Just as he was lost in thought, the Patriarch of the Ning family spoke first.
"Hehe, I heard that the Song family has produced two Divine Transformation cultivators in a single day recently. Truly enviable for the rest of us. Especially young Song Daoyou. To have stepped into Divine Transformation at such a young age… your future will be limitless."
His words were all polite flattery. The other two patriarchs joined in with their own pleasantries, yet not one of them mentioned the real issue of dividing resources.
Song Qingyun listened with a faint, ambiguous smile, but his fingers curled tightly into his palms, holding down his dissatisfaction. He wanted to see how they planned to dodge the matter.
Sure enough, before long, the Ning Patriarch said, "Of course, we know why the Song family is here today, but…"
He gave a long sigh. "Ah, it's a long story. You may not know, but over the years the resources of the top families have already been nearly exhausted. Even many secret realms have never reappeared.
Although we would like to follow the old rules of division, I fear the outcome will leave Patriarch Song disappointed."
The Ning Patriarch shook his head and sighed again, his expression one of troubled helplessness.
At that moment, the Sui Patriarch spoke. Her strong, sharp features carried a trace of regret as she put on a show of sincerity. "Patriarch Ning speaks the truth. I'll be blunt from the start, lest Patriarch Song misunderstand and think we are unwilling to share. Don't you agree?"
"That's right, Patriarch Song. Rest assured, we will do our utmost to give the Song family as much as possible. We would never let you suffer a loss," the Mu Patriarch chimed in warmly. His face, with its kindly brows and eyes, paired with a head of striking silver hair, stood out among them all.
He was the oldest here, already over four hundred years old, yet had never managed to break through to Divine Transformation.
If anyone here was feeling the most aggrieved today, it was him. After all his bitter cultivation, he had not advanced a step, yet the Song family had suddenly produced two…
Catching the glint of cold light in their eyes, Song Qingyun's smile deepened. With a smooth motion, he drew out a length of cloth.
Neatly recorded on it was a detailed list of the top families' resources and secret realms, each line precise and backed by clear evidence.
The patriarchs' faces changed instantly, the smiles vanishing as though cut away. To investigate them this thoroughly in such a short time—how had the Song family managed it?
Or… had they known all along?
Their hearts sank in unison, and the Divine Transformation cultivators present wore equally displeased expressions.
"These past days, our Song family has merely done a simple investigation," Song Qingyun said, his smile still polite. "It was only to better understand the top families and admire their capabilities. If we have offended, I ask the three of you to forgive us."
As he spoke, he shook the cloth lightly.
With that shake, another long section unrolled.
The last traces of composure drained from the three patriarchs. Their expressions darkened entirely as they fixed their eyes on him.
They had originally planned to work together to brush the Song family aside with the smallest possible concession. After all, the top families had always kept the true extent of their resources hidden from the outside world.
If they wanted to conceal the truth, the Song family could do nothing about it.
But now, the exposed records revealed not only their hidden assets, but also holdings even the three families had kept from one another—resources acquired through exchanging the top families' own stockpile, all written out in merciless detail.
The three patriarchs were not only shocked but furious.
Furious that their private wealth had been laid bare, and just as furious to discover that the others had been scheming in the same way.
For a moment, the mixture of expressions in the room was almost entertaining. No one bothered to keep up the facade any longer. Their faces were cold, their gazes sharp enough to kill.
"Patriarch Song, what is the meaning of this?"
The Ning Patriarch's voice was low with offense. For a mere Song family to have dug so deeply into their affairs—this was a humiliation beyond bearing.
The Sui Patriarch crushed the cup at her side, not even trying to hide her anger. "Quite the grand display of power, Patriarch Song. I'd say you're not here to negotiate at all, but to throw your weight around."
"To think you dared to investigate us in secret. Impressive indeed."
The Mu Patriarch's tone turned icy, the silver threads of his hair seeming almost to tremble.
"Do you think that breaking through to Divine Transformation means everything will go your way? The final say still rests with our three families."
The pretense stripped away, they abandoned their earlier schemes entirely. The Song family had angered them, and they intended to force them to swallow that anger whole.
Their momentum surged, the Divine Transformation cultivators in the hall narrowing their eyes. They were not here to negotiate, but to pressure the Songs.
Unfortunately for them, all three representatives of the Song family were Divine Transformation cultivators. A little intimidation would do nothing.
Song Qingyun was about to reply when Song Wanníng spoke first, clicking her tongue lightly.
"Three Patriarchs, that's quite the joke. The division among the top families has always followed the rules set down by our ancestors. Your families have thrived to this day thanks to those shared benefits.
If it truly is as you say, that the three of you alone decide such matters, perhaps we should see if the other families would agree."
Her lips curved as she held up a recording stone, a glint of amusement in her eyes.
The air in the hall dropped to freezing.
However powerful the three families were, they could not stand against the united front of all the others. They understood her meaning at once—her earlier words had been a provocation, but she had recorded them in full.
Outrageous.
The three patriarchs were seething, but none dared lash out at Song Wanníng directly. Her cultivation was higher than theirs.
Still, their voices were hard with anger. "Song Daoyou, you twist our words. It was your Song family who offended us first. Even if judgment were to come, it would be your fault."
"Don't think you can make us compromise so easily."
Cold intent rolled from them in waves, as if the next moment they might overturn the table.
In the corner, Feng Youming sat unmoved, as though none of this surprised her.
Resource division had always been this way.
Even if things ended in a fight, it would not be unusual.
From the look of them, the Song family were not the sort to meekly accept a loss—especially that woman. She looked like someone who would never let herself be bullied.
"Patriarchs, you wrong us," Song Wanníng said, her expression shifting to one of easy warmth as she tucked away the recording stone. "We only worried about troubling such esteemed personages, so we helped tally things in advance. For you to say this… it truly makes us feel wronged."
She had obtained all of this through the help of the Hundred Ghosts Gate's Palace Lord. The accuracy was at least ninety-nine percent.
"Indeed," Song Qingyun added, seizing the opening. "Our Song family may not yet be a top family, but since we are soon to join your ranks, we thought to ease your burdens. We did not expect to be misunderstood. Hehe."
His smile faded in the next breath.
"However, rest assured—we will not touch a single thing that is not ours. But…"
His gaze sharpened, his voice dropping like a blade.
"…what belongs to the Song family will not be reduced by even half a coin."