Chapter 1: Third Rank

It was the ninth month, the season of deep autumn.

Early morning.

Ten Thousand Peace City, Qin Family, East Courtyard.

Qin Feng sat cross-legged on a blue stone on the east side, his eyes slightly closed, his five hearts facing heaven, strands of heavenly and earthly spiritual energy flowed in, entering his meridians, circulating and refining, they were tempered and transformed into true qi, finally merging into his dantian qi sea.

Dantian.

True qi was about to overflow.

He stopped his cultivation, waiting for his true qi to calm, then Qin Feng opened his eyes: "The third rank of martial arts is about to be perfected, but if I want to break through into the fourth rank, I don't know how long it will take."

He raised his head, seeing the overcast sky, he showed an expectant look.

He had been waiting for a rain.

Since he arrived via transmigration, over half a month has passed, and he has been waiting all this time.

In his previous life he was also called Qin Feng; a wonderful childhood, an optimistic and spirited student life, full of hope and vigor he stepped into society, only to be struck and left bloodied.

He ultimately chose to lie low, just not be a burden to society; as a result, after a night of drinking, he found himself in the body of Qin Feng, a fifteen-year-old child of the Qin Family in Wan'an City of the Great Qin Dynasty, which has over three hundred years of history.

The memories merged, with no distinction between them.

The Qin Family is a major clan in Wan'an City, almost at the top.

But when he transmigrated over, the Qin Family was undergoing a great upheaval, because his parents had led a batch of the family's elites abroad and were slaughtered to the last.

Now, the Qin Family's direct line has only him left.

The three cadet branches, attached to many.

Although many matters were a tangled mess, Qin Feng had already sorted out a rough idea.

Other things aside, he greatly yearned for the martial arts of this world; according to his understanding, martial artists are divided into nine ranks, from the first rank low to the ninth rank high.

Above that there are grandmasters, the Heavenly Phenomenon Realm, and so on.

However, Qin Feng's aptitude is mediocre; despite countless resources, at fifteen he is only at the third rank; his cultivation is not slow, but he is no genius.

These past days, he has been diligently cultivating.

His longing for power has sunk deep into his marrow; now that he has the opportunity, he naturally must seize it.

Qin Feng stood up and looked toward the sky again.

"Young Master!" the maid Xiao Qing, who had been waiting nearby, stepped forward, her steps light, and handed him a towel; he took it in his hand, still warm.

He wiped his hands.

The maid Xiao Hong also arrived here, presenting a bowl of ginseng tea: "Young Master, it has just cooled."

Qin Feng took it and drank it all in one go, then placed the bowl on the tray.

He was about to head to the dining hall when he saw an old man hurry over, his hair white as frost, yet spirited, his face kind.

He approached and bowed slightly: "Young Master, Second Granduncle, Third Granduncle, and Fourth Granduncle have come together; they are in the main hall."

"All of them?" Qin Feng narrowed his eyes. "Grandfather Fu, do you know what's happening?"

"Second Granduncle is sitting in the chief seat!" Grandfather Fu said in a low voice, his tone angry.

"What must come will come; let's go!" Qin Feng flicked his sleeve and strode forward.

Main Courtyard.

"Young Master!"

The attending maids, seeing him approach, all bowed and retreated with heads lowered.

In the hall.

The tea fragrance wafted, laughter rose and fell; Qin Feng and Grandfather Fu entered one after another.

"Second Granduncle, Third Granduncle, Fourth Granduncle!" Qin Feng smiled and clasped his hands. "I heard magpies calling early this morning; I never expected it to be you three."

He straightened his body, gazing at the elder seated in the chief seat, but his expression darkened.

The other seemed oblivious, instead smiling and saying: "Little Feng, this is your home, and also our home; why call it coming? You should say returning."

Third Granduncle and Fourth Granduncle sat on the left and right, holding their teacups, smiling narrowly. "When the great-grandfather was alive, the family had already split; you are the cadet branches." Qin Feng's voice was cold and clear as he pointed at Second Granduncle: "This seat was taken by the great-grandfather, then the grandfather, then the father; next should be me, not you. Second Granduncle, how can you, at such an advanced age, still confuse seniority? Could it be that you are old and muddled?"

"Qin Feng, I am your grandfather!" Second Granduncle shouted angrily.

"I am the master; it's not your place to act presumptuously!" Qin Feng bellowed, "Stand up!"

Grandfather Fu stepped forward, eyes like a tiger's.

Outside, footsteps sounded as guards approached.

Second Granduncle's face flushed red as he stared at Qin Feng, wanting to slap him to death, but he finally let out a cold snort, rose, and walked out.

"Little Feng, look at this mess you've made!" Third Granduncle rose. "Your Second Granduncle means no harm; it's just that our Qin Family has been struggling lately. The family head was killed, the elites all lost, we don't know who the enemy is, but surely someone is eyeing our Qin Family like a tiger in the dark; one misstep and the family faces annihilation; your Second Granduncle is also worried. Moreover, those few households in the city, seeing our Qin Family decline, have already sharpened their knives, ready to pounce and take a bite at any moment. Now our Qin Family faces internal and external troubles; these heavens, I am so anxious I'm getting angry, let alone your Second Granduncle."

"A household of a thousand mouths, managed by one person; at this critical juncture, if you were to take charge of the Qin Family, how would outsiders see it?" Fourth Granduncle's face sank like water as he stood. "They would only see the Qin Family's decline, only see that the Qin Family is easier to bully, and then they would all swarm in to devour us. Little Feng, you don't yet know that the Qin Family's business has been suppressed. If there is no strong, prestigious figure to hold the reins of the Qin Family, what do you think we will face next? Little Feng, think well about it!"

He sighed and also walked out.

"Little Feng, the Qin Family belongs to the Qin Family's people; it concerns hundreds of mouths; if… alas!" Third Granduncle also sighed and headed outward.

Qin Feng walked to the chief seat and sat down.

Although he has not yet become the official head of the Qin Family, this seat is rightfully his.

"Grandfather Fu, how is the situation outside?" Qin Feng asked.

"Difficult!" Grandfather Fu sighed lightly. "On the surface they all speak kind words, saying they will stand up for our Qin Family and give us aid, but secretly they are eyeing us like tigers. If it weren't that taking action now would look too unsightly, they would have already moved; however, at the latest by next year they will surely act. For in their eyes, our Qin Family now is merely a boneless slab of fat meat."

Qin Feng nodded.

No wonder others covet it.

Because weakness is the original sin.

Without the ability to safeguard the family's assets, one can only be divided and eaten.

It has always been so!

Crack—

Thunder sounded from outside.

The wind also gradually grew stronger.

In just a moment, the raindrops had already fallen.

"Xiao Qing, Xiao Hong!" Qin Feng was overjoyed, quickly came to the door, and shouted at the same time.

"Young master, the servant is here!"

"Find a few clean bowls, catch rainwater for me, then send them to my study!"

"All right, Young master!"

They asked nothing and quickly left.

Fu Ye Ye flashed a doubtful look and did not ask either.

"This rain came just in time, truly just in time!" Qin Feng revealed a smile, then ordered, "Fu Ye Ye, shrink the family's assets, clear what should be cleared, sell what should be sold, do not touch the tavern, you handle it as you see fit."

"Yes!"

"Go through the manor and clean it once more!"

"Yes!"

After giving those orders, Qin Feng came to the east courtyard in the rain, and meanwhile plucked a tender shoot.

In the study.

Qin Feng opened a box, inside which lay fine yellow earth.

He then took out a gold ingot, a candle, and placed the tender shoot he had just picked beside them.

"Now we just wait for the rootless water!"

(End of chapter)