A few hours later, Chen Qi returns alone, carrying a wooden box heavy with books.
His appearance has shifted dramatically after absorbing Kaelan's blood. Once weathered with the marks of sixty years, he now looks scarcely older than forty, vigour flowing in his movements and a faint brilliance in his eyes.
With steady steps, he climbs the cliff, sets the box down at Kaelan's feet, and bows.
Kaelan studies him, then says, "This time, I will grant you ten blood seeds. But after this, you must exchange a first-class inner breathing exercise for each seed."
Chen Qi nods thoughtfully before asking, "And what of second-class exercises?"
"Equal in value to first-class," Kaelan replies without pause.
Chen Qi counters with care, "Three second-class should match the worth of a first-class."
Kaelan considers, then says, "Very well. Three second-class for one blood seed."
At his words, ten feathers slip free from Kaelan's body, twist in the air, and harden into black orbs that drop into Chen Qi's waiting palm.
"Now, leave," Kaelan says, his voice cool, "Come only when you wish to exchange for blood."
Chen Qi lingers, hesitation showing in his eyes.
"What is it?" Kaelan asks, his tone sharpening.
"There is a fragment," Chen Qi admits slowly, "a fragment of a supreme martial art inner breathing exercise among these."
Kaelan's gaze narrows, spirit sense brushing over him like a blade. "So it is true—your family once held a supreme martial artist."
Chen Qi straightens with quiet pride. "Yes."
Kaelan's eyes glint, and he asks, "Then tell me—what happened?"
Chen Qi lowers his voice, though pride and sorrow mingle in his tone. "My great-great-grandfather, Chen Hai, was born in a small fishing village during the Zhou Dynasty. He had neither spiritual root nor divine blood, yet at the age of fifty, he achieved the Supreme Martial Realm, shocking the world."
Kaelan tilts his head slightly as Chen Qi continues.
"Countless martial artists travelled to question him, asking how he broke through. But my ancestor could not answer—he always said there was no bottleneck for him in cultivation. Naturally, they did not believe. They thought he was hiding the truth, keeping some secret method. But he was a Supreme Master; none dared press him. Two years later, he established the Chen Family, and for nearly two centuries, we prospered under his shadow. A century ago, Ancestor died at two hundred and forty-one years of age."
A trace of bitterness flashes in Chen Qi's eyes. "Because of him, our family claimed resources from the so-called divine blood families. They resented us. Disgruntled martial masters, coveting the ancestor's supposed exercise, joined hands with them. They believed that if they could seize our inheritance, they too would step into higher realms. Together, those forces crushed us, leaving our line shattered. And even now, generations later, their hunt continues—we are still being chased."
Kaelan listens silently, then nods once. His gaze sharpens as he asks, "How many people remain in your village?"
Chen Qi answers without hesitation, "Two hundred and thirty-one."
Kaelan repeats inwardly, *Two hundred and thirty-one… with the eleven blood seeds already given, that leaves two hundred and twenty-one more.* He calculates the cost in silence. *But I cannot simply produce them all at once. Each seed consumes my essence and spirit—forcing too many will only cripple me. At most, I can shape twenty without collapsing into weakness.*
He raises his head and speaks evenly, "I will give you ten more now."
Several of his feathers separate, twisting into small black spheres that drop into Chen Qi's palm.
"Return a week later for more blood seeds," Kaelan adds. *I could offer them tomorrow… but that would harm my foundation. A week will be enough to restore myself.*
Chen Qi bows deeply, gratitude and ambition hidden in his eyes, before he turns and leaves.
After Chen Qi's departure, Kaelan spends the next few days buried in the martial arts exercises and techniques he acquired, dissecting every principle, every line, every pattern of thought hidden within them.
When he finally sets the last book aside, his understanding crystallises.
The path from master to supreme master is not profound in concept—only endless refinement.
From master to great master, one condenses true qi.
From great master to grand master, the same process repeats, only deeper, denser.
From grand master to supreme master, again the same—condensation, refinement, compression.
The simplicity of the method masks its difficulty, for each step demands precision beyond imagination.
According to the Void Extraordinary System, the Master Realm marks the initial stage of the first extraordinary level, the Great Master is its intermediate stage, the Grand Master its late stage, and the Supreme Master its peak.
The reason he can see this clearly is because of the fragment of the *Fiery Sun Sutra*.
Though broken and incomplete, with only a handful of pages preserved, those very pages explain how a third-class martial artist may rise all the way to supreme master, each boundary laid bare in concise words.
They also contain the inner breathing method of the fiery sun sutra, guiding practice at least to the peak of the master realm.
After finishing the martial arts books, Kaelan begins to deduce how their knowledge fits his own path.
His physical body already holds the strength of a half-step second stage, and his spirit strength stands at the second stage as well, yet his cultivation lags behind at only the initial first stage.
He can continue to temper his body and spirit, but without a proper cultivation method, progress will be unbearably slow.
Thus, the first step is to improve his cultivation technique and raise his cultivation realm.
The martial art records give him clarity—he does not need to hunt demon beasts for markings, not yet, not until he reaches the peak of the first stage.
For that, he must refine and condense his violet energy.
He pauses, then decides to name it mana.
With his path set, Kaelan closes his eyes, sinks inward, and begins refining, condensing, and compressing mana with the weight of his powerful spirit.
Days pass as he immerses himself in this process, while far away, in Qinhe Town, the Min family prepares with a jubilant atmosphere.
Guests begin to arrive as the sun dips toward the horizon.
Min Xueyao sits gracefully at the centre stage, while servants step forward one by one to announce the names of the guests.
Each guest approaches in turn, presenting their gifts before the gathered crowd, the hall filled with polite words and practised smiles.
Once the gift-giving ceremony ends, the younger generation breaks away, spilling into one of the gardens where laughter, chatter, and rivalry mingle.
Before long, voices rise in anger as Chu Hong and Li Jian quarrel, their dispute quickly escalating into a physical altercation.
They exchange blows under the watchful eyes of their peers, but Li Jian falls short—though they are of the same age and realm, his cultivation as a second-class martial artist comes from pampering and resources, while Chu Hong, son of the Tide Whale Gang leader, has clawed for every scrap, forced to prove his worth at every step.
The youths roar with excitement at the duel, but inside a quiet room, the atmosphere is far heavier.
The Min family head and the elders sit stiffly, their faces dark with shame and anger as the Li family head, the Zhao family head, and the Tide Whale gang leader humiliate them without restraint.
The reason is simple—the three great families each hold three master realm martial artists, maintaining a balance of power in Qinhe Town.
When the Tide Whale Gang rose with four master realm experts, the three families banded together, suppressing them and keeping the fragile balance intact.
But that balance was shattered when word spread that the Min family had lost two of their martial arts masters.
Now, with only a single master realm remaining, the Min family can no longer stand as an equal pillar.
The combined might of the Li and Zhao families, seven masters in total, is still enough to pressure the Tide Whale Gang, but it carries risk, and neither family is willing to bleed for a weakened ally.
Their conclusion is ruthless—the Min family no longer deserves a seat in their alliance.
The decision is made to cast them aside and replace them with the Tide Whale Gang.
The gang leader, Chu Longwei, leans forward with a domineering air, his voice heavy and cold as he threatens, "Brother Min, are you still unable to see the situation clearly?"
A Min family elder slams the table and shouts with anger, "Chu Longwei, don't go too far!"
Chu Longwei suddenly stands, his sleeve flicking as he points a finger at the elder. A sharp ray of blue energy bursts forth, cutting through the air like lightning.
The attack comes so suddenly that neither the elder nor the Min family head nor the other elders has time to react.
The elder's eyes widen, despair flooding him as the glowing beam races toward his chest. His life flashes before him—he wants to move, to dodge, to raise a defence, but the truth is merciless.
Even if he manages to block, he is only a first-class martial artist, while Chu Longwei stands as a master realm expert. Resistance is meaningless.
At the moment when death feels certain, an old man appears in front of him, moving like a ghost, and raises his palm.
The energy ray collides with that palm and vanishes into nothing.
The Min family head shoots to his feet, eyes wide with relief and reverence. "Father, you are here!"
The old man turns his sharp gaze on Chu Longwei and says coldly, "Chu Longwei, are you not going too far?"
He releases his aura, thick and suffocating, revealing the weight of a late master realm expert.
The ground trembles faintly under the pressure.
Chu Longwei narrows his eyes, even if his body feels uncomfortable, yet his expression is still mocking.
He wipes it away with the back of his hand, then lets his own aura surge forth, heavy and turbulent—the power of an intermediate master realm.
"Min Zhentao," Chu Longwei says with a cold smile, "didn't you teach your family how to behave when facing someone stronger than them?"
Though he feels the heavy pressure of Min Zhentao's aura, Chu Longwei knows he cannot back down now.
Min Zhentao turns his gaze toward Chu Longwei, then to the other two family heads who sit calmly, watching the clash like spectators at a play. Rage burns in his eyes, but he suppresses it and growls, "What do you want?"
He retracts his aura, and after a breath, Chu Longwei follows suit.
Chu Longwei sinks back into his chair, exhales lightly, lifts his cup, and takes a sip of tea before speaking. "Fifty per cent of your property in the town—and two mines."
Gasps ripple through the room.
Not because the demand is outrageous—but because it is far too low.
Li Tianhao's eyes flash with fury, and Zhao Wenkang, the Zhao family head, grips the arm of his chair with clenched knuckles. Both men bristle with anger—Chu Longwei has clearly broken their prior agreement.
Min Zhentao narrows his eyes but answers steadily, "Fine. But we need time to transfer the properties."
Chu Longwei sets his cup down with a sharp *clack*. "You have two days."
Min Zhentao shakes his head. "We need at least a week."
Chu Longwei rises to his feet, his robes billowing as he declares, "Three days. No more."
Min Zhentao glances at Li Tianhao and Zhao Wenkang, who are glaring at Chu Longwei with undisguised wrath. A thought flickers in his mind. 'They may side with my family for now, but they are not to be trusted. Better to accept Chu Longwei's terms… and once Xuelian returns, I will let her teach them a proper lesson.'
At last, he says aloud, "Very well."
Chu Longwei's lips curl into a satisfied smile. "Good decision. I'll be waiting for the papers."
With that, Chu Longwei strides out of the room, leaving behind silence and simmering fury.
Li Tianhao watches his back vanish through the doorway, then turns to Min Zhentao and says with a polite tone, "Uncle Tao, you shouldn't have agreed to Chu Longwei's terms."
Zhao Wenkang nods sharply. "Yes, Uncle Tao. With our support, there's no need to fear the Tide Whale Gang."
The Min family head, Min Jinhai, snorts coldly. "Without the acquiescence of your two families, how could Chu Longwei dare come here and threaten us so openly?"
Li Tianhao spreads his hands, his voice quickening. "You wrong us, Brother Jinhai. We were only waiting for you to ask for our aid."
Min Zhentao snorts, his face like stone. "Enough. You two may leave. Our family must decide which properties to hand over to the Tide Whale Gang."
Li Tianhao and Zhao Wenkang exchange dark looks. They try again to sway the Min family but fail, and so they leave in anger, their eyes carrying a murderous gleam.
As night deepens, the last guests depart, and silence falls over the Min family estate.
When the moon climbs high, shadows move. Figures clad in black masks scale the walls and slip into the courtyards.
The Min family guards, weary after the long day, are caught completely off guard as blades flash in the darkness and the first cries of alarm break the night.