Chapter Two: Determination

  Yunwu Mountain Villa, located on the waist of Donglan Mountain, has a team of brave soldiers patrolling and protecting it aboveboard. The powerful masters lurking in the dark are unknown to outsiders. Moreover, Yunwu Mountain Villa is also the mountain villa of Zhen Dong Wang, who dares to offend him and risk their lives.

  Outside the main gate of Yunwu Villa, there were two giant stone lions. Two warriors wearing black armor stood on either side of the gate, scanning the outside with their eyes. They stood tall like solitary pines, and their robust bodies naturally emitted a fierce aura that only true warriors who had experienced bloody battlefields could possess.

  "Your Highness!"

  Two Black Armor warriors suddenly knelt down on one knee and said respectfully.

  Qin Yu quickly jumped down from the tiger's back, and the black eagle on Qin Yu's shoulder was very stable. At this moment, Qin Yu was obviously very excited and happy, running rapidly towards the gate, while smiling at the two warriors: "Two uncles, hurry up."

  Two Black Armor warriors also stood up, looking at Qin Yu's small figure rushing into the courtyard, with a hint of concern in their eyes.

  "Hehe, Big Brother and Second Brother must be soaking in the hot springs." Qin Yu didn't need to think much, directly running towards the west courtyard of Yunwu Mountain Villa where the hot springs were located, muttering to himself, "Hmph, these two guys dare to casually enter the hot springs without my permission as the master of Yunwu Mountain Villa..."

  In an instant, Qin Yu had already rushed to the west garden of the mountain villa.

  Qin Yu's hands were on his hips, and suddenly his right hand pointed out. His spirit was fierce as he glared at the two people in the hot spring, saying: "You two are quite bold! Without getting permission from me, the master of this estate, you dare to secretly enter this forbidden place...!" Qin Yu only had time to shout loudly once before a hand suddenly stretched out and pulled him violently. His body became unstable, and he fell towards the hot spring.

  "I haven't even taken off my clothes yet!" As soon as Qin Yu shouted, he had already fallen into the hot spring with a "plop" sound, splashing countless water droplets. The black eagle on Qin Yu's shoulder flapped its wings hastily and continuously, fortunately not falling into the hot spring; otherwise, this future male eagle would have become a drowned chicken.

  "Hey, Xiao Yu, you're actually more arrogant than your second brother and big brother, it's really too much! Your second brother and big brother are suffering every day, but you get to soak in the hot springs of Yunwu Mountain Villa every day!" A young man said with a tone of discontent, but deep down in his eyes, there was a hint of a smile.

  "Gasp!"

  Qin Yu suddenly spat out the water in his mouth, and his whole body was completely soaked. Qin Yu glared at the young man in front of him with a puffed up face.

  "Second brother, it's really you. I knew it was you. Only you would drag me into this. Big brother wouldn't." Qin Yu quickly took off his top and pants, wearing only his underwear as he soaked in the hot spring, looking at his second brother Qin Zheng with dissatisfaction.

  Qin Zheng was only a twelve-year-old boy at this moment, but his face always had a kind and gentle smile, making people feel like they were basking in the warm spring breeze whenever he interacted with them. However, when facing his own brothers, Qin Zheng would occasionally display some youthful mischief.

  "You're calling him big brother? Haha, he's almost asleep." Qin Zheng laughed loudly and said.

  "Second brother, do you think your big brother is a pig or something, falling asleep so quickly?" The cold and stern young man who was quietly lying on the other side of the hot spring with his eyes closed opened them and said to Qin Zheng, then smiled at Qin Yu: "Little Yu, this Cloud Mist Mountain Villa's hot spring really is effective. Last time I soaked in it once, the scars on my body lightened by a lot, only leaving faint marks. If I soak for a few more days, I estimate my whole body will be like yours."

  This is Qin Yu's older brother, Qin Feng, who is already 16 years old this year. Due to his martial arts training, he looks like an 18 or 19-year-old. Older brother Qin Feng is someone Qin Yu greatly admires. The last time he saw his older brother, he personally witnessed him punch a wooden stake as thick as a leg into powder with one fist, and Qin Yu was very envious.

  When he heard his brother mention the miraculous effects of the hot spring, Qin Yu stood up with a proud expression, puffed out his chest and raised his head, saying: "Needless to say, the hot springs of Yunwu Mountain Villa are indeed effective! Humph, don't you know who the master of Yunwu Mountain Villa is? But it's me, your younger brother!"

  "You little scamp!"

  Big Brother Qin Feng and Second Brother Qin Zheng both burst out laughing.

  Qin Yu and his two elder brothers hadn't seen each other for a long time, so they started joking around. However, Qin Feng and Qin Zheng were slightly more gentle with Qin Yu, treating their younger brother with great affection. Since they didn't have a mother, they naturally cared even more about their younger sibling.

  After frolicking for a long time, Qin Yu also lay down quietly in the hot spring, and so did Qin Feng and Qin Zheng.

  "Big Brother, Second Brother, aren't you both very busy? How did you have the chance to come here?" Qin Yu asked.

  "Father, he..." Qin Feng seemed to have said something wrong and immediately added, "Actually, there's nothing going on. The military side is just temporarily quiet, so I came back. Father also agreed, and I found my second brother, so I brought him along."

  Qin Zheng also nodded, smiling at Qin Yu: "Yes, you don't know, I came this time and made an effort to squeeze out some time, but even so, there is only half a day's rest time, after half a day, I will have to rush back."

  "I'm also leaving with Second Brother in half a day," Qin Feng said apologetically.

  "Oh, just half a day." Qin Yu responded with a somewhat despondent tone, his previous excitement and playfulness completely gone.

  Qin Yu had three close relatives, his father and two older brothers. His father was very busy and only came once every two years. He could hardly see his two brothers, but after half a day, he would be alone again. Perhaps there was also the 'little black' one by the hot spring.

  Qin Feng and Qin Zheng looked at each other, both feeling helpless in their hearts.

  "Big brother, Father King went to the boundless desolate wilderness, is he teaching you many ways of leading troops?" Qin Yu suddenly smiled again and asked immediately, "I know Father King's troop leadership is very formidable, even Grandfather often talks about it."

  "Yes, Father was indeed very formidable in leading troops. I practiced military chess with him for half a year before barely meeting his requirements." Qin Feng seemed to recall the old days and said unintentionally, "Father's leadership is really amazing!"

  "Big brother!" Qin Zheng looked at Qin Feng, who suddenly felt a pang in his heart and couldn't help but smile wryly to himself, knowing he had misspoken.

  Qin Yu seemed to be not paying attention at all, but his face was very excited, and he began to talk with Qin Zheng and Qin Feng about their recent events. The three brothers chatted for a long time in the hot spring, and after dinner, Qin Feng and Qin Zheng were ready to leave.

  Outside Yunwu Villa.

  Qin Yu wore a black brocade robe, looking at Qin Feng and Qin Zheng in the distance, waving his hand repeatedly.

  "Goodbye, Big Brother, Second Brother." Qin Yu's eyes flickered with reluctance.

  Qin Feng and Qin Zheng turned back to smile at Qin Yu, then the two of them mounted the two fierce tigers, with nearly a hundred elite soldiers riding behind them on fierce tigers as well. In an instant, they had vanished into the mountain path, leaving no trace.

  ……

  Under the mountain path, Qin Feng and Qin Zheng rode side by side on a fierce tiger.

  "Big brother, you've said something wrong this time. Xiao Yu doesn't like schemes and plots, and because of his Dan Tian problem, he can't cultivate to become a martial general either. So neither literature nor martial arts will work out for him. Father has put all his energy into us, but Xiao Yu rarely gets to see Father even once a year, leaving him alone and isolated. You say Father and you have been practicing military strategy together for half a year, what do you think Xiao Yu would feel?" Qin Zheng said to Qin Feng, looking very annoyed.

  Qin Feng sighed with a bitter smile and said, "Second brother, I wasn't paying attention for a moment. Now that I've said it, I regret it too."

  Suddenly, Qin Feng's face turned cold and stern: "Second brother, Xiao Yu was born with a problem in his dantian, he is not good at either literature or martial arts, and has no great ability to protect himself. We must protect Xiao Yu well, absolutely cannot let him be bullied by anyone."

  "Who dares to bully Xiao Yu, I will make him regret coming into this world!" A cold glint flashed in Qin Zheng's eyes.

  The two brothers left with their guards and soon departed from Donglan Mountain, heading towards Yanjing City.

  ……

  Deep in the night, on top of Donglan Mountain.

  In the cold wind, a thin figure sat on top of the mountain, with a black eagle quietly perched on his shoulder. Qin Yu gazed at the starry sky, his eyes filled with a maturity that surpassed his peers.

  Every day, alone in his study, reading books or thinking by himself, Qin Yu's mind far surpassed that of an eight-year-old child.

  "Little Black." Qin Yu suddenly spoke up, but his eyes were still gazing at the starry sky. The black eagle on Qin Yu's shoulder moved slightly, its shiny black eyes turning around twice, but it didn't know why its little master was calling it.

  Qin Yu's face suddenly had a hint of a smile, a radiant and happy smile: "Xiao Hei, do you know? When I was very young, my father would often be by my side, showing me great care. Later, when the twelve teachers arrived, Father had me follow them to learn, even though I didn't like studying those things. I still tried hard to learn, so that Father could be happy. I picked up those characters quickly, and Father even praised me as a child prodigy... but later..."

  Qin Yu fell silent.

  "When I was six years old, I remember it clearly. In the quiet courtyard of the Wang Mansion, those twelve teachers said that I couldn't become a superior being. Later, Uncle Feng also said that I had a problem with my dantian and couldn't accumulate internal energy or cultivate it. After that, I came to Yunwu Mountain Villa. And then... Father King no longer valued me or cared about me. At the time, I didn't know what 'dantian' meant or what 'superior being' meant. I thought Father King was really letting me come here to play, but..."

  Qin Yu lowered his head and bit his lip, his eyes filled with melancholy: "In the past two years, I've also asked those royal uncles about the meaning of 'dan tian' and 'upper position', I think I should have understood why Father King no longer values me."

  Qin Yu fell silent again, looking up at the starry sky.

  "I really don't like those books about power struggles and conspiracies, really, I've forced myself to. I really, really want to see Father's smile, to hear Father's praise for me, but those conspiracy books, those poisonous plots, those cunning schemes...I, I force myself, suppress myself to read them, I know all about the plots and strategies, but I just can't do it! I can't do it, Father, I really can't!"

  Qin Yu sobbed quietly, his frail body trembling. The little black bird beside him gazed at Qin Yu with its beady eyes and used its small wings to wipe away Qin Yu's tears.

  Qin Yu turned his head to look at the black eagle on his shoulder, and suddenly hugged it tightly in his arms. The black eagle was very quiet in Qin Yu's embrace, as if it knew its young master's mood at this moment: "Little Hei, I really want to hear Father King's praise, want to see Father King's happy smile, really want..." Qin Yu whispered softly.

  ……

  In the dark place at the top of the mountain, three masters who secretly protected Qin Yu couldn't help but sigh.

  Suddenly——

  A meteor streaked across the sky, its brilliance dazzling, and for a moment, the meteor's glow surpassed that of any other star in the sky.

  "Shooting star!"

  Qin Yu's eyes suddenly lit up, and he immediately released the small black thing from his arms, stood up, closed his eyes tightly, and clasped his hands in front of him: "Let Father King worry about me, just like he treats my older brothers. Beat me, punish me, I'm not afraid, as long as he doesn't ignore me, that's enough."

  Qin Yu slowly opened his eyes and looked at the shooting star that had already reached the end of the sky.

  "My father once said that making a wish before a shooting star will make it come true. My father wouldn't lie to me, so it's definitely going to happen." Looking up at the starry sky, Qin Yu's young face was filled with determination.

  Suddenly, a gleam of inspiration flashed in Qin Yu's mind.

  Qin Yu's eyes suddenly lit up, and he slapped his forehead: "Ah, I'm so stupid! Wen Wu, Wen Wu, if I don't have the literary talent, does that mean I won't be able to master martial arts either? Uncle Wang said there are countless inner strength techniques in the world, maybe there's one that suits my dantian. Even if not, do I necessarily need inner strength to practice martial arts?"

  Qin Yu was, after all, just an eight-year-old child. Although he had matured a lot because of reading many books by himself, he was still just a child. In the past, Feng Yuzi had said that his dantian had problems and couldn't cultivate, which had formed Qin Yu's fixed mindset. Only now did he suddenly come to a realization.

  Is it really impossible to cultivate with such an unusual dantian?

  "It's all right, as long as the work is deep and the iron pestle is ground into a needle, this principle was said by my father, as long as I work hard, I will definitely succeed." Qin Yu nodded heavily to himself, his eyes full of unshakeable confidence and determination.

  "Xiao Hei, let's go, back to the mountain villa!" Qin Yu said as he did, with a goal in mind, everything would be different.

  The black eagle at this moment on Qin Yu's shoulder seemed to be very happy, flapping its wings continuously. Qin Yu jumped and ran towards the Yunwu Mountain Villa. In an instant, three black figures flashed by, like three wisps of smoke chasing after Qin Yu.