Chapter 31

Liu family.

In the study.

Liu Kaisan still held his brush aloft, the brush strokes dancing like dragons and snakes.

The old steward tiptoed in, and seeing Liu Kaisan pause, he then said, "Master, the Bai family has entered the city."

"Without the Lü family's cover, once the Bai family enters the city, they will surely be discovered." Liu Kaisan set down his brush, frowning involuntarily, "The Bai family wouldn't be so foolish; have they allied with the Xiang family?"

"It is indeed the Xiang family, acting very covertly; if not for our people constantly watching, we wouldn't have noticed." The old steward added.

"Xiang family, Xiang family!" Liu Kaisan sat down, pondering, "Last time Qin Feng nearly beat Xiang Ding to death, yet he also killed a ninth‑grade cultivator and beheaded a demon; why didn't he finish off the Xiang family in one go? Could he really have been seriously wounded, injuring his foundation?"

He paused, then asked, "Has the Qin family not noticed?"

"No!"

"Hah, that third branch is courting death. If Qin Feng were to free his hands, even if he didn't exterminate them, he would harshly punish them until they withered. I truly don't know what they're thinking—leaving such a peerless monster like Qin Feng unsupported is incomprehensible; I just can't fathom it."

"I also can't understand it," the old steward laughed, then added, "People from the Fan family of the prefectural city have also arrived."

"This is a determined move to annihilate the Qin family!" Liu Kaisan's spirit shook, "Recently, many outside martial artists have been pouring into the city; can we gather concrete information?"

"Vague rumors outside say the Qin family holds the inheritance of a Heavenly Image realm expert." The old steward said, "Eight or nine times out of ten, this is the reason. The Bai family, the Fan family, or perhaps they are all targeting that inheritance."

"The Heavenly Image realm inheritance!" Liu Kaisan's eyes lit up, then he restrained himself and sighed, "After Qin Wenshan died, I sensed some clues, but at that time everyone's attention was on the Qin family; I dared not act rashly, fearing to break the rules and be ganged up on, so I planned carefully… even so… the result is that it's too late."

"Master, what should we do now? The situation in the city is extremely dire; a single pull moves the whole body, not optimistic." The old steward worried.

"Hah, then add fuel to the fire! The Xiang family really thinks that by latching onto the prefectural Fan family they become invincible and can control Wan'an City? Hey, wishful thinking." Liu Kaisan snorted coldly, "Seize this opportunity to drive the Xiang family into eternal damnation! You go in person to contact the Zhang family. Also, secretly tell Qin Feng about the Bai and Fan families' affairs."

Qin family, training ground.

Boom—

Qin Feng's innards exploded with a torrent, a mighty aura radiating out, rolling like waves, and atop his head a surge of wolf‑smoke essence shot up, reaching over ten meters high.

His clothes fluttered without wind.

All surrounding dust was blown away.

"Body‑refining nine turns, accomplished!"

Qin Feng opened his eyes, revealing a smile.

Before he began training, he had worried that even with his special physique it might take a dozen years to achieve greatness; who would have thought he would reach the peak so quickly.

Despite the enormous consumption.

But it was completely worth it.

He rose to his feet, threw a punch into the air, and blasted out a straight void channel, accompanied by a howling sound.

"My self‑defense strength has increased a bit more!"

Qin Feng thought, his heart stirred, and the system information appeared before him.

Name: Qin Feng

Genes: 10× (advancement condition: more than nine years of rooster comb, sunflower, moonheart grass, blazing yang stone)

Talent: Heaven‑Man Unity, Super‑God Sensation, Super‑Recovery Cultivation: Eighth Grade (Return to Origin Technique), Body‑Refining: Nine Turns (Nine Turns Dragon‑Elephant Skill), Techniques: Three‑Phase Sword Finger, Carefree Wind‑Stepping, Carefree Cloud‑Parting Palm, Carefree Crimson Sun Fist, Carefree Elixir Canon, Instant Step, Inch Punch (first layer), Furious Rain Nine Swords, etc. Qin Feng, according to his own ideas, also integrated his cultivation methods into it, and indeed they were displayed.

Body‑refining reached the ninth turn.

The Three‑Phase Sword Finger, Carefree Three Absolutes, etc., have also seen achievement; though not yet perfected, he is highly proficient.

Instant Step is a footwork he comprehended, meaning to move in an instant.

In fact, he also harbors ambition, hoping to one day truly achieve instant translocation, crossing the nine heavens and ten earths in a blink.

Moreover, by observing many fist arts he comprehended the Inch Punch.

The Inch Punch has only one form—a single punch; it is pure flesh‑body power, yet it can amplify strength by onefold, equivalent to double the explosive force.

One punch, double the strength.

This is no ordinary terror.

On this punch, Qin Feng has not spared effort; even though he has only refined a single layer, it fills him with wild joy.

Because this is stepping out the first step.

The second step is not far off.

It can even be used as a reference to perfect Instant Step.

"Master!" Qin Bo came running over, "The chief steward summons you; he's waiting in the courtyard."

"This means there's business!" Qin Feng said, "Is the hot water ready?" "Miss Xiao Hong has already prepared it!"

"Go tell Fu Ye Ye to wait a moment!"

After giving those instructions, Qin Feng went to the bathroom, quickly washed up, changed clothes, and then came to the courtyard.

Zhang Fu hastily rose and gave a slight bow: "Master of the house!"

"Fu Ye Ye, please sit!" Qin Feng took the seat of honor.

Xiao Qing promptly poured tea.

"Just now the Liu family sent word." Zhang Fu weighed his words, "The Bai family have entered the city, and the Fan family have also brought many people."

He showed a look of shame.

"The Bai family really is slow to arrive." Qin Feng smiled, "And the Fan family—they truly won't give up."

It is now confirmed that the ninth‑grade martial artist who initially invaded the Qin family was a Fan family expert; plus the one who rescued Xiang Ding, they have lost two.

"And there's the Xiang family!" Qin Feng lifted his tea cup and took a sip.

Last time, the demon incident saw the Xiang family slip away, causing little trouble.

"It's actually a message from the Liu family—how interesting! That third branch didn't say anything at all?" Qin Feng remarked lightly.

"None!" Zhang Fu gave a wry smile, "Too many branch members are involved in passing the information; cleaning it up is troublesome, and with all that's happened, I, the old servant, dare not make big moves. I just never imagined they would dare to conceal something like this."

After a brief hesitation, he spoke harshly: "Master, rather than being controlled later, it's better to wipe them all out now."

"Shall we clean up?" Qin Feng closed his eyes, pondered a moment, and said, "Give them another chance! Fu Ye Ye, have someone notify the three of them to come this afternoon."

Okay!

Zhang Fu withdrew.

Qin Feng drank a cup of tea, then drew the Flowing Cloud Sword. He moved like an immortal crane soaring through the sky, graceful and flowing, like an immortal of Lingbo—ageless and traceless.

As the Carefree Sword Canon was unleashed, it bore no trace of mundane fire, instead filled with beauty, yet hid endless killing intent.

With a leisurely motion, he was like an immortal flying from beyond the heavens, yet left countless afterimages.

Splash—

The autumn wind blew, the dark clouds stirred, and droplets of rain fell.

His clothes grew damp, his spirit stirred.

Qin Feng's sword technique shifted, becoming the Thirty-Six Swords of Spring Wind Transforming Rain—tight and seamless, endless, blocking every drop of rain.

"Spring Wind Transforming Rain: softness becomes strength, impenetrable to wind, indestructible!"

Suddenly, Qin Feng gained a new insight into this sword technique.

The sword technique took on an unadorned, simple quality of returning to simplicity.

Swish—

The sword technique changed again, becoming swifter and faster, whipping up a chain of rain droplets that spun around the blade's tip—this was the Swift Wind Fine Rain Sword.

He abandoned defense and turned to offense.

Like a swift wind, like fine rain, in a soundless instant it pierced everything.

Splash—

The rain grew heavier, tangling the branches, shattering the stillness, and binding heaven and earth into a single line.

The sword technique shifted again, suddenly becoming a bit more fierce on the previous momentum, hiding endless killing intent, its edge fully exposed—an all-or-nothing strike.

This sword technique's offense grew stronger—it was the Wild Rain Nine Swords.

After the nine swords, Qin Feng felt the momentum was not yet spent, yet he did not know how to continue.

He raised his head, watching the heavy rain fall like a barrage of arrows, fierce as splitting bamboo, as if the heavens were tilting, unstoppable; a thought stirred in his heart, and various realizations surfaced.

His eyes suddenly brightened.

His foot moved.

His sword moved.

With a single sword thrust, he pierced the sword curtain and split heaven and earth.

(End of Chapter)