The patriarch handed each of them a glass bottle. The red liquid inside moved like living blood, thick and slow. Not a single hand trembled — none dared to risk dropping it.
Jiang Wuyu returned to his grand seat, his eyes sweeping over them as he spoke in a clear, commanding voice.
"This elixir is one of our clan's greatest treasures. It is reserved solely for this sacred moment."
His tone grew deeper, more intense.
"It will grant you the ability to break through cultivation levels at an alarming rate — without side effects. At most, it will take you to the high stage of Rank 1 within mere months. That may not sound like much, but for cultivators of your level, that pace would normally take six or seven years. No elixir or pill in our region can match its speed."
Murmurs filled the air, their eyes glowing with disbelief and ambition.
"You will also be given techniques of your own choosing," the patriarch continued. "But do not think for a moment that you will be pampered. NOTHING ELSE WILL BE GIVEN. You will earn every step forward with your OWN BLOOD AND SWEAT."
His voice thundered across the great hall, reverberating through their bones.
"TO PROVE YOU ARE WORTHY OF THE HEIR'S POSITION — TO PROVE THAT YOU DESERVE TO BEAR THE NAME JIANG!"
The roar shook the air, forcing some of the children to their knees. His words struck like blades: a promise of glory, and a warning of the cost.
Jiang Liechen and the others were escorted from the hall, eyes burning with starlit dreams and newfound purpose. Each step they took toward the technique hall felt like a march toward destiny.
Back in the grand hall, Jiang Wuyu remained seated. A faint smile touched his lips as he recalled their faces — their joy, their awe, the desperate hope in their eyes.
"I suppose this is what Father saw too… when he gave halfbloods like them a chance to challenge the main family. ABSOLUTE HUMOR!" He burst into laughter. "Yes, they can become heir — if they're good enough. But none of them realize the obvious truth… in all our clan's history, not a single heir has ever come from outside the main family!"
He chuckled darkly, amusement laced with disdain.
"We usually allow just two or four halfbloods into the competition. But this time… I had no choice. I've spent the last of the Crimson Ruby Elixir on this entire batch. Not a single drop remains. And I haven't found a Crimson Ruby mine in DECADES. Literal DECADES."
His hand clenched the armrest of his throne.
"We never use this much. But I had to. I NEEDED them all to reach the necessary level… for what I'm planning. DAMN THAT TRAITOROUS BASTARD!"
His voice turned savage, boiling with fury.
"IF I HAD FOUND HIM MYSELF, I WOULD'VE SKINNED HIM ALIVE! I WOULD'VE TORTURED HIM IN WAYS HE COULDN'T EVEN IMAGINE! IT'S BECAUSE OF HIM THAT I LOST SO MUCH! EVEN MY WIFE! BECAUSE OF HIM, I HAD TO BURN THROUGH EVERYTHING TO SAVE MY SON!"
His roar echoed through the chamber like a war drum. The entire hall trembled with the sheer force of his rage. The two elders standing nearby remained unfazed, accustomed to these violent storms. He had not held back a single word, even with them present.
One of the elders stepped forward calmly — Jiang Hi, a short woman with long black hair and sharp brown eyes.
"Patriarch," she said respectfully. "Please calm yourself. Our plans are moving forward. We've confirmed it — the Azure Crystal Mine controlled by Stone Path Hall is secretly conjoined with a Crimson Ruby vein. They likely have no idea. Crimson Rubies only reveal their true color when exposed to blood. It's possible they've already sold some, mistaking them for Azure Crystals — an enormous loss."
Jiang Wuyu narrowed his eyes.
"If they really have a Crimson Ruby vein and don't even know it…"
Jiang Hi continued, "Exactly. We suspect the ruby and azure crystals are growing intertwined. It's incredibly rare — and something like this only happens when they're exposed to demonic Qi. We must act quickly, before more rubies are lost to ignorance."
The patriarch leaned forward.
"UNFORTUNATELY, WE CANNOT BUY THE RUBIES. NOR CAN WE RISK LETTING THEM KNOW. IF WORD GETS OUT THAT CRIMSON RUBIES ARE BEING TRADED, THE EMPIRE WILL STRIKE. THEY WILL ANNIHILATE US WITHOUT HESITATION."
He stood, his eyes burning.
"THESE RUBIES ARE USED IN DEMONIC PILLS. TO THEM, WE ARE LESS THAN DIRT. THEY WOULDN'T BLINK TO SLAUGHTER US ALL. WE COULD SLAUGHTER THE ENTIRE STONE PATH HALL RIGHT NOW AND THEY WOULDN'T CARE. BUT IF THEY LEARN WHY—IF THEY LEARN OF THE RUBIES—WE'RE FINISHED."
His jaw tightened.
"AND I KNOW THOSE SELF-RIGHTEOUS BASTARDS USE THE RUBIES JUST LIKE DEMONIC CULTIVATORS. IF NOT WORSE."
His voice dropped into a whisper—a promise of future violence.
"They hide behind their laws. But they're no different. No better."
This time, the other elder stepped forward — a broad-shouldered man with a worn eyepatch bearing the emblem of a blooming flower. His voice was calm but firm.
"Patriarch, please… steady yourself. There is another matter."
Jiang Peng's expression was grave.
"The Crimson Rubies… they don't form naturally. They're the result of corruption — the byproduct of a demonic beast's presence. A creature known as the Crimson Vein Tree."
Jiang Wuyu's gaze sharpened.
Jiang Peng continued, "That tree slowly infects nearby Azure Crystals, transforming them into Crimson Rubies over time. It changes the entire vein. If it's left undisturbed, and if the crystal flow is stable, it will convert every last one."
He paused, a gleam of hunger in his eye.
"And unlike most demonic beasts, this one… doesn't move. Its roots run deep. Its movement is limited. We may be able to trap it — and harvest every single Azure Crystal it touches before it dies or the vein dries out."
A breath passed through the chamber. Jiang Hi narrowed her eyes.
"We've never succeeded in doing that before."
"Exactly," Jiang Peng said. "Other demonic beasts are too aggressive. They attack the moment they sense us. But this one… this is different. This is the best opportunity we've had in decades."
He raised a hand, then clenched it.
"Still, there's a problem. Based on the corruption level, the Crimson Vein Tree is likely a Rank 2 demonic beast. That makes it dangerous… but manageable. More importantly, it isn't going anywhere — they don't leave their nesting grounds. We still have time."
His tone dropped.
"But we must act before the Institute discovers it. The moment they realize what lies beneath their mine, they'll go straight to the Empire. And they'll twist the truth — say we attacked because we wanted the Crimson Rubies… and the demonic beast which is the truth but we obviously don't want them to know that we need to make some fake reasons for this war as a backup plan as well that way if they find out about the demonic beast we can use that fake reason as a way to protect ourselves from the empire."
"Exactly," Jiang Peng said. "But the moment word spreads, we're finished. The Institute will use this as a chance to destroy us — and the Empire won't hesitate. They'll brand us as demonic sympathizers and wipe us from the map."
He lowered his voice.
"That's why I suggest a series of plans."
"Go on," the patriarch said coldly.
"We start with quiet pressure. We attack their students. We sabotage their trades with other clans and sects. Slowly isolate them. If they're forced into a corner, they'll either sell us the mine… or abandon it."
"And if they don't?" Jiang Hi asked.
Jiang Peng's eye gleamed. "Then we propose a resolution. A public duel between our clan's cultivators and theirs. If we win — they sell us the mine."
Jiang Hi frowned. "And if we lose?"
But Jiang Wuyu interrupted with a sneer.
"Then we keep attacking. We never intended to make an oath. It's all just a play."
The elders nodded in silent agreement.
"Now go," the patriarch commanded, his voice low and commanding. "Continue with our plans. That mine — and those rubies — will belong to the Jiang Clan."
Back in the present, Jiang Liechen found himself thinking about that day—when the Patriarch handed them the elixirs. He had been so happy then, so full of joy and hope.
But as time passed, unease began to creep in.
"Something felt wrong," he thought. "I wanted to know what my real chances were of becoming the heir… so I started digging into the clan's history. And what I found made everything too clear."
Every clan heir. Every single patriarch. Without exception—they were always from the main family.
"Then I began to think… if we could get elixirs like these, wouldn't the main family's children have access to the same? Probably earlier than us—and likely better ones, too. They have everything they need to cultivate. And the gap between us…" He exhaled silently. "It's far too large."
Not only that, the main heir—the Patriarch's son—was already fifteen.
"And no one sees him. Not once. That can only mean one thing: he's a training maniac. With all the resources he could ever want."
That kind of combination—resources, isolation, and likely talent—was terrifying. Jiang Liechen lowered his gaze.
"If he's even more talented than me… and I'm just a Rank 2 talent…"
He didn't finish the thought. He didn't need to.
"That's why I chose not to compete. No matter what I do, I'll lose. Even worse—I'll make enemies out of people I can't afford to offend. What if they're arrogant enough to hate being challenged by someone like me?"
So he made a decision.
"The best step toward greatness right now is to not move at all. I'll wait. Until I can step forward without risk. Without drawing fire."
He clenched his fists under his sleeves, thoughts bitter.
"I know I have no real chance of winning. This so-called 'fair challenge' is just a performance. A lie to fool the rest of us into thinking we ever had a shot."
But then a colder realization surfaced.
"If it's so obvious we'll lose… why even waste the elixirs on us?"
He stared at the floor, jaw tight.
"There are far better options. I'm only a Rank 2 talent. I might not even reach Rank 2 in cultivation. So what's the point?"
There was no answer—just silence and the echo of truth that hurt more than he wanted to admit.