A Single Feather

"What if he's an illegitimate son? He's still a direct descendant of the Luo Mansion. Do you dare lay a hand on him? How are things with Wuji?"

After learning Sanbao's true identity, the Yan Clan head, Yan Huishan, looked somewhat dejected. He asked lazily, "How are things with Wuji?"

Since Sanbao was a direct descendant of the Luo Clan, he was someone the Yan Clan didn't dare touch—not openly, at least.

"Grandfather, when Wuji learned that his father had been murdered, he was devastated and wanted to return at once. I stopped him, but Wuji said that a sect master from the Hundred Leaf Sect had taken him as a disciple. He'll definitely return to Deer Mountain within three years and make the Luo Clan pay..."

The speaker was none other than Yan Wuhua, who had caused trouble that day. He had been hiding away until yesterday, when he returned home from the Hundred Leaf Sect in Lishan.

"Good, good..." The Yan Clan members all swallowed their anger and shouted in unison.

"Good..."

Meanwhile, in Sanbao's Training Room, he let out a long breath. After nearly a month of secluded cultivation, he had finally reached the realm of a one-star Spirit Scholar.

Feeling the Dantian filled to the brim with pale golden, liquid spiritual energy, Sanbao took out the Storage Spirit Ring from his robes once more. As he continuously fed spiritual energy from the Firefly Acupoint in his palm into the ring, he could clearly sense an unknown space drawing closer to him.

"Closer. Come on, closer."

As he continued channeling spiritual energy, the unknown space drew nearer and nearer. Just when Sanbao felt his spiritual energy was nearly exhausted and he could no longer keep it up, a flash of red light suddenly appeared. The space inside the Storage Spirit Ring had opened!

The space inside the ring wasn't large, only about one cubic meter. Yet with a thought from Sanbao, it could change shape at will—long or short, round or flat. It was truly wondrous.

To Sanbao's great disappointment, the space held none of the many precious items he'd hoped Thirteen had left him. There was only a sheet of paper and a feather.

"Congratulations, Young Master Cheng. Not only have you successfully undergone Blood Fusion, you've also become a one-star Spirit Scholar. Are you a little disappointed that there's so little here? To be more precise, there's only one feather. Don't be disappointed. This feather is no ordinary thing. His Majesty left it especially for you. It's the True Spirit Feather of the Luo Clan's founding ancestor, the Purple-Eyed Golden Peng. It will make it easier for you to awaken your innate divine ability, but you can't use it until you reach Spirit King. Remember that.

"This feather can probably provide bloodline power three or four more times. It's for your use alone; never give it to anyone else. Here's how to use it: control it with your soul power... Memorize this, then destroy it at once. Thirteen."

After reading the note, Sanbao felt the familiar image of a frail old man appear in his mind. A wave of warmth washed over him.

Thirteen, you must have reached Lanjing by now.

The purplish-gold feather was less than half a foot long. It was so light and unremarkable that it seemed to possess nothing special. With a thought, it lay quietly in Sanbao's hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze, and a strange ripple rapidly spread through his body. In an instant, his blood seemed to catch fire and began to surge. Sanbao felt strength flood his entire body. He slammed a fist into the ground and shouted:

"Ha!"

Looking at the faint fist mark in the ground, Sanbao understood at once. With a thought, he put the precious True Spirit Feather back into the space inside the Storage Spirit Ring. With another thought, the entire space vanished as if nothing had ever happened.

Opening the Storage Ring took time and effort, but closing it was easy. All it took was a single thought, Sanbao mused.

Only after he had finished did a cry come from outside the door:

"Third Master, what happened?"

It was Meimei, the maid waiting outside.

"Nothing. I was just so happy with my training." Sanbao opened the door and stepped out into the back courtyard, his face glowing red. It was time to practice the Stone Carving Painting.

Spring passed and autumn came. Sanbao was already thirteen.

"Good! Again!"

With a loud shout, two young figures clashed once more at the foot of Deer Mountain.

The two young men of the Luo Clan were sparring.

Sanbao barely dodged Caiguang's claw, but the boulder beside him wasn't so lucky. Caiguang's huge hand ripped apart a rock weighing over a hundred jin. With a crash, the pieces flew in every direction, kicking up clouds of white dust.

Seizing his chance, Sanbao darted aside and stopped. "I'm done, Caiguang. I can't beat you."

"Haha, Third Uncle, you're such a sore loser. You always give up at this point. I know you haven't even used your full strength."

At fifteen, Caiguang already had the bearing of a master. His hands moved with measured control. When Sanbao called a halt, he straightened up too, though his unhappy expression made it clear he hadn't enjoyed the sparring.

"No, no. I really am no match for you. You're already a four-star Spirit Scholar, while I've only just reached three stars. I'm a whole level behind, so of course I can't beat you." Sanbao wiped the sweat from his face as he spoke with a smile.

"Third Uncle, cut it out. I know your understanding of the Nine-Turn Golden Body is better than mine. Tell me, how far have you trained? Out with it!" Caiguang draped an arm over Sanbao's shoulder, and the two walked off together, arms around each other as they chatted.

"I've only just reached the second layer, a little ahead of you."

"Hey, Third Uncle, you seem to have grown quite a bit taller. Last time, I remember you only came up to here. Look at you now!"

"Really? Meimei's been taking good care of me lately, so I've grown a little. Don't mind me, don't mind me."

"Oh, I get it. You and Meimei have been at it, haven't you?"

"Don't talk nonsense. I'm still young. Besides, do I look like that sort of person?"

"You do, of course you do. Look at the men in our Luo Clan—not one of them isn't a dashing lady-killer. Thirteen isn't too young. When I was thirteen..."

"..."

"Third Master, Second Young Master, dinner's ready." Just as the two reached the back courtyard gate, Meimei suddenly darted out from the side, startling them both.

A few years had passed, and Meimei had blossomed into a stunning young woman. Her figure had filled out beautifully, leaving Sanbao and his nephew exchanging awkward glances.

"Um, Meimei, did you hear what my Third Uncle just said?" Caiguang teased.

"What else would you two be talking about? Cultivation, of course!"

Meimei had clearly heard something. Her face was scarlet with embarrassment. After answering, she glanced shyly at Sanbao, making a chill run down his spine. Good heavens, could this girl be lovesick?

Meimei had been serving Sanbao for years. The shy little girl from back then had grown into a graceful beauty, but Sanbao had been so focused on cultivation that he'd never noticed. Now that this had happened, an idea began to take shape in his mind.

Unlike the other masters of the Luo Clan, Sanbao had always treated Meimei like family. In his previous life, his two older sisters had taken care of him when he was young, and he'd never had the chance to repay them. Meimei had naturally become his "substitute." Now that she was no longer a child, Sanbao wanted to find her a good match.

The three chatted and laughed as they headed for the dining hall. Just as they reached the entrance, several guards came rushing out in a blind panic, nearly crashing into them.

"What's going on?" Caiguang's eyes flashed as he barked the question.

"Sorry, sirs. Someone's come to cause trouble at the Luo Mansion. We'll go deal with it. Please, don't let us interrupt your meal..." The guard captain apologized to them and hurried off with several others.

"What? Someone dares to cause trouble at the Luo Mansion? They must be tired of living." As soon as Caiguang heard that someone was making trouble, he forgot all about dinner and hurried off with Sanbao. Meimei started to follow, but soon turned back.

"I'd better bring Third Master something to eat first, so he doesn't go hungry. He's still growing..."

At the Luo Mansion's main gate, a crowd of onlookers had gathered. At the center of the throng, a middle-aged woman was crying and pleading about something. The Luo Clan guards all wore helpless expressions. They weren't doing much beyond blocking the gate and preventing anyone from forcing their way inside. From the looks of things, it didn't seem like someone had come to cause trouble. It seemed more like someone had come to seek justice.

Over the past few years, the Luo Clan's influence had grown so great that it sometimes surpassed the authority of the government. As a result, people often brought their grievances to the Luo Mansion, hoping the Luo Clan would help them get justice.

The Luo Mansion had always kept a low profile, so naturally it didn't get involved in matters like these—or at least it never did so openly. If a grievance was truly serious, the Luo Clan would usually give the local authorities a discreet hint, then leave the rest to them.

After all, when it came down to it, the Luo Clan was like a clay Bodhisattva trying to cross a river—it could barely save itself.

As the woman went on, she grew more and more agitated. Before long, she was shoving at the Luo Mansion's guards, trying to force her way inside.

"Let me in! I want to see your eldest young master!" Her voice was shrill, carrying far into every corner of the Luo Mansion.

"What a joke. Who do you think you are? You can't just demand to see our eldest young master. While the masters haven't come out yet, go back where you came from and stop asking for trouble..." The guards weren't about to back down. They raised their iron batons and shouted.