Gou Shiren did not expect Zi Lingling to compromise so easily. Overjoyed, he said, "What conditions? Miss Zi, please name them! As long as it is within the Gou family's capability, I will spare no effort!"
Zi Lingling countered, "Is that so?"
Gou Shiren quickly replied, "Miss Zi, just say the word!"
Zi Lingling smiled coldly and said, "Since that is the case, then Patriarch Gou, please pass the position of Patriarch to Gou Ziran!"
Upon hearing this, Gou Ziran's disappointment vanished, and a radiant light filled his eyes.
"What did you say!"
Gou Shiren's smile froze on his face.
He had expected Zi Lingling to demand an exorbitant price, asking for resources, spirit stones, or territory, but he never imagined she would demand his position as Patriarch.
With a grim expression, he said, "Miss Zi, I have been sincere with you. Why must you toy with me?"
Zi Lingling waved her hand and said, "How can this be considered toying? I am sincerely discussing cooperation with Patriarch Gou!"
"Utter nonsense!"
Gou Shiren was so enraged he felt his lungs would explode.
"Oh? Is Patriarch Gou clinging to his position as Patriarch, unwilling to pass it on?" Zi Lingling asked with a cold smile.
"This..."
Gou Shiren froze in place.
This question was a colossal trap. Whether he answered yes or no, he would fall into it.
Gou Fugui looked at his father, a hint of an unreadable expression flashing in his eyes.
The remaining elders of the Gou family also looked intently at Gou Shiren, awaiting his answer.
Gou Shiren took a deep breath and said, "Miss Zi is jesting! The position of Patriarch must naturally be passed down."
"Then what's the harm? Since it must be passed down, what's wrong with passing it to Gou Ziran?" Zi Lingling seized the opportunity to interject.
Gou Shiren said displeasantly, "The position of Patriarch is of utmost importance and must be passed to someone with exceptional talent and virtue. Gou Ziran, as a concubine's daughter, is simply not worthy of the heavy responsibility of Patriarch!"
Zi Lingling retorted sarcastically, "A concubine's daughter cannot inherit the position of Patriarch? What kind of ridiculous logic is that?"
Gou Shiren quickly explained, "The main issue is that her talent is ordinary; she is simply incapable of leading the Gou family to glory!"
"Ordinary talent? Is that true? Watch closely!"
As Zi Lingling finished speaking, she had already appeared before Gou Ziran and commanded, "Open your mouth!"
Gou Ziran blinked in surprise and instinctively opened her mouth.
Zi Lingling took the opportunity to place a pill into her mouth, then forcefully pushed her jaw closed, making her swallow the pill.
"This pill is a Marrow Cleansing Pill. It will cleanse your tendons and marrow, but the process will be extremely painful. If you cannot endure it, then you deserve to be bullied by others!"
After speaking, Zi Lingling returned to her original position and said to Gou Shiren, "If her talent proves to be outstanding, will you then pass the position of Patriarch to her?"
"This..."
Gou Shiren hesitated.
He dared not speak too definitively.
He had a feeling that Zi Lingling was a very strange person.
Zi Lingling smiled coldly, "What, you dare not agree?"
Gou Shiren said seriously, "Who the position of Patriarch is passed to is our Gou family's internal matter. Miss Zi need not concern herself with it, right?"
Zi Lingling sneered, "Then what are we discussing? Now, I give Patriarch Gou two choices: First, the Gou family, like those ten God Kings from the Cao family, will submit to me. Second, I will attack until the Gou family submits, but I cannot guarantee how many will survive!"
Gou Shiren's face turned ashen. "Miss Zi, aren't you going too far?"
Zi Lingling's aura turned icy, "Even if I am going too far, what can you do about it?"
Gou Shiren's anger finally erupted completely. "Although I am extremely unwilling to be your enemy, since you have no intention of making peace, then our Gou family will have to offend you!"
"All members of the Gou family, heed my command! Exterminate the invading enemies!"
"Yes! Patriarch!"
All members of the Gou family responded in unison.
Then, they lined up, their gazes fixed chillingly on Zi Lingling and her companions.
Zi Lingling let out a disdainful laugh, "Now this is getting interesting!"
"Ninth Prince, President Rong, Shangguan, and Young Master Shen, I leave this place to you!"
"Yes!"
Xuanyuan Xun and the other three responded, then attacked the Gou family members.
"Come at me all at once!"
Shangguan Yulin had been itching for a fight and directly issued a challenge.
Xuanyuan Xun, Rong Guang, and Shen Liuxing also provocatively beckoned.
The Gou family members were instantly enraged and swarmed towards the four.
Xuanyuan Xun, Shangguan Yulin, Rong Guang, and Shen Liuxing showed no fear, their faces instead filled with smiles!
Shen Liuxing produced a black long flute and began to play it leisurely.
Instantly, the souls of everyone present felt as if they were struck by a hammer, their eyes momentarily dazed.
Rong Guang's Starting Poison Tree in his hand suddenly grew larger and swept towards the Gou family members.
Shangguan Yulin was not to be outdone, shouting, "This young lord will warm you up!"
After speaking, his Vermilion Bird Feather Fan also rapidly expanded and began to fan vigorously.
"Eat my spear!"
Xuanyuan Zhe's Overlord Spear also swiftly struck towards the Gou family members.
Having experienced many battles together, the four naturally cooperated flawlessly.
Of course, they also remembered Zi Lingling's instructions on the way: only to inflict serious injuries, not to kill!
By the time the Gou family members recovered from Shen Liuxing's sonic attack, the assaults of Xuanyuan Xun, Rong Guang, and Shangguan Yulin had already arrived.
Although they were numerous, they suffered considerable losses under their panicked defenses.
Consequently, the Gou family members were forced to fight two against one.
The only ones remaining who had not engaged in combat were Zi Lingling, Gou Shiren, and Gou Ziran, who was undergoing the cleansing of her tendons and marrow.
Oh, and Gou Fugui, who was hiding within the clan protection formation.
Zi Lingling's gaze calmly swept over the ongoing battle and she said to Gou Shiren, "Will you deactivate the clan protection formation yourself, or shall I break it?"
Gou Shiren said indignantly, "Miss Zi, must you be an enemy of our Gou family?"
Zi Lingling smiled, "I said, your Gou family must submit to me!"
"Dream on!" Gou Shiren roared. "I know you are very powerful, but our Gou family is not full of incompetents!"
"Very well! Once I break through your Gou family's clan protection formation, let's see if you can still be so defiant!"
As Zi Lingling spoke, ten formation plates appeared in her hand.
Her shadows darted everywhere, and the formation plates were consequently placed within the Gou family's clan protection formation.
"Break!"
Zi Lingling gave a light shout, and the formation plates she threw erupted with a brilliant light, soaring straight into the sky.
Then, a powerful energy descended from above, striking the Gou family's clan protection formation.
The Gou family's clan protection formation shook violently.
Subsequently, streams of flowing light evenly divided the Gou family's clan protection formation into ten segments.
"Boom!"
With a tremendous roar, the Gou family's clan protection formation shattered.