Chapter 1

Lingjia Town.

In the early morning, as the sky was just beginning to brighten, the young Qin Liemu mechanically got up, washed up quickly, and walked straight to the Ling family dining hall.

Qin Liemu, dressed in rough linen clothes, was slender and had a rather handsome face, but his eyes were blank and lifeless, giving people the impression that he had lost his soul.

On the way, many young martial artists from Lingjia Town had also risen early. Many of the young people who saw Qin Liemu smiled kindly at him.

"Good morning, Qin Liemu!" Ling Feng grinned and waved as he saw Qin Liemu approaching.

Unfortunately, Qin Liemu seemed to be oblivious to the sounds around him, his expression remained wooden, and he did not stop walking, passing by Ling Feng and continuing on his way.

"Big Brother Feng, why are you talking to a fool? You know he won't respond to you, yet you still greet him every morning?" Ling Ying, dressed in bright yellow, with a full figure and a charming face, her chest high and inviting, looked at Qin Liemu with disdain and said casually.

Several young men and women of the Ling family nearby heard Ling Ying's words and their expressions turned cold, feeling displeased.

Ling Ying snorted, ignoring everyone's gazes, and puffed out her full chest, her face showing disdain.

Those few young men and women were mostly at the fourth or fifth level of the Body Tempering stage, and they didn't take Ling Ying, who had already reached the sixth level, seriously.

In her eyes, only Ling Feng, who had reached the seventh level of the Body Tempering stage, mattered.

Ling Feng frowned slightly, "Little Ying, you haven't been in Lingjia Town for long, and you haven't received the kindness of Qin Liemu's grandfather, so you have some opinions about Qin Liemu, and I don't blame you. But we, the young men of the Ling family, were all helped by Grandfather Qin Shan when he was alive. Even though Grandfather Qin Shan passed away two years ago, we still remember his kindness. I hope you can show Qin Liemu the respect he deserves for our sake."

Ling Ying was slightly stunned, "Was his grandfather very powerful?"

"Grandfather Qin Shan was a weapon refiner!" Ling Feng said sternly.

Ling Ying showed respect, "There are five levels: Mortal, Mystic, Earth, Heaven, and Divine, each with seven ranks. What level of weapon refiner was he? Did he refine spirit weapons for the Ling family?"

"No," Ling Feng shook his head, "Grandfather Qin Shan only knew how to repair spirit weapons of the fifth rank or below in the Mortal level."

"Oh, that scared me. I thought he was really powerful, but he's not that great after all," Ling Ying patted her full chest, laughing coquettishly.

"To us, that's already very impressive," Ling Feng's expression remained unchanged, and he said solemnly, "Five years ago, Grandfather Qin Shan brought Qin Liemu to our Lingjia Town and negotiated with our family head. In exchange for helping the Ling family martial artists repair Mortal-level spirit weapons, he asked for the mining rights to the numerous mines in Yueshan, and Qin Liemu stayed in Lingjia Town with him."

"For the next three years, Grandfather Qin Shan and Qin Liemu traveled between Lingjia Town and the mines in Yueshan. During this time, any Mortal-level spirit weapons of the fifth rank or below that were broken, Grandfather Qin Shan would repair. No matter how severely damaged the spirit weapon was, as long as it was not above the fifth rank of the Mortal level, he could restore it to its original state, with no loss of power!"

"Boom!"

A streak of firelight ignited on Ling Feng's wrist, and the crimson ring on his wrist suddenly glowed brightly!

Then, the crimson ring magically transformed into a fiery hammer. The hammer was as long as half his arm, dark red in color, with clusters of flame clouds like tattoos imprinted on it, emitting waves of intense heat.

"This Fire Cloud Hammer is a second-rank Mortal-level spirit weapon, it's my lifeblood. Three years ago, in the Extreme Cold Mountains, I was hit by a cold breath from a spirit beast, the Ice Soul Python. The Fire Cloud Hammer helped me resist the cold and allowed me to survive by a stroke of luck, but the Fire Cloud Hammer was severely damaged. If it weren't for Grandfather Qin Shan's help in repairing it, the Fire Cloud Hammer would have been scrapped long ago."

"Many members of the Ling family have had their spirit weapons damaged like me. Fortunately, with Grandfather Qin Shan around, those damaged spirit weapons were all repaired. Otherwise, the family's losses would have been catastrophic." Ling Feng looked far away at Qin Liemu's figure and sighed.

"But he has been dead for two years," Ling Ying said in surprise.

"The Ling family knows how to repay kindness! Qin Liemu is actually very pitiful. When he was ten, he came to Lingjia Town with his grandfather, and he was already like this. When Grandfather Qin Shan was around, someone took good care of him. After Grandfather Qin Shan passed away, these past two years... sigh." Ling Feng's tone changed, and he couldn't help but sigh.

"Isn't the second miss even more pitiful? I heard... the family head once promised Qin Shan that next month, on the second miss's fifteenth birthday, she would be engaged to Qin Liemu? You are a native of Lingjia Town, is this true?" Ling Ying suddenly lowered her voice, leaning close to Ling Feng and whispered, "Why would the family head agree to the second miss's engagement to Qin Liemu? Isn't he pushing her into a fire pit?"

"I don't know." Ling Feng was equally puzzled about this matter.

In his view, even if the family head had once made a promise to Qin Shan, with Qin Shan's passing, that promise was probably no longer valid.

...

Ling Family Dining Hall.

Three square wooden tables were joined to form a long dining table. On the table were steamed buns, porridge, and small dishes. The Ling family head, Ling Chengye, sat at the main seat, with his sister-in-law Du Jiaolan and his third brother Ling Chengzhi on either side. Beside Du Jiaolan were her two sons, Du Heng and Du Fei, and beside Ling Chengzhi were his elder brother's daughters, Ling Yushi and Ling Xuanxuan.

The three brothers of the Ling family were: the eldest Ling Chengye, the second Ling Chenghui, and the third Ling Chengzhi. Ten years ago, Ling Chenghui broke through to the Origin Opening stage but suffered a mental breakdown and died from an explosion of his body. His wife, Du Jiaolan, stayed in the Ling family with her two sons, Du Heng and Du Fei, who took her surname, and continued to cultivate using the Ling family's resources.

In this world called the Spirit Realm, there is an endless ocean, on which many continents are situated. Various kinds of living beings and races live on these continents, constantly refining themselves with the omnipresent spirit energy, eternally pursuing the ultimate mysteries of the universe.

Here, the strong stand tall like towering mountains, with devastating spirit weapons that can shake the heavens and earth, and strict hierarchies of martial forces that cover every corner of the world like a spider web!

Here, not only do martial artists and spirit weapons have clear rank divisions, but even the complex forces formed by various families, sects, and chambers of commerce have strict class hierarchies.

The cultivation of martial arts in the Spirit Realm is divided into ten realms: Body Tempering, Origin Opening, Myriad Phenomena, Profound Abyss, As You Wish, Shattering, Nirvana, Immortal, Void, and Domain Origin. The basic Body Tempering realm is divided into nine levels, and the subsequent realms are further divided into early, middle, and late stages.

Similarly, the magical spirit weapons and powerful weapon refiners also have clear rank divisions: Mortal, Mystic, Earth, Heaven, and Divine, each with seven ranks.

Even more peculiarly, the family, sect, and chamber of commerce forces are also strictly ranked, divided into five levels: Greenstone, Blackiron, Redcopper, Silver, and Gold, forming a pyramid-like structure of hierarchical constraints.

The lowest Greenstone-level forces are the most basic forces in the Spirit Realm, numerous like the grains of sand in a desert, unable to be counted. They can only survive and cultivate by relying on powerful forces, and their dignity is trampled upon at will.

As for the Gold-level forces at the top of the pyramid, they are the most peak and brilliant existences. They not only possess the most powerful martial artists, the most magical spirit weapons, the most extensive territories and mines, the most mysterious forbidden lands and secret realms, but also command many Silver, Redcopper, Blackiron, and Greenstone-level forces!

A single order from them can make the heavens change color, the rivers and mountains be dyed red with blood, and countless living beings be annihilated!

The Ling family, however, is just a small family force that doesn't even reach the Greenstone level. The Ling family and several other small families in the vicinity are all dependent on the Greenstone-level force, the Star Cloud Pavilion, in Bingyan City, and must pay sufficient tribute to the Star Cloud Pavilion every year to receive its protection and be able to stand in Lingjia Town.

"Tap tap!"

Footsteps approached from a distance, and soon Qin Liemu's figure appeared on time, mechanically coming to the dining table opposite Ling Chengye, sitting down woodenly, and picking up his bowl to start eating.

For five years, Qin Liemu has been coming to eat on time every morning. Although he is seen as a fool by the people of Lingjia Town, his habit of eating on time has never changed. For the first three years, Qin Shan brought him along, and after Qin Shan's death, Qin Liemu has come alone for the past two years, still maintaining good habits.

After eating breakfast every morning, Qin Liemu would enter the Yueshan behind Lingjia Town, entering the mines in the mountains, and return to Lingjia Town before dinner, eating dinner with the Ling family, and then returning to his residence alone to rest.

Day after day, year after year, he lived like this, with no ripples or changes in his life.

For five years, no one knew what Qin Liemu and his grandfather were doing in the Yueshan mines, and even the family head, Ling Chengye, was always puzzled.

"Heh!" Du Fei suddenly couldn't help but sneer, glancing at Qin Liemu and mocking, "My future brother-in-law has a decent eating manner. Next month, when Xuanxuan and he are engaged, it's nothing, just like keeping a cute and strange pet dog."

After saying this, Du Fei looked at Ling Xuanxuan with a strange smile.

Ling Xuanxuan, dressed in a fiery red leather armor, her delicate figure had already begun to show its charm, her beautiful face with intelligent eyes, was already famous for her beauty at the age of fifteen.

"Boom!"

Ling Xuanxuan's exposed white hand slammed heavily on the table, causing her bowl of porridge to jump up and splash half a bowl of porridge onto the faces of Du Jiaolan, Du Heng, and Du Fei. Although they reacted quickly, they were still quite embarrassed by the porridge.

"I would rather die than be engaged to him!"

Before Du Jiaolan could get angry, Ling Xuanxuan stood up with a loud thud, ignoring her father Ling Chengye's stern face, and rushed out of the room like a ball of fire.

As she passed the wooden door, she slapped it with her small hand, and a burst of orange-red firelight suddenly shot out, causing the wide wooden door to explode. Before the dozen or so pieces of wood had even landed, Ling Xuanxuan's delicate figure had already disappeared.

Ling Chengye was about to scold her when he suddenly froze. He looked at the fallen pieces of wood, his eyes brightening, and a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.

"Brother! When did Xuanxuan break through to the seventh level of Body Tempering? The overflow of spirit energy is a clear sign of the seventh level of Body Tempering!" Ling Chengzhi excitedly slammed the table, his face full of surprise, "Breaking through to the seventh level of Body Tempering at fifteen, Xuanxuan's talent is even more astonishing than Yushi! At this rate, she will definitely enter the Origin Opening stage before she is twenty, and the Origin Opening stage... she will surely be favored by the Star Cloud Pavilion in the future!"

Ling Chengye suppressed his inner excitement, coughed lightly, and asked Ling Yushi, "When did Xuanxuan break through?"

Ling Yushi, dressed in a green long dress, with her long black hair flowing over her shoulders, had a delicate and elegant face, and her tall and alluring figure, even when sitting, made Du Heng's gaze hot, his eyes never leaving her.

"My younger sister broke through seven days ago. She was eager to tell Father the good news immediately, but..." Ling Yushi's tone changed, and she sighed, "But a few days ago, she heard that Father had long agreed to Grandfather Qin Shan's request to engage her to Qin Liemu on her birthday, so..."

Ling Yushi didn't continue, but Ling Chengye had already guessed the reason, his expression helpless.

"Whoosh!"

At this moment, Qin Liemu, who had been eating silently since he came in, suddenly stood up, as if he hadn't heard the conversation or the conflict, and left as usual after finishing his meal.

He walked straight to the Yueshan behind Lingjia Town.

"Brother, I have a few words to say to you in private." Ling Chengzhi also suddenly stood up, giving his elder brother a meaningful look, and left the dining hall after Qin Liemu.

Ling Chengye followed thoughtfully.

On the rugged mountain path, Ling Chengye and Ling Chengzhi kept a distance from Qin Liemu and walked in the direction of Yueshan, their eyes occasionally drifting to Qin Liemu, whispering to each other.

"Five years have passed since Qin Shan brought Qin Liemu here. Brother, aren't you curious about what they do in the mines? What have they discovered?"

"Of course, I'm curious. But I made a promise to Qin Shan not to enter the mines without cause. Besides, the mines in Yueshan have been mined by our Ling family for many years, and we haven't found any valuable spirit stones. Otherwise, why would I agree to give the mines to them?"

"What about Xuanxuan and Qin Liemu's engagement? Brother, I know you wouldn't sacrifice Xuanxuan's lifelong happiness, so why?"

"Before Qin Shan passed away, he insisted that I agree to this. Considering the help he gave us over the years, I reluctantly agreed. But it's not what you think. He just wanted Qin Liemu to continue receiving our Ling family's care after his death."

"What do you mean?"

"It's just an engagement. Qin Liemu and Xuanxuan are both fifteen. He asked us to take care of Qin Liemu until he is seventeen. When Qin Liemu turns seventeen, either of us can unilaterally dissolve the engagement. The existence of this engagement is to ensure that Qin Liemu, with the identity of a son-in-law, will not be mistreated by the Ling family during these years."

"Don't worry, Xuanxuan has already broken through to the seventh level of Body Tempering and is destined to enter the Star Cloud Pavilion. I won't let Qin Liemu affect her future. When the time comes, I will immediately dissolve the engagement!"

"Is that so." Ling Chengzhi nodded, pondered for a moment, and said, "Brother, there's something I don't know if I should say, sigh..."

"Speak your mind!" The family head frowned and said sternly.

"According to what you said, the engagement is just a formality and doesn't necessarily have to be between Qin Liemu and Xuanxuan. He could be engaged to Yushi instead. Yushi is only two years older than Qin Liemu, which shouldn't be a problem, right?" Ling Chengzhi probed.

The family head's face suddenly darkened.

"Brother, your wife passed away early, and I know you love Yushi and Xuanxuan equally, as do I." Ling Chengzhi chose his words carefully, speaking earnestly, "But even an engagement can affect a girl's reputation. Xuanxuan is only fifteen this year, yet she has already reached the seventh level of Body Tempering! We can see her cultivation talent and understanding of spirit techniques are far superior to Yushi's. Xuanxuan's future... is limitless. She will be the true hope of our Ling family in the future!"

At this point, Ling Chengzhi's expression became serious, "In the future, Xuanxuan will enter a higher realm of martial arts, reaching levels we cannot achieve! In such a situation, she might have the opportunity to marry into a powerful force we can't even imagine. But if she has a past engagement, it will be a blemish that could affect her future..."

"Brother, you are becoming more pragmatic." The family head shook his head and sighed, "I will consider this matter. Sigh, Yushi is a hardworking and quiet girl. If I do this, I know she will agree, but I can't bear to do it to her..."

"For the future of the family and Xuanxuan, please consider it seriously, Brother." Ling Chengzhi urged.

The family head was silent for a long time, and after a while, he said, "Let's not talk about this for now. You have been in charge of the Yueshan area for years, and I have never interfered. Today, you insisted on taking me to Yueshan. What's going on?"

"You'll see when we get there. I have a feeling this matter might be related to Qin Liemu."

...

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