Ever since his last visit to Cloud Mist Villa to see Yun Ce, Qin De had often sent people to the small courtyard to check in or deliver rare spirit herbs and pills. He never stayed long, only hoping Qin Yu could focus on cultivating under Yun Ce. Qin Yu had not slacked off either. Every day, he diligently practiced the Heaven-Reaching Chart inside the Spirit Gathering Array and consolidated his Xiantian realm. In just half a month, he had mastered the sixth level of the technique, and all that remained was to wait for the right moment to advance to the seventh.
One day, just as Qin Yu finished cultivating, Lian Yan arrived once more. He bowed respectfully and said, "Little Prince, the prince requests your immediate presence in the discussion hall at the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion. He says there is an important matter he wishes to discuss with you."
Qin Yu's heart stirred. He turned to Yun Ce. "Master, Father is looking for me. It must be something important."
Yun Ce sat cross-legged, his fingertips forming a seal as he refined a Spirit Power Purification Pill. At Qin Yu's words, he slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was gentle, yet held a deeper meaning. "Go. You've broken through to Xiantian and are no longer the child who needed protection all those years ago. It's time you learned something about the Qin family. Remember, no matter what you hear, simply stay true to yourself."
"Your disciple will remember your teachings, Master!" Qin Yu bowed, then followed Lian Yan down the mountain to the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion.
The Hidden Dragon Continent was vast and boundless, and no one had ever explored all of it. In its far eastern reaches lay the endless Boundless Wilderness, where towering mountains stretched across the land and primeval forests grew dense. Demonic beasts roamed freely, and the farther one ventured, the more powerful they became. Even the "Immortals" of the Hidden Dragon Continent dared not venture deep into the wilderness. They could only explore its outskirts.
To the west of the Boundless Wilderness lay the heart of the Hidden Dragon Continent, where three great dynasties held sway: the Chu Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty, and the Han Dynasty. Their combined population approached ten billion, and their territories were vast beyond imagination. The Chu Dynasty was the mightiest of the three, and the Qin family was a powerful clan within it, strong enough to stand as an equal to the imperial family.
The Qin family controlled the Three Prefectures of the Eastern Region, among the Chu Dynasty's twelve prefectures. The region bordered the Boundless Wilderness, making it both the first line of defense against its demonic beasts and the foundation of the Qin family's power. The Qin family had endured for centuries and held deep roots and immense influence in the Three Prefectures. Even the emperor of the Chu Dynasty had to think twice before moving against them.
Before long, Qin Yu arrived at the discussion hall of the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion. Qin De sat in the main seat, his expression stern. His eldest brother, Qin Feng, his second brother, Qin Zheng, and Qin De's trusted adviser, Xu Yuan, sat on either side of him. The four of them had been discussing something in low voices, but all fell silent when Qin Yu entered.
"Father, Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Uncle Xu." Qin Yu bowed and glanced at the four men, his confusion deepening. His father had never let him attend their discussions before. If he had summoned him today, it had to be for something extraordinary.
"Everyone, take a seat." Qin De raised a hand, gesturing for Qin Yu and the others to sit. He took the seat of honor first, then slowly turned his eyes to Qin Yu. His expression was complicated, filled with affection and expectation, along with a trace of gravity that was difficult to discern.
Qin Yu sat around the table with Qin Feng, Qin Zheng, and Xu Yuan. Xu Yuan still held a folding fan and smiled warmly at Qin Yu, though there was a deeper meaning in his eyes. Qin Feng looked composed, while Qin Zheng watched Qin Yu intently, as if he had something to say.
"Father, what did you call me here for?" Qin Yu asked first. Even now, he was still completely in the dark. Over the years, he had known his father was secretly making plans, but he had never pressed him for details, and he had never been allowed to take part.
Qin De nodded slowly. His voice was calm, yet carried an unmistakable weight. "Yu'er, haven't you always wondered what I've been doing and what plans I've been making? It's true. I've kept quite a few things from you. I originally planned to tell you after you came of age. You're not yet sixteen, but you've already broken through to the Xiantian realm through External Martial Arts. You're strong enough to stand on your own in the Qin family, and you have the right to know these secrets."
Qin Yu's eyes lit up. He leaned forward slightly, curiosity and anticipation plain on his face. Ever since he was a child, he had sensed that his father conducted himself in secret. Strangers whose identities he didn't know often came and went from the mansion, while his elder brothers frequently left on training expeditions. Whenever they returned, they bore the marks of battle. He had long wanted to know the truth behind it all.
"Yu'er, do you know whether, at any point in the history of the Hidden Dragon Continent, a dynasty ever united the entire continent?" Qin De didn't reveal the answer directly. Instead, he posed a question to Qin Yu, watching him closely to gauge his reaction.
Qin Yu smiled faintly, already understanding where this was going. He replied casually, "Of course. Long ago, the Hidden Dragon Continent was fragmented. Tribes and feudal states waged war against one another, and the people suffered terribly. It wasn't until a thousand years ago that the entire continent was united for the first time. The dynasty that united it was the Qin Dynasty, and the name of its First Emperor, Ying Zheng, still resounds across the Hidden Dragon Continent! Sadly, the Qin Dynasty was short-lived. Less than a century after unification, it collapsed, and the Ying Clan, the First Emperor's family, was hunted down by its enemies until not one survived."
Qin Yu had read many ancient books from a young age and knew this history by heart. He had never imagined, though, that this distant past could be tied to him in so many ways.
Qin De nodded slightly, his expression growing more solemn. He spoke slowly, each word exploding in Qin Yu's ears like a thunderclap. "The first secret I'm telling you today is this: our Qin family is descended directly from the First Emperor, Ying Zheng!"
"Boom!"
Qin Yu felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck him in the head. He froze, his mind going blank, his face full of disbelief. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He stared at Qin De, stunned, as if he had just heard an unbelievable tale.
Direct descendants of the First Emperor?
The emperor who had united the Hidden Dragon Continent and achieved greatness for all time was his ancestor?
It was a long while before Qin Yu began to recover from the shock. His throat dry, he asked, "Father... is this... is this true? Weren't the First Emperor's descendants surnamed Ying? Our surname is clearly Qin!"
Qin De shook his head gently, a trace of sorrow and indignation flashing in his eyes. "After the Qin Dynasty fell, the feudal lords and our enemies hunted down the Ying Clan, determined to wipe them out. To preserve the Ying bloodline, our ancestors had no choice but to hide their identities and change their surname from Ying to Qin. They did it to evade their pursuers, but also to ensure that every generation of our family would remember that our ancestor was the First Emperor, and never forget the glory of the Qin Dynasty."
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