"Elder, the matter of the Clan Leader, I will leave it to you. Zhuge Lan hereby takes his leave." With that, Zhuge Lan turned and left resolutely.
However, as soon as he reached the doorway, the Elder blocked his path.
"Zhuge Lan, do you know what you are saying!" the Elder stared at him. "The position of Clan Leader is not to be trifled with! Historically, no Clan Leader has ever abdicated due to such personal matters. Zhuge Lan, you are making a mockery of everything!"
"For all things, there must be a first to set the precedent. Now, I shall be that one. Elder, I hope you will grant my wish." Zhuge Lan was resolute. He harbored no desire for the position of Clan Leader. Rather than be bound by it, he would seize this opportunity to step down.
"Absurd, absurd!" The Elder had never witnessed such an outrageous act. Zhuge Lan was willing to relinquish the position of Clan Leader for such a trivial matter, wouldn't that make them a laughingstock?
No matter what, he could not allow this to happen.
"Zhuge Lan, do Mr. Zhuge know about this? How could Mr. Zhuge possibly agree to your recklessness?" the Elder suddenly said.
Hearing the Elder's words, Zhuge Lan fell silent for a moment. Mr. Zhuge had not appeared to this day, indicating his lack of support. His expression darkened considerably at this thought.
Suddenly, Mr. Zhuge's will entered his body. "Do not involve me in your discussions. You two resolve your own matters; it is not convenient for me to interfere." With these words, Mr. Zhuge returned to a resting state.
This left the Elder in silence. Mr. Zhuge had not directly objected.
"Elder, I wish for this matter to conclude as it is. I will step down as Clan Leader, and afterward, I will assist you in finding a suitable successor within the clan." Zhuge Lan spoke and attempted to move past the Elder.
"Don't you understand? From the very beginning, only you, who have inherited Mr. Zhuge's lineage, could succeed to this position. Others can only ever be acting Clan Leaders," the Elder said. As he spoke, he raised his hand, and a massive Eight Trigram Formation enveloped Zhuge Lan.
Seeing the Eight Trigram Formation, Zhuge Lan frowned. "Elder, are you intending to resort to extreme measures?"
"Yes, and what if?"
The Elder could no longer hold back. For many years, he had been virtually undisputed within the clan, and even the Clan Leader had to consider his stance. Yet, Zhuge Lan, upon taking office, was defying him. How could he permit this?
Moreover, Zhuge Lan intended to break their traditions, almost shattering what the Wuhou lineage had preserved for generations. How could he allow that?
Since reasoning could not keep Zhuge Lan, he had only one recourse.
He would first subdue Zhuge Lan by force, and the rest would resolve itself over time as Zhuge Lan came to his senses.
"Then, forgive me."
Upon hearing the Elder's words, Zhuge Lan, who had always been reluctant to resolve issues with force, bowed slightly. He held great respect for his elders.
The next moment, he took two steps and walked directly to the gate of life within the Eight Trigram Formation, halting the Elder's array.
Before the Elder could react, he waved his hand, and a small formation trapped the Elder within.
"What formation is this?!"