I picked up skill fragments in the demon world.

Chapter 899 Brother and Sister Goodbye
Zhang Chen's question, "Why didn't you consider the overall situation of the family and pass the position of family head to me?" really made everyone in the room lose their composure, especially Zhang Shenqi, the protagonist of the incident, whose face turned completely dark at this moment, and he stood there not knowing what to do.

The atmosphere in the room was deathly silent. No one would have expected that Zhang Chen would utter such a sentence in response to Zhang Shenqi's raised cudgel of 'family righteousness'.

Zhang Gaqi, who was watching from the sidelines, was stunned. He stared blankly at Zhang Chen. In the past, when others raised the banner of righteousness, they could only swallow their anger and bear it in order not to be criticized behind their backs. But what about Zhang Chen?

This kid is completely upside down!
But I have to say, what this kid did was really satisfying, absolutely amazing! Who hasn't been beaten by the stick of family loyalty in the past?
The elders in the pavilion looked at each other, and after hearing Zhang Chen's words, they felt a strange sense of relief. In the past, who among them had not been oppressed by others standing on a moral high ground?

But seeing Zhang Chen retaliate by unleashing a flurry of punches that seemed to kill the old master, leaving Zhang Shen speechless, everyone felt a strange sense of relief.

At this moment, everyone looked at each other with a puzzled expression in their eyes, and for a moment they didn't know what to say.

"This kid has potential, I like him!" Old Zhang said. "He's got personality!"

Even Zhang Laoba, who had always disliked Zhang Chen, twitched at the corner of his mouth: "He's just too unique. He's fearless and his thought process is quite peculiar."

He vividly remembered the scene when his family raised the banner of righteousness, forcing him to abandon his personal interests. He had no choice but to submit at the time, never expecting to witness such a scene today. He only regretted that he hadn't thought of it back then.

"I've learned something new! From now on, if anyone dares to raise the banner of 'righteousness' in front of me again, I'll bring up what happened today," Zhang Laosi muttered to himself.

As countless thoughts raced through everyone's minds, Zhang Shenqi finally snapped out of his daze, his eyes fixed on Zhang Chen. In the past, he could subdue everyone by simply raising the banner of family righteousness, but who knew he would encounter such an oddball who dared to use the banner of 'righteousness' to fight back against him.

If he knew the term 'PUA' existed, he would probably understand what anti-PUA means now.

“I would like to pass the entire family line to you, after all, this position of family head belongs to your father. Now that you have returned, it is only right and proper for me to return this position to you. However, you are still young, and the Zhang family and the eight great families are too complex. I am afraid you cannot handle it! You are too young and impetuous. Look at how you have turned the North upside down and ruined our great plan. It is clear that your character is still lacking. Once you can truly cultivate your character and mature completely, what harm is there in me giving you the position of family head? In any case, this position of family head should have been yours in the first place. But before that, you must grow up first!” Zhang Shenqi, as expected of the head of the Zhang family, was quick-witted and immediately uttered a bunch of high-sounding words in response to Zhang Chen’s counterattack.

Zhang Chen smiled upon hearing this, his eyes filled with sarcasm, and said in a sarcastic tone, "You said you would pass the position of family head to me when I grow up, but now you won't even let me into the family, and you want to push me out to be killed in order to appease the anger in the heart of the King of Pingbian. How can you pass the position of family head to me?"

He had already broken ties with Zhang Shenqi, so naturally he didn't need to show him any mercy.

Hearing Zhang Chen ruthlessly expose his words and show him no mercy, Zhang Shenqi's eyes were filled with anger. However, he remained silent, staring at Zhang Chen. He knew that no matter what he said, he would be refuted beyond repair, and continuing would only bring him further humiliation. Therefore, he stopped arguing and said coldly, "I am the head of the Zhang family. I will not allow anyone to disrupt the harmony and stability of my Zhang family, nor will I allow anyone to ruin my Zhang family's long-term plans."

"What, you're resorting to threats now that you can't win an argument? You can't keep up the act after I've exposed your hypocrisy?" Zhang Chen smiled as he looked at Zhang Shenqi opposite him. Zhang Gaqi, standing to the side, looked at Zhang Shenqi, whose face was gloomy and who seemed exasperated, and then at Zhang Chen, who remained calm and composed. He sighed helplessly in his heart. At this moment, the difference in their positions was obvious.

"Hmph, sharp-tongued, you'll get what's coming to you later! As long as I, Zhang Shenqi, am in the Zhang family, you won't be able to ruin my family's foundation. Since you won't listen to reason, then you'll have to suffer the consequences." After saying this, Zhang Shenqi stopped arguing, waved his sleeve, and turned to leave.

He was utterly refuted by a junior today, losing face in front of the elders of the Zhang family. His anger was so intense that he was ready to explode. After today, he would become a laughing stock in the Zhang family.

Zhang Shenqi left, leaving only Zhang Chen and Zhang Gaqi. The two looked at each other, and Zhang Chen, looking at Zhang Gaqi, revealed a faint sense of distance in his eyes.

"I want to return to acknowledge my ancestors and awaken my bloodline. Will anyone in the Zhang family try to stop me again?" Zhang Chen asked casually, even the respectful address of 'Fourth Uncle' had disappeared.
“I have received the will of the King of Men. If the Zhang family does not allow me to return to my ancestral home, I will turn around and leave right now.”

After speaking, he looked at Zhang Gaqi and asked, "What do you think?"

Zhang Gaqi noticed the change in Zhang Chen's words and his expression changed. He smiled bitterly and said, "Why do you need to argue with him? No one can stop you from acknowledging your ancestors and returning to your clan. Even with a king, no one can stop you."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen replied expressionlessly, "When will the ancestral hall be opened, and I be allowed to reconnect with my ancestors and return to the Zhang family?"

“We still need to choose an auspicious day. I checked the dates, and fifteen days from now is the best time!” Zhang Shenqi said to Zhang Chen. Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen’s lips curled up: “Alright! Then I will come to the Zhang family in half a month to recognize my ancestors and awaken my bloodline. But where are my brothers Zhang Fei and Zhang Tuowei? I will take them with me today. The Zhang family can no longer accommodate my siblings.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Gaqi's expression changed. Zhang Chen was about to completely break ties with the Zhang family, leaving no room for compromise whatsoever. Who would have thought that Zhang Chen would be so fierce?
If Zhang Tuowei and Zhang Fei remain in the Zhang family, there will still be a chance to ease tensions even if irreconcilable conflicts arise between the two sides in the future. However, if Zhang Chen takes the three children away today, there will be no room for maneuver in the future.

“They have been living in the Zhang family for four or five years, carefully nurtured by me, and have never suffered any grievances. They are just like my own children. This is their home. Why do you have to take them away?” Zhang Gaqi said helplessly.

"It's their home, not mine, right?" Zhang Chen asked.

Zhang Gaqi was stunned and didn't know what to say for a moment.

"Please lead the way, Master Zhang." Zhang Chen stared intently at Zhang Gaqi, his words leaving no room for argument.

"Are you sure you want to do this? If you take them out of the mansion, there will be no chance of turning things around in the future," Zhang Gaqi said in a low voice.

“You’re making it sound like there’s a chance to turn things around right now! The chance to turn things around you mean I have to sacrifice my own interests to benefit certain people in your Zhang family, right? Why should I give up my interests? Why can’t you be the ones to give up everything? Why can’t that traitor who betrayed my father be the one to give up his interests?” Zhang Chen’s voice was full of determination.

Zhang Gaqi's lips moved, his eyes staring blankly at Zhang Chen, not knowing what to say. He couldn't utter a single word.

"Follow me!" In the end, Zhang Gaqi could only sigh and lead the way.

Zhang Chen watched Zhang Gaqi's retreating figure, his eyes flashing with a cold light.

He didn't want to compete for the position of head of the Zhang family; would he even care about such a mere position? But the Zhang family's attitude displeased him! Extremely displeased!

From what he has come into contact with, everyone in the Zhang family is someone who cannot distinguish right from wrong and who confuses black with white.

What did I do wrong?

Pingbian Wang wanted to kill him as a substitute for his son to set up a trap. Was it wrong for him to fight back? He couldn't just wait for the other party to hold a knife to his throat and slit his own throat, could he?
Zhang Shenqi betrayed his father and even seized his father's position as head of the family. Shouldn't he hand over everything that belonged to his father?
There are many things that we may not need ourselves, but they cannot refuse to give them to us. They cannot be so unreasonable!

Zhang Chen would never allow anyone to stop him from returning to the Zhang family, even if it meant silencing him and pushing him out to curry favor with the Pingbian Prince's Mansion!

Even if it means mutual destruction and everyone suffers losses, Zhang Chen would never allow it.

Zhang Gaqi led the way. He was already an adult and had a bunch of his own children, so naturally he had to separate from the main Zhang family. However, Zhang Gaqi's house was next to the main family's house, and a small gate had been opened in the wall between the two mansions to facilitate visits between the two families.

Zhang Tuowei and Zhang Fei were kept at Zhang Gaqi's house. Zhang Chen followed behind Zhang Gaqi, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

In fact, Zhang Chen knew perfectly well what his younger brother and sister had gone through over the years. After all, Zhang Tuowei had the Blood God Child left behind by him, and Zhang Chen knew everything about their experiences as if they were nothing.

Zhang Tuowei, Zhang Fei, and their two younger brothers have lived quite well in Zhang Gaqi's home over the years, receiving the treatment befitting young masters and ladies. Zhang Gaqi has not mistreated the three boys, which is why Zhang Chen is quite polite to Zhang Gaqi.

However, the situation has changed now. I want to compete with the Zhang family, so the three little ones are no longer suitable to stay in the Zhang family. Wouldn't that be the same as handing over my weakness to the enemy?
In the distant pavilion, a group of elders watched Zhang Chen's departing figure with strange looks, remaining silent for a moment.

(End of this chapter)