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*****
The plaza atop Taiji Peak was exceptionally vast. The young boy roughly estimated it to be the size of two or three football fields from his previous life.
To the north of the plaza stood a grand hall, nine zhang tall and more than thirty zhang long.
Its name: Taiji Hall.
The entire structure was built from Spirit-Stabilizing Wood, intended to anchor the flow of spiritual energy in the area.
As soon as Jiang Shuo stepped into the hall, he felt every pore on his body open instantly.
A sensation of extreme comfort swept over him.
He had a strong urge to sit down and cultivate right then and there.
The impulse was intense—a pure instinct of his six-year-old body.
Suddenly, several gazes converged on him, landing directly on the boy. They belonged to his uncles, all of whom were over a hundred years old.
Though they were his elders, they were also rigid traditionalists who clung tightly to the hierarchy.
Jiang Shuo composed himself, suppressing the urge to avoid making a fool of himself.
"Little Shuo, you're here?"
"Not bad. I heard you awakened your Martial Soul yesterday—and you were the only one with innate full soul power?"
"If I recall, it's been more than three years since our clan last saw someone with innate full soul power. Rare, truly rare."
Upon seeing the boy arrive, the various Titled Douluo uncles shifted their gazes from the front of the hall.
One of them spoke with a smile.
As soon as he finished, others followed suit.
"A pity, though—it's a spear-type Martial Soul. It didn't inherit our clan's mighty Taixu Mystic Dragon."
"Exactly! The dignified young master of the Taixu Sect ends up with some random Silver Shuo Spear—how ridiculous is that?"
"Sigh! If you ask me, Big Brother should never have married Chen Yuan. Even if he did, she shouldn't have been made the official wife. Our sect master—leader of the world's number one sect—and he only has one son? It's improper, truly improper."
Jiang Shuo's mother, Chen Yuan, was also present. But since Jiang Yuanshi hadn't arrived and she didn't bear the Jiang surname, she stood beside her son.
Although she was powerful, she found it difficult to deal with these arrogant brothers-in-law who styled themselves as descendants of gods.
On one hand, the Grand Elder was still present, meaning her husband, Yuanshi Douluo, was not the ultimate authority in the sect.
On the other hand, although she was the Sect Master's wife, she was an outsider by birth. These men wouldn't dare insult her openly, but they would subtly mock her Martial Soul, the Soul-Breaking Spear.
Jiang Shuo stood his ground, lifted his head, and looked at the second person who had spoken—his Fifth Uncle, a Titled Douluo at rank ninety-three.
"My Martial Soul is the Silver Shuo Spear. Though it has never appeared in the continent's history, it is a spirit that forced my father's Taixu Mystic Dragon to yield its position during its mutation. Could such a Martial Soul truly be inferior? Fifth Uncle, your words are gravely mistaken."
He then turned to the one who had subtly criticized his mother's worthiness—his Sixth Uncle, a rank ninety-two agility-type Titled Douluo. His expression turned cold.
"Sixth Uncle, to speak such rebellious words before Grandfather's Taiji Hall—is that not going too far? My mother married my father with Grandfather's personal approval. What, do you object? If so, why not say it to Grandfather's face instead of waiting until my father is absent to mock her in secret?"
As soon as these cold and assertive rebukes were spoken, the faces of the two sarcastic uncles instantly darkened.
Chen Yuan had also been angered, but she had restrained herself due to the Grand Elder's presence in the hall.
Now, she turned in astonishment to look at her six-year-old son.
She saw a natural pride on the young boy's face, without the slightest trace of fear, even when confronting his powerful uncles.
Her heart was suddenly stirred.
A warm current flowed through her, and on her dignified yet elegant face, a faint, almost imperceptible trace of gratification appeared.
My son... has grown up.
To be publicly refuted by a six-year-old junior left the two uncles looking utterly embarrassed.
Especially the Sixth Uncle—his face was nearly as dark as the bottom of a pot.
"You brat! Is this how you speak to your uncles?"
"No matter what, I am your senior—an elder of this clan! Even if I misspoke, you should have corrected me respectfully, not questioned me so self-righteously," the Sixth Uncle's voice deepened, his eyes narrowing.
A trace of a Titled Douluo's pressure seeped from his body, intentionally pressing down on the boy.
He's still just a child, yet he dares to be so disrespectful to a Titled Douluo uncle. If he were allowed to grow up and inherit the Sect Master position, it would be unthinkable!
With his sharp spiritual sense, Jiang Shuo felt the pressure instantly.
But he wouldn't retreat a single step. His mother was behind him.
This was also a matter of his dignity as the Young Sect Master.
He gritted his teeth, puffed out his chest again, and erupted with silvery-white true essence, preparing to forcibly resist the wave of suppressive power.
The other uncles present had varied reactions—some hesitated, some wanted to intervene, while others simply sat back to watch the show.
The clan was too large; it was impossible for everyone's hearts to be aligned.
Those who wanted to help were blocked by those who wanted to watch the drama, ultimately canceling each other out.
Some secretly hoped to see the Young Sect Master suppressed, clearing a path for their own children.
As the Titled Douluo's pressure closed in, Jiang Shuo felt an overwhelming presence, like a monstrous tide crashing down on him.
His heart thundered in his chest, and a sheen of sweat broke out on his forehead.
Chen Yuan's face darkened. She grabbed the boy's shoulder to pull him behind her.
But Jiang Shuo shook his head and whispered, "They won't dare to truly harm me. Let me handle this myself."
"Mother, this is a trial I must endure as the Young Sect Master."
Chen Yuan froze. The small boy before her suddenly seemed to radiate an indescribable, heroic aura.
It was an aura her husband once possessed, before it was buried by time and responsibility.
"Shuo'er…"
The boy's face was resolute as he stood proudly in the plaza.
The Sixth Uncle's face grew even darker. With his rank ninety-two strength, he had failed to instantly overwhelm Jiang Shuo.
Ashamed and enraged, he was about to increase the pressure—
Suddenly.
"Cough!"
A powerful, deliberate cough echoed through the hall.
Instantly, the crushing pressure on Jiang Shuo vanished.
A figure appeared out of thin air, standing protectively before the mother and son.
A tall, broad frame blocked all incoming gazes.
Yuanshi Douluo, Jiang Yuanshi.
He had finally arrived. He narrowed his eyes, sweeping his gaze across the dozens of people present—his own blood brothers and sisters.
A pressure that none of them could hope to match erupted from his towering figure, sweeping across the entire Taiji Hall plaza.
His deep voice boomed like a crashing boulder: "Do any of you have objections to the Sect Master's wife or the Young Sect Master's position?"
"If so, speak up now, so that this Sect Master may hear them."
…
The pressure of a rank ninety-eight Titled Douluo was enough to shake the heavens. As both sect master and the eldest son of his generation, Jiang Yuanshi exuded a natural air of authority.
As his gaze swept the room, not a single person dared to meet it.
"No, no, absolutely not!"
"We were just joking with Sister-in-law and our nephew. Big Brother, please don't take it to heart."
The first uncle who had spoken—the one who had only expressed mild regret—quickly stepped forward to smooth things over.
Jiang Yuanshi ignored him, his gaze landing on his other two younger brothers.
The two Titled Douluos who had spoken last twitched, their faces stiff as they slowly lowered their heads.
"Big Brother… our apologies. We spoke too freely. We will be sure to guard our tongues in the future…"
…
Jiang Yuanshi's expression softened slightly, and he didn't press the matter.
Ultimately, he was not just a husband and a father; he was the master of a great sect.
Seeing this, the uncles quickly looked away, forcing smiles as if nothing had happened.
But the dark undercurrents swirling in their hearts would not be so easily dispelled.
…
Jiang Yuanshi turned and slowly walked to his son's side, placing a firm hand on his shoulder, which had slumped slightly under the pressure.
"Stand straight. A man must carry himself like a man," he said in a low, solemn voice.
"Yes, Father!" Jiang Shuo straightened his back again, looking directly at his uncles without a hint of hesitation.
The Titled Douluos of the Taixu Sect avoided the boy's gaze, turning to each other and pretending to chat casually.
(End of Chapter)