Son, Put Your Father To The Test (FF)

"Shui Qingrou greets the Second Young Master."

Shui Qingrou gave a slight bow. Her gaze didn't deliberately avoid nor flatter him. It remained calm, as if this was her natural state—ugly yet dignified, self-assured, and serene, completely unaware of her own appearance.

She was confident in her plainness.

"Th-this!!"

The smile that had been carefully prepared on Xue Zhong's face froze abruptly!

He stared at her for a moment, inspecting Shui Qingrou closely.

He realized the birthmark on her face wasn't fake; it was part of her, seamlessly blending with her skin. Moreover, this girl showed no signs of shame or discomfort. It was as if she had fully accepted herself as she was.

If she had acted too friendly, he might have suspected she was trying to scare him away by pretending to be ugly. But her demeanor was calm and polite, not overbearing or awkward.

She had an impeccable figure and graceful elegance. If one didn't look at her face, she would indeed seem like a rare beauty.

This only proved she wasn't faking it.

Objectively speaking, if someone valued character, they might appreciate such a woman and wouldn't mind holding her close.

But…

Sorry, he was the type who only cared about looks!

"Ahem... I had heard of your outstanding grace and charm even in the Tianfeng Kingdom, and now, seeing you in person, it seems those rumors were not unfounded."

Xue Zhong coughed awkwardly, giving a polite yet strained smile, and clasped his fists. "I have some urgent matters to attend to... I must take my leave!"

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and left.

Damn it, that was reckless!!

He should've known. People always exaggerated.

The Seven Martial Sect likely boasted a bit, and others followed the hype. After enough people talked her up, even an ugly woman could be transformed into a beauty in their minds...

"Hmm, according to that shady character's tips, there's supposed to be a girl named Liu Rushuang in Fenglei Valley with exceptional looks. Might as well check her out."

With that thought, he followed the "beauty hunting map" provided by the rogue prince of the Tianfeng Kingdom and flew toward Fenglei Valley.

Surely, they all couldn't be ugly, right?

Meanwhile, his old servant, tasked with protecting him, silently covered his face with his hand in shame.

What a disaster!!

The eldest son of the Xue family was known for his exceptional talent, even gaining some fame in the Eastern Region. Yet here was the second son, wasting his life as a lazy womanizer.

He did nothing productive—his only pursuit was women.

If he wasn't flirting, he was on his way to flirt.

The only reason he'd come to this decaying land was because, after being beaten up by a few noble ladies he had harassed, he realized seducing women in the Eastern Region came with high risks. Thus, he came to the Seven Kingdoms, hoping for better luck.

In larger territories, he didn't dare act out.

But surely in a smaller place, he could do as he pleased, right?

Theoretically, yes.

However, this behavior was considered disgraceful by the major powers in the Eastern Region.

As his protector, the old servant had endured years of shame, always at his master's side, aiding him in these scandalous pursuits.

Before long, the two had disappeared into the distance.

The Seven Martial Sect returned to its usual calm, and everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. But no one was in the mood to train anymore.

Having been genuinely terrified, they decided to give themselves a well-deserved break—a legitimate excuse for a day off...

By the cliffside.

Qin Chuan was equally stunned.

This wasn't how the script was supposed to go.

They had come all this way—weren't they supposed to be arrogant and overbearing, causing conflict and giving him a chance to gain experience points?

And now they just left?

Were people in this world suddenly valuing their lives more than before?

"Ahh…"

Qin Zi also exhaled in relief.

Had that Xue family second young master insisted on troubling Shui Qingrou, he would have had to step in and challenge him, demanding a duel as equals.

But even then, it would likely have ended with his father stepping in to resolve the situation, risking further aggravating his father's injuries.

So, peace was definitely the best outcome.

"Brother Qin, since you're still recovering, it's best you rest and heal. I'll take Qin Zi out for some training," Ye Lingshuang suggested.

"Mm, I'll trouble you with that," Qin Chuan nodded, his expression calm and encouraging, full of warmth.

"It's no trouble at all."

Ye Lingshuang blushed again, and after speaking softly, she transformed into a beam of golden light and returned to Qin Zi's ring.

"Father, I'll be leaving now."

Qin Zi said his goodbye, then leapt into the air, flying in the opposite direction of the Xue family's second young master.

Finally, the cliffside was left with only Qin Chuan. He pondered for a moment before heading back to the library.

Time for some reading!

After this recent event, he realized once again how shallow his knowledge was. He needed to expand his horizons.

The best way to do that was by reading!

The Seven Martial Sect's library held vast collections, covering a wide range of topics. However, most of the sect's disciples focused solely on cultivation manuals. The other miscellaneous books were largely untouched.

Everyone was busy training; very few had the leisure or curiosity to explore unrelated topics. But Qin Chuan was one of those who did.

"Now that Qin Zi is off on his own training, I can relax for a bit. The kid's got good luck, and with Ye Lingshuang by his side, he shouldn't face too much danger."

"Once he's leveled up a bit more, I'll consider taking him out of the Nine Suns Dynasty and into the Eastern Region for some more risky ventures."

…

Two months passed.

During this time, Qin Chuan was practically buried in the library, occasionally stepping out to stretch his legs and catch up on the latest news.

There had been no word about Qin Zi.

He wasn't sure whether the boy had truly learned to keep a low profile or was quietly preparing something big…

However, two major events had taken place within the Nine Suns Dynasty.

The first was:

The second young master of the Xue family from the Eastern Region, after harassing Liu Rushuang, the daughter of Fenglei Valley's Grand Elder Liu Qingshan, was soundly beaten by her!

The surprising part was that the guy didn't seem angry. Instead, he used his injuries as an excuse to stay at Fenglei Valley, refusing to leave.

His behavior was so obvious that even strangers could see through it!

On the bright side, it was rare to see a young master from a major power willing to go to such lengths just to woo a girl.

The second major event:

A maniacal tomb raider had emerged recently, desecrating the ancestral graves of numerous prominent families!

And this tomb raider was far from honorable.

Not only did they loot all the burial treasures, but they also stripped the corpses and tossed them out, even taking the coffin boards with them.

Normally, these family graves were heavily guarded, with traps and formations in place, making them nearly impossible to rob.

But this tomb raider seemed highly skilled—an expert in formations and traps, with a cultivation level of at least the Nirvana Realm.

This left everyone puzzled.

A person like that wouldn't lack wealth or treasures, so why go through the trouble of robbing tombs?

And why continue doing it?

What kind of obsession drove them to repeatedly delve into these cold, eerie graves?

Was it faith?

Love? Duty?

No one knew.

The tomb raider's identity remained a mystery, as they were careful, leaving no clues behind.

The only evidence left were the large tunnels they dug, leading some to suspect the thief was either a burly man or perhaps a very hefty individual.

"Could it be... that guy?"

Qin Chuan's face twisted with a strange expression. Considering all the clues, he couldn't help but think of someone he knew.