C14 Drakenfall Continent

In Egluarsall, just below the Keep, there were four prestigious families: the Hu, Wang, Liu, and Han families, with the Hu family at the forefront. Their prominence was due to two main reasons: firstly, the Hu family patriarch, Hu Bugui, had a deep personal friendship with the City Lord, Pei Zhan, and their families were united by marriage, forming an alliance of mutual interests. Secondly, Hu Bugui's sister was married to the City Lord of Lunaria, a city equal in status to Egluarsall and one of the seven principal cities in the Northlands.

Today, Hu Bugui was celebrating the adoption of Nan Xi as his daughter, an occasion that brought the patriarchs of the Wang, Liu, and Han families to the event.

The three patriarchs, anticipating the Hu family's downfall after Hu Nao had angered Qin Feng, were eagerly awaiting the drama that would unfold. To their surprise, Hu Nao boldly challenged Qin Feng to a death match, demanding that Qin Feng refrain from troubling the Hu family for the next six months.

"Is Hu Nao truly being reckless, or is it a calculated move?" they wondered.

"It's a clever strategy. With such a crowd witnessing, how can Qin Feng refuse? If he declines, any future misfortune of the Hu family could be pinned on him, leaving him without a leg to stand on."

"Exactly. As you all know, for Qin Feng to achieve his goal, he must first preserve the honor of Northwind Keep... In essence, he has no choice but to accept Hu Nao's terms."

The three patriarchs exchanged these views not through spoken words, but through telepathy, a skill of the Spirit Speak realm, ensuring their conversation remained private.

As the patriarchs had predicted, Qin Feng reflected briefly before nodding in agreement. "Hu Nao, I must admit you've got guts, challenging me despite only being at the Sixth Heaven of Body Tempering, and you're wise to propose such a condition. I will honor your request and not trouble the Hu family for the next six months. But let's be clear: if the Hu family provokes me, don't expect me to uphold today's pact; and if others cause trouble for the Hu family, it won't be my concern either."

As he spoke, he scrutinized Hu Nao with a gaze that had lost its initial arrogance and domineering air, now replaced with a stern and weighty seriousness. It was clear he had come to realize that Hu Nao was not only a troublemaker but also quite cunning. He had berated him fiercely before forcing him into a death match, with the stipulation that for the next half year, he was not to trouble the Hu family.

Half a year might seem inconsequential, and it was uncertain whether Hu Nao could progress from the Sixth Heaven of Body Tempering to the Seventh Heaven within that time. After half a year, death still seemed inevitable. Yet, Qin Feng couldn't shake off feelings of frustration, passivity, and humiliation.

Turning to Pei Zhiyuan, Qin Feng noticed the laughter sparkling in her eyes, a clear sign of her joy and approval of his actions. His mood visibly lifted, and his voice softened considerably, "Zhiyuan, let's head back."

"Of course, Mr. Qin," Pei Zhiyuan replied with a nod, then turned to Hu Nao, "Naonao, take care." She then addressed Hu Bugui with a respectful bow, "Mr. Hu, I'll take my leave now." She and Qin Feng then made their departure.

Hu Bugui offered a warm smile and gave his son Hu Nao an encouraging pat on the shoulder before turning to welcome the various guests.

Despite Hu Nao's bloodshot eyes conveying a mix of rage and defiance, his heart was brimming with joy and excitement.

Zhiyuan, Zhiyuan, you've given yourself away!

You do care about me after all!

The seemingly trivial names "Mr. Qin" and "Naonao" spoke volumes!

The adoption ceremony at Hu Bugui's had been planned as a grand and festive occasion. However, the clash between Hu Nao and Qin Feng, culminating in the death match, had dampened spirits within the Hu family. Observing Hu Nao's offense against Qin Feng, tantamount to provoking the Northwind Keep, the guests no longer felt comfortable lingering at Hu Manor. The ceremony concluded abruptly, with many departing without partaking in the feast.

"The Hu family is on the brink of ruin."

Indeed, even though Hu Nao fought to buy the Hu family half a year, the path of martial arts is incredibly challenging. What can he achieve in a mere six months? Reaching the Seventh Heaven of Body Tempering is already a miracle. But even then, he's leagues behind Qin Feng's Second Heaven of Spirit Speak. After the six months are up, if Hu Nao dies, won't Qin Feng have free rein over the Hu family?

"Tsk, tsk, who would have thought that Hu Bugui, so wise throughout his life, would be brought down by the likes of Hu Nao."

"Hu Nao is more than just a disgrace; he's an outright calamity!"

Within a single day, rumors swirled through Egluarsall, and not a soul was in Hu Nao's corner.

And so, Hu Nao's infamy was sealed.

As the night deepened, a fierce wind raged and snowflakes danced in the air.

In the vast council hall of the Hu family, only a handful of elders with the 'Hu' prefix to their names were present, making the room feel rather empty.

Hu Bugui sat in the principal seat, his face etched with fatigue from the day's toils, his brows knitted tightly, his frame seeming all the more slender.

With a thud, Hu Nao knelt: "Father, uncles, the blame is mine for acting rashly and bringing such trouble upon our family..." As he spoke, he couldn't help but worry that these very issues would be used as leverage against his father, Hu Bugui, pressuring him to relinquish his role as the family patriarch.

But before he could finish, Hu Bubai, a man of towering stature and rugged features, slammed his hand on the table and rose to his feet. "Hu Nao, enough with your pointless words. The deed is done; there's no use in pointing fingers now. What's crucial is that we devise a strategy, unite our efforts, and tackle this problem head-on."

Hu Nao was taken aback. "Fourth Uncle, you..."

Hu Bubai's expression grew stern. "Don't you get it? Just yesterday, you were calling me an old brute. Yet here I am, not only refraining from giving you a hard time but actually defending you. It's quite straightforward. As Hu Binyu said yesterday, we are family. We can hold grudges, but we must never turn on each other. I've made my stance clear, and I won't waver."

"Besides, I understand why you scolded me yesterday after I made things difficult for your dad. If someone else insulted my father, I'd be ready to fight them to the death."

The others chimed in with agreement. Instead of blaming Hu Nao, they offered him comforting words.

Hu Nao felt a warmth in his eyes.

This was what family was all about!

He finally grasped the true meaning of family, of being one with your kin!

Hu Bufan, clad in soft armor and resembling a scholarly general, smiled slightly and said, "Hu Nao, stand up. We all witnessed today's events. Qin Feng obviously wants to curry favor with Pei Zhiyuan, yet you are her betrothed... So, even if you hadn't scolded him, he would have eventually found another pretext to trouble the Hu family. And if he were to strike us with full force, the consequences would be far graver."

"Uncle Eight makes a lot of sense!" Hu Nao, always open to advice, took Hu Bufan's words to heart and rose to his feet, scratching his head as he mused, "So it turns out, my quick thinking turned the tables, pushing Qin Feng into a corner until he publicly vowed not to harass the Hu family for six months... I'm practically a hero, risking my own life for the good of the family!"

Everyone's heart sank: "..."

This kid, does he really have to push his luck?

Sure, you enjoyed your rant, but who's left to clean up your mess in the wee hours?

And now he has the audacity to claim the title of hero.

That's just typical Hu Nao!

Hu Bubai turned to Hu Bugui, seated at the head of the table, and said, "Among the dozens of us brothers, you're the one with the highest martial skill and the sharpest mind. Please, draft a strategy quickly. We'll back you up completely to get through this ordeal."

Hu Bufan added, "You've traversed the perilous Dragon's Breath River and ventured into the Southern Land teeming with masters, returning unscathed. That feat once shook the entire Northlands. Now, with the Hu family and Hu Nao in jeopardy, it's up to you to devise a plan."

Hu Bugui nodded, ready to speak, when Hu Nao suddenly slapped his thigh and declared fiercely, "Screw it, I'm going all in! Dad, uncles, I've decided to train at Dragon's Breath River to quickly advance my cultivation. Ultimately, if I can defeat Qin Feng in the death match six months from now, all our problems will be solved."

"I may not fully grasp the dynamics within Northwind Keep, but I suspect it's similar to any large clan with its various factions and entangled interests. Qin Feng doesn't wholly represent Northwind Keep. As long as I demonstrate my exceptional talent and potential, I'm certain to attract the attention of other factions. Then, we won't have to worry about lacking support for our family."

Everyone was stunned, looking at Hu Nao in disbelief.

Ancient texts recount that billions of years ago, in the primordial chaos, the world was shrouded in boundless darkness. Demons roamed, dire beasts abounded, and among them, the Nagas reigned supreme. Known for their lascivious nature, they mated with many races, giving rise to the legend of the dragon's nine offspring.

Due to their excessive debauchery, the Nagas were despised by all races, cursed and slaughtered generation after generation.

Hence, the combined territories of the Snowlands and the Southern Land were named Drakenfall!

The Dragon's Breath River, separating the Northlands from the Southern Land, was once a battlefield for slaying dragons in ancient times!

The Dragon's Breath River is a perilous zone within Drakenfall, steeped in a heavy aura of slaughter and infinite resentment. Most terrifying is the rumor that remnants of the Nagas still lurk within. Not just for a mere Sixth Heaven Body Tempering cultivator like Hu Nao, but even for a master who has entered the Spirit Speak Realm, survival is a narrow escape, fraught with constant peril.

Thus, when the Hu family's dozens of experts heard Hu Nao's intention to train at Dragon's Breath River, they were all taken aback...

Only Hu Bugui's eyes shone with excitement. He fixed his gaze on Hu Nao and asked solemnly, "Naonao, the Dragon's Breath River is fraught with danger. I myself ventured there only after reaching the Spirit Speak Realm. Are you sure about this?"

"I've made up my mind."

"Aren't you afraid of death?"

"I am, but I fear dying at the hands of that cur, Qin Feng, even more."

Every time Hu Nao thought of Qin Feng, his anger was uncontrollable. He wished he could slap that cur to death.

Sadly, the gap between him and Qin Feng was vast.

Only through life-and-death experiences, pushing his body's potential to the limit, could he hope to achieve a breakthrough in his realm as quickly as possible.

"Good!" Hu Bugui stood up and gave Hu Nao a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

Standing nearby, Hu Bubai heaved a long sigh and admitted with a sense of shame, "Yesterday, I boasted that you wouldn't know how to teach your son. Now, I see that I was profoundly mistaken."

He, for one, couldn't bear the thought of sending his daughter, Hu Xiangsi, to train at Dragon's Breath River, thereby restricting her potential for growth.