The once quiet streets of Maple City bustled with whispers. The Li clan, one of the smaller families in the region, had made an audacious claim that sent ripples through the cultivation world. Their young clan head, Li Bao, was said to have broken through to the peak of the Qi-Condensation realm. For a family like the Li, with little prestige or history of powerful cultivators, this was monumental news.
Li Bao's announcement had set off a chain reaction among the nearby families, especially the Zhou clan and the Peng clan, both of which had been watching the Li family carefully for years. Waiting for the perfect moment now without their Old Clan heads strength they saw the Li clan as weak and had long planned and just now started acting to absorb their territory and resources. But this news—if true—complicated matters.
Within the shadowy corners of Maple City, spies from both the Zhou and Peng clans hurried to gather information. Since the Li family had closed off its estate a week ago, the city had been rife with rumors. Could it be true? Had the young clan head, barely out of his youth, really achieved a breakthrough that could solidify the Li family's standing?
The Zhou and Peng clans, who had been preparing to make a move on the Li clan, were thrown into disarray. If the Li family truly had a cultivator at the peak of Qi-Condensation, attacking them recklessly could lead to their own destruction.
Inside the Zhou Clan Meeting Hall
In the grand, if slightly worn, meeting hall of the Zhou clan in Coral City, two figures sat across from each other at a long, wooden table. The atmosphere in the room was tense. The walls, adorned with old portraits of past Zhou family heads, seemed to cast judgment over the present discussion.
Zhou Chu, the head of the Zhou clan, was an elderly man in his sixties. His once powerful physique had withered over time, and deep lines creased his weathered face. His hair was mostly white, and though his eyes still held the sharpness of a seasoned cultivator, there was a noticeable hesitation in his demeanor. He had spent most of his life protecting his family, but his boldness had waned with age.
Across from him sat Peng Ruo, the head of the Peng clan. In contrast to Zhou Chu's frailty, Peng Ruo was a man in his prime, barely in his forties, and still possessed the fiery ambition that came with youth. His eyes gleamed with the thirst for power, and his body was lean and strong. He tapped his fingers impatiently on the table as he waited for Zhou Chu to speak.
"So," Zhou Chu began, his voice carrying the weight of his years. "The Li family claims their clan head has broken through to the peak of Qi-Condensation."
Peng Ruo scoffed. "And you believe them?"
Zhou Chu's brows furrowed. "I don't know what to believe. If it's true, it changes everything. I have no one in my clan at that level, except for me. If Li Bao truly has reached the peak of Qi-Condensation, then attacking them now would be suicide."
Peng Ruo leaned forward, his voice low and conspiratorial. "It's a bluff. Think about it, Zhou Chu. The Li family is small and weak noe that the old clan head died. They're desperate. This so-called breakthrough is nothing more than a ploy to buy them time, to make us hesitate."
Zhou Chu shifted in his seat, uneasy. "Perhaps. But what if it isn't? What if they've somehow managed to find help from outside? There are whispers spreading around the city."
Peng Ruo chuckled, shaking his head. "Whispers are just that—whispers. No one has seen Li Bao in action. No one can confirm this supposed help of his. We have our spies in Maple City, don't we? If they can't verify it in a month, then it must be false."
Zhou Chu remained silent for a moment, his thoughts churning. He understood the importance of resources—his own clan's future depended on securing more for the younger generation. The Zhou clan had fallen behind the more powerful families in the region. Their younger members struggled to advance without the proper cultivation techniques and treasures. Absorbing the Li family's assets would give them the edge they needed.
But Zhou Chu was cautious by nature, and caution had kept his family safe for decades. "I hear you, Peng Ruo, but I won't act recklessly. We will wait at least a month. By then, if we still can't verify their claims, we will strike. But not a moment sooner."
Peng Ruo leaned back in his chair, visibly frustrated. "A month, Zhou Chu? That's time wasted. We should strike while they're weak. What if they use this time to actually grow stronger?"
Zhou Chu shook his head. "If they grow stronger, we will see it. If not, then we will attack with certainty. I will not risk the lives of my clan on unverified information."
Peng Ruo narrowed his eyes, his impatience barely concealed. "Fine. One month. But mark my words, Zhou Chu. If you hesitate too long, you might miss your chance."
Meanwhile, within the fortified walls of the Li family estate, Li Bao sat in quiet meditation. His mind was calm, focused, despite the fact that he knew every move he made was being watched. Spies from the Zhou and Peng clans were no doubt already in motion, seeking to confirm the truth of his breakthrough. He had expected as much. In fact, he counted on it.
Li Bao smirked to himself. The Peng clan was predictable in its boldness, and the Zhou clan, though more cautious, was equally desperate for resources. They had been plotting against his family for years, waiting for the right moment to strike. But they wouldn't know what hit them.
His plans were already in motion. The elders of the Li clan had been sequestered in secluded chambers, each of them given an Earth Rank cultivation technique and a supply of cultivation pills. In a month's time, they would emerge stronger than ever, ready to defend the Li family from any threat. He had also set up the defensive array and the spirit vein inside the clan estate. Even Saint Realm experts wouldn't be able to barge in without his permission.
The Gamer System he had chosen for his bloodline was also quietly at work. Though he hadn't yet activated it for the whole clan, the did it for the elders.
They were surprised and confused to say the least.
As the days passed, the spies sent by the Zhou and Peng clans grew restless. The Li family's estate had been on lockdown for a week now, with no signs of movement from within. They had expected to see signs of activity, of Li Bao flaunting his newfound strength, but instead, the estate remained eerily silent.
One spy, a wiry man with sharp eyes, crouched in the shadows of a nearby building, watching the entrance to the Li estate. "Nothing," he muttered to himself. "Not a damn thing."
Another spy, a woman dressed in plain robes, approached him. "You're not the only one frustrated. Our clan head is getting impatient. He wants something, anything, to confirm whether the Li family is telling the truth."
The man shook his head. "It's all locked down. We can't get close without being noticed. I've seen a few servants coming and going, but none of them have been willing to talk."
The woman frowned. "We don't have much time. If we can't get something soon, the Peng clan will move forward with the attack, regardless of what we find."
The man sighed. "Then we need to find a way in. One way or another, we have to know what's really happening inside."