Chapter 523: Housemaster's Order

Yun Qinghong’s angry rebuke carried an astonishing aura. With every word he uttered, everyone present felt an almost suffocating pressure. Everyone in the Yun family, from the elders to the youngest disciples, was stunned. Even Yun Xiao’s jaw dropped, staring at Yun Qinghong with disbelief… The father he knew was a calm and reserved man, usually quiet, disinclined to socialize, and rarely leaving his courtyard, almost to the point of being detached from the world.

He couldn't believe that his father would speak such strong words with such imposing authority to the esteemed Prince Huaiye.

Prince Huaiye never dreamed Yun Qinghong would rebuke him like this. Yun Qinghong was clearly a cripple, yet facing his gaze at that moment, the Prince felt a deep tremor in his heart. As a dignified Prince, he had never been reprimanded like this in front of so many people. He pointed at Yun Qinghong, his voice trembling slightly, "Yun Qinghong, you..."

"Insolent!" Yun Qinghong's voice grew even deeper, directly cutting off Prince Huaiye. "Is 'Yun Qinghong' a name you are permitted to utter? I, Yun Qinghong, was famous in Demon Imperial City at fourteen, before your father was even born, and even the Little Demon Emperor called me brother. Who do you think you are, daring to call the family head by his given name? You disrespect your elders, lack courtesy, have no upbringing, are arrogant and self-important, and utterly ignorant of your place. You bring shame upon your father and grandfather, and you don't even realize it; you've shamed the entire Illusory Demon Royal Family! Such an unworthy descendant, this family head is too lazy to even bother teaching you. Hmph."

"You..." Prince Huaiye swayed, his vision blurred, and he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood. Prince Huaiye, upon arriving at the Yun family, was greeted with bows from the Grand Elder, respectful gazes from everyone, and universal agreement with his words—no one dared to defy him. What immense prestige! As for Yun Qinghong, the family head... a cripple whom he hadn't even bothered to glance at. Now, this crippled family head had publicly berated him, tearing him to shreds with every word, none of which he could refute.

The scene was dead silent, Yun Qinghong's harsh words still ringing in people's ears. His words also awakened memories of Yun Qinghong in the hearts of the elders... He was the son of the Demon King, his talent even greater than the Demon King's in his youth. Among his peers, including those of the Illusory Demon Royal Family, no one could compare. It was a well-known fact among elders that he became famous in Demon Imperial City at fourteen, and that the Little Demon Emperor called him brother was absolutely true. At that time, no one doubted that Yun Qinghong would be the second Demon King, following Yun Canghai.

After more than twenty years of silence, people seemed to have forgotten the kind of person Yun Qinghong once was. But even though he was crippled, it could not erase his past glory. His title as the Illusory Demon Realm's youngest Emperor has never been taken from him, and the dazzling brilliance he once possessed has yet to be surpassed.

At Yun Qinghong's current age, Prince Huaiye's achievements weren't even worthy of comparison.

As these memories resurfaced, the elders suddenly found Prince Huaiye's disrespectful and presumptuous behavior in front of Yun Qinghong utterly ridiculous.

"The Family Head... this is our Family Head!" an elder exclaimed, standing up excitedly. "Is the Family Head... returning?" His excitement was cut short as someone nearby abruptly pulled him back to his seat, shaking their head at him with a solemn expression... His expression tightened instantly, and he quickly reined in his emotions, calming down.

A significant number of core and ordinary elders showed expressions of surprise and excitement, but quickly hid them. In the somewhat noisy and chaotic atmosphere, no one noticed this, but Yun Che, facing the elders' seats, caught the brief changes in some of their expressions. His gaze sharpened, and deep surprise flickered in his eyes. Could it be...?

After his rebuke, Yun Qinghong let out a cold snort, directly ignoring Prince Huaiye. He frowned and looked at Yun Xinyue, whose face was dark and uncertain, saying, "Yun Xinyue, what are you still doing standing there? Go up at once and prepare to undergo the Profound Core Soul Absorption."

Yun Qinghong's sudden outburst caught Yun Waitian off guard. Hearing Yun Qinghong's words, he glared and quickly said, "Yun Qinghong, you... don't go too far!"

"Too far? What is too far?" Yun Qinghong said indifferently.

Yun Waitian retorted without yielding, "It was made clear before that Xinyue absolutely cannot undergo the Profound Core Soul Absorption. Otherwise, our Yun family will become a laughingstock throughout the Illusory Demon Realm! Are you disregarding our family's reputation just to protect your adopted son?"

Yun Qinghong's gaze was calm, yet under his direct stare, Yun Waitian felt a sensation of constricted breathing... Faintly, he seemed to sense that the Yun Qinghong of old, the former Family Head of the Yun family, had returned after twenty-two years of silence.

"If it were merely the words of outsiders, there would indeed be no reason to undergo the Profound Core Soul Absorption," Yun Qinghong's voice suddenly intensified. "But now, this is an order from this Family Head! Can I, as the head of the family, not even give such a simple order to a junior member of the family?"

"Ngh..." Yun Waitian's throat constricted sharply, and he was speechless.

"Yun Xinyue, get on the stage immediately and undergo the Profound Core Soul Absorption... This is an order!" Yun Qinghong said sternly.

Yun Xinyue's hands trembled, and a line of cold sweat appeared on his forehead. He looked at Prince Huaiye with a pleading gaze, only to find the Prince's face was also extremely grim. Even though he saw Yun Xinyue's plea, he couldn't utter a word... Yun Qinghong's fierce reprimands had choked him, making his internal organs feel as if they were about to explode.

"Hahahaha! Ridiculous, truly ridiculous! Yun Qinghong, do you still think you're the Yun Qinghong of back then? Now, you're nothing but a cripple!" Helian Peng let out a grating laugh.

"Even if I am a cripple, I am still the Yun family's head!"

"The Yun family's head? Hehe..." Helian Peng sneered. "What do you have to prove you're the Yun family's head? What right do you have to call yourself the Yun family's head? Even an outsider like me knows that the symbol of your Yun family's head is the 'Family Head Token' passed down through generations. Only with the Family Head Token is one truly the Yun family's head! Just as the Illusory Demon Royal Family can only have a true Demon Emperor if they hold the Demon Emperor's Seal! Yun Qinghong, since you claim to be the head, do you possess the 'Family Head Token'?"

A hundred years ago, when Demon King Yun Canghai disappeared, the Yun family's Family Head Token vanished without a trace. Only after that did Yun Qinghong succeed him as the Yun family's head. The loss of the Yun family's "Family Head Token" a century ago was common knowledge in Demon Imperial City. After all, the Family Head Token was arguably the Yun family's most important artifact; it contained the original Purple Cloud Art and preserved the power and soul imprints of every successive family head. Once lost, it was irreplaceable.

Just as Yun Qinghong, after twenty-two years of silence, powerfully reasserted his identity as family head, Helian Peng deliberately brought up the Family Head Token that had been missing for a century, a truly malicious strike at Yun Qinghong's weakest point. But Yun Qinghong showed not a hint of panic. He glanced sideways, sneering, "Helian Peng, you're certainly very invested in my Yun family's affairs today, especially Yun Xinyue from my family; you truly seem to care a great deal... Heh, since you wish to see my Yun family's Family Head Token, then I shall grant your wish."

As Yun Qinghong's voice fell, the hand that had been resting on the wheelchair's armrest slowly lifted. In his palm, a palm-sized purple jade token emitted a faint purple glow.

The moment the purple jade token appeared, all Yun family disciples present clearly felt their Purple Cloud Art pulsing uncontrollably within them, and even the blood in their bodies showed a distinct agitation. All Yun family elders over a hundred years old stood up in unison. Even the three Grand Elders—Yun Jiang, Yun He, and Yun Xi—rose simultaneously, their faces showing deep shock and excitement.

"The... Family Head Token! It's our Yun family's Family Head Token!!" Grand Elder Yun Xi blurted out. For a dignified Grand Elder to lose control of his emotions, one could imagine how excited he was.

"The Family Head Token... Impossible! Wasn't the Family Head Token lost a hundred years ago? But, this aura...""No mistake! This is definitely the Family Head Token! There absolutely cannot be a second one in the world!""Heaven be praised, our Yun family's Family Head Token... has finally returned!"

The younger generation might not fully grasp the concept of the "Family Head Token," but for elders over a hundred years old, it was the Yun family's unparalleled sacred artifact. The reappearance of the Family Head Token after a century, especially in Yun Qinghong's hands, caused the Yun family elders to be overwhelmed with emotion, some even shedding tears.

The most astonished person was undoubtedly Mu Yurou, who was by Yun Qinghong's side. Though she was eager for answers, she didn't ask, knowing it wasn't the right time.

"Qinghong, where was the Family Head Token found? Or... has it actually never been lost these past hundred years?" Yun Jiang asked as he stood up, his white beard trembling slightly with excitement as he spoke.

Yun Qinghong calmly replied, "The Family Head Token is a sacred artifact of my Yun family, and I would never dare to conceal or falsify anything regarding its loss. It was indeed lost a century ago, but later recovered due to a fortunate coincidence. As for the details, that is an internal Yun family matter, and with outsiders present, it's best discussed later."

The three Grand Elders nodded simultaneously, none of them pressing further. The return of the Family Head Token was the Yun family's greatest joyous event in a century; how it was recovered was secondary by comparison.

"Helian Peng," Yun Qinghong intentionally turned the "Family Head Token" towards him, "May I now call myself the Yun family's head?"

Helian Peng gritted his teeth, his face ashen. He had never imagined that the Family Head Token, supposedly lost for a century, would suddenly reappear in Yun Qinghong's hands. And even though he wasn't a Yun family member, he could tell at a glance that it was the genuine article, without a shred of falsehood... This was utterly bizarre!

Everything today, the first half, was as expected, but afterward... it was completely different from the planned script!

"Yun Xinyue, get onto the Sacred Cloud Platform immediately and prepare to undergo the Profound Core Soul Absorption! This is an order. If you are truly innocent as you claim, why would you fear the Profound Core Soul Absorption? If you hesitate and delay any further, it will only make you look guilty!" Yun Qinghong said sternly.