Chapter 1741 - 314:

"Great Elder, are you awake?"

This call seemed to break the last thread of hope.

The Great Elder's eyes slowly opened.

His eyes were very murky, but even with this simple act of opening them, the room was instantly filled with pressure.

The already broken facade on Zhao Yi's body began to involuntarily curl, peel, and fall off.

"My Yi'er... has returned."

"Yes, Great Elder, I have returned."

Silence.

Zhao Yi did not speak, and the Great Elder spoke no more.

But Zhao Yi believed that the one who couldn't hold back first would be the other party.

Because although he looked miserable now, he was still very young.

"Yi'er, is there trouble at home? Was it worth coming back in person?"

"Great Elder, home is the same as before."

"The same as before? It must be the day of the ancestral rite, back then I woke from a dream, and the Second Elder mentioned it, Yi'er, I didn't oversleep, did I?"

"You did not, today is the day of the ancestral rite."

"That's good. Hmm? Why didn't the Second Elder move me outside so you all could pay respects?"

"The Second Elder is concerned about you."

"This Second Elder, truly ignorant; he should know this is the last time I can sit and receive the juniors' respects."

"Great Elder, haven't I come?"

"Yes, Yi'er, you came to see me, very good."

Zhao Yi stepped back a few paces, first saluted the Great Elder with the Zhao family's internal etiquette, and finally kneeled before him in a very standard posture.

His forehead touched the ground, remaining motionless.

The blood seeping from his body continued to drip, gradually staining an area.

After a long time, the Great Elder finally spoke:

"I have received Yi'er's salute."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yi prepared to stand up.

"But Yi'er, why did you lock the Second Elder outside the gate?"

Zhao Yi's movement halted.

"The Second Elder is outside, anxiously jumping, hehe, in his life, only his swordsmanship is passable, and his skill in arrays is nine-tenths mastery.

You locked him outside, all he can do is stomp in worry with no other options.

Yi'er, you really are a child who never grows up, playing such jokes with your elders, hehe."

Zhao Yi continued to kneel.

"The Third, Fourth, and Fifth Elders are sleeping soundly, what trouble are you causing with them? When they wake up, who knows how angry they'll be, glaring and fuming; unlike the Second Elder, they don't have such good tempers or are so reasonable.

By then, if they want to spank you, they won't care about my face, and I can't protect you, you little rascal."

The skin and flesh on Zhao Yi's face had completely split open, revealing no emotion.

"Stone statues shattered, the forest burned, our family's territory hadn't been this lively in a long time.

Yi'er, you really are something, coming from afar as a guest, the guests merely feel cold and wish to borrow a layer of skin for warmth, which ought to be the duty of our Zhao family as hosts.

How could you be so petty and directly turn against the guests?"

Blood beads continued to overflow, Zhao Yi's previous disguise was completely ruined, leaving him a charred and bloody figure.

"With so many guests, if you can't handle them, you should call on us old folks. If the sky falls, it'll be us old things holding it up, not your turn.

Besides, the sky won't fall.

Yi'er, stand up!"

Zhao Yi stood up, having knelt for so long, his skin and flesh had stuck to the tiles, pulling off a large section when he rose.

"Yi'er, do you know how long us old folks have prepared for this day?"

"Since my birth?"

"More than that, a very long time, through many generations, some things are only passed down to my position, from generation to generation.

No matter how turbulent the outside world is, our Zhao family has long anticipated this day.

Our Zhao family has longed for a new Dragon King, for too long.

We have hoped for, anticipated, from the ancestors on, for another genius to emerge in the family.

When that time comes, all accumulations and preparations will be bestowed upon him.

Yi'er, this is the wind that our ancestors have saved for you, helping you rise to the clouds.

All of us, whether sitting or lying, willingly become your steps, become your wave.

You will sever from us, swear to the Heavenly Dao, achieve great merit, remove shackles, and fulfill the Zhao Family's dream."

After the Great Elder finished speaking, Zhao Yi did not respond; in the vast room, only the sound of dripping blood echoed.

"What, Yi'er, you don't believe?"

"Great Elder, I don't believe."

"Why?"

"Because, if our Zhao family really had such courage, it shouldn't be the Zhao family it is now."

"You may disdain the current Zhao family, you may think the accumulations of the ancestors fall short of your decisive actions on the river as righteous.

But you shouldn't speak of them in such a tone.

When they were sitting here, when they laid in coffins, they truly carried the great dedication of paving the way for future prodigies.

Cough…"

A cough, and on the surrounding walls, rolls of portraits fell, depicting generations of Zhao Family Great Elders.

The oldest roll, Zhao Yi remembered vividly.

The Dragon King, born of humble origins, was the foundational root of the Zhao family, and it was this ancestor who truly managed the Zhao family onto the right track, establishing the ancestral mansion and the nascent industry of Jiujiang.

His memorial plaque was in the ancestral hall, only placed below Zhao Wuyang.

Below the portrait, inscribed in his own hand:

"All sins are mine, and I only wish my Zhao family could establish a Dragon King's Court."

And following that, beneath each portrait was a similar line.