"Uncle Fifth, if you want to talk about stray cats and dogs, you should look at who's sitting beside you first. I don't recall these stray cats and dogs of yours having any right to attend this clan assembly." Wei Jie's face was displeased, but his voice turned sharp as he pointedly addressed Wei Tiantong.
According to the rules of the clan assembly, Wei Jie, as the clan head's son—the heir apparent—was first in line to succeed the clan head. He had every right to attend.
Wei Tiantong, as the second in the line of succession, was not himself an actual candidate for the position. He only had the right to temporarily act as clan head when the current head met with unforeseen circumstances and a successor had not yet been chosen.
He was not a candidate for clan head.
Therefore, while Wei Tiantong had every right to attend the clan assembly, his son Wei Xiu technically had no such qualification.
It was just that Wei Tiantong had always been high-profile, bringing his son along every time. Wei Tianxiao had never objected, and the others had found it awkward to raise the issue.
Now that someone was actually pressing the matter, Wei Xiu's presence had become ammunition against him.
Wei Xiu's expression turned cold. "Wei Jie, what exactly do you mean by that? I played a part in inviting Alchemist Yu here—doesn't that give me the right to participate?"
Wei Jie smiled thinly. "Inviting Alchemist Yu? Who invited him? I don't recall the clan head ever sending an invitation to any so-called Alchemist Yu."
When it came to verbal sparring, Wei Xiu was clearly no match for Wei Jie.
Wei Tiantong's face darkened as he fixed his gaze directly on Wei Tianxiao. "Clan Head, I've worked wholeheartedly for the family's benefit. I invited Alchemist Yu—isn't everyone supposed to welcome him rather than drive him away and hurt his feelings? Our family's pill business has been in shambles for years, a complete disgrace to our title as a Ninth-Rank Noble House. Every time I think about it, I can't sleep or eat. Now that I'm doing this for the public good, I'm the one who ends up humiliated?"
These words not only played the martyr but also pointedly suggested that Wei Tianxiao was incompetent—having let the Wei family's pill business fall into ruin and tarnished the family's reputation.
Wei Tianxiao naturally caught the subtext. His tone remained measured. "Fifth Brother, since you're here, take your seat. You've always liked to make noise before anything's even done. If we actually let you succeed, your tail would be up in the clouds."
"Clan Head, I'm not making noise. Who else is going to fix our failing pill business? I'd say I've done an immeasurable service—a tremendous contribution to the family." Wei Tiantong chuckled and plopped down in his seat without the slightest hint of self-consciousness.
Wei Xiu let out a cold laugh and found himself a spot behind Wei Tiantong, looking perfectly satisfied with himself.
The moment he sat down, his gaze drifted toward Jiang Chen, clearly still looking for an excuse to stir up trouble.
Wei Zhi seemed to see through the young man's intentions at a glance. "Enough nonsense," he said coldly. "This Alchemist Zhen is a Pill King invited by the clan head and Young Master Jie. He's here to discuss a grand plan for our family's pill business. You two arrived late. Just moments ago, Alchemist Zhen laid out a plan that set this old man's heart racing. I can say with certainty that Alchemist Zhen will be able to restore our Wei family's pill business to prominence on Shennong Street."
A Pill Master?
Wei Tiantong was momentarily stunned. This unexpected complication had clearly caught him off guard. But after a moment's thought about Alchemist Yu's abilities and reputation, he quickly sneered.
"Alchemist Zhen? Where did he come from? He looks utterly unfamiliar—does the Glazed Royal City even have such a person?" Wei Tiantong asked those around him in an exaggerated tone.
Wei Xiu shook his head even more dramatically. "Never heard of him. Don't tell me he's some street charlatan?"
One of Wei Tiantong's trusted family elders chimed in. "Elder Zhi, you'd better not be losing your eyesight and letting some fraud fool you. If it were really that easy to find a Pill King, our Wei family wouldn't have been struggling for so many years…"
Wei Zhi cut him off coldly. "My eyesight is fine, thank you. What gives your lot the right to invite some so-called Pill Master, but we can't invite a genuine Pill King?"
Wei Tiantong burst out laughing. "A genuine Pill King—now that's something I'd love to see up close. Alchemist Yu, they're calling us the fakes. Apparently, they're the real deal."
Alchemist Yu's face remained expressionless. "Anyone can blow hot air."
Jiang Chen clearly had no interest in squabbling. He didn't even bother to glance at Alchemist Yu, instead turning to Wei Tianxiao with a smile. "Clan Head, let's get down to business."
Wei Tianxiao's face broke into a broad smile, and he nodded. "Very well. Enough idle talk—everyone, please take your seats."
Wei Tiantong saw that they completely ignored him. While irritation simmered inside, he knew better than to press the issue just yet. After settling into his seat, he let his gaze drift casually toward Elder Zhuo and Elder Feng.
The two elders kept their heads bowed, offering no response whatsoever to his silent cues.
Wei Tiantong sneered inwardly, cursing to himself: *Two old fools, putting on airs of integrity, are they? When the critical moment comes, you'll come crawling to my side soon enough.*
Wei Tiantong actually found Elder Zhuo and Elder Feng rather irksome, but since the two old men were still useful, he was willing to maintain a veneer of cordiality for now.
Once he had complete control of the family, those two old codgers would be the first to be dealt with. What use was keeping people who wouldn't obey without question?
Once everyone had settled in, Wei Tianxiao gave the long family table a light tap and smiled. "As Elder Zhi mentioned just now, we've invited Alchemist Zhen, who is willing to cooperate with our Wei family. Alchemist Zhen is a Second-Rank Pill King with boundless potential. For our Wei family, this is undoubtedly momentous news."
Wei Tiantong's expression hardened. "A Second-Rank Pill King? Clan Head, forgive my bluntness, but is a Second-Rank Pill King truly worthy of our Wei family?"
A Second-Rank Pill King in the Upper Eight Regions was only good enough to serve under Third-Rank or even Fourth-Rank sects. The Wei family, as a Ninth-Rank Noble House, possessed strength greater than most Third-Rank sects—and in certain respects, was not inferior to some Second-Rank sects.
To be worthy of the Wei family, one would need at least a mid-tier Fourth-Rank Pill King. That was the bare minimum.