Xuanwu War Sovereign

"Who are you?"

Though he had his suspicions, Qin Feng’s expression remained unchanged.

"We are from the Qin Family of Mountain and River City. We heard that you hail from the family’s branch in Shanghe Town!"

Qin Qingsong’s eyes gleamed with eagerness.

"Yes, many people know that," Qin Feng said, a smirk touching his lips. "It’s a rather sordid story, isn’t it? Though I was born into the Qin Family, I was oppressed from a young age. Not only were my Spirit Medicines and Cultivation Techniques stolen by the Direct Lineage Disciples, but the Patriarch even schemed to steal my fiancée away!"

Beads of sweat formed on Qin Qingsong’s brow. "To think the Qin Family has such a history!"

Not far away, the representatives from Mountain and River City’s other families watched, dumbfounded. After a moment, the Xu Family Patriarch spoke. "I heard Qin Feng’s fiancée was Yu Yao, the so-called ’Pearl of Mountain and River City’!"

A smile flickered in the eyes of the Zou Family Patriarch as he glanced at the ashen-faced Patriarch of the Yu Family. "That’s right. I recall hearing that Qin Feng’s father once saved the life of the Yu Family’s patriarch from Xiahe Town. Out of gratitude, the two families arranged a marriage for their children before they were even born!"

"Later, after Qin Feng’s parents passed away, he was framed and became known as the trash of the Qin Family. So, certain people, scorning the poor to curry favor with the rich and disregarding all gratitude, simply tore up the marriage contract. The moral decay is truly appalling! To think a certain family could produce such ungrateful wretches!"

The Yu Family Patriarch’s eyelid twitched. He secretly cursed the patriarch of the Xiahe Town Yu Family, hating him to his very bones.

Qin Feng glanced at Qin Qingsong. "And that’s not all. When I first had my stroke of fortune, the Qin Family mobilized the entire clan to conduct a full-scale manhunt for me in the Qi Yang Mountain Range!"

"The way they went about it... if I hadn’t possessed some ability, I’m afraid I never would have made it to All Stars Academy!"

With a soft sigh, Qin Feng shot a cold glance at Qin Qingsong. "I hear the Patriarch of the Mountain and River City Qin Family is renowned for his excellent governance, and that your family’s iron-clad rules are famous. I wonder what you make of this matter!"

Qin Qingsong felt an immense pressure. His expression turned grave. Facing Qin Feng directly, he finally understood the crushing weight those geniuses on the stage of the Arena of the Stars had to bear.

Qin Qingsong was nervous. The Qin Feng before him was no longer the same young kid who had walked out of Shanghe Town a year ago.

Back then, the Qin Family of Mountain and River City would have had no fear of him. Even if he had suffered the greatest injustice imaginable, they likely would have paid him no mind.

But things were different now. The current Qin Feng was a Fourth Grade Alchemist and an Inner Sect Disciple of the Star Sect. With a single word from him, the Mountain and River City Qin Family could be brought to the brink of collapse.

The slightest hint of dissatisfaction from Qin Feng would force the Mountain and River City Qin Family to take immediate, corresponding measures.

Otherwise, they would face a cataclysmic disaster.

At best, it would mean the ruin of their family and the death of its members. At worst, the entire clan could be annihilated.

’Damn that Qin Qingshan! He must have been insane to force a Demon Level talent like this out of the family! Dying a thousand times over wouldn’t be enough for him! And to think some of our Qin Family Elders fell for his lies, trusted his grandson Qin Fang, and even helped him rebuild the Qin Family in Shanghe Town.’

Seething internally, Qin Qingsong declared with resolve, "Elder Qin, please rest assured! The Shanghe Town Qin Family has acted perversely, persecuting its own kin. Their crimes are unpardonable! I will immediately send word to capture every disciple of the Shanghe Town Qin Family and deliver them to you for judgment!"

At these words, Qin Feng’s brow smoothed. He waved his hand and chuckled. "That won’t be necessary. If you did that, wouldn’t it lead to rumors that I, Qin Feng, have become arrogant and ruthless with a little success?"

"How about this, Patriarch Qin? Just give them the same treatment I once received. Cripple the Cultivation of Qin Qingshan, Qin Fang, and his entire Direct Lineage, then break their bodies. I imagine a great and prosperous family like the Qin Family of Mountain and River City can afford to support a hundred-odd freeloaders, can’t you?"

"We can, we can!" Qin Qingsong nodded repeatedly. He let out a secret sigh of relief, though a deeper sense of horror also gripped his heart.

To have their cultivation destroyed, their bodies maimed, and then be kept as dependents... for Qin Qingshan, Qin Fang, and the others, this was surely a fate worse than death.

Behind Qin Qingsong, the crowd of Qin Family Elders hardly dared to breathe.

Qin Feng hadn’t released any tangible aura, but his sweeping gaze sent a chill down their spines, making them feel as if they were standing before an irresistible Demon God.

In fact, the Qin Family Elders were well aware that from this day forward, the family would likely have another Supreme Emperor ruling over them.

However, far from feeling humiliated by this, the Elders were thrilled.

Qin Feng was also from the Qin Family; for one, they shared the same blood, and for another, they had long been mentally prepared for such a possibility.

Of course, the most important factor was Qin Feng’s current performance. At this rate, his lowest future achievement would be becoming a True Disciple, a titan within the Star Sect.

It wasn’t even out of the question that he could become the Elder of one of the Star Sect’s Twenty-eight Peaks.

Should that day come, the Qin Family’s status would naturally rise with his, and everyone present would ascend along with him.

The very thought of this scenario made the Qin Family Elders’ Blood Qi surge and their faces flush red with excitement.

Glancing at the expressions of the Qin Family members, Qin Feng gave a soft snort and thought to himself, ’So be it. Yunhu City is, after all, an ancient city even larger in scale than Mountain and River City. To truly take control of it, I’ll definitely need a lot of manpower. If I had to cultivate my own followers from scratch, it would take an eternity to gain full control of Yunhu City!’

’The Qin Family has been entrenched in Mountain and River City for a millennium; they have no shortage of talent in all fields. They’re perfect for my needs.’

Since the Qin Family had delivered themselves to his doorstep, Qin Feng saw no reason to be polite. He would simply absorb the entire Mountain and River City branch to form his own Qin Family.

’Perhaps one day, I, Qin Feng, will become an ancestor-level figure of some Hidden World Family!’ As the thought flashed through his mind, Qin Feng spoke aloud.

"How about this, Patriarch Qin. Go back and make preparations. Gather your talented personnel from every field. It won’t be long before I head to Yunhu City to take possession of it. We will travel there together."

"Yes, Elder Qin!"

The members of the Qin Family were overjoyed.

They had all heard of Yunhu City; it was an ancient and extremely wealthy city. Since it now belonged to Qin Feng, the Qin Family would be its de facto rulers.

With such a large ancient city as their foundation, the Qin Family was destined to soar.

Many of the Elders’ bodies were trembling with excitement.

"Excellent!" The Qin Family’s ancestor, Qin Tie, was so excited his beard and hair seemed to fly, his face flushed and glowing.

In the distance, the expressions of the clan leaders from the other seven great families of Mountain and River City changed. Their gazes toward the Qin Family now held a gravity they never had before.

From this moment forward, the Qin Family of Mountain and River City was no longer the family it once was.

The balance of power among the Eight Great Families of Mountain and River City would be completely shattered, replaced by the sole dominance of the Qin Family. The other seven families would now have to live at their mercy.

The sole reason for this change was that the Qin Family now had Qin Feng as their backer.

Qin Feng glanced at the Qin Family members, who were beside themselves with joy, and said, "Don’t celebrate too early. Your cultivation levels are far too weak. On your own, you lack the strength to gain a foothold in Yunhu City."

WHOOSH!

The members of the Qin Family sobered up in an instant.

Qin Tie and Qin Qingsong exchanged a glance, their old faces flushing slightly with embarrassment.

(The Mid-Autumn Festival is almost here. You guys think the author should hand out some red envelopes? If the comments get over fifty replies, I’ll hand out red envelopes in the group chat tomorrow.)