarity.

The news from the Grand Temple was unexpected.

"They\'re saying he practiced a unique cultivation method, which led him astray," Chen Lin shared.

The room was thick with disbelief. This old story again?

Chen Mo chuckled. "Sister, does he honestly believe he\'ll fool anyone this time?" As Chen Xi\'s fifth uncle, Chen Mo had mocked Ye Xingchen the most the first time this tale spun around. He\'d been humiliated then, but clearly he\'d learned his lesson.

"He’s probably hoping to fool some demons during the War of Immortals," someone remarked.

"Well, demons haven\'t fallen for that one yet," another whispered, causing a ripple of stifled laughter.

"No, you\'re all mistaken," Chen Lin insisted, her tone grave. "I just returned from the academy at the Grand Temple. There\'s a big ruckus there. It might be true. Members of the Ye Royal Family, the Ancestral Temple, and powerhouses of the Grand Temple have all tried to help. They say his Dantian has plummeted to the Late Origin Core Realm."

"Late Origin Core Realm?" There were sideways glances all around. Almost everyone present was beyond that level.

"Exactly. One\'s Dantian doesn\'t lie," Chen Lin said, locking eyes with the man in white armor. "Brother, the most crucial bit, his Immortal Meridians are broken! He can\'t even fly. Many have seen it with their own eyes."

His meridians broken? The man in white armor finally seemed shaken.

"All of them, absolutely certain," Chen Lin stressed.

"Really broken?" Chen Zhao stood up.

"If that’s the case," Chen Mo muttered, his heartbeat accelerating. Without a doubt, he wished nothing good upon Ye Xingchen.

The atmosphere shifted, becoming electric with tension.

"Let\'s not act rashly," Chen Zhao coughed, breaking the spell. "Let’s gather more information, and observe."

Chen Mo, though eager, recalled the humiliation of the previous year. "Yes, yes, we need to be careful."

"Little brother, use your connections. Get a clearer picture," Chen Zhao ordered.

The man in white armor nodded, remaining quiet.

"Are we still holding Chen Xi\'s wedding?" Chen Lin asked.

"With his Immortal Meridians broken, he’s worth less than a mere blade of grass in the mortal realm," Chen Mo muttered.

Chen Lin shot him a glare. Seeing the man in white armor silent, she knew... the wedding would proceed.

"Did you send an invitation to Ye Xingchen?" Chen Lin whispered.

"All sent," the man in white armor replied.

"He dares to come? Our clan will make sure he can enter, but never leave!" Chen Mo said through gritted teeth.

"Calm down! Don\'t let a little sweetness get to your head or you\'ll fly too high and fall," Chen Lin admonished.

"Yes, yes," Chen Mo murmured, deflated.

Chen Mo took a deep breath, turning to the man in the white armor. "Second Brother, I\'ll admit, Chen Xi can be quite the handful, but she\'s still my niece. I genuinely hope Ye Xingchen faces a fall he can\'t rise from. Can you understand that?"

The man in white armor glanced over, dryly retorting, "You\'re a good man, if only you weren\'t born with a mouth."

Chen Mo\'s face fell blank, lost for words.

"Little Brother," Chen Lin interjected, "Remember the old saying. Silence is golden."

?ι══????????══ι?

Within the Grand Temple, there was an elegantly simple courtyard.

Inside a room, nestled in the blankets, a stunningly beautiful young woman lay wrapped in Ye Xingchen\'s embrace. With a playful glint in her eyes, she traced circles on his chest with her finger, teasingly saying, "You never let me rest. What if I become pregnant because of these long sessions?"

Chuckling, Ye Xingchen replied, "Our bloodlines are different. It won\'t be that easy."

"Different? Are you saying you\'re not human?" She feigned indignation.

"I descend from ancient Immortal deities," he replied with a light laugh.

She giggled behind her hand, "If I hadn\'t held back just now, you would\'ve become an ancestor to those deities."

Ye Xingchen paused, a playful grin forming, "Mu Lingyi, where did you learn to talk like this?"

Blushing, she retorted, "Who else? From you, the big bad wolf!"

The two teased and played, their laughter filling the room in a scene that left much to the imagination. As their energy waned, the woman settled down.

In a soft voice, she asked, "Honestly, can you still rise against all odds?"

Ye Xingchen hesitated, his once bright eyes dimming. "I\'m afraid I might\'ve truly met my downfall this time," he admitted.