Chapter 539: 舅你妹舅

Upon entering the Demon Imperial Palace, Yun Che followed Yun Qinghong directly to the Demon Imperial Hall.

With its glazed tiles, golden domes, and incredibly magnificent and grand aura, the Demon Imperial Hall immediately filled Yun Che with a profound sense of awe upon his first entry. He felt as if he had not merely entered a vast palace, but had stepped into another world entirely. Even Phoenix City of the Divine Phoenix Empire paled in comparison.

"The Yun Clan arrives!"

The seats in the Demon Imperial Hall were already almost fully occupied. The kings from all corners of the realm, who could lord over everything in their own territories, were all meticulously cautious in Demon Imperial City, not even daring to speak loudly. They had arrived days in advance, and today, they had appeared several hours before dawn. Only the top powers of Demon Imperial City dared to arrive just in time for the event.

As the guard at the hall entrance loudly announced, the sounds within the Demon Imperial Hall immediately quieted considerably. Countless gazes turned towards the main entrance.

For the past ten thousand years, the Yun Clan had been the head of the Twelve Guardian Families. Even though they had fallen to the last position, they were still revered by the world. Moreover, with Yun Qinghong, who had been crippled for over twenty years, suddenly recovering, almost everyone was closely watching the Yun Clan's future development.

The arrival of the Yun Clan immediately made them the center of attention. All sorts of expressions and gazes appeared on the faces of different people, with many even showing playful, anticipating expressions as if watching a good show. This was because the seats arranged for the Yun Clan were vastly different from their usual position.

This type of grand ceremony occurred once every hundred years. Given their transcendent status, the Twelve Guardian Families were naturally arranged in prime golden seats. In the past, the Yun Clan, as the head of the Twelve Guardian Families, the most powerful and the most highly regarded family by successive Demon Emperors, had always held the chief position among the Twelve Guardian Families' seats, closest to the Demon Emperor, without exception. This had been true for the Little Demon Emperor's succession ceremony a century ago, and would also be true for the Little Demon Empress's succession ceremony soon to follow.

That section of seats had been exclusively reserved for the Yun Clan for ten thousand years, and was one of the Yun Clan's glories throughout that millennium!

However, today, the name engraved in front of those seats was no longer "Yun," but "Helian"!

The Yun Clan's seats were still in the most central part of the grand hall, but their specific position had conspicuously become the very last and most peripheral among the twelve families! Even the character "Yun" was visibly a fraction smaller than those of the other families.

The chief position, which had been held for ten thousand years without change, was not only replaced by another, but plummeted from the very first to the very last.

It was as if this was a public declaration and mockery to everyone present, and indeed the entire Illusory Demon Realm, of the Yun Clan's precipitous decline.

Even a fool could see at a glance that someone was deliberately humiliating the Yun Clan. Who had done this was even more obvious, as the royal families had always been in charge of arranging the entire grand ceremony.

Upon seeing their assigned seats, the Yun Clan members' expressions all changed drastically.

"This is outrageous!" First Elder Yun Waitian clenched his fists. Thinking of how his son was first poisoned with gu by people from the Duke Huai Palace and then died at the hands of Duke Huai's son, he trembled with rage, his eyes glinting with hatred.

"This is going too far! Do they really think there's no one left in our Yun Clan?!" Second Elder Yun Duanshui's face was filled with anger.

"Take your seats," Yun Qinghong said calmly, speaking no further. His expression remained as serene as ever, not betraying even a hint of anger or indignation. He didn't even frown for an instant. With steady steps and eyes fixed straight ahead, he walked towards the seats marked with the character "Yun."

Instantly, those who had been waiting for a show were filled with disappointment. Some couldn't help but feel admiration, and even profound respect, for Yun Qinghong. As calm as a drifting cloud, unperturbed by favor or disgrace, the scheming royal families' "show of force" against the Yun Clan in plain sight not only failed to humiliate the Yun Clan in the slightest, but in mere moments of their entrance, it instead allowed the world's powerful individuals to witness the extraordinary demeanor of the Yun Clan's patriarch.

With such a patriarch, even if the Yun Clan had temporarily declined, who would dare truly look down on them?

"Three Grand Elders, please." Upon reaching the seats, Yun Qinghong did not immediately take his place. With a composed expression, he performed the junior's bow, respectfully inviting the three Grand Elders, Yun Jiang, Yun He, and Yun Xi, to the main seats. The three Grand Elders smiled and nodded, taking their seats simultaneously; only then did Yun Qinghong follow suit.

The seats of the various ducal palaces were also in prime golden locations. The ducal palaces, like stars orbiting the moon, encircled the Duke Huai Palace's seats in the center. From the moment Yun Qinghong walked in, Duke Huai's gaze had been fixed on him. Once Yun Qinghong was seated, Duke Huai's expression subtly darkened, and his chest showed noticeable heaving. He spoke softly, "Yun Qinghong... indeed, it is Yun Qinghong."

"Are you worried that Yun Qinghong will be a variable?" a fair-faced, richly dressed middle-aged man beside him asked with a smile. His attire, however, did not belong to the Duke Huai Palace.

"Ever since I heard the news of Yun Qinghong's sudden recovery, this king has been restless and had to consider it," Duke Huai said. "Does King Zhong not agree?"

"Heh heh, Duke Huai is truly overly sensitive and worried," the man referred to as "King Zhong" replied with an unconcerned smile. "His transformation from a cripple back into Yun Qinghong merely means we have one more obstacle. What if Yun Qinghong is not just 170, but 1,700 years old, achieving late-stage Emperor cultivation? What then? At most, he's a slightly troublesome hindrance, but he doesn't deserve to be called a variable. With the power we've been preparing for so long, who in this entire world is worthy of being a variable?"

"I hope this king is overthinking things," Duke Huai said, narrowing his eyes slightly.

The demeanor Yun Qinghong displayed had everyone present impressed. The Yun Clan members clearly sensed the change in the surrounding gazes, and the feeling of humiliation they had experienced earlier largely faded.

The Yun Clan members took their seats, but every single one of them had a deeply displeased expression. The younger disciples, in particular, were full of indignation, heads bowed, unwilling to meet the eyes of members from other Guardian Families, especially the clearly disdainful and mocking gazes from the Helian Clan, who occupied the chief seats. The vast disparity from chief to last seat was a bitter taste hard for anyone to bear.

Yun Qinghong cast a glance backward, his gaze deepening, and he spoke calmly, "What? Do you all feel it's shameful to sit in this position?"

The Yun Clan disciples looked up in surprise, unsure how to respond.

"If a mere seat position makes you feel disheartened and embarrassed, if your dignity needs to be satisfied by your rank, then keep your heads bowed! Let the whole world see your cowardly appearance, wronged and humiliated!"

"A true powerhouse, a true man, will not kneel even if his legs are broken; he will never bow his head even if his neck is twisted! Our ancestors, who made our clan renowned throughout the world, wouldn't just take a slightly lower seat; even if they were pressed into the mud, they would surely hold their heads high and face all beings with pride! Because this is strength and pride etched into their very bones! No matter what position you sit in, it is not shameful... Your current appearance, that is truly shameful!"

Yun Qinghong's words were like an evening drum and morning bell, fiercely striking the heartstrings and souls of all Yun Clan disciples. They instantly felt a flame burning in their chests, and all the blood in their bodies, along with the pride and dignity buried within it, instantly boiled. Every single person lifted their heads high, their gazes no longer timid, but resolute and proud as they faced everyone.

"Patriarch, we are not cowards! As Yun Clan disciples, we will never lose to anyone!" a young Yun Clan disciple shouted loudly, and other disciples responded in kind. A sudden surge of passion and pride filled the entire Yun Clan seating area, instantly devouring their previous despondency.

"Good!" Yun Qinghong slowly nodded. "These are the true sons of my Yun Clan! If you yourselves think you are inferior to others, then our Yun Clan will never be able to rise again! But if you believe yourselves to be strong, then our Yun Clan... will be that strong!"

"Yes, Patriarch!!" All Yun Clan members responded in unison. The three short words were deafening, seemingly powerful enough to shatter the hall's dome and pierce the heavens.

Gazing at Yun Qinghong's back, First Elder Yun Waitian was momentarily lost in thought. He then muttered to himself, "With all these years of accumulation, I always thought that if I were to become patriarch, I wouldn't be any worse than him... Only now do I realize how ridiculously naive my thoughts were."

Second Elder Yun Duanshui smiled faintly, sighing deeply, "The Yun Clan's patriarch lineage has passed down not just blood, but also a spirit that ensures our clan's prosperity through generations!"

"The Mu Clan arrives!"

As a loud announcement came from outside the hall, the Mu Clan, one of the Twelve Guardian Families, also entered. Leading them was an old man with a dignified face. Though an elder, his face was utterly devoid of wrinkles, and his hair and beard were jet black. Only his slanting eyebrows, long beard, and plain attire suggested he belonged to the category of "elder."

To his right was Mu Yu Bai, the young master of the Mu Clan!

The old man's identity was also self-evident.

"It's Grandpa!" Xiao Yun exclaimed, a little excited. He was extremely familiar with this elder, but Yun Che was seeing him for the first time... his maternal grandfather! Mu Feiyan, the current patriarch of the Mu Clan.

The Mu Clan's seats were to the right of the Yun Clan's, adjacent to each other. Mu Feiyan glanced at his assigned position and strode forward. When he reached the Yun Clan's seats, his brows shot up sharply, completely disregarding the powerful figures around him, and he furiously cursed, "You filthy scoundrels! How dare you arrange the Yun Clan in the last seat!"

Yun Qinghong stood up and said with a smile, "Father-in-law, please calm your anger. Our two families have been in-laws for generations, but we've never had adjacent seats at a grand ceremony before. This time, it resolves a long-standing regret and can be considered a beautiful thing."

Hearing this, Old Man Mu, who had been huffing and puffing, immediately slapped Yun Qinghong's shoulder and burst into laughter. "Good son-in-law, I knew this small matter wouldn't even warrant your attention. Oh? This lad, is he the adopted son you took in?"

Mu Yurou gently pulled both Yun Che and Xiao Yun forward, and she said with a smile, "Che'er, this is Mother's father. You should also call him 'Grandpa,' just like Xiao'er."

"Grandpa," Yun Che called out respectfully, without hesitation, because the old man before him was indeed his maternal grandfather. He carried a quarter of his bloodline.

"Hmm, good lad, you look extraordinary at first glance, especially your eyes; they're a bit like Qinghong's when he was young," Mu Feiyan said admiringly after appraising Yun Che. "Yu Bai never praises anyone usually, but these past few days, he's mentioned this lad almost daily. My ears are practically calloused from listening."

His gaze, while appreciative, held a deep, hidden gratitude. He knew that both Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou had been cured by Yun Che, but having weathered so many years, he naturally understood that this matter must not be revealed publicly, as it would bring endless trouble upon him.

"Thank you for the compliment, Grandpa," Yun Che said with a smile.

"These three are Mother's three older brothers. From now on, you and Xiao'er can call them 'Uncle'," Mu Yurou said, pointing to the three very similar-looking brothers behind Mu Feiyan. "This is your third uncle, Mu Yu Qing, and this is your second uncle, Mu Yu Kong."

"Yun Che greets Second Uncle and Third Uncle," Yun Che said, respectfully performing the salutation.

Yun Che's true identity was known only to Yun Qinghong, Mu Yurou, Xiao Yun, and Yun Che himself. Since he had expressed a desire not to reveal it for the time being, Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou naturally went along with his wishes. However, Mu Yurou couldn't help but let her precious son acknowledge his maternal uncles.

Mu Yu Qing, who appeared remarkably young, accepted Yun Che's bow with a smile, not forgetting to offer a few compliments. "No wonder even my brother-in-law was willing to take him in as an adopted son. Putting everything else aside, just his looks are no less impressive than mine were back in the day."

Mu Yu Kong slapped his forehead, saying helplessly, "Third Brother here suddenly has a nephew, and sure enough, he's getting carried away again. Hmm, Yun Che, I won't let you call me 'Second Uncle' for nothing. When you visit our Mu Clan another day, I'll definitely give you a proper welcoming gift."

"This is your First Uncle; Che'er has already met him," Mu Yurou said, pointing to Mu Yu Bai.

Yun Che stepped forward and said earnestly, "First Uncle..."

"Uncle your sister!" Mu Yu Bai waved his hand dismissively and grumbled unhappily. "We agreed to become sworn brothers, are you trying to back out, kid? Or do you think I, Mu Yu Bai, am not worthy of being your sworn brother, huh!?"