Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 726 - Internal Conflict

The patriarchs of the Four Great clans were in the Spirit Profound Realm without an exception. Their bodies had become so powerful that they were practically impervious to poison.

There weren't many poisons capable of affecting cultivators who reached the Spirit Profound Realm. Most importantly, trying to poison the patriarch of a clan was even more difficult. Not everyone could request an audience with the patriarch of a prominent clan like the Liu Clan.

"What happened? Why did my father leave for the Southern Province back then?" Liu Wuxie asked. He wanted to gather as much information as he could.

"This is a long story," Liu Dayue said after gulping three cups of wine. Since they couldn't sleep, they could sit down and wait till dawn before heading back to Astral Glory City.

"I'm all ears," Liu Wuxie said. He sat before Liu Dayue because the upcoming conversation might contain the clan's secrets, and Liu Dayue had sealed off the surroundings to ensure no one could eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Everything began twenty years ago," Liu Dayue began, his gaze distant as memories of the past resurfaced. His tone was heavy with emotion as he recounted the events that had occurred before Liu Wuxie's birth.

On one fateful day twenty years ago, a major event had shaken the Liu Clan when Liu Dashan suddenly announced he would relinquish his right to inherit the patriarch's position. The news naturally sent shockwaves throughout the Liu Clan.

Liu Dashan was a young man in his prime, just over twenty years old. He was brimming with talent, but everyone was baffled as to why he would relinquish the right to inherit a position coveted by everyone.

It wasn't until ten years later that the reason was revealed. Since ancient times, clans had the tradition of handing down the patriarch's position to the eldest son, and a prominent clan was no different from an empire; the authority was held firmly by the main lineage and passed down through the generations.

Only in exceptional cases, such as when the patriarch had no heir or if his children were unworthy, would the clan discuss picking a different successor. But that wasn't the case for Liu Dashan, who possessed extraordinary talent and had begun making waves in the clan at a young age.

Just three days after declaring that he would relinquish the right to the patriarch's position, Liu Dashan had vanished. No one knew where he had gone, and his disappearance became a mystery.

"Why did my father leave, and how did grandfather get poisoned? Could this have been a scheme by someone?" Liu Wuxie asked. Though he was barely twenty, he possessed intelligence, surpassing his peers. He could already catch the scent of a sinister plot from Liu Dayue's recount.

"That's right. It was all part of a conspiracy," Liu Dayue said, gritting his teeth.

"Who could possess the ability to force my father to relinquish the right to the patriarch's position?" Liu Wuxie asked curiously. The Liu Clan was one of the Four Great Clans and boasted over ten thousand years of legacy.

"Our second granduncle, Liu Xiaotian!" Liu Xing said, gritting his teeth.

Liu Wuxie nodded thoroughly. He had already guessed it must be an internal power struggle within the clan.

"Back then, your father fell in love with your mother, but the Yan Clan had a hostile relationship with our Liu Clan. The Yan Clan’s several members were killed by Liu Clan under mysterious circumstances," Liu Dayue said, pausing briefly to take a deep breath.

"Liu Xiaotian seized this opportunity and colluded with several elders to impeach the patriarch, forcing your father to pick between killing your mother or the right to inherit the position and leave the Central Plains," Liu Dayue said, his tone laced with hatred for his uncle.

"My parents disappeared roughly a decade ago. They must have been captured and brought back by them, right?" Liu Wuxie asked, his voice icy with restrained fury. The weight of Liu Dayue's revelation solidified Liu Xiaotian's place in his mind as an enemy, one responsible for shattering his family.

"That's right. Your second uncle's cultivation experienced an issue, resulting in his cultivation's fall. As for me, my talent is limited, and I can't reach the Spirit Profound Realm in my lifetime. I can't inherit the patriarch's position, and the clan had no choice but to place their hopes back on your father," Liu Dayue said, revealing everything that happened back then.

Liu Dashan didn't know what the Liu Clan's men wanted to do, so he entrusted Liu Wuxie to Xu Yilin.

When he returned to the Central Plains, he had initially planned to bring Liu Wuxie back to the clan. However, due to the internal conflict within the clan growing more serious, he had no choice but to give up and let his son live a simple life in the mundane world.

"What happened to my mother after my father was brought back?" Liu Wuxie asked. He was more concerned for his parents than the life and death of the Liu Clan, as he didn't have much connection with the clan itself.

"We've been investigating in secret since your father's departure," Liu Dayue began solemnly. "We discovered that the Yan Clan's downfall wasn't the doing of the Liu Clan. Instead, it was likely orchestrated by Liu Xiaotian to frame our family. He intended to sow discord between the two clans and force your father to leave." His voice grew heavier with each word, emphasizing Liu Xiaotian's decades of calculated scheming.

Liu Xiaotian's plan was finally coming to fruition, and success was within reach. The current Liu Clan was in turmoil—the patriarch was gravely ill, Liu Dashan was struggling to bear the burden alone, and Liu Dayue's second brother's health was deteriorating by the day. As for himself, he wasn't strong enough to bear any responsibility.

Liu Dayue knew he was only in the second level of the True Profound Realm and held a meager position in the clan. Recently, Liu Xiaotian had even begun hosting meetings to select a new patriarch.

"Your father had extraordinary talent when he was younger, but after over a decade of setbacks, his cultivation has stalled. He can't return to his prime, and he cannot inherit the patriarch's position without reaching the Spirit Profound Realm," Liu Dayue said.

The moment the Liu Clan falls into Liu Xiaotian's hands, the members would all be expelled or forced to leave the clan. It was often said there was no room for familial affection in royalties, and that was the same for a prominent clan. To obtain more power, father and son would clash, and brothers would even turn on each other.

Liu Xiaotian and Liu Wuxie's grandfather were half-brothers born from different mothers. Their relationship mirrored that of Wang Yue and Wang Rui.

They were rivals from a young age, but Liu Xiucheng stood out due to his superior talent and legitimate birthright, which secured him the patriarch's position after reaching the Spirit Profound Realm before age fifty.

Liu Wuxie nodded and could understand his uncle's concerns. His father's cultivation had stagnated for over a decade, causing his meridians to harden, and it wouldn't be easy for him to recover. It was already an impressive feat he could achieve his current strength.

"Tell me about how my grandfather was poisoned," Liu Wuxie asked. He already had a rough understanding of the Liu Clan's situation. Since his grandfather had been poisoned, Liu Xiaotian gradually made his move to seize power within the clan.

Once his grandfather passed away, Liu Xiaotian would undoubtedly seize the patriarch's position by colluding with the other elders. Knowing his ruthless nature, he wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate any threats, including Liu Wuxie's parents and anyone else standing in his way.

"I don't know how to describe it, but your grandfather regains consciousness every morning before falling unconscious for the rest of the day. His entire body has turned black as charcoal, and it gets stiff and cold at night," Liu Dayue said. His heart ached as though knives pierced through them whenever he looked at his father.

Liu Wuxie searched his memories for clues about the poison but found nothing. It seemed he had to look at his grandfather personally before he could make a diagnosis.

"Let's set off tomorrow morning. I hope it's not too late," Liu Wuxie said with a sharp glint flashing across his eyes. If anyone wanted to harm his family, they would have to get past him.

Liu Dayue didn't take it to heart and assumed that his nephew was anxious to see his parents.

"It's late, and you should get some rest. We will set off tomorrow at dawn," Liu Dayue said as they returned to the inn to rest.

But Liu Wuxie did not rest as he began piecing together all the information in the room. Liu Xiaotian had orchestrated a series of meticulous plans: first, he had hired assassins to kill members of the Yan Clan to sow discord between the two clans and drive a wedge between his parents. Next, he forced his father to leave the Central Plains, and Liu Wuxie suspected his second uncle's condition might also be related to Liu Xiaotian.

Last but not least, his grandfather's condition was weird, and it wasn't something attainable by ordinary people. After all, only those who were close to his grandfather could have had the opportunity to poison him.

Liu Wuxie’s thoughts solidified: this trip to the Liu Clan would be anything but peaceful. A single misstep could be fatal, and even his father might not be able to shield him from the storm that awaited.

After his grandfather’s death, Liu Xiaotian would launch a purge to target all of Liu Xiucheng's bloodline. He didn't know if it was wise for him to return to the Liu Clan now, but only time would tell as he had already been swept into the conflict unknowingly.

He soon cleared his mind before he began his daily meditation.

As dawn arrived, Liu Xing's footsteps echoed outside the room. When Liu Wuxie opened the door, he was already dressed and ready to depart.

When they stepped out of the inn, Wang Rui was approaching them from afar. He had come immediately upon learning that Liu Wuxie was leaving that day.

"Brother Liu, I apologize for what happened last night," Wang Rui said with a deep bow. After all, Liu Wuxie had responded with kindness after how the Wang Clan had treated him last night, and he had remembered this favor in his heart.

"I have already put it behind me. Focus on cultivation, and who knows if I might revisit Prosper City," Liu Wuxie said, patting Wang Rui's shoulder with a bright smile. He didn't dwell on the matter from yesterday.

"Okay. We'll drink for three days and nights straight if you do return!" Wang Rui declared, and he was relieved by Liu Wuxie's words. He hadn't just come to send Liu Wuxie off, but he was afraid the latter might hold a grudge against the Wang Clan. His concern was baseless as Liu Wuxie hadn't taken it to heart.

"Sure!" After bidding farewell to Wang Rui, Liu Wuxie's group of three headed to the teleportation array at the fastest speed. He couldn't afford any delay as his grandfather would be in more danger with every passing day.

Liu Dayue and Liu Xing had been out for an entire month to search for the Sacred Lotus Leaf, and they had no idea about the clan's situation.

As the teleportation array lit up, they felt a heavy sense of anxiety, knowing the challenges awaiting their return to the Liu Clan.

Liu Wuxie closed his eyes as they shuttled through the spatial passage, and his thoughts drifted to the Liu Clan.

The three exhaled when their feet touched the ground.

"Wuxie, let's hurry up and return to the clan," Liu Dayue said. He seemed to realize why his elder brother had chosen Wuxie for his nephew's name. It was a heartfelt wish as a father to hope that his son could remain innocent and untouched by the bitter cruelty of the world.

The Liu Clan had a long legacy and was not immune to decline. If the downward spiral continued, it would only be a matter of time before it was swept by the tides of history and replaced by another rising clan.