Conflict

Entering the Yao Clan's grand mansion through its vermilion gates, Qin Jue walked along the bluestone path.

On both sides were neatly trimmed medicinal gardens, planted with various unnamed herbs. A faint bitter fragrance hung in the air, which, after a while, actually invigorated the spirit.

Qin Jue had only walked a few dozen steps when a commotion erupted from the grounds ahead.

"Are you guys from the First Branch deaf? How dare you not listen to Second Master?"

Qin Jue's steps faltered slightly, and he looked towards the sound.

In the center of the grounds, seven or eight servants dressed in short tunics embroidered with the character "Yao" were cornered. Leading them was a steward in his forties, who was currently bowing with a fawning smile, sweat beading on his forehead.

"Young Master Qingsong, this batch of medicinal materials was indeed ordered by the Eldest Young Lady to be sent to Listening Rain Pavilion. I truly cannot make the decision..."

"Cannot make the decision?"

The speaker was a youth of seventeen or eighteen, dressed in brocade robes and wearing a long saber at his waist. He stood there arrogantly. Behind him followed three or four retainers, each with their arms crossed and a look of amusement on their faces.

Qin Jue glanced at the youth again.

Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer, unstable foundation, clearly built up through medicinal stacking. This kind of trash was a dime a dozen in Qingcang Academy's Outer Prefecture.

"Second Master said this batch of medicinal materials needs to be sent to the Second Branch for review first. Does the First Branch have any objections?" The brocade-robed youth sneered and reached out to snatch the medicine box from the steward's hand.

The steward flinched back, his smile growing more strained. "Young Master Qingsong, this... this is not according to the rules..."

"Rules?" The brocade-robed youth raised an eyebrow. "I am the rules!"

The steward subconsciously hid the medicine box behind him.

This small action completely enraged the brocade-robed youth. He grabbed the steward by the collar. "What are you hiding? Believe it or not, I'll beat you up first before taking it!"

Qin Jue glanced over, his steps not stopping, intending to bypass them. He had seen too many of these petty squabbles within powerful families; he wasn't interested in meddling.

However, his unfamiliar attire still caught the attention of the brocade-robed youth.

The brocade-robed youth's peripheral vision caught sight of a stranger walking by, and he abruptly turned his head. He sized Qin Jue up, and when he sensed Qin Jue's Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer aura, he was first stunned, then burst into exaggerated laughter.

"Ha! Hahahahaha! I wondered who it was, turns out it's the reinforcements the First Branch hired. " He released the steward, turned around, and looked at Qin Jue with the eyes of a fool. "I say, Eldest Cousin is truly desperate, hiring anyone they can find. Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer? Brother, with your cultivation, are you here in Qingqiu to die? The arena is dangerous, didn't your family tell you?"

This brocade-robed youth was precisely Yao Qingsong, a collateral descendant of the Second Branch. Relying on the Second Branch's current influence in the clan, he often bullied members of the First Branch. Today, he heard that the First Branch had hired reinforcements and specifically brought people to block them here, intending to put on a show of force. He hadn't expected to find someone at Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer.

This made him feel insulted.

"This is simply laughable! Is the First Branch truly out of capable people? They're treating this kind of trash as a lifesaver. I think they should just hand over the Purple Haze Medicine Field sooner rather than later, to avoid embarrassing themselves!" Yao Qingsong thought disdainfully. He felt that the Second Branch had already won this arena match.

Qin Jue's footsteps did not falter in the slightest; he continued walking forward.

This feeling of being completely ignored caused the smile on Yao Qingsong's face to freeze.

"I'm talking to you! Are you deaf, you bastard?" He became enraged, his figure flashed, and he directly 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 suicidal fellow in front of him, chuckling lightly. "Move aside."

"Move aside?" Yao Qingsong was taken aback, then burst into laughter. "Hahaha, you want me to move aside, you bastard? Do you know who I am?"

The retainers behind him also started laughing, their bodies shaking with mirth.

"Young Master Qingsong, this kid probably doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth."

"Exactly, daring to act tough in our Second Branch's territory at Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer?"

"Young Master Qingsong, teach him a lesson!"

Praise from his retainers made Yao Qingsong even more arrogant. He put his hands on his hips, his chin raised high. "Kid, my name is Yao Qingsong, from the Second Branch! If you know what's good for you, kneel down and kowtow three times, and I'll spare you. Otherwise..."

Before he could finish speaking, Qin Jue had already turned around and continued walking forward.

"You bastard!"

Yao Qingsong was completely furious.

He had been arrogant in Qingqiu since he was young, when had he ever been ignored like this?

A surge of anger rushed to his head. Without further words, he attacked directly. His five fingers formed a claw, his Qi and Blood surged within him, and he lunged towards Qin Jue's shoulder, intending to cripple Qin Jue's arm!

The retainers behind him wore cruel smiles, as if they could already see Qin Jue's bones broken, his tendons snapped, and him kneeling and begging for mercy.

Just then, Qin Jue moved.

He drew the scabbard from his waist and swung it backward.

"Bang!"

Yao Qingsong was sent flying, tumbling twice in the air before crashing heavily onto the bluestone ground, sliding seven or eight feet before stopping.

The grounds fell silent.

The retainers Yao Qingsong had brought were even more stunned, looking at each other.

"This... did that reinforcement do that?"

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

Yao Qingsong on the ground finally caught his breath. He struggled to get up, his face pale, his eyes filled with shock. His dignified Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer cultivation had been shattered in one move, or rather, he was sent flying before he could even see the move?

"You scoundrel! You dare to ambush me!"

Yao Qingsong became enraged. He drew the long saber at his waist, Qi and Blood surging, and was about to pounce on Qin Jue.

"Stop!"

A clear, cold shout came from the end of the corridor.

Two women walked over quickly. The woman in the lead was about twenty years old, with a beautiful and refined appearance. She wore a plain, long dress and a jade gourd hung from her waist. She was the eldest daughter of the Yao Clan's main branch, Yao Qingluo. The girl following behind her was slightly younger and had her hair in twin ponytails. She was her sister, Yao Qingdai.

Yao Qingluo reached them and her gaze first swept over Qin Jue with a hint of inquiry, then shifted to the disheveled Yao Qingsong, her brow furrowing slightly.

"Yao Qingsong, the clan competition is imminent. Our ancestor's rule is that private fighting is forbidden before the arena. Do you want to go to the Enforcement Hall to receive punishment?"

Yao Qingsong gritted his teeth. Although he was arrogant, he also knew the current situation was not in his favor. Although that last attack was humiliating, he firmly believed he had been caught off guard and ambushed by the opponent.

"Good, very good!"

Yao Qingsong glared fiercely at Qin Jue, sheathed his saber, and said, "Yao Qingluo, these rejects you've brought, we'll meet on the arena! When the time comes, I'll have someone break every single bone in his body!"

With that, he left dejectedly with his few followers.

Watching Yao Qingsong's retreating back, Yao Qingluo turned and bowed slightly to Qin Jue.

"Young Master Qin, I apologize for the spectacle. I'm truly sorry about these family matters." After speaking, she turned, "Please follow me."

"It's fine." Qin Jue followed. While this eldest daughter was polite, she clearly didn't take him seriously.

The three walked further down the corridor.

Yao Qingdai followed behind, her large eyes darting around Qin Jue several times. She whispered, "Sister, did he really hit him just now? He doesn't look like it. He doesn't even have any imposing aura. Could it be that Yao Qingsong just slipped and fell by himself?"

Yao Qingluo glared at her sister. "Qingdai, don't be rude."

"But it's true," Yao Qingdai pouted and mumbled, "Mo Xingkong boasted endlessly, saying he could kill Ning Zhiyuan across levels. I think it was just luck. He's far from as good as Young Master Gu Changfeng."

Although her voice was low, Qin Jue's hearing was excellent, and he heard her clearly. He wasn't annoyed, only thinking that this young girl was quite straightforward, much better than those who hid their true feelings.

Before long, the three arrived at the reception hall.

The reception hall of the Yao Clan's main residence was elegantly decorated. Several pots of rare medicinal herbs were placed in the corners, emitting a faint, subtle fragrance.

"Let me introduce everyone."

"This is Gu Changfeng, Young Master Gu. His cultivation is at the peak of Hundred Refinements Sixth Layer." Yao Qingluo pointed to the young man in black. "He is ranked twentieth in the Outer Prefecture of Zhanfeng Academy. His spear techniques are sharp, and he has rich combat experience, having defeated many martial artists of the same level."

Gu Changfeng opened his eyes, glanced indifferently at Qin Jue, and closed them again.

Yao Qingluo then pointed to the man in the green shirt in the corner. "Liu Qianfan, Young Master Liu. He is also at the peak of Hundred Refinements Sixth Layer. He is a famous hunter from the nearby Lin Yuan City. His swordsmanship is unpredictable, and he excels at defeating stronger opponents. He once killed a martial artist who had just entered Hundred Refinements Sixth Layer while he himself was only at Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer."

Yao Qingluo paused, her gaze falling on Qin Jue. "Young Master Qin, a disciple of Qingcang Academy, his cultivation is Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer."

"Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer?"

Gu Changfeng glanced at Qin Jue, then let out a dismissive chuckle. He said lightly, "Eldest Miss, forgive my bluntness. This arena battle is no small matter. The second branch has hired a madman like Han Li. Sending someone at Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer to participate is nothing but suicide; I can't think of any other purpose."

This was indeed what Gu Changfeng thought. He was a genius from Zhanfeng Academy and had seen countless so-called "cross-level challenges," but in the face of absolute power, they were all jokes. He was here for an eighty-year-old Spiritual Medicine and didn't want to be hindered by a dead weight.

Yao Qingdai, standing nearby, immediately chimed in, "Yes, Sister. Young Master Gu is right. We already have two experts at Hundred Refinements Sixth Layer, Young Master Gu and Young Master Liu. Why waste another spot? If we lose even one match, it concerns the future of the clan!"

Liu Qianfan also opened his eyes at this moment. He merely glanced at Qin Jue indifferently before closing them again, seemingly unconcerned with everything. For him, there were only the mission and the reward; who his teammates were was the employer's concern.

Yao Qingluo felt a headache coming on. She knew Qin Jue's cultivation was a weakness, but Mo Xingkong had guaranteed his extraordinary strength, and given that she couldn't find anyone more suitable at the moment, she could only try her best.

"Everyone, please calm down."

Yao Qingluo smoothed things over. "The arena battle is best of five matches. Troop deployment has its own considerations; high cultivation doesn't guarantee victory. Young Master Qin, what do you think?"

Qin Jue found a chair and sat down, pouring himself a cup of tea with fluid movements, showing no sign of being intimidated by the disdain.

"Whether I can fight or not, we'll only know after we fight."

Qin Jue blew on the tea foam and said casually, "As for whether it's suicide, you don't need to worry about it. Just take care of your own spear."

"Heh, you've got quite the nerve," Gu Changfeng sneered, his contempt deepening. "I hope your sword is as sharp as your tongue on the arena."

Qin Jue couldn't be bothered to reply. This kind of arrogant genius could only be taught a lesson by reality.

As night deepened.

Qin Jue was arranged in a side room in the western courtyard. Although the conditions here were not as good as the main courtyard, it was quiet.

"Yao Qingsong is just a clown, not worth fearing. Since the second branch dares to initiate an arena battle, they must have stronger trump cards. That Han Li, I heard he's a notorious mad dog from Zhanfeng Academy, a decent opponent."

Qin Jue pondered in his heart.

As for Gu Changfeng, he had arrogance but lacked composure. Such a person might fight brilliantly when things were going well, but their mentality could easily collapse when facing setbacks. On the other hand, Liu Qianfan, who had been silent the whole time, had a restrained aura, like a venomous snake lurking in the dark. He was far more dangerous than Gu Changfeng.

"On the main branch's side, apart from Yao Qingluo, who has some composure, the others are a disorganized mess."

Qin Jue shook his head and smiled playfully. "It seems this eighty-year-old Spiritual Medicine won't be easy to obtain. But the more difficult it is, the more interesting it becomes, right?"

He slowly closed his eyes, and the Nine Revolutions Viscera Refining Secret Record began to circulate. Faint rumbling sounds echoed within his body, and warm Kidney Qi flowed through the meridians into the bone marrow.