Chapter 59 : Chapter 59
Chapter 59. Poor martial exam results? I killed a sixth-rank demonic beast above my level, and the whole family was stunned.
That night, at the Jiang Group.
Beneath the half-lit moon, the vermilion lacquered doors slowly opened. Below the twenty-four white marble steps, the family elders in exquisite black-and-white suits walked side by side.
At the very front, Jiang Zhentian wore a solemn expression. His overcoat swayed in the wind as he climbed the steps one by one and took his seat at the head of the conference table.
He said nothing. His gaze was cold, and a faint smile hung at the corner of his lips, carrying an overwhelming pressure.
The family elders stood by their places. Not a single one of them dared sit down. All of them waited for Jiang Zhentian to speak first.
Jiang Dongnian’s face was slightly red, and his expression was incomparably gloomy.
He knew that at this family heir meeting, Jiang Zhentian was not going to strip Jiang Yichen of his status as heir.
Fortunately, as the head of the Jiang family, the number one great family in Huaxia, Jiang Zhentian might be the final decision-maker, but he still had to consider the family’s overall interests. He could not act however he pleased.
Even if Jiang Yichen’s strength had now surpassed Feng’er’s, strength alone was not enough to be the heir. The most important thing was being able to lead the family and secure benefits for it.
As it happened, Feng’er fit that requirement perfectly, and more than half of the family elders supported Feng’er becoming the heir.
As long as the Huaxia Team League a month from now was used to decide the heir, Feng’er would be able to sit securely in that position.
After all, Feng’er had taken part in the Yanhuang Team, the number one team in Huaxia that Jiang Yichen had cultivated. Winning the championship would not be difficult.
“Has Madam not arrived yet?”
From the seat of honor, Jiang Zhentian turned his head and asked Uncle Feng.
“Master, Madam is on her way. She will be here very soon.”
Jiang Zhentian gave a slight nod, then swept his gaze over the standing family elders. “Sit.”
The elders nodded to him and slowly took their seats.
“Some time ago, I restarted the selection process for the heir. Among all of you, the one most frequently recommended to me was ‘Jiang Feng.’”
Jiang Zhentian tapped the table. “So at today’s family meeting, what are your views on selecting the heir?”
The various family elders looked at one another and exchanged a few quiet words. In the end, most of them turned toward Jiang Dongnian and nodded.
“Family Head, I believe the capable should take the position of heir. Yichen spends all day neglecting proper matters, humiliating himself over a woman, and refusing to cultivate diligently. If the Jiang family is handed over to him in the future, it will have no hope!”
The white-haired Grand Elder, Jiang Qisheng, was the first to speak. “As for Jiang Feng, he has been intelligent since childhood. He entered the group early and became familiar with management. He has talent, and he works hard and diligently. He is an excellent choice for heir.”
“The Grand Elder is right. The heir is the key to the family’s long-term future. Family Head, please be cautious. You must not let personal feelings make you ignore the family’s interests.”
“Family Head, I have a suggestion. Didn’t Jiang Feng and Yichen take part in the graduation assessment today? Since we are reselecting the heir, let us first use the graduation assessment results as the basis.”
Jiang Zhenglin, the family elder in charge of legal affairs, stood and made his proposal.
The other elders all nodded as well, approving of this method.
Only Jiang Dongnian wore an expression like he had swallowed something foul. The livestream footage from the Huazhong martial exam had already spread wildly across every major platform.
Especially that final segment where Jiang Yichen controlled fifty Magical Artifacts and killed the Ink-Poison Octopus above his level.
Although many people did not believe it, Jiang Dongnian had seen it with his own eyes.
“The assessment results...”
At those words, the corners of Jiang Zhentian’s mouth lifted a little more.
Just earlier, he had spoken with his wife on the phone, and what she told him had left him in disbelief. That little bastard had apparently reached the fifth stage of Grandmaster.
It had instantly filled him with confidence, when originally he had had very little confidence about convening this meeting.
At first, he had suspected it was the effect of the Nectar of Immortality. But no matter how miraculous a treasure was, raising a second-stage martial artist to Grandmaster in such a short time was pure fantasy.
So how had his son, who only had an A-rank martial talent, broken through to the fifth stage of Grandmaster?
Jiang Zhentian was deeply puzzled, but now was not the time to dwell on that.
A fifth-stage Grandmaster taking part in a graduation assessment should have crushed the competition no matter how one looked at it.
But before the meeting, he had checked the assessment rankings. Good lord. Rank 8,933!
Could that possibly be the result of a fifth-stage Grandmaster?
Jiang Zhentian let out a disappointed sigh and said simply, “Fine. Then we’ll use the graduation assessment results first. Old Feng, display the Huazhong graduation assessment rankings.”
“Yes, Master!”
Uncle Feng operated the computer projection and entered Huazhong University’s official website.
The family elders all wore smiling expressions.
They had not had time to watch the livestream, but before the meeting they had already checked Jiang Yichen’s and Jiang Feng’s rankings in the assessment.
Jiang Feng was third, while Jiang Yichen was in the eight-thousands.
They had not expected Jiang Zhentian to really take the bait and use the assessment results as the method for selecting the heir.
Grand Elder Jiang Qisheng turned to look at Jiang Dongnian and said with a smile, “Xiao Feng performed quite well in the assessment.”
Sweat beaded on Jiang Dongnian’s forehead. He knew better than anyone that Jiang Yichen’s fifth-stage Grandmaster strength meant that ranking in the eight-thousands was nothing more than him going easy on Feng’er.
“Master... the assessment results are as follows. Young Master ranked 8,933, while Young Master Jiang Feng ranked third.”
Faced with such an enormous gap, Jiang Zhentian felt nothing but disappointment.
If there was anything else, it was only that the little bastard had at least passed, which would temporarily keep Su Zhan steady.
“Family Head, the result is already obvious at a glance. Jiang Feng’s excellence is there for all to see.”
“That’s right, Family Head. Jiang Feng is not only excellent, he also knows how to work hard and strive forward. Compared to Yichen, who just slacks off and refuses to do proper things, there is simply no comparison.”
“Family Head, remove Yichen’s status as heir and give it to someone outstanding and diligent. Only then can the Jiang family go farther in the future.”
“The heir of the number one great family does not even possess any real strength. How will he lead the family to prosperity in the future? Jiang Feng is already at the Fourth Stage, Third Layer. He is far stronger than Jiang Yichen.”
“Yes. This is the kind of talented and powerful junior who should be cultivated as the heir.”
“...”
Listening to the elders, Jiang Zhentian frowned and let his eyes sweep over Jiang Yichen’s ranking.
Sixty in every written subject. Within the top ten thousand in the martial exam. Passed the graduation assessment.
Before the assessment, Old Feng had reported that the little bastard had just broken through to the Third Stage. Out of thirty thousand examinees, he had actually passed?
A trace of surprise flashed through Jiang Zhentian’s eyes, but the difference in results was simply too great.
Even if that little bastard truly had started working hard, it still would not make up for the hole he had dug for himself over the past four years.
As a father, Jiang Zhentian desperately wanted his son to remain the heir forever and enjoy the family’s resources and authority.
But as the head of the Jiang family, he had to place the family’s interests first.
If someone with neither strength nor ability was made heir, it would be a devastating blow to the family’s future.
Jiang Zhentian drew a deep breath. After hesitating for a long while, he slowly said, “Then we will remove—”
Click.
Just as he was about to say it, the conference room doors were suddenly pushed open.
Shen Qingyue, dressed in a soft white satin cheongsam, rushed inside in a hurry, with fine beads of sweat still clinging to her forehead.
Grand Elder Jiang Qisheng and the other family elders immediately lost the pleasant expressions on their faces. They clearly seemed to hold some prejudice against Shen Qingyue.
Jiang Dongnian clenched his fists. The humiliation from after the martial exam replayed before his eyes, making him even more furious.
“Qingyue, barging in like this during a family meeting...” Jiang Zhentian spoke sternly, but his eyes were remarkably weak, as if he were pleading with Shen Qingyue to at least give him some face.
Shen Qingyue ignored him completely and let out a cold snort. “Didn’t I already tell you about Xiao Chen’s strength? What did you mean just now? You were still going to strip my son of his status as heir?!”
Jiang Zhentian sighed and pointed at the projected assessment rankings. “Rank 8,933 and rank 3. Isn’t that obvious enough? If he really had fifth-stage strength, would he have scored like this?!”
Shen Qingyue shot her husband a glare. “Old Feng, open the Huazhong University school forum. I’d like the family elders to watch a video.”
The family elders looked puzzled as their eyes turned to the projection.
Uncle Feng opened the forum video, and the shocking footage of Jiang Yichen controlling fifty Magical Artifacts and killing the sixth-rank Ink-Poison Octopus played on the screen.
Hm?
Telekinetic controlling fifty Magical Artifacts?
This...
Jiang Zhentian and the various family elders’ pupils contracted violently.