Douluo: Star Crown Glory

Chapter 153 Testing the bottom line
Faced with such a choice, the clan leaders present couldn't help but fall into deep thought; some lowered their heads in contemplation, some communicated with the people around them, and some exchanged glances in private.

Each family is located in a different location, operates different industries, and has friendly relations with different clans and sects. All of these will affect their choices.

The white-bearded old man Chen Yan sat in the first seat. He took in all their expressions and understood everything.

Today's seven major families have long lost their former unity, and each has their own little thoughts, including the Chen family.

As time passed, the discussions and arguments at the scene gradually died down. Chen Yan knocked on the table with his hand, drawing everyone's attention to himself.

"Okay, make your decision. If you agree to make changes, please raise your hands."

Under everyone's surprised gaze, Chen Yan raised his hand first. The most conservative among the seven families agreed to make changes.

"Old Chen, you..."

Ignoring Mu Lantian, the head of the Mu family, Chen Yan swept his sharp eyes over all the clan leaders present.

"Everyone, take your vote."

Soster followed suit and raised his hand, not forgetting to glance at Mu Lantian proudly, but he was also thinking in his heart what the Chen family meant.

The Li family agreed, and the heads of the Zhao and Qian families looked at each other and chose to give up. Mu Lantian sat in his seat in silence for a long time, and finally did not raise his hand.

"Three against three, Duxing, you're the only one left."

The old woman sitting at the end had not expected this result. As her family was in the intelligence business, she had a deeper understanding of the situation on the mainland than other clan leaders.

Today's Douluo Continent is like a powder keg. Any spark may trigger a huge decisive battle that will affect the entire continent.

Looking at Chen Yan, who was sitting in the first seat with a faint smile on his face, Du Xing's heart was in a state of confusion.

Even though she had a lot of information and had studied human hearts for most of her life, she still couldn't see what the only Super Douluo among the seven major families was thinking.

"Chen Yan, I want to ask you a question, is that okay?"

"You said."

"If we seek change, how will the Spirit Hall respond? Should we give or not give the 'protection fee'? And how much should we give?

If we don’t give them, how can we fight against them? Just a few of us are far from enough.”

As soon as Du Xing said this, everyone present changed their expressions instantly, especially the patriarchs of the Zhao, Qian and Mu families. From what they saw from Du Xing's words, it seemed that he was intending to make some changes.

They hold this kind of meeting once a year. In the past, only the Suo family and the Li family wanted to break away from the Spirit Hall and establish their own faction.

They thought that this meeting was just a formality like usual and that they would continue to stand under the command of Spirit Hall, so they did not think carefully about the question raised by Du Xing.

Unexpectedly, this time not only Chen Yan made changes, but Du Jia also seemed to have some other ideas.

The patriarchs of several major families turned their eyes to Chen Yan, hoping that he could give some explanation about this. Even Sost was also concerned about this issue.

Even though he usually advocates leaving the Spirit Hall archives, he really doesn't dare to do so alone without the support of other families.

"Hehe, we still have to pay the Spirit Hall's 'protection fee', but they can no longer have the final say on this matter."

As he spoke, a powerful aura burst out from Chen Yan's body, surprising everyone present. The weakest old woman, Du Xing, even couldn't help but shed a few drops of cold sweat.

"Old Chen, when did you break through?"

Soster stood up in surprise. He originally thought that he would be able to catch up with Chen Yan soon, but he didn't expect that he had quietly broken through to level 96. You know, level 95 is the watershed for Titled Douluo. Going up one level at a time, a level 96 Titled Douluo is definitely a high-level figure even in the Spirit Hall.

Chen Yan ignored Mu Lantian's question. The gentle smile on his face disappeared. He stared closely at Du Xing who was sitting at the back.

"This is my method. Are you satisfied?"

"Of course, my family agrees to make changes, but I hope to continue paying the 'protection fee', even if it is just to maintain the status quo."

"Haha, no problem at all. My Chen family doesn't want to go against the Spirit Hall."

Chen Yan regained his usual image of a smiling good old man, but his smile made the other clan leaders feel cold in their hearts.

However, Chen Yan's ultimate goal has been achieved. Their seven major families are no longer at the mercy of the Spirit Hall.

"Four votes to three, we reject Spirit Hall's request to increase the 'protection fee' and keep it as it is. Each family goes back and prepares the resources to send to Spirit Hall this year.

Everyone, please remember our promise. Only when the seven families advance and retreat together can we gain a foothold on this continent."

After the meeting, the clan leaders dispersed and returned to their families to prepare for follow-up matters, leaving Chen Yan alone sitting in his seat, thinking quietly.

Suddenly, the door of the conference room opened, and a middle-aged man wearing a soul master robe decorated with gold thread walked in.

"Clan leader, everything has been arranged. This year, the total amount of 'protection fees' we pay to the Spirit Hall remains the same, the gold soul coins have increased a lot, and the rare resources have decreased by 20%."

“Well, in this world today, rare cultivation resources are the most valuable things.

Chaoran, I remember you once told me that you had made a deal with the people of Xingguan Sect?"

"That's right. We had some contact in Hanhai City. They exchanged a long-distance soul guide from Mu Ying and went out to sea for a full ten years."

"Do you know why they have been out to sea for so long?"

"According to rumors, they returned in a more powerful seafaring soul guide, and it is very likely that they discovered some ancient ruins."

"I know, you go down first."

"Yes."

Chen Chaoran got in touch with Mu Ying, the lord of Hanhai City, and his status in the family improved rapidly. Later, he was valued by Chen Yan and became the young patriarch of the Chen family.

After he left, Chen Yan sat alone in the conference room thinking for a long time, until the candle burned out, he did not come out.

Only the Spirit Hall knew the final outcome of the meeting of the seven major families. Along with the "protection fee", there was also news that Chen Yan, the head of the Chen family, had broken through to level ninety-six.

Because Bibi Dong was out hunting souls, Qian Daoliu, who was temporarily in charge of the entire Spirit Hall, sat on the throne with a gloomy face as he looked at the gift lists of the seven major families counted by his subordinates.

The situation in the Spirit Hall has deteriorated to such an extent that even the seven major families that used to follow the Spirit Hall's lead have their own little thoughts.

Not only did he reject the Spirit Hall's request, he also replaced the rare resources with useless things like gold soul coins.

Qian Daoliu was filled with rage, but there was nothing he could do. The clan lands of the seven major families were hidden, and what the Spirit Hall knew was just an empty shell.

He also wanted to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys. It didn't matter whether he could find the right people or not. After killing these money bags, he couldn't find anyone to replace these families for a while.

(End of this chapter)