Chapter Ten: The Fierce Rival of the White Tiger

But it was precisely because the one injured was Qin Ba that Qin Feng’s confusion deepened.

All three possessed formidable strength. Qin Luo, Qin Xiaoshu, and Qin Ba were each at the eighth tier of the Mortal Qi realm. Though Qin Luo and Qin Xiaoshu had only recently advanced, Qin Ba was already acknowledged as the foremost among the younger generation of the Qin family, having reached the eighth tier several months prior—just one step away from breaking into the ninth. With such exceptional talent, these three, even when facing a Human Qi realm expert in Luoyang Town, could at least escape with their lives, if not win. How, then, had they ended up so grievously beaten?

“Who did this? Who struck so ruthlessly at the three of them, leaving Qin Ba in such a state?”

This question was not only in Qin Feng’s heart, but echoed in the minds of the other Qin family disciples as well.

After all, Qin Ba’s severe injuries were far more significant than Qin Feng’s earlier feat of shattering the Gravity Pillar. Most present still doubted that Qin Feng had truly shattered the Pillar, which was understandable, since few had witnessed it firsthand.

Fortunately, the answer to this riddle was soon revealed.

Among the Qin family’s martial trainees were some older disciples who had awakened their Bloodline Souls. Due to their outstanding potential, they were allowed to continue their cultivation within the clan and were slated for promotion to high stewards or even elders—the backbone of the family.

At this moment, a direct descendant named Qin Siming, who was well respected among the younger generation, hurried forward when he saw the situation. While quickly helping check their injuries, his face grew stern as he asked, “What exactly happened?”

The three wore distinctly different expressions.

Qin Xiaoshu, most gravely wounded, was drenched in cold sweat, half-unconscious from the pain and unable to reply.

Qin Ba gritted his blood-stained teeth, his face ashen, remaining silent.

Qin Luo paused, his face a mix of embarrassment and defiance as he answered, “It was Ye Wuyin from the Ye family who injured us. Not only did he beat us, but he also mocked our Qin family, saying we have no worthy heirs and are inferior to the Ye family.”

“What?! The Ye family? Ye Wuyin?”

Qin Siming was taken aback, then quickly furrowed his brow in silence.

Around them, the other Qin disciples immediately began whispering.

“So, it was the White Tiger clan’s Ye family! Ye Wuyin isn’t even eighteen yet, hasn’t awakened his Bloodline Soul, and though he’s the foremost among the Ye family’s juniors, he’s only at the eighth tier of the Mortal Qi realm. His overall strength should be about the same as Qin Ba’s. It’s understandable that Qin Luo and Qin Xiaoshu lost, but how did Qin Ba end up like this?”

The whispers made Qin Ba’s expression even darker, his already swarthy face turning a shade of bruised purple from humiliation.

“That’s right, it was Ye Wuyin. He has already broken through to the ninth tier of the Mortal Qi realm a few days ago!”

“What? The ninth tier?”

Even Qin Feng was momentarily stunned, inwardly sighing at Ye Wuyin’s remarkable talent.

Both the Qin and Ye families were great clans in Qingxuan, descendants of the four ancient divine beasts, favored by the heavens themselves.

The four divine beast clans: Azure Dragon for strength, White Tiger for speed, Vermilion Bird for mystery, Black Tortoise for defense. Among them, the Azure Dragon was always ranked first, White Tiger second, Vermilion Bird third, and Black Tortoise fourth.

Luoyang Town was a small place; not all four clans had branches here—only the Azure Dragon and White Tiger lines had established themselves, the former embodied by the Qin family, the latter by the Ye family.

The honor of the Azure Dragon’s primacy had long been ingrained in the heart of every Qin disciple, as if it were a sacred mission to defend at all costs.

For generations, the Qin family had competed openly and covertly with the Ye family, suppressing each other at every turn.

Yet the Qin family had always held the upper hand.

So, for Qin Ba, the acknowledged top talent of his generation, to be defeated by Ye Wuyin was a blow the Qin disciples could not accept—especially the insult that their clan was inferior.

That final taunt struck at the very core of every Qin youth’s pride.

As a Qin scion, Qin Siming’s eyes flashed with a hint of killing intent upon hearing this, though it was quickly replaced by helplessness.

Qin Feng, squinting, caught every nuance of emotion on Qin Siming’s face.

He understood what Qin Siming was thinking.

Qin Siming desperately wanted to defend the family’s honor, but could not. Through years of rivalry, an unspoken rule had developed: disputes between one generation could only be settled by their peers.

Qin Siming was over eighteen and had awakened his Bloodline Soul. Should he intervene, the Ye family’s more advanced disciples would inevitably be drawn into the conflict as well. Such escalation would solve nothing and could lead to all-out war, a scenario neither family’s elders in Luoyang wished to see.

“What now?”

Qin Siming’s silence plunged the entire training ground into a hush so deep that a pin drop might be heard.

Under-eighteen Qin disciples burned with shame and fury, yet hung their heads in mortification.

One only knows regret when the need arises; one cannot fathom difficulty until faced with it.

So it was in cultivation as well.

These Qin youths, who swaggered arrogantly on ordinary days, now faltered when true steel was called for.

Even the three strongest among them had been beaten senseless. What use was the rest?

Yet if no one stood up, where was the family’s honor? Where was the dignity of the Azure Dragon, preserved through generations?

Could their generation truly see the Qin family’s prestige trampled underfoot?

Their pride would not allow them to yield to the White Tiger line.

Just then, while all remained silent and uncertain, a body collapsed with a dull thud—Qin Xiaoshu, barely conscious a moment before, had fainted dead away, his face still twisted with unwillingness. The hard Azure Stone paving the ground echoed with the impact.

Qin Siming rushed over, probing Qin Xiaoshu’s pulse with his spiritual energy, then quickly summoned several stewards. “His meridians are too badly damaged; even if he recovers, he will be crippled. Hurry, take him to the Old Master—perhaps there is some hope for remedy.”

“Yes, sir!”

Several stewards hastily carried the unconscious Qin Xiaoshu toward the patriarch Qin Tianzheng’s residence.

Qin Xiaoshu’s injuries stoked the humiliation and rage of the gathering disciples.

They wanted to reclaim their honor, but lacked the strength.

Those with the strength were not allowed to act.

As the crowd remained silent and motionless, uncertain what to do, a cold voice suddenly rang out from a corner of the training ground—

“Tell me where Ye Wuyin is. I’ll go reclaim our honor on behalf of Qin Ba and the other two!”

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