Cultivating

Upon returning to the Feng family estate, Feng Shen wasted no time in starting his cultivation.

In the middle of the courtyard, he sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, focusing on his breathing, allowing the gentle breeze to brush against his body.

'Deep breath…'

Feng Shen took a deep inhale and then exhaled, as he began gathering Qi from his surroundings, allowing it to seep into every corner of his being, channeling it through his meridians, which opened wider.

His three dantians became increasingly harmonious, yet despite this progress, everything moved slowly.

As Feng Shen had discovered before, his E-Grade Spiritual Root severely hindered his cultivation speed.

All he could do was remain patient, allowing everything to progress naturally. He preferred to cultivate through the initial stage without relying on herb baths or pills.

After all, Feng Shen enjoyed the feeling of cultivating naturally, not wanting to force the Qi.

He aimed for a solid foundation, especially since he was still in the Qi Realm, just starting out, and he preferred to avoid external aids for now.

With hours passing by, the sun still hung high above, its warmth bearing down on Feng Shen, whose face was serious, as a little sweat formed on his forehead.

He had lost all sense of time as he became one with Heaven and Earth. Little birds perched on his shoulders and head, while a few squirrels even settled comfortably on his lap.

The maidservants, who were moving gracefully through the courtyard, tending to their tasks, caught sight of the Second Young Master.

They were taken aback, having never witnessed the Second Young Master cultivating before.

"Is that really him…? The Second Young Master is actually cultivating?" one whispered in awe.

"Unthinkable… He's doing it," another gasped, her voice trembling.

"Do you think he'll hold a grudge against us?" a third maidservant murmured, anxiety creeping into her tone.

"I…I don't know. We were so disrespectful before!" she replied, biting her lip.

As fear crept into the hearts of the maidservants, they hurriedly went about their tasks, not wanting to think about it.

However, word began to spread throughout the entire Feng estate that the Second Young Master had finally unblocked his meridians and had begun cultivating.

▬▬ι═══════ﺤ

Sitting on a bamboo chair, the First Young Master, Feng Wuhao, silently sipped tea, exuding elegance beneath a small pavilion surrounded by a tranquil lake, with a quaint bridge leading to it.

With long black hair and a striking contrast of a golden eye and a black eye, he was beyond handsome. A sword symbol adorned his forehead.

Feng Wuhao was wearing a luxurious purple robe, enhanced by the intricate garments that complemented his regal appearance.

He was surrounded by several maidservants standing off to the side, patiently awaiting his orders, their eyes filled with many emotions as they looked at him.

In front of Feng Wuhao stood a man dressed in all black, from head to toe, his skin completely concealed from view.

"From what I've heard, he's a completely different person now. He not only killed some Feng family maidservants but also took down three demi-humans, who, despite having their cultivation sealed, had natural muscular bodies."

Letting out a small cough as he gauged the First Young Master's facial expression, the Informant continued:

"He even got Xiǎo Bāo dragged to the Detention Center. Then he went to the Alchemy Pavilion, and it seems he has unblocked his meridians."

The Informant fell silent, closing his mouth and awaiting the First Young Master's response.

Despite his graceful appearance, Feng Wuhao was seething with annoyance on the inside as he had listened silently to the watcher he had hired to keep an eye on his little brother.

He had never expected his little brother to actually pose a threat to him; however, it seemed he was mistaken.

'Good thing I'm cautious; it would have been bad if I underestimated that little shit…' Feng Wuhao thought to himself, grateful that he had kept an eye on his little brother, despite having once considered him a waste.

Now, he felt a surge of paranoia, as his claim to the Patriarch seat was in jeopardy.

Feng Wuhao knew now that the resources of the Feng family would now be divided between him and his little brother, and the elders would undoubtedly start choosing sides.

On top of that, his little brother might have an immortal master, given that he had unblocked his meridians—something that was supposed to be impossible in the Upper Realm.

"Shit… this is bad… really bad." Placing his tea on the stone table, Feng Wuhao nervously began biting his fingernails—a telltale sign of his anxiety.

He racked his brain, weighing his options carefully. He didn't want to be too jumpy or overly passive; a balance was crucial in this precarious situation.

Noticing the First Young Master lost in his thoughts and silent, the Informant cleared his throat and spoke again:

"First Young Master, if I may be so bold, what do you intend to do about Xiǎo Bāo?" He wanted to pry more information, details that he could sell to other buyers.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Feng Wuhao locked his gaze onto the Informant. "Who is that?"

He was being genuine; he had no idea who that was, nor did he care. He had more pressing matters to consider at the moment.

The maidservants and the informant felt like spitting out blood upon hearing this. It was no secret that Xiǎo Bāo had a massive crush on the First Young Master.

Whenever she had the chance, she was by his side, eager to do anything for him, ready to go to great lengths to please him.

Yet, the First Young Master didn't even know who she was!?

Insane!

Feng Wuhao's irritation mounted. He had invested a considerable sum of Spirit Stones for this information, and he didn't like how the Informant was clearly attempting to pry into his future whereabouts.

He also couldn't help but think:

'Why would I lift a finger for an unknown woman? I solely focus on cultivating! Women are the greatest hindrance to a man's progress in cultivation!'