CHAPTER 217: CHAPTER 85: BETTER THAN YOU MANAGE [SECOND UPDATE]

In fact, over these years, the Elder Council of the Rong Family has been very dissatisfied with Rong Yuanqiao. During the twenty years of Rong Yuanqiao’s leadership, the Rong Family has not only stagnated but has actually regressed considerably. If not for Rong Yan’s decent talent, they would have long since prevented Rong Yuanqiao from being the Family Head.

This is also why, when Rong Ye proposed to go to the Trial Land, the Elder Council of the Rong Family agreed.

Over the years, they have also noticed that Rong Ye seems quite formidable, and they wanted to use this opportunity to see who is more powerful between Rong Ye and Rong Yan!

Now the result is clear: Rong Yan is dead, and Rong Ye is still alive!

Rong Yuanqiao could already imagine the elders’ reactions when they learned of this. His eyes darkened a bit, deciding to suppress the news for now.

...

Gu Qingqing and the others, having a map, found their movements much more convenient. Six hours after snatching the first key from Rong Yan, they found the second key, and four hours later, found the third key.

After they had gathered the three keys, they simultaneously infused their Spiritual Power into the keys. Once everyone had infused most of their Spiritual Power, a door appeared in the sky. The group exchanged glances and were thoroughly pleased.

After passing through the door one by one, they left the oppressive Trial Land.

The exit was still outside the Rong Family’s Scripture Pavilion. By now, five days since they entered the Trial Land had passed. Upon sensing the familiar fluctuations in the air, the five elders withdrew from their cultivation, looking up at the sky.

"Has the Trial Land opened ahead of schedule?" The Second Elder looked at the Great Elder, somewhat uncertainly.

"Yes." The Great Elder nodded, frowning slightly.

Under the watchful eyes of five people, a door appeared in the sky. Rong Ye and his party stepped out from it, and once Si Lin was the last to emerge, the door closed behind them and vanished.

"Greetings to the five elders." Rong Ye was quite respectful of the five elders. After landing, he immediately greeted them.

"Rong Ye, how did you manage to open the Trial Land from inside?" The Second Elder asked curiously.

"We found three keys that opened the passage, allowing us to come out." Rong Ye did not hide the method by which they emerged, explaining it directly.

Upon hearing this, the five elders exchanged glances, all somewhat surprised.

"The Trial Land is set for half a month. Being able to find the keys and come out early proves that you have passed the Trial Land’s test." The Great Elder, apparently knowing more, was very composed in the face of Rong Ye’s appearance, responding with a calm demeanor.

"Thank you, Great Elder." Rong Ye knew that this was the elder’s acknowledgment of them, quickly expressing his gratitude.

"No need to thank me. I’m simply following protocols." The Great Elder waved his hand, without carrying the credit. "As this is the case, we should call the Family Head, as you have passed the Trial Land, logically you should directly become the new Family Head."

This is the Rong Family’s ancestral rule. Since Rong Ye accomplished it, it must be adhered to. Moreover, Rong Ye emerging from the Trial Land without much injury indicates that his cultivation should be substantial, certainly surpassing Rong Yuanqiao, and he is also young, indeed more suitable to lead the Rong Family!

Of course, the main reason was that the Great Elder had tolerated Rong Yuanqiao for too long and did not wish him to remain as the Rong Family Head!

Rong Ye naturally had no objections to this; he had a whole account to settle with Rong Yuanqiao and did not want to waste too much time because of Rong Yuanqiao and his group.

The Great Elder immediately found a servant to summon Rong Yuanqiao, to meet together in the Rong Family’s conference hall, and then personally led the way to the hall.

Rong Yuanqiao received the news while handling official duties. Upon learning that Rong Ye had prematurely emerged, his writing brush dropped directly onto the table, and he was utterly oblivious to the ink splattering on his face.

"What did you just say? The Great Elder asked this Family Head to do what?" he turned his head and asked the messenger, his expression twisted.

"Replying to the Family Head, the Great Elder said that Young Master Rong Ye has exited the Trial Land and requests your presence in the conference hall." The servant kept his head down, not daring to look at Rong Yuanqiao’s expression, but he didn’t forget what the Great Elder had instructed.

Rong Yuanqiao’s chest heaved dramatically, akin to when he first learned of Rong Yan’s death, his vision dark. He quickly seated himself, took up a cup from the table, and gulped down two sips of water, to steady himself.

"This Family Head understands. You may inform the Great Elder that I shall arrive shortly."

"Yes."

After the servant left, Rong Yuanqiao immediately swept all items off the table with a ferocious expression.

"The little bastard, to come out of the Trial Land so swiftly, he actually managed to pass it!" He gritted his teeth as he spoke, wishing he could swallow Rong Ye whole.

He vented for quite some time in the study, before finally composing his clothes and expression, then headed to the Rong Family’s conference hall with the chief steward, Rong San.

Gu Qingqing and the others had already been waiting in the conference hall for a while. By this point, the Great Elder and the others were somewhat dissatisfied with Rong Yuanqiao’s attitude, though they did not show it outright. Rong Ye’s expression was noticeably relaxed, even though a flicker of darkness in his eyes betrayed his true thoughts.

Upon entering, Rong Yuanqiao immediately spotted Rong Ye, seated next to the Great Elder, his face briefly contorted before quickly recovering his calm. He took a deep breath and stepped into the hall.

"Great Elder, what business do you have with me?" As the Family Head, Rong Yuanqiao’s manner was courteous towards the Elder Council members, and he was quite respectful towards the Great Elder.

"Family Head, since Rong Ye has exited the Trial Land, it proves he has passed the Trial, and according to ancestral rule, he should be the new Family Head of the Rong Family. What does the Family Head think?" The Great Elder did not stand on ceremony with Rong Yuanqiao, as his inherently straightforward nature drove him to address the matter head-on.

Rong Yuanqiao did not expect the Great Elder to bring this up so directly, feeling momentarily choked, his expression somewhat gloomy.

"Great Elder, while I concede this is what the ancestral rule says, it applies when there is no current Family Head. Yet here, as the Family Head, am I to yield my position to a junior?" Rong Yuanqiao’s face darkened, casting a severe glare at Rong Ye, making no effort to hide his displeasure towards him.

The Great Elder’s eyebrows furrowed slightly in disapproval of Rong Yuanqiao’s stance.

"Is the Family Head planning to defy ancestral rule?" he asked coldly.

Rong Yuanqiao paused, "It is not my intention to defy ancestral rules, but Great Elder, you must see that Rong Ye has scarcely spent time with the Rong Family over the years, and he is quite young. Do you truly believe he can manage our Rong Family?"

"Uncle, I believe I would manage the Rong Family better than you have!"