Don't be afraid, fairy, I'm blind

Chapter 496: Snake Tribe Son-in-law
The entire snake clan was still immersed in the afterglow of surviving the calamity. Ji Xueruo, who was overworked, did not take much rest and summoned seven elders the next day.

Thanks to You Suna's invention of the cooling fan, there was a cool breeze in the meeting hall.

Ji Xueruo sat upright on the main seat, the snake scale pattern on her black robe rising and falling with her breathing. Although she was only eighteen years old, she already had the dignity of a clan leader.

The seven elders sat at the bottom, on the left and right. They put aside the laughter of the previous two days and all had serious expressions. After all, this was the first meeting after the clan leader returned, and no one dared to neglect it.

"The Snake Clan was able to turn danger into safety this time, all thanks to your concerted efforts." Ji Xueruo glanced at everyone, "I remember Elder Hua's poison formation, Elder Chi's frontal battle, and the contributions of all the elders. Without the efforts of the elders, the Snake Clan would have been doomed."

"You are too kind, Chief." Liu Yinyin was the first to speak, "This is definitely not the work of the seven of us. It is the result of the concerted efforts of the entire Snake Clan."

Ji Xueruo nodded slightly. She had already said a lot of polite words at the banquet, and now she was too lazy to say more. "Elder Liu is right. The first thing I want to do when I call you all here is to reward those who have made contributions."

Just as the seven elders nodded, she changed the subject, "But this time the reward is not for a certain person, but for the whole clan's contribution, the whole clan will be rewarded. Even though I have thought about it for two days, I still don't know how to reward. Elder Hua, you are in charge of rewards and punishments in the clan, do you have any ideas?"

Elder Hua's pink gauze skirt spread out like rosy clouds. After a moment's thought, she said, "Saving the clan from extinction is a great achievement, but it is impossible to reward everyone accordingly. And precisely because this is the achievement of the entire clan, the clan leader does not need to worry too much and just treat everyone equally. After all, turning danger into safety is what everyone wants, not seeking rewards for meritorious service. Rewarding them with some spirit stones will be double the joy for the clan members, and it is enough."

All the elders nodded in agreement after hearing this. Ji Xueruo also agreed, "In this case, let's do as Elder Hua said. However, spirit stones are not considered rewards for the seven of you. The magic weapons in the clan are originally shared, so I don't know what to reward you for the moment."

"Patriarch, you worry too much. You have made great contributions in this battle. Why don't you think someone should reward you?" Elder Hua smiled. "We seven elders are just like you. We just want the snake tribe to be healthy. The snake tribe raised me and raised me. It is natural for me to contribute to the snake tribe. Why do I need a reward? In fact, even if the patriarch does not want to reward the whole tribe, the whole tribe will not think there is anything wrong. Rewarding some spirit stones is just to continue this joy."

"Elder Hua is right! Clan leader does not need to dwell on this. If the snake clan is doing well, then everyone will be well! We are all family, so there is no need to reward or not reward us! If the clan leader wants to reward us, then he is treating us as outsiders!" Elder Chi, who had always been at odds with Elder Hua, also clapped her hands in agreement, with the red silk wrapped around her arms like a fiery snake.

The other elders also expressed their opinions, all agreeing with Elder Hua's point of view.

Ji Xueruo was moved by this. The snake tribe had been struggling since being exiled from the sacred mountain, but they had gained something. The whole tribe was always united, which was the greatest wealth that even the great tribes would envy.

"It's Xueruo who is old-fashioned."

"Patriarch, please don't underestimate yourself. You are already a great patriarch if you always remember the achievements of your subordinates. But Elder Chi reminded me that we don't need to discuss rewards for our own people, but there is an outsider who has made great contributions in this battle." Elder Hua bowed and suddenly became serious, "If it weren't for Master You's secret planning and even turning the tide of the battle, the Snake Clan would also be unable to escape this disaster. So I think that the clan members can be rewarded lightly, but Master You will be rewarded heavily."

"What Elder Hua said is absolutely right." Elder Xiang agreed very quickly, "Mr. You's contribution is not inferior to that of the clan leader and the second young lady, but he is not a snake girl. If we don't reward him, how can we express the sincere gratitude of the snake clan? I'm afraid that the meritorious officials will be disappointed."

Even Elder Jin, who was usually the most rigid, felt that these two people were in the right. He also pleaded for rewarding You Su, and even listed the disadvantages of not rewarding You Su. He even mentioned Ji Lingruo, who might also be disappointed.

Seeing that these elders were so confident and determined to reward You Su, Ji Xueruo couldn't help but complain in her heart. She had already given him the reward he wanted most the night before, so what else did she want to reward him now?
The tips of her ears turned red, but her face remained calm: "Then, what should I reward him with?"

These words stunned all the elders in the hall. In fact, they had already discussed it privately. The so-called reward to make You Su feel not disappointed was only secondary. The main thing was that they were determined to keep this great treasure, You Su.

But at this moment, if they really wanted to come up with a specific reward, they couldn't come up with an answer. After all, if the reward was to satisfy him, it had to be what he needed. But he was young, but his cultivation was similar to theirs, and he had no shortage of magic weapons and skills, and even had a master in the Void Realm. What kind of reward could the snake tribe give him to satisfy him?
Thinking of this, they all glanced at the eldest lady sitting in the high seat, but no one dared to speak out what they were thinking.

Ji Xueruo raised her eyebrows slightly, and actually felt uncomfortable with all these gazes. She always felt that the way these elders looked at her was a little strange.

Fortunately, Liu Yinyin spoke in time and suppressed the truth that was about to come out:
"Mr. You has everything he needs, except a place to live. He has now been slandered by Venerable Heng Lian, and is wanted by all five continents. Since then, he has been like a rootless duckweed. Even with the protection of Venerable Lian Jian, he is still living under someone else's roof. Now that the Snake Tribe tolerates him, he will repay them with his life. With such a sincere heart, external rewards are just empty gifts."

"Then...what does Elder Liu mean?" Ji Xueruo hid the ripples in her eyes.

"Just appreciate Master You's place in the Snake Clan."

When these words were spoken, all the women in the hall were stunned for a moment.

Liu Yinyin shook her sleeves and continued, "The mutual assistance between the Snake Clan and Master You is based on the relationship between Master You and the Second Miss. Now no one in the Snake Clan will oppose them, so in my opinion, it is better to acknowledge this relationship. Although the Snake Clan has no precedent of accepting outsiders, firstly, Master You and the Second Miss are truly in love, and secondly, Master You has made great contributions in saving the Snake Clan. Now he is floating like a duckweed, so it is better to let the Snake Clan be his home."

"This……"

Ji Xueruo was still hesitating, but saw the other six elders bowing together, their opinions were surprisingly unanimous.

Once upon a time, because of her mother's tragedy, the snake tribe had an abnormal hostility towards human men, but she never thought that You Su not only changed her and her sister's views, but also changed the entire snake tribe. Or perhaps this change was only directed at him.

Ji Xueruo pursed her thin lips. She also knew that what Liu Yinyin said was absolutely right. You Su worked hard in the snake tribe, not only to repay the snake tribe for taking him in, but also to gain the snake tribe's recognition and acceptance.

But to do this, as the clan leader, she couldn't help You Su out of personal favoritism. Fortunately, he did it on his own. In this case, she had no reason to refuse.

"Okay, let's follow Elder Liu's advice and take You Su as our son-in-law. But since he has not been vindicated yet, it is not convenient to hold a ceremony. But we can inform the people of the snake clan to let them know that we have a new member. Elder Jin, please carve his snake clan token and send it to him tomorrow."

Elder Jin was hesitant when she heard this and did not dare to agree. Seeing that she did not dare to question the clan leader's decision, Elder Hua took the initiative to speak:
"Mr. You wants a sense of belonging, and the Snake Clan can make an exception for him, but the clan leader's suggestion of a son-in-law is probably debatable. After all, Mr. You is definitely not an ordinary person, and he might not like the title of a son-in-law..."

"If you don't marry into the family, how can you enter the family tree of the snake clan?" The elders' eyes widened when they heard this, as if they suspected that they had heard it wrong. Seeing Ji Xueruo's expression of taking it for granted, they knew that the clan leader was serious - what she meant by giving You Su a place to stay was not a simple blessing, she wanted You Su to truly become a member of the snake clan, the first man of the snake clan in a thousand years!
However, they did not know that there had been no men in the snake tribe since the beginning, and the history that there were men in ancient times was just fabricated to cover up the secret of the origin of the snake tribe.

So that is to say - if You Su enters the snake clan's genealogy, he will be the first man in the snake clan's history!
It is said that You Su has been an orphan since childhood, without any roots or origins. In this way, You Su will truly regard the snake clan as his own family!

It’s really high! The clan leader is the clan leader!

"Do you think it's inappropriate?" Ji Xueruo frowned.

"We certainly don't mind!" Elder Hua answered immediately, his eyes blazing, "The key is... can Mr. You accept the title of son-in-law?"

"That's fine. He's very happy about it." Ji Xueruo blurted out.

"How does the clan leader know that he is so happy?" Elder Chi also reacted very quickly and asked immediately.

Ji Xueruo's toes tensed up immediately, secretly annoyed at her own suddenness, but she still tried to remain calm and explained:
"Although I didn't know him well, I knew he was not someone who cared about worldly opinions."

When the girls heard this, they secretly complained in their hearts, if that’s not deep, what else can be considered deep?
"And my sister also told me privately that she once told Yousu that she didn't want to marry out of the family. Yousu readily agreed and said that she was willing to marry into the family. The only thing she was worried about was that our snake tribe would not agree."

"Did he really say that?" Elder Jin raised his eyebrows, looking a little excited.

"If this hadn't happened, how could I have rashly given him this title? Wouldn't that be intentional humiliation to him?" Ji Xueruo asked back, but she knew that the story was true, but this shameless man was just saying it to her.

"That's right!" Elder Yin clapped his hands and laughed. "Being a son-in-law is just a way of accepting Young Master You. If he really becomes a member of our Snake Clan, then we will still respect and love each other. How can we look down on him just because of his false title of 'son-in-law'? I thought Young Master You was so considerate, he must know that my Snake Clan is not such a woman. Since both parties don't mind, this is really a perfect match and the best of both worlds!"

Elder Xiang covered his lips with a charming smile, "Hello son-in-law! Hello son-in-law! A son-in-law is much closer to me than a son-in-law from another family. He is a real family member!"

Ji Xueruo raised her eyebrows unconsciously, not knowing why Elder Xiang was smiling so seductively. However, it was Elder Xiang's nature, so she was not surprised.

"Then let's leave this matter to Elder Jin." Ji Xueruo made a prompt decision and handed over the task.

Seeing that such a big thing had been done, the elders all sipped their tea and talked and laughed happily. No one doubted that the tribesmen would object. After all, they had seen the attitude of the little snake girls towards You Su, and they were probably hoping that You Su, who always brought novelty and joy, would become a member of the tribe.

After taking a short break, Ji Xueruo tapped the paperweight and straightened her expression: "Next, there are two more pieces of news."

The girls quickly put away their casual expressions, and heard Ji Xueruo say:
"The six major demon tribes have all extended olive branches to my snake tribe, saying that they will do their best to support the snake tribe in getting the opportunity to settle in the sacred mountain this year. The immortal officials of the Immortal Ancestor Temple have also come to me privately, suggesting that my snake tribe should be prepared. I was worried that there would be risks in the assessment at the end of the year, but Elder Liu has made some progress in his cultivation now. As long as he breaks through to the upper realm of Huayu by the end of the year, the snake tribe will have a great chance to return to the sacred mountain."

“Really?!” Liu Yinyin was the most excited, and the snake-headed staff in her hand trembled unconsciously, “My snake clan has waited for thousands of years, and finally in our generation—”

The cheers were like thunder, and the elders were all in high spirits, with joy visible on their faces.

Even though they had guessed this since the six major demon tribes personally escorted their clan leader back, they still couldn't hide their excitement when Ji Xueruo admitted it herself.

The greatest long-cherished wish of the snake clan is to return to the sacred mountain and restore its ancient glory, and now the day has finally come when their wish comes true!
"The second piece of news." Ji Xueruo's voice suddenly turned cold. "The immortal officials of the Immortal Ancestor Temple and the people of the six major demon tribes also told me one thing. The smallest normal demon tribe on Xingzhao Mountain has at least 300 people. But my snake tribe... only has a hundred people."

The originally bustling meeting hall suddenly became dead silent, with only the whirring sound of the cold fan in the corner.

“But since when did the demon clan judge its strength by the number of its members? The bloodlines of many ancient great demons are difficult to survive, and it is also difficult for the clan members to expand in number.” Elder Chi felt quite aggrieved about this.

Elder Liu shook his head and explained for her, "So what the Immortal Official said is that it is within the normal range of the demon race. There are very few such rare bloodlines on the sacred mountain, and each of them is extremely talented and one can defeat a hundred. We, the snake race, don't even have a cave void realm, so how can we compare with them?"

"This is not self-deprecation, but an objective fact." Ji Xueruo sighed lightly, "Although there is no clear regulation on the number of members of the tribe who can enter the Godly Mountain, the return of the Snake Tribe to the Godly Mountain will inevitably be criticized by many demon tribes. That's why the Immortal Official asked me to be prepared. It's not easy to go to the Godly Mountain, and it's even harder to stay there."

The elders all agreed upon hearing this. The snake tribe is in an awkward situation. Their average strength is enough to enter the sacred mountain, but their overall strength does not seem to meet the standard of the sacred mountain. If they cannot stabilize their position in the sacred mountain, then returning to the sacred mountain will be nothing but a dream.

Elder Yin was the most disappointed, sighing:

"Alas, I know no one wants to talk about it, but the fact is that the Snake Blood Pool has long been destroyed... The way for our snake clan to survive has been cut off, and these 108 people are the last generation of the snake clan. Isn't this a joke played by fate on the snake clan? Why must we see the hope of fulfilling our long-cherished wish when the snake clan is extinct?"

The women were equally saddened upon hearing this. The issue of the Snake Clan's survival had always troubled the elders of the clan, but You Su's arrival and the Golden Peng Clan's conspiracy temporarily suppressed these emotions.

And after great joy, comes greater sorrow.

Liu Yinyin couldn't help but ask herself, is it true that the snake clan has no chance of restoring its ancient glory?
(End of this chapter)