Chapter 563 61: A Decision That Goes Against the Ancestors (Part 2)

Song Luzhou's expression flickered. "All of you... why must you do this..."

"Get up. All of you, get up."

But everyone, just like Song Yulong and his sister, didn't move a muscle.

He instantly understood. They were using this method to force him to declare his stance.

Honestly, this was not an easy decision to make.

If it were just the two siblings, that would be one thing. The problem was that they had brought so many others with them in their desertion of the Ancestral Vein.

While these people might be inconsequential to the Ancestral Vein, the dignity and honor of a Golden Core Major Clan were at stake. The Ancestral Vein would never let this matter slide.

Taking them in would mean a complete break with the Ancestral Vein, perhaps even placing them in direct opposition. It would utterly destroy any chance for his branch of the family to ever be welcomed back into the main clan.

Would the clan's elders, who had spent their entire lives striving to return, support such a decision?

Honestly, Song Luzhou didn't know.

Returning to the Ancestral Vein... that was the obsession of several generations of the Song Clan!

Song Luzhou stood tall amidst the kneeling crowd, the sound of their sobbing plunging him into a state of conflict and confusion.

Suddenly, he saw more and more people spilling onto the deck of the Flying Ship. They were all mortals, devoid of Spiritual Power. There were elders with hair as white as snow and infants still wrapped in swaddling clothes.

Their eyes held an undisguisable panic. From a distance, they watched Song Luzhou with trepidation, awaiting the verdict that would decide their fate.

If Song Luzhou refused, they would have to resume their aimless wandering, only to die in some forgotten corner at some unknown time.

Such a life filled them with despair. But in this world, as mere mortals, they could change nothing. They could only endure in silence.

It was unclear who started it, but these mortals also began to kneel before Song Luzhou, one after another. They sobbed without a sound, not daring to even whimper, for fear of displeasing him.

It was a silent, yet deafening, plea.

Looking at the vast, dark sea of people before him, Song Luzhou slowly closed his eyes as a tear glistened at their corner.

At this very moment, he finally understood why there were so many mortals on the Flying Ship.

Because Song Yulong had brought everyone from their entire branch with him.

In other words, the people before him were all of the Moon Viewing Song Clan's Bloodline. Their ancestors, their fathers, were the very people the Moon Viewing Song Clan had sent to the Ancestral Vein over the years.

They had married, had children, and put down new roots there, eventually forming a distinct branch within the Ancestral Vein.

Enough years had passed for several generations of mortals to be born and die. Perhaps they had long forgotten where their ancestral home was. Even for those who hadn't, the three words "Moon Viewing Song Clan" must have seemed vague and ethereal. In their minds, the Ancestral Vein was their only home.

And yet, despite all that, these people had willingly fled with Song Yulong.

How could they have done so unless they were pushed to the absolute brink?

Mortals crave stability and are deeply attached to their homes. Even if life was hard, even if they were weary, as long as they could survive, why would they ever abandon their homes to become wanderers?

'They couldn't go on living there...'

Song Luzhou murmured softly, though to whom, he did not know.

He slowly opened his eyes, having made a decision that would betray the will of his ancestors.

Gazing at the people before him, he said softly, "The men of our Song Clan do not kneel so easily. Get up. I will take you home."

His words struck a chord in everyone's hearts. For them, that single word, "home," was worth more than a thousand promises.

"This nephew, on behalf of our people, thanks you, Fifth Uncle!" Song Yulong kowtowed once more, the skin on his forehead now split and bleeding.

Song Luzhou gave him a complicated look and nodded slightly. "Get up. We should depart soon. Don't keep your Eldest Uncle and the others waiting."

"I understand. I'll go make the arrangements."

...

Soon, the massive Flying Ship rose into the sky with a great ROAR, heading in the direction of Vast Mist Peak.

On the deck of the Flying Ship, Song Luyun quietly approached Song Luzhou. Seeing the heavy look on his face, she couldn't help but ask softly, "You've already made your choice. What are you still worried about?"

"I... I don't know," Song Luzhou replied, shaking his head gently.

But Song Luyun was blunt. "It's not that you don't know, you just don't dare say it. You're worried the clan won't support your decision. You're worried that one day you'll have to face our ancestors, ashamed!"

"I..." Song Luzhou opened his mouth, but ultimately couldn't find the words to argue.

He was truly torn. If the clan objected, it would mean abandoning all these people—a choice he could not accept.

But if they agreed, it would mean a complete schism between their branch and the Ancestral Vein. He didn't know how he could ever face his ancestors in the afterlife.

Seeing his turmoil, Song Luyun sighed softly. "Fifth Brother, forgive my impertinence, but must we truly live our lives shackled to the will of our ancestors, even when that will is wrong?"

At her words, Song Luzhou's body jolted. He silently turned his head to gaze into the distance, saying nothing, as if he hadn't heard her utterly "heretical" question.

Perhaps he already had an answer in his heart, but was simply unwilling to admit it to himself.

A heavy silence fell between them.

Just then, Song Yulong walked over, his eyes red and swollen. He bowed deeply to Song Luzhou and said, "This nephew has come to beg for punishment, Fifth Uncle."

"For what crime?" Song Luzhou asked, turning back to him with a blank expression.

Song Yulong silently knelt. "This nephew should not have used the will of the people to force Fifth Uncle's hand."

"Is that all?" A rare look of severity appeared on Song Luzhou's face.

"There's also..." Song Yulong stammered, but eventually just lowered his head.

Seeing this, Song Luzhou shook his head in disappointment. "Then allow me. You were also wrong to conceal the truth, to doubt your own clan, and to scheme against your elders!"

"You should have told me all this from the beginning. But you didn't. Instead, you chose to lure me here and then use the plight of our people to force my hand. To be honest, I am very disappointed in you. If you don't trust our clan, why did you even come?"

Song Yulong's scheme had put Song Luzhou in a very passive position. The fact that he had come in person was already a clear indication of the clan's stance. Even if there were some unexpected complications, he would have gritted his teeth and brought them back regardless.

But doing so willingly was one thing; being coerced into it was another entirely. A knot of resentment remained in his heart.

"This nephew knows his crimes!" Song Yulong prostrated himself, his voice heavy with contrition.

Seeing this, Song Luyun, who was standing nearby, could watch no longer. She stepped forward to mediate. "Fifth Brother, Yulong is still young and his methods are sometimes clumsy. But his intentions were for our people; his heart was in the right place. Please forgive him this once."

Song Luzhou hadn't intended to punish Song Yulong severely anyway. He nodded. "Since your aunt has spoken on your behalf, we'll let the matter drop. You may go. See to the needs of our people and comfort them."

"Thank you, Fifth Uncle! Thank you, Aunt!" Song Yulong was overjoyed. He shot Song Luyun a grateful glance before respectfully withdrawing...

The Flying Ship was swift. After only three days, the silhouette of the Moon Viewing Mountain Range was already visible on the horizon. The mood among those aboard, however, was mixed.

Song Luzhou glanced worriedly in the direction of Vast Mist Peak. He had sent word to the clan at the first opportunity, but he had no idea if they had reached a consensus.

What he didn't know was that his message had thrown Vast Mist Peak into an uproar, splitting the Song Clan into two opposing factions.

One faction was the old guard, led by the clan's most respected Clan Elders. They argued for refusing entry to the refugees, or at the very least, turning away the siblings, Song Yushi and Song Yulong.

Their reasoning was that the pair had betrayed the Ancestral Vein. Sheltering them would destroy the fragile relationship their branch had worked so hard to mend with the main clan. It also went against the clan's ancestral precepts.

Their opponents were the reformists, a faction of younger Elders from the "Chang" and "Qing" generations. These two generations felt no attachment to the so-called "return to the Ancestral Vein" to begin with, and the story of what had happened to Song Yushi and Song Yulong filled them with outrage.

They argued that the refugees should be taken in, and that it was time to make a clean break with the so-called Ancestral Vein.

Their reason was simple: The Ancestral Vein wasn't worthy!

Neither side could persuade the other. They argued for three days and three nights, but reached no conclusion.

But what no one had noticed was that throughout this furious debate, two key figures had remained silent, not even making an appearance...

...