Chapter 436: Yuan Jihu's Shock [Four Updates]
Yuan Jihu and the Song Family Patriarch were deep inside a building in the Song Family Mansion.
"Old Clan Leader, what do you want to say to me?" Yuan Jihu was also very puzzled at the moment.
It happened that the Song Family Patriarch had not interacted much with him, the Haofeng City Lord Yuan Jihu. When Yuan Jihu took on the role of Haofeng City Lord, the Song Family Patriarch had already retired, and the leadership of the Song Family had shifted to Song Zhongshan who was killed today.
However, Yuan Jihu was also quite meticulous in his thoughts. While outside, he had sensed some underlying meaning in the words of the Song Family Patriarch, which is why he had temporarily given up on moving against Jing Yan.
The Song Family Patriarch narrowed his eyes, looking at Yuan Jihu.
"City Lord, I just attacked that young man, and you saw it yourself, how do you rate my cultivation?" the Old Clan Leader said slowly.
"The Old Clan Leader's strength is incredibly formidable, almost approaching the Daoist Master Realm," Yuan Jihu said, although he did not know why the Song Family Patriarch brought this up, he still responded honestly.
"The City Lord thinks, if you were to fight me, do you think you could kill me?" the Song Family Patriarch asked again.
"I'm not sure," Yuan Jihu's expression darkened slightly.
In fact, he felt that if he were to fight the Song Family Patriarch, he would most likely be the one to fail.
"This is exactly why I stopped you. That young man's strength is no less than mine!" the Old Clan Leader suddenly opened his eyes a bit more and spoke solemnly.
"What?"
"How is that possible? His martial arts were crushed by you, weren't they?" Yuan Jihu was shocked.
"Not exactly!" the Old Clan Leader shook his head, "The martial arts I used, although they overpowered the young man's martial arts, also exhausted more than ninety percent of my power. The remaining power was minimal. That's why even though the young man was directly attacked by my martial art's power, he was unharmed."
Hearing this, Yuan Jihu's expression changed dramatically once more.
He found it hard to believe, but he could not find a reason why the Song Family Patriarch would lie to him. Considering Jing Yan had killed so many of the Song Family, the Song Family Patriarch, even if not utterly hateful towards Jing Yan, should definitely not be biased in favor of Jing Yan. Therefore, he could not find a reason for the Old Clan Leader to lie.
And before the Old Clan Leader said this, Yuan Jihu truly did not believe that Jing Yan could remain unharmed after taking a hit from the Patriarch because the move had so little power left.
"So! This young man's strength is extremely formidable! I can say his strength is no less than mine. If we were to fight, the likelihood of me being killed is over eighty percent," the Old Clan Leader continued.
Yuan Jihu was so shocked he was speechless.
He believed himself to be slightly weaker than the Song Family Patriarch. Yet, the Old Clan Leader said if he fought that person, his chance of winning was less than twenty percent. What would be the result if he fought that person?
Thinking about this, Yuan Jihu broke out in a cold sweat.
"And that's just one reason. The second reason I didn't want you to make a move concerns that young man's age," the Old Clan Leader, watching Yuan Jihu's expression, knew that his heart was in turmoil, unable to calm down.
"Age?" Yuan Jihu repeated unconsciously.
"What about his age? He appears young, but he must have used some kind of life-preserving elixir or spirit grass. His real age can't be that young, can it?" Yuan Jihu scoffed.
He had always heard the Old Clan Leader refer to the young man as 'young,' but he assumed it was because the man appeared young. But who really knew how old he was?
Seeing his appearance, he looked to be around twenty. But could a twenty-year-old martial artist contend with the Song Family Patriarch?
Wasn't that a joke?
"City Lord, you're mistaken here," the Old Clan Leader smiled and said, "I cannot say exactly how old that person is, but I'm certain his actual age isn't far from his appearance!"
Yuan Jihu, with a blank stare, looked at the Old Clan Leader!
Not far from his appearance?
Was the Old Clan Leader implying that the person's age was also around twenty?
Involuntarily, Yuan Jihu wanted to laugh. This was surely a joke, right? A twenty-year-old at the Dao Spirit Realm? And yet able to contend with a peak Dao Spirit Realm martial artist?
Yuan Jihu's look towards the Old Clan Leader conveyed, "Don't joke with me, I'm not that gullible."
The Old Clan Leader seemed to have anticipated Yuan Jihu's disbelief and smiled.
He calmly continued, "City Lord, you can tell my life force is fading, right?"
"Yes, I can somewhat feel it," Yuan Jihu nodded.
He indeed vaguely sensed that the Song Family Patriarch's life span was rapidly depleting. If nothing unexpected happened, he would naturally die within ten years. The depletion of life span was irreversible. Even if there were life-extending elixirs, their effects could not be repeated; the efficacy would drastically decrease after the first use and might have no effect at the third use.
"In that case, you must know that no matter what kind of life-preserving elixir or spirit grass a martial artist uses, it can't change their life force and divine soul, right?" the Old Clan Leader asked again.
"I know that," Yuan Jihu nodded again.
"I'm nearing the end of my life span, and my sensitivity to life force and divine soul has increased significantly. Thus, I can feel that young man's true age, fresh as the rising sun!" the Old Clan Leader said somewhat emotionally.
And Yuan Jihu, his eyes widened as if they were about to bulge out.
He suddenly remembered, those close to the end of their life span indeed have a keen sense of life force and the divine soul.
At this moment, his shock had reached its limit.
If what the Old Clan Leader said was true, then how could it be possible? How could there be a martial artist with such talent within Lanqu County City?
Yuan Jihu swallowed hard.
"I believe that this young man is extraordinary. Even if you, City Lord, could kill him, what if he comes from a very significant background? How do you plan to handle the aftermath?" the Old Clan Leader waited a while, allowing Yuan Jihu time to digest the information before continuing.
Yuan Jihu sharply turned his gaze.
Indeed!
A twenty-year-old Dao Spirit Realm martial artist, comparable to a peerless genius at the peak of the Dao Spirit Realm, could he be unknown?
The Old Clan Leader looked at Yuan Jihu; he had said all he needed to say. How to choose was now Yuan Jihu's matter.
In fact, the reason he was doing this was not for Yuan Jihu, but for the Song Family. At this moment, the Song Family had already suffered greatly in terms of strength. With him around, the Song Family could still stand firm. But with his life span not much longer, once he passed away, what would become of the Song Family?