To these elders, Yue Qingshan's outburst was nothing short of suicidal folly, a reckless tirade capable of dragging their entire lineage down into ruin.
The Ye Family commanded terrifying, absolute dominance; living squarely within their sovereign domain yet daring to slander their name was the height of self-destructive madness.
As Patriarch, Yue Feng refrained from joining the elders in their furious denunciation, choosing instead to soothe the agitated assembly with a calm, measured tone.
"Elders, let us quiet down for a moment and hear what Qingshan has to say."
At heart, he still sought a way to shield his daughter; no matter what transpired, she remained his own flesh and blood.
Hearing Yue Feng's intervention, the First Elder issued a cold, dismissive snort and ceased his harsh reprimands.
"Hmph! Have it your way, then."
Yue Feng turned a composed gaze toward Yue Qingshan, offering a gentle caution.
"Qingshan, why speak so recklessly? Remember that we are dealing with the Ye Family; a minor family like ours dares not judge their actions casually. Ensure you never utter such words again."
Compared to the hostility of the surrounding elders, Yue Feng's gentle admonition stood out in stark contrast.
The gesture stirred a quiet pulse of gratitude within Yue Qingshan's chest.
Cupping his hands in a respectful salute, Yue Qingshan offered a polite nod.
"Patriarch, Qingshan recognizes his indiscretion."
Yet immediately following his admission of fault, Yue Qingshan straightened his posture, holding his head high as he launched into an impassioned defense.
"However, Qingshan maintains that his underlying words held truth. The Ye Family is not a faction entirely devoid of reason. This entire calamity was never Miss Mingkong's fault, so why must everyone heap blame upon her?"
"She merely sought to reject the unwanted courtship of the Ye Family's Young Master. Miss Mingkong possesses every right to pursue her own happiness, and we ought not meddle in her personal choices."
"Furthermore, that Young Master brought this disaster upon himself—he attempted an impossible feat despite his limits. If blame must be laid, it rests entirely on his own reckless overestimation of his abilities, forcing an outcome he could not achieve."
Hearing Yue Qingshan's bold declaration, several elders sneered in open disdain.
As seasoned, pragmatic old foxes, none held the naive belief that the Ye Family operated on abstract morals.
Demanding reason from an overlord required matching martial strength.
Might made right in this world; without absolute power, what right did anyone have to negotiate reason? Raw stubbornness alone counted for nothing.
"Ridiculous! A foolish boy who knows nothing of the world dares to spout grand nonsense here!"
"Indeed! Does he truly believe the Ye Family is so easily provoked? Two ordinary experts dispatched from their ranks could exterminate our family at will—what standing do we possess to argue reason with them?"
"A wet-behind-the-ears brat grandstanding in the main council hall—what a farce!"
...
Not a single elder paid the slightest respect to Yue Qingshan's arguments, dismissing his words as empty, arrogant bluster.
Enduring the disdain of the elder council, a surge of irritation churned deep within Yue Qingshan, though he kept his expression perfectly smooth.
He, Yue Qingshan, stood as a standout genius among the family's younger generation, possessing natural talent that rivaled Yue Mingkong herself.
Naturally, his past had been vastly different.
A few years prior, he had been nothing more than an obscure, average cultivator overlooked by all.
Everything changed when his dying father bequeathed him a simple thumb ring.
What appeared to be a mundane trinket contained an extraordinary secret within.
Sealed inside the ring rested a lingering remnant soul.
That spirit had belonged to a formidable Great Saint Realm powerhouse during his lifetime.
Within the modest Yue Family, even their strongest figure—the First Elder—stood only at the Immortal Realm.
A spirit that had once commanded the terrifying power of the Great Saint Realm was a presence of unimaginable magnitude.
In truth, Yue Qingshan's father had spent years nourishing the thumb ring with his own spiritual energy, allowing the dormant spirit within to survive.
Following his father's demise, the remnant soul inside the ring finally regained full consciousness.
To repay the father's life-sustaining kindness, the ancient spirit accepted Yue Qingshan as his sole disciple.
Having been a Great Saint Realm expert in life, the ring belonged to his former person, housing a vast private stash of rare treasures, spiritual herbs, and cultivation resources.
Under expert guidance and bolstered by the ring's immense resources, Yue Qingshan rose rapidly above his peers, earning the sudden attention and praise of his family.
The once-ignored nobody had transformed into the family's brightest young talent.
At barely twenty years of age, Yue Qingshan had already attained the Late Stage of the Supernatural Powers Realm, closing in on the Peak Stage.
Compared to Yue Mingkong, his cultivation trailed only by a narrow margin.
Yet considering Yue Qingshan lacked superior natural talent in his earlier years, overcoming such a massive gap was a staggering achievement.
That he had closed the distance to this degree was nothing short of miraculous.
As his strength surged and his status rose among his peers, Yue Qingshan had crossed paths with Yue Mingkong far more frequently.
Gazing upon her blossoming, graceful beauty, Yue Qingshan had come to regard himself as her ideal partner.
Even Patriarch Yue Feng had subtly hinted at pairing the two together.
Consequently, Yue Qingshan had long considered Yue Mingkong his future bride.
Then, Ye Yun had suddenly intruded—the supreme Young Master of the Ye Family who also sought her affection.
Yue Qingshan was merely a backgroundless youth within a minor family, reliant entirely on the guidance of a Great Saint's remnant soul to reach his current heights.
Lacking authority and supreme background, he possessed no leverage to compete against Ye Yun for her hand.
Yet to his immense joy, Yue Mingkong had remained entirely unmoved by Ye Yun's elevated status.
Her refusal proved she held feelings for him alone; why else would she reject a figure as exalted as Ye Yun?
There was no other explanation—her heart already belonged to him.
That conviction had fueled his sudden intrusion into the elder council, determined to shield Yue Mingkong and lighten any punishment heading her way.
Gazing at the mockingly hostile elders, a cold smile flickered in Yue Qingshan's heart.
Thirty years river east, thirty years river west—never look down on a poor youth!
How long had he truly cultivated to reach the Late Stage of the Supernatural Powers Realm? At his age, none of these elders could match his progress.
Supported by his master, reaching the Saint Realm or even ascending to his master's former Great Saint Realm was well within his reach.
Perhaps he might even claim a seat among those lofty Supreme Realm powerhouses!
Deep ambition burned within Yue Qingshan's chest.
He believed himself to be a true Child of Fortune; his rise from an obscure nobody to a revered genius proved his destiny.
Given sufficient time, he would grow immensely powerful, ultimately joining Yue Mingkong as an envy-inducing pair of immortal companions.