"I apologize, First Young Master. It seems I misspoke." The informant quickly backtracked, not wanting to provoke the young man before him, who was already in a foul mood.
Feng Wuhao dismissed him with a wave of his hand. "Get out of my sight!" His voice was sharp, cold. He had no patience left for this snake of a man, lingering around for scraps of information to sell.
"At once," the Informant replied, his body distorting and phasing out of reality, vanishing into thin air as if he had slipped into another dimension.
Everything grew silent once more as Feng Wuhao leaned back into his chair, gazing upward before closing his eyes. The weight of his paranoia pressed heavily on him.
Even for someone as composed as him, this entire situation was beginning to feel unbearable.
'What do I do?'
▬▬ι═══════ﺤ
Back in the courtyard, Feng Shen was nearing a breakthrough. His cultivation had reached the critical point, and he could feel the surge of energy building within him.
He was close to advancing from the Initial Stage to the Middle Stage of the Qi Realm, the Qi in his meridians, circulating faster and faster as he steadied his breath, maintaining his focus.
Suddenly, he felt a powerful surge of energy rushing through his meridians, like a flood breaking free from a dam.
Feng Shen's eyes snapped open. "Finally!" he muttered, feeling the exhilarating rush of breaking through.
A small beam of light green Qi shot upward from his body, weak but visible, marking his breakthrough to the Middle Stage of the Qi Realm.
"Ah~ this feels better." Feng Shen felt a newfound flexibility in using Qi, his control becoming more refined and instinctual.
With this breakthrough, he could channel more energy effortlessly, and his Sea of Consciousness expanded, allowing for greater clarity and understanding.
The world around Feng Shen seemed richer, each sensation amplified.
Despite this being a small advancement, it propelled cultivators forward in leaps and bounds, significantly enhancing their capabilities as they truly entered the realm of cultivation.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Hearing applause, Feng Shen turned his head to the right and saw his father approaching, clapping his hands with a smile.
"You've finally done it, boy! Ever since you were a child, you've been stuck in the Initial Stage of the Qi Realm, but now you're moving up!" Feng Yuanyun was very satisfied.
He was also relieved that his second son was no longer trash. This newfound progress reinforced that belief, especially after seeing the recording of the incident at the tea shop—something he took pride in.
"Th—" Feng Shen tried to open his mouth; however, his father continued speaking:
"You must tell me! How did you unblock your meridians?" Feng Yuanyun asked, genuinely curious.
He had been bombarded with questions from the elders who had heard the news and were eager for details.
Feng Yuanyun himself also wanted to know how his second son could have possibly achieved such a feat.
'Does he have a powerful backer?' He thought to himself.
Feng Shen fought the urge to strangle his father for constantly cutting him off, but he restrained himself. Now wasn't the right time.
"Well, that's a small secret," he replied with a smirk, slowly standing up. "If you'll excuse me, I'd like to focus on cultivation."
Feng Shen brushed the dust off his robe, sending the animals lounging on him into a scramble. In one swift motion, his hand darted out, snatching a bird mid-flight.
His grip tightened, and with a cold indifference, he squeezed. Suddenly, the sickening crack of its neck resounded in the air.
'Disgusting…' Feng Shen had little tolerance for inferior creatures, treating his body like their personal resting spot.
Within seconds, the birds and squirrels that had fled suddenly stopped in place, their necks slashed open by an invisible force.
Though the Qi was weak, it was more than enough to kill the small animals.
Feng Yuanyun, ignoring this scene, wanted to press for more information, but he knew better. His second son was no longer someone he could easily control.
Pushing him now would be a mistake, especially when the boy had the potential to bring great benefit to the family in the future.
However, Feng Yuanyun wanted to know something else, as he looked at the back of his second son, who began walking away.
"What about your personal servant? What was her name again…? Ah, Xiǎo Bāo. That's it. Are you just going to leave her in the Detention Center?"
Feng Shen paused, a wide, crazed smile spreading across his face. "Of course, I'll go get her now. There must've been a misunderstanding."
Despite having many things he wanted to pursue as soon as possible, such as learning new techniques, delving into martial arts, dipping his toes into body cultivation, and countless others.
Feng Shen would deal with his personal servant, who had offended him first. Such an ant had no right to continue living.
Besides, he had already devised a fitting punishment for her death.
Feng Yuanyun scratched the back of his head, letting out a sigh of relief:
"That's good. Your mother has a soft spot for that girl; after all, she adopted Xiǎo Bāo herself. She treats her like her own daughter. Wouldn't want anything to happen to her."
'That would've been a headache to deal with if he left her to rot in that cell…'
Feng Yuanyun didn't want to overstep his bounds, so if his second son chose to abandon his personal maid, he would reluctantly allow it.
Still, the thought of dealing with the aftermath was enough to give him a headache. His wife was a gentle woman, but if she learned of this, it would break her heart.
That was something Feng Yuanyun wanted to avoid at all costs—the tears of a woman. They were truly annoying, for they never ceased until they got what they wanted.
Without saying another word, Feng Shen began to walk, to head to the Detention Center. He could hardly wait to have some fun with his personal maidservant.
'Ah~ I hope her expressionless face contorts in pain.'