Lost in thought for a long while, Luo Changfeng eventually made up his mind.
He crouched beside the white jade cabinet, his expression focused as he gently pulled out the incomplete manual titled Feng Ying Step from the bottom shelf. The corners of the yellowed pages curled slightly, suggesting it had rested there untouched for many years.
"Let's see what secrets you're hiding..."
As he opened the book and began reading, the lines of script danced before his eyes, complex and dense. It only took a moment for him to realize—this wasn't an ordinary auxiliary technique.
It was only half a manual, but the intricacy of its contents surpassed most complete techniques he had seen.
No wonder it had been tucked away in a corner, largely ignored. Anyone without a profound comprehension ability would have found it impossible to decipher. Even Luo Changfeng furrowed his brow in concentration, his thoughts swirling.
"Complicated... how is anyone supposed to begin with this?"
Despite the difficulty, there was an aura about the technique—a latent power beneath the chaos, as if a whisper from the wind itself urged him forward.
Back in his courtyard, Luo Changfeng sat cross-legged beneath a withered apricot tree.
The spring breeze carried the faint scent of damp earth, but his focus was solely on the incomplete manual spread open before him. He was determined to understand the basics. Once the system acknowledged he had begun cultivation, he could pour his qi and blood points into it.
But for that to happen, he had to find the entry point.
For three days, he did little else. Every waking hour was spent poring over the incomplete Feng Ying Step, deciphering patterns, meditating on the flow of its energy, and mimicking postures described in vague, poetic language.
His body ached, his joints protested, and his mind throbbed from overexertion.
But on the morning of the third day, just as the mist lifted off the rooftops, Luo Changfeng opened his eyes.
There was a subtle shift in the way he breathed. A flicker of resonance stirred faintly within his body.
The first step—was possible.
A faint smile crept across his lips.
Elsewhere, the world hadn't stopped turning.
In the Zhao Family's ancestral compound, deep within the richly decorated chambers of the family head, a heavy atmosphere loomed.
Zhao Wu, the current family patriarch, sat in stillness, one hand resting lightly on the arm of his ornate wooden chair. His eyes, sharp and contemplative, were focused on the flickering candlelight.
"Seven days have passed..." he murmured.
His mind replayed the words of Doctor Wang—Wang Kun—the man who had estimated that the Luo Family's elder had only half a month left to live.
Half of that time had now vanished.
If the old man hadn't died yet, he had to be close.
"Someone!" Zhao Wu suddenly called out.
A servant quickly entered, bowing low. "Family Head, what are your orders?"
"Any news from the Luo side?" Zhao Wu asked, voice calm but laced with anticipation.
The servant hesitated, then shook his head. "No, Family Head. Nothing substantial."
Zhao Wu waved a hand. "You may go."
He leaned back, frustration simmering beneath his composed exterior. Just as he reached for the pile of documents awaiting his attention, a flurry of footsteps echoed outside.
"Dad! Great news! Huge news!"
The door burst open and in stumbled Zhao Qian, his face flushed, breath quick, eyes gleaming.
Zhao Wu stood. "Great news? Did the old man from the Luo Family finally die?"
Zhao Qian shook his head. "No, not that! But Father, our exploration team just sent back word—outside Qingshi Town, they discovered a top-grade Qing stone vein. Three hundred meters long!"
Zhao Wu's eyes widened. He took a sharp breath.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm certain! They wouldn't dare lie about this."
Zhao Qian paused. "But... there's a complication."
Zhao Wu's expression darkened. "What complication?"
Zhao Qian scratched his head, his tone suddenly more hesitant.
"The Luo Family knows about the vein too. Luo Yong led a group of elite guards and seized control of the site. He even drove out all of our people."
Silence filled the room.
Then, Zhao Wu's hand clenched into a fist.
"That bastard dares...!"
He paced a few steps, fury radiating from his body. But the heat of his rage slowly cooled, tempered by reason.
Even if he could eliminate Luo Yong, retaliation from the Luo Family would be swift—and costly. In these turbulent times, a single misstep could spell doom.
Zhao Qian looked frustrated. "So we're just going to let them have it? That vein could turn their whole clan around!"
Zhao Wu stared out the window, eyes cold.
"No. We wait."
"Wait? For what?"
"For the old man to die."
Zhao Wu's voice was barely above a whisper.
"When that happens, the fragile unity between the Luo brothers will fracture. The eldest, second, and third—none of them see eye to eye. That internal discord will be our opening."
He sat back down, gaze distant. "That is when we move."
Meanwhile, in another corner of Qingshi Town, a different conversation was unfolding.
Within the Hu Family compound—a sprawling estate nestled behind rows of flourishing market stalls—tranquility reigned. In a pavilion carved from Qing stone, under a canopy of flowering vines, sat Hu Da and his son Hu Min.
The father-son duo played a game of chess, the clack of pieces echoing lightly.
"Min'er," Hu Da asked, voice slow and thoughtful, "Who do you think will win between the Luo and Zhao Families?"
Hu Min, a youth with refined features and a calculating gaze, considered for a moment before responding.
"If it's a direct conflict, the Zhao Family may have the upper hand."
He moved a piece deliberately. "That the Zhao Family Head could restrain himself even after learning of the premium Qing stone vein shows exceptional patience and foresight."
He paused.
"Meanwhile, the Luo Family may soon lose their greatest pillar. If the rumors are true and their ancestor dies, the balance will tilt. Internal strife among the three Luo brothers will grow, weakening their united front."
Hu Da nodded. "Indeed. The Luo Family's strength may not survive the shift."
The chess game continued in silence for a few moments.
Hu Da finally added, "Still, I wonder... will the Luo Family simply let things unravel? Or is someone among them already preparing to take the reins?"
Hu Min's eyes gleamed with subtle interest. "That Luo Changfeng... He's hard to read."
Father and son exchanged a quiet look.
Neither of them had placed their bets yet—but they were watching. Closely.
And waiting for the wind to change.