Conflict

After entering through the vermilion gates of the Yao Clan residence, Qin Jue followed the bluestone road farther inside.

Neatly trimmed medicinal plots lined both sides, filled with herbs of every kind whose names he didn't know. A faint, bitter fragrance hung in the air; after breathing it in for a while, he found himself feeling more alert.

Qin Jue had only walked a few dozen steps when a commotion broke out in the grounds ahead.

"I'm asking you, are all you people from the First Branch deaf? You dare disobey Second Master's orders?"

Qin Jue slowed and looked toward the voices.

In the middle of the grounds, seven or eight servants wearing short jackets embroidered with the character "Yao" had been forced into a corner. At their head was a middle-aged steward in his forties, bent over and wearing a fawning smile, sweat covering his forehead.

"Master Qingsong, the eldest young lady really did order these medicinal herbs sent to Listening Rain Pavilion. I truly can't make that decision myself..."

"You can't make that decision?"

The speaker was a young man of seventeen or eighteen, clad in brocade robes with a long saber at his waist. He stood there arrogantly. Three or four attendants followed behind him, arms crossed and wearing amused expressions.

Qin Jue took another look at the young man.

Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer, with an unstable foundation. At a glance, he was the sort whose cultivation had been piled up with medicine. There were plenty of fellows like him in the Outer Prefecture of Qingcang Academy.

"Second Master said these herbs have to be sent to the Second Branch for inspection first. Do you people from the First Branch have a problem with that?" The brocade-clad young man sneered and reached for the medicine case in the steward's hands.

The steward shrank back, his smile turning even more strained. "Master Qingsong, this... this isn't in keeping with the rules..."

"The rules?" The brocade-clad young man raised an eyebrow. "I am the rules!"

The steward instinctively hid the medicine case behind his back.

That little movement finally enraged the brocade-clad young man. He seized the steward by the collar. "What are you hiding it for? Believe me, I'll beat you first and take it afterward!"

Qin Jue glanced over without breaking stride, intending to walk right past. He had seen plenty of this kind of filthy family drama among the powerful and had no interest in meddling.

However, his unfamiliar appearance still caught the Brocade Youth's attention.

The Brocade Youth caught sight of a stranger out of the corner of his eye and abruptly turned around. He looked Qin Jue up and down. When he sensed Qin Jue's Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer aura, he froze for a moment, then burst into exaggerated laughter.

"Ha! Hahahaha! I was wondering who it was. So the First Branch finally found themselves some outside help." He released the steward and turned around, looking at Qin Jue as if he were an idiot. "I have to say, my eldest cousin really is desperate enough to clutch at straws. She'll invite any old trash into the family. Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer? Hey, brother, did you come to Qingqiu to get yourself killed? There's no mercy with blades and swords on the arena. Didn't your family tell you that?"

This brocade-clad youth was Yao Qingsong, a collateral member of the Second Branch. Relying on the Second Branch's current influence in the Lineage, he had spent his days bullying people from the First Branch. When he heard that the First Branch had hired another outside fighter, he'd brought people here to block the way and put the newcomer in his place. He hadn't expected to find someone at the Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer.

He felt insulted.

"This is ridiculous! Has the First Branch really run out of people? They're treating trash like this as their last hope. They might as well hand over the Purple Haze Medicine Field now and save themselves the embarrassment!" Yao Qingsong scoffed inwardly. As far as he was concerned, the Second Branch had already won the upcoming arena matches.

Qin Jue didn't break stride. He continued walking straight ahead.

Being completely ignored made the smile on Yao Qingsong's face stiffen.

"I'm talking to you! Are you fucking deaf?" Humiliated and furious, he flashed forward and blocked Qin Jue's path. "Stop right there! I'm talking to you. Can't you understand human speech?"

Qin Jue stopped and looked at the fool who didn't know when to quit. He gave a faint laugh. "Move."

"Move?" Yao Qingsong froze, then burst out laughing. "Hahaha! You're telling me to move? Do you know who I am?"

The attendants behind him joined in, doubling over with laughter.

"Master Qingsong, this brat must not know how high the heavens are."

"Exactly. A Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer nobody dares to throw his weight around on the Second Branch's turf?"

"Master Qingsong, teach him a lesson!"

Flattered by his attendants, Yao Qingsong grew even more smug. He put his hands on his hips and lifted his chin high. "Kid, I'm Yao Qingsong, of the Second Branch! If you know what's good for you, get down on your knees and kowtow to me three times. Then I'll let you off. Otherwise..."

Before he could finish, Qin Jue turned away and continued walking.

"You fucking—!"

Yao Qingsong was enraged beyond measure.

He'd grown up throwing his weight around Qingqiu. When had anyone ever ignored him like this?

A rush of fury surged to his head. He stopped talking and attacked at once. His five fingers curled into claws as the qi and blood in his body surged. He lunged at Qin Jue's shoulder, intent on crippling one of his arms.

The attendants behind him grinned cruelly, as if they could already see Qin Jue with snapped tendons and broken bones, kneeling and begging for mercy.

At that moment, Qin Jue moved.

He drew the scabbard at his waist and swung it backhanded.

Thud!

Yao Qingsong flew through the air, tumbling twice before crashing onto the bluestone ground. He slid seven or eight feet before finally coming to a stop.

The grounds fell deathly silent.

The attendants Yao Qingsong had brought with him were stunned, staring at one another.

"Th-that outside fighter did that?"

"That was so fast! I only saw his shoulder move, and Young Master Qingsong was already flying!"

Yao Qingsong finally caught his breath and struggled to his feet, his face deathly pale and his eyes filled with shock and doubt. He was a dignified Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer cultivator, yet he'd been sent flying with one move—no, he hadn't even seen the other man's move!

"You bastard! You dared to ambush me!"

Humiliated and furious, Yao Qingsong drew the long saber at his waist. His qi and blood surged as he prepared to charge at Qin Jue.

"Stop!"

A clear, crisp shout came from the end of the covered walkway.

Two women hurried over. The woman in front looked to be around twenty, with delicate features and a plain-colored long dress. A jade medicine gourd hung at her waist. She was Yao Qingluo, the eldest young lady of the Yao Clan's First Branch. The slightly younger girl following behind her wore twin ponytails. She was her younger sister, Yao Qingdai.

Yao Qingluo approached and first glanced at Qin Jue, her gaze tinged with curiosity. Then she looked at the disheveled Yao Qingsong and furrowed her brows.

"Yao Qingsong, the family competition is about to begin. The old ancestor set the rules: no private fights before the arena matches. Do you want to be punished by the Discipline Hall?"

Yao Qingsong gritted his teeth. He might be arrogant, but he knew the situation wasn't in his favor. The blow had embarrassed him, but he was convinced it was only because he'd let his guard down and been ambushed.

"Fine. Very well!"

Yao Qingsong glared viciously at Qin Jue and sheathed his saber. "Yao Qingluo, we'll settle this on the arena with those sorry excuses for fighters you found! I'll have them break every bone in his body, one by one!"

With that, he led his attendants away, their tails between their legs.

Watching Yao Qingsong's retreating figure, Yao Qingluo turned and gave Qin Jue a slight bow.

"Master Qin, I'm sorry you had to witness that. I apologize for all these family troubles." Then she turned and said, "Please, follow me."

"It's nothing." Qin Jue followed. The eldest young lady was polite, but it was obvious she didn't take him seriously.

The three of them walked farther inside along the covered walkway.

Following behind, Yao Qingdai's big eyes darted over Qin Jue several times. She muttered, "Sis, was it really him who hit Yao Qingsong just now? He doesn't look like much. He doesn't have the slightest imposing aura. Maybe Yao Qingsong just slipped and fell?"

Yao Qingluo shot her sister a look. "Qingdai, don't be rude."

"But it's true," Yao Qingdai said, pouting. "Mo Xingkong talked him up like he was the greatest thing ever, saying he killed Ning Zhiyuan despite being a whole level weaker. I think he just got lucky. He's nowhere near as good as Young Master Gu Changfeng."

Her voice was quiet, but Qin Jue's hearing was sharp enough to catch every word. He didn't take offense. He simply thought the girl was refreshingly blunt, much better than those who hid what they were thinking.

Before long, the three arrived at the reception hall.

The reception hall of the Yao Clan residence was tastefully furnished. Several rare medicinal plants stood in the corners, giving off a faint, delicate fragrance.

"Allow me to introduce everyone."

"This is Gu Changfeng, Young Master Gu. He's at the Hundred Refinements Sixth Layer Peak." Yao Qingluo pointed to the young man in black. "He ranks twentieth in the Outer Prefecture of Zhanfeng Academy. His spear technique is fierce, and he has plenty of combat experience. He's defeated many opponents at his level."

Gu Changfeng opened his eyes, gave Qin Jue a cursory glance, then closed them again.

Yao Qingluo pointed to the man in blue standing in the corner. "This is Liu Qianfan, Young Master Liu. He's at the Hundred Refinements Sixth Layer Peak. He's a well-known hunter in nearby Linyuan City. His swordsmanship is unpredictable, and he excels at overcoming stronger opponents. He once killed a cultivator who'd just entered the Hundred Refinements Sixth Layer while he was still at the Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer."

Yao Qingluo paused and turned her gaze to Qin Jue. "This is Master Qin, a disciple of Qingcang Academy. He's at the Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer."

"Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer?"

Gu Changfeng glanced at Qin Jue, then gave a disdainful little laugh. "Miss, forgive me for speaking bluntly. This arena match is no trivial matter. The Second Branch has hired a madman like Han Li. Putting someone at the Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer into the arena is just sending him to his death. I can't think of any other use for him."

Gu Changfeng truly thought so. He was a genius of Zhanfeng Academy and had seen plenty of supposed "challenges against stronger opponents," but in the face of absolute strength, they were all a joke. He was here for an eighty-year-old spirit herb and didn't want some deadweight ruining things for him.

Yao Qingdai immediately chimed in. "Exactly, Sis. Young Master Gu is right. We already have two experts at the Hundred Refinements Sixth Layer, Young Master Gu and Young Master Liu. Why waste another spot? If we lose even one match, it could affect the future of the whole Lineage!"

Liu Qianfan opened his eyes as well. He gave Qin Jue a brief glance, then closed them again, apparently indifferent to the whole matter. As far as he was concerned, there were only missions and rewards. The employer could worry about who his teammates were.

Yao Qingluo was getting a headache. Of course she knew Qin Jue's cultivation level was a weakness, but Mo Xingkong had assured her that he was exceptionally powerful. And since they truly couldn't find anyone more suitable, she could only hope for the best.

"Everyone, please calm down."

Yao Qingluo tried to smooth things over. "The arena competition is best of five, and the order of our fighters matters. A higher cultivation level doesn't guarantee victory. Master Qin, what do you think?"

Qin Jue found a chair and sat down, then casually poured himself a cup of tea. His movements were smooth and unhurried, and he showed no embarrassment at being looked down on.

"You won't know whether I can fight until I've fought."

Qin Jue blew the foam off his tea and said lightly, "As for whether I'm being sent to my death, you don't need to worry about that. Just keep your own spear in hand."

"Hah, you certainly talk big." Gu Changfeng sneered, the contempt in his eyes deepening. "Let's hope your sword is as hard as your mouth when you get to the arena."

Qin Jue couldn't be bothered to answer. Only reality could teach these arrogant geniuses how to behave.

Night fell deeper.

Qin Jue was given a room in a side courtyard. Though it couldn't compare to the main courtyard, it was quiet enough.

"Yao Qingsong's nothing but a clown, not worth worrying about. Since the Second Branch dared to provoke an arena match, they must have stronger cards up their sleeves. That Han Li sounds like a mad dog with a reputation at Zhanfeng Academy. He might make a decent opponent."

Qin Jue silently mulled it over.

As for Gu Changfeng, he had more arrogance than composure. He might fight well when things went his way, but one setback would be enough to make him lose his nerve. Liu Qianfan, who hadn't said a word, was the dangerous one. His aura was restrained, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, making him far more dangerous than Gu Changfeng.

"The First Branch is a disorganized mess, aside from Yao Qingluo, who has at least some sense of strategy."

Qin Jue shook his head with an amused smile. "Looks like that eighty-year-old spirit herb won't be easy to get. But the harder it is, the more interesting it gets, don't you think?"

He slowly closed his eyes as the Nine Revolutions Viscera Refining Secret Record began to circulate. Faint rumbling like thunder stirred inside him, and warm kidney qi flowed through his meridians and into his marrow.