Translator: Henyee Translations  Editor: Henyee Translations

Ling s.h.i.+chang looked at Ye Wanwan and asked, “Grandpa… my brother, he recently accepted a mission and hasn't returned yet.” Ye Wanwan forced a smile on her face.

Nameless Nie's matter wasn't publicized, and the Nie family locked down the information immediately, so even the Ling family was clueless.

“Alright. When your brother's back, have him come to the Ling residence too,” Ling s.h.i.+chang instructed.

“Okay.” Ye Wanwan nodded.

“Oh right, what's the story behind the island? Who was the culprit?” Ling s.h.i.+chang continued his line of inquiry.

Ye Wanwan mulled over it for a moment before deciding to tell Ling s.h.i.+chang the whole story.

“It was the Martial Arts Union…”

Ling s.h.i.+chang frowned upon learning the truth. “What you're saying is that the boy your grandfather rescued back then is the current president of the Martial Arts Union…?”

“Yes.” Ye Wanwan nodded.

“I will thoroughly investigate this matter.” Ling s.h.i.+chang looked grim. “The Independent State might not be able to maintain its peace soon.”

“Grandpa, what do you mean?” Ye Wanwan was surprised.

“While you were on the island, the Direct Line announced it'll start a war with the Independent State's Collateral Branch and it started to make allies with all the major factions in the Independent State,” Ling s.h.i.+chang replied.

The Direct Line announced it would start a war with the Independent State…

Ye Wanwan really didn't know about this matter.

“Oh right, Grandpa… How is the Collateral Branch differentiated from the Direct Line?” Ye Wanwan asked Ling s.h.i.+chang.

“To put it plainly, the Collateral Branch and the Direct Line are the descendants of the seniors who first inhabited the Independent State. The major clans like the ancient Si clan and the ancient Jiang clan are considered the Collateral Branch. The Direct Line was once ancient clans from the Independent State, but after the great battle between the Direct Line and the Collateral Branch, the Direct Line was defeated and expelled from the Independent State by the Collateral Branch,” Ling s.h.i.+chang explained.

“Then are the four great clans considered the Direct Line or Collateral Branch?” Ye Wanwan inquired.

Ling s.h.i.+chang smiled faintly. “Ah, Worriless, us four great clans are neither considered the Collateral Branch nor are we related to the Direct Line. It isn't just the four great clans—aside from the ancient clans, none of the factions in the Independent State are members of the Collateral Branch or the Direct Line.”

Ye Wanwan: “…”

Ye Wanwan finally obtained a rough understanding of the Collateral Branch and the Direct Line.

To put it plainly, this was completely a war between the ancient clans and didn't have anything to do with them.

Since it was unrelated to them, they could let them fight if they wanted. It wasn't like it would affect the rest of them. The worst scenario was the Collateral Branch being kicked out.

“Grandpa, since it doesn't have anything to do with us, why should we get involved?” Ye Wanwan asked in incomprehension.

“It does have something to do with us.” Ling s.h.i.+chang explained, “The Direct Line emphasizes governance while the Collateral Branch emphasizes balance. If the Independent State is controlled by the Direct Line, it wouldn't be a good thing.”

“I see.”

Realization dawned on Ye Wanwan after her grandfather's explanation.

After carefully thinking about it, the strongest factions in the Independent State were definitely the ancient clans right now.

However, as Ling s.h.i.+chang said, the ancient clans emphasized balance, so they would never manage business between the other factions, let alone interfere or favor one side.

To put it precisely, the ancient clans were responsible for the rules and structure of the Independent State while the Martial Arts Union was responsible for executing those rules and structures. The other factions were just various residents.

“Grandpa, who do you think has a greater chance of winning in the battle between the Direct Line and the Collateral Branch this time?” Ye Wanwan inquired.