My cultivation level increases by one year every day!

The Fang family's ancestral home is located in a village under the jurisdiction of Qixi County. A stream flows in front of it, and there are groves of trees and flowers behind it.

To preserve the original appearance as much as possible, the Fang family has been making repairs over the years, but they will not shake the foundation.

The country roads leading to the ancestral land are wider than the main roads in Qixi County.

There are many small towns along the way, like stars scattered around the villages.

To this day, there are still people living in Fangjia Village, but their identities are all extraordinary.

They were either family elders who wanted to live in seclusion, or village elders of high seniority; the latter were mostly ordinary people.

Ordinary members of the Fang family are not qualified to come to Fangjia Village; at most, they live in nearby towns.

"Greetings, Duke Dingguo!"

After seeing off the Fang family from the capital, the magistrate of Qixi County hurried to the place the Fang family was bound to pass through in the prefectural city and waited patiently.

He knew exactly what day it was.

He couldn't afford to offend either of these two powerful figures, so he could only try to curry favor with them.

"These are just some sacrificial gifts, nothing special, but I hope the Fang family head will accept them."

The magistrate of Qixi County waved his hand, and his subordinates from the criminal investigation department came over with their belongings.

"polite."

Fang Zhongwu nodded.

Fangjia Village is large enough to accommodate the people of both families, each occupying the east and west sides.

It has been a long-standing custom that people do not meet on the day of ancestor worship.

The process of ancestor worship is very complicated, requiring careful selection of the time, preparation of offerings, and even various ceremonial processions.

Fang Yuan doesn't need to handle these matters; he just needs to patiently wait for the appointed time to participate in the sacrificial ceremony.

At the time of the new moon.

The ancestral worship ceremony officially began.

Offerings, including various rare fruits, pastries, and even pigs, cattle, and sheep, have been laid out on the platform inside the Fang family ancestral hall.

At this moment.

The two powerful families finally met.

The two leaders and many elders calmly took their seats, while their disciples sized each other up.

"Is he hostile towards me?"

Fang Yuan noticed an unfriendly gaze directed at him, frowned slightly, and looked back in the direction of the gaze.

The young man who met his gaze was very provocative, as if an invisible gunpowder could be generated in the air.

"I've never met him before, so what's the conflict?" Fang Yuan asked, puzzled.

During the Fang family's ancestral worship ceremony, only the elders of the council are qualified to sit in the chairs; ordinary elders are not qualified.

Not to mention the outstanding disciples of the younger generation, who are often outside the ancestral hall.

Five years ago, Fang Yuan was not qualified to come to pay respects to his ancestors, so it was impossible for him to meet Fang Xuan.

Now, as the young master of the family, he sits quite high up, right next to Fang Zhongwu.

"Dear ancestors, your descendants offer incense and pray for your blessings, for the prosperity of our family, and for the striving of future generations."

The ceremony began with the reading of the eulogy, a lengthy and elaborate discourse.

After a while, it was time for the younger generations to offer incense and perform the kneeling ceremony.

The rule here is that the head of the Fang family first offers the first incense, and then the successor does so. Etiquette and rules must not be disrupted or abandoned.

It emphasizes the importance of respecting elders and juniors, and distinguishing between the noble and the lowly.

"Wait!"

Fang Zhongwu was about to step forward to offer sacrifices when he was interrupted by the eldest elder of the Fang family in the royal city.

According to ancestral etiquette, only the most respected member of the household is entitled to offer the first incense stick.

"Fang Zhongwu, you are no longer worthy of your position and should step down."

These words instantly turned the atmosphere of the ancestral worship ceremony, which should have proceeded smoothly, into a freezing point.

"Do you understand etiquette? For thousands of years, the position of the host family has never changed."

The second elder of the Fang family in the county town retorted, "If it weren't for our lineage recognizing you, you wouldn't even be allowed into the ancestral hall."

Since ancient times, the Fang family has never had the concept of splitting up.

Those were all from the royal family; they first rebelled and then, after growing to a certain size, they begged to return to their master.

People in this world value returning to their roots and are unwilling to have their names erased from the family genealogy until death.

This is the legacy of our family!

Even after so many years, the Fang family of the royal city has experienced periods of rise and fall, and its strength has surpassed that of the Fang family of the county city.

The main family was still the Fang family of the county town, in charge of the family genealogy and in charge of various sacrificial rites.

These may seem like ordinary things, but they are all important matters in terms of etiquette and law, representing the legitimacy of one's status.

"It seems they want to vie for the legitimacy of the family's position." Fang Yuan's eyes flickered.

The words spoken by the Grand Elder of the Fang family in Wangcheng were intended to incite conflict and make the Fang family in the county town appear to be superior to them.

"According to ancestral rites and laws, the head of the family can be changed if more than two-thirds of the elders of the council agree."

Both companies adhere to this standard.

"If I remember correctly, your Fang family in the county town currently only has seventeen council elders."

The eldest elder of the Fang family in the capital had sharp eyes and an imposing presence.

"Our clan now has thirty-five council elders, and this is the roster."

Upon seeing the list handed over by Fang Zheng, the atmosphere seemed to freeze, and the Fang family members from the county town all had eyes blazing with anger.

The Second Elder waved his hand, signaling the ceremonial staff to bring over the roster. He carefully reviewed it, his expression growing increasingly somber.

It seems they are determined to fight for the title this time and have made ample preparations.

Once the Fang family of the royal city gains legitimate status, the Fang family of the county city will lose all face and will never be able to hold their heads high again.

This made the elder, who already had little affection for the Fang family of Wangcheng, feel even more aggrieved.

"Hurry up and hand over the patriarch's seal and credentials. We need to send the family genealogy later." Fang Zheng showed no mercy.

The Fang family and others in the county town clenched their fists, their eyes fixed on the opposite side, feeling extremely unwilling.

But there was nothing we could do.

The Wang family's development momentum has always been better than theirs.

Over the years, if Fang Zhongwu hadn't taken charge of the Fang family and led it to become the top of the three great families, the gap would have been even greater.

"There is such a rule in the ancestral rites and laws, but there must be additional conditions."

Fang Yuan, who had been observing from the sidelines, suddenly spoke up, breaking the deadlock in the room.

"Where did this ignorant brat come from? How dare he mention ancestral etiquette and laws so casually?"

An elder from the Fang family in Wangcheng stood up and reprimanded him.

"How dare you! Fang Yuan is the young master of the main family, and his status in the ancestral hall is higher than yours!"

It was the hot-tempered Ninth Elder who spoke.

He was a supporter of the Grand Elder of the county, but now it concerned the family's reputation and also about saving face for Fang Yuan.

"you……"

The elder who was being reprimanded trembled and was speechless for a long time.

In various sacrificial activities, the heir often holds a very high position, after all, he is the future leader of the family.

"Are you saying that the successor chosen by the new family head must be the most outstanding junior member of the clan?"

Since Fang Zheng had brought up ancestral etiquette, he naturally had to use these rules and gestured for the elder who had been rebuked to sit down.

"nature."

Fang Yuan glanced at Fang Zheng, his tone neither humble nor arrogant.

A change of leadership within a family is a factor that destabilizes the situation.

Not only does he need the support of most of the council elders, but the successor he designates must also be able to carry the torch in the future.

"Fang Yuan, don't think that just because you participated in the Qingyun Sect's trials, you can look down on all the talents in the world."

Fang Xuan, who was already displeased with the other party, shouted angrily.

"Do you even have the right to speak in this ancestral hall?" Fang Yuan sneered.

Standing behind his brother, Fang Xuan's eyes were blazing with anger, but he couldn't offer any response.

Otherwise, that would be disrespecting ancestors and breaking with etiquette.

"You want to fight me?"