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Catherine smiled faintly and said, "That is a matter for our clan's Council of Elders, not something the Splitfang Clan has the right to question. Suffice it to know that I have inherited the position of clan head and the status of a permanent elder. Now, anyone who dares to obstruct me will be seen as challenging me!"

Without another word, Catherine stepped forward, her golden combat energy radiating around her. The sheer invisible pressure forced the thousands of lionkin gathered at the city gates to retreat, and no one dared to question her further. Beastmen aligned with the Splitfang Clan quickly moved to the sides, clearing a path for Catherine, while the warriors of the Splitfang Clan stood at a distance, murmuring among themselves as they awaited their clan's response.

By the time Catherine reached the central square of the city, beastmen from various clans, large and small, had arrived upon hearing the news. Normally, the diminished noble standing of the Splitfang Clan wouldn’t have been enough to command the respect of Lion Heart City's lionkin, but with Catherine's identity as a Saint Master, no one dared to disregard her words.

Currently, the lionkin had seven great noble houses, all of which had historically produced Beastman Kings. Even though the Splitfang Clan reigned supreme in power, it couldn’t completely consume the other six clans—only suppress them. Now, four of the other five clans had already been secretly persuaded or bribed by Catherine’s envoys, while the remaining one had long been consumed by the Splitfang Clan and held little influence.

The heads of these seven noble houses were the seven elders of the lionkin, and the authority to elect the tribal chief rested primarily in their hands. The current head of the Splitfang Clan wasn’t Samantha’s son but one of his brothers, mainly because the succession wars among his sons had led the clan to temporarily appoint an elder as acting chief, waiting to see which of Samantha’s sons would contribute the most to the clan in the civil war before deciding on the new clan head. Thus, all seven elders were now gathered in Lion Heart City, playing perfectly into Catherine’s hands.

"With all seven elders assembled and the previous clan chief having passed away months ago, I formally propose the re-election of a new chief in accordance with lionkin tradition."

As soon as Catherine spoke, the entire square buzzed with murmurs among the beastmen.

It was normal for a new chief to be elected after the death of the previous one. However, when the issue became specific, complex conflicts arose. The position of clan chief was highly prestigious—while not absolute, it was significant enough that it was usually held by the head of the strongest family within the clan. If the previous chief died but the family’s power remained intact, the next head of that family would have a high chance of continuing as chief. Among the seven lionkin houses, the Splitfang Clan was the most dominant, and a new chief should have been elected months ago. However, due to internal power struggles, the direct heirs hadn’t yet secured the position of clan head, let alone chief, since this wasn’t an internal Splitfang Clan matter that could be passed around at will. Thus, under the Splitfang Clan’s dominance, the other families could do nothing but acquiesce, letting the matter stagnate through silent consensus. And it was precisely this unspoken delay that Catherine seized upon.

"Wait," the acting chief of the Splitfang Clan quickly interjected, trying to salvage the situation. "Due to my health, I will soon step down as clan head to let the younger generation take over. Therefore, I hope to postpone the matter of electing a chief..."

Catherine glanced at him and replied, "Right now, the entire beastman alliance is embroiled in civil war, and the absence of a lionkin chief has only worsened the chaos. I don’t have much time to wait. If the Splitfang Clan can complete the transfer of leadership within ten days, I can wait. But if it takes longer, I ask the current chief not to delay further."

"Ten days... Well... Alright, I’ll make the arrangements..." The acting chief of the Splitfang Clan, hoping to buy as much time as possible, was about to nod in agreement.

But the head of another family immediately cut him off: "If your clan plans to transfer leadership within ten days, then please inform us now who the next clan head will be. Surely you don't mean to say you haven't even decided on a successor yet but expect to complete all procedures in ten days. After all, the Splitfang Clan’s branches are spread across the entire alliance—just traveling back and forth would take more than ten days."

Everyone present was a shrewd clan head, with even the least experienced having held the position for over a decade. None were less cunning than the newly appointed acting chief of the Splitfang Clan. His intentions were transparent, and within a few words, he was cornered with no way out.

Of course, surrender wasn’t an option—especially for an acting chief with no real authority. If he yielded, he would only be executed by the clan elders behind him, and any promises he made wouldn’t be honored. Thus, he had no choice but to retaliate with even greater defiance.

"Hmph! No one has ever forced a warrior of the Splitfang Clan to do anything! Even if you unite, you won’t make our clan compromise in the slightest!" With this domineering declaration, the atmosphere in the square instantly grew tense. Beastmen from the Splitfang and Warfang factions quickly distanced themselves, exchanging heated challenges and drawing battle lines.

But before the tension could escalate into bloodshed, it was crushed beneath overwhelming pressure.

"Hmph!" A single cold snort from the golden-haired Holy War Martial Emperor silenced the entire square once more.

The power of a Saint Master was immense. Even the human Flame Saint of old could infuse his voice with energy, casually attacking all living beings within a kilometer. For Catherine, the Holy War Martial Emperor, who was several times stronger, it was even more terrifying. The force resonating in her voice penetrated straight to the bone, affecting every beastman in the square. In an instant, all warriors below the Sword Emperor level found their combat energy completely suppressed—rendered utterly powerless. Yet, after a few breaths, they all recovered simultaneously, unharmed regardless of strength.

Everyone stared at Catherine in awe. Though they had grown up hearing legends of Saint Masters, experiencing the true might of a Sword Saint firsthand still left them stunned. Absolute power combined with flawless control—such power rendered numbers meaningless.

Catherine swept her gaze over the crowd and said calmly, "The Splitfang Clan may choose its position. How I respond is mine to decide. Now, you have one hour to make your choice."