"How did you manage to poison us?" the Jin family head asked, bewildered. He was a Nascent Soul cultivator; how could he have been so easily poisoned? Furthermore, he hadn't eaten anything since entering the meeting hall. How could he have been poisoned?
"Patriarch Jin, you and the First Elder were poisoned long ago," Xiao Man said slowly. "I presume the First Elder and the Fifth Elder also remember the incident where they led people to attack the Alchemy Hall?"
"You... you poisoned us back then!" the First Elder finally understood. They had been poisoned the moment they encountered Xiao Man. Xiao Man's target from the very beginning had been them!
"But I never went to the Alchemy Hall!" Patriarch Jin was still confused. He hadn't been to the Alchemy Hall, so why was he poisoned?
"Patriarch Jin, have you forgotten? That night, I asked Senior Brother Jing Song to deliver a gift to you," Xiao Man said unhurriedly. "I imagine Patriarch Jin received my grand gift."
"That was..."
"Poison." Xiao Man grinned widely. "The Jin family has so many experts. Naturally, I wouldn't dare to act rashly. If I didn't have absolute confidence, I wouldn't come out and court death so casually. After all, I cherish my life."
Rebirth strode past Patriarch Jin, walked towards the main seat, and sat down. "From now on, I am the current head of the Jin family. Does anyone object?"
"Jin Ling, this is rebellion!" the First Elder roared. "The Patriarch is still alive, and you dare to aspire to be the Patriarch? A pipe dream."
"First Elder, do you mean I should kill my own father now, and then I can legitimately become the Jin family head?" Rebirth asked softly.
"Nonsense! The Patriarch is your biological father. How can you treat him like this? The Jin family is now tied to the Sky Sword Sect. the second young master and his wife have already returned to the Sky Sword Sect. Even if you take the position of Patriarch, you will be annihilated by the Sky Sword Sect."
"Are you certain Jin Changshi and Jin Yao have returned to the Sky Sword Sect?" Rebirth asked softly. Since they had planned to make a move, how could they have let Jin Changshi and Jin Yao reach the Sky Sword Sect?
"You... you're insane! You're truly insane. Not only do you attack your own father, but you don't even spare your own brother!"
Rebirth laughed, a mocking laugh. "When Jin Yao persecuted me, you were all deaf and blind. Now that it's my turn to take revenge, you're suddenly neither deaf nor blind."
The First Elder's expression changed. "Brothers fighting for power is common throughout history. There's nothing to be surprised about."
"Yes, sibling rivalry is common, and regicide is not uncommon. Then what are you surprised about?" Rebirth retorted. "What? You're allowed to kill, but I'm not allowed to set fire?"
"You... you've always been obedient..."
"Hah! I've always been obedient?" Rebirth interrupted the First Elder loudly. "If I'm obedient, I should be persecuted by you all? Should I be trampled on and humiliated?"
"Eldest Young Master, it's all for the Jin family!"
"It's for the Jin family too!" The last trace of hesitation in Rebirth's eyes vanished. "For the Jin family, First Elder, please die!"
A sword pierced the First Elder's chest. The First Elder looked in disbelief at the sword lodged in his chest and then at the person who stabbed him, his eyes filled with terror and disbelief.
"Why... why?"
The one who stabbed the First Elder was his disciple, Ke Ming. Ke Ming was usually reliable and was highly favored by him. After Jin Quan died, he had entrusted Ke Ming with important responsibilities. Why had he betrayed him?
"You killed my brother, my own brother!" Ke Ming said through gritted teeth. "Because of Jin Quan's death, you killed my only relative!"
The First Elder finally remembered that because of Jin Quan's death, he had punished all the disciples who had gone out with Jin Quan that day, and Ke Ming's brother was among them.
"Your brother killed my grandson!"
"It wasn't my brother who killed your grandson, it was you!" Ke Ming said hatefully. "If you hadn't relied on your high status and allowed Jin Quan to bully people everywhere, how would he have ended up beaten to death? After he was beaten to death, you showed no remorse and even dragged innocent people to accompany him in death. Your entire faction is no good!"
With that, Ke Ming pulled out his sword and plunged it fiercely into the First Elder's chest again. The First Elder spewed out a mouthful of blood. He had worked diligently for the Jin family his entire life, only to end up abandoned by everyone, truly pathetic!
"Father!" The First Elder's youngest son rushed forward, shoving Ke Ming aside, and supported the First Elder. "Father, hold on! Someone, quickly save my father! Third Elder, save my father."
The Third Elder took a step forward, but only one step. This was a confrontation between two sides; one wrong move could lead to complete defeat. The First Elder played a crucial role in the Patriarch's faction. If he saved the First Elder, causing them to fall into a disadvantage, he didn't believe the First Elder would spare them.
"Third Uncle, my father is your own brother!"
The Third Elder chose silence. Everyone present was a relative. When they chose to persecute the eldest young master and rely on the Sky Sword Sect, they should have known this day would come.
"Yuan'er, this is retribution." The First Elder grabbed Jin Yuan's arm, signaling him not to ask the Third Elder for help. When he chose to cooperate with Jin Changshi to persecute the eldest young master, he should have foreseen this day. To die a quick death, for him, was a good thing.
When everyone thought the First Elder was surely going to die, Xiao Man stepped forward, moved quickly, sealed several of the First Elder's vital acupoints, and fed him a pill.
"Brother Xiao, what are you doing?" Rebirth asked in shock. The First Elder was an enemy, and had even tried to take Xiao Man's life multiple times. Why was Xiao Man saving him?
"Rebirth, the Jin family's current status is related to every member of the Jin family. The Jin family made a wrong turn in the past, but that doesn't mean they will continue to do so. The First Elder's intention of wanting the Jin family to be the foremost noble family was good, he just used the wrong method. The one who persecuted you was the Jin family head, Jin Changshi, and Jin Yao. The others were merely acting on orders. Of course, they will also be punished, but not to the point of death."
"I don't need your pity," the First Elder said emotionally. As a strong cultivator, he possessed the dignity of a strong person.
Xiao Man glanced at him. "You have committed a grave error. You wish to die and have it over with? It's not that easy. You must dedicate yourself to the Jin family and the new Patriarch until death to atone for your mistakes."
The First Elder fell silent and said no more. The Jin family head, however, began to panic. For years, he had devoted himself to cultivation and doted on Jin Changshi, leaving the Jin family's major and minor affairs to Jin Changshi to manage. Jin Changshi, in turn, spoiled Jin Yao, and he also favored this son. But now, when the moment of reckoning arrived, he found that he had become a solitary figure.