Proud Sword Soaring Clouds

[*Sweatdrop*, chest tightness, a nosebleed... It’s probably from staying up all night, but I finally got the update out before midnight. Ah, the New Year... hurry up and be over! I’m asking for a few monthly tickets. Everyone, please check—if I don’t get five hundred, Xiaodao will miss out on a one-thousand-yuan bonus. *Sweatdrop*... I know it’s a bit shameless to ask, but please, lend me your support! Thank you all!]

Deep within the Qin Family Island, in a secret chamber dozens of meters underground, Patriarch Qin, Qin Zhaoran, was currently kneeling and speaking as if to thin air, his tone heavy.

"Ancestor, what on earth happened yesterday? Didn’t we have an agreement with Lord Divine Dragon that he wouldn’t proactively snatch people from our territory for the time being? Once a large batch of people are sent his way, will he still need to worry about going hungry? One person went missing last night, and all sorts of rumors have appeared today! And... I can’t shake the feeling that someone is specifically targeting our Qin Family! This is highly unusual. The rumors say the plan to besiege the Tier Nine Magical Beast is a trap set by our Qin Family. Damn it! Which bastard is spreading these lies!"

"Zhaoran, calm yourself. What’s there to panic about? It was just some nobody from an insignificant little sect. Rumors? Rumors are a good thing! Without them, how would we pique the interest of those old fossils? A Tier Nine Magical Beast... It’s been many years since one has appeared before humanity. I’m sure there will be people interested in it! Hmph. There’s no shortage of people who overestimate their own abilities, so you have nothing to fear!"

An ancient voice echoed in the secret chamber, yet there was no second figure to be seen. An ordinary person would have been terrified, their hair standing on end.

Qin Zhaoran, however, seemed accustomed to this kind of conversation. He said worriedly, "Ancestor, I’m afraid... Our family has been planning this for many years. We cannot let it all fall apart at the most critical moment!"

"Rest assured. Everything... is under our control! As for those who’ve come to the island, once they arrive, heh heh, they can forget about leaving! They are all beautiful, delicious morsels of food. How could we possibly let them go? JEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH!"

"There is one more thing. As you know, Ancestor, my son, Qin Feng, has been exceptionally talented since childhood. Nurtured with elixirs, he has now reached the realm of a Sixth Rank Demon Sword Master. Ancestor, do you think... it might be time to let him in on certain matters?" Qin Zhaoran asked cautiously.

"There’s no need! Hmph. As a descendant of our Qin Family, the most important thing is to obey the arrangements of his elders! Otherwise... what does he plan to do? Don’t think for a second that just because we old relics are stuck in here all day, we know nothing. You tell that boy of yours to focus on his cultivation! Our Qin Family is destined to rule the world! A woman and some punk... what do they matter? How can he neglect his cultivation for their sake? Once he is powerful, what kind of woman will be beyond his reach? What revenge will he be unable to exact?"

"Yes, Ancestor. I understand," Qin Zhaoran said with the utmost respect. He remained kneeling, kowtowed several times, and then turned to leave.

Once outside, Qin Zhaoran couldn’t help but think resentfully, ’You’ve already reached the level of Sword Venerable, so just focus on your own cultivation! Why do you still watch the family’s every move day in and day out? Do you think your descendants can’t even manage the family properly? Hmph! I, for one, believe that if my son can’t overcome this fixation, his cultivation will never advance another inch!’

’That couple is quite cunning, though. They vanished right after setting foot on the island. It’s so strange. Plenty of people saw them check into the finest suite, so how did they just disappear? I’ve had men search the place high and low for the past two days, but they haven’t found a trace of them.’

’But... hmph.’ Qin Zhaoran sneered inwardly. ’So what? Right now, all ships can only come in, not go out. I refuse to believe you can sprout wings and fly away from this island deep in the ocean!’

’When the time comes, no one without Qin Family blood will escape the might of Lord Divine Dragon!’

...

Qin Feng was also furious today. Only yesterday, he had learned from his father that the Tier Nine Magical Beast was the Qin Family’s Guardian Divine Beast, and now, rumors were already spreading about a grand conspiracy involving the beast and his family.

"It must have been Ling Xiao! It must have been!"

Hating someone doesn’t require much of a reason, and Qin Feng had more than enough reason to despise Ling Xiao. The grudge of having one’s woman stolen was something no man with an ounce of pride could tolerate. Thus, regardless of how shrewd Qin Feng normally was, at this moment, he was beginning to lose his reason.

More importantly, Ling Xiao and Song Mingyue had vanished right under his nose, on his own family’s territory!

"Goddammit!"

Qin Feng slammed his fist onto the thick table, sending everything on it clattering. His eyes were bloodshot as he clenched his fists. "Ling Xiao, you’re a clever one, but don’t even think about leaving the Qin Family Island alive!"

In contrast to the reactions of the Qin Family, the disciples from the various families and sects attending the event were now in a complicated state of mind. Some were even clamoring to leave. Weren’t they told they were free to come and go as they pleased?

However, when they reached the docks, they found that all the ships had vanished. After grabbing a few Qin Family disciples and demanding an explanation, they were told that the ships had gone to pick up more guests. Since an Alliance Leader and Elders were about to be elected, many more powerful individuals from the major families and sects were still on their way.

While this explanation managed to placate some, it planted seeds of doubt in the minds of many others. Numerous letters were dispatched via the messenger hawks they carried.