Chapter 3: What is Man?

  Returning to the mansion, Qin Long hastily ordered a servant to bring over a large basin of low-grade spiritual beast blood. After hesitating for a moment, he placed the scroll into the wooden basin filled with the spiritual beast's blood. If fresh blood could reveal the seal on the scroll, then being soaked in it should make all the hidden things on the scroll appear.

  "Shao Zu... Shao Zu, the clan leader summons you to the Grand Hall of Deliberation!" Just then, a low voice called out from outside the room.

  Qin Long furrowed his brow. The grand hall of the Qin family was only convened when a major event occurred within the clan, and the elders and high-ranking members gathered to discuss matters.

  "Is it coming?" Qin Long's eyes gazed forward, muttering to himself. He picked up his animal hide coat, his expression calm. What was destined to come would eventually arrive!

  The Grand Council Chamber of the Qin Family.

  When Qin Long, wrapped in a beast skin coat, walked into the grand hall of deliberation, he found that almost all the high-ranking members of the Qin family were present, and his father, Qin Changkong, was sitting upright at the top of the hall, expressionless. When he saw Qin Long enter, his eyes narrowed slightly, seemingly unintentionally.

  In the center of the grand hall, Qin Zhan and several young elites of the Qin family stood upright! As soon as they sensed Qin Long's arrival, everyone's gaze turned to him, with different expressions in their eyes, mostly filled with sympathy, pity, and regret.

  Qin Long ignored these gazes, sweeping his eyes across the grand hall. What made him pause for a moment was that Uncle Gong, who was guarding the third floor of the library, had also arrived at the council hall. He was probably invited by Qin Zhan just now!

  At this time, Qin Long sensed a thread of icy and scorching gaze, he slightly turned his head, glanced at the middle-aged man with double temples dyed frost sitting in the front row, his eyes slightly condensed. This man had a few similarities with Qin Zhan between his sword eyebrows and starry eyes. Beside him was an elegant woman, her eyes gazed calmly at Qin Long, smiling lightly: "The same purple hair, but the nephew looks exactly like my younger sister."

  The entire hall was silent, with only the softly smiling woman and her clear oriole-like words.

  Qin Long's expression was taken aback, younger brother and sister? Was she talking about his mother?

  To Qin Long, his mother was just a concept, a title. He had no impression of her in his memory. He had asked around before and finally found out that his mother also had purple hair.

  Qin Zhang sat upright, his expression unchanged, but his right hand resting on the armrest of the chair trembled slightly. He said calmly, "Elder sister has come from afar, probably not just to see Shao Zu. Since Shao Zu is already here, then what is the purpose of the council meeting convened by the Great Elder?"

  The old man on the right stroked his left thumb ring with a smile, secretly scolding in his heart. His face was full of confidence as he said: "In the past, when the previous generation's patriarch passed away, he left behind a will that stated 'the Qin family is inferior, and only the capable should lead it!' As everyone knows, the younger generation has not yet entered the Bone Refining Realm. Therefore, this time, I have gathered all of you to discuss whether or not the position of the younger generation should be changed!"

  "Qin Hao, what do you mean by this? The position of the clan leader is a great honor and achievement, only those with outstanding qualifications can occupy it. Except for Young Master Qin Long, who else has the right to take this position?" A middle-aged man heard this and immediately opened his mouth to rebuke him! This person was the Second Elder, who had a very close relationship with Qin Changkong. Although he had already heard rumors about this, when he actually heard Qin Hao's words, he couldn't help but directly address Qin Hao by name and scold him.

  "What has the clan head sacrificed for the Qin family? If Qin Long is not qualified to sit in the position of the young master of the Qin family, who is?"

  "The Qin family has the qualifications to sit in the position of the younger generation, but the problem is that none of the younger generation have entered the Bone Refining Realm!! He will never be able to activate his innate power bone in his lifetime. I wonder, if an ordinary person becomes a member of the younger generation, or even the patriarch, what about the forces that have been secretly competing with my Qin family all these years? Haha, I'm afraid that by then, my Qin family will inevitably collapse on its own, and the power accumulated by our ancestors will also be lost." Qin Haolong said loudly, his voice filling the grand hall, instantly silencing the murmurs of dissent. Everyone fell into deep thought.

  The Qin family is no longer a small family from hundreds of years ago, the Qin family has become one of the top families in Mingyue City. A tree wants to be still but the wind will not stop, even if the Qin family does not provoke other forces, they will still suffer attacks from other forces. At that time, as just an ordinary person, the head of the family will inevitably be unable to suppress the heroes.

  "The vast sky, it's not that Big Sister said you're not worthy, but the Qin family is one we've watched grow up. Big Sister doesn't want to see the Qin family fall into your hands! You want to protect you for life, we also understand, but no matter who sits in the position of the younger generation, you will surely be glorious and wealthy all your life. Big Sister guarantees it for you, as long as I'm alive, no one dares to bully you in the slightest." The middle-aged woman's expression was calm, her clear and beautiful eyes gazing steadily at Qin Longkong, speaking slowly and unhurriedly.

  Qin Long stood in the center of the grand hall, his expression calm and collected, ignoring the woman's words. His eyes were fixed intently on his father, Qin Changkong, who sat silently at the top with a broad axe.

  At this moment, Qin Long suddenly caught a glimpse of old age on his father's stern face. This made Qin Long's heart tremble, in his heart, his father was always high above, majestic and powerful, over the years, he had been invincible, killing with one word, when had he ever shown a hint of fatigue? But facing Qin Hao and the woman's pressure, he revealed old age.

  He may be strong and powerful now, but what does it matter? He will eventually grow old, he will eventually have to hand over the position of tribe leader! If his son is ordinary, he will be powerless to change anything.

  Qin Long's eyes converged into a sharp point, his lips tightly pursed, not uttering a single word! He couldn't remain expressionless, he was only a fifteen-year-old youth, just an ordinary mortal, nothing more.

  "Let the young master hand over the title of the minority, it is also for the consideration of my Qin family. If the young master is willing to hand over the position of the minority, I will compensate with two pages of incomplete spiritual repair techniques, this is what I can do for the young master!" Seeing Qin Longkong not speaking, the woman's right hand turned, and two yellow wax papers appeared in her hand! Between her eyebrows, there was an air of self-confidence and joy that could not be concealed.

  She believed that Qin Changkong would not refuse, she believed that Qin Changkong would definitely agree! But what surprised the woman and Qin Hao was that after Qin Changkong heard the secret of spiritual cultivation, he only glanced at the two pages of secrets in the woman's hand, still expressionless.

  Compared to Qin Changkong's calmness, Qin Long, standing in the center of the grand hall, was as if struck by lightning. He held his breath, his eyes trembling as he stared at the two pages of paper in the woman's hand. In his heart, there was an urgent desire to obtain these two pages of secrets. Although they were only two pages, he knew that he might be able to learn how to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth from them.

  If he can absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, he will be able to make up for his lack of qi and blood. In that case, he will inevitably become a master in one leap!!

  He never thought that the spiritual cultivation secret he had always dreamed of would be so close to him. At this moment, he would rather give up his position as a young master than obtain these two incomplete pages of spiritual cultivation secrets.

  Qin Changkong, who was sitting right above, saw Qin Long like that, and finally had a slight movement on his calm and majestic face. He narrowed his tiger eyes, staring at Qin Long, without saying a word.

  Qin Hao stared intently at Qin Changkong, catching the subtle change on his face as a smile finally emerged. Qin Changkong's reaction filled him with great joy. Even if you are the clan leader, what does it matter? You still can't get the spiritual cultivation manual! He glanced sideways at the two ancient-looking papers in the woman's hand and said proudly: "This manual is called the Small Spirit Wind Manual, obtained by my wife from the Flowing Cloud Sect. Although it only has two pages, it should be enough to introduce you to the world of spiritual cultivation! Clan leader, for the sake of the Qin family, let the position of junior clan leader be selected among the outstanding young people in the Qin family. This is good for both the Qin family and the young master."

  Everyone's eyes were focused on the two pages of paper in the woman's hand, this is a spiritual cultivation technique!! A nearly extinct spiritual cultivation technique!! Although there are only two pages, they are worth a fortune! And they are all priceless.

  Qin Long, who had been staring intently at the spiritual cultivation manual, suddenly caught sight of Qin Hao's confident smile at the corner of his mouth. This was like a basin of cold water poured over Qin Long, instantly bringing him back to his senses. He turned his gaze towards his father in front of him, but found that his father, Qin Changkong, was staring straight at him with an expressionless face, as if saying, "Everything is up to you!"

  Others also sensed Qin Changkong's attitude, and their eyes turned to Qin Long standing in the center of the main hall. Qin Zhan, who was standing on one side, gazed at Qin Long, waiting for his response as well.

  Qin Long withdrew his gaze, lowered his head and fell into deep thought. This was the first major decision he had to make in his life. The urgency in his heart couldn't be put into words, but he also knew that if he accepted Qin Hao's words, he would become even more humiliated in the Qin family, causing his father to lose face as well. And... could these two secret techniques really help him become a Bone Master? Would Qin Hao truly let him embark on the path of cultivation?

  However, if he gave up this spiritual cultivation method, even if there was only a thread of hope, he would be willing to stake everything!

  Looking back on these years, Qin Long's heart gradually made a decision after repeatedly disappointing his father.

  Taking a deep breath, Qin Long looked at Qin Hao, and his trembling body gradually calmed down. He raised his head to look at Qin Changkong and said in a low voice: "Father, if I am not destined to become a Bone Refiner in my life, then I don't have the qualifications to be a Young Master! Even if I became the Patriarch under your protection, I would not be able to lead the Qin family to prosperity! If I can exchange being a Young Master for a thread of hope in cultivation, what's wrong with that?"

  The sound of Lang Lang echoed in the great hall, and a few drops of fresh blood dripped from Qin Long's fist! But that firm gaze and unyielding faith made many people sigh.

  "Hmph!" A burst of laughter came from the back of the main hall, and many people looked at Qin Long with disdain, but most people's gaze towards him was also vastly different. A person who could yield and adapt was the most terrifying.

  The woman and Qin Zhan exchanged a glance, both furrowing their brows. If Qin Long had refused with an air of arrogance, it would only have made Qin Zhan look down on him even more. But instead, Qin Long accepted calmly, and the determination in his eyes made Qin Zhan feel a hint of crisis. However, the woman shot a glance at Xing Ling's cultivation method, her smile carrying a profound meaning.

  In a world where the strong are numerous, if one does not know how to endure, such people often do not live for long! On the contrary, it is those with extremely strong endurance who are the most dangerous and the most feared.

  Just as Qin Long was almost suffocating and didn't dare to look at his father, Qin Changkong revealed a long-lost smile, which made Qin Long's whole body shake.

  "Haha!" Qin Changkong suddenly burst out laughing, then stared at Qin Long and said in a deep voice: "What is being human? It's about endurance. Remember, only those who have endured can qualify to live in this world! Today, if you refuse, I, as your father, will give you a life of wealth and glory, but won't let you take the path of cultivation!" Then, Qin Changkong's gaze swept across everyone below, and he declared loudly: "From today on, the position of Young Master is vacant. The clan will hold an assessment, and whoever is capable will get it!" After finishing speaking, Qin Changkong disappeared into thin air.

  Listening to the words echoing in the great hall, Qin Hao looked at Qin Zhan beside him with a smile all over his face. However, the woman next to him seemed to be thinking of something, and the smile on her mouth gradually solidified, her eyes fixed on the front, wondering what she was thinking about.

  Holding the two pages of cultivation secrets, Qin Long unknowingly returned to his own mansion and placed the two pages on the table. Qin Long was dazed for a long time before he glanced at the wooden basin beside him, his expression slightly changing. He was shocked to discover that the basin, which had been filled with the blood of the spiritual beast, was now completely empty, leaving only the scroll quietly lying at the bottom of the basin.

  "This...this...the blood was all sucked in by the scroll?" Qin Long took a cold breath, and as he looked at the scroll, he hesitated for a moment. After a brief pause, he bent down to pick up the scroll, examining it carefully, and was shocked to discover that another faint mark had appeared on its surface. The mark was blurry and unclear. Hesitating for a moment, Qin Long quickly put down the scroll and ran out.

  Night, deep in the Qin family, the ancestral mansion of the clan head.

  Qin Changkong stood with his hands behind his back in the snowy ground, looking up at the sky where snowflakes continued to fall, his expression complex.

  "Am I wrong, Old Master?" Qin Changkong suddenly said, but there was no one beside him, as if he were muttering to himself.

  "It's his fate!" A sudden, shrill voice rang out from behind Qin Changkong, a shadowy figure materializing behind him. The man was an elderly person with gray hair and beard.

  Qin Changkong didn't have any unexpected reaction, and immediately continued: "In his entire life, he can't cultivate the spiritual arts. With Xiao Long's physique, it's impossible for him to become a cultivator except through spiritual arts! They... This is going to ruin Xiao Long's whole life!! For Xiao Long's sake, I've endured until now without teaching him the secrets of spiritual arts. But today, seeing his longing gaze at those two pieces of scrap paper, makes me..." Qin Changkong's voice was low and solemn as he spoke, and a surge of killing intent suddenly burst out from within him. This killing intent was extremely dense, so dense that it almost solidified the snowflakes in the air above. If someone were standing in front of Qin Changkong, they would definitely be able to see that his eyes had gradually been shrouded by a layer of demonic energy.

  Because he can't cultivate spiritual energy, and with Qin Long's physique, he can't enter the realm of cultivation. This is also why Qin Changkong would seek out top experts from time to time to see if they could find a way to make up for Qin Long's insufficient spiritual energy apart from spiritual energy cultivation!!

  "Vast emptiness!! Focus your mind and calm your spirit! Your current state of mind is not enough to stir up this power! Otherwise, it will make you... not good!" The old man with grey hair showed a worried expression, he opened his mouth and shouted: "Wake up!!"

  The sound was like a Buddhist chant that suddenly burst forth, shattering the tranquility of the black night in Mingyue City. The power contained within these two words even pushed the snowstorm swirling in the sky to all sides, and it seemed to form a wave that spread wildly. At this moment, everyone in the vast Mingyue City was shocked awake!

  The old man in grey robes let out a low shout, and the demonic energy that had almost formed into two black flames in Qin Changkong's eyes quickly dissipated.

  "Alas..." Qin Changkong let out a long sigh after coming to, then turned and entered the room.

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