It was time for the daily herbal bath—a treatment others could only dream of.
Honestly, Feng Hao wished he could give it up.
If not for this privilege, he wouldn’t have been branded a mediocre talent by everyone around him.
“It’s ready.”
The family’s sole medicine refiner, Fourth Elder Feng Shun, sprinkled several dozen herbs evenly into the wooden tub.
He spoke to Feng Hao without any warmth, then left on his own.
Feng Hao exhaled softly and walked to the tub.
The warm water had turned a pale green from the herbs.
He slowly undressed and climbed in.
Gradually, he felt the cool medicinal essence seep through his skin into his body.
Normally, the essence should have been absorbed by his muscles, strengthening them and raising his rank.
But it never happened.
The moment it entered him, it flowed straight into his abdomen and vanished without a trace.
“Why does this happen?
Why?”
Still only a third-rank Martial Apprentice, Feng Hao couldn’t see inside his own body.
But he could feel it—a bottomless pit inside him, greedily devouring every last drop of the medicinal essence, leaving nothing for him.
Within moments, the tub’s herbal properties were completely spent.
He stared at the clear water, wanting to cry but having no tears.
“Maybe I really am just a waste.”
He smiled bitterly, got out, dressed, and left.
That night, the bright moon hung high, pouring cold light across the sky.
Thump!
Thump!
Thump!
Feng Hao was striking a training post—a moving post shaped like a cross, made of four thick wooden arms.
The harder you hit the left arm, the harder the right arm swung back at you.
It didn’t just train your body; it trained your control over force.
When he first started using this post, he had taken quite a beating.
Every session left him bruised and swollen as he gradually increased the force.
From his window, Feng Chen watched with a soft sigh.
His eyes flickered with complex emotions.
Then he closed the window.
The next morning, Feng Hao was heading to the training ground.
“Hao’er.”
Feng Chen stopped him.
“Change your clothes.
You’re coming with me to the Wan residence.”
“The Wan residence?”
Feng Hao frowned, but he answered, “Yes.”
He didn’t know why, but he had a feeling it had something to do with the icy woman from yesterday.
Joining them were the four elders, each bringing their own direct descendants.
When the four children saw Feng Hao, they snorted contemptuously.
Feng Chen’s brow furrowed deeply, but he said nothing.
The Wan residence was unusually bustling that day.
Nearly every power in Yulan City had received an invitation, announcing that Wan Xin had been selected by an instructor from the Fengyue Martial Academy and taken on as a personal disciple.
She would be brought to the academy for training.
This was a windfall from heaven.
The other families, upon receiving the invitation, stared with envious red eyes.
The Fengyue Martial Academy was no small establishment.
It was the largest martial academy in the Xilan Kingdom, located in the royal capital.
Every major and minor power in the kingdom was desperate to send their children there.
So, when word spread that a Fengyue instructor had come to take an apprentice on her own initiative, everyone knew the Wan family was about to produce someone extraordinary.
Coincidentally, the instructor had been passing through Yulan City when she encountered Wan Xin.
She discovered the girl possessed an elemental affinity—and it matched her own ice element.
She took an immediate interest.
With invitations delivered, the Feng family party entered the Wan family’s main hall.
Feng Hao scanned the room.
The icy woman sat at the head, with Wan Shuo beside her, smiling broadly and chatting.
Wan Xin stood obediently behind the woman.
Seated on either side were the heads and elders of the other two great clans, each with their direct descendants standing behind them.
The intent was clear—to test their luck.
If one of their children was chosen, it would be a massive boon.
When the Feng family walked in, the atmosphere turned awkward.
There were no seats left.
Feng Chen and the others darkened visibly.
Wan Shuo, as host, saw this but made no move.
The other two families and the minor powers of Yulan City all noticed.
They cast amused glances at Feng Chen.
If the next head of the Feng family was truly a mediocre talent like Feng Hao, the Feng clan would surely fall from its position among the four great families.
“Brother Hao!”
A crisp voice rang out.
A figure in a pure white dress came running down from the head of the hall without a care for the onlookers and looped her arm through Feng Hao’s.
She was just a child, free of guile.
She only knew she liked this brother.
Nothing more.
But her action drew a wave of stunned looks.
The matter of Feng Hao and Wan Xin was practically unknown—even Feng Chen had no idea.
What was this about?
Everyone turned to Wan Shuo.
“Xin’er.
Come here.”
Wan Shuo’s face was dark.
He stood and barked the order.
“Oh.”
Wan Xin pouted, a look of grievance in her bright eyes.
She glanced reluctantly at Feng Hao, and only under his reassuring gaze did she walk slowly back.
“Head of the Feng family.”
Wan Shuo’s mouth twitched as he looked at Feng Hao.
He addressed Feng Chen directly.
“Keep your son away from my daughter.
If you can’t manage that, I’ll find another way to resolve this.”
His voice was low, but his aggressive words made the entire Feng party’s faces change.
This was a public slap to the Feng family’s dignity.
No face was spared.
The room turned to watch the Feng party with looks of schadenfreude.
“It’s not like that!”
“Xin’er!”
Wan Xin tried to explain, but her father cut her off.
She could only stare uneasily at Feng Hao, moisture gathering in her eyes.
“A mediocre waste like you—do you think you deserve my daughter?”
Wan Shuo pointed a finger directly at Feng Hao.
“You—!”
Feng Chen’s body trembled.
He was too furious to speak.
The Feng family’s face was utterly destroyed.
The direct descendants of the elders who had come along glared at Feng Hao with unconcealed resentment.