Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
In the Jing Clan’s mansion, the Patriarch’s Yard.
“Fourth Elder, what brings you here?” Jing Chengye said with a smile as he saw Jing Tianying.
Jing Chengye was the current Patriarch of the Jing Clan. He wore a white gown, and his manner was refined and gentle. He knew that the Fourth Elder, Jing Tianying, was supposed to be hosting the clan’s monthly abilities test. Thus, he was a little surprised when the Elder appeared in his yard.
“Patriarch, I came because of Jing Yan,” Jing Tianying said. He then turned his gaze from Jing Chengye to someone else in the room.
“The First Elder is here too.” Jing Tianying nodded to an elderly man in a purple gown sitting in a chair.
He was the First Elder of the Jing Clan, Jing Chunyu.
“Jing Yan?” Jing Chengye’s eyes narrowed slightly as he asked, “Did Jing Yan come to attend the family’s abilities test again this month? He really is a strong-willed kid…”
“Yes, Jing Yan participated in this month’s abilities test,” Jing Tianying responded, nodding his head.
Jing Chunyu rushed to get a word in. “The old Patriarch spent tons of sources on Jing Yan, but Jing Yan turned out to be such a disappointment. Despite what has happened in recent years, he still came to take the test. I don’t understand what’s he thinking,”
Jing Tianying knitted his eyebrows upon hearing Jing Chunyu’s comment.
He knew that Jing Chunyu had never been a big fan of Jing Yan. Besides Jing Yan’s fallen rank, there were other reasons as well. Most of Jing Chunyu’s hostility came from the fact that he hadn’t seen eye-to-eye with the old Patriarch, Jing Yan’s grandfather.
A long time ago, Jing Chunyu had competed with Jing Yan’s grandfather for the position of Patriarch but failed. Jing Yan’s grandfather became the Patriarch while Jing Chunyu became the First Elder.
Back when Jing Yan was still the No. 1 genius of Dong Lin City, Jing Chunyu had treated him in an acceptable fashion, more or less. But ever since Jing Yan’s rank started falling, Jing Chunyu had treated him with nothing but disdain.
“First Elder, unfortunately, I can’t agree with you on that one. Jing Yan used to be the most promising warrior of our Jing Clan, so he certainly deserved to have more sources. The old Patriarch did nothing wrong.” Jing Chengye glanced at the First Elder and shook his head.
No family was able to equally distribute the sources among all its members. The more talented warriors would certainly get more. There was no question about that.
“Fourth Elder, there’s something I need to tell you. I just got a letter from Ziqi. She also asked about how Jing Yan’s doing. This is the fifth time she’s sent a letter back to the family. If she wasn’t so busy, she probably would’ve already come back to check on Jing Yan,” Jing Chengye said to Jing Tianying with a smile.
Jing Ziqi was Jing Chengye’s daughter. She was also incredibly talented in martial arts, and she was one of the top disciples to come out of the Jing Clan in the last decade.
In Lan Qu Province, there were three major institutes. One of them was the Wind God Institute, where Jing Yan used to study, and another was the Red Lotus Institute, where Jing Ziqi was currently studying.
In Lan Qu Province, the three institutes were of great importance and enjoyed prestigious status. It was incredibly challenging to get into any of them.
It was the dream of nearly all young warriors to be enrolled in one of the three institutes.
Once you entered one of the three institutes, in addition to desirable sources, you could also get a high status that would make everyone jealous.
A warrior studying at one of the three institutes would be highly respected and admired throughout the Lan Qu Province.
But very few warriors could actually enter one of the three institutes.
“As for Jing Yan, I’ve thought about the matter a lot as well. I suggest we send him to East River County. The Jing Clan has a mine over there that Jing Yan can be in charge of. Perhaps it would be a good thing for Jing Yan to leave Dong Lin City for now,” Jing Chengye said thoughtfully.
“I support the Patriarch’s decision. If Jing Yan stays here, not only will people outside the family make fun of him, but it will also bring shame to our Jing Clan. If Jing Yan leaves, those outside the family will eventually forget about the whole thing,” Jing Chunyu, the First Elder, said immediately.
Hearing Jing Chunyu’s words, Jing Tianying’s face instantly changed.
“They want to send him away from the Jing Clan’s mansion?” he thought.
Only members who had little hope in martial arts would leave the Jing Clan’s mansion because they had little choice.
If Jing Yan really left, he probably wouldn’t have a chance to come back for the rest of his life.
“I’m afraid that’s not the best solution,” Jing Tianying immediately said as his expression grew slightly grimmer.
“Fourth Elder, what are you suggesting?” the First Elder shot back, his tone growing heated. “I know you used to be close to the old Patriarch, so you are also quite close to Jing Yan. But, based on his current situation, do you seriously think we should keep him in the Jing Clan forever?”
The First Elder glared at Jing Tianying with disapproval.
“First Elder, please calm down. There’s more to this matter that you don’t know yet.” Jing Tianying frowned as he glanced at the First Elder.
“Haha, really? I don’t know enough about it, hmm?!” The First Elder snorted.
“Fourth Elder, what’s your suggestion?” Jing Chengye asked in a gentler tone.
“My suggestion? I don’t really have one. But I do want to talk about Jing Yan’s situation. That’s actually why I stopped by today to see you, Patriarch,” Jing Tianying said, giving Jing Chunyu another glance.
“Jing Yan just took his test. His rank is not the Third Heaven anymore,” Jing Tianying said.
“It’s fallen again, has it? I knew it! I’m afraid it won’t take long before Jing Yan loses his rank altogether and becomes a regular person,” the First Elder said in a contemptuous tone.
“I’m afraid you are wrong, First Elder. Jing Yan’s rank didn’t fall. It went up,” Jing Tianying said as he turned to Jing Chunyu. He wasn’t very pleased with Jing Chunyu right now.
As the First Elder of the family, Jing Chunyu enjoyed prestigious status, and he listened to no one except the Patriarch. Besides, despite being Jing Yan’s senior, it seemed that the old man couldn’t wait to kick this young family member out of the Jing Clan. And it wasn’t just any young man that he was treating with such disregard; it was the grandson of the old Patriarch. Jing Chunyu’s behavior was contemptible, at the very least. Even if he didn’t like Jing Yan, why did he have to push it so hard?
“It went up?” Jing Chunyu paused.
He hadn’t expected Jing Yan’s rank to go up at all.
Previously, Jing Yan’s rank had nose-dived from the Precelestial rank to the Third Heaven. Results from the previous month’s test had just confirmed that. Jing Yan’s rank hadn’t gone up since before he was kicked out of the Wind God Academy.
“Fourth Elder, you said that Jing Yan’s rank has gone up. So is it the Fourth Heaven now?” Jing Chengye, the Patriarch, was also a little shocked.
The First Elder wasn’t the only one who didn’t expect this. Jing Chengye hadn’t seen it coming either. When Jing Tianying mentioned that Jing Yan’s rank was no longer at the Third Heaven, he also assumed that it had probably fallen to the Second Heaven.
“So his rank went back to the Fourth Heaven? So what? Humph!” The First Elder rolled his eyes and snorted.
“Patriarch, the Sixth Elder and I hosted the abilities test. Jing Yan took the test earlier, and both the Sixth Elder and I can confirm that his rank has returned to the Sixth Heaven,” Jing Tianying said. His lips lifted into a slight smile.
Jing Tianying was gazing at Jing Chunyu as he spoke. He didn’t want to miss the look on Jing Chunyu’s face when he learned the news.