"Within Qingshi Town, the coexistence of the four major families has endured for over three hundred years."
"If the Luo Family were to be suddenly eradicated by the Zhao Family, the balance in Qingshi Town…"
"I'm afraid it would trigger a cascade of unforeseeable consequences."
Under the shade of the Stone Pavilion, Hu Da's voice was low and steady, each word landing with the weight of foresight.
Hu Min paused in his movements. His hand, hovering over the board, stilled mid-air. Slowly, he looked up, eyes searching his father's solemn expression.
"So what you mean is, Father…"
Hu Da met his son's gaze with a quiet gravity. "What I mean is—this is only an if—but if our Hu Family were to extend a helping hand to the Luo Family in this critical moment…"
He lowered his voice, leaning in slightly.
"…and solidified our support through a marriage alliance—what would you think of that?"
"A marriage alliance?" Hu Min echoed, his brows tightening. His gaze drifted away, thoughtful, as if picturing something distant and uncertain. The words lingered between them like incense smoke.
"If I remember correctly," Hu Da continued with a small, knowing smile, "the current Patriarch of the Luo Family, Luo Ping, besides having a son named Luo Chuan, has an unwed daughter... She should be in her prime."
There was an amused glint in the older man's eyes as he watched his son. "You understand what I'm implying."
"Father, you're suggesting I marry the Luo Family Patriarch's daughter?" Hu Min asked, a trace of incredulity in his voice.
"What, is that not acceptable?" Hu Da raised an eyebrow.
"It's not that it isn't…" Hu Min hesitated, lowering his gaze again. "It's just that I've heard... strange rumors. That the Luo Family Patriarch's daughter is frail. Sickly, even. Suffering from a cold illness that torments her every night."
His voice dropped, taking on a subtle unease.
"Especially on full moon nights… there are bizarre screams. Servants whisper that eerie cries echo from her chamber. If I were to marry her, I fear she might not survive more than a few months at the Hu Family Ancestral Land."
He looked up, a flicker of concern in his eyes.
"Such an ominous union…"
"Enough!" Hu Da cut him off with a wave of his hand, his tone sharp. The authority in his voice was unmistakable, brooking no further protest.
"This matter is decided."
He stood, his gaze sweeping across the courtyard like a cold wind. "Min, you must remember: the family's interests come above all else."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Besides, marrying the Luo girl does not prevent you from taking concubines in the future."
"In three days' time, you will accompany me to propose the alliance to the Luo Family."
With that, Hu Da rose without waiting for a response, his robes rustling softly as he turned from the chessboard and walked away, his back straight and unyielding.
Hu Min remained seated beneath the pavilion, eyes fixed on his father's retreating figure. A breeze stirred the fallen leaves around him.
"Family interests, above everything else…" he murmured to himself.
A long sigh slipped from his lips.
There was resignation in his gaze as he slowly shook his head. Though his heart balked at the prospect, he knew—his father's words rang with truth. Some sacrifices, no matter how personal, were inevitable when the weight of a family rested on one's shoulders.
…
Three days passed swiftly.
At the Luo Family compound in Qingshi Town, within the secluded inner courtyard of the Luo Ancestor's residence—
Luo Changfeng sat alone under a pavilion built from aged qingstone, the greenish hue of the stone blending into the serenity of the surrounding landscape.
In his hands was a worn and tattered Cultivation Technique Manual.
Or more precisely—half of one.
He studied it with utmost concentration, brows furrowed slightly in thought.
Nearly half an hour passed in silence before he gently set the manual down upon the table of polished qingstone.
"This Feng Ying Step… it's more complex than I expected," he murmured to himself.
From the fragmented content of the technique, it was clear that true mastery would likely take three to five years of rigorous practice.
"However…" A glint of determination flickered in his eyes. "If I'm only aiming to grasp the basics…"
"That should be within reach."
With that thought, he rose to his feet and stepped into the open courtyard.
The morning light bathed the stone tiles in gold as he exhaled deeply, calming his mind.
He focused inward, methodically guiding the flow of blood through his body, channeling it toward specific points in his legs. The familiar heat of Qi and Blood coursed through him like a simmering tide.
Then—
He stepped forward.
And in that single step, the world shifted.
A rush of wind whistled past his feet, the air swirling unnaturally with his movement.
Each stride he took was swift, light, nearly silent. At least three times faster than his normal pace.
He came to a sudden halt, eyes widening slightly.
"This is the Feng Ying Step? And I've only trained with half the manual…"
"Incredible."
Though still a fledgling grasp of the technique, its potential was already apparent. A top-notch commoner technique, even incomplete, could create such an effect?
With excitement welling inside him, Luo Changfeng spent the next hour practicing the Feng Ying Step across the courtyard, each movement growing more refined, each transition smoother.
The initial awkwardness faded into muscle memory.
His body began to remember.
Only once he reached a level of basic proficiency did he finally slow to a stop, panting slightly from exertion.
Sweat dampened his robes.
He sat beneath the pavilion once more and summoned his attribute panel.
[Name: Luo Changfeng][Lifespan: 4 days+][Cultivation Level: Bone Refinement Late Stage+ (90/300)][Qi-Blood: 1330 (-83)](ps: Safe usable Qi-Blood is 50 points!)[Cultivation Techniques:• Top-Notch Commoner Technique · Fierce Tiger Strength (Comprehension: 30%+)• Top-Notch Commoner Technique · Feng Ying Step (Comprehension: 1%+) (Incomplete)]
His eyes scanned the numbers quickly.
The days left in his lifespan—4. That was expected. Three days had passed since he began this session of focused cultivation.
His cultivation level had also increased steadily to 90 experience points. Nothing unusual there.
But then—
His eyes narrowed.
Qi-Blood: 1330.
It had dropped by twenty points overnight.
"…That's not right."
Just yesterday, he distinctly remembered it reading 1350. He had verified it himself before turning in.
A chill crept up his spine.
Was it the result of Qi depletion due to intense practice?
Or…
Did something else happen within the Luo Family compound?
Did someone's life reach its end within the ancestral land?
Or was it an unexpected death?
He turned these thoughts over in his mind, but no satisfactory explanation came. Finally, unable to settle the unease stirring in his chest, he called for someone to summon Luo Ping, the current Luo Patriarch.
Not long after, Luo Ping arrived at the pavilion, his green robes catching the faint morning breeze.
He looked around, then locked eyes with Luo Changfeng—and in that moment, his composure faltered.
The younger man's face was paler than usual, and though his posture remained upright, there was a subtle shift in his aura. A mingling of vigor and decay. Life and its fading shadow.
A foreboding premonition gripped Luo Ping's heart.
The Luo Family had already been navigating turbulent waters since Luo Yong's reckless seizure of the top-grade Qingshi ore vein. The Zhao Family's gaze had turned sharp and cold, their suspicion evident.
If something happened to Ancestor Changfeng now—
The Luo Family would crumble under pressure in mere days.
"Patriarch Changfeng, you summoned me?" Luo Ping's voice was low and controlled, but the tension in his shoulders betrayed him.
Luo Changfeng gestured for him to come closer.
The atmosphere beneath the pavilion grew heavy.
"…Tell me," Changfeng began, voice calm but edged with something colder than usual, "has anything happened in the Luo Ancestral Land in the past day?"
Luo Ping blinked, taken aback.
"Ah? Ancestor… weren't you… dictating your last will?"
Luo Changfeng's gaze darkened immediately. "What did you just say?"
Luo Ping's face drained of color. "Nothing, nothing—Ancestor, please don't misunderstand!"
He straightened hurriedly, trying to salvage his composure.
"I meant no offense. It was merely gossip from the servants. I—I'll explain everything I know…"