The Song Family

Li Jingzhong was a good teacher, but he naturally couldn't teach what he himself had never reached.

For Han Zheng, though, this was already enough.

He asked Li Jingzhong a few more questions about later stages of cultivation, even common knowledge beyond the Xiantian Mortal Transformation Realm. Seeing that the martial arts school was almost out for the day, Han Zheng took his leave.

Just as he left the inner hall, Han Zheng caught sight of Li Sancheng finishing his morning class and heading out.

"Haven't seen you in days. Come on, I'll treat you to a meal."

Li Sancheng clicked his tongue in admiration. "I said before that breaking through to the Innate Realm was just a matter of time for you, but I didn't expect you'd be this fast. It's almost scary.

A few days gone, and you're already an Innate expert. From now on, you'll count as someone in Black Stone County.

Who'd have thought I, Li Sancheng, would have an Innate expert as a friend? Haha!"

Though Li Sancheng was still grinning, Han Zheng could clearly sense a slight stiffness in his manner.

Before, they were both in the Houtian Realm. No matter how strong or outstanding Han Zheng's performance was, they were still martial artists on the same level.

It was like being classmates in the same class—Han Zheng was just the top student. They might envy or resent him, but they were still classmates.

Then, in just a few days, that classmate had turned into a teacher, someone on a completely different level from them.

They were Postnatal Martial Artists. Even after graduating, the best they could hope for was to work as a guard, an Escort, or risk their lives climbing the ranks in a gang, at most becoming a mid-level boss.

But someone like Han Zheng, an Innate martial artist, could become a guest elder or retainer in a major clan, treated with respect and courtesy.

If Han Zheng wanted to join a gang, he could gather his own men and dominate a region outright.

The gap between martial artist ranks was too vast—so vast that even Li Sancheng, a friend who'd grown up with Han Zheng, unconsciously became reserved.

There was nothing Han Zheng could say about it.

He could only pretend not to notice, acting as naturally as before, dragging Li Sancheng to the same little restaurant he'd taken him to before for a big meal.

Having struck it rich with Gao Kaiyuan, Han Zheng was much more generous with his spending, ordering a table full of Meat Dishes.

"I've been in seclusion trying to break through, so I haven't been to the school in days. Has anything happened there lately?"

Li Sancheng stuffed meat into his mouth and mumbled, "The county's a mess, but the school's been quiet.

The only thing is, Chen Zhao's been doing well, so the headmaster's been using him as an instructor to help teach the slower disciples.

Chen Zhao's a decent guy. After Song Tianqing and the others left, he's the strongest disciple in the school besides you.

But he doesn't act arrogant at all—he actually puts a lot of effort into helping the less talented disciples."

At that, Li Sancheng suddenly added, "I heard a bit of gossip recently, about Song Tianqing."

"Oh? What gossip?"

Ever since he learned that Gao Kaiyuan was backed by the Song family, Han Zheng's attention to them had shot up.

"Yesterday, the Song family held an assessment competition among their younger generation to pick the next key training candidate.

They didn't say outright it was for choosing the young master, but it was definitely aimed at grooming someone for that position.

Song Tianqing lost to you in the school competition, but in the family competition, he beat every single young Song disciple of this generation.

In the final match, he even crippled the tendons in the eldest Song son's hand.

That was Song Kangyuan's and his legal wife's eldest son—the one Song Kangyuan had been raising as his heir all along.

Now that he's been crippled by Song Tianqing, Song Kangyuan flew into a rage on the spot, calling Song Tianqing vicious and ruthless, and wanted to punish him. But the Song Family Ancestor, Song Xingfeng, stopped him.

Song Xingfeng said that since one heir was already ruined, they should naturally pick the most outstanding family disciple to inherit—after all, they were both his sons. He said this generation was all useless, but at least the next had produced someone impressive, ruthless and decisive enough.

With the Song Family Ancestor laying down the law, Song Kangyuan had no choice but to swallow his anger and accept it.

So Song Tianqing has turned things around completely, jumping from a neglected concubine's son to the third generation's heir of the Song family."

Li Sancheng curled his lip. "Now I know where Song Tianqing gets his personality—exactly like that old ancestor of the Song family.

Being that ruthless and still becoming the heir? Where's the justice in that?"

The disciples of Zhenwei Martial Arts School generally disliked Song Tianqing.

Among the school's disciples with backgrounds, Lin Qing was arrogant but meticulous—he never showed his disdain for common-born martial artists, at most being a bit aloof.

Guo Mingyuan was a fool, arrogant from the start, and even more swollen-headed after the Guo family became the richest in the county by jacking up grain prices. He looked down on everyone, even Lin Qing.

Song Tianqing, though, was both arrogant and vicious, making him even more hated by the other disciples.

He came from a poor background himself, yet he looked down on the even poorer common disciples in the school.

He'd been bullied in the Song family as a child, which shaped his vicious personality—that was understandable.

But if you've got a grudge, take it out on the Song family! The school's disciples never provoked you—why be so cruel?

Li Sancheng had nearly been injured by Song Tianqing before, so he had zero goodwill toward him.

"How do you know all this? Like you saw it yourself."

Li Sancheng stuffed more meat into his mouth and mumbled, "The Song family's own people spread it around."

They're dissatisfied with Song Tianqing becoming the Song family heir, so they spread these things around, hoping to ruin Song Tianqing's reputation and make the Song Family Ancestor change his mind."

Han Zheng shook his head.

This generation of the Song family really was worthless, actually trying to use such childish methods to make the Song Family Ancestor change his mind.

Just from Li Sancheng's words, Han Zheng could already picture what kind of person the Song Family Ancestor was.

He was absolutely the type to put profit above all else, an extremely cold-hearted man.

With that kind of personality, since he had chosen Song Tianqing as the Song family heir, how could he possibly change his mind over a little reputation?

Still, a flicker of wariness rose in Han Zheng's heart.

A man like the Song Family Ancestor was the hardest to deal with.

When the time came to take on the Song family, the one to watch out for most was this Song Family Ancestor, Song Xingfeng!

After eating and drinking their fill, Han Zheng and Li Sancheng each went home.

Meanwhile, in the East City Song Family's main estate, inside the meeting hall, seven Song family disciples sat on either side, while an old man in golden robes sat upright in the central chair.

The old man had a head of white hair, a gaunt and weathered face, and eyes as sharp and cold as a hawk's.

He was the East City Song Family's Ancestor, Song Xingfeng, a Xiantian Mortal Transformation Realm Perfected expert who had already forged the Water-Fire Immortal Robe.

Among the seven Song family disciples below, six were at the Innate Realm, all of them high-ranking members of the family.

Only Song Tianqing was at the Houtian Realm.

Because he had defeated all the younger-generation disciples of the Song family, he had earned the right to sit here and participate in the family council.

At that moment, a middle-aged man with a square, refined face said, "Ancestor, I saw Gao Kaiyuan's body today. He was beaten in a fight, then beheaded with a single blade stroke, and thrown into the river so long that his face was unrecognizable.

So for now, we don't know who killed Gao Kaiyuan. Witnesses only saw him being chased out of the city by someone wearing a Monkey Face Mask.

That person could be a hired hand from Jiang Tai, or someone sent by the Black Tiger Gang or the Sky Eagle Gang.

Ancestor, now that Gao Kaiyuan is dead, we have no one to handle the trade with the Tearwind Great King.

Should we seek cooperation with Jiang Tai now, or go deal with the Tearwind Great King ourselves?"

This middle-aged man was the current Song family head, Song Kangyuan, Song Tianqing's biological father.

Though Song Kangyuan was the family head, he had barely scraped into the late Innate Realm, and his talent was mediocre. His entire cultivation had been built up through resource baths and medicinal pills.

His only virtue was obedience. In all his years as family head, he had accomplished nothing, but he had also caused no trouble.

Song Xingfeng narrowed his eyes, his voice hoarse and aged: "Gao Kaiyuan was willing to work for us because he had ambition and desire—he wanted to monopolize the Three Harmonies Gang.

Now that Jiang Tai is the gang leader, he's already gotten everything he wanted. Why would he risk his neck trading with a Demon for us?

As for sending Song family disciples to handle the trade in person—don't even think about it.

If the Demon Extermination Division finds out about this, the main branch of the Song family will know too.

I've kept a low profile all these years. Those people in the main branch probably think I'm dead by now.

If they find out about this, I'll die, and all of you who carry my blood will die too!"

Feeling Song Xingfeng's hawk-like gaze sweep over him, Song Kangyuan quickly said, "Ancestor, calm your anger. Rest assured, no Song family disciple will get involved in this matter. If it comes to it, I'll find someone from one of the other two gangs. There's always someone willing to work for us."

Song Xingfeng said in a deep voice, "No need to make it so complicated. Gao Kaiyuan's death is fine—it saves me the trouble of dealing with him myself.

The Heavenly Demon Vermillion Fruits are almost all gathered anyway, enough to refine the Heavenly Demon Blood Pill.

Once the pill is made and the family disciples have built up a bit more strength, we can lure out the Tearwind Great King, steal the Heavenly Demon Treasure Tree, and use the Heavenly Demon Blood Pill to separate that supreme treasure!

Remember this: none of you cause me any trouble during this time.

Our Song family has endured in obscurity for so many years—wasn't it all for this day?

If this succeeds, I will reclaim everything that belongs to me, and you won't have to waste your lives stuck in this little county town!"

"Yes, Ancestor!"

Song Kangyuan and the others all stood and acknowledged him, a faint excitement stirring in their hearts.