Chapter 22: No Need for You to Apologize

  After taking the Huoluo Yangxue Dan of Elder Taishang, his injuries were temporarily suppressed. Seeing that the people around him seemed to have a different opinion about him, he couldn't help but smile slightly. Indeed, strength is the hard truth.

  "Do you feel a bit better?" Seeing Fang Li's improved state, Elder Tai Shang immediately cast a concerned gaze.

  "It's okay, I'll probably be fine in a few more days of rest." Fang Li shook his head with a bitter smile, the Elder's concern for him made him feel unworthy.

  "That's good." After saying this, the Taishang Elder's face suddenly turned serious and sternly said: "Do you know how reckless you were today? If there was a slight mistake, you would have ended up dead. Don't you know that being too rigid can lead to breaking easily?"

  Fang Li was taken aback, the sudden change in attitude of the Supreme Elder was too quick. Just now he was still benevolent and kind, how could he suddenly scold himself? However, Fang Li knew that the Supreme Elder did not have malicious intentions, but rather as an elder advising a younger one, this not only did not make Fang Li feel resentful, but instead unconsciously brought the two closer together.

  "What the Great Elder worried about, I have already taken into consideration. However, I am not reckless, and the reason I dare to confront the Clan Leader is that I have guessed that the Great Elder is nearby and there will be no danger to my life. As for competing with Fang Yanhu, it's because I have a surefire way to win."

  The elder smiled lightly and said somewhat disbelievingly: "Is that really so? Is there no other reason?"

  Fang Li smiled awkwardly, "Of course, there are also some other reasons. However, the words of the senior elder 'overly rigid and easy to break' have a different meaning in my opinion. In my view, it means that being overly rigid makes it easier to convince others!"

  Fang Li said softly, his voice was not loud, but it was imposing.

  "You little scamp." The Elder Patriarch burst out laughing, but didn't know how to evaluate the youth in front of him who was as sharp as a sword.

  "If there's nothing else, I'd like to put my father's spirit tablet in the ancestral hall now." Fang Li touched the spirit tablet in his hand and said to the Great Elder.

  "Lingwei, what is this Lingwei?" Before the elderly Taishang could speak, the clan leader Fang Han asked first. He had noticed the object in Fang Li's hand early on and wondered why Fang Li brought it to the clan meeting.

  "My father's spirit tablet, I want to put it in our ancestral hall." Fang Li looked at Fang Han with a cold gaze.

  Fang Han frowned and turned to look at the Supreme Elder, wanting to ask for his opinion. To be honest, placing the spirit tablet in the ancestral temple was not a big deal, especially since Fang Li was still an honorary elder at this time. However, with hundreds of direct descendants present, if there wasn't a sufficient reason to agree with Fang Li, it would be difficult to convince everyone. After all, within the family, no branch descendant's spirit tablet had ever been placed in the temple.

  Since Fang Yanhu was defeated with one move, the Guardian Elder had not spoken again, standing on the side with a dark face. At this time, hearing Fang Li put forward such an excessive request, he finally couldn't bear to jump out and scold loudly.

  "Fang Li, who do you think your father is? He's just a nobody from a minor branch of the family. What qualifications does he have to enter our ancestral temple and receive the incense offerings from the younger generation of the Fang family?"

  "This sentence, however, enraged Fang Li, 'My father was indeed a humble and unknown branch of the family, but he absolutely has the qualifications to enter the ancestral hall. Hasn't he dedicated his entire life to the family?'"

  The elder sneered, "Dedicating one's life to the family, your father was indeed great, but this is just a family legend, it can't be taken as true. It's possible that your father died due to other accidents and fabricated the story of sacrificing for the family in order to get compensation. Human nature has its darker side, and it's not impossible."

  "You... are looking for death!" Fang Li's eyes were about to split open, his eyeballs bulging out. His father had died for the family, which he already felt was not worth it, and now someone actually wanted to erase this achievement, how could Fang Li not be furious?

  "What's wrong, have I hit the nail on the head and you're getting angry?" The elder of Shou Gong said with a hint of mockery in his sunken eyes.

  "Hmph!" Fang Li's anger reached its peak, but it triggered his injury, and a mouthful of blood spurted out. He stared at the smug-looking Guardian Elder with his crimson eyes and coldly shouted: "You dare to insult my father? I will not let you off!"

  "Haha, you think you can just rely on your little tricks?" The elder of the Shouguan sect sneered, bursting into loud laughter.

  "Shut up!" At this time, the Supreme Elder shouted angrily, interrupting the Guardian Elder's words, and said displeased: "Fang Li's father Fang Yang was a sacrifice for the family, which is beyond doubt. The family annals have records of it. As a family elder, how can you arbitrarily slander the family martyr? Are you trying to chill the hearts of our clansmen?"

  "I dare not." The elder of the Guardian Pavilion hastily lowered his head, not wanting to provoke the Elder of the Upper Pavilion.

  "If you don't dare, then why haven't you apologized to Fang Li's father?" The Taishang Elder said angrily.

  The Elder of Shouguang was taken aback and exclaimed: "Does the Supreme Elder want me to apologize to a dead man?"

  "It's not a dead man, it's a martyr of our family!" The elder said coldly, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

  The old man's face suddenly turned liver-colored, and his body was slightly trembling.

  "What, unwilling?" The tone of the Supreme Elder suddenly turned cold. At this moment, he not only wanted to show his kindness but also to maintain the dignity of the Supreme Elder. Having stayed hidden for many years, the people in the clan had almost forgotten about him.

  "The Supreme Elder's anger is justified, I was wrong. I apologize to Patriarch Fang," said the Guardian Elder in a low, hoarse voice, like a malevolent spirit from hell. Even if he had ten million unwilling thoughts in his heart, he still did not dare to defy the Supreme Elder's words.

  The old man's thin body trembled slightly as he began to walk towards Fang Li, his eyes fixed on the memorial tablet. Apologizing to a dead person in front of so many family members made him feel an overwhelming sense of shame that almost made him faint.

  An old man who has lived a white life for decades, actually wants to apologize to a dead person. Is this reasonable? Is this reasonable?! The elder of the Guardian's Gate roared in his heart.

  Fang Li held his father's memorial tablet, not speaking a word, but only coldly staring at the approaching Guardian Elder. Looking at the humiliated expression on the Guardian Elder's face, Fang Li felt relieved in his heart, but he didn't feel much joy, because he knew that it wasn't himself who had made him submit, but rather the Supreme Elder.

  "It's no use apologizing, my father won't accept it."

  Just as the Shou Ge elder was about to bow and apologize in front of the memorial tablet, Fang Li suddenly dodged with his father's memorial tablet, avoiding this courtesy.

  Everyone was stunned and didn't know what this move meant.

  "Are you playing tricks on me?" The old man, Shou Geng, stared at him with a gaze that could kill, his anger and humiliation barely contained. He had just managed to swallow his pride and was about to apologize to the dead man when Fang Li interrupted him again.

  Fang Li's face turned cold and he said indifferently, "You're apologizing only because you don't dare to disobey the words of the Supreme Elder. I, Fang Li, stand tall and upright, and I don't want people to think that I can only rely on the Supreme Elder. So today, there's no need for your apology. However, regarding the insult you directed at my father, I will personally find you to settle this score in the future!"

  "Great Elder, you've also heard it. It's not that I don't want to apologize, but this little brat won't let me apologize. If there's nothing else, I'll return to the Gong Fa Pavilion first." The Guardian Elder had been repeatedly humiliated today and was too ashamed to stay any longer.

  The elder nodded slightly, which was equivalent to agreeing. Today's lesson for him was enough, and one should never go too far.

  With the consent of the Supreme Elder, the Guardian Elder stood up and respectfully said: "Thank you, Supreme Elder." After finishing speaking, he turned around and left with Fang Yantao who was still unconscious.

  At this time, the clan leader Fang Han suddenly walked up and whispered in Tai Shang's ear: "I feel a very strong resentment on him."

  The Elder laughed loudly, "What if he has grievances? If he wants to avenge today's grudge, the first person he will look for is Fang Li. I'm not worried at all. However, you can say such words, which makes me feel very pleased. When I chose you as the clan leader back then, I didn't misjudge you."

  Fang Han smiled, "Although I have many shortcomings, as the head of the family, you and I, Taishang Lao, both hope that the Fang family will develop and grow stronger, rather than adhering to old rules and watching the Fang family decline."

  The elder smiled lightly and his mouth moved slightly as he continued speaking with Fang Han in a voice that was transmitted into her mind.

  "What do you think of Fang Li's son?" asked the Supreme Elder in a low voice.

  Fang Han paused for a moment, then replied: "This child's sharp energy is too heavy, and his gentleness is insufficient. However, his potential is not bad. If I remember correctly, just one month ago, his cultivation was only at the fourth level of Qi Refining Realm, but now he has already reached the peak of the fifth level of Qi Refining Realm. Moreover, when he was scolding me just now, there were signs of another breakthrough. This child's comprehension must be extremely high."

  "Haha, I didn't expect you to have such a high opinion of him. Don't you find it strange that he just lost face in front of you?" Elder Shou continued to ask.

  "It's strange, of course it's strange. But if he really is a cultivation genius and has the qualifications to enter the foundation period, then I wouldn't mind giving up the position of clan leader to him. What's public is public, what's private is private, how can they be confused?"

  The old man's mood suddenly improved, "You're right, public and private are different, you have this awareness I'm very happy to know that our Fang family has three fierce tigers outside, we can't afford to have internal conflicts, otherwise the foundation left by our ancestors may be ruined by us."

  Fang Han nodded slightly, "Then what should be done with Fang Lie, the elder of the Guardian Pavilion? Let's not mention today's events for now. Just a month ago, his grandson was killed by Fang Li, and he has been dissatisfied with the family since then. This person is heartless and unrighteous, and it's likely that he will be unfavorable to the family."

  "Don't bother about him, let Fang Li handle it."

  "Fang Li! Can he be a match for the elder of the Guardian Pavilion?" Fang Han was extremely surprised and disbelieving.

  "That's the trouble he stirred up, let him deal with it himself, that's what he asked for. Alright, no more talk, there are many clansmen waiting around, let's start the clan meeting."

  Fang Han looked at Tai Shang Zhen seriously, couldn't guess what he was thinking, and could only helplessly shake his head before announcing the start of the clan meeting.

  This time the family gathering was only temporarily convened, and there wasn't much content. The main purpose was to announce Fang Lirong's identity as an honorary elder, as well as placing his father Fang Yang's spirit tablet in the ancestral hall. With the precedent of Guardian Elder, things progressed very smoothly, without anyone speaking out against it.

  However, among the younger generation, there are still many who refuse to accept this, especially those who have been labeled as geniuses. No matter what, they just can't stand Fang Li.