Qin Ya then put his talent for fabricating stories to full use.
"Half a month ago, I ran into an old man on the street. He was being bullied, so I went over to break it up. I felt sorry for him and gave him some money, but then the old man told me he was a gambling addict who had lost a fortune. His granddaughter had been taken by the gambling den, and they were threatening to sell her to a brothel…"
"The people who run those gambling dens are despicable."
Before Qin Ya could even finish, Qin Yuxiang's face filled with righteous indignation.
"Aunt, let me finish. The old man said he needed three hundred Silver Coins to ransom his granddaughter. I figured that while his gambling habit meant he deserved his fate, his granddaughter was innocent. So I gave him the three hundred Silver Coins to help him rescue her. But I never would have thought…" Qin Ya's expression immediately turned resentful.
"What happened?" Qin Yuxiang pressed, her curiosity piqued.
Mentally patting himself on the back, Qin Ya continued, "That old man lied to me. He never even had a granddaughter."
"What?!" Qin Yuxiang exclaimed, her face filled with outrage. "You had such good intentions, Xiaoya, but that old man… to think he was that kind of person! People really have changed for the worse."
"I know. I wasted three hundred Silver Coins, and that was the money I borrowed from you, Aunt! I was furious. I started to go over and confront him, but then he just struck me on the head with his palm. The next thing I knew, everything went black."
Hearing this, Qin Yuxiang rushed forward to check on Qin Ya. After a moment, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm just glad you're okay, Xiaoya. But you can't be so reckless from now on."
Qin Ya smiled faintly. "I'm fine, Aunt. But after I got home, I found some memories in my mind that didn't belong to me. Many of them were cultivation techniques."
"Cultivation techniques?"
"That's right. These techniques are the reason I've been improving so quickly."
Qin Yuxiang took a deep breath, a look of shock in her eyes. "Could this be the legendary Enlightenment? That old man must be an Extraordinary Martial Artist who wanders the world for his own amusement. Xiaoya, you must never tell anyone about this."
Qin Ya nodded, relieved that she had bought his story. He couldn't imagine how heartbroken she would be if she knew her real nephew was already dead.
"By the way, Aunt," Qin Ya said after a moment's thought, "I want to participate in the Mang Mountain hunt in half a month."
"The Mang Mountain hunt!" Qin Yuxiang's face paled. "Xiaoya, even though you've broken through to the Human Element Seventh Grade, that hunt is far too dangerous."
"Aunt, if it weren't dangerous, I wouldn't even want to go. You know as well as I do that all true Martial Arts Strong People are forged in the crucible of life and death."
"But…"
Qin Yuxiang fell silent, her brow deeply furrowed.
After a long moment, she sighed. "Xiaoya has grown up."
"Don't worry, Aunt. I can take care of myself."
With that, Qin Ya took out a handwritten book and handed it to Qin Yuxiang.
"Aunt, from now on, you should practice this cultivation technique."
Qin Yuxiang took the book, and as she looked at it, she was overcome with a sense of shock.
"This is… the Celestial-Level Lower Class Technique: Void Heart Method!"
.........
The Mang Mountain hunt was an annual event. During the snowy days of deep winter, the three great families would send their most outstanding disciples to hunt in Mang Mountain, just outside Anxing City.
The targets of the hunt were the numerous Fierce Beasts within the mountains. These creatures were highly valuable. Their pelts could be made into clothes or Inner Armor, while consuming their flesh could strengthen a Martial Artist's physique. They had all sorts of uses.
But beyond that, the Mang Mountain hunt was also a means to weaken the other families. The prey wasn't just beasts—it was also people.
The three great families of Anxing City: the Qin, the Li, and the Zhang.
For years, these three families had been locked in a struggle, both open and secret, each wishing to devour the others. But their strengths were too evenly matched, and none could gain the upper hand.
Naturally, the younger generation of the three families couldn't stand each other either. Conflicts were common even on normal days. Once they entered Mang Mountain, they certainly wouldn't spare their rivals if given the chance.
One could only imagine what a bloodbath the Mang Mountain hunt would be.
After all, one had to watch out not only for the Fierce Beasts lurking in the snow-covered forests, but also for the schemes and plots of the other families.
'I'll go to Mang Mountain to temper myself. My cultivation is already at the Human Element Seventh Grade, but I lack offensive options. It's time to learn a couple of Martial Skills.'
The number of Martial Skills and cultivation techniques in his mind was as vast as the ocean. After a moment of thought, Qin Ya had already chosen his targets.
'The Body Technique of Carefree Travel, and the Palm Technique Overlapping Waves Seventh Layer. I'll go with those two.'
Both were Profound-Level Upper Class Martial Skills. In Qingyu County, they were absolutely top-tier, but in Qin Ya's eyes, they were nothing special.
It wasn't that he was unwilling to cultivate higher-level skills. Rather, his current strength was simply too low. Cultivating a skill that was too high-level would take a long time, and even if he succeeded, he wouldn't be able to unleash its true power.
Profound-Level Upper Class Martial Skills were perfect.
With half a month left until the Mang Mountain hunt, Qin Ya threw himself into practicing the two Martial Skills.
One day, a heavy snow fell, blanketing Anxing City in a coat of silver.
Within the Qin Family compound, a long cry suddenly echoed.
Qin Yuncheng emerged from his seclusion chamber, his face alight with excitement. His aura was countless times more powerful than before—he had actually broken through to the Profound Origin Realm.
"A month of seclusion, taking the Red Flame Pill at the final moment… I finally managed to Condense my Dantian Qi Pool and reach the Profound Origin Realm! We'll see who can stop me in this Mang Mountain hunt. The Zhang Family, the Li Family… they're nothing but ants!"
Qin Yuncheng declared proudly, and the surrounding Qin Family disciples immediately began to shower him with flattery.
"Of course! Second Young Master's divine skill is peerless!"
"Congratulations on your breakthrough to the Profound Origin Realm, Young Master! The Zhang and Li families are just a bunch of pushovers."
"Haha! In this year's Mang Mountain hunt, the Young Master is sure to come out on top!"
The Li Family......
In a snow-covered field, a young woman in white stood with a longsword in hand, seeming to merge with the landscape. Suddenly, her sword moved like a raging tempest. The falling snow instantly vanished, forming a snow-free zone around her.
Sword in hand, a hint of joy flashed across the young woman's face.
'I've finally mastered the Wind and Rain Sword Technique. As expected of a Profound-Level Lower-Class Martial Skill. It took me a whole month to succeed.'
CLAP, CLAP, CLAP. The sound of applause rang out.
Li Heyu walked over, a gratified smile on his face.
"As expected of the Li Family's greatest genius! To master the Wind and Rain Sword Technique to such a degree in just one short month… Truly impressive."
"Father," Li Peiyi said with a small smile, giving a salute with her sword.
"How confident are you about the Mang Mountain hunt?" Li Heyu asked, his tone serious.
Li Peiyi smiled proudly, her expression filled with the heroic spirit of a woman who would not lose to any man.
"Among the younger generation of the three families, I have no equal."
The Zhang Family......
Zhang Youx, the foremost talent of the Zhang Family's younger generation, stood holding a Jade Fan. Handsome and distinguished, he gazed at a distant mountain range.
"The Mang Mountain hunt… Qin Family, Li Family… here I come."
His confident words made the hearts of countless female disciples from the family flutter.
And so, in Anxing City, the younger generation of the three great families were all rubbing their hands in anticipation, brimming with confidence and eager to prove their might in Mang Mountain.