Fighting: I am Han Feng, I respect my teacher

If the Nine Profound Golden Lightning still bears traces of external force, then the Black Purple Tribulation Lightning, like the "Nine Dragons Thunderfire," is already imprinted on Han Feng's fighting spirit and belongs to his own thunder law.

"Let's go. Let's stop the competition here for now. The clan meeting is about to begin."

At this moment, an elder stepped forward and spoke.

Chapter 464 Passed

In the main hall of the Thunder Clan, all the elders had already taken their seats.

In the front row, Lei Feng sat prominently, his expression stern and his demeanor composed. As the Legal and Punishment Elder of the Lei Clan, he was known for his strictness and prestige, and held an extremely high position among the Lei Clan's high-ranking members.

Mang Tianchi sat in the elders' seats at the back. Although he was prestigious, he did not have the authority to speak at this clan meeting. Moreover, the rules at the clan meeting were strict, and Mang Tianchi could not help Han Feng at this time. Everything depended on Han Feng himself.

The true protagonist of this clan gathering was undoubtedly Han Feng.

If he hadn't proposed restarting the clan council in the name of "Qilin," today's meeting probably wouldn't have happened at all.

As Han Feng stepped into his designated spot inside the hall, the elder presiding over the clan meeting began the Lei Clan's traditional meeting ceremony.

Although this is a clan gathering to restart, we must still be mindful of etiquette and not be careless.

During the ceremony, Han Feng keenly noticed that the expressions of many elders present were not friendly, and their eyes were filled with doubt, indicating that they were not very welcoming to Han Feng.

In contrast, Elder Lei Feng appeared to be more peaceful, even subtly revealing a hint of goodwill—this elder, known for his coldness and sternness, was actually the least hostile to Han Feng, aside from Mang Tianchi.

The Fallen Heart Flame's subtle sensitivity to human emotions gave Han Feng a clue.

His gaze slowly swept over the elders present, and he had roughly judged their positions.

After the ceremony, the elder presiding over the clan meeting said, "Today's clan meeting has only one topic: to restart the discussion on the 'Soul Clan' and reconsider whether to join the anti-Soul alliance led by the Ancient Clan."

"The one who proposed this idea is the Thunder Lord of the Soul Slaughtering Division—Qilin."

"The Soul Slaughtering Division, as a recently emerging anti-soul force, has been constantly active for years, and its goal has never changed: to destroy the Soul Palace and overthrow the Soul Clan..."

The elders of the Thunder Clan had a very detailed understanding of the Soul Slaughtering Division.

It started from its initial rise and has since grown into a large and influential enterprise.

Han Feng listened silently, his hopes for today's negotiations gradually dwindling.

Since the Thunder Clan has such a comprehensive understanding, his room for negotiation is much smaller.

"According to the available intelligence, the Soul Clan has launched a devastating attack on the Spirit Clan, possibly with the intention of seizing the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade, which seriously violates the common rules set by the eight clans back then."

"The campaign against the Soul Clan did not violate the rules established back then."

"Anyone who lays a deadly hand on any of the eight clans shall be exterminated!"

The elder's voice was strong and clear, revealing his hatred for the Soul Clan.

If it were simply a matter of fighting the Soul Clan, the Thunder Clan might not be unwilling, but the so-called alliance involves much more.

"When the clan meeting was held last time, the Yan Clan had not yet decided to join the alliance; but according to the latest news, the Yan Clan has officially joined the Soul Extermination Alliance, supposedly because they were persuaded by the Yan Lord 'Vermilion Bird' of the Soul Extermination Division."

"Times have changed. Whether our Thunder Clan should still proceed according to the original plan today is indeed something that needs to be discussed again."

It sounded like the elder presiding over the meeting was biased towards Han Feng.

However, these words did not relax Han Feng; instead, they made him feel even more burdened.

There is no other reason——

Han Feng slowly raised his head and looked at the person in the main seat.

The seat at the head of the family, representing the clan leader, was empty.

Lei Ying, the patriarch of the Lei clan, should have attended the clan meeting in person, but he has yet to appear today.

After the elder who presided over the ceremony finished speaking.

Lei Jin, the Grand Elder of the Lei Clan, stood up expressionlessly and said:

"The clan leader is currently in seclusion and unable to attend today, so I will temporarily preside over this clan meeting."

Han Feng's heart sank slightly.

If Ray cannot win, what is the significance of today's vote?

If he had known beforehand, even if Lei Ying was in seclusion, he should have been able to be summoned to preside over such an important matter. But now, he has not made any statement.

Was it a crucial moment of seclusion that couldn't be interrupted? Or... was there another hidden reason?

At this moment, the palace doors were tightly shut, and the power of thunder pressed down from above, making it impossible to express any emotion.

Han Feng had no choice but to suppress his thoughts, calm his gaze, and wait for the clan meeting to officially begin.

Elder Lei Jin stood in the center of the hall, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping across the entire room. His voice was deep yet authoritative:

"The clan leader's seclusion is not an excuse for our clan to shirk important matters, but rather because the Lei clan is currently facing a critical juncture and must be cautious."

"As for whether to join the Anti-Soul Alliance—this is no small matter and requires discussion among the entire clan before a decision can be made."

As soon as he finished speaking, a murmur rippled through the hall. The elders exchanged glances, each clearly deep in thought.

ThunderClan is arrogant, but they are always cautious in crucial moments and do not easily get involved in the overall situation, especially in a war situation that is not yet fully clear.

Han Feng remained silent for a moment, as if waiting for everyone's emotions to calm down.

His gaze did not deliberately linger on any of the elders, yet it seemed as if he could see through the unspoken concerns in everyone's heart.

"My name is Qilin, the master of the Thunder Department of the Soul Slaughtering Division."

"I am not here today to persuade anyone."

His tone was extremely calm, almost composed, with only a hint of sharpness hidden in his eyes:

"I'm here to reveal a truth that you're unwilling to uncover."

There was silence in the hall.

Han Feng slowly stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over Lei Jin, Lei Feng, and the others seated in the high positions:

“The Thunder Clan isn’t stupid. Of course they understand that the Soul Clan is an enemy, but you’re still weighing your options—whether to make a move now or wait until the situation becomes clearer before trying to win on both sides.”

"But have you ever considered that this 'wait-and-see' attitude is essentially giving up the strategic initiative?"

“It’s not that you lack power, but that you’re still gambling—whether the Soul Clan is only targeting the Ancient Clan; whether the Soul Slaughtering Division is just a flash in the pan; whether the alliance is just a political maneuver used by the Ancient Clan to use one enemy to devour another.”

“You are hesitant to act because you are afraid of being taken advantage of.”

“But you’ve forgotten that ThunderClan is a ‘powerful clan’ on the chessboard, not a player.”

Han Feng's voice wasn't loud, but every word resonated deeply:

"If you don't make your move, you'll only be waiting to be moved."

An elderly elder frowned, as if about to speak, but Han Feng didn't give him the chance, abruptly changing his tone:

"The Soul Clan may seem to have only destroyed the Spirit Clan, but in reality they are creating chaos. They are not in a hurry to annex anyone, but are tearing apart the original order of the eight clans, undermining consensus and creating suspicion."

"Today we fight the Spirit Clan, tomorrow we may fight the Stone Clan, but we will not win, but we will make each of your clans waver."

“You think you’re observing the winds from the sidelines, but in reality, you’ve already become ‘wavers’ in their scheme.”

Lei Feng's eyes flickered slightly, while Lei Jin remained expressionless, only his knuckles tapping lightly on the armrest of his seat, revealing a hint of barely perceptible unease.

Han Feng looked at them:

"This is not a simple 'good versus evil' situation."

"This is a war in which the Soul Clan attempts to rewrite the rules and reorganize the order."

“If you do not choose to take sides, it is tantamount to giving up your position and relinquishing the right to write the future order.”

He paused for a moment and looked around.

"This does not mean you should send troops now."

"But you all have to make a statement."

“If you remain silent today, it means that in this grand game of restructuring, Thunder Clan has relinquished its voice and will henceforth become subordinate.”

"They were not wiped out, but marginalized, eliminated, or even completely removed from the core of the eight clans."

As soon as he finished speaking, the hall became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Even Lei Jin's knuckles finally stopped tapping.

The elders' expressions varied, and their gazes met with a mixture of unease and solemnity.

Lei Jin slowly opened his mouth:

"...These words are no longer the arrogance of youth."

"Only those who have truly placed ThunderClan in the game can say such a thing."

His gaze was deep and he said in a deep voice:

"Voting—begin."

As Lei Jin finished speaking, lightning patterns appeared beside him, and a silver lightning jade talisman slowly flew out from his sleeve, floating in the center of the hall. Lightning intertwined, condensing into lightning-patterned discs, each disc corresponding to the mark of an elder present.

"Lei Yu opens the betting."

Lei Jin raised his hand, his sleeves trembled, and a deep hum resounded in the hall, like the rumble of thunder.

A wisp of lightning appeared before each of the elders, connecting to the central jade talisman.

The moment of voting is the introduction of intention, whether to "fight" or "avoid fighting," the result cannot be concealed, and Lei Yu will reveal it naturally.

Within a short moment, several lightning patterns flickered and lit up, their colors dark, indicating "avoidance of battle".

Han Feng stood quietly, his expression unchanged.

He was not surprised. Many of these Lei clan elders bore heavy responsibilities for their clans and were accustomed to prioritizing "preservation".

A moment later, several streaks of lightning suddenly lit up, one of which was clearly from Lei Feng.

"Accept the challenge."

The lightning pattern shone extremely brightly, almost piercing through the lightning jade. Han Feng glanced at him and nodded slightly.

Lei Feng is a man of strong character who has personally witnessed the Soul Clan's schemes. Now, he makes a decisive decision without hesitation.

After Lei Feng threw out his "acceptance," several more bolts of lightning turned bright. One of the gray-robed elders said in a deep voice, "If even our attitude is unclear, what kind of clan is the Lei Clan?"

The situation began to subtly change, and the Thunder Jade in the hall gradually brightened, shifting from being initially dim to being about 50/50.

Suddenly, a lightning pattern trembled violently, flickering incessantly under everyone's gaze, swaying uncertainly between light and shadow. That was Lei Jin's voting seal.

Lei Jin frowned, slowly raising one hand but not immediately lowering it.

He was hesitating.

He is not Lei Ying, but he holds the highest authority in the council of elders. His vote will determine the outcome.

He closed his eyes for a long time, and finally spoke in a low voice:

“My Thunder Clan… is not a clan that flees from war.”

The lightning patterns suddenly lit up, a bolt of lightning shot out, and the lightning jade shone brightly, eventually slowly condensing into an ancient lightning seal—

"To fight: 23; To avoid fight: 19."

The hall was completely silent, except for the Thunder Jade slowly rotating in mid-air, reflecting a deep, dark light.

Han Feng closed his eyes and let out a soft sigh.

It wasn't an overwhelming victory, but it was enough.

Lei Jin surveyed the entire room, his voice steady: "The outcome of this clan meeting is now decided. The Lei Clan will send a representative to attend the alliance meeting, and a special office will be set up within the clan to liaise with the Soul Slaughtering Division. The Lei, Yun, and Shan armies will regroup and prepare for any eventuality."

He paused, then added:

"We will not send troops for the time being, but we will no longer stand idly by."

This is already the biggest concession ThunderClan has made.

Han Feng cupped his hands and bowed deeply: "This is enough. If the Soul Clan dares to make any rash moves, Qilin will lead the Thunder Division of the Soul Slaughtering Department to fight to the death."

Lei Jin nodded, but didn't show much emotion.

"This concludes today's clan meeting. Meeting adjourned."

As Lei Jin finished speaking, the elders in the hall stood up one after another, exchanging glances. There was no cheering or resistance, but rather a heavy sense of acceptance.