7: Chapter 7. Sun Bo'an's grandson is also a grandson of the Sun family!

Three days later, at the Hour of the Rat.

The Sun Clan Ancestral Hall was brightly lit.

Sun Hangchun sat in the seat of honor, account books spread before him, discussing next month's Spirit Field distribution with several elders from the First and Second Branches.

"Old Ancestor, the Third Branch seems a bit restless lately." Sun Bochang of the Second Branch lowered his voice. "That fellow Sun Boan has been frequenting the back mountain these past few days. I'm afraid..."

"Afraid of what?" Sun Hangchun lifted his eyelids, his cloudy gaze sweeping over the crowd. "So what if he goes to the back mountain? If Fellow Daoist Shi really intended to support the Third Branch, he would have spoken up long ago."

"Do you think the Third Branch can offer anything to move that bear yao?"

"Besides, Fellow Daoist Shi is no ordinary Yao Beast. His intelligence is not inferior to our Human Race. What ordinary Foundation Establishment Yao Beast possesses wisdom like Shi Jian's?"

"Furthermore..." A cold sneer curled the old man's lips. "Those trash from the Third Branch wouldn't be able to cause any waves even if they were given the chance."

Before his words could even fade.

The doors of the ancestral hall exploded open with a bang.

Sun Boan led six Cultivators from the Third Branch, holding Magical Artifacts and brimming with Killing Intent as they charged in without warning.

"Sun Boan! Have you gone mad?!"

Sun Bochang was both shocked and furious, instinctively reaching to perform a hand seal.

But in the next second, a dark shadow drifted in from outside the hall.

Shi Jian's massive bear form blocked the entrance, completely blotting out the moonlight. The entire ancestral hall fell into shadow as a terrifying pressure instantly swept through the room!

"Fellow Daoist Shi?"

Sun Hangchun stood up abruptly, his face turning pale. "What is the meaning of this?"

"The meaning?" Shi Jian countered, a playful smile on his bear face. "Old man Sun, haven't you always wanted to know why I agreed so readily to join the Sun Clan?"

"Because from the very beginning, I never intended to live peacefully with you."

Sun Hangchun shuddered. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind, finally settling on a terrifying realization.

"Are you going to violate your Heart Demon oath?"

"Violate it?" Shi Jian burst into loud laughter. "I swore to ensure two hundred years of stability for the Sun Clan and never to slaughter Sun Clan disciples. But I never said I would ensure two hundred years of stability for your, Sun Hangchun's, lineage."

"Sun Boan is also surnamed Sun, and the Third Branch is also part of the Sun Clan."

"As long as the Sun Clan remains, my oath is not broken!"

These words were like a thunderclap.

The color drained from Sun Hangchun's face. He finally understood that from the start, this bear yao never intended to be a peaceful clan-protecting Spirit Beast.

What he wanted was a completely obedient Puppet Family!

This fellow was actually trying to usurp the nest!

"Sun Boan, do it now."

Hearing this, a flicker of hesitation crossed Sun Boan's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by madness.

He struck the nearest Second Branch elder with his palm. His spiritual power erupted, shattering the other's protective light; their cultivation bases were roughly equal.

But with Shi Jian suppressing the scene, Sun Bochang couldn't even exert half of his power.

"Sun Boan! You beast!" Sun Bochang roared as he charged, but the seven members of the Third Branch had already formed a formation, surrounding everyone in the hall.

Inside the hall, the light of Spells intertwined, and screams rose one after another.

Just as Sun Hangchun tried to step forward to fight for his life, he was swatted away by Shi Jian. With just one palm strike, his protective light and Life-bound Talisman were both shattered!

A dignified Foundation Establishment Cultivator was thus heavily injured and left on the verge of death by a single close-range strike.

It was simply a crushing blow from a higher dimension!

Without Sun Hangchun, the Foundation Establishment Cultivator, Shi Jian's aura as a Foundation Establishment Great Yao fully erupted. It suppressed all the Qi Refining Cultivators present, making their movements sluggish and their spiritual power circulation difficult...

"Fellow Daoist Shi..." Sun Hangchun's lips trembled. "You can't do this... You will face heaven's retribution..."

"Retribution?" Shi Jian yawned. "I'm a bear. Does the Old Man in the Sky even care about me? If you have anything to say, go tell it to the heavens yourself."

"Besides, I'm not the one killing you."

He tilted his head, looking at the frantically slaughtering Sun Boan. "This is your Sun Clan's internal affair. What does it have to do with me?"

Sun Hangchun closed his eyes in despair.

He had lost.

Utterly and completely.

From the start, he thought he was playing chess, but in reality, he was just a piece on the board. Only half an hour later, silence returned to the ancestral hall.

Sun Bochang and the older generation Cultivators of the First and Second Branches lay in the hall.

As for the other juniors with low cultivation, none would be left alive tonight; they would be completely wiped out, leaving only the Third Branch lineage!

Sun Boan was covered in blood, his Magical Artifact still dripping. He knelt before Shi Jian, his voice hoarse. "Old Ancestor... From now on, the Sun Clan's Third Branch will only follow your orders..."

Shi Jian glanced at him, then at Sun Hangchun, the only one still alive in the corner.

The old man leaned against the wall, his chest crushed by Shi Jian's palm, his breath faint.

"Old man, any last words?"

Sun Hangchun gave a miserable laugh and used his last bit of strength to say, "I just want to know... when did you... start planning this..."

"From the first time you came to Mingqiu Mountain," Shi Jian said slowly. "From beginning to end, you were just the big fish I selected."

"Because you are weak, and because you are greedy."

"That's why I chose you, enticed you, and used you to bring me into this Human Race territory. Go in peace, old man."

"I shall take care of your clan; do not worry about it."

Sun Hangchun's pupils constricted violently, and he nearly coughed up blood from sheer rage.

"As for the Third Branch..." Shi Jian looked at Sun Boan. "I only gave him a choice. He chose this path himself."

"You... you... beast..."

"Beast?" Shi Jian grinned, revealing a mouth full of fangs. "I was a Yao Beast to begin with. Are you only realizing that now, old man?"

Sun Hangchun laughed miserably. Finally, Sun Boan cut off his head with a sword, personally ending his grand-uncle.

Shi Jian stood up and brushed the dust off his bear paws.

"Clean this up. Tomorrow morning, announce it to the whole city."

"Say that the Sun Clan's Second Branch colluded with external enemies to murder Old Ancestor Sun Hangchun, but the Third Branch discovered it in time and requested Old Ancestor Shi Jian to slay the enemies."

"However, although the enemies were destroyed..."

"...the Old Ancestor has fallen, and the Sun Clan has suffered heavy casualties. Fortunately, Old Ancestor Shi Jian is presiding over the Sun Clan and can protect Hongtian City for centuries to come."

"From now on, there is only one branch of the Sun Clan."

Sun Boan trembled and kowtowed excitedly again.

"Yes, Old Ancestor!"

Shi Jian walked out of the ancestral hall. Moonlight fell upon him once more. He looked up at the night sky, a curve appearing at the corner of his mouth.

Hongtian City is just the beginning.

Once he has raised enough bear cubs and his rat yao intelligence network covers the entire Great Wei Immortal Dynasty, then...

Who says the Yao Race cannot establish a Dynasty?

He, Shi Jian, will definitely build a Dynasty belonging only to Yao Beasts, and those Human Race Cultivators and Daoist traditions will become his best hosts.

And the best nourishment!