Three Months

Silence.

The hall was deathly still.

Everyone stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with disbelief.

A First-Grade Martial Soul?

The foremost genius of Tianshui City had a First-Grade Martial Soul?

"Hahaha!"

Qin Fang froze for a moment, then pointed at Qin Hao and laughed wildly. "I knew I was right! Qin Hao, you worthless wretch! No wonder you've been stuck at the Body Tempering Realm's first layer for three years. You have a trash First-Grade Martial Soul!"

Qin Fang's face flushed with excitement.

He had always lived in Qin Hao's shadow, nearly developing a mental affliction. His hatred for Qin Hao had grown by the day, and he had long wished for Qin Hao to become worthless.

The others finally understood. They looked at Qin Hao with shock and disgust.

No wonder Qin Hao's cultivation had remained at the Body Tempering Realm's first layer for three years!

"A First-Grade Martial Soul? So you're nothing but a worthless wretch..."

Liu Ruoxue murmured, her gaze conflicted. But that conflict gave way to indifference in an instant.

A Martial Soul was determined at birth!

With a First-Grade Martial Soul, he was almost certain to have no future. It could not compare to her Fourth-Grade Water-Attribute Martial Soul.

Zhao Yuanji could not hide his disappointment. Without another glance at Qin Hao, he said flatly, "That concludes this Martial Soul assessment. Liu Ruoxue, if you have anything to settle, do it quickly. Once you reach the Myriad Phenomena Hall, devote yourself to cultivation. Do not let yourself be distracted."

"Yes, Elder."

Liu Ruoxue bowed, then calmly walked up to Qin Hao.

"Your cultivation has been stagnant for three years. I've long wondered whether your Martial Soul was really as powerful as the rumors claimed!"

Disgust flashed in Liu Ruoxue's eyes. "I never imagined you really were worthless!"

A faint smile had still lingered on Qin Hao's face, but her words left him stunned.

Liu Ruoxue took a crystal-clear Jade Pendant from her robes. "You gave me this Phoenix-Blue Jade Pendant for my tenth birthday. I used to treasure it. Now I don't need it."

She tossed the Jade Pendant down before Qin Hao.

With a crack, the Jade Pendant shattered.

"This hairpin—you gave it to me the year before last..."

"And this wooden sword. You said a sword was born of the heart, that only someone with a sword in their heart could wield true Sword Art... You worthless wretch, what do you know about swords?"

"Now I'm returning it all!"

"From today onward, we have nothing to do with each other. After all, I'm a genius with a Fourth-Grade Water-Attribute Martial Soul now. You could never hope to stand beside me!"

Looking at the stunned Qin Hao, Liu Ruoxue's eyes flashed with disdain.

"Xue'er, what do you mean? We promised we'd be together forever. We were going to enter the Myriad Phenomena Hall together..." Qin Hao said in disbelief.

"You? With a First-Grade Martial Soul?"

Liu Ruoxue sneered. "Qin Hao, I hope you know your place. The gulf between us is like that between the bright moon and dust. I'm the moon beyond your reach, while you're nothing but lowly dust. You and I were never meant to inhabit the same world."

"If you're trash, you should know you're trash. A worthless wretch like you still dreams of entering the Myriad Phenomena Hall? What a joke!"

Trash! Worthless wretch!

Qin Hao's head buzzed, those words echoing through his mind.

He stared at Liu Ruoxue. "You're cutting ties with me just because I have a First-Grade Martial Soul?"

A fire seemed trapped in Qin Hao's chest. Only moments ago, he had recommended Liu Ruoxue to Zhao Yuanji.

Never in his wildest dreams had he expected Liu Ruoxue to betray him without a shred of hesitation.

"A worthless wretch has no right to be my friend," Liu Ruoxue said, her voice icy.

At those words, Qin Hao smiled—a cold smile. Not a trace of warmth remained in his gaze as he looked at Liu Ruoxue.

"Liu Ruoxue, I never imagined you were so calculating," Qin Hao said heavily. "You're right. We don't belong to the same world. I only hope you won't regret this someday."

"Regret it? Why would I?"

"Once I'm at the Myriad Phenomena Hall, with my talent, I'll have even more people pursuing me! You, on the other hand, will probably struggle to take care of yourself!"

"Pah! Trash!"

Seeing Qin Hao recover so quickly was hard for Liu Ruoxue to accept. She spat fiercely, her eyes full of contempt.

"Three months!"

"I'll enter the Myriad Phenomena Genius Tournament, place in the top three, and join the Myriad Phenomena Hall!"

Qin Hao's voice was cold. "Liu Ruoxue, I hope you can still say those things then."

Liu Ruoxue sneered. "A worthless wretch will always be a worthless wretch—all you can do is boast! Qin Hao, I know you can't accept this, but take my advice: don't harbor any hopes about me. The gap between us will only grow, until you couldn't catch up in a lifetime!"

With that, Liu Ruoxue walked away without looking back.

"Screech!"

The Giant-Toothed Vulture let out a piercing cry. Zhao Yuanji took Liu Ruoxue away, and they dwindled to a black speck before vanishing into the sky.

Watching the Giant-Toothed Vulture disappear, Qin Hao clenched his fists, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

The square promptly erupted into chatter.

"Brother Liu, what good fortune!"

"Yes, indeed! Brother Liu, we hope you'll look after us in the future..."

It had been a long time since anyone from Tianshui City had joined the Myriad Phenomena Hall.

And whenever someone did, Tianshui City's balance of power was reshuffled.

The Liu family was about to rise!

"Hahaha! My daughter joining the Myriad Phenomena Hall is a joyous occasion for the Liu family! I declare seven days and nights of feasting. Everyone in the city, young and old, is welcome! Please do us the honor of coming to the Liu family's banquet!"

Among the crowd,

Liu Family Head Liu Fangzhi was flushed with triumph, brimming with pride.

"Qin Hao, thank you! Without your fervent recommendation, Xue'er might not have entered the Myriad Phenomena Hall!"

Liu Fangzhi laughed and strode off, surrounded by well-wishers.

The once-bustling Qin family square grew empty. The many Qin elders and younger members all wore grim expressions.

"That worthless Qin Hao even went out of his way to recommend Liu Ruoxue to the envoy!"

"So devoted, and she didn't appreciate it at all. He's disgraced the entire Qin family!"

Fury!

Everyone felt a fire trapped in their chest, desperate to let it loose.

Then a figure stepped forward: Qin Gaochi, the Qin family's Great Elder.

Unlike the others, Qin Gaochi seemed invigorated. He sneered. "Qin Hao, you consumed vast amounts of the lineage's resources, only for the assessment to reveal the most worthless Martial Soul of all. Worse, you went out of your way to recommend Liu Ruoxue to the envoy. You owe us an explanation!"

"Yes! He owes us an explanation!"

"A worthless wretch like him has no right to be our young master!"

"I propose stripping him of his position and appointing Young Master Qin Fang instead!"

Qin Gaochi sneered. Once Qin Fang became young master, his next step would be to seize the position of Qin Family Head and crush Qin Yuntian's branch for good.

Qin Fang's face flushed with excitement. He gave Qin Hao a challenging look.

Qin Yuntian's expression shifted repeatedly. "How dare you! The Grand Supreme Elder himself appointed Qin Hao young master. Who dares strip my son of his position?"

Qin Gaochi stepped forward and sneered. "Qin Yuntian, you insisted on giving Qin Hao vast resources, leaving my son almost nothing for his cultivation."

"Otherwise, my son would have broken through to the Body Tempering Realm's fourth layer by now! In three months, at the Myriad Phenomena Hall's Genius Tournament, he would surely place in the top three. Would you cast aside the lineage's future?"

Qin Yuntian's face darkened. "Qin Gaochi, don't level such a charge at me! When have I ever disregarded the lineage's future?"

Just then, a powerful pressure swept over the entire square, and an aged voice rang out, thick with anger. "Qin Yuntian, you are the Qin Family Head, yet instead of considering the lineage, you pursue your own interests. How much longer will you stubbornly have your way?"

An old man approached at an unhurried pace. In a few steps, he reached the middle of the square and regarded Qin Yuntian coldly.

"Grand Supreme Elder."

Everyone was startled.

The Qin family had two experts in the Meridian Opening Realm: the Grand Supreme Elder and Qin Yuntian.

Years ago, however, Qin Yuntian had suffered grievous injuries fighting for more resources for the lineage. His hidden wounds remained, and his cultivation had fallen from the Meridian Opening Third Layer to the first. In terms of strength, he was no longer the Grand Supreme Elder's match.

"Yuntian, you have disappointed me deeply!"

The Grand Supreme Elder's face was grim. "For the sake of that worthless son of yours, you would oppose the entire lineage? I hereby strip Qin Hao of his position as young master and appoint Qin Fang in his place!"

"Grand Supreme Elder, how is Hao'er worthless?" Qin Yuntian's eyes reddened slightly.

"Silence!" the Grand Supreme Elder snapped. "What is someone with a First-Grade Martial Soul if not worthless? To think I personally taught him. What a waste of my regard!"

"You!"

Qin Yuntian's eyes grew redder.

"Grand Supreme Elder, I have something to say," Qin Fang said excitedly.

The Grand Supreme Elder turned to Qin Fang, his expression gentle. "Qin Fang, I neglected you before. I hope you bear me no grudge. Rest assured, from today onward, you may draw on any of the lineage's resources you wish!"

"Thank you, Grand Supreme Elder."

Qin Fang was overjoyed. He looked smugly at Qin Hao, his tone hostile. "Grand Supreme Elder, I have a proposal. Since the Family Head doesn't want me as the Qin family's young master, let Qin Hao and me fight here and now. If I lose, I'll willingly give up the position."

"The question is, Qin Hao, do you dare fight me, you worthless wretch?"

A smug gleam appeared in Qin Fang's eyes.

Now that he finally had a chance to get revenge on Qin Hao, how could Qin Fang let it pass?

He wanted to trample Qin Hao beneath his feet in front of everyone.

"Yes, fight!"

"That trash has been stuck at the Body Tempering Realm's first layer for three years! Young Master Qin Fang, beat him to death!"

Qin Yuntian's expression shifted.

A month earlier, Qin Fang had broken through to the Body Tempering Realm's third layer. He ranked among the more capable of the Qin family's younger generation.

Qin Hao, meanwhile, had remained at the Body Tempering Realm's first layer for three years.