Primordial Ancestral Dragon Art

Under the overbearing refinement of the Primordial Ancestral Dragon Art, his originally purple-gold Xiantian True Essence began to compress and purify continuously, its color gradually shifting toward a deep, dark gold.

Strands of dark-gold Primordial Dragon Essence surged and roared through his meridians like furious dragons, constantly widening them and strengthening his internal organs.

Three days and three nights later.

Qin Chen abruptly opened his eyes. Two beams of dark-gold divine light shot from them, blasting two deep pits into the chamber's hard stone wall.

He let out a long breath of turbid air. Sensing the terrifying power within him, more than ten times stronger than before, he curled his lips into a satisfied smile.

"Although my cultivation remains at Late Xiantian, with the overbearing power of this Primordial Dragon Essence and Xiaobai's assistance, I can put up a fight even against a cultivator at the early Golden Core stage on the Qianlong Continent!"

As spring brought warmth and blooming flowers, Cloudmist Manor welcomed two special guests.

Qin Feng, heir to the King Who Guards the East, and the second young master, Qin Zheng.

The four brothers had not seen one another for a long time, and their reunion was naturally especially warm.

Qin Feng was powerfully built, exuding a soldier's iron-blooded, battle-hardened air. Qin Zheng wore blue robes and was refined and courteous, his eyes gleaming with wisdom.

"Haha, Yu, I hear your external cultivation is coming along well. Even General Zhao Yunxing can't stop praising you!" Qin Feng laughed, clapping Qin Yu on the shoulder.

Qin Yu scratched his head and chuckled. "You flatter me, Eldest Brother. I still have a long way to go. Oh, let me introduce you-this is Little Black!"

With that, Qin Yu whistled. A black streak of lightning descended from the sky and landed steadily on his shoulder. It was Little Black, the Dark Lightning Roc King, who had already grown considerably and looked exceptionally majestic.

"What a magnificent black eagle! Those eyes are practically blades!" Qin Zheng could not help exclaiming in admiration.

After the brothers exchanged pleasantries for a while, Qin Feng turned his gaze toward Qin Chen, who had stood to the side with a smile throughout, his bearing increasingly otherworldly.

Qin Feng had now broken through to Early Xiantian, and his perception far surpassed that of ordinary people. Yet he discovered to his shock that he could not fathom this third brother's strength at all. Standing there, Qin Chen was like a deep pool whose bottom could not be seen, or a towering mountain, giving off an intense sense of pressure.

"Third Brother, your cultivation seems to have improved quite a bit during these past six months or so at Cloudmist Manor?" A fierce fighting spirit ignited in Qin Feng's eyes. "I broke through to Xiantian not long ago, and my hands are itching for a fight. How about a spar between brothers?"

Beside him, Qin Zheng waved his folding fan and watched with interest. "Yes, Third Brother. Let your second brother broaden his horizons too."

Looking at his eldest brother's soaring fighting spirit, Qin Chen smiled helplessly. "Since you're in the mood, Eldest Brother, I'd better accept than stand on ceremony. But you'll have to be careful."

"Haha, bring it on!"

The two walked to the center of the Martial Arts Field and stood facing each other.

"Third Brother, take this! Ancestral Dragon Art-Raging Dragon Surges from the Sea!"

With a mighty shout, Qin Feng unleashed his Xiantian True Essence without holding anything back. Pale-gold true qi wreathed his fists, vaguely taking the shape of a dragon's head. With a piercing whistle through the air, he struck at Qin Chen like a fierce tiger charging down a mountain.

The punch carried tremendous force, enough to shatter steles and split stone!

Yet faced with this astonishingly powerful punch, Qin Chen remained where he stood, not moving an inch.

Only when Qin Feng's fist was less than half a foot from his face did Qin Chen slowly raise his right hand and extend a single index finger.

Hum!

A wisp of dark-gold Primordial Dragon Essence flowed around Qin Chen's fingertip, giving off an aura that made hearts tremble.

Bang!

Fist met finger with a deep, thunderous crash.

Qin Feng felt as though his all-out strike had hit an immovable primordial divine mountain. Immediately afterward, a terrifying recoil that could topple mountains and overturn seas surged wildly up his arm.

Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!

Qin Feng's expression changed drastically. Unable to control himself, he staggered back more than a dozen steps, each step leaving a deep footprint in the hard bluestone ground. Only at the edge of the Martial Arts Field did he barely manage to steady himself.

Qin Chen, by contrast, still stood with one finger extended, his white robes fluttering, not even a corner of his clothing disarranged.

The entire field fell deathly silent.

The folding fan in Qin Zheng's hand dropped to the ground with a clack. His eyes widened, his face full of disbelief.

Qin Yu's mouth hung open as well. Although he knew his third brother was strong, he had never imagined he was this strong. With just one finger, he had driven back their eldest brother, who was at Early Xiantian!

"Third Brother... you... just what cultivation realm are you at?!" Rubbing his numb arm, Qin Feng stared at Qin Chen as though looking at a monster. "Could you already be... at Late Xiantian?!"

Qin Chen withdrew his finger and smiled faintly, neither confirming nor denying it. "I merely got lucky with a breakthrough. Thank you for going easy on me, Eldest Brother."

"Hiss-"

Qin Feng and Qin Zheng sucked in a breath of cold air at the same time.

Late Xiantian before the age of ten!

Such talent-not just in the Chu Dynasty, but across the entire Qianlong Continent-was monstrous, with no equal before him and none to come!

Over the next few days, the four brothers enjoyed a rare gathering at Cloudmist Manor, roaming the mountains and waters, sparring in martial arts, and freely sharing their brotherly affection.

During this time, Qin Feng secretly wrote a confidential letter, urgently sending word of the terrifying "Late Xiantian" strength Qin Chen had displayed back to the Eastern Pacifying Prince's Residence in Yanjing City.

Far away in Yanjing City, Qin De was both shocked and wildly delighted upon receiving the secret letter.

After careful deliberation, Qin De made a decision.

A few days later, Lian Yan, Cloudmist Manor's steward, hurried over.

"Eldest Young Master, Second Young Master, Third Young Master, His Highness has sent an extremely urgent secret letter!" Lian Yan lowered his voice, his expression grave.

Qin Feng took the letter and opened it. As he read, his expression instantly grew solemn.

"What is it, Eldest Brother?" Qin Zheng asked.

"Father has urgently summoned us back to Yanjing City at once to discuss a matter of the utmost secrecy!" Qin Feng said gravely.

Two days later, in an underground chamber at the Eastern Pacifying Prince's Residence in Yanjing City.

The chamber was dimly lit. Qin De, the King Who Guards the East, stood with his hands behind his back before a huge map of the Qianlong Continent. His strategist, Xu Yuan, stood quietly to one side.

The three brothers, Qin Feng, Qin Zheng, and Qin Chen, stood side by side, the atmosphere somewhat oppressive.

"Feng, Zheng, Chen." Qin De slowly turned around, his gaze sweeping across his three sons' faces before finally settling on Qin Chen. His eyes were filled with unconcealable excitement and gratification.

"Chen, Feng has already told me of your strength in his letter. Late Xiantian before the age of ten... Heaven blesses our Qin Family!"

Qin De drew a deep breath, his voice low and hoarse. "I called you here today to tell you a secret that has lain hidden in our Qin Family's bloodline for six hundred years. Originally, I intended to wait until you were a little older before telling you, but with your current strength, you are already qualified to learn all of this ahead of time."

He recounted the history of how Xiang Yu, the founding emperor of the Great Chu Dynasty, had betrayed the Qin Family's ancestor and seized the realm, and how the Qin Family had endured humiliation and borne its burdens over the past six hundred years, secretly gathering strength.

"The Xiang Family is without principle and sees our Qin Family as a thorn in its eye, a splinter in its flesh. Now our wings are fully grown. It is time to reclaim everything that belongs to us and offer the blood of the Xiang Family to the ancestors of our Qin Family!"

Qin De slammed his palm onto the table, murderous intent flashing in his eyes. "This plan is called 'Flying Eagle'!"