```
"There's no need for anxiety, Chieftain."
Inside the council hall of Blackwind Stockade, a scholar clad in Confucian robes and holding a White Feather Fan
approached the hulking Black-fur Tiger Xiong Qi with a smile and said in a low voice, "The Luo Family, one of the four major families in Qingshi Town, may be strong, but they are already struggling to protect themselves."
"As long as we in Blackwind Stockade keep a low profile during this time, that should suffice."
"The Luo Family struggling to protect themselves?" Xiong Qi's brow furrowed slightly as he heard these words.
He did not quite understand what the scholar before him meant.
The Confucian-robed scholar holding the White Feather Fan, who looked just like a learned man, seemed to notice Xiong Qi's confusion.
So, he said out loud to explain, "Does the Chieftain know of Elder Changfeng of the Luo Family Ancestral Land?"
"The Luo Family's Patriarch Changfeng?" Xiong Qi pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Of course I know of the Luo Family's Patriarch Changfeng."
"But what does this have to do with the Luo Family's downfall?"
"Don't be in a hurry, Chieftain, and hear me out in detail..."
...
Inside the council hall.
As the scholar in Confucian robes holding the White Feather Fan delved deeper into his explanation,
Black-fur Tiger Xiong Qi slowly came to understand.
Why his scholar had suddenly said that the Luo Family, one of the four great families of Qingshi Town, could no longer protect themselves.
"If what you say is true,"
"then the patriarch of the Luo Family is nearing his end, his life soon to be over."
"The collapse of the Luo Family will occur in the blink of an eye."
"Then, could our Blackwind Stockade also follow behind the Zhao Family of Qingshi Town and get a piece of the action?"
As he said this, a trace of greed gradually spread across Xiong Qi's face.
Even if the majority of the Luo Family's assets were devoured by the Zhao Family,
as long as they in Blackwind Stockade could swallow even the scraps the Zhao Family had no time to grab,
it would already be a tremendous opportunity for growth.
"We had better not meddle with the Luo Family,"
"Why not???" Xiong Qi became somewhat anxious.
He knew that the grand Luo Family with over three hundred years of history was about to fall, but he couldn't bite off a piece of flesh for himself.
This made Xiong Qi feel extremely uncomfortable.
"Chieftain, at present, Blackwind Stockade is weak and among the many stockades in the vicinity of Qingshi Town, we rank at best tenth."
"Right now, our most important task in Blackwind Stockade is not to focus on the soon-to-collapse Luo Family."
"Our prime objective should be to gather the nearby refugees and absorb the smaller bandit forces in the area."
"Only by doing so can Blackwind Stockade seize the slim chance to rise amid this chaos."
"Otherwise, even if we truly bite off a piece from the Luo Family,"
"Do you really think, Chieftain, that we can hold onto the wealth plundered from them?"
The scholar in the Confucian robes holding the White Feather Fan spoke as if he was delivering a shocking blow.
His words snapped Xiong Qi completely back to reality.
"What the scholar says... does make sense."
"In that case, let's proceed as you suggest."
"Gather the nearby refugees and absorb the small bandits."
"Strengthen Blackwind Stockade's power as much as possible."
...
As time passed,
the sky gradually grew brighter.
On the streets of Qingshi Town,
the number of pedestrians, merchants, and incoming refugees
gradually increased.
And the Luo Family, one of the four strongest families in Qingshi Town,
at this time, had also started to operate quickly like a precise machine.
"Huff..."
"Inhale..."
"Huff..."
"Inhale..."
```
Luo Family Ancestral Land, at the very heart of it.
Within the courtyard of Elder Changfeng.
Luo Changfeng, the sole elder of the Luo Family, was continuously adjusting his stance, swinging his arms.
Even with each breath he took, his movements gradually became faster.
Faster, and faster, his movements sped up more and more.
Not until he had completed an entire set of the Fierce Tiger Strength cultivation technique,
did he finally slow down his motions, regulating the slightly altered frequency of his breathing.
A whole day of strenuous cultivation had yielded no improvement.
This caused Luo Changfeng to feel a trace of disappointment.
"Now that a whole day has passed, let's see how much of the 100 points of Qi-Blood I've recovered from yesterday?"
[Name: Luo Changfeng!]
[Lifespan: 8 days+]
[Cultivation: Bone Refinement Intermediate Stage+]
[Qi-Blood: 1350（-50）（PS: Safe usable Qi-Blood is 85 points!）]
[Cultivation Technique: Mortal Finest Grade·Fierce Tiger Strength (Comprehension: 30%+)]
Seeing this, Luo Changfeng couldn't help but ponder for a moment, "In one day's time, about 50 points of Qi-Blood can be recovered?"
"But what does the plus sign after my cultivation level mean?"
"Could it be that I could advance a minor realm with that 85 points of Qi-Blood?"
"Or does it mean that I can utilize Qi-Blood exceeding those 85 points?"
Although Luo Changfeng was more inclined to believe the latter,
he could not contain his curiosity.
He extended his right hand and tapped the plus sign behind his cultivation level.
[To advance a minor realm, 200 points of Qi-Blood are required. Would you like to advance, host?]
[Yes!]
[No!]
...
"200 points of Qi-Blood?"
"Even if the family's Qi-Blood were fully restored, that still would not reach two hundred within the safe range..."
"I wonder if I could add 85 points first?"
"Wait until the total Qi-Blood accumulates to 200, and then break through?"
Luo Changfeng was thinking this to himself.
And this time, it seemed as if the divine aid had heard the words of his heart,
and once again popped up a translucent window in front of Luo Changfeng.
[Would you like to consume 85 points of Qi-Blood for a slight increase in cultivation?]
[Yes!]
[No!]
Two options shone bright in Luo Changfeng's line of sight.
"Well, would you look at that, it's actually possible?"
Luo Changfeng was somewhat surprised.
But after his surprise,
he extended his withered right hand once again and firmly tapped on the[Yes]button.
"Here it comes..."
Luo Changfeng quietly closed his eyes.
Feeling the mysterious power that suddenly surged within.
With the enhancement of this mystical force,
his body was revived anew.
His strength grew swiftly, as did his cultivation.
However, this state did not last for long.
After about half a minute, the mysterious force suddenly disappeared, as if it had never been there.
"The strength seems to have increased considerably..."
"Although my cultivation has not yet entered the Bone Refinement Refining Stage."
"My power has indeed become stronger than before."
In the courtyard, Luo Changfeng clenched his fists, feeling the power inside him growing more potent; he couldn't help but whisper.