C6 Zhao Family!

In the secluded chamber, Qianxun felt the red orb within her core begin to spin. The faint spiritual force nestled at the base of her core started to flow through her body's meridians with the orb's movement. Like a gentle stream, it brought healing to her battered pathways, gradually mending them. Meanwhile, the small flame within her consciousness, usually fierce, now flickered gently like a tamed lion, glowing softly.

This small flame was her inherent life fire, which she should have been able to summon upon reaching the fourth level of the Qi Refining Stage. However, due to urgent circumstances and the red orb's assistance, she managed to summon it two levels early. The successful ignition of her life fire was largely thanks to the red orb. Now, it was aiding her recovery, and without it, the consequences could have been dire.

Under the vast night sky, dotted with stars and a bright moon casting its silver glow, the small city of Fallen Mountain lay beneath. In this city, the Su family held sway, with other families like the Zhao family, the Zhou family from Upper Yang Mountain, the Liu family from Lower Yang Mountain, the Wei family from Middle Kui Mountain, and the Wu family from Wu Bay all following the Su family's lead.

In the Zhao family courtyard, a man with a mustache sat cross-legged on the bed, eyes closed, resting. The room held several others, all sitting quietly, except for one young man who ate and drank without a care. He was quite handsome, though his behavior was somewhat reckless.

Three months ago, Zhao Fuming, the eighth elder of the Zhao family, brought this young man back from afar. It was said he had exceptional skills in crafting talismans and was also quite cunning. The Zhao family was the first among the five families to rise to prominence, boasting top-tier resources and techniques. Over time, they grew discontent under the Su family's shadow and harbored ambitions to dominate Fallen Mountain City. This ambition was passed down from one generation to the next, with each working tirelessly to achieve it.

This young man was the Zhao family's hope. His talent in crafting talismans was unmatched, easily handling second-level talisman paper, and his abilities were profound. However, his flaw was his weakness for women. Any woman who fell into his hands met a grim fate, either ending up dead or losing her sanity. Yet, to retain his talents, the Zhao family continuously supplied him with women. Female disciples and even maidservants of the Zhao family couldn't escape his grasp, unless they were exceptionally gifted, in which case the family head might plead for their lives, sparing them from his clutches.

To protect their talented young women, the Zhao family went so far as to secretly send them out of town, keeping the young men in the dark. They planned to bring them back once things settled down.

One of these young men was named Fuqi, but beyond that, the Zhao family knew nothing about him. Even Zhao Fuming, who brought him home, was in the dark.

Zhao Fuming, a middle-aged man with a distinctive mustache, exhaled deeply, ending his meditation, and opened his eyes. He was known for wandering far and wide, collecting odd trinkets. He brought Fuqi back because they shared a similar taste for the unusual.

"When did the Su family produce such a formidable girl? She's only at the second stage of Qi Refining, yet she managed to injure me," Zhao Fuming remarked coldly, his eyes narrowing in confusion.

"Fuming, what's going on? How did a few young disciples manage to hurt you?" asked Zhao Fusheng, the head of the Zhao family.

"I had already subdued those Su family disciples, but unexpectedly, one of the girls summoned a fire snake from who knows where, destroying many of my vines. I will definitely settle this score with her," Zhao Fuming replied, his expression twisted with malice, his mustache twitching grotesquely.

"Send someone to investigate that girl," the young man said lazily, spitting out a grape skin.

"To achieve great things, one must pay attention to everything unusual around them. It's better to know everything than to be kept in the dark, like a fool being led in circles," the young man said, his eyes wide as he looked at the Zhao brothers, enunciating each word carefully.

Fuqi stood up with a casual flair, brushing the dust off his clothes. "I should spend the night with the girl; otherwise, she'll get anxious waiting," he said, and with that, he vanished from sight. The door remained tightly shut, unmoved.

"Big brother, have we heard back from the people we sent out?" Zhao Fuming asked as he approached Zhao Fusheng.

Before Zhao Fusheng could respond, the man beside him, Zhao Fucheng, said, "Big brother, eighth brother, you two talk. We idlers will take our leave." He stood up, somewhat disgruntled, and left the room.

"Hey, fifth brother..." Zhao Fusheng called out, but Zhao Fucheng left without looking back, taking Third Master and Eighth Master with him.

Zhao Fuming clenched his fists, his gaze as sharp as a snake's as he watched the three leave. But when he turned to face Zhao Fusheng, he quickly put on a welcoming smile.

"Big brother, any news?" he asked, sitting down with Zhao Fusheng and pouring himself a cup of tea.

"Yes, most of the reports have come back. Only a few haven't returned any news yet. I fear they might not have survived," Zhao Fusheng sighed.

The Zhao family's journey to its current standing hasn't been easy. It's the result of generations of hard work, and every loss feels like a betrayal to their ancestors in Zhao Fusheng's eyes.

"Let's not worry about them anymore. Pull our people back, and do it quickly," Zhao Fuming said. After a moment of thought, he added, "Also, find out more about that girl. I'll bring you her picture tomorrow. I'm curious to see who she really is."

The two brothers discussed a few more matters before Zhao Fusheng stood up to leave. Zhao Fuming slammed his fist on the table in frustration, angered by the situation with Fifth Master Zhao. But little did anyone know, Fifth Master Zhao Fucheng was equally upset.

Before Zhao Fuming returned, Zhao Fucheng was Zhao Fusheng's right-hand man. Now, with Zhao Fuming back, he's lost his standing, and it's eating him up inside. To make matters worse, the concubine he recently took was snatched away by Fuqi, who came back with Zhao Fuming. When he found her lifeless body the next day, he was filled with both fear and rage. The bitterness of losing his concubine was something he couldn't forgive.

Yet, against Zhao Fuming and Fuqi, he felt powerless, resorting to muttering complaints to vent his dissatisfaction. The night passed quietly, and the dawn slowly spread across the horizon.

The Su Family.

"Master, something terrible has happened. Most of the disciples who went out for training have died. Only a few survived, and they're all seriously injured," a disciple reported urgently.