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Chapter 3: Upheaval at Home

The moment he heard that authoritative voice, Ashura bristled like a mouse meeting a cat.

He turned stiffly and saw his father, A Fengtian, standing at the doorway with a grim face.

His younger sister Azhiya hurriedly put down her copying brush and stood by the corner of the desk with her head lowered.

A Fengtian walked slowly into the room and asked, “Go on, after you become number one in the world what will you do?”

Ashura noticed the cold smile at his father’s lips, and memories of childhood beatings flashed before his eyes.

He knew all too well that a wrong answer would earn him another painful lesson.

So he immediately fawned, “When I take first under heaven, I will fly back to Olei Kingdom in glory, honor the A family, and let the world see that a tiger sires no dog!”

“Whatever I achieve will be thanks to your wise instruction, Father, and all the great experts will come to learn from you how to raise such an outstanding son!”

“Then I will have many children to expand the clan, and under your leadership the A family will become the foremost household beneath the heavens!”

Listening to his third son’s spiel, A Fengtian’s mouth twitched, his eyelids spasmed, and his hand itched to strike.

Beside them Azhiya’s face turned red; it was truly hard not to laugh.

A Fengtian turned to her and asked, “Have you finished your magic homework?”

The girl bolted from the study and ran to find their mother without looking back.

Ashura watched and silently cursed her lack of loyalty.

But when he saw A Fengtian’s stormy face, he did not know where to put his hands and managed only a smile uglier than a sob.

A Fengtian likewise studied the tall, lean 14-year-old before him.

The boy had a jade-like face, meteor eyes, a tiger’s frame, ape-length arms, a leopard’s belly and a wolf’s waist, with black hair casually tied behind his head.

Apart from that cheeky grin, he was a strikingly heroic youth.

A Fengtian realized that his third son had grown up.

Yet his nature remained so unruly; perhaps as a father he had never spoken with him earnestly.

With that thought A Fengtian sat in the chair before the desk, while Ashura stayed by the corner, unable to sit because of his lacerated backside.

The atmosphere fell abruptly silent.

After the time for a cup of tea, A Fengtian looked at the boy and asked quietly, “Do you remember? No matter how naughty you were, your grandfather always said the third lad would do great things one day.”

Ashura had not expected such a random remark after waiting so long, but he thought a moment and answered, “Grandpa sure had a good eye!”

A Fengtian’s forehead vein throbbed again at the reply.

Only after talking himself down did he continue, “Of the four of you, your talent is the best; if you cultivate wholeheartedly, you will achieve the greatest h8s in our family.”

The boy had not expected such words and replied cautiously, “I think Eldest Brother and Second Brother are gifted too.”

A Fengtian gave him a glance and said, “Your eldest brother is gifted, but he is the firstborn; our A family has served the nation in the army for generations, and the Mountain-Shattering Army must be commanded by an A.”

“He spends much of his time studying military strategy and cannot devote himself to cultivation, so his martial achievements will probably stop near my own.”

“He understands his duty, so he has never asked to study martial arts at an academy, and he is supposed to marry Prime Minister Xu’s daughter this year…”

Without waiting for Ashura’s reply, A Fengtian went on, “Your second brother is obsessed with martial arts, but he is stubborn and inflexible, and his aptitude is limited!”

“Hard training gave him good early progress, but his breakthroughs will slow later on.”

“Our A family also lacks high-grade martial techniques to raise his power; if he manages to enter August Academy this year, that will at least fulfill his wish!”

“As for your little sister, her talent is decent, but she loves playing as much as you do!”

“Our A family lacks the foundation to raise a high-tier magician; your mother is only Magician stage 3, and even that took your grandfather half a lifetime of healing to fund!”

“Your sister will probably surpass your mother, but a girl will marry out eventually…”

Ashura fell silent; he knew everything his father said was true.

But he did not understand why his father told him this, since with his two older brothers the family should not need him to shoulder anything.

A Fengtian seemed to read his thoughts.

After weighing his words, he said, “Olei Kingdom is merely one minor vassal of the Valencian Empire, and our A family is only a hereditary general in a small country.”

“Wars rage unceasingly around us, and the court officials impeach our family for hoarding troops; calling it peril inside and out is no exaggeration.”

“I have lingered at Grand Martial Master stage 3 for a long time without a chance to break through.”

“At his peak your grandfather was Magic Warrior stage 2, but after a lifetime of war and several severe wounds he has fallen to Grand Martial Master stage 1.”

“We each know our limits and what we can still give the A family!”

“For the A family to survive, every one of your generation must struggle; this world is far harsher than you imagine, and survival of the fittest is the one eternal truth!”

With that he rose, patted his silent son’s shoulder, and left the study without another word.

Ashura stood there for a long while, then turned, took up his brush, and resumed copying the medical text, this time very slowly and carefully.

For the first time in 14 years this boy was so quiet.

Night turned to day; when the sky paled, he finished the text and fell asleep at the desk.

Outside the door A Fengtian saw the frown on the sleeping boy’s brow, sighed, unsure whether last night’s talk was right or wrong, and walked away.

It was not until chaotic footsteps and the servants’ panicked cries echoed through the General’s Household… “Someone come quickly, the eldest young master is in trouble!”

The shouts jerked Ashura awake, and a terrible foreboding seized him.

Ignoring the pain from yesterday’s beating, he rushed toward the household gate.

When Ashura reached the gate he saw a crowd already gathered.

His father’s furious roar, his second brother’s curses, his mother’s sobs, and the servants’ shouts intertwined.

The din made the boy slow his steps, praying again and again that no bad news had come.

When he reached the gate he saw his second brother kneeling, eyes blood-red, cradling the tortured, unrecognizable eldest brother.

His mind went blank; he could not believe what he saw.

Anaga lay wounded in Asubo’s arms, the cloth over his knees soaked in blood; he breathed faintly and was unconscious, having been hurled to the household gate by the assailant.

Ashura stood frozen for a moment, then dashed back inside, soon returned with a set of silver needles, and used Meridian-Clearing Acupuncture to staunch his brother’s bleeding.

While treating him he discovered multiple fractures, and that both kneecaps had been gouged out.

The boy could no longer restrain his rage and roared toward the sky, “Aaaahhhhh…”

At that moment several mocking laughs drifted from the street outside the gate.

A richly clad youth stepped from the shadows with four warriors in tow.

While walking he jeered, “Screaming so miserably… is he dead? I told them to leave him one breath; how fragile, to die so soon, ha-ha…”

Before he finished, Ashura shot forward like a shadow, a silver needle aimed at the youth’s eye… he wanted to wipe that smile off forever.

But before he reached the target, a warrior behind the youth stepped up and kicked him several meters away.

Ashura spat blood yet seemed oblivious to pain, scrambled up, and charged again.

The same warrior grinned viciously and swung a punch, but a figure blocked Ashura and met the blow fist to fist.

The warrior was shaken back a few steps and scoffed, “So this is all the great general of the Mountain-Shattering Army can do!”

A Fengtian held back the furious Ashura and, suppressing his own rage, asked in a deep voice, “You crippled my son Anaga? Why such cruelty… do you really think the A family is easy prey?”

The richly clad youth blustered, “Tch, others may fear you, A Fengtian, but I don’t; listen well… I am Sang Kun, eldest son of the Black Water clan!”

“Even your Olei Kingdom’s king treats me politely, so what is a mere gate-keeping general like you?”

The youth’s words filled A Fengtian with fury, and he now knew their background.

The Black Water clan was a martial family of Olei Kingdom, rich in experts; both the clan head and grand elder were Magic Warrior stage 3, an authority the royal house could hardly restrain.

A Fengtian asked coldly, “Our A family bears no grudge against the Black Water clan; why maim my eldest son?”

Sang Kun snarled, “Hmph, I set my eyes on your son’s fiancée… Prime Minister Xu’s youngest daughter Xu Ying’er… but the bitch would rather die, even shaved her head to show resolve.”

“No woman I fancy ever disobeys; blame your son’s bad luck, and let’s see if that bitch still wants to marry him after he’s crippled… ha-ha-ha…”

Before Sang Kun finished laughing, a broadsword whistled toward his face; a warrior yanked him backward just in time.

Cold sweat drenched Sang Kun’s face as Adolf, beard bristling and sword in hand, stood at the center and barked, “You are going too far… do you think this old man cannot wield a blade?”

Sang Kun shouted in exasperation, “Old codger, touch me again if you dare!”

“I know your cultivation has plunged; I have two Grand Martial Masters stage 3… maybe you and your son can block them, but can the others?”

“Lay a finger on me and I’ll slaughter everyone in the A residence; what, do you plan to mobilize the Shanshaking Army against me?”

“Try it and see if His Majesty will still tolerate you… keh-keh-keh…”

Adolf trembled with rage; never had the old man suffered such humiliation.

But to shield his family behind him he had to lower the blade.

At that moment Asubo, still holding Anaga, lifted bloodshot eyes and glared at Sang Kun, swearing, “I will remember this blood debt; one day I will come for every last one who hurt my brother!”

Sang Kun paused, startled by Asubo’s crimson stare.

He then snapped viciously, “I know you, Asubo; I’ve looked into you useless brothers… your cultivation isn’t even worth my notice.”

“Oh right, aren’t you planning to take the August Academy exam this year and come back for revenge? Forget it… you’ll never get in.”

“I’ll plant eyes everywhere around the region so you can’t even reach the test!”

“You’re safe only because we’re inside Olei City; our clan promised the royals long ago not to kill within the walls… outside the kingdom, crushing you is easier than crushing an ant! Ha-ha…”

Asubo’s eyes grew even redder, his clenched fists creaking; Sang Kun had not only crippled his brother but also meant to shatter his martial dream.

Listening to Sang Kun’s arrogant words, Ashura felt an eerie calm.

He fixed a hard stare on their faces, knowing he could do nothing now, yet vowing to make them suffer a hundred times his brother’s pain and repay blood with blood.

The former problem child seemed to grow up in an instant…

After laughing, Sang Kun shot the crowd a contemptuous glance, spat on the ground, and swaggered away.

Behind him a young man kept his eyes locked on that retreating back until the group vanished at the street’s end.

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