“… The Celestial Bureau would have to recognize it, even if they don’t want to!” Qin Ruqing’s words seemed like an official confirmation.

The Qin family, who had previously lost hope for a promotion, suddenly felt a surge of excitement and hope, as if their dreams had been ignited with a splash of boiling oil.

“Really, really possible?”

“Let’s give it a try; it doesn’t hurt to try.” Qin Ruqing smiled, leaving the outcome open-ended.

Her casual approach helped ease the tension among the Qin family members. “Trying doesn’t cost anything, and who knows, it might just work!”

Ancestor Wenxuan leaned back in his chair, exhaling deeply. She said firmly, “Alright, let’s give it a try!”

This declaration seemed to flip a switch. Everyone began to imagine the possibility of actually achieving the promotion.

After all, the Qin family had managed to accomplish many seemingly impossible things before, so their confidence grew.

However, their imagination often lagged behind Qin Ruqing’s actions.

Just then, Qin Ruqing spoke up again, “There’s one more thing…”

“Child, if there’s another good news, just tell us all at once! We’re getting old, and our hearts can’t handle these ups and downs!” the Second Elder exclaimed.

“Second Elder, don’t be impatient. The second thing I want to discuss is actually a question,” Qin Ruqing said with a calm smile.

She looked around and finally fixed her gaze on the Ancestor.

Her expression became serious as she said, “Back then, Ancestor, you endured hardships to establish the Qin family in the South Ridge. Now that the Qin family’s grievances have been cleared and our glory restored, I must ask: Should the Qin family continue to stay in the South Ridge?”

“Should we remain as the Qin family of the South Ridge, or should we move to another place and adopt a new name?” Qin Ruqing’s voice grew softer, prompting everyone to consider her words deeply.

Should they continue as the Qin family of the South Ridge or relocate and possibly rebrand themselves?

The Qin family members were stunned by this new question, which stirred up a storm of emotions within them.

They had been in the South Ridge for over a hundred years!

They had thought they would remain here for life.

The feelings of hatred and desire for revenge they once harbored, and their dreams of returning to the Eastern Domain, had faded over time.

If Qin Ruqing hadn’t raised the question, they might not have thought about it at all. Even when they did think about returning to the Eastern Domain, it no longer seemed as compelling.

Was the South Ridge really so bad?

What was wrong with staying here?

The climate was pleasant, and the people were warm.

Although resources were a bit lacking, the Qin family wasn’t overly concerned about that anymore.

Even in the entire Four Domains, the Qin family was now a prominent big family.

So, was there still a need to go back?

The Ancestor, sensing their hesitation, suddenly asked Qin Ruqing, “Qingqing, what do you think?”

Ah, me?

“Let’s hear everyone’s opinions first. If I express my thoughts, it might easily influence everyone’s decision.” Qin Ruqing was aware of this.

If she shared her thoughts, her family members would likely align with her perspective because of her power and authority.

However, the Ancestor Wenxuan continued to look at Qin Ruqing with a sense of persistence. “So what if it influences the decision? Isn’t it okay to influence it?”

Qin Ruqing was taken aback.

She saw the Ancestor’s calm expression and understood: “Without you, the Qin family might never have reached the point of considering this question. It is because of you that this issue has been raised and given serious consideration. So, if your influence leads to a change in decision, what’s wrong with that?”

The Ancestor’s words were a reminder to Qin Ruqing and a hint to everyone else. — “What’s wrong with being influenced by you? Everything here is because of you.”

—So, what’s wrong with making everything about you a priority?

The Ancestor remained ever clear-headed.

At this moment, Qin Ruqing gained a deeper understanding of the Ancestor.

She believed that the Ancestor Wenxuan’s most outstanding quality wasn’t her strength or resilience, but her clarity and perceptiveness.

Ancestor Wenxuan had always maintained a firm grip on the Qin family’s affairs; she was a woman who actively wielded power.

Yet, she didn’t immerse herself in power but instead recognized its essence.

Power was merely a tool, and tools were meant to be used.

The first time the Ancestor clearly relinquished power was when she was in her teens.

Despite opposition, she granted the family the right to deliberate.

Then, she actively promoted her to elder.

And now, she said that the Qin family’s current state was entirely due to Qin Ruqing, and whatever influence she wanted to have on others was rightfully hers.

This was almost like saying: Qin family, any decision you make is entirely up to you, as it should be.

Qin family, you are in charge.

With these words from the Ancestor, Qin Ruqing’s authority truly and visibly surpassed that of the Ancestor because Ancestor Wenxuan had voluntarily ceded her own authority.

Qin Ruqing’s rapid growth was astonishing, far beyond anyone’s reach.

The Ancestor, however, was always ahead, keenly adjusting her stance to influence the family’s attitude towards Qin Ruqing.

This clear-headed and compassionate woman had only one goal: to tightly bind Qin Ruqing with the Qin family.

Qin Ruqing’s surname was Qin, seemingly making her interests inherently tied to the Qin family.

While this was true, the reality was more complex.

Everything requires management and maintenance.

Qin Ruqing’s swift personal growth brought the family remarkable status elevation, but this didn’t mean the Qin family could rest easy and enjoy it.

Without someone to manage and adjust the subtle dependencies between Qin Ruqing and the family, there was a risk of discord and estrangement, possibly leading to a breakdown.

Ancestor Wenxuan had keenly anticipated this, and promptly acted as the unseen hand, adjusting everything behind the scenes.

Qin Ruqing locked eyes with the Ancestor, and after a few seconds, she smiled and said lightly, “Alright, let me share my thoughts!”

Ancestor Wenxuan smiled and seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, appearing pleased.

The power transfer at the pinnacle of the Qin clan was secretly completed in that simple exchange of smiles.

The clan members were still somewhat bewildered.

They felt that the Ancestor’s words seemed to carry deep meaning, making them ponder, uneasy, and even fearful.

Yet, Qin Ruqing’s response was so natural, as if everything that had made them uneasy was trivial or a matter of course.

Qin Ruqing began to express her opinions. She said, “I think we should seriously consider relocating the clan. As for the new location, we could choose Yingzhou or other islands in the Eastern Region.”

“And the reason? It can be summed up as ‘returning to one’s roots.’ The Qin family didn’t leave Yingzhou entirely of its own accord but was forced by external pressures. For a long time, the Qin family had a deep emotional attachment to Yingzhou. If that’s the case, why not achieve closure? After all, it was our ancestral land—returning to the roots is only fitting.”

“There’s another reason, and it’s the most crucial one—people seek higher ground, and water flows downward. Our Qin family has reached this level, so it’s only natural to move to a better, more prosperous place where we can be closer to the core of power.”

The crowd was stunned.

They hadn’t expected Qin Ruqing to offer such a straightforward reason.

“I’m not trying to belittle Nanling intentionally; I’m just stating a fact,” Qin Ruqing said, lifting her chin. “The entire Southern Region, including all its teleportation arrays, doesn’t compare to even one island in the Eastern Region. Moreover, Nanling is surrounded by steep mountains and dense forests. If a beast tide were to strike, the first to suffer would be the surrounding families and commoners. Given our strength, we should naturally move to a safer place!”

No one realized it until Qin Ruqing detailed it so meticulously, but they felt the Qin family indeed needed to relocate as soon as possible.

Everything Qin Ruqing said made sense, both emotionally and from a practical standpoint for the family’s interests.

However, Qin Ruqing didn’t ask them to make an immediate decision but instead interrupted the meeting at the right time.

“This is important; the clan elders should think it over carefully.”

Consider the relocation and also reflect on the Ancestor’s attitude today.

After the clan meeting, Tang Zifeng walked side by side with Qin Ruqing and suddenly asked, “Is this the solution you came up with the other day?”

Qin Ruqing replied, “Hmm?”

“Because there aren’t as many things to do in the Southern Region as in the Eastern Region, and it’s not as lively, you’re moving the Qin family to the Eastern Region.”

Qin Ruqing laughed heartily, “That’s not possible. The main reason I brought up moving the Qin family to the Eastern Domain is precisely because of the reasons I discussed at the meeting.”

Tang Zifeng added leisurely, “But that doesn’t prevent you from having a secondary reason that’s not known to others. For example, there are more interesting things in the Eastern Domain that suit your tastes, right?”

“Haha, Xiao Tang, if I told you, it wouldn’t be as interesting,” Qin Ruqing giggled.

Tang Zifeng looked at her and smiled, too.

In that moment, the atmosphere was pleasant, but Qin Ruqing noticed a particular emotion in the midst of this pleasantness.

It was an emotion she recognized from Tang Zifeng’s eyes or their interactions.

She often chose to ignore it because she was too busy with many pressing matters.

She wasn’t sure what this occasional emotion was, but she sensed it didn’t matter much if it was left unexplored for now.

It was an unsolved mystery she kept covered with a veil, observing it coolly but restraining herself from uncovering it.

But at this moment, Qin Ruqing suddenly felt a curiosity to explore it.

She didn’t need to know the whole answer, just a glimpse would suffice.

After all, she had some free time lately.

With this thought in mind, Qin Ruqing decided to act on it.

She suddenly reached out, opened her palm, and commanded, “Storage bag.”

Tang Zifeng’s dark eyes showed a hint of confusion, but he obediently took out the storage bag and handed it to Qin Ruqing.

Qin Ruqing used her divine sense to probe inside, searching for a while.

After a moment, she seemed to see something, coughed lightly, and quickly returned the storage bag, resuming her forward pace.

“You have quite a lot of items in this storage bag,” Qin Ruqing remarked, her steps quickening.

Tang Zifeng’s eyes flickered, and he put the storage bag away with a serious “Mm.”

Seeing him so composed, Qin Ruqing was surprised and turned to look at him.

Noting his calm demeanor, she couldn’t help but give him a thumbs-up and genuinely exclaimed, “A great artifact master, truly inscrutable!”

Nearby, Qirong was puzzled and asked, “Second Sister, what are they talking about? How did they go from discussing moving the family to storage bags? Is there something special in Brother Tang’s storage bag? It’s probably just some refining materials.”

Lu Wei smiled and replied, “For Brother Tang, there might be something more valuable than just refining materials.”

“Really?”

“Perhaps.”

---

Upon returning to the clan, the Qin family’s actions, though not attracting attention from all Four Domains, were still closely watched by prominent families and citizens.

It was as if they were waiting eagerly for the final outcome of a story they had followed closely, staying up all night to see the conclusion before they could rest.

However, the Qin family did not comply with expectations.

What was supposed to be the end of their story seemed to have more to come.

The family remained silent after Qin Ruqing’s return.

There were no celebrations, ancestral rites, or rewards for the underlings as would be expected.

The family seemed as if it had died (literally), completely unresponsive since Qin Ruqing’s return. Why?

Wasn’t the Qin family known for causing a stir?

Why had they suddenly gone quiet?

The two Celestial Grades Family were also puzzled.

It was irrelevant whether the Qin family celebrated or not, but why were they silent about the fate of the Fang family?

The Fang family, having lost its clan grade, was supposed to be relocated from Yingzhou.

Where they went was a matter of concern.

Could the Demon Star really trust the Fang family to move to any place without fearing a comeback?

Two days later, the mystery was resolved.

The Qin family had used the clan’s authority to apply for an upgrade.

It was well known that the clan’s authority was originally used for emergency communication during wars, but it continued to serve this purpose even after the wars reduced.

To ensure timely, authoritative, and effective communication, the clan’s authority requests were visible to all.

Only the Celestial Grades, from top to bottom, had confidential content.

This meant that the Qin family’s request for an upgrade, announced through the clan’s authority, was a public announcement for everyone to see…!