C11 Divide

With a swift motion, the entire assembly within the grand hall shifted their attention to the middle-aged man at the center.

This man was none other than Su He, the Great Elder of the Su Family.

"What are you implying? Are you trying to boost others' morale at the expense of our own reputation?!" The bald warrior, known for his fiery temper, stepped forward, fixing Su He with a furious glare.

"Hehe, Third Elder, you're exaggerating," Su He replied with a slight smile. "I'm not undermining our prestige; I'm simply stating the facts."

Rising to his feet, Su He's gaze leisurely swept over the attendees before settling on Su Hai. "Patriarch, the Su Family is currently encircled by the three major families of Suuton City. Don't you think an explanation is in order?"

"What kind of explanation do you want? Come on then, I'll give you one!" Before Su Hai could respond, the bald warrior rolled up his sleeves, his fist cutting through the air with a ferocious gust of Genuine Qi.

At the forefront of the hall, Su Hai remained motionless, choosing not to intervene.

After all, both Su Ye and Su He were at the pinnacle of the Body Tempering Realm. A clash between them was unlikely to result in injury.

The rest of the Su Family's warriors shared Su Hai's sentiment.

Among the Su Family, Su Hai held the highest level of cultivation, having reached the early stage of the Oceanic Wheel Realm. The other three powerhouses were the Great Elder Su He, Second Elder Su Hua, and Third Elder Su Ye, all at the peak of Body Tempering.

Given their equal standing in the Body Tempering Realm, it was challenging to predict the outcome of a fight between Su Ye and Su He.

Bang!

The next moment, however, brought a subtle shift in the atmosphere as Su He nonchalantly launched a punch.

Instantaneously, Su Ye was sent hurtling backward uncontrollably, crashing to the ground with a heavy thud.

The abrupt turn of events left the crowd agape, their faces etched with astonishment.

Su He had reached the early stage of the Oceanic Wheel Realm!

Having effortlessly repelled Su Ye, Su He turned to Su Hai with a calm demeanor and inquired, "Patriarch, there's just one thing I'd like to know. Why has Su Li provoked the Crown Prince and the Mo Family?"

He turned to face Su Hai and said indifferently, "Patriarch, I just want to ask one thing: why did Su Li have to offend the Crown Prince and the Mo Family?"

Three days earlier.

Su He had traveled to Ouismouth, a city within Suuton, on business.

He had only recently returned and was unaware that Su Li had powerfully defeated the Death Monarch. He knew only of Su Li's affront to the Crown Prince and the Mo Family at the daytime banquet.

In Su He's view,

the encirclement of the Su Family by Suuton's three major families was solely due to Su Li's foolishness.

Had Su Li not offended the Crown Prince, the Su Family would surely not have become a target for all!

Moreover,

half an hour prior,

Su He had received a confidential letter.

The signature at the end bore a single character:

Qian!

Even Su He, with his limited wits, knew who had sent the letter.

Upon reading its contents, Su He was so startled that he immediately burned the letter.

Su Li was an outcast from the Trembleglades?

The news was so surprising that Su He was nearly left speechless.

However, Su He was resolute.

After a moment's contemplation, he decided to align himself with the Crown Prince.

The royal family's support had been instrumental in his successful advance to the Oceanic Wheel rank in Ouismouth, after all.

"Hmph! The Crown Prince was relentless at the banquet, thinking our Su Family could be easily bullied?" Su Hai scoffed sharply, his voice stern, "Su He, don't assume that just because you've reached the Oceanic Wheel rank you can act with impunity. This is the Su Family, and you are merely the Great Elder, not the Patriarch!"

Those who had witnessed Su Li's formidable power had no doubts about his actions.

Su Li had vanquished the Death Monarch with his might, securing his position as the strongest in the Su Family.

With the Trembleglades as his backing, what were the Crown Prince and the Mo Family to do?

They wouldn't dare touch the Su Family!

"Hahaha!"

Su He suddenly threw his head back in a fit of wild laughter.

Once the laughter subsided, Su He spoke with a menacing tone, "I've heard that Su Li's return from the Trembleglades was not a victorious one, but rather as a discarded disciple!"

With those words,

a shockwave rippled through the room, causing a tremendous stir.

Su Li, an abandoned disciple?

"I've also heard that Su Li defiled the sect master's daughter at the Trembleglades, leading to his expulsion," someone whispered.

Su He's lips curled into a sinister smile as he addressed the crowd, "A word of advice—if you turn your back on the Su family now, you might just have a fighting chance. Otherwise, prepare to die without a place to lay your rest."

"Enough with your wild accusations!" Su He retorted furiously. "Su He, don't think I'm unaware of your true intentions. You're looking to seize the opportunity during the Su family's time of crisis to usurp the role of Patriarch. Let me be clear—if you want to contend for the title of Patriarch, you'll have to do it over my dead body!"

"No, no, no!" Su He hastily shook his head, countering, "I have no desire to vie for the position of Patriarch. I'm simply questioning whether the Patriarch is willing to antagonize the Trembleglades over Su Li."

Su Hai's brow creased slightly, but he offered no response.

Seeing Su Hai's silence, Su He was undeterred. He scanned the room and declared loudly, "I intend to leave the Su family and sever all ties with Su Li. Those who wish to join me, come now. Those who don't, brace yourselves for the Trembleglades' wrath."

With that, Su He strode out of the great hall.

Once Su He had departed, the others exchanged uneasy glances, but no one followed.

Su He's words had struck a chord with many, yet his early Oceanic Wheel stage meant Su Hai couldn't touch him. The others, however, were not in the same position.

Leaving could provoke Su Hai's ire, and they might not even see their end coming.

With a heavy sigh, Su Hai conceded, "The Su family is indeed facing trials. If you wish to leave, I won't hold you back."

By now, Su Hai had come to a grim conclusion.

Piecing together the Mo Family's deployment of the Death Monarch to ambush Su Li, Su Hai was almost certain that Su Li's return from the Trembleglades was not as a victor, but rather as an outcast.

Regardless, Su Hai was resolute in his support for Su Li.

As for the rest of the Su family, Su Hai felt it was not his place to coerce them into taking risks.

"Patriarch, I'll bring the Great Elder back."

A hush fell over the room.

At last, a middle-aged man bowed with a fist to Su Hai and cautiously exited the grand hall.

"Indeed, Patriarch. The Great Elder's advancement to the Oceanic Wheel should have been a cause for celebration, not this chaos."

"We should try to reason with the Great Elder."

"We hope that once we've convinced the Great Elder to return, you, Patriarch, won't stoop to his level."

Following this.

One by one, the people in the hall offered a fist salute and departed.

Their intentions were much the same; they sought to convince the Great Elder, not sever ties with the Su family.

"You're all so ungrateful!"

Su Ye was incensed.

He vividly remembered the obsequious smiles those same people offered when Su Li had returned.

"Enough."

Su Hai gestured with his hand, indicating that Su Ye should calm down.

They were, after all, part of the same clan. It wasn't right to consider killing them simply because they wished to leave.

Moreover.

Su Hai believed this issue should be addressed once Su Li finished his seclusion.

Subsequently.

Su Hai surveyed the remaining warriors in the hall, his tone shifting, his words laced with a chilling resolve, "Since you've chosen to stay, don't waver. Should I learn of anyone else attempting to leave, don't expect leniency!"

As he uttered the word "fury," a terrifying presence burst forth from Su Hai.

Mid-stage Oceanic Wheel!

Su Hai had been at the early stage of the Oceanic Wheel for years, his progress hampered by the lack of a suitable heart technique.

Before Su Li departed for Wen Feng Temple, he had penned several third-rank heart techniques.

Armed with these techniques, Su Hai needed only an hour to shatter his previous limitations and ascend to the mid-stage of the Oceanic Wheel.