Jiang Feng looked at Manager Liu for a long moment before saying, "Uncle Liu, putting aside the relationship between my grandfather and you, just based on how you've cared for and taught me, I am more than willing to help with your trouble. Besides, if I have nowhere to go in the future, won't I be living under your roof and eating your food anyway? Hehe!"
"I certainly didn't misjudge you," Manager Liu said with emotion. "Actually, your grandfather was my own second uncle. Over twenty years ago, he defected from the family for certain reasons and his whereabouts became unknown. Speaking of the family, while we have some free time, let me give you a general overview of the Xuanhuang Continent."
"According to the older generation, the world we inhabit consists of three continents: the Xuanhuang Continent, the Divine Fire Continent, and the True Wu Continent. We are on the Xuanhuang Continent. With a radius of twenty thousand miles and a population exceeding ten billion, it is the smallest of the three."
"There is only one empire on the Xuanhuang Continent: the Tianwu Empire. Its capital is White Emperor City, and ten major generals guard ten principal cities, with each principal city governing dozens of star cities. Our Liu Family is located in the star city of Yunzhou City."
Manager Liu glanced at Jiang Feng. "The world is vast, and searching for your relatives in the future probably won't be easy. You need to mentally prepare yourself. I suggest you first focus on improving your strength so it will be easier for you to travel the world later on."
Jiang Feng let out a long breath and nodded. "Don't worry, Uncle Liu. Although I also want to see my parents as soon as possible, I know this simply cannot be rushed. The most important thing right now is to cultivate diligently."
"Good. Then let me talk about the Liu Family's situation. There are five major factions in Yunzhou City, the strongest being the City Lord's Mansion, which is rumored to have a Golden Core Stage (peak) expert holding down the fort."
"In addition, there are four major families: the Liu, Yao, Lu, and Gao families. Our Liu Family mainly deals in apothecary businesses. The head of the family is my father, who is also your grandfather's eldest brother."
"Originally, the strength of the four major families was roughly equal, but due to an accidental failure when trying to break through to the Nascent Soul Stage the year before last, part of my father's meridians became blocked and his realm dropped to the Early Golden Core Stage, resulting in serious damage to the Liu Family's top-tier combat power."
"When the Yao and Lu families learned of this news, they began various suppression tactics and seized the Liu Family's businesses, causing the Liu Family's income to plummet and throwing everyone into a panic."
"At this time, the behemoth closest to Yunzhou City—the Xuantian Sect—sent a message: as long as the Liu Family becomes a vassal of the Xuantian Sect and unconditionally provides them with medicinal herbs for alchemy, they will help the Liu Family protect its business."
"Your family head definitely refused, right?" Jiang Feng asked.
"Why do you say that?"
"Because the Liu Family is far too weak compared to the Xuantian Sect; there is simply no equality to speak of, and a single misstep would bring about total destruction."
"Correct. You have quite some insight for such a young age," Manager Liu praised. "My father was precisely worried that we wouldn't be able to withdraw safely in the end, which is why he didn't agree to them."
"However, my two uncles strongly approved. At a family meeting, they rallied several family elders to impeach my father, but they didn't succeed thanks to the support of my aunt and the remaining elders."
"Even so, both sides agreed to hold a minor family competition next May, restricted to participants under the age of eighteen. The faction that wins will take over the position of family head and handle this matter with full authority."
"How does the strength of the two sides compare?"
"On our side, my aunt's family has one grandson and one granddaughter, whose realms are the Marrow Cleansing Stage and the Meridian Unblocking Stage, respectively. My eldest brother's family has an only daughter, who is also at the Meridian Unblocking Stage. I have an only son who cultivates under my father's guidance, and he has indeed reached the Mortal Entry Stage. The juniors of the two elders have very average strength and aptitude; as far as I remember, the highest is only at the Meridian Unblocking Stage."
"Yet on my third uncle's side, there is one at the Marrow Cleansing Stage, three at the Meridian Unblocking Stage, two at the Mortal Entry Stage, and one at the Mortal Mastery Stage. Among them, my third uncle's two grandsons possess the greatest strength. The eldest grandson, Liu Heng, is at the Mortal Mastery Stage, and I hear his younger brother, Liu Yan, is about to break through to the Mortal Mastery Stage as well."
"Judging by the current situation, we have no possibility of winning. Your aptitude is exceptional, so my only task now is to properly cultivate you. You will represent your second uncle's lineage in the minor competition and win one or even several victories for us."
Hearing this, Jiang Feng's pressure instantly multiplied. Uncle Liu was placing all his bets on him, yet his own strength fell far short compared to the others. In half a year, could he really turn the tables? But... Jiang Feng abruptly raised his head. "I'll give it everything I've got!"
"Good!"
For five consecutive days, Jiang Feng trained even more crazily within the Thousand Stone Array. It was almost like a form of catharsis; although he still kept getting injured, the number of times he was struck by the stones steadily decreased. Jiang Feng only felt that the flight trajectories of the stones were becoming clearer and their flying speeds slower, making dodging increasingly effortless. He even grew to genuinely like this sensation of weaving through a barrage of stones.
On the sixth day, the style abruptly changed. The frequency and speed of the incoming stones increased drastically. "Whoosh!" "Whoosh!" "Whoosh!" Seven stones shot toward various parts of Jiang Feng's body simultaneously. Jiang Feng had no time to think and could only resort to jumping high to evade them. Unexpectedly, his airborne body instantly turned into a living target, and he took hits one after another. Just as his feet were about to touch the ground, four more stones simultaneously attacked his left shoulder, right ribs, left leg, and chest. Reflexively, Jiang Feng stepped back with his right leg, extended his left leg straight back to dodge three of the stones, and threw out his right fist with a forceful forward lean of his body. "Crack!" A stone was smashed to the ground, and Jiang Feng let out a cry of pain as "Ah!", his right fist instantly mangled into a bloody mess.
"Damn it, I have to figure something out." Jiang Feng simply closed his eyes. Out of sight, out of mind; cutting off visual interference on his mind allowed his concentration to become even sharper. In an instant, only the trajectories and sounds of the flying stones remained in Jiang Feng's mind, just like facing a sea of stars where every single stone resembled a star, and their positions and paths were clearly distinguishable.
Relying on this "star map" within his mind, dodging the attacks of the stones suddenly became simple for Jiang Feng. Although it still felt slightly unfamiliar at first, an inexplicable and marvelous resonance began to faintly manifest.
As time passed, the expression on Jiang Feng's face grew more and more relaxed, the corners of his mouth unconsciously curling upward slightly, and that inexplicable resonance grew increasingly intense. Anyone with discerning eyes would know that Jiang Feng was experiencing a profound state of cultivation—an epiphany.
Gradually, the heaven and earth spiritual Qi surrounding Puhua Temple slowly gathered, forming a super-large tornado that hovered and slowly revolved around the Thousand Stone Hall. Wisps of spiritual Qi that seeped into the hall initially spun rapidly around Jiang Feng, and later wrapped him tightly from head to toe, resembling a giant silkworm cocoon emitting a pervasive green glow.
Inside the "cocoon," the dense heaven and earth spiritual Qi frantically scoured Jiang Feng's body, leaving behind energy while stripping away impurities in an endless cycle.
Jiang Feng's vital blood noticeably surged, his physical body grew increasingly formidable, and his momentum began to climb continuously...
At the same time, the "star map" in Jiang Feng's mind expanded and grew brighter. After an unknown amount of time, with a loud "Boom!", the "star map" vanished. Replacing it was the entire scene of the great hall appearing vividly within Jiang Feng's mind.
About half an hour later, as the grand array ceased its attacks, Jiang Feng slowly exited the state of epiphany and opened his eyes.
Suddenly, colorful clouds gathered above the hall, auspicious vapor rolled and billowed, and a majestic voice resounded in Jiang Feng's mind: "Consolidating Divine Sense with a mortal body transcends the Great Dao. Bestowed one strand of chaotic spiritual Qi!"
As the voice faded, a strand of golden spiritual Qi plummeted straight down, precisely plunging into the top of Jiang Feng's head. The moment that strand of spiritual Qi entered his body, it first started from the Sea of Consciousness, circulated through the extraordinary meridians for several cycles, and finally settled inside Jiang Feng's dantian, wandering ceaselessly.
Lasting for about three minutes, the colorful clouds dissipated.
"So comfortable!" Jiang Feng opened his eyes, parted his lips, and exhaled a breath of stale air a long distance away. Huh? Why didn't his body hurt anymore? Jiang Feng looked down and discovered that his swollen and painful wounds had all healed, leaving a layer of gray powder adhering to his exposed skin.
What is happening to me?