Chapter 20: The Great Scolding
The clan leader let out a loud roar and struck out with his palm, instantly creating a heavy shadow that mixed with powerful energy and shot towards Fang Li.
Fang Li was well-prepared and immediately rolled backwards. The palm wind released by the clan leader almost brushed past his body, but he ultimately escaped unscathed.
"The audacious rogue, how dare you dodge again!" Fang Han was furious and shouted repeatedly. As the head of the Fang family and a high-ranking cultivator with ten layers of refined aura, he was actually dodged by a junior, which was extremely humiliating.
Fang Li hugged the Lingwei in his arms and jumped back repeatedly, only stopping when he had kept a sufficient distance from Fang Han. However, he didn't say anything, just finding it amusing in his heart. According to the clan leader's words, he should stand still and let him kill him, haha, ridiculous!
"Rebel, you don't respect the clan leader and that's a capital offense. Even if the Supreme Elder protects you, today you won't leave here alive!" The Guardian Elder strode out quickly, his waist knife already drawn. Although he was scowling with an angry expression, in his heart he was laughing with joy. He didn't think Fang Li would be so unwise and actually dare to provoke the clan leader, seeking death!
"Disrespecting the clan leader is a capital offense, ridiculous! At least give me a reason to respect him." Fang Li stood upright, proudly saying so, even as the surrounding clansmen cast him incredulous glances, he still puffed out his chest. In the past, swallowing his anger and being timid had only earned him the ruthless contempt and beatings of the legitimate sons, but today he would live with a clear conscience, daring to speak out in anger, and see who could do anything to him!
"Despising the clan leader, are you looking for death!" This time, without waiting for the Guardian Elder to provoke, Fang Han had already ignited his true fire, with muscles on his face twitching, his eyes blazing red, and he was furious. As a clan leader, being despised by his own clansmen, how could he not be angry?
"All members of the Fang family, listen to my orders! Capture this reckless and arrogant man for me. If our clan rules are not correct, how can we prosper?" With a loud shout from Fang Han, the hundreds of clan members in front of the ancestral hall all moved at once, surging forward like a mighty wave, all rushing towards Fang Li.
Fang Li stood in the center of the empty land, surrounded by those richly dressed clansmen who were shouting in unison, with their blades drawn, as if they wanted to chop him into a thousand pieces. Fang Li coldly swept his gaze around, and only sneered inwardly.
"What's the point of prosperity, anyway? The only ones who prosper are you direct descendants, what does it have to do with us collateral branches? Do you still remember that over a hundred years ago, our Fang family was the top family in Yanjing City, but now we're ranked after the Wang, Zhou, and Wei families, relegated to the last of the four major families. I didn't know the reason back then, but now I finally understand - the reason why the Fang family declined is because of a clan leader like you, who deliberately excluded collateral branches from the outside, just because they're not direct descendants, no matter how great their potential or talent, they can't enter your eyes. There are only 400-500 direct descendants, but there are thousands of collateral branches - if we abandon all the collateral branches and only cultivate the direct descendants, how can we compare to other families?"
Fang Li today also let go, unrestrained, and the resentment accumulated over a decade burst out all at once. He pointed at Fang Han in the distance and scolded him loudly. It was this clan leader who deprived the branch disciples of their right to enter the Gong Fa Pavilion; it was this clan leader who had always belittled the status of the branch disciples. If not for this, he would not have been bullied as a child, and even his mother would not have been often saddened to tears.
A determined look appeared on Fang Li's face, and no matter how many people surrounded him, he remained unmoved. Hundreds of people may not be a lot, but gathered together, it also had a feeling of being in a sea of people. Moreover, all eyes were fixed on Fang Li, if it was an ordinary person, they would probably have been scared pale.
Today, in front of hundreds of people from the tribe, he severely scolded the tribal chief and vented out all the injustices he had suffered over the past decade or so. As his mind cleared up, a warm current suddenly flowed into him from the Baihui acupoint, spreading throughout his entire body. His originally calm Dan Tian suddenly fluctuated, and it was as if he had found an opportunity to break through.
"You! How dare you have the nerve to accuse me!" Fang Han's body trembled with rage, his eyes wide open like a furious red bull.
"I didn't want to stir up trouble today, I just wanted to quietly place my father's spirit tablet in the ancestral hall. But I couldn't bear your condescending attitudes and words. Alas." Fang Li shook his head with a bitter smile, looking at the dazzling blades surrounding him, all pointing at him. He wouldn't say he wasn't afraid, but at this moment, he absolutely wouldn't lower his head.
"You're still so arrogant even when death is staring you in the face. It's true that one doesn't shed tears until they see the coffin, but today I'll make an exception and take your head as a sacrifice to our family rules." Fang Han let out a cold snort, his killing intent already stirred. He had seen many arrogant people before, but someone like Fang Li who dared to scold him so fiercely with just his small branch family status was a first.
After finishing speaking, Fang Han suddenly jumped out and was about to personally behead Fang Li.
"Good timing, what about the clan leader? He's just a cultivator of the tenth level of Qi Refining, let's fight!"
Fang Li's heroic spirit was also ignited by the strong sense of oppression, no matter what, he would not be a sheep waiting to be slaughtered, even if it meant death, he would die with his blood splattered on his enemy's body!
"Haha, I really don't know whether to say you're brave or stupid, but in any case, you'll die today, Dragon Elephant Scatters the Heavens!"
Fang Han let out a loud roar, and with one move, he unleashed his strongest killing technique. Instantly, the illusory images of the Dragon and Elephant burst forth from his palm, accompanied by waves of dragon roars and beast howls, and in an instant, they charged towards Fang Li.
As Fang Han's palm struck out, the people surrounding Fang Li only felt a strong gust of wind suddenly rising, blowing so hard that they couldn't even open their eyes, and could only retreat while covering themselves with their hands. This showed the power of this palm.
Fang Li gritted his teeth, watching the giant dragon elephant rush towards him. He didn't dare to be careless and suddenly let out a loud shout. Twelve vines burst out of his body and immediately entwined each other, forming a cage that protected Fang Li inside.
"You dare to show off your minor skills in front of me? I didn't become the head of the family by luck."
Fang Han slapped a palm on the rattan cage, and in just one second, the cage shattered with a loud noise. The true energy of the rattan instantly split into four or five pieces and dissipated into nothingness.
Although Fang Li was squatting in the cage, he still received a considerable impact, his chest felt like it had been heavily pounded, and he was suffocating, his face slightly pale, unable to speak for a long time.
However, the onlookers still widened their eyes in astonishment, with an expression of incredulity. Even Fang Han himself was shocked beyond words.
"You actually withstood my palm strike without getting hurt!" Looking at Fang Li, who was clutching his chest, Fang Han found it hard to believe. After all, he was a master of the tenth level of Qi refinement, just one step away from entering the realm of Building Foundation, while Fang Li was only a junior, although his technique was somewhat unusual, but not to the point where he could withstand his strongest attack without a scratch.
Fang Li had been holding it in for half a day, and finally calmed down. Although his face was pale, he still puffed out his chest and said: "My chest hurts a bit, I don't know if this counts as an injury?"
"This is impossible, you're only at the fifth level of Qi refinement, how can you possibly withstand my attack!" The huge disparity in power left Fang Han momentarily stunned, and for a moment, he didn't make another move against Fang Li.
Taking advantage of this gap, Fang Li suddenly shouted loudly, "If you don't show up again, I'll really die here." This sentence was spoken by Fang Li to the empty air.
The people around were all puzzled and didn't know what this move meant.
At this moment, a white-haired and youthful old man appeared, who was the Supreme Elder. However, the Supreme Elder's eyes were somewhat unkind at this time, staring at Fang Li and saying: "I didn't want to appear so early, let you suffer more, remember today's lesson."
"Great Elder!" Before Fang Li could respond, the other clan members all bowed their hands in respect. Fang Han, as the clan leader, stormed over with a furious expression and said: "Great Elder, you must have also seen that this child is extremely rebellious and disobedient, truly a calamity for our Fang family. If we don't eliminate him soon, who knows what kind of trouble he will bring to our Fang family."
The elder frowned, displeased: "You, as the head of the clan, actually fought with a junior member of your own clan. If this gets out, what face will our Fang Clan have left to stand in Yan City?"
Fang Han was taken aback and immediately said: "This matter I did indeed have some shortcomings, but Fang Li this son..."
The Supreme Elder waved his hand to interrupt him, "Enough, I know you must be very curious why I would go to such great lengths to protect Fang Li, but all I can tell you is that I have sufficient reason, and it won't take long for you to find out the reason. However, for now, I cannot tell you, nor do I wish others to intentionally make things difficult for him."
The old man had already made it very clear, Fang Li had decided.
"But..." Although Fang Han heard the Supreme Elder say that there was sufficient reason, she still felt somewhat unwilling.
"There's nothing for now, but I'll definitely give you an explanation later." The Supreme Elder looked at Fang Han with a firm gaze.
Fang Han finally yielded, "Alright, with the words of the Supreme Elder, if I continue to entangle myself in this matter, it would be somewhat unjustifiable. From now on, regarding any matters related to Fang Li, I will not intervene again and will not intentionally make things difficult for him. This is my promise."
Fang Han had been holding back a belly full of fire in her heart, but since the Supreme Elder had already said things to this extent, she had to give him face.
"Taishang Lao, I don't agree. What virtue and ability does this little brat Fang Li have? Why do you repeatedly protect him?" It was thought that the matter would be suppressed like this, but unexpectedly another person jumped out, a sturdy man like an ox, who was precisely Fang Yanhu.
The elder of the Shou Gong had been standing with his eyes half-closed, but suddenly saw his grandson jump out, and was immediately frightened to a pale face. The Taishang Elder was the strongest in the Fang family, and it was still acceptable for the patriarch to raise objections to him, but his grandson was just an ordinary direct descendant, and such public defiance of the Taishang Elder's will was no different from seeking death.
"Yán Hǔ, back down!" The elder of the Guardian Pavilion hastily pulled Fang Yán Hǔ, wanting to pull him away.
Fang Yanhuo also became arrogant at this time and shouted loudly: "No, why can that waste Fang Li get the protection of Tai Shang Lao, I don't accept it!"
