CHAPTER 2086: CHAPTER 2084: FENG CHENG’S REPLY

Jiao Yunyun’s expression was somewhat pained; how could she bear to leave the family she just reunited with? But she belonged to the Jiuli.

No matter how much punishment she had suffered from the clan before, no matter if she hadn’t returned to the clan for years because of a man, when the clan was in trouble, she could not stand by and do nothing.

She was born here and grew up here. The clan members were like her family, and she loved that Peach Forest. The outside world was vast, but it did not have such a beautiful Peach Forest.

She could leave, but she could not bear to see this place destroyed.

"The clan is in trouble; I can’t leave now. You go back to Beiyu City first. Once the clan has gotten through this difficult time, I will go with Jiao Ling to find you," Jiao Yunyun said after thinking it through.

Bai Ruozhu’s expression was somewhat dim; she should have expected this answer. Grandma had such a response, and her aunt obviously would too.

"Mother, you promised to be with us. Staying here is too dangerous," Bai Yihong said anxiously.

Before Jiao Yunyun could explain, Bai Zepei spoke up, "It’s indeed not appropriate to leave now. We may not be safe even if we go out."

Bai Ruozhu sighed. She was too anxious and had not thought it through.

"I was reckless. Second Brother is right; Du Fei has hatred towards us. If we leave, I’m afraid we’ll be the first ones she targets," Bai Ruozhu said while shaking her head. "She alone poses no threat, but what if she really colludes with the Quanrong Clan and brings a group of Quanrong to intercept us?"

Jiao Yunyun originally wanted to persuade them to leave but didn’t dare to say more after hearing this.

Afterward, the atmosphere at home was somewhat heavy as everyone was troubled by the fact that Du Fei had taken the Barrier Jade Pendant.

In the evening, Fen Jizhi suddenly visited. After greeting the Bai Family, he smiled and saluted Bai Zepei, saying, "Brother Bai, you passed the Enlightenment Tablet trial. You will surely become the next elder. The clan is now selecting a clan leader. Do you have any thoughts?"

Bai Zepei frowned, "I can’t stay for long. I still have tasks from the Imperial Court and won’t be an elder here. As for selecting a clan leader, I’m not familiar with the clan’s families and don’t have any good suggestions."

"Once you pass the Enlightenment Tablet, no matter how young you are, you will be one of the elders. Even if you don’t come back often, the elder seat will be reserved for you," Fen Jizhi said.

Bai Zepei is not interested in the position of Jiuli Elder, but if it can make Grandma happy and help the Third Elder, he has no objection to taking it.

"Fen Jizhi, let’s speak plainly. Do you have any ideas and want our support?" Bai Ruozhu said directly.

Bai Zepei quickly glanced at his younger sister. From her tone, she seemed familiar with Fen Jizhi.

Fen Jizhi laughed and said, "The Fen Family once produced a clan leader. If the new leader is from the Fen Family, it would be ideal, but my father and uncles have no interest in mundane affairs. So I thought about it and felt that the leader should be fair, selfless, and of high status, like Elder Su."

Bai Ruozhu laughed, "I thought you wanted to be the clan leader."

Fen Jizhi also laughed, "A soldier who doesn’t want to be a general is not a good soldier. Naturally, I want to be the clan leader, but I’m too young to command respect. I lack experience in dealing with people and can’t manage the clan well to ensure the clan members’ safety. But in ten or twenty years, it will be different, so my goal is to be the next clan leader."

He spoke candidly and knew his own strengths and weaknesses, which made Bai Ruozhu and Bai Zepei gain a bit more goodwill towards him.

"If it’s Elder Su, I have no objections," Bai Ruozhu said.

Bai Zepei also nodded in agreement.

"Haven’t you considered endorsing the Third Elder?" Fen Jizhi asked.

It turns out his real purpose of visiting was to ensure they didn’t support the Third Elder, fearing that if there was a rift between the Third Elder and Elder Su, the Second Elder might benefit, which would be troublesome.

"The Third Elder has no interest in the position of clan leader, and his character is not suited to managing clan affairs. We won’t fight for power," Bai Zepei said.

Fen Jizhi nodded, "So the day of the election, the Third Elder will stand by Elder Su’s side, right?"

"We’ll ask the Third Elder’s opinion and also persuade him," Bai Ruozhu said.

Fen Jizhi clasped his fists and saluted the two, "Thank you both."

Bai Ruozhu saw him rise to leave and called out to him, "The Barrier Jade Pendant was stolen by Du Fei. Can we replace the barrier token and render that pendant useless?"

"That pendant has been passed down for many years, and there is only one. Now there’s no way to leave the clan," Fen Jizhi shook his head helplessly.

Bai Ruozhu was taken aback. She had been thinking of leaving before; it now seemed like a fantasy.

But if Du Fei doesn’t bring people to attack, will their family be trapped here forever? What about Achun?

Bai Zepei saw his sister’s concern, patted her shoulder, and said, "There will always be a way, don’t worry."

Bai Ruozhu took a deep breath, "Yes, we’ll find a way."

After Fen Jizhi left, it was very late before the Third Elder returned, looking exhausted. His face didn’t look good, indicating the clan’s issues were quite troublesome.

Seeing his family waiting for him, a smile appeared on his face; this was what home looked like.

Bai Ruozhu and her brother mentioned Fen Jizhi’s visit. The Third Elder nodded, "Agree with him. I also favor Elder Su."

The family exchanged a few more words before each returning to their rooms to sleep.

Bai Ruozhu tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She worried about the children: Dengdeng, the three small ones, and her youngest brother. They were all such small children; if something happened in the clan, could she protect them?

She could hide Dengdeng and the others in the space, but what about Mother? She could only take a limited number of people inside and feared she couldn’t protect all her family members.

Thinking of this, she frustratingly jumped out the window and walked into the petal-strewn Peach Forest.

The moonlight streamed down, and peach blossoms covered the ground. This place always appeared at its most beautiful, making it seem unreal. Isn’t it said that beautiful things are fleeting?

A pale figure emerged, "Are you looking for me?"

Bai Ruozhu turned to look at Fen Cheng, "You know about the clan’s issues, right? You oversee this place; if the Quanrong Clan invades, will you step in?"

"No," Fen Cheng replied coldly, his expression also cold, as if he were answering something unrelated to him.

Bai Ruozhu showed anger, "You’re watching them, afraid they’ll discover that secret. But if the Jiuli is destroyed, you won’t have to watch anymore, right?"

"The Jiuli Clan isn’t that easily exterminated. You underestimate them," Fen Cheng said lightly, "My duty is to keep them out of the Teleportation Array and ensure they don’t discover the secret. I can’t interfere in other matters."

Bai Ruozhu sneered, turning away without seeing the sadness in Fen Cheng’s eyes...