C196 The Truth of the Aristocratic Family!

Chu Yi nodded, then respectfully called out, "Grandpa Sun."

The Sun family?

Chu Yi was no longer the naive youngster he once was; he was well aware of the Sun family's reputation.

In Redmarsh, the Sun family ranked among the top three prestigious families. Even considering the entire Adirang Region, they were a super-wealthy family, easily within the top fifteen, if not the top ten.

Even when compared to his own Chu family...

Well, Chu Yi wasn't quite sure.

He didn't have a clear understanding of the Chu family's background. To this day, he had no idea what the family business entailed.

"Your Grandpa Sun is a genuine Diamond Level Great General, nearly on par with those Half Step to War Gods!"

Half Step to War God...

That's the title for a Quasi War God!

Essentially, Quasi War God is a transitional stage from General to War God.

Typically, one is only deemed a Quasi War God after fully mastering their genetic power.

The key to becoming a War God isn't about physical strength anymore.

War God Level beings draw upon the power of the universe, what some refer to as the power of rules, which is beyond mere physical strength.

Once genetic power comprehension reaches 100%, the next step is to grasp the laws.

If one can discern these laws, then the 'Quasi' prefix before War God is no longer necessary.

This stage could be brief for those with exceptional insight and prodigious talent; they might achieve success in a relatively short time. However, for those with average abilities, it could be an exceedingly long journey, possibly one that lasts a lifetime.

Yet, within the ranks of Quasi War Gods, some individuals with extraordinary talent are already on equal footing with regular War Gods.

Otherwise, this transitional phase wouldn't bear the title of Quasi War God.

And the patriarch of the Sun family, he's an existence that rivals a Quasi War God. Does that mean, once he taps into certain powers, he could wield the explosive force akin to that of an ordinary War God?

Incredibly strong!

Indeed, to Chu Yi, the Sun family patriarch was nothing short of formidable.

Compared to himself, he was likely just a notch below.

Without even considering the power of the Immortal Dao after its activation, merely with the full bloom of the Stellar Combat Body, Chu Yi was confident that he could slay the Sun family patriarch without incurring a significant cost...

"Grandpa Sun is mighty..."

Chu Yi called out with a grin.

The Sun family patriarch returned the gesture with a look brimming with meaning. It wasn't just him; the surrounding patriarchs shared the sentiment.

They could discern quite a bit from Chu Yi's subtle demeanor!

Chu Yi was exceedingly polite, but that was the extent of it!

Beyond that, they never detected a hint of fear in Chu Yi's eyes.

Typically, when the younger members of their families, or those from other clans, or individuals from other powers became aware of their strength, their eyes would betray an unnatural, even reverent shade.

But Chu Yi was an exception!

He was so composed, treating the Sun family patriarch as if he were just an ordinary elder.

Was it the confidence instilled by Patriarch Chu?

Or did he have confidence in himself?

These were the questions pondering in the minds of the various patriarchs at that moment, although they tended to believe it was the former.

They had witnessed Chu Yi's defeat of the top-tier demon, having watched the entire event live.

Yet, that top-tier demon was still vastly inferior to them.

"Don't underestimate your grandfather. Don't let killing a top-tier demon make you overconfident."

Chu Yi didn't fully grasp his grandfather's meaning, but he nodded gently and replied, "Chu Yi hasn't..."

Chu Tianfeng gestured with his hand, his expression turning grave.

"Chu Yi, there are some matters I think we need to discuss..."

Chu Yi was taken aback.

Since the moment he had seen his grandfather, Chu Tianfeng had always called him grandson or dear grandson.

But this time, he addressed him by his full name.

Chu Yi realized that Chu Tianfeng must have something serious to discuss.

Thus, Chu Yi's demeanor shifted to one of solemnity.

"I know you don't really respect these noble families, do you?"

Chu Tianfeng's words caught Chu Yi off guard.

He was at a loss for words.

However, Chu Tianfeng clearly thought differently.

"Truthfully, before our Chu family rose to prominence as an aristocratic family, I had little regard for these so-called elite households," Chu Tianfeng remarked as he cast a brief glance at the aged family heads standing behind him.

"Yet, over time, I found myself reevaluating my stance..."

The Chu family of the past was no longer the same.

Even now, the Chu family couldn't be classified as a large clan.

The reason was straightforward: a family is typically defined by its continuation across a minimum of five generations.

Additionally, there's a general consensus regarding the number of family members.

While these criteria aren't explicitly quantified, they essentially set an accepted benchmark.

But what about the Chu family?

We've only spanned three generations, and the number of individuals within these generations is exceedingly sparse.

The Chu family is the genuine Chu family, not an extensive clan!

Nevertheless, the Chu family has emerged as a formidable entity, even securing a position among the upper echelons of the aristocracy.

All of this is the result of decisions made by Chu Tianfeng himself.

Before aligning with the Aristocratic Alliance, the Chu family was courted by both the government and the alliance.

For most families and powers, playing both sides could be perilous, potentially leading to their downfall.

But the Chu family faced no such risk.

The reason was simple: power!

Both the top-tier aristocratic families and government agencies were well aware of the Chu family's strength.

This understanding was precisely why they refrained from alienating the Chu family, despite knowing about our past dual allegiances.

Initially, maintaining a neutral stance suited the Chu family best. More than the potential gains, it was crucial that we remained untainted by external affairs.

Our roots have never been anchored here.

In the end, however, the Chu family did join the Aristocratic Alliance.

The reason was straightforward: respect.

Indeed, Chu Tianfeng held a deep respect for the individuals within the Aristocratic Alliance, especially the heads of those aristocratic families.

"Did you know that your great-grandfather was not the head of the Sun family, nor was he even the second in line for succession?" Chu Yi addressed the Sun family patriarch, who maintained a benevolent smile and remained silent.

"Do you understand why your grandfather is now the head of the Sun family?"

Chu Yi was even more puzzled.

He realized that Chu Tianfeng wasn't really asking him; he was preparing to explain.

So, Chu Yi wisely chose to remain silent and simply listened attentively.

"It's quite straightforward. The first and second heirs to the Sun family... they're dead."

Chu Tianfeng's tone was even, but Chu Yi caught a glimpse of sorrow in the eyes of the Sun family's head as he spoke.

Hmm?

Something didn't add up!

At first, this situation might suggest a scandal, as if the head of the Sun family had cunningly eliminated the first two heirs to claim leadership of the Chu family.

But after seeing his expression, Chu Yi was certain that the deaths of the two heirs were unrelated to him.

Indeed, if the Sun family head had been involved with the demise of the previous heirs, his demeanor would have been entirely different.

A deception?

An act?

In Chu Yi's keen perception, not even a Diamond could elude detection.

"Ah, and there's another crucial detail. Your grandfather isn't even from the Sun family's direct line..."

What the heck?

Chu Yi was genuinely taken aback.

What does it mean to be of the direct line?

It means that only the direct descendants are eligible to inherit the family legacy!

No matter how exceptional the collateral branches are, they could never inherit the role of family head.

Could it be that the direct line had been entirely eradicated?

Otherwise, why would a member of a collateral branch become the Patriarch of the Chu family?

"The direct line of the Sun family has been eradicated, leaving few of their direct descendants. They can no longer fulfill the Sun family's duties as a distinguished house, so the mantle of Patriarch had to be passed to your grandfather..."

This, this, this...

The Sun family's direct line was almost completely extinct?

Chu Yi felt bewildered.

He had the sense that today, he might just encounter a particularly juicy piece of gossip.

"Indeed, they had no choice. Even your Grandfather Sun reluctantly assumed the role of the Sun family's head."

Chu Tianfeng spoke with a hint of distraction, his voice gradually lowering.

Little by little, Chu Yi began to grasp what his grandfather had been hinting at. He finally realized why the Chu family, despite having the potential for better development, chose to join the ranks of the aristocracy and wade into these troubled waters.

The head of the Sun family was indeed in a predicament. Given the choice, he would never have wanted to become the Patriarch of the Sun family, nor the head of any family for that matter. In truth, no matter which family's Patriarch it was, none of them wanted the role.

This revelation completely overturned Chu Yi's understanding. It seemed straightforward: becoming the Patriarch meant that his bloodline would represent the direct lineage within the family.

On the surface, there appeared to be no downside. After all, riches and honor seemed to be within easy reach. But was that truly the case?

Indeed, as the direct lineage, they could enjoy privileges that the collateral branches could never access. Yet, they also faced a perilous threat: the potential annihilation of their entire family line. This was the stark reality.

The reason for the possible extinction of the main bloodline was, quite simply, the Demonic Beast...

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