The Storm Was Brewing

In the Great Xia Imperial Palace.

The Emperor of Great Xia was holding court.

All the officials had received news of the Qin Family's alliance with Heavenly Heart City. They also knew that the Eldest Young Master of the Qin Family had broken through to the Transcendent Realm at the age of eight, and had created the Cutting Heaven Sword Drawing Technique to defeat Lin San.

Lin San was the heir of Changkong Sword God, hailed as the First Sword in a hundred years. This showed just how much faster than expected the two Heavenly Prides of the Qin Family were growing.

"The Qin Family and Heavenly Heart City have joined forces. They clearly don't take the imperial court seriously!"

"Their intentions are unforgivable! Unforgivable!"

"I suggest we send troops at once. Before their alliance can stabilize, we should destroy them with the speed of a thunderclap."

"You think the Qin Family and Heavenly Heart City are made of paper? You think they'll be easy to deal with?"

"If the Qin Family and Heavenly Heart City were that easy to deal with, would the imperial court have let them rule the east and west for all these years?!"

"I suggest we negotiate. In recent years, strange phenomena have appeared throughout heaven and earth, and the Great Era of Contention has arrived. We absolutely must not fight among ourselves."

"The Yin Moon Dynasty has grown increasingly powerful since its reforms a hundred years ago, and no longer conceals its ambitions. Recently, they even appointed two Heavenly Prides as Saint Children at once. They are the greatest threat to Great Xia."

"Your Majesty, please consider the greater good. Now is no time to fight among ourselves."

"..."

The Emperor of Great Xia looked down at the two factions of officials below him, unsure what to do.

To resist the Yin Moon Dynasty's invasion, the Great Xia Royal Family needed the Great Families to stand united. But the price of that unity would be giving the two Heavenly Prides of the Qin Family time to grow.

"If only our Great Xia Royal Family had a few Heavenly Prides of its own. Then we wouldn't be in this predicament!"

The Emperor of Great Xia sighed like a hero in his twilight years, understanding all too well where the problem lay.

He could accept that the times were always changing. What saddened him was watching the former waves recede, only to find no successors in their wake.

The Qin Family.

Qin Feng sat cross-legged in his courtyard, dense spiritual energy gathering around him.

Since breaking through to the Transcendent Realm, the Thirty-Three Heavens Creation Art had once again failed to keep up with him. He could only spend thirty thousand Villain Points to activate the Insight Halo for a month and comprehend the third heaven.

"What terrifying insight!"

The Ten Ancestors stood to one side, astonished. He could clearly sense the changes in Qin Feng's body.

Those changes came from the cultivation technique. When one comprehended a technique at a deeper level, the changes would manifest in the body. Qin Feng's physique was now not only growing stronger but had also gained an extraordinary ability to heal itself.

He wouldn't go so far as to say Qin Feng could return from the dead, but regrowing severed limbs should be no problem.

"What Heaven and Earth Laws did this child comprehend back then?"

The Ten Ancestors had never seen a technique like this. Merely comprehending the third heaven allowed one to regrow severed limbs. If Qin Feng fully comprehended it, wouldn't he be immortal and indestructible, able to return to life from a drop of blood?

A muffled sound rang out inside Qin Feng's body.

The runes around him blazed with dazzling golden light, and his aura grew even stronger, signaling that he had not only comprehended the third heaven but had also broken through to the second level of the Transcendent Realm.

"What a monster!"

The Ten Ancestors couldn't help sighing as he recalled the scene of Qin Feng's birth.

As expected of the Blood Moon Demon who could stir up the winds and clouds of the world. His monstrous talent was beyond what ordinary people could imagine.

Clang!

Clang!

The sound of bells rang across Qin Family City, changing the expressions of everyone who heard them.

The emergency bells had not sounded for hundreds of years. They signified that the Qin Family was facing a grave crisis. All family members had to prepare for the highest level of combat. A battle that would decide whether the Qin Family lived or died was about to begin.

"What happened?"

The Ten Ancestors' expression turned grave. He transformed into a streak of white light and disappeared.

"The family's survival is at stake? I think this has something to do with Second Brother!"

Qin Feng had found another excuse to spank his little brother. He got up and began looking everywhere for Qin Hao.

Truthfully, he didn't want things to be this way!

His original dream had been to become a playboy, living a life of wine, women, extravagance, and debauchery. But because of that little brat, he'd been forced to cultivate hard to protect himself. Now the whole family was facing the threat of destruction.

If he didn't give the brat a good beating, he'd never get this out of his system.

Inside the Qin Family's main hall.

Qin Tian sat in the seat of honor as the family head. Below him stood thirteen leaders from the various branches of the Qin Family, known throughout the world as the Qin Family's Thirteen Protectors.

A report had come in from the Qin Family's informant in the Great Xia Imperial Palace: after weighing the matter repeatedly, the Emperor of Great Xia had still decided to move against the Qin Family.

"Damn it, then let them come! Who's afraid of who?!"

A burly leader's eyes blazed with barely contained excitement. The great saber in his hand was already raring for a fight.

"By rights, we've just allied with Heavenly Heart City, and the Yin Moon Dynasty is watching us like a tiger eyeing its prey. The Great Xia Royal Family shouldn't be so foolish."

A scholarly-looking leader frowned as he spoke, deeply worried about the coming war.

If they had to win through war, the only result would be mutual destruction. The Yin Moon Dynasty would profit from the fighting.

The best course was to delay and give Qin Feng and Qin Hao time to grow.

"The Great Xia Royal Family is cutting off an arm to save the body!"

Qin Tian said solemnly, "Given our standing in Great Xia, once the Qin Family grows strong enough, we can take their place. That's why they plan to strike before we have the chance to grow. Ideally, they'll win quickly. If the war drags on, they can still hold on to half the realm."

"To become emperor, they're really willing to go all out!"

The thirteen leaders wore grave expressions. They knew there was no avoiding this battle.

But the Emperor of Great Xia couldn't simply start a war whenever he wished. First, he had to win over the Great Families and promise them benefits. Otherwise, who would risk their lives for him?

In other words, war wouldn't break out right away. They had enough time to prepare.

"Are we really going to war?"

Qin Feng could clearly feel the change in the Qin Family. The oppressive atmosphere was like a storm about to break, with rain-laden clouds hanging over the towers.

Before, every member of the Qin Family had worn a confident smile. Now, all of them looked stern and expressionless. The streets were no longer graced by the graceful figures of young ladies and young wives. Instead, rows of armored soldiers had taken their place.

"Can we win this battle?"

Qin Feng wasn't a child. He could naturally assess the situation.

Although the Qin Family and Heavenly Heart City had joined forces and controlled half of Great Xia, the Great Families led by the Emperor of Great Xia were no pushovers. Even if they managed to win by sheer luck, the Yin Moon Dynasty was still watching them like a tiger eyeing its prey.

Most importantly, their side had a Son of Heaven.

Everyone knew that a Son of Heaven didn't need a powerful family to support him at the start. Even if he was born into a powerful family, he would leave it for one reason or another.

Either the family would be destroyed, or he would break with them... So their chances of winning this battle were practically zero.

Which raised the question: should he make a run for it?

"No, no! They're all my dearest friends and family, my brothers in arms!"

Qin Feng hurriedly shook his head and began thinking of how to turn the tide against all odds.

The last resort was naturally to summon the max-level Red-haired Old Monster. But then, a sudden flash of inspiration struck him. He remembered the system's mission to dig out his little brother's Supreme Bone. Perhaps he could dig out Qin Hao's Supreme Bone in broad daylight...