One Sword Was Enough

"Hao!"

Qin Yuntian shot to his feet, his face alight with emotion.

"Father!"

Qin Hao clenched his fists. If he had returned any later, who knew how far they would have pushed his father?

His expression turned cold. Without sparing Qin Fang on the arena a glance, he addressed the platform. "Great Elder, if my father isn't qualified to be the Qin Family Head, then who is? You, Qin Gaochi? Or one of the other elders?"

"Qin Hao, don't talk nonsense!"

"None of us is qualified, of course. The Great Elder is the only choice to lead the Qin!"

The other elders hurried to speak up.

Qin Gaochi narrowed his eyes and sneered. "I've racked my brains for the Qin, thinking only of how to make it prosper. Your father draws his pay while doing nothing. Of course he isn't qualified to lead the Qin!"

Qin Hao's face was like ice. "You've racked your brains for the Qin? Then tell me, Great Elder: where were you when my father fought for the Qin to secure mineral veins and spirit fields? Where were you when he battled our enemies and suffered grievous wounds?"

"You're shortsighted and can't tell right from wrong. Under your leadership, the Qin's road would only grow narrower. One day, we might fall to a third-rate clan in Tianshui City!"

Qin Gaochi flew into a rage. "Qin Hao, how dare you!"

"I hadn't intended to announce this yet. But since you're so arrogant, you good-for-nothing, I'll declare the Council of Elders' decision today, before every Qin disciple."

"Before our ancestors, I declare Qin Hao lacking in both talent and virtue! From this moment on, he is stripped of his position as young master. Qin Fang will succeed him!"

Qin Gaochi raised his voice. "Furthermore, given your worthless First-Grade Martial Soul, the Council of Elders has decided to strike your name from the family register. The Qin doesn't feed good-for-nothings!"

Qin Yuntian erupted. "Qin Gaochi, you dare strike my son from the family register? Who gave you the nerve?"

He would not have cared if Qin Gaochi had targeted only him. But now the man had turned his blade on Qin Hao. How could Qin Yuntian bear it?

"I did! Qin Yuntian, keeping that worthless son of yours in the Qin is a waste of food!"

A furious shout rang out.

The Grand Supreme Elder, whose eyes had been half-closed as though he heard nothing around him, suddenly opened them. Light flashed from his gaze, and a terrifying aura surged forth.

Qin Yuntian stared at the Grand Supreme Elder in disbelief, as if struck by Thunder Laws. He was about to speak when a steady voice suddenly rang out.

"Father, leave the rest to me!"

Qin Hao turned to the Grand Supreme Elder. "You keep calling me worthless. What if this good-for-nothing defeats the genius you think so highly of?"

"Grand Supreme Elder, does the challenge we agreed to half a month ago still stand?"

The Grand Supreme Elder looked at him with mockery. "A good-for-nothing is a good-for-nothing. You haven't the slightest sense of your own limits! If you want to humiliate yourself, I won't stop you."

Qin Hao's expression did not change. "If I win, do I remain the Qin young master, and does my father remain the Qin Family Head?"

The Grand Supreme Elder laughed in anger. "What big words! If you can beat Qin Fang, you'll hear no objection from me. But if you lose, get out of the Qin!"

Over the past half month, he had taught Qin Fang personally and drawn on vast Qin resources for his training.

Qin Fang had leapt from the Early Stage of the third layer of the Body Tempering Realm to the peak of the fourth. His Sword Laws had also reached minor mastery.

That rate of progress was remarkable.

Mocking voices rose across the square.

"Bah! He doesn't know his own limits!"

"Young Master Qin Fang, teach that good-for-nothing a lesson!"

"Beat him to death!"

"Since the Grand Supreme Elder has said so, let's begin!"

Qin Hao leapt onto the arena.

Qin Yuntian's face changed. "Hao, don't be rash!"

On the platform, Qin Gaochi feared Qin Yuntian might intervene. He laughed and called out, "Good! Qin Hao, if you're determined to court death, we'll oblige you. Don't say we never gave you a chance!"

"Everyone in the Qin can bear witness!"

Qin Gaochi sneered. "But blades have no eyes in the arena. Once you step inside, your life is your own responsibility!"

"Fang, listen carefully. This is only a sparring match. Be sure not to take that good-for-nothing Qin Hao's life."

Despite his words, Qin Gaochi's voice was icy.

Qin Fang understood what his father meant. "I understand, Father. Heh. I'll make sure Qin Hao never forgets today!"

He put particular weight on never forgets.

Qin Yuntian's expression shifted again and again. He was about to speak, but Qin Hao gave him a slight shake of the head, telling him not to worry.

So be it. If Hao loses, I'll take him back to the countryside, away from worldly affairs. We can live out our days in peace. That wouldn't be so bad. Qin Yuntian sighed inwardly and did not stop him.

But he made up his mind: if Qin Hao was in danger, he would protect his son even at the cost of his own life.

In the arena, Qin Fang grinned viciously. "Today I'll show you what it feels like to be trampled underfoot, Qin Hao. You should be honored to serve as a stepping-stone on my path to the Martial Dao Peak!"

Qin Hao looked at him as though he were an idiot. "You talk too much. One sword strike is enough for you."

"You have a death wish, Qin Hao! Do you think you're still that genius looking down on everyone? You're nothing but trash with a First-Grade Martial Soul. You should be on your knees, begging me for mercy!"

Qin Fang was furious. In his eyes, Qin Hao should have knelt the moment he saw him and begged to be spared.

Instead, the man was indifferent—and arrogant beyond belief.

"You'll spend the rest of your life in bed!"

Killing intent flickered in Qin Fang's eyes as he thrust his Iron Sword at Qin Hao.

"Clear Wind Sword Technique!"

Swish, swish, swish!

The Iron Sword in Qin Fang's hand seemed to turn into a willow branch swaying in a clear breeze, moving with astonishing speed.

"Hiss! That's the Clear Wind Sword Technique at minor mastery!"

"I've practiced it myself. It's incredibly difficult! It took me half a year just to reach minor mastery. Young Master Qin Fang has trained for less than half a month and already reached it. No wonder he's a genius with a Tier 3 Martial Soul!"

"And that good-for-nothing Qin Hao thought he could challenge him. He's dead now."

Everyone looked at Qin Fang with admiration.

Qin Gaochi laughed, brimming with pride.

The Grand Supreme Elder stroked his beard and nodded, thoroughly pleased with Qin Fang's performance.

Only Qin Yuntian watched the arena anxiously.

"Sword-Drawing Art!"

Qin Hao moved.

Fast!

So fast that almost no one had time to react!

"Ah!"

Bang!

Qin Fang's vision blurred. Before he understood what had happened, pain stabbed through his chest, and his body flew out of the arena.

One sword strike. Qin Fang had lost!

Silence.

The entire square fell silent.

"This... Young Master Qin Fang lost?"

"How could that good-for-nothing Qin Hao be so strong?"

"Did I see that right? The aura Qin Hao released just now was clearly at the middle of the fourth layer of the Body Tempering Realm."

Astonished voices broke out on all sides.

Qin Yuntian, Qin Gaochi, and the elders all stared in disbelief.

Qin Hao...

He had won?

Clang!

The Iron Sword slid back into its sheath.

"Not even worth a blow."

Qin Hao looked coldly at Qin Fang below the arena. "You kept calling me worthless. Now that you've lost to me, what does that make you? The most worthless of all?"

"You... you..."

Rage surged through Qin Fang. He spat out a mouthful of blood, his face growing even paler.

"Fang!"

"Qin Hao, you dare hurt my son!"

Qin Gaochi came to his senses. His eyes blazed as he leapt forward and struck at Qin Hao with his palm.

"You old bastard. I knew you'd attack from behind!"

Qin Hao had been on guard against him all along. Without hesitation, he slashed down with his sword.

"Sword-Drawing Art!"

"Great Dao Spirit-Seizing Art!"

A tiny golden sword appeared within Qin Hao's body and vanished into the Iron Sword.

Bang! The Iron Sword met Qin Gaochi's palm.

Terrifying force surged through the Iron Sword and into the tiny golden sword. In an instant, its light dimmed considerably.

Even so, some of the force still struck Qin Hao.

He grunted, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. The impact drove him back more than ten meters, his feet stumbling across the ground.

How is that possible? He took my palm strike and didn't die! Shock and fury seized Qin Gaochi. A vicious gleam flashed in his eyes as he struck again.

"Qin Gaochi, you shameless villain! You'd attack someone of the younger generation?"

Qin Yuntian was both shocked and furious. Qin Gaochi had moved so suddenly that even he had failed to react.

With an angry shout, Qin Yuntian flashed in front of Qin Hao and answered with a palm strike of his own.

Boom!

Qin Yuntian was an expert at the Meridian Opening First Layer. His strike sent Qin Gaochi staggering back several steps.

"Hao, how badly are you hurt?" Qin Yuntian turned to his son, his face ashen.

Qin Hao took a deep breath and shook his head slightly. "I'm all right, Father."

Qin Yuntian was surprised. Anyone else would have been gravely injured, if not killed, yet Qin Hao seemed to have suffered only minor wounds.

His anger burned hotter. "Qin Gaochi, my son won this fight and keeps his position as the Qin young master. You're the Great Elder, yet you dared attack him. What punishment do you deserve?"

"Enough! Both of you, stop!"

A figure stepped in front of Qin Yuntian. It was the Grand Supreme Elder.

"Grand Supreme Elder, Fang..." Knowing he could not kill Qin Hao while Qin Yuntian was there, Qin Gaochi darted to his son's side. The sight of Qin Fang's severe injuries filled him with dread.

"Give Qin Fang this pill and take him away for treatment at once!" The Grand Supreme Elder produced a pill.

"Yes!" Qin Gaochi took it and hurried to Qin Fang. After Qin Fang swallowed it, his chaotic breathing gradually steadied.

The Grand Supreme Elder let out a quiet breath. Then he turned to Qin Yuntian and Qin Hao, his face turning cold with disgust. "Qin Yuntian, are you satisfied now? Must you drive the Qin to pieces?"

"And you, Qin Hao. Don't think I don't know how you raised your cultivation. A good-for-nothing with a First-Grade Martial Soul who forces a breakthrough with Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures will never amount to anything!"

Qin Hao answered coldly, "My future is none of your concern, Grand Supreme Elder. Are you still going to strip my father of his position and strike me from the family register?"

"You'll pay for what you've done, Qin Hao!"

The Grand Supreme Elder's face darkened. With an angry snort, he sprang toward Qin Fang. Treating the young man's injuries came first.

In the blink of an eye, the Grand Supreme Elder, Qin Gaochi, and Qin Fang were gone.

The Qin disciples throughout the square stood dumbfounded, still struggling to grasp what had happened.