"Big brother, let's go out!"
Qin Hao looked at Qin Feng with eyes full of anticipation, hoping his big brother would take him out to play.
"Go out and play!?"
Qin Feng couldn't help but roll his eyes. His little brother sure thought highly of him.
As the future hopes of the Qin Family, the two brothers were under the family's complete and total protection. Even at eight years old, he had never once stepped outside the Qin Family's domain.
Of course, there was no need for him to go out.
It wasn't that the Qin Family's old ancestors forbade him from leaving, but rather that the Qin Family's estate was simply massive.
The reason the Qin Family became the number one family of the Archaic Era was not just due to the protection of their ancestors, but also because their bloodline numbered in the tens of millions, all residing within a single city.
Coupled with their family's martial tradition, which ensured every member had a cultivation base, they had forged their title as the number one family of the Archaic Era.
Unless there were special circumstances, there was simply no need to ever leave the Qin Family's city.
It was precisely because of the Qin Family's immense martial power that they, not the Great Daxia Dynasty, were the true rulers of the eastern territories.
The people living here might not know of the Great Daxia Royal Family, but they absolutely had to know of the Qin Family. Such was the downside of a world shared by a royal dynasty and powerful families.
"Big brother!!"
Qin Hao whined, shaking Qin Feng's arm pitifully, trying to get his way by acting cute.
Too bad Qin Feng wasn't falling for it. If it had been a little sister, he might have caved.
However, wanting his younger brother to have a complete childhood, he nodded and agreed. He told Qin Hao to wait for him outside the city while he went to let their mother know.
"Yay!!"
Still oblivious to the wickedness of the human heart, Qin Hao skipped away happily.
"Mother, my little brother ran away from home!!"
Qin Feng switched from a gentle big brother to a scheming little devil in a heartbeat, dashing into the house to tattle on his brother to Yun Xiyue.
[Ding! Detected Host has framed the Chosen One. 200 Villain Points awarded!]
The surrounding guards remained expressionless, long since accustomed to such scenes.
For five years, Qin Feng had been pulling one scheme after another on his brother. If they weren't mistaken, the young master would soon be handing his mother a feather duster.
A moment later—
Yun Xiyue returned, fuming, dragging Qin Hao back by the scruff of his neck like a little chick.
Qin Feng once again became the gentle big brother, stepping forward with a pained expression to explain, "Mother, don't be angry. I was the one who promised to take little brother out to play. He wasn't trying to run away from home!"
"Yeah, yeah!"
Qin Hao nodded his little head vigorously, his eyes filled with gratitude as he looked at his big brother.
But the more Qin Feng defended him, the less their mother believed it.
She figured the older one was just feeling sorry for his little brother and taking the blame to save him from a beating.
She really couldn't understand it. They were twins, born of the same parents, so how could they be so different? The older one had always been sensible and obedient, while the younger one was a troublemaker day in and day out—the kind of naughty brat who'd tear the roof off if you didn't discipline him for three days.
"Why can't you be more like your brother? All you do is cause trouble all day..."
Yun Xiyue went into full-on strict mother mode, launching into a lecture aimed at Qin Hao.
But she didn't notice Qin Feng making a silly face at his brother from behind her back. It was a joke far too funny for a five-year-old to handle.
Haha...
Finally, he couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing. Yun Xiyue, who had been on the verge of calming down, felt her anger flare right back up. She began to mentally chant a mantra.
*He's my son. I'm his mother. I can't get angry at him, and I certainly can't hit him. If I make him cry, I'll be the one to comfort him. If I hurt him, I'll be the one to heal him. It wasn't easy raising him to this age; I almost died giving birth to him.*
*If he misbehaves, it must be my fault. I haven't been teaching him properly. It's my own failing, my methods are flawed. Discipline begets a filial son, indulgence a rebellious one.*
*Patience is a virtue... but the more I think about it, the angrier I get! When you can't endure it anymore, you don't have to! Either erupt in silence or perish in it! I can no longer contain the primordial power within me...*
Seeing Qin Hao still giggling foolishly, Yun Xiyue declared her self-hypnosis a failure.
"Mother, Mother, little brother is still just a child!!"
Qin Feng rushed forward to play the good guy and block her, just happening to be holding a willow switch in his hand.
"Move! I'm going to teach him a proper lesson today!"
Furious, Yun Xiyue snatched the switch from his hand. She wouldn't feel better until she'd given the little brat a few good whacks.
"A willow switch!?"
The expressions of the surrounding guards flickered. It was different from the feather duster they had predicted.
Just as Qin Feng was waiting for his Villain Points to be credited, the sound of music suddenly drifted from the sky.
In the distance, a vast procession approached. Nine mountain-sized exotic beasts pulled a luxurious chariot, followed by a retinue flying through the air on their own exotic mounts.
If a +10 enhancement glowed, then this procession was at least a +20.
"The Lin Family of Tianxin City!"
Qin Feng recognized them at a glance. They were the absolute rulers of the western territories of Great Daxia.
Unlike the Qin Family's clan-based rule, the Lin Family of Tianxin City operated more like regional lords. They recruited many talented individuals and commanded a million-strong armored army, giving them firm control over the western territories of Great Daxia.
"I'll deal with you later!"
Yun Xiyue glared at Qin Hao, then pulled the two brothers back home.
Meanwhile, the sound of welcoming bells and drums echoed through the Qin Family City. Hundreds of thousands of high-level Qin disciples went out to greet the distinguished guests from Tianxin City, simultaneously displaying the Qin Family's formidable power.
Yun Xiyue had the two brothers change into formal attire to accompany their father, Qin Tian, in personally welcoming the guests. Unlike his usual goofy self, Qin Tian today was the very picture of domineering power.
Just by standing there, he resembled an invincible war god.
"Brother Qin Tian! It's been too long! I've missed you dearly!"
A middle-aged man in magnificent robes descended from the chariot. Upon seeing Qin Tian, he rushed forward for an enthusiastic hug. One could tell at a glance that he was a crafty old fox.
It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from "pawread dot com".
"Brother Lin Hao, I've missed you as well!"
Qin Tian let out a hearty laugh, but it was hard to tell how much sincerity it held.
"These two must be Brother Qin Tian's twins, born three years apart, yes?"
After exchanging some pleasantries, Lin Hao's gaze fell on the brothers Qin Feng and Qin Hao.
The reason he had traveled all this way to the Qin Family was for these two brothers. More accurately, the Qin Family wished to form an alliance with Tianxin City by arranging a marriage between one of the brothers and his precious daughter.
Ever since the Qin Family produced two consecutive Heaven's Prides, with the brothers even breaking records from the Archaic Era, the Great Daxia Royal Family had grown desperate. To secure their imperial authority, they began contacting other powerful families to move against the Qin Family.
For their own benefit, the Qin Family was forced to seek allies.
"That's right. This is my older son, Qin Feng, who has an Emperor's Potential. The younger one is Qin Hao, who possesses the one-in-ten-thousand Supreme Bone!"
Qin Tian proudly introduced his two fine sons.
For other families, producing a single Heaven's Pride was a blessing that would make their ancestors' graves smoke. Yet his family had produced two peerless Heaven's Prides in succession.
"The Supreme Bone is recorded in ancient texts, but who knows if this 'Emperor's Potential' is real or not."
An arrogant little lolita stepped out from behind Lin Hao. It was the little princess of Tianxin City, Lin Xiner.
Though she was only a six or seven-year-old lolita, her brows were like kingfisher feathers, her skin like white snow, her waist as slender as a bolt of silk, and her teeth like perfectly aligned shells. One look was enough to tell she would grow into a great beauty.
"Xiner, mind your manners!"
Lin Hao chided, reminding her to be mindful of the occasion.
But the arrogant little lolita never cared for such formalities. Her gaze, fixed on Qin Feng, was full of provocation. She raised a hand, snapped her fingers, and summoned a handsome youth of about fourteen or fifteen.
"He's my new servant, Lin San. Do you dare to fight him to prove yourself!?"
Lin Xiner gave Qin Feng a provocative look.
"Lin San!?"
Qin Feng sized up the boy with curiosity. He could tell this person was extraordinary, far from a minor character...
Proofreader: Peter Pan