Chapter 543: Tit for Tat
"Nonsense!"
The Mu Patriarch slammed the table and stood up, pointing at Zhong Wang and Xiang Wang's faces and roared: "The Yun Clan has guarded the Demon Emperor lineage for a full ten thousand years, with achievements towering like mountains—everyone in the world knows this! Their position as the head of the Twelve Guardian Clans is well-deserved! Even if they have made mistakes, those cannot overshadow ten thousand years of meritorious service! You all know very well in your hearts why the Yun Clan's strength has declined to this state! And you have no right to point fingers at what the Yun Clan will become in the future! I want to ask you—why have you suddenly joined forces to drive the Yun Clan out of the Twelve Guardian Clans? What exactly is your intention!"
Mu Feiyan was the highest in seniority among the twelve clan heads, and with his loud voice and profound profound force, the sound shook everyone in the hall until their ears buzzed. Zhong Wang remained completely unfazed, speaking with a smile: "Senior Mu, calm your anger. How would I dare have any ill intention? I am merely a minor commandery prince of the Huan Yao Royal Clan, with the blood of the Founding Demon Emperor flowing through my veins. Naturally, I must think of everything for the Demon Emperor lineage. Even if it makes many people resent me, for the sake of the Demon Emperor lineage, I have no choice but to speak."
"Such high-sounding words!" Su Clan Head Su Xiangnan stood up, his gaze directly piercing Huai Wang and Zhong Wang: "Our Su Clan has also existed for generations to guard the Demon Emperor clan, but I dare say that in terms of qualification and merit, we are far from being able to compare with the Yun Clan! If even the Yun Clan must be expelled from the Guardian Clans, then what clan still has the right to stay! Wouldn't this chill the hearts of countless people who have been loyal to the Demon Emperor lineage!"
"Su Clan Head, your words are utterly wrong!" Helian Clan Head Helian Kuang rose and declared loudly: "No one denies the Yun Clan's hard work and great achievements, but the mistake they made is a monumental one that would make the past Demon Emperors turn in their graves! The Yun Clan has rendered countless services, and they have received countless honors and rewards in return! Then, when they commit such a grave error, should they not receive the punishment they deserve? If such a colossal mistake can still allow them to continue as a Guardian Clan, does that not tell all Guardian Clans that they can make any mistake they want, that they can act with impunity? If that is so, where is the spirit of the past Demon Emperors? Where is the justice of the Huan Yao Code? That would truly make the world's hearts grow cold!"
"I, Helian Kuang, on behalf of the entire Helian Clan, strongly support the words of Xiang Wang and Zhong Wang—expel the Yun Clan from the Guardian Clans!"
"Our Jiufang Clan likewise supports expelling the Yun Clan from the Guardian Clans!"
"Our Nangong Clan supports it completely!"
A large number of forces supporting the expulsion of the Yun Clan from the Guardian Clans rose up one after another, like a hurricane sweeping across the sea, and the outcry surged... naturally, all these voices came from the East Seats. At the same time, under the guidance of these words, some people who did not know the truth increasingly felt that the Yun Clan no longer had the right to remain a Guardian Clan, and they joined in the shouting. The louder the shouts, the more people were infected. In an instant, the Yun Clan became a target of public criticism, and the entire hall was filled with voices calling for the removal of the Yun Clan's Guardian name.
Those who truly knew the whole story were only the ones in Demon Emperor City... but the petty princes were utterly sincere, all for the sake of our Huan Yao Royal Clan! I beg the Little Demon Empress to think twice!"
"I also beg the Little Demon Empress to think twice!" Zhong Wang said with a righteous expression.
"Little Demon Empress, the Twelve Guardian Clans absolutely cannot lack the Yun Clan, absolutely cannot!" Su Xiangnan and Yan Zijing cried out in unison.
The scene immediately fell into chaos. Those kings outside Demon Emperor City never expected that Xiang Wang's sudden remarks would trigger such a huge upheaval. At this point, some shrewd people had already roughly discerned what was going on.
At that moment, an old commandery prince of the same generation as the Former Demon Emperor stood up and said: "This matter is of great concern to the various princes and Guardian Clans, and there is a huge difference of opinion. We cannot rashly make a decision, otherwise it will surely chill people's hearts. This old servant, however, has a suggestion."
The Little Demon Empress gave him a cold glance and said nothing. Because this old man was seated in the East Seats, clearly on Huai Commandery Prince's side, and would absolutely not say anything beneficial to her. But with the world's elite all around, she could not rebuke a veteran minister over a thousand years old, so she could only sneer inwardly.
"Senior, please speak. We are all ears." Huai Wang put on a respectful appearance.
That old commandery prince sighed with feigned emotion and said: "The princes and Guardian Clans are the foundation of the Huan Yao Realm. Apart from the Little Demon Empress, the princes and Guardian Clans also have the most say. Whether the Yun Clan should continue to have the qualification of a Guardian Clan may seem to be only a matter concerning the Yun Clan alone, but in reality it is indeed of great importance. Such a major matter must never be decided by personal feelings or private wishes. In that case, let the princes and Guardian Clans, who have the highest authority, assist the Little Demon Empress in making a joint decision. At this moment, all the heroes of the world are gathered here, so let the world witness with their own eyes whether there are more who support the Yun Clan staying in the Guardian Clans or more who support them leaving. Whichever side has more people, we follow that side's intention—isn't that extremely fair?"
"Little Demon Empress, what does this old servant suggest?"
That old commandery prince's words were indeed reasonable, fair, and flawless. Under such circumstances, even if the Little Demon Empress's temperament were ten times stronger, she could never utter words of rebuttal. Over there, Huai Wang had already nodded approvingly: "The senior's words are absolutely right! If the majority of the prince mansions and Guardian Clans believe that the Yun Clan still has the right to remain as a Guardian Clan, then I will have nothing more to say and will no longer oppose it. But..." Huai Wang glanced at Yun Qinghong and gave a faint smile: "If even the majority of the prince mansions and the Guardian Clans that have guarded the Demon Emperor for ten thousand years alongside the Yun Clan believe that the Yun Clan no longer has the right to stay, then if the Yun Clan continues to remain, I will never accept it, the entire Huan Yao Royal Clan will not accept it, and no one in the world will accept it!"
"This is indeed the fairest and most impartial method. If this method is used to decide the outcome, I will have no objection whatsoever." Zhong Wang also nodded and said loudly.
"Very well!" Huai Wang raised his arm and declared solemnly: "Fine! Then let me, let everyone see clearly whether the Yun Clan still has the right to stay... All Huan Yao princes and Guardian Clan heads, those who agree to expel the Yun Clan from the Guardian Clans, like me, please stand!"
Whoosh!!
As soon as Huai Commandery Prince's voice fell, Helian Clan Head Helian Kuang, Chiyang Clan Head Chiyang Bailie, Bai Clan Head Bai Yi, Nangong Clan Head Nangong Zhi, Lin Clan Head Lin Guiyan, Jiufang Clan Head Jiufang Kui, Xiao Clan Head Xiao Xifeng, along with the commandery princes of sixty prince mansions, all stood up in unison.
"The Yun Clan has long since lost the right to stay! They must be expelled! I, Helian Kuang, am the first to support!"
"What Huai Wang said is exactly what I, Chiyang Bailie, have been thinking all these years!"
"If the Yun Clan continues to stay, I, the Bai Clan, will never accept it!"
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Seven Guardian Clans and sixty prince mansions—in terms of numbers, they completely overwhelmed the opposite side. With the voices urging the Yun Clan to leave the Guardian Clans filling his ears, Zhong Wang curled his lips and whispered to Huai Wang: "In this way, Huai Wang no longer needs to worry about Yun Qinghong causing trouble, right? Even if the Yun Clan isn't expelled from the Guardian Clans today, they won't have any say in this grand ceremony."
Huai Wang squinted his eyes and suddenly let out a cold laugh: "Such a good atmosphere and situation—it's too wasteful to only crush one Yun Clan."
Zhong Wang's eyes flickered: "Huai Wang's meaning?"
"Of course, it's to take this opportunity to thoroughly disgust those stubborn fellows on the opposite side, make them unable to raise their heads or straighten their backs during this grand ceremony, and also let the Little Demon Empress know how easy it is for me to replace her, heh..."
"It seems Huai Wang already knows exactly what to do. Haha, truly worthy of Huai Wang. To have the fortune to follow Huai Wang is the wisest decision of my life." Zhong Wang laughed with satisfaction.
Undoubtedly, whether among the Guardian Clans or the various prince mansions, those who stood up were all from the East Seats. The Mu Patriarch snorted like thunder and roared: "Those who oppose expelling the Yun Clan—stand up! Do you really think we're pushovers!"
Every word from the Mu Patriarch was like thunder. Su Clan Head Su Xiangnan, Tianxia Clan Head Tianxia Xiongtu, Yan Clan Head Yan Chengkong, along with the heads of forty prince mansions from the East Seats, also stood up in unison, each with a solemn and angry expression.
On one side: seven Guardian Clans, sixty prince mansions.
On the other side: apart from the Yun Clan, only four Guardian Clans and forty prince mansions.
Which side was superior was clear at a glance.
Even clearer was that those who wanted the Yun Clan to leave the Guardian Clans were all on the East Seats.
Those who opposed letting the Yun Clan leave were all on the West Seats.
Such obvious confrontation—even a fool could now see something.
This was clearly two distinct camps!
It was not a dispute over whether the Yun Clan should stay or leave; in essence, it was a sudden outbreak of confrontation between two camps.
And even more clearly, the camp where Huai Wang stood was far stronger than the camp where the Yun Clan stood.
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[... Because of a certain holiday a few days ago, in order to save up milk money for my future daughter, this Mars painfully chopped off my own hands. Since the regeneration was slow, my typing speed dropped sharply... That's right, that's the reason for no update yesterday. I know you all will believe it without the slightest doubt!]
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