The chamber was silent—
But it was not peace.
It was pressure.
Heavy, suffocating, pressing down on every elder present like an invisible mountain.
At the center stood Lu Chen, the Clan Head.
Straight-backed. Calm-faced.
But his eyes…
They carried hesitation.
Before him—
The elders of the Lu Family stood united.
For once—
Not arguing.
Not divided.
Grand Elder Lu Maxi slowly rose.
His staff touched the ground.
Tap.
The sound echoed.
Not loud—
But enough to draw every gaze.
"Family Head…"
His voice was softer than usual.
No command.
No authority.
Only weight.
"You are already at the Fifth Stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm."
The words settled into the room.
No one interrupted.
Lu Maxi continued, his tone steady but carrying something deeper.
"We have all reached our limits."
A pause.
"For us… progress will be slow."
"But for you…"
He looked directly at Lu Chen.
"You still have a path forward."
Lu Chen's expression tightened slightly.
Then—
Lu Chanwu stepped forward.
For once, he wasn't loud.
But his voice carried force.
"We've all tried breaking through," he said.
"Some of us nearly crippled ourselves doing it."
He crossed his arms.
"…And failed."
He looked straight at Lu Chen.
"You think we're giving this up lightly?"
Before Lu Chen could respond—
Lu Chanxi spoke.
Calm. Precise.
"These resources were never meant to be buried with us."
"They were meant to be used at the right time."
He paused.
"And this is the right time."
Lu Chanki stepped in next, voice steady.
"If the Clan Head does not advance…"
"…then the next generation will lack protection."
He gestured lightly toward the ancestral tablets.
"And everything we've built…"
"…will slowly erode."
Lu Chen finally spoke, low and restrained:
"These are your life's accumulations."
"I cannot take them."
Lu Chanwu immediately frowned.
"Cannot?"
He took another step forward.
"Or won't?"
The air tightened.
"You speak as if we're being generous," Chanwu continued.
"We're not."
That made Lu Chen look up.
"We're being desperate."
Silence.
Lu Chanxi added calmly:
"If you refuse… we will still give the resources away."
Lu Chen frowned.
"To whom?"
Chanxi replied without hesitation:
"To disciples."
"To experiments."
"To failed attempts."
A small pause.
Then—
"Or to Chanwu."
Lu Chanwu blinked.
"…Wait."
Lu Chanki coughed to hide a laugh.
Chanxi continued smoothly:
"And that would truly be a waste."
"…I am standing right here," Chanwu muttered.
For a brief moment—
The tension cracked.
Just slightly.
Lu Maxi raised his hand gently.
The room settled again.
"This is not charity," the Grand Elder said quietly.
"This is trust."
He looked at Lu Chen—deep, unwavering.
"You are the only one among us who can take that step."
"The only one who can reach the Late Stage…"
"…and stand at the front when the storm comes."
Lu Chen's hands tightened.
"And if I fail?" he asked quietly.
Lu Chanwu answered immediately:
"Then we fail together."
Lu Chanxi added:
"But if you don't try…"
"…we've already failed."
Lu Chanki nodded.
"At least if you attempt it, the clan has a chance."
Silence.
Deep.
Heavy.
Lu Maxi's voice softened.
"For decades… we have prepared."
"Saved."
"Endured."
He lowered his gaze slightly.
"All for this moment."
Then he looked up again.
"If you refuse…"
"…then everything we have done loses meaning."
That—
That was the final push.
Lu Chen closed his eyes.
For a brief moment—
He was no longer the Clan Head.
Just a man—
Standing before the weight of generations.
When he opened his eyes—
The hesitation was gone.
"…If I accept…"
His voice was quiet.
"But steady."
"I am not just taking your resources."
"I am taking your expectations…"
"Your sacrifices…"
"Your faith."
Lu Maxi nodded.
"Yes."
Lu Chen took a slow breath.
Then—
"Then I will accept."
The words landed.
Heavy.
Certain.
"I will use everything you have entrusted to me…"
"To break through to the Late Stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm."
His gaze sharpened.
"And when I do…"
"I will contract with the Old Ancestors' Tortoise Spirits."
Lu Chanwu blinked.
"…You're going for those old monsters?"
Lu Chen replied calmly:
"If I'm taking your resources…"
"I might as well take your expectations seriously."
"…Fair," Chanwu muttered.
Lu Chen looked at all of them.
"I will not fail you."
For a moment—
No one spoke.
Then—
A breath seemed to leave the entire chamber at once.
Lu Maxi slowly sat down.
A faint, tired smile appeared on his face.
"Good…"
He closed his eyes briefly.
"Because the future of the Lu Family…"
"…now rests entirely on you."