A single branch bears nine fruits (dot dot dot, push push push, collect collect collect)

Jiang Tengqing hurried to the main road on the eastern side of Luming Town, and from a distance, the scene before him made him gasp in shock.

There were two main routes from Luming Town to the capital: one was by way of the Changchuan River, and the other was this very road. The road began at the eastern edge of the town, crossed the river, and stretched eastward into the horizon. To the west of Luming Town stood Mount Taiwu, surrounded by rolling hills densely draped in green trees. But beyond the river, the land spread out into a vast, open plain.

This area had already entered the flatlands, with no cover to be seen in any direction.

At a glance, Jiang Tengqing saw that a massive pit had inexplicably appeared in the middle of the road, abruptly severing it in two. Several corpses lay beside the pit, but they had already been gathered and inspected.

On ordinary days, this road was crowded with carriages coming and going, but now, after such a calamity, the road was completely cut off. The town officials had sent people to clear the area, persuading travelers to switch to the river route.

By the time Jiang Tengqing arrived, the place had grown quiet. The town official, recognizing him, immediately stepped forward and saluted, "Clan Leader Jiang, you’re here."

Suppressing his urge to rush forward, Jiang Tengqing returned the greeting with measured composure. "What exactly happened here?"

The official had been appointed by the imperial government; his name was Wu Kai, a warrior of the Dawn Realm. He lifted his eyes to glance at Jiang Tengqing before handing him a jade hairpin.

Jiang Tengqing knew nothing of women’s ornaments, yet the emblem at the end of the pin caught his eye instantly—it was the insignia of the Jiang family! He vaguely recalled seeing it in Jiang Chen’s hair.

He had heard beforehand that something had happened to Cimu and the others, but he had still clung to a sliver of hope. Now, seeing the hairpin, his heart sank.

Jiang Chen had always been cautious, guarding her personal belongings closely. If nothing had happened, she would never have allowed this pin to fall into another’s hands.

Clutching the pin, he asked urgently, "Is there anything else? Any other clues?"

Wu Kai gave him a long look, then led him to the edge of the pit.

Seven or eight corpses had already been gathered, laid out in a neat row. All were clad in black, their features unremarkable. Jiang Tengqing recognized them at once as Cimu’s ghost-like subordinates.

He examined the bodies and said, "A tremendous force struck them, killing them instantly."

Wu Kai replied, "Yes, we’ve analyzed it. The force was overwhelming, but we cannot determine what level of power was responsible…"

Jiang Tengqing drew a sharp breath. Wu Kai himself was only at the Dawn Realm, but as a town official, he could easily summon higher-ranking enforcers. Yet if even those experts could not judge the assailant’s level, it meant this matter had already surpassed their reach!

Wu Kai watched Jiang Tengqing’s face closely, and asked calmly, "Where did these people come from, Clan Leader Jiang? Do you know?"

Jiang Tengqing did not answer at once. Instead, he surveyed the area again. Beside the corpses was a trunk, with a few scattered clothes and odds and ends—precisely those Jiang Chen had taken with her.

She had insisted on not bringing any maids, and before leaving, she had even dismissed the old nurse who cared for her. She had traveled alone.

The trunk was here. But where was she? And Cimu—had he taken only her?

And these corpses—what had happened to them? They belonged to Lord Fuliu, and who could—who would dare to leave all of them here?

The more Jiang Tengqing pondered, the more uneasy he felt. He was about to speak to Wu Kai when he suddenly noticed the other’s face had become rigid, his gaze fixed straight ahead, as if an unknown force had frozen him solid.

It wasn’t just Wu Kai—everyone else was the same. Wu Kai’s subordinates, Jiang Tengqing’s own men—all seemed trapped in a massive block of amber, utterly immobilized. Only Jiang Tengqing himself could move.

As if drawn by an invisible power, Jiang Tengqing raised his head involuntarily.

From the sky, a figure in grayish-blue robes descended, landing lightly beside the pit. His sleeves were wide, the ends adorned with black patterns that flowed like water. His long, jet-black cloak hung down his back as he gazed down at Cimu.

A name flashed into Jiang Tengqing’s mind, and he fell to his knees with a thud, bowing low. "My lord Fuliu!"

Fuliu Jun said nothing. He walked slowly, inspecting each corpse with care.

Jiang Tengqing stammered, "Early this morning, Lord Cimu left with my niece…"

Fuliu Jun cast a cool glance his way. That single look silenced Jiang Tengqing; he dared not utter another word.

Head lowered, he watched the figure’s movements from the corner of his eye.

Fuliu Jun examined the bodies for a while and murmured, "What was their true purpose in coming here…"

He found nothing. After a moment, he lifted his head and stretched his arms wide.

A miraculous sight unfolded—Jiang Tengqing stared around in astonishment. It was as if he were looking through flames: the entire scene wavered and twisted with the air itself.

Within those ripples, countless streams of energy rushed about, sweeping past Fuliu Jun’s form like a raging wind, making his robes billow noisily. His long hair danced as he stood, eyes closed, facing the tempest.

After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, Fuliu Jun suddenly gave a muffled groan and stepped back. In an instant, his face turned ashen, a thin line of blood seeping from his lips—he had been wounded!

The strange vision vanished, and the world returned to normal. Fuliu Jun stood motionless, his expression shifting unpredictably, until at last he gave a cold snort and strode forward.

Two steps, three steps—his figure gradually faded, and in the end, disappeared entirely.

Jiang Tengqing collapsed onto the ground, drenched in cold sweat. In that brief span, the vital energy in his body had been utterly drained, not a drop remaining!

And from the final scene, he understood: what had appeared was merely an avatar of Lord Fuliu; the true body was still far away in the capital.

Yet even a mere avatar wielded such power!

With Fuliu Jun’s departure, the oppressive force vanished, and Wu Kai and the others regained their freedom. None of them seemed aware of what had just transpired. Wu Kai was about to return to their previous conversation when suddenly, a loud explosion rang out.

Both men whirled around—a corpse had suddenly detonated from within, transforming instantly into a cloud of dust that melted into the earth. Bang. Bang. Bang. One after another, the bodies on the ground erupted in succession.

At last, with a final thunderous boom, the last corpse burst apart in a swirl of black powder.

In the blink of an eye, every corpse had vanished without a trace.

Jiang Tengqing stared blankly for a moment, then clapped Wu Kai on the shoulder. "Master Wu, best to pretend you saw nothing today."

This series of events was too strange, the sense of ill omen too strong. Wu Kai considered for a moment, then saluted Clan Leader Jiang. "Understood. Farewell!"

…

…

At the foot of the mountain, Jiang Feng knew nothing of what had transpired.

After leaving the Jiang household, he went straight into a nameless valley on Mount Taiwu and sat cross-legged in a treehouse, carefully examining his body’s condition.

After the fierce fight with Jiang Huaixiao, he had grown more and more exhilarated as the battle progressed; by the end, he could distinctly feel a power flowing within him.

This force originated deep within his heart, coursing through his blood to every part of his body.

He had spent over a year learning to control his body and use its strength, but this new energy was not so easily commanded.

It seeped from his blood into his flesh, making him stronger, faster, and more resilient.

Yet he could not consciously wield it in combat.

He sensed vaguely that if he could, a single punch should have been enough to lay Jiang Huaixiao flat—there would have been no need for such a drawn-out struggle.

What was going on? How could he control it?

Jiang Feng drew a few books from his satchel.

They were thin notebooks, written by the young mistress herself and left for him.

On the cover of the topmost one were two simple words—

"Brilliant Power."

…

…

Jiang Feng did not open the book at once.

After such a long ordeal, he was rather famished. He retrieved the dried rations he had stored here and finished them off, bite by bite.

Then he went to the other end of the valley, fetched fresh water, and carefully washed away the blood and grime from his body.

The fight with Jiang Huaixiao had left him with many wounds, but most of them had already healed, and the shallowest left not even a scar.

He realized his regenerative abilities were stronger than ever. Was this also the effect of merging with the Heartseed and possessing Brilliant Power?

He touched his arm, lost in thought.

The young mistress had believed his bloodline strong enough to fuse with the Heartseed precisely because of this innate gift. The Jiang family were descendants of the Medicine Folk, but those with bloodlines potent enough to possess special powers were exceedingly rare. Judging by ability alone, her assessment should not have been wrong.

Yet Jiang Feng could not shake a lingering doubt.

Not to mention the bloodline test when he was young—even recently, beneath the Heartwood Tree, he had felt no resonance with the Heartseed at all.

He might have found other explanations—perhaps the records were mistaken, or perhaps he was not yet of age. But deep down, a voice told him these were not the reasons. By rights, his bloodline’s purity should make it impossible to fuse with the Heartseed.

A mixed bloodline, yet born with unusual powers—what could explain this?

If not for that rabbit bringing him the Heartseed, perhaps he truly would have been unable to fulfill the young mistress’s hopes and embark on the path of cultivation…

Wait. Jiang Feng’s heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly searched his bosom. Earlier, he had put the rabbit there and then forgotten all about it in the heat of battle. Where was it now? Had he accidentally crushed it?

The rabbit’s soft, furry body was still nestled against him, warm to the touch. Jiang Feng breathed a sigh of relief, stroked its head, and set it aside.

The appearance of the white shadow seemed to have exhausted it; it now slept deeply, just as when he’d first found it.

Four notebooks, a Tianzhao county magistrate’s token—this was all the young mistress had left him.

Jiang Feng polished a stone slab, arranged the items neatly atop it.

His movements were slow and careful. When he finished, the last trace of agitation in his eyes had vanished, replaced by unwavering resolve.

Jiang Feng washed his hands, sat cross-legged, and opened the notebook titled "Brilliant Power."

In this moment, the affairs of the Jiang family were banished from his mind. Only one thought remained—to reach the Dawn Realm and participate in the Grand Examination of the Zhu Court!

The young mistress’s handwriting was not the delicate script typical of women, but sharp and vigorous.

"Sun and moon chase one another, and thus brilliance is born.

"That which is called ‘brilliance’ is the power of sun and moon—the power of light.

"The Heartseed takes blood as its soil, grows branches, and bears fruit. Through trunk and branches, what flows is all Brilliant Power.

"Martial cultivation is the refining of Brilliant Power!

"Each branch bears seven fruits; with each fruit, a new aperture is opened. When all seven are open, a new branch is born.

"Each branch marks a realm. The first is the Dawn Realm. Those who enter it are called Dawn Martialists and are considered to have formally entered the path."

As Jiang Feng read the words on the first page, he was struck dumb.

"Seven fruits to a branch?"

Surely the young mistress would not be mistaken, and yet…

He turned his awareness within, and saw, deep in his heart, the branch growing there. Though none of its fruits were yet mature, he could count them clearly—one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine—a total of nine fruits!