Wei Zhao and Liu Hao nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. They had been naive to think that they could trade in the city without encountering any trouble.
The village chief continued, "You did well to defend yourselves, but you must be careful from now on. The Qians will not forget this and they will come after you. You must be prepared."
Wei Zhao and Liu Hao nodded again, knowing that they had to be vigilant. They thanked the village chief for his advice and left to return to their own homes.
As they walked, they couldn't help but be awed by the beauty of the countryside around them. The sun was setting, casting a warm golden light across the fields and forests. Birds were chirping and the air was filled with the sweet fragrance of flowers.
Wei Zhao couldn't resist the urge to pick a few herbs along the way, using his system to identify and collect the ones that were most useful for his cultivation. Liu Hao smiled indulgently, happy to let his friend indulge in his passion for herbs.
Despite the danger that awaited them, they couldn't help but feel grateful for the simple beauty of their village and the natural world around them.
. . . . . .
Qian Family mansion.
The mansion was a sight to behold, with opulent furnishings and decorations. The walls were adorned with intricate carvings and paintings, and the floors were made of polished marble. Qian's family head sat on a gilded throne, his every whim attended to by his servants. His subordinates stood in front of him, heads bowed, waiting for his orders. Qian's family head was a powerful cultivator in the middle stage of the nascent soul realm, and his family was one of the most influential in the region. He had amassed great wealth and power over the years, and he would not let anyone stand in his way.
Qian family head turned to his closest advisor, a middle-aged man with a stern expression. "What do you suggest we do about these cultivators who dared to cross us?" he asked.
The advisor cleared his throat before responding. "My lord, we cannot allow such disrespect to go unpunished. These cultivators must be taught a lesson."
Qian family head nodded in agreement. "Yes, I agree. We cannot let them get away with this. Find out everything you can about them. I want to know their strengths, weaknesses, and any other information that can be useful."
One of the subordinates stepped forward timidly. "My lord, we have already gathered some information about them. They are from a small village to the south, and they are led by two cultivators named Wei Zhao and Liu Hao."
Qian family head raised an eyebrow. "Wei Zhao and Liu Hao, you say? Interesting. It seems like they have some skill if they were able to defeat our men."
The advisor spoke up again. "My lord, I suggest we send a team to take care of them. We can't let them continue to disrupt our operations."
Qian family head nodded in agreement. "Yes, that's a good idea. But make sure to be discreet. We don't want any unnecessary attention drawn to us."
As Qian family head sat in his mansion, his subordinates discussed the other families that were their enemies. One of them mentioned the Wu family, a group of powerful cultivators who were known for their fierce fighting skills.
"They have been trying to expand their territory," the subordinate said. "We need to make sure we stay ahead of them."
Another one chimed in, "What about the Zhang family? They have been making a lot of noise lately."
Qian family head sat back on his throne and stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Yes, the Zhang family. They have been trying to challenge our dominance in the region. We need to send them a message that we are not to be trifled with."
The subordinates nodded in agreement, knowing that their family head was not one to back down from a fight.
"But first," Qian family head said, "we need to deal with these cultivators from the small village. They have caused us embarrassment and need to be taught a lesson."
The subordinates bowed and quickly left the room to carry out their orders. Qian's family head sat back on his throne, a small smile forming on his lips. He knew that his family's power would crush any opposition, and he looked forward to showing Wei Zhao and Liu Hao who was truly in charge.
A young girl in the Qian mansion looked at what took place in the mansion with a cold face.
"This is a powerful cultivation family? Beasts are attacking cities and villages and taking humans as slaves but they don't do anything to help, but they target a small village for their image over trivial things?" thought the girl.
Her name was Li Na, and she was a beautiful young woman with long, flowing black hair and piercing green eyes. She had a mysterious air about her, and her beauty was the envy of many.
Li Na had a tragic past. Her village was attacked by a horde of ferocious beasts when she was just 12 years old. Her parents were killed in the attack, and Li Na was left alone to fend for herself. However, despite the devastation, Li Na managed to survive and even discovered her innate talent for cultivation.
After hearing about her talent, the Qian family took her in and trained her. she joined the Qian family because she couldn't get cultivation recourses herself. but now she feels disgusted with the family for their hypocrisy, and she is thinking of leaving the family.
. . . . .
Wei Zhao woke up early in the morning, determined to increase his cultivation. He knew that he had to become stronger if he wanted to stand a chance against the Qian family. As he got ready to head into the forest he felt his qi getting out of control the last night he had eaten the golden lotus. felt his qi increased too much and is getting out of control now and then.
"System, show my stats", Wei Zhao asked the system.
. . . .
Name: Wei Zhao
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Cultivation Technique: Heavenly Beast Devouring Technique,
Stats:
-Strength: 48
-Agility: 60
-Vitality: 44
-Cultivation Realm: Foundation Establishment Realm (Peak stage)
Qi Points: 56,000
Skills:
Heavenly Beast Devouring Technique: Allows the practitioner to absorb the essence and qi of beasts to increase cultivation. Can decrease the powers of beasts based on cultivation.
Sword Mastery: Wield a sword with precision and finesse.
Blazing Sword Technique: Imbues the sword with intense flames, increasing its cutting power and giving fire damage.
Thunder Strike: Sends a powerful burst of lightning through the weapon or hand, dealing heavy damage to the target.
Novice Alchemist: knows how to add herbs randomly.
. . . . . .
"Stats of thunder strike," said Wei Zhao.
Name: Thunder Strike
Type: Offensive
Effect: Sends a powerful burst of lightning through the weapon or hand, dealing heavy damage to the target. Must have a weapon or empty hand to use. Requires a high level of control over lightning qi.
Cost: 2000 qi points to use
Note: The damage and cost of the Thunder Strike skill can vary depending on the cultivator's level of control over lightning qi.
This is the skill he used to defeat the core formation cultivator. Even though Heavenly Beast Devouring Technique doesn't work on humans he was still able to defeat a cultivator of higher cultivation than him.
"He did not expect me to use my hand to unleash an attack, so I was able to catch him by surprise," Wei Zhao thought. Normally sword users don't use their hands they focus on sword techniques like Liu Hao but Wei Zhao isn't the same, he uses anything to fight. Actually, he feels the sword isn't the right weapon for him.
Also, previous Wei Zhao used a sword so he can't just change his weapon to something else just out of know where. Also, this word's technique and craftsman are not developed properly with other weapons so he has to use a sword.
As he made his way deeper into the forest, Wei Zhao couldn't help but think about Qian's family. He wondered how they will face if a nascent realm cultivator came. He also wondered if Liu Hao was cultivating as hard as he was, driven by the same need for strength and power.
Wei Zhao shook his head, clearing his thoughts. He had to focus on his own cultivation if he wanted to succeed. He soon came across a Level 24 beast, a massive creature with razor-sharp claws and teeth. Without hesitation, he charged towards the beast, his sword glinting in the sunlight.
The battle was tense, with both Wei Zhao and the beast exchanging powerful blows. But in the end, it was Wei Zhao who emerged victorious, having struck the final blow with his sword. He took a deep breath, feeling the rush of power coursing through his body. He knew that he was getting stronger with each battle he fought.
He went deeper into the forest.