Chapter 1579: I didn’t hear clearly

"We're home..." Seeing the many palaces and buildings that had already been repaired, Xing Jiansheng smiled faintly.

Looking again at the Zhang Clan before him, Zhang Xuan's feelings were completely different from before. When he had first arrived a few days ago, he had been determined to teach that "little genius" a lesson and show the Zhang Clan a thing or two. Now, knowing that the person was actually himself, and that the place he had always disliked was his own family, he felt an indescribable sense of emotion.

"If only we had found you sooner, it wouldn't have caused such a commotion..." Recalling the terrible state of affairs he had witnessed upon his previous arrival, Xing Jiansheng couldn't help but shake his head. If he could have recognized his son earlier and reunited with Zhang Xuan, things wouldn't have escalated to this point.

"It's good that he stirred things up. Otherwise, those people in your Zhang Clan would keep thinking they're the greatest in the world. I can't stand that. Xuan'er creating a fuss lets them know that compared to my son, all their talk of geniuses and pure bloodlines, no matter how many resources they've spent, just makes them useless!"

Meng Jiansheng snorted coldly.

Hearing his wife's words, Xing Jiansheng didn't know how to refute them. He could only shake his head with a bitter smile, saying, "Everything you say is right..."

Led personally by Xing Jiansheng, they flew unimpeded. Before long, they returned to the Elder's Great Hall, where the elders had previously held their meetings. A few days ago, Zhang Xuan had battled Grand Elder Zhang Wuhen here, destroying countless buildings. Now, they had all been repaired and looked exactly as before, with no trace of the collapse.

"Your mother has caused a commotion in the clan several times and torn down houses a few times, so... the Zhang Clan specifically keeps a group of skilled architects and landscapers on hand to make repairs immediately if anything happens..." Seeing his confusion, Xing Jiansheng discreetly transmitted his voice with a wary expression.

Hearing that his "mother" nearby was also a "destruction king," Zhang Xuan's mouth twitched. To be honest, his destruction was never intentional; it was merely a matter of unfortunate coincidence. It was incomparable to his mother's deliberate actions.

"Welcome, Acting Clan Head! Welcome back, Little Genius!"

Upon entering the main hall, a synchronized chorus of voices rang out. Looking up, he saw the room was filled with people—the many elders of the Zhang Clan. Xing Jiansheng nodded and strode in with Master Yang, Zhang Xuan, and the others, taking a seat at the head of the table. Normally, given Master Yang's status, he would have occupied the most prominent seat. However, as Zhang Xuan's junior disciple, and with Zhang Xuan being the descendant of Sword Saints Xing and Meng, he could only sit at the very back.

"Zhang Xuan is the little genius from our clan who went missing twenty years ago. Now that he has returned today, I must trouble you all to prepare the items and procedures for ancestor worship. Tomorrow morning, he will officially be recognized into the clan, and the position of Clan Head will be established!" Xing Jiansheng surveyed the room.

"Establish the Clan Head position?"

"The Acting Clan Head means to hand over the Clan Head position to the Little Genius tomorrow?"

"Isn't that a bit too fast?"

All the elders were stunned. While the Clan Head position would eventually revert to the Little Genius upon his return, this... seemed a bit too rushed! He had just arrived at the Zhang Clan and knew nothing. Could allowing him to lead truly make the Zhang Clan better, and not more chaotic?

"I object!" A voice cried out from the crowd.

Looking up, they saw Grand Elder Zhang Wuhen step out from the crowd. Seeing that it was him, Xing Jiansheng frowned. He had ordered him to return to the Elder Council to face punishment; he hadn't expected him to still be here.

"State your reason!" Snorting, Xing Jiansheng narrowed his eyes. After finally finding his son, he was overjoyed, but he hadn't expected to be opposed by a clansman as soon as he returned home, which displeased him greatly.

"The head of the Zhang Clan has always been succeeded by the purest bloodline within the clan. Although Zhang Xuan is your son and the clan's little genius, his bloodline can no longer be detected. Without the Zhang Clan bloodline, how can he inherit the position of Clan Head?" The Grand Elder stated.

"Cannot detect his bloodline?"

"No Zhang Clan bloodline? Grand Elder, what's going on?" All the other elders were startled. The bloodline test on Zhang Xuan had been carried out by Zhang Wuchen discreetly; only two people in the clan knew about it, the others were unaware.

"Elder Wuchen, please explain!" Zhang Wuhen said.

"Yes!" Zhang Wuchen stepped forward. "When Master Zhang arrived a few days ago, I suspected he was the little genius. I specifically took him to the Blood Pool for a test, and the result was..." He then quickly recounted Zhang Xuan's visit to the Blood Pool in detail.

"This..."

"No Zhang Clan bloodline? He's not even a member of the Zhang Clan. How can he become the Clan Head?" After hearing the explanation, everyone began to whisper amongst themselves, filled with shock and doubt. Back then, when the little genius was born, his bloodline had been tested, shocking the entire clan and establishing his identity as the future Clan Head... But now, after twenty years, he had returned with no bloodline left. How could he possibly be the Clan Head?

"Bloodline power is the symbol of the Zhang Clan. Zhang Xuan is a Zhang Clan descendant, and since the Acting Clan Head has confirmed it, that is undeniable. But... if he has lost his Zhang Clan bloodline, it goes against ancestral teachings. How can he be the Clan Head? How can he become the Clan Head?" Zhang Wuhen cupped his fists. "I am doing all this for the sake of the clan. I hope the Acting Clan Head will reconsider!"

"You..." Xing Jiansheng clenched his fist, his face turning ashen. He had thought that bringing his son back would easily secure his inheritance of the Clan Head position. He never imagined that this Grand Elder would completely block their path with a single reason. What he said was true; the clan indeed had a rule that only those whose bloodline reached a certain standard were qualified to become Clan Head. His son now had no bloodline in his body. Even if he became Clan Head, his position would be illegitimate and unfounded.

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Furious to the point of explosion, he still forced down his anger and looked over.

"It's simple: find someone with the purest bloodline who meets the standard!" The Grand Elder nodded.

"My bloodline doesn't even meet the standard. Who else could possibly achieve it?" Xing Jiansheng narrowed his eyes. The other party was deliberately making things difficult. He currently had the purest bloodline in the clan, but it still didn't meet the standard to become Clan Head. If he couldn't do it, who else could succeed? The other party clearly didn't want to establish a Clan Head.

"Just because the Acting Clan Head's bloodline doesn't meet the standard doesn't mean no one else's does. There's already someone in the clan who can meet the standard... and even far exceed it!" Zhang Wuhen chuckled and beckoned, "Come in!"

Immediately, a figure slowly walked in from outside the door.

"His bloodline fully meets the requirements; it's even stronger, not weaker, than that of the little genius from back then! He is fully qualified to be the Clan Head..." Zhang Wuhen waved his hand, and a special power enveloped the newcomer. The next moment, the figure immediately emitted a dazzling light.

"What powerful bloodline..." Everyone in the hall's pupils contracted. Under the dazzling light, they could sense that the bloodline power within the person was far superior to their own, surpassing it by an unknown degree, burning as intensely as a scorching sun. Even Xing Jiansheng couldn't help but frown. He could also sense that the other person's bloodline was much more profound than his own, clearly on a completely different level.

"His bloodline surpasses everyone's and meets the standard. To establish him as Clan Head, does anyone object?" Seeing that the newcomer had subdued the crowd, Zhang Wuhen smiled and looked around.

No sooner had his words fallen than Zhang Xuan, who was standing in front, suddenly spoke. "You, come here..."

"Zhang Xuan, what are you doing? Although you are the little genius, you no longer have the bloodline, so it's not your place to speak. We are currently discussing the Clan Head candidate, so please be quiet..." Seeing him interrupt at this moment, Zhang Wuhen was furious.

However, before he could finish speaking, the figure he had brought in rushed forward, his knees giving way as he knelt on the ground. "Your disciple Zhang Jiuxiao greets Teacher!" The figure, with a sincere expression, was none other than Zhang Jiuxiao.

"Mm, rise!" With a sigh, Zhang Xuan patted his disciple's head, then looked up, recalling something. He turned to Zhang Wuhen, who was not far away, and asked, "Grand Elder, what did you just say? I didn't quite catch that..."