Chapter 8: Lianyun, Bai Family, True Qi Substance

A night of fighting.

Fresh blood obscured the moonlight.

Even though the battle had ended, Qin Feng did not rest; he organized clearing the battlefield, collecting corpses, caring for the wounded, comforting the people, and also ordered preparations for food and so on.

"If anyone dies in battle, the Qin Family will handle the funeral, double the compensation; if there are elders in the family, the manor will support them until their passing; if there are young children, the manor will raise them and also train them to adulthood, allowing them to continue working in the manor."

"For the seriously injured who lose their ability to work, the manor will provide monthly stipends for support. If they have descendants, they can be sent to the manor to learn a craft or study martial arts and literature."

And so on.

On the spot, a guard knelt on one knee, originally pledging to die for the Qin Family.

Dining hall.

Qin Feng drank porridge while reflecting on last night's situation.

A commotion came from outside.

The three great-grandfathers had arrived.

"Little Feng, what exactly happened last night?" Second Grandfather could not help but ask first.

Third Grandfather and Fourth Grandfather both showed concerned looks.

Moreover, several clan uncles were also present.

Even several members of the third generation had come, one of whom was Old Six Qin Li, whom Qin Feng had specifically sent someone to notify.

"Last night, someone strong-armed the manor; one of them had a seventh-rank martial arts cultivation, but Fu Ye Ye subdued and killed him forcefully, which prevented a major disturbance." Qin Feng briefly described the general situation of last night.

As for killing a seventh-rank?

Last night, besides Fu Ye Ye, Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong, no one else saw it, so he naturally needed to conceal it.

"Before this, someone impersonated Sixth Brother in an attempt to get close and assassinate me, but was discovered beforehand." Qin Feng looked at Qin Li, "Sixth Brother, go later to the cell to identify him; since he impersonated you so lifelike, he must have had contact with you."

"Brother Feng, let me say first, I definitely had no part in this." Qin Li was startled, reacted quickly, hurriedly distanced himself, then gritted his teeth and said, "These beasts are trying to sow discord; whether they succeed in killing you or not, they will turn us against each other, causing our Qin Family to fall into chaos first—what vicious intent. Brother Feng, I will now go identify him; I must uncover the mastermind and kill them all."

He bowed and left.

Qin Feng lifted his bowl, took another spoonful, then spoke lightly: "Last night, a full twenty-six martial artists took action, capturing and killing twenty-four, with two escaping. With so many martial artists gathered together plotting against the Qin manor, our Qin Family actually had not the slightest hint beforehand."

"Heh..."

He gave a cold smile.

Third Grandfather sighed: "Since the previous incident, although several families in the city haven't openly opposed us, they have secretly caused trouble, wearing us out and creating loopholes. Even so, the appearance of over twenty martial artists going undetected is clearly abnormal; it must be those families secretly covering up."

"It must be those families, seeking our destruction." Fourth Grandfather said hatefully.

At that moment, three people walked in from outside: Fu Ye Ye, Captain Qin Kai, and Captain Ma Chao.

After the salutations, Ma Chao said, "Young Master, we have finished interrogating; the one killed by the head steward was the Third Chieftain of Lianyun Stronghold, while the other martial artists all came from the Bai Family Martial Hall in Baiyun City."

"Lianyun Stronghold?" Qin Feng wondered.

"Young Master, Lianyun Stronghold is over three hundred li from our Wanan City; inside there are three chieftains, mighty in rank, shaking the region. Rumor says the Head Chieftain possesses eighth-rank strength, though it's unknown why he would appear here." Ma Chao explained, "Baiyun City is the neighboring prefectural city; the Bai Family Martial Hall has been passed down for a century, with countless disciples and immense power."

"Have they graduated?" Qin Feng asked.

"They have graduated!"

"Interesting!"

"Young Master, the one who impersonated the Sixth Young Master to assassinate you is the Hundred-Changes Scholar, skilled at disguise and voice alteration, stealing property, seizing chastity, committing every evil. According to his confession, a month ago he was captured by a masked man in Baiyun City, forced to take poison, and compelled to come assassinate the young master."

"Baiyun City again!"

Qin Feng furrowed his brows.

The three great-grandfathers, however, had grim expressions. Lianyun Stronghold is very strong; even at the Qin Family's peak, they might not be able to take it down, let alone now.

As for the Bai Family Martial Hall?

It's not a pushover either.

"That shouldn't be!" Third Grandfather frowned, saying, "We have no dealings with Lianyun Stronghold; why would the Third Chieftain attack us? Even if successful, what would he gain? This is Wanan City; logically, the other families and the city lord's manor would not stand by and watch, otherwise they'd be slapping themselves in the face."

Qin Feng also didn't understand, but he said, "Then let's investigate!"

After the matter was settled, he returned to the bedroom to rest.

One night of exhaustion, needing recovery.

After waking in the afternoon and attending to many affairs, Qin Feng resumed his daily cultivation.

He practiced the Spring Rain Thirty-Six Swords, the Swift Wind Fine Rain Eighteen Swords, and the Wild Rain Nine Swords, one by one.

Additionally, there is the Wind-Treading Step, which is Qin Feng's light-body technique; he had previously focused on raising his cultivation and offensive arts, paying little attention to light-body methods.

Now he practices it every day, having already reached mastery.

Then he sat cross-legged to cultivate the Return to Origin Technique.

Qin Feng spontaneously activated the Heaven-Man Unity endowment, his body merging with heaven and earth as spiritual qi surged in, swiftly merging into refinement and transforming into his true qi.

This process was very rapid.

His true qi also kept increasing.

He drew ever closer to the perfection of the sixth rank.

After that, the medicinal bath was ready; Qin Feng entered the bathroom and sat cross-legged in the tub, which was filled with ginseng, polygonatum, astragalus, and other tonics.

He used it to temper his body.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

At dusk, under the parasol tree.

"Fu Ye Ye, haven't my things been sent back yet?" Qin Feng asked while holding his tea cup.

"According to the messenger's returned information, it should be soon, in the next few days." Zhang Fu said, lowering his voice, "Young Master, we still haven't found any trace of the Hundred-Changes Scholar, those people from the Bai Family Martial Hall, or the connection between the Third Chieftain of Lianyun Stronghold and the city."

"They're hiding deep." Qin Feng frowned, saying, "Whether it's the Bai Family or Lianyun Stronghold, getting them to take action will definitely not come cheap; is it worth it to deal with our Qin Family? Could there be some hidden agenda here?"

He thought of his parents' death.

Zhang Fu also thought of that.

They also analyzed before; the family head's temperament shouldn't have provoked these people.

These days, the forces in the city also came to condole, asking about warmth and inquiring if help was needed, etc.; one could not tell their sincerity.

However, Qin Feng sensed that these people all had ulterior motives.

"Since they've made a move, they will definitely not give up easily!" Zhang Fu said seriously, "Young Master, from now on you must be careful; try not to leave the manor."

"Hmm, Fu Ye Ye, you too! Now everyone knows you are the Qin Family's Divine Needle that Stabilizes the Sea; next they'll likely target you." Qin Feng reminded, then said, "Last time I fought with the Third Chief of Lian Yun Zhai, his sword light was wavering, containing without leaking, like substance; it actually chipped a notch in my sword blade, which logically shouldn't happen, after all my long sword was flowing with true qi at that time."

He has already reached the peak of the Sixth Rank.

This morning he attempted a breakthrough, but actually failed to break the seal; now inquiring about the doubts of that battle, he also wants to further understand the details of the Martial Way Seventh Rank.

"Young Master, the Martial Way is divided into nine ranks, also with the saying of upper, middle, lower three ranks." Zhang Fu explained, "Each breakthrough seems merely an expansion of the dantian qi sea space, but actually, at the time of breakthrough it is also breaking self-imposed restraints, releasing potential, washing tendons and marrow. While expanding the meridians, it also condenses and enhances toughness, also refines true qi to improve quality, even strengthening the physique. Breakthrough is an all-around enhancement, which is also the essence of higher ranks suppressing lower ranks."

Seeing Qin Feng listening attentively, he felt very relieved, paused then continued: "The lower three ranks and middle three ranks are merely quantitative accumulation; relatively, the transformation level is not great. But upon reaching the upper three ranks, changes become significant. In the Seventh Rank realm, dantian expands, meridians widen, toughness increases—these are basic improvements; the greatest is the transformation of true qi quality, becoming more condensed and powerful, far stronger than at Sixth Rank. Moreover, there is the most obvious change, or characteristic: the substantiation of true qi."

(End of Chapter)