Chapter 1665: You Are Fake

Based on their appearance and soul aura, she couldn't tell who was real and who was fake. Since that was the case, she could only judge based on their previous conversation.

"You said..." Jiang Fangyou thought for a moment, just about to answer, when he heard the person in front of him speak: "You said... I absolutely won't marry that Zhang Xuan! All he does is show off, put people down, and he even publicly broke off an engagement, causing the little princess immense suffering. He has no compassion for women whatsoever..."

"This..." Stunned for a moment, Jiang Feifei nodded, "That's right, that's the line..."

Jiang Fangyou was stunned again, wondering if his memories had been read by the other party. This was a private conversation he had with his daughter; how could this person in front of him know it so clearly?

"No, you... you've been hiding by our side all this time, haven't you? Otherwise, how would you know about my conversation with Feifei?" Unable to hold back any longer, veins bulging on his forehead, Jiang Fangyou roared. He was supposed to be catching a thief who stole family treasures, but now he didn't even know who *he* was. He was truly going crazy.

"I could also say that *you've* been hiding by *our* side!" Zhang Xuan snorted coldly. "Alright, obediently reveal your true form, or else, if we all attack together, you'll have no way out but death!"

"I..." Jiang Fangyou clenched his fists, his body trembling, wanting to say something but unable to. What the other party said was true. If the elders truly didn't believe him and he had no clan leader token or similar treasure, then once everyone joined forces, he would indeed be difficult to resist. He might even be killed on the spot.

"Alright, let me say something fair!" Just as he didn't know what to do, a calm voice spoke up, and an elder stepped out from the crowd. Zhang Xuan looked and recognized him as Elder Jiang Fangyun of the Jiang Clan. Although his position in the clan wasn't high at the moment, he commanded immense respect. Zhang Xuan had also just given him some guidance.

"Elder Fangyun, please speak!" Recognizing the elder, Zhang Xuan cupped his fist in salute.

"Mhm!" Elder Jiang Fangyun nodded and looked over, his eyes filled with complexity. "I heard all the guidance you just gave everyone; it directly addressed the true meaning of the soul and the essence of cultivation, without a single error... Honestly, I kept thinking, how wonderful it would be if you were truly our clan leader! Our clan members would certainly progress rapidly, and surpassing the Zhang and Luo Clans would be just around the corner... But unfortunately, you are not!"

"Not?" Zhang Xuan was startled. "I really am Jiang Fangyou..."

Raising a hand to stop him, Jiang Fangyun shook his head. "Actually, it's not just me; all the elders have seen it. Clan Leader Jiang Fangyou has been with us for over a hundred years; we know very well what kind of abilities he possesses. To instantly discern our problems and flaws and then provide guidance... he doesn't have that ability, nor can he do it! If he truly had such skill, the Jiang Clan wouldn't be ranked last among the three major clans..."

"That's right, although Jiang Fangyou is a good person, his abilities are still lacking..." "You're much more powerful than the clan leader..." As soon as he finished speaking, several other elders chimed in agreement.

"..." Jiang Fangyou's vision went dark. *Damn it, is this how you all see me? Lacking abilities... Where exactly am I lacking? Can't you speak properly?* Just now, he had been hoping the elders would recognize who he was, and now that they truly recognized him as real, why didn't he feel happy, but rather, felt so heartbroken?

As he was feeling depressed, he saw his daughter on the side nod solemnly, and say, "My father *does* lack some abilities; he absolutely couldn't say those things you did..."

Jiang Fangyou clutched his chest. *Even if they recognized me as real, it shouldn't sting this much! How could I have given birth to such a daughter who undermines her own father?* He had originally been considering that the marriage alliance would be unfair to his daughter, but since she spoke about her father like this, he would now consider marrying her off to that annoying Zhang Xuan...

Jiang Fangyou felt utterly disheartened, and Zhang Xuan couldn't help but be dumbfounded. He had thought that by pointing out flaws and solving cultivation problems, he would gain everyone's trust. But after all this time, he had actually exposed himself... *Being too outstanding indeed made it easy to be discovered. No matter where he was, he was like a firefly in the dark, so bright, so remarkable...*

"Your guidance on soul cultivation was flawless, with every detail perfectly accurate... No matter who you are, you must have read all the Jiang Clan's hidden texts, haven't you? If I'm not mistaken, the ancestral spirits bowing down in the ancestral hall earlier—was that because you comprehended the True Soul Art?"

"Yes!" Seeing that the other party wasn't being aggressive or intending to kill him, Zhang Xuan knew he couldn't deny it, so he nodded.

"You comprehended the Jiang Clan's True Soul Art and know so much about the clan members in such detail. Could it be... that you are also an unknown side branch of our clan?"

The Luo Clan had produced a super genius, Luo Tianya! They all knew the news that he, as a side branch member, had comprehended the True Sealing Art. Surely, the Jiang Clan didn't have someone like that too, did it? Otherwise, why would he know so much about everyone and have such a thorough understanding of the clan's cultivation techniques?

His face filled with a conflicted expression, Zhang Xuan didn't know how to answer.

"Actually, regardless of whether you're from a side branch or not... comprehending the True Soul Art gives you the qualifications to be the clan leader! What's more, you genuinely refined the clan leader's token and gained control of the clan's grand formation!"

His eyes sparkling, Jiang Fangyun stepped forward, bowing and cupping his fist: "Therefore... we hope you can become our true clan leader and lead the Jiang Clan through these difficulties!"

Zhang Xuan froze, then after a moment, he couldn't help but shake his head. "To be honest, I am not a member of your Jiang Clan!"

If he were truly from a side branch, it wouldn't be an issue. Unfortunately, he had absolutely no relation to the Jiang Clan.

"Not from the Jiang Clan?" Everyone was stunned.

"It doesn't matter if you're not. Comprehending the Jiang Clan's True Soul Art creates an inseparable connection with our clan. In that case... if we marry Jiang Feifei to you, you can still become our Jiang Clan leader..." Jiang Fangyun nodded.

"No way..." Unexpectedly, the moment this elder opened his mouth, he used her happiness as a bargaining chip. Jiang Feifei quickly shook her head. This person in front of her was disguised as her father, and she didn't even know his true age. She absolutely wouldn't marry him... "Elder Fangyun is jesting. Becoming the clan leader is fine, but marrying her... let's just forget it!" Zhang Xuan also hastily refused.

If they truly didn't mind an outsider becoming their clan leader, he could indeed consider it. Although Jiang Fangyou was allied with the pale young man, the Jiang Clan had existed for tens of thousands of years; it was one thing to have one or two corrupt members, but it was impossible for the entire clan to have betrayed them! Otherwise, the Master Teacher Pavilion would surely have noticed long ago. Most importantly, if there truly was betrayal, as clan leader, he could better rectify the situation and prevent them from doing anything that would harm humanity.

"Marry me and... forget it? What do you mean by that?" She hadn't even finished her denial, and this guy was already rushing to refuse... Hearing this, Jiang Feifei exploded.