Translator: Kazeyuki_ Editor: Jimmy_
Qin Wushuang sat cross-legged. He took a deep breath and slowly recollected the inner strength that was traveling around his blood vessels.
Every day, he did this exercise as part of his routine. This kind of training method that used inner strength to exercise the muscles, blood vessels and bones had proven to be very helpful in increasing his power.
Inside his body, the spiritual force of the <The Sun Force> was masculine and very active. When accumulating the power in his fingertips, he was still unable to control the energy when shooting it out.
Once he had created this energy, it could move freely like a boat on the water and like a wind that could be shot out instantly. Then, he could practice that force for the <The Coagulated Sword> and turn it into an invisible Sword Qi.
These years, Qin Wushuang had continued to improve this part of his training with hard work. He could already shoot out his inner strength. However, he still needed some time to turn this energy into Sword Qi.
To be precise, he could shoot out his inner strength from his fingertips, but this force could not take a solid form. As soon as it had shot out of his fingertips, he could not take it back, and it would dissipate.
With <The Coagulated Sword> technique, you could only turn this technique into a true killing move if you could control the force and turn it into Sword Qi.
The principle of <The Coagulated Sword> lied with the word “Coagulated.” The Sword Qi would only have a killing power if you could collect the inner strength together.
Qin Wushuang knew that it was not because he lacked the talent or had practiced the wrong method.
Right now, one of the biggest reason for him not being able to use <The Coagulated Sword> freely was because he lacked some momentum and maturity!
After all, he had not trained very long in this world. There were no shortcuts in building momentum. He could only master it with hard work each day.
Right now, he was at a stage where he was about to experience a qualitative change. As soon as he gained the momentum, he could undergo a significant change, and it would not be a problem for him to use <The Coagulated Sword> at that time.
Now, he was waiting for a chance to break through the bottleneck.
Soon, the fight for the Wealthy Class seat would arrive.
Qin Wushuang would never allow himself to slack off.
The primary qualification in becoming a Wealthy Class family was to have a Stage Four Genuine Force Warrior to oversee the family. Qin Wushuang had predicted that the Xu family had at least three mighty Stage Four Genuine Force Warriors.
The strongest of them should have the strength at Stage Five of the Genuine Force!
If it was a one on one match, Qin Wushuang would not even put a Stage Five Genuine Force warrior in his eyes. A year ago, his spiritual force had already reached a strength equivalent to a warrior at Stage Seven of the Genuine Force.
Right now, he had also mastered the eighth palm: “The Scarce Burning of the Eight Suns” of the <Nine-Suns Palms>. Even if he were to face a Stage Eight Genuine Force Warrior, he was certain he would not lose, though it would require some effort.
As long as it was not a powerful Stage Nine Genuine Force Warrior, Qin Wushuang could ultimately disregard any warrior below Stage Eight with his <The Congealed Finger> and the <Nine-Suns Palms> techniques.
Thus, Qin Wushuang was very confident about the fight against the Xu family.
Only, although he could look down on his opponents regarding strength, Qin Wushuang would never be sloppy in the fight. He would never underestimate his opponents in actual combat, no matter how weak his enemies were.
Qin Wushuang estimated that in a one-on-one match, he was certain he would win against anyone sent forth by the Xu family.
In the second match, although it would be one against two, he still had absolute confidence that he could take them down.
The third round would be the most critical one. If the Xu family sent out their strongest three-person team with one Stage Five, and two Stage Four Genuine Force Warriors, then that combination using their skills together would be equivalent to a Stage Six Genuine Force Warrior. If they were good at collaboration and used the right strategies, it would still be possible for them to fight against a Stage Seven Genuine Force Warrior.
Since they would have the combat abilities of a Stage Seven Genuine Force Warrior, Qin Wushuang would not allow himself to show the slightest bit of carelessness.
Qin Wushuang was not willing to drag the fights out to the fourth or fifth rounds with the Xu family. It would be best to finish the matches as soon as possible. When one faced their enemies, the great taboos would be hesitation and hindrance.
These plans were, of course, only prepared around the fact that his father was not going to fight. In these few days, his father had been using a black and white Go chess piece to simulate the actions of both parties in order to predict the situation. He was also quite clearly worried about the lineup. It seemed that he needed to find a time to communicate with his father.
Just as Qin Wushuang was in the midst of meditating, hurried footsteps came from outside. It was his sister Qin Xiu.
“Wushuang, Wushuang.” When Qin Xiu was about seven or eight meters away from the door, she realized that she should not disturb her little brother. Thus, she tried her best to suppress the sound of her footsteps. As she walked up to the door, she lightly knocked.
Qin Wushuang opened the door: “Sister, come in.”
“Wushuang, quickly come and look. Big Brother Da Xi is drunk again. He is singing while drinking and crying. I am really worried!”
When Qin Wushuang noticed his sister’s helpless expression, he became emotional too. Inwardly, he blamed himself for being careless. These days, Da Xi Ming had came over to the inn every two or three days. He did not talk with him very much but had spent more time with his sister.
From his sister’s expression, it was likely that she had fallen in love with Da Xi Ming.
“Let’s go and look.”
Qin Wushuang had genuine feelings towards Da Xi Ming because he was one of the rare, young and smart men in River County. He had an entirely different temperament than those insect-like aristocratic boys. He was very easy-mannered and noble.
Before he had reached the hall, Qin Wushuang could hear Da Xi Ming singing in a sad voice: “The world is such a big stove, destinies are the workers that add in the fire; Yin and Yang are the firewood where everything is calcined inside…” (The meaning of this poem is that: Being alive is only a process, regardless of pain or happiness, everyone is the same)
He snatched the alcohol pot, and with his head tilted back, he downed the alcohol with a grunting sound.
After several seconds of guzzling down the alcohol, he put down the pot. Then, he started singing again and clapped his hands: “I am like a leaf in the wind, my heart is like a turbulent boat, I could not get both, where can I relieve my sadness…” (The meaning of this poem is: I could not get what I wanted, as I am like a leaf in the wind while my heart went up and down like the river. I have nowhere to express my sadness to solve this problem.)
After he had finished singing, he took another big gulp of alcohol and cried while bending over the desk. He appeared to have abandoned all his looks and restraints, he did not care about the hundred pair of eyes that stared at him in fear.
Qin Wushuang could not understand. This Da Xi Ming was a skilled guy and one of the elite among the younger generations of River County. He ranked first among the “Seven Young Masters” and he had all the fame and power. In fact, he did not lack anything, so why was he so depressed? He was like a broken leaf in the wind, and his heart was like a turbulent boat? Could it be he was forced to do something?
“Big Brother Da Xi, why are you drinking alone? How come you didn’t call me?”
Qin Wushuang walked up to the table and sat down. When Da Xi Ming raised his head and noticed Qin Wushuang, he became jubilant. He instantly grabbed Qin Wushuang’s arm: “Good brother, drink with me.”
Qin Xiu snatched the alcohol pot from Da Xi Ming’s hand. She gently bit her lips and looked at Da Xi Ming with a serious expression: “Big Brother Da Xi, please don’t drink anymore.”
Da Xi Ming was stunned. Under Qin Xiu’s gentle yet caring gaze, all of his frustration changed into a look of tenderness. Then, he sighed: “If Little Xiu is not letting me drink, then I will not drink.”
Qin Xiu’s cheeks turned slightly red, but her eyes showed a light of happiness. She felt warm and content when Da Xi Ming had called her ”Little Xiu.” Her heart was throbbing violently.
Qin Wushuang inwardly felt that the whole scene was quite funny. He thought that the bonds between his sister and Big Brother Da Xi had progressed rather quickly. They were already calling each other names such as “Big Brother Da Xi” and “Little Xiu.”
In this world, men and women had the freedom to love. The Confucian code of ethics and morality did not restrain young people in love.
However, although you had the freedom to love each other, it did not mean you could become a couple. There was an even heavier chain than morality and ethics that restrained a large number of young couples. In the end, they could not be together.
This chain was—the strict feudal systems.
It would be tough for an offspring of a Venerable family like Da Xi Ming to reach down three levels of class differences to be with a Humble Class girl like Qin Xiu.
When Qin Wushuang heard Da Xi Ming singing those sad songs, he felt that the matter that plagued him was not simple. However, an idea quickly came to Qin Wushuang after some pondering.
He wanted to know if this Da Xi Ming genuinely loved his sister. If he did, then as long as his sister liked him, he would help them to be together no matter what. His sister had not married even at the age of twenty-two years old. She had sacrificed a lot for her family. If she could not have the freedom to decide her love, how could he, as her brother, be at ease?
As for that “Demon,” it would be best if he did not come out. If he did appear, Qin Wushuang would surely have him pay a heavy price!
“Big Brother Da Xi, I want to ask you, have you fallen for my sister?” Qin Wushuang suddenly asked.
Qin Xiu had not expected her little brother to be so forward with that question. Her face immediately blushed.
Da Xi Ming remained calm and unfazed. He did not evade the question as he nodded while looking straight at Qin Wushuang’s questioning eyes: “Brother, I, Da Xi Ming, have lived for twenty-seven years and no women have ever managed to touch my heart. Until that moment when I met you and your sister, I truly felt as if the Gods have sent me a gift. For my entire life, I have been honest and dared to love and hate. That’s right, I am not only interested in your sister, but I love her so much that I am unable to hold myself back.”
“Ah,” Qin Xiu gently gasped. She had not expected that Big Brother Da Xi was also very straightforward as though he had thoroughly analyzed the thoughts in his mind.
She immediately felt a wave of happiness surge up inside her. Qin Xiu was also a woman that dared to love and hate, how could she not have fallen for Da Xi Ming at first sight?
Only, she was still a lady, and it would inappropriate for her to sit down in this situation. She withdrew with a red face: “I am going to talk to Father. So I will not have to hear you guys speaking all this nonsense!”
Qin Wushuang did not stop him. He watched his sister’s leaving figure and said thoughtfully: “Big Brother Da Xi, I am touched by your genuine words. But, I do need to remind you. There are several levels of differences between the Venerable Da Xi and my Humble Qin family. It is not going be easy.”
He was probing to see if in Da Xi Ming’s heart, whether the feudal systems or genuine love were more meaningful to him.
Distressed, Da Xi Ming shook his head: “If it was just about the feudal system prejudice, I, Da Xi Ming, would treat it as nothing. I would marry whoever I want. How could I feel troubled by such blind prejudice?”
“Then, a moment ago, I heard Big Brother Da Xi singing a very depressing song, it sounded like there was no future…”
Da Xi Ming gave a long sigh. He could not help but reach for the wine cup, but he remembered that Qin Xiu had pleaded with him to stop. Thus, he set it down in disappointment. He sighed: “This matter is a mark of shame upon my Da Xi family. There have been stories going around River County, but nobody has dared to talk about it in public, have you not heard the whispers?”
At this moment, he did not hide it and told Qin Wushuang all of the details about how the Xi Men family had forced him into a marriage.
Qin Wushuang did not speak a word after hearing the story. The Xi Men family? Number five among the “Twelve Great Feudal Lords” of Bai Yue Country?
This was not some simple matter, but a very complicated issue…
