Chapter 1

In the early morning, as the sky began to show a faint, hazy light, the entire Yuyang City was still in the dimness before dawn...

Yuyang City, the Zhao family.

Thump!

The young boy, acting on reflex, threw off the warm blanket, jumped out of bed, and quickly dressed and washed up, completing all his actions in one smooth motion.

At this hour, most of the clan's young members, and even some servants, were still sound asleep...

The boy was around thirteen or fourteen years old, with a slightly slender build, a fair and tender face, not particularly handsome but very pleasant to look at.

Especially his eyes, clear and spirited, sparkled with determination: "If I can just hold on a little longer, I will break through to the second level of martial arts and make those people from the main Zhao family shut up."

The boy's name was Zhao Feng.

Half a year ago, he entered the Zhao family in Yuyang City due to his outstanding performance, coming from the Zhao family branch in Qingye Town.

In Qingye Town, he was the best among the young boys of his age, the first to advance to the first level of martial arts, thus stepping out of the realm of ordinary people and into the world of martial arts.

At that time, the elders in town all praised him for his talent, saying his future achievements would be immeasurable.

His family and parents had high hopes for him.

But only Zhao Feng knew that he had put in several times more effort than his peers to become a genius in Qingye Town...

The Zhao family in Qingye Town was one of the branches of the Zhao family, with the privilege of recommending two members to the main clan every five years.

Along with Zhao Feng, another young girl from the same clan, Zhao Xue, was also recommended. She had advanced to the first level of martial arts two months after him.

When he left Qingye Town, Zhao Feng was full of determination, vowing to make a name for himself in the Zhao family and show his prowess.

However, after entering the Zhao family, Zhao Feng realized he was just a frog at the bottom of a well...

In terms of scale and strength, the Zhao family in Qingye Town was merely a small community of a hundred or so people, with only seven or eight young boys of his age.

But the Zhao family in Yuyang City was a large clan with tens of thousands of people, controlling vast lands, mines, and other resources, far surpassing the Qingye Town branch by more than a hundred times!

In the Qingye Town branch, he was considered outstanding, even a genius... but in the main Zhao family, he was almost at the bottom, a humble outer clan member!

Many of the young boys in the Zhao family had already advanced to the second level of martial arts, and some of the outstanding ones had reached the third level. It was rumored that some geniuses in the family had even achieved the terrifying fourth level of martial arts...

Faced with this reality, Zhao Feng felt as if he had been doused with a bucket of cold water, realizing his ignorance and insignificance.

Moreover, Zhao Xue, the pretty girl who had come from Qingye Town with him, gradually distanced herself from him after entering the Zhao family and became close with one of the top three outer clan members.

Back in Qingye Town, Zhao Xue had admired and even adored Zhao Feng. But at that time, Zhao Feng was focused on cultivation, and his mind was immature, so he did not respond.

Since then, deeply affected, Zhao Feng worked even harder and more diligently in his cultivation.

He had vowed to earn a place in the Zhao family and in Yuyang City.

Otherwise, he would never return to Qingye Town!

...

After washing up, Zhao Feng took a deep breath and quickly headed for the family training ground.

"Hey! Hey!..."

Zhao Feng squatted in a horse stance, his fists generating a faint breeze as he practiced the Zhao family's classic boxing technique, the "Flame Steel Fist."

The "Flame Steel Fist" was just a basic martial art, but Zhao Feng practiced it meticulously and fluently.

In the secular world, ordinary martial arts were divided into five levels: basic, low, medium, high, and top.

Basic martial arts had the lowest threshold, focusing on physical endurance and strengthening the blood and qi, with limited killing power.

Generally, the higher the level of martial art, the greater its power and the better its cultivation effect.

But as a branch clan member, Zhao Feng, without outstanding talent, found it difficult to access higher-level martial arts.

"I have been at the peak of the first level of martial arts for a long time. To break through to the second level, I still lack some refinement."

After practicing for a while, Zhao Feng was drenched in sweat, his breathing rapid.

Zhao Feng's talent was not bad, but he could not keep up with the main clan members because they had access to higher-level cultivation methods, and their wealthy families could provide them with precious elixirs and herbs, greatly increasing their cultivation speed.

It was rumored that some Zhao clan members had been using precious medicinal liquids to strengthen their bodies since childhood and had successfully broken through to the first level of martial arts before the age of ten, giving them a significant advantage.

At the starting line, Zhao Feng was far behind them.

After half an hour, the sun slowly rose above the horizon.

On the training ground, more and more Zhao family members appeared, chatting and laughing, playing and joking.

When some of the Zhao clan members saw Zhao Feng, their expressions suddenly turned cold, and they even showed some disdain and contempt.

This attitude was not directed at Zhao Feng alone.

The main clan members were generally "exclusive" and looked down on branch clan members.

In front of branch clan members, they had a sense of superiority!

When Zhao Feng was slightly distracted, a gust of wind came from his side: "Little broom star! Stop right there!"

Smack!

A hand as hard as iron slapped his shoulder hard.

"It's you..."

Zhao Feng stumbled, almost falling, but his solid foundation helped him steady himself.

The newcomer was a black-clothed young man, strong and muscular, with thick eyebrows and fierce eyes, looking at Zhao Feng with a playful expression from a higher position.

"Zhao Kun! What do you mean by this?"

Zhao Feng's face was filled with anger, his temper flaring.

When Zhao Feng first arrived at the Zhao family, he had a conflict with Zhao Kun because Zhao Kun had mocked and looked down on branch clan members, and Zhao Feng had stood up to him.

Zhao Kun was a vengeful person, and since then, he had often found trouble for Zhao Feng, trying to humiliate him in every way possible.

"Zhao Kun! With your strength, if you can't defeat this branch clan member in ten moves, it won't be very impressive!"

"Ten moves? Zhao Kun has already reached the peak of the second level of martial arts. I think three moves are enough to deal with that guy."

"Three moves? A fair fight, I doubt it!"

Some of the nearby Zhao clan members were watching the show, most of them egging him on.

"Three moves? Hahaha..." Zhao Kun laughed loudly, his face full of disdain: "You underestimate me, Zhao Kun! I can defeat this guy in one move!"

Just one move!

The other clan members were stunned, many of them shocked.

"One move?"

Zhao Feng's eyebrows raised, his face changing, his anger rising.

He and Zhao Kun were one level apart. If Zhao Kun performed well, defeating him in three moves was indeed possible.

But one move...

That was a blatant insult!

Faced with Zhao Kun's provocative gaze, Zhao Feng quickly calmed down: "I can't fall for his trap. Even if I can withstand one move, I will still be humiliated afterward."

In the Zhao family, he had suffered many losses and beatings over the past half year, gradually learning to endure.

"Today's practice has been quite tiring. Let me rest for a few days, and then we can spar."

Zhao Feng's face was expressionless as he turned and left.

His reaction left Zhao Kun and the other young men slightly stunned.

"Good kid, I'll let you off today, but don't forget our 'one-move agreement' next time we meet."

A hint of viciousness flashed in Zhao Kun's eyes.

One-move agreement?

Zhao Feng's heart skipped a beat, realizing that Zhao Kun was determined not to let him off.

"I must break through to the second level of martial arts as soon as possible to stand a chance against Zhao Kun."

Zhao Feng felt a sense of urgency.

Leaving the training ground, Zhao Feng returned home.

Since Zhao Feng entered the Zhao family, his parents in town had also "benefited" and moved into the Zhao family.

This should have been a source of pride for his parents.

But Zhao Feng felt some guilt, fearing that his performance in the Zhao family had disappointed his parents and let down the expectations of the elders in Qingye Town...

"You're back."

A steady, slightly weathered man walked out.

It was Zhao Feng's father, Zhao Tianyang.

"Feng, come and eat quickly!"

Mother Zhao, with a loving face, brought out the food from the kitchen.

Whenever he returned home, Zhao Feng felt the only warmth he had.

"Thank you, Mother... It's really delicious!"

Zhao Feng ate quickly, his words muffled.

During the meal, Zhao Tianyang and Mother Zhao did not speak, looking as if they wanted to say something.

"Father, Mother, what's the matter?"

Zhao Feng noticed his parents' serious expressions, sensing they had something to say.

Zhao Tianyang and his wife exchanged a glance, sighing deeply.

"Let me tell you. Not long ago, the clan's upper echelons sent a message."

Zhao Tianyang paused slightly.

"The clan's upper echelons?"

Zhao Feng was puzzled.

Zhao Tianyang's expression was serious: "The clan rules have been updated: if branch clan members cannot break through to the second level of martial arts, they will not be eligible to participate in the 'Clan Martial Assembly.' If... they do not reach the third level of martial arts by the age of fifteen, they will be sent back to their original branch clan."

What!

Zhao Feng's heart skipped a beat, his face changing.

The Clan Martial Assembly was an opportunity for all young members to compete, with the top performers receiving rich rewards and the chance to become inner clan members, receiving focused cultivation.

Therefore, the Clan Martial Assembly was a golden opportunity for all outer clan members.

Losing the eligibility to participate in the Clan Martial Assembly was equivalent to being abandoned by the clan!

What chilled Zhao Feng's heart even more was the second rule: if he did not reach the third level of martial arts by the age of fifteen, he would be sent back to his original branch clan.

"No, this absolutely cannot happen..."

Zhao Feng's voice trembled, his fists clenched.

Neither he nor his parents could face the shame of returning to the Qingye Town branch clan.

"These clan rules are specifically aimed at branch clan members."

Mother Zhao's face showed a hint of dissatisfaction.

"Father, Mother, don't worry. I will work twice as hard and break through to the second level of martial arts before the Clan Martial Assembly."

Zhao Feng gritted his teeth, his voice trembling.

"The assembly is in two months, and registration is a month earlier. Breaking through to the second level of martial arts in a month will be very difficult."

Zhao Tianyang shook his head.

Only one month?

Zhao Feng's face darkened, feeling as if he had fallen into an abyss.

If he had two months, with extra effort, he might have a chance.

But breaking through to the second level of martial arts in one month was impossible for him!

Silence for a long time.

Mother Zhao gently wiped away her tears, speaking softly: "Feng, no matter the outcome, we are proud of you... If it comes to the worst, we can return to Qingye Town, and you can live a peaceful life."

"That's right! Back in Qingye Town, you will still be one of the best among the Zhao family members—better to be a chicken's head than a phoenix's tail!"

Zhao Tianyang nodded in agreement.

As parents, they would rather their child live a stable life, even if it meant being ordinary...

Return to Qingye Town?

"No!"

Zhao Feng shook his head vigorously: "I don't want to return to Qingye Town and live an ordinary life!"

He had once vowed to earn a place in the Zhao family and make a name for himself in Yuyang City.

He yearned for the peak of the ninth level of martial arts and the vast world beyond...

How could he accept defeat and return in such a humiliating way?

Zhao Feng held back his tears, roared, and rushed out of the house.

"Feng! Don't be stubborn..."

His parents' urgent calls echoed in his ears.

Boom!

Suddenly, thunder rumbled in the sky, and a heavy rain began to pour.

Zhao Feng felt extremely frustrated, letting out a long cry to the sky and running in the rain.

At that moment, lightning flashed continuously in the sky, illuminating the young man's face with alternating light and shadow.

"Oh no!"

Zhao Feng felt a sense of oppression, looking up in horror.

In his life, he had never seen such a vast and dense lightning storm, like a spider web.

For a brief moment, the lightning above his head seemed to twist under some force, collapsing with space.

Whoosh—

A black speck of light shot down from the endless sky.

It passed through the dense lightning, causing ripples, beautiful like a dream.

It was unimaginable what the "black speck of light" was, as it ignored the natural power of lightning.

Pfft!

Zhao Feng felt a tingling in his feet, his hair and clothes scorched, and the thunder in his ears stopped.

The world seemed to fall into silence in an instant.

"This is..."

His face pale, he looked at the strange black bead on the ground, shaped like an eyeball, which had transformed from the black speck of light.

Thump! Thump...

The eyeball-like black bead seemed to have a life of its own, pulsing and "looking" at Zhao Feng.

For some reason, the rhythm of the "eyeball's" pulsing seemed to match his heartbeat perfectly, giving Zhao Feng a sense of familiarity.

In the distance, he heard a calling.

"Is this thing alive?"

He held his breath, his face alert and cautious.

However, before he could react.

Whoosh! Pfft!

The eyeball-like black bead turned into a shadow and pierced into Zhao Feng's left eye.

"Ahh..."

Zhao Feng screamed and fainted.

In the last moment before losing consciousness, he had one thought: It's over... I'm blind!