Chapter Five: The Mysterious Woman

Victory was something Qin Feng had anticipated.

After all, the Qin brothers, Yuanji and his sibling, had only just reached the sixth stage of Mortal Gang. The disparity in strength gave Qin Feng an overwhelming advantage.

Still, Qin Feng had already held back; losing an arm was hardly a rare occurrence for cultivators. If they couldn’t endure even such pain, there was no point in pursuing body refinement at all.

While everyone else was still reeling in shock, Qin Feng slipped away quietly.

The bloodthirsty, battle-hungry urge within him was still surging. If he stayed any longer, he feared he might lose control and slaughter them all.

This was the grand Qin estate. Though he and Qin Yuanji, like all collateral disciples, had their differences, in the end, they all shared the Qin family’s blood. Defeating or injuring them was one thing, but killing them would be crossing a line.

Besides, his victory owed much to the use of the Hardening Divine Art—a secret that, sooner or later, would be discovered, but the later the better. What’s more, Qin Feng’s overall strength was only at the mid-sixth stage of Mortal Gang; if he encountered a prodigy like Qin Ba, he would still be sent flying with a single punch.

The incident spread through the entire Qin estate like wildfire, and news soon reached the ears of the family patriarch, Qin Tianzheng. But at this moment, the old master had no heart to concern himself with Qin Feng, for he was occupied with receiving a distinguished guest.

Taking a sip of tea, Qin Tianzheng surreptitiously studied the mysterious visitor seated as a guest—more precisely, a woman.

She appeared to be around thirty, but Qin Tianzheng knew she was at least a century old. Anyone who cultivated Profound Qi would appear much younger than their true age, even without consuming elixirs for eternal youth. Her features were refined and elegant, her bearing extraordinary, clearly the scion of a noble house, well-versed in the world’s ways. Though not a peerless beauty, her clear, perceptive eyes were unmatched in the entire Cloud Nation, and her alabaster skin and slightly cold but exquisite expression made even Qin Tianzheng—a man who’d seen countless women in his life—silently admire her.

Yet that was not the most important thing. What mattered was that her cultivation surpassed his own. She did not deliberately conceal her strength, but even so, Qin Tianzheng could not discern her true level. This could mean only one thing: her cultivation far exceeded his.

Qin Tianzheng had been stuck at the tenth stage of the Human Gang Realm for a hundred years. This meant her cultivation was at least at the Earth Gang Realm, or higher.

The thought made his expression grave.

How many years had it been since a master of the Earth Gang Realm had come to Luoyang Town?

Yet this time, one had come so quietly, sitting right in his own family’s main hall.

He didn’t know what had brought her here—if she was seeking retribution, even if the Qin family exhausted all its resources, they might not withstand her alone.

Thus, even with all his years, Qin Tianzheng was forced to tread carefully.

The atmosphere in the hall was stifling. Within moments, beads of cold sweat had formed on Qin Tianzheng’s brow.

There was nothing to be done. Facing a superior and awaiting their decree was never comfortable for anyone. In this world, the strong held sway; might made right.

Fortunately, the woman had no taste for empty airs.

After only a sip of tea, she spoke, her lips barely parting: “Elder, you need not be so uneasy. My name is Han Qingxue. I am a… friend of your son, Qin Xiaosheng.”

“Han Qingxue…”

Qin Tianzheng silently repeated the name, but found no recollection of it. Yet at the mention of his son, his eyes flashed with keen light.

“Xiaosheng… Is he well?”

His tone was urgent. Qin Xiaosheng was his most accomplished son; if anything had happened to him, it would be the death of the old man.

Noticing his reaction, Han Qingxue nodded slightly. “The last time I saw Qin Xiaosheng was three years ago. We were treasure-hunting together in an ancient cultivator’s tomb…” She paused, as if recalling the scene, her beautiful eyes growing faintly moist.

“Xiaosheng… was injured, trying to save me…”

With a sigh, Han Qingxue finally revealed the outcome.

“What?”

Qin Tianzheng shot up from his chair, eyes wide with concern, completely forgetting that the woman before him was an Earth Gang Realm master. In his agitation, he leapt to her side, seizing her arm and asking anxiously, “Then where is Xiaosheng now? Why didn’t he return with you?”

Though her arm was gripped painfully, Han Qingxue made no complaint, understanding it was an unconscious act of worry.

“He… is very stubborn. After entrusting me with two tasks, he left for the Forbidden Land—Nether Spring Ghost Ravine—seeking the Other Shore Mystic Leaf… I haven’t seen him since.”

Her voice was laced with deep concern, and Qin Tianzheng was struck dumb.

A bolt from the blue!

Though Luoyang was small and remote, the name of the Nether Spring Ghost Ravine—one of the Ten Great Forbidden Zones of the Eastern Domain—was infamous even here.

Even Earth Gang Realm experts seldom returned from there.

“Xiaosheng… why did you have to go to such lengths?”

Upon hearing the news, the old man seemed to age a decade in an instant. He released Han Qingxue’s arm and fell back onto his chair, despondent.

The greatest pride of Qin Tianzheng’s life was his son, Qin Xiaosheng.

At eighteen, Qin Xiaosheng had already awakened a Profound-grade Dragon Soul. Such talent, while only above average within the whole Qin family, was a once-in-a-century genius within the Luoyang Qin estate.

Whether the Qin family could reclaim its place among the rightful lineage depended on this son.

And judging by Han Qingxue’s words, it was not hard to deduce that Xiaosheng had at least reached the Earth Gang Realm!

Qin Tianzheng believed it without doubt. He had always trusted that his son would achieve greatness and lead the Qin clan of Luoyang out of their remote enclave toward glory.

But at this moment, all dreams, all hopes, seemed to shatter into pieces.

Seeing his reaction, Han Qingxue was momentarily taken aback, as if she did not fully grasp what it was that Qin Tianzheng held so dear in his heart.

“Elder, don’t be so disheartened. Though the Nether Spring Ghost Ravine is a forbidden land, I believe Qin Xiaosheng may yet survive within.”

“Oh?” Qin Tianzheng’s eyes brightened again. “Why do you say so?”

“A woman’s intuition, nothing more.”

With a soft sigh, Han Qingxue seemed to recall something, a flicker of worry hiding deep in her gaze. Smoothly, she changed the subject: “Let us set aside his fate for now. I would like to meet Qin Xiaosheng’s most cherished son—Qin Feng.”

Realizing his own loss of composure, Qin Tianzheng forced himself to collect his thoughts. But upon hearing Han Qingxue’s request to see Qin Feng, he was once again taken aback.

It wasn’t the words themselves, but the tone—a faint hint of… jealousy.

Yes, jealousy.

Though old, Qin Tianzheng was not yet senile.

In that instant, he understood.

This dignified and graceful woman was a perfect match for Xiaosheng. Yet, his son’s deepest attachment seemed to be bound to that son who had suffered from a strange illness all his life…