With a single statement, the entire hall was shocked!
No one had expected that the Second Elder's precious granddaughter would step forward to confront the Grand Elder and defend the waste, Ye Chen.
The Second Elder's face immediately darkened as he shouted, "Zimei, what nonsense are you talking? Get back here!"
"No, I just want to prove Brother Ye Chen's innocence," Ye Zimei said with a resolute expression.
"No more talk! Get back here!"
The Second Elder growled, his expression extremely unpleasant. His own precious granddaughter had run off to help the waste son of the family head's line, whom he despised, completely embarrassing him.
Yet Ye Zimei was equally stubborn. Even facing the demand of her grandfather, who doted on her the most, she was unwilling. She spread her arms, shielding Ye Chen, determined to protect the youth.
This scene also caused the hearts of many younger generation disciples in the family to shatter into pieces.
After all, Ye Zimei could be considered the dream lover of many among the family's younger generation. She was beautiful and charming, had a gentle temperament, and was the Second Elder's precious granddaughter. Yet now she was resolutely protecting Ye Chen. Did this not represent the girl's affection for the waste Ye Chen?
Ye Zhengyang's face was extremely ugly, his fists clenched tightly. He was clearly provoked by Ye Zimei's actions. He had long regarded Ye Zimei as his future wife. Now, his future wife was standing up for another man. How could he feel good about this?
"This waste..."
Ye Zhengyang looked at Ye Chen with venomous hatred, wishing he could tear him to pieces. If not for this waste, how could things have come to this?
From the main seat, Ye Ao shouted a loud "Good!" and nodded towards Ye Zimei with a faint smile. "Since niece Zimei is willing to step forward to prove Chen'er's innocence, this uncle feels very gratified.
Ye Zimei shook her head slightly. "Uncle, this is what Zimei should do. I cannot let Brother Ye Chen be wronged."
This made Ye Ao sigh inwardly. Although the three elders were not on good terms with him, the younger generation was not necessarily the same. Ye Zimei was the best proof, actually siding with reason over kinship.
However, seeing the occasional flickering and infatuated look in Ye Zimei's eyes when she glanced at Ye Chen, he was slightly taken aback, then chuckled softly. So that's how it is... No wonder...
Ye Chen sighed softly. "Zimei, why bother?"
To prove his innocence, she would inevitably fall out with her own grandfather. This sacrifice was rather significant.
But Ye Zimei's expression remained firm. "Brother Ye Chen, this is what Zimei should do."
The Second Elder's face was full of rage as he shouted three consecutive "Good!"s. "Good, good, good! Ye Chen, you truly have immense audacity! You've even managed to use some trick to bewitch my precious granddaughter's soul! Men, quickly seize this little beast and subject him to clan law!"
"Yes!"
Immediately, several burly men rushed forward to seize Ye Chen. But at this moment, Ye Ao, seated above, snorted coldly and angrily flicked his sleeve, releasing a surge of powerful energy.
The several men who had stepped forward to apprehend Ye Chen were instantly struck as if by lightning. Their entire bodies were blasted over ten meters away, landing in a heap. They were not injured, clearly because Ye Ao had shown mercy, but they were terrified and dared not approach again.
Directly sweeping several men over ten meters away through the air, Ye Ao's imposing aura was overwhelming. His eyes flashed with cold light as he shouted, "I'd like to see who dares to lay a finger on my son!"
The three elders' expressions changed slightly. The Grand Elder shouted, "Ye Ao, do you dare to disregard our Ye family's clan rules and arbitrarily protect your waste son?"
Ye Ao snorted coldly. "You three old fellows also have immense audacity, framing my son like this. Do you truly think this family head does not exist? Hmph! Whoever dares to make another move, I will act."
A surging aura instantly erupted, emerging from Ye Ao's body. In an instant, a terrifying pressure seemed to suck all the air out of the entire hall, making everyone feel suffocated.
Even the floor of the hall creaked and cracked, fine fissures spreading out, reaching the pillars.
Some clansmen with lower cultivation levels couldn't withstand it and directly fainted.
This was the imposing might of Luo Feng City's number one expert, a super powerhouse at the Xiantian realm, not far from the legendary Martial God realm. It made people pale, something ordinary individuals could not withstand.
The three elders were all major experts of the Ye family. Although they couldn't compare to Ye Ao, they all erupted with the powerful aura of the Xiantian realm to resist. The Grand Elder shouted again, "Ye Ao, don't think the Ye family is your personal fiefdom! Since Ye Chen has committed crimes and refuses to admit them, he must inevitably receive severe punishment. Do you truly wish to overstep the rules and shield your waste son?"
"If you wish to impose a crime, excuses are never lacking. Ridiculous! Do you think you three old fellows can arbitrarily convict my son?" Ye Ao snorted coldly, appearing extremely forceful at this moment. "Do you truly think that just because I don't intervene, you three old fellows can control the entire Ye family? As long as I am the family head for a day, I am the highest authority in this Ye family. You three old fellows cannot surpass me."
"Ye Ao, don't forget, although you are the family head, the three of us exist precisely to check your power," the Third Elder retorted coldly. "Moreover, your waste son deserves punishment and should face the family's judgment."
In the hall, four Xiantian experts were in a standoff. Their powerful Xiantian realm auras bloomed, plunging the hall into a domain of pressure. Everyone was terrified.
And at the very center of all this was merely the waste, Ye Chen.
A waste?
Old Yan suddenly cast a somewhat pitying glance at the three elders and shook his head. If these three old fellows knew Ye Chen's true origins, they probably wouldn't think this way.
Moreover, the current Ye Chen could hardly be called a waste.
"You've really had enough, calling me a waste over and over. Do you truly think you're something special?" At this moment, Ye Chen finally spoke, breaking the silence in the hall.
Among those present, only he was unaffected by the pressure of the four Xiantian experts, remaining calm and composed.
This point, even Ye Zhengyang couldn't match, which also surprised others, leaving them puzzled.
Ye Chen's gaze swept over the three elders as he said coldly, "Let's not even discuss whether these matters are true. Even if they were, it's far from warranting a family judgment. I know that family judgment is conducted for clansmen who have committed heinous crimes. If these three so-called matters can be defined as heinous crimes against me, you three old fellows are being excessively persecutory towards me, Ye Chen."
"Moreover, Ye Hua attempted to ambush me. Everyone saw it. Third Elder, you saw it but dare not admit it, instead slandering me. For people to act as excessively as you is going too far."
"And since you three old fellows consider me a waste, then today I will prove to you who the real waste is."
Ye Chen snorted coldly, pointing directly at Ye Zhengyang, his voice resonating throughout the hall. "Ye Zhengyang, step forward! Today, I challenge you right here!"