The next day, the Chen Clan’s warriors gathered once again in the Ancestral Hall for a clan meeting.
Now, the faces of the Chen Clan members were filled with smiles, and there was a newfound confidence in their eyes—something unseen during their previous conflicts with the Li Clan.
Ethan Chen stood at the highest point, looking down at the radiant and energetic clan members below, a faint smile appearing on his face.
The clan was thriving, and everything was moving in a positive direction, which brought him great comfort.
But it wasn’t enough; the clan needed to become even stronger.
This was the reason for today’s clan meeting.
Below, the clan members were whispering among themselves, their eyes filled with curiosity.
It was because the elders had appeared in their dreams again last night. Once might be a coincidence, but twice was certainly not.
Today’s clan meeting had also filled the clan members with a sense of anticipation.
“Lucas, my grandfather visited me again last night and taught me many things,” Alexander said excitedly among the crowd.
But Lucas Chen, standing next to him, didn’t seem as enthusiastic. His father had scolded him again yesterday, telling him that his grandfather would visit him at night and that he should behave.
Although the old man in his dream looked familiar, he was so enthusiastic that Lucas didn’t get much sleep.
Above, seeing that all the clan members had gathered, Ethan Chen raised his hand slightly, signaling for silence.
When all eyes were on him, Ethan began to speak:
“I believe many of you have sensed something over the past two days.”
“I can tell you clearly that what happened in your dreams is not fake. Some of our ancestors have indeed been resurrected with the help of the Sacred Tree!”
As soon as he said this, the crowd erupted in a wave of excitement!
Although they had their suspicions, hearing it directly from the Clan Chief made it all the more thrilling.
The resurrection of the deceased ancestors was simply too incredible.
Among the shocked clan members, a few remained unfazed.
Among them were Oliver Chen and a few other Blood Condensation Realm warriors who had already known about this.
Once the crowd quieted down, Ethan Chen continued with a serious expression:
“This matter concerns the survival of our clan. I hope everyone present can keep this secret and not tell anyone outside of this room.”
“To ensure secrecy, everyone here must swear an oath to the Sacred Tree. Breaking this oath will bring its punishment.”
Upon hearing this, many clan members began to swear to the Sacred Tree, vowing never to reveal this secret.
Seeing this, Ethan Chen felt a sense of relief.
He had hesitated about whether to tell the clan members.
But after some consideration, he decided to reveal it. After all, even if he didn’t say anything, the clan members would eventually become suspicious after repeatedly encountering the ancestors in their dreams.
Moreover, those present were the core strength of the clan, who had shared hardships with the clan and would undoubtedly be its pillars in the future.
The clan needed unity to become stronger.
In addition to the clan members, his father would also take corresponding measures.
With the oath to the Sacred Tree, the news would likely not leak out and would only circulate within the clan.
Besides, the matter was so extraordinary that even if it were to spread, others might not believe it.
His father had said that even during the clan’s peak, they had never encountered such a situation.
Because of this, they had to be extra cautious. If the secret were to leak, the clan would face a devastating blow unless it was strong enough.
After announcing this, Ethan Chen spoke again:
“Considering the clan’s development, I have discussed with several Blood Condensation Realm warriors and decided as follows.”
“First, anyone who advances to the Blood Condensation Realm can become a clan elder and enjoy special privileges. Below the elders, we will establish positions for clan stewards and elite members. Outstanding performance will earn the Sacred Tree’s protection…”
“Second, considering the shortage of manpower, we will recruit house servants. Clan warriors should focus on martial arts and improving their realms, with monthly assessments…”
“Third, all clan members aged sixteen and above must marry.”
…
After these decisions were announced, many clan members were visibly excited.
Whether it was the special privileges of being a clan elder or the protection of the Sacred Tree, these were highly attractive to them.
Even Lucas Chen was delighted to hear that he wouldn’t have to plant Blood Rice anymore, but when he heard the third decision, his expression froze.
If he remembered correctly, he was already 14 years old, right?
Didn’t that mean he only had two years left?
As the clan members dispersed, the clan meeting quickly came to an end.
The few Blood Condensation Realm warriors had already arranged their tasks before the meeting.
In the Ancestral Hall, Ethan Chen once again looked at the Sacred Tree, praying sincerely.
Seeing these decisions, he couldn’t help but worry. Were these new policies too abrupt? The clan didn’t have many warriors, and there were only a few Blood Condensation Realm warriors.
But after hearing his father’s explanation, Ethan Chen no longer hesitated.
Every family has its rules, and every clan has its regulations.
Without rules, there can be no order.
Only with better treatment can the clan members be motivated to improve their realms. As for the position of clan elder, higher requirements would naturally come as the clan grew stronger.
According to his father, the clan’s strength was currently weak, and the core of a strong clan was its warriors.
The clan had too few warriors; even planting Blood Rice required the warriors to do it themselves, which greatly hindered their martial arts training.
The younger the age, the more suitable for Body Tempering. If they were too old, it would be even harder.
These past few days, they had been so busy that no one had even learned the Grand Ancestor Long Fist combat skill.
Additionally, the clan’s population was sparse. There were only about ten youths like Lucas Chen in the clan, and some of them had poor aptitude and might never reach the Blood Condensation Realm.
Because of the frequent conflicts with the Li Clan, the birth rate had also significantly slowed.
If this continued, the clan would struggle to develop.
A sufficient population was key to the clan’s development.
Even during the Chen Clan’s peak, they had never neglected this aspect.
Given the current clan’s economy, recruiting house servants was not feasible, as the clan hadn’t even prepared enough food for its members for the coming winter.
However, after taking over the Li Clan’s hunting grounds in Disordered Burial Mountain, the clan’s hunting would surely yield better results.
The clan’s focus would also need to shift towards hunting.
Compared to the small villages near Disordered Burial Mountain, the clan’s few Blood Condensation Realm warriors were its current strength.
After this year, things would improve significantly next year. With the clan’s fertile land, there would be no need to worry about food, and the production of Blood Rice would also increase.
Unfortunately, there was still an Innate Realm Green Wolf in Disordered Burial Mountain, and nearby was the Liu Family.
If they could take over the entire Disordered Burial Mountain, the clan’s strength would grow considerably.
But it was too early to think about that now.
The Liu Family.
This family was like a sleeping tiger, which might reveal its sharp fangs at any moment.
For now, the clan needed to develop steadily.
PS: I’m taking it slow.
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