The grand hall of the Fang family was adorned with golden lanterns, casting a warm glow upon the gathered guests. But despite the festive atmosphere, Fang Ling felt nothing but emptiness.

At the centre of the hall, Zi Xuan stood beside Fang Bai, her hands intertwined with his. Her once soft, kind eyes now carried nothing but disdain as they glanced at Fang Ling.

Fang Hao, his father, stood before the crowd, his voice filled with forced joy.

"Today, we announce the engagement of my son, Fang Bai, to the daughter of General Zi Yun—Zi Xuan!"

The hall erupted in cheers.

Fang Ling simply watched. Unbothered. Unmoved.

A faint smirk tugged at his lips. How laughable.

Once, Zi Xuan had called him "Brother Fang" with admiration in her voice. Now, she could barely stand the sight of him.

She stepped forward, her lips curling in a sneer. "Fang Ling, do you feel humiliated? You should. Once, I thought you were someone special, but you're nothing but a useless cripple. I refuse to marry a man who can't even step beyond the Qi Gathering Realm!"

Silence filled the hall.

Fang Ling met her gaze with indifference.

"Why would I be humiliated? The words of insects cannot shake a mountain."

Zi Xuan scoffed at his silence. "Pathetic. I wasted my time on you."

Fang Bai laughed, placing an arm around her shoulders. "Brother, or rather, former brother… Do you understand now? Talent is everything. Strength is everything. You? You are nothing."

Fang Ling turned, walking away without a word.

Let them celebrate.

"A pack of sheep praising the lion that devours them—how absurd."

Fang Ling returned to his chambers, seated in meditation. The night wind howled outside, cold and merciless.

If anyone else was in fang lings place would already given up excepting their fate but fan ling was different as he knew

"The greatest chains are the ones we forge in our own minds. Break free from the illusion of limitation, and you will realize—there is no prison stronger than doubt, and no weapon sharper than belief."

even if he dies fang ling will never give up

what if I fail you ask?

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Success and failure? Mere illusions. A mirage cast by the weak to justify their own inaction. What truly matters is the effort—the blood, the sweat, the struggle. Only losers surrender before the battle even begins."

"They call me waste, a cripple, a man destined for nothing. But I am not a loser. A loser is someone who kneels before doubt, who lets the fear of failure shackle their ambition. A loser is a man who chooses to rot rather than fight."

"What is failure, if not the forge that tempers the blade of perseverance? What is struggle, if not the storm that sharpens the soul? Even the sky trembles before the wind, yet it never breaks. And I, Fang Ling, will not break either."

Days passed by and fang ling continued his practice even if there is no progress to speak of he never gave up

on a cloudy day when fang ling was practicing as usual he heard a loud scream of someone coming from the main gate fang ling quickly got up and went to see what happened

when fang ling reached the courtyard his face was twisted at the sight of that horror he just witnessed,

The courtyard was painted in crimson filled with blood

A black-robed assassin stood amidst fallen bodies, his blade dripping with blood. The Fang family's guards lay slaughtered, their lifeless eyes reflecting the moon.

Fang Hao and the elders rushed forward.

"Who dares massacre my Fang family?!" fang lings fathers voice echoed through the courtyard

The assassin tilted his head, his voice cold. "Massacre? No. This is a cleansing."

Outrageous! The elders attacked—swift, precise, powerful.

But they were nothing before him.

With a single movement, heads rolled, blood sprayed, and bodies collapsed like puppets cut from their strings.

fang hao unseated his sword and tried to fight the assassin but it was useless the strength of the assassin was beyond fang hao the assassin easily pared every sword strike form the clan head, soon the battle cam to a decisive end as Fang Hao, his once-mighty father, gasped as the assassin's blade impaled his chest.

"Y-you…!" His body trembled before he fell to the ground, his lifeblood pooling beneath him.

Fang Ling's heart pounded.

Everyone was dying.

He rushed forward, fists clenched. "STOP!"

The assassin barely glanced at him before striking.

Pain exploded in his body. A single punch sent him crashing against the stone wall. Blood dripped from his lips. His limbs trembled.

"So weak. I… can't… stop him."

Screams echoed as the entire Fang family was slaughtered.

Servants. Elders. Clan members.

Everyone met their demise that day

Fang Ling lay on the ground, bloodied and broken. He could only watch as his family—even the ones who abandoned him—were wiped from existence.

He had once dreamed of proving them wrong.

But now, there was no one left to prove anything to.

Thunder rumbled.

Rain began to fall.

A bitter laugh escaped his lips.

"Why? Why must the heavens be so cruel to me?"

He stared at the sky, raindrops mixing with his tears.

"I never asked to be born a genius. I never asked for talent. All I wanted… was a normal life."

His fingers dug into the mud, rage burning in his chest.

"Is that too much to ask?!"

Lightning cracked across the sky.

His eyes darkened.

"Fine. If the heavens wish to take everything from me… then I shall take from the heavens in return."

"I swear—whoever is behind this massacre, I will find them. I will make them suffer. And I will tear their world apart."

A soft voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Master… you truly are good at acting."

Fang Ling’s blood ran cold.

He turned.

His servant girl stood behind him, her expression unreadable.

"Just as you ordered," she whispered. "The Assassins' Guild has wiped out your entire family."

Silence.

Then… a smirk crept onto Fang Ling’s lips.

He chuckled. "Let me at least pretend like I care for a while."

The rain poured harder.

The Fang family was no more.

And Fang Ling… had orchestrated it all.