the heart of the Feng Clan, the atmosphere was tense yet reverent. A wave of deference swept through the manor as the elite guards of the main residence bowed deeply, their heads lowered in respect. The reason for such a display was the return of the Feng Clan's five young masters— whose absence spanned a thousand years.
Their footsteps echoed in the courtyard as they arrived, but before they could settle, a familiar voice called out to them—calm, yet commanding:
"Meet me in my room."
Each of them instantly recognized it—the voice of their father, Feng Shui.
Without delay, they ascended the inner hall of the manor, where the doors to their father's chamber swung open of their own accord, as if responding to his will alone. Inside, the room was sparse yet dignified. In its center sat an old man wearing flowing white Taoist robes. His long beard and hair, now as pale as snow, fell gracefully around his form. Seated in the lotus position, his eyes remained closed in meditation.
This was Feng Shui, the patriarch of the Feng Clan.
As the five brothers entered, Feng Shui slowly opened his eyes. A glint of power and calculation shimmered within them. He gazed at his sons for a moment before speaking.
"You've done well in the Northern Territories," he said simply.
The words, though few, carried immense weight. The brothers bowed in unison, offering thanks for their father's rare praise.
But Feng Shui's gaze hardened. "Except for Feng Lin, the rest of you may leave."
There was no room for protest. Though dissatisfaction flickered in their eyes, the four bowed once more and departed without a word. They all didn't like the favoritism their father showed towards Feng Lin
Now alone with his chosen son, Feng Shui turned his full attention to Feng Lin. "Tell me," he said, "how is your cultivation progressing?"
Feng Lin lowered his head respectfully. "Father, it proceeds well. At my current pace, I expect to break through to the Sixth Level of the Saint Realm within two thousand years."
A rare glimmer of satisfaction touched Feng Shui's face. He gave a nod of approval, offered a few more words of guidance, and then dismissed his son.
As the door closed behind Feng Lin, silence returned—only to be broken by the soft entrance of a figure clad in black armor. It was one of Feng Shui's personal guards, a man of Saint King Realm cultivation. He knelt and bowed.
Feng Shui leaned back, his voice now stripped of all warmth. "Given Feng Lin's current talent," he murmured, "we can assume he will reach the Saint King Realm in a million years at most. He may prove suitable… for refinement."
The guard said nothing, merely nodding in silent agreement.
Feng Shui's eyes narrowed. "What of Feng Ming?"
The guard lifted his head slightly. "Master, Feng Ming is in seclusion. He did not come to greet upon the return of his father."
Feng Shui let out a cold chuckle, a smile stretching across his lips—one that sent a chill through the room.
"Let him be… for now," he said, his tone turning venomous. "Soon enough, both he and his father will become stepping stones on my path to the Quasi-Great Emperor Realm."
A flicker of unease passed through the guard's eyes, but he spoke with caution. "Master… Feng Ming's array—its capabilities are... unnaturally powerful. It accelerates cultivation at a rate unheard of. Perhaps we should reconsider."
Feng Shui's gaze sharpened. "We don't yet know its limit. We must determine to what level it can raise a cultivator."
He raised a hand, fingers snapping lightly. In an instant, information rushed to him like whispers on the wind.
"He destroyed twenty-four sects to advance from Divine Sense Realm to Peak Divinity Realm," Feng Shui muttered. "Two were of the Third Heaven; the rest, First and Second. He used his treasured array in only thirteen of those. That tells us two things: one, he is cautious and seeks to avoid suspicion. Two, the array likely has limited uses."
His voice turned colder.
"No matter the truth, watch him from the shadows. Even if the array offers endless uses, sacrifices are necessary. If he begins gathering sects for such offerings, capture him—seal his cultivation, and bring him to me."
The guard bowed once more and left..
Feng Shui remained seated, his eyes half-lidded. In the silence, a sinister smile crept across his lips.
Soon, the heavens themselves would bow as i will advance to the quasi great emperor realm.