Beauty and the Bodyguard Chapter 11501 - 11499: The Great Battle!

Chapter 11501: The Great Battle!

Ultimately, Han Jiechen considered himself the only rightful heir of the direct bloodline. Knowing how much these elderly figures prioritized lineage, he was convinced they would never truly surrender the Han mansion to Lin Yi; he saw their actions as a mere stopgap. However, the time for regret had passed.

Han Jiechen rose abruptly, a twisted, frenzied grin spreading across his face. "Excellent! Since you old fossils chose to be heartless first, do not blame me for abandoning my filial duties!" He then roared toward the void, "Mr. Gu, the time has come!"

The room fell into a bewildered silence until a chilling, malevolent laugh echoed from beyond the walls. "Since the King of Han has made such a sincere plea for assistance, I shall not stand on ceremony with you, old monster!"

Han Niansan and the other ancestors of the Han Residence were struck with terror. Currently, the ancestral hall functioned as an isolated dimension, preventing those within from perceiving the specific events occurring outside. Yet, Han Niansan and his peers could feel it clearly: their ancestral providence was being drained by an intruder! The auras of the ancestors began to shrivel at a visible rate, and even Han Niansan felt a sudden wave of exhaustion.

Lashing out, Han Niansan seized Han Jiechen by the head. "What have you done, you wretched dog!"

Han Jiechen didn't flinch, allowing the elder to pin him down while he sneered with pure contempt. "I knew you ancient relics were untrustworthy. I sought out a supreme expert from the inner palace who has already committed to being the chief guest of my Han King’s mansion. As for his price..." Han Jiechen paused, his smile becoming increasingly cruel. "He requires nothing but the luck of your ancestors. A most reasonable arrangement, wouldn't you agree?"

Shock rippled through the Han Residence. Lin Yi and his companions could only stare in disbelief. It was a staggering revelation; from the very start, this man had planned to sell out his entire lineage. When paired with Han Niansan’s decision to strike him from the family records, this was a truly unique display of "filial piety."

Han Niansan felt his vision darken, partially from the theft of his ancestral luck and partially from pure rage at his grandson. "You likely view me as a traitor who has forsaken his Sect and ancestors," Han Jiechen laughed hysterically. "But you brought this upon yourselves. Your long-term disappearance forced my hand. While the ancestors of the other seven kings’ mansions guard them during times of trouble, I was left alone."

He continued his frantic justification: "You old things remained silent for far too long. To safeguard the Han Imperial Residence, I had to partner with Mr. Gu! I figured since you weren't going to show up anyway, trading your useless ancestral luck for Mr. Gu’s protection was a profitable bargain!"

The members of the Han Residence were stunned into silence. In a warped way, Han Jiechen’s logic was consistent. He forced himself upright against the pressure of Han Niansan’s hand, his eyes gleaming with madness. "I truly didn't anticipate your return at this exact moment! I had intended to warn you so you could prepare, as I don't fully trust an outsider like Mr. Gu. But you shouldn't have revoked my status and stolen my throne. This is your own doing; you chose this path!"

The situation was so absurd that even Lin Yi found himself at a loss for words. One could only conclude that having a descendant like Han Jiechen was a specific kind of curse for the Han Residence. Lin Yi turned his gaze toward Han Niansan. "You should deactivate the Ancestral Worship Array immediately. If Mr. Gu finishes devouring your providence, the Han Imperial Residence will be truly defenseless."

Han Niansan offered a bitter, helpless smile. "It is futile. Once this formation begins, it cannot be halted. It only ends when the ritual is finished or if someone destroys it from the outside. There is no other way."

It was clear that the mysterious Mr. Gu had exploited the inherent weaknesses of the ceremony. Without the Ancestral Worship Formation acting as a conduit, even with Han Jiechen’s betrayal, stealing the luck of the Han Residence would have been nearly impossible. In this disaster, the traitorous grandson and the elder who initiated the ritual were equally to blame.

"The man outside possesses terrifying ambitions," Han Niansan warned solemnly. "His success will bring you no benefit. Our only escape is for you to immediately pay homage to the ancestors and claim the title of the King of Han. Once the formation is broken, I can deal with that scoundrel outside!"

This wasn't an idle boast. As an ancestor of the Han Imperial Residence, Han Niansan possessed formidable power, even if he wasn't the strongest of his line. Free from the ritual's constraints, he could easily suppress Mr. Gu. However, Lin Yi remained unmoved.

"I apologize, but I have my own lineage," Lin Yi stated firmly. "I am not in the habit of adopting other people's ancestors as my own."

Han Jiechen felt a surge of relief. His greatest fear was Lin Yi complying, which would leave him with nothing. As long as Lin Yi refused, Han Niansan remained trapped by the formation, his power restricted. As time ticked away and Mr. Gu consumed more providence, Han Niansan would only grow weaker and easier to manage.

"At a time like this, why are you being so stubborn?" Han Niansan asked anxiously. "Let me be blunt: without a formal system of Cultivation and worship, an 'ancestor' is merely a concept for commoners. Their physical essence has vanished from this world. Ordinary people have no tangible ancestors to offend; you don't need to worry about them. Stop dwelling on these trifles and focus on resolving this crisis!"

If he had the strength, he would have forced Lin Yi to prostrate himself. But Lin Yi’s expression remained cold. "I have my ancestors, and they are very real to me. If they weren't, I wouldn't exist. I cannot accept your reasoning."