There wasn’t much I needed to strive for in my life. If I see something I like, I take it. If I don’t like something? I get rid of it. 

   Life is simple like that. At least for the son of the most powerful family in Lanzhou City that is. All that’s left is to wait until I inherit and take hold of the family name. 

   I sat quietly at the end of the table, casually eating my food. All the other seats were unoccupied but I didn’t mind. It’s normally like this so I have grown accustomed to it. Father and mother are probably somewhere with my older sister, trying to pave the way for when expressed interest in becoming the next family head. 

   Naturally, my sister was a talented sorcerer. The Glory plane at only 16 years old. She was a prodigy in our city! Therefore she was always the attention of our parent’s high ambitions.

   I suddenly slammed my hand to the table but not hard enough to break it.

   “Young master Zheng, is something the matter?” the young maid asked with a sincere voice but in reality, I could hear the laughter that's going on inside of her head.

   I smiled and looked up at her with gentle eyes.

   “Did I tell you to speak?”

   The other maids in the vicinity started murmuring to themselves but I’ll remember their faces.

   “No I-”

   “I didn't, right? So why have you walked up here and bother me? Is it to interrupt my meal? Is it perhaps to surprise me and see me choke so you can have a hint of joy in your life?” 

   The young maid started fidgeting with the hems of your dress as she tried figuring out the words to say. Her eyes reddening and unable to come up with anything decent was all just an act. 

   “Get out.” I uttered, causing the only sounds to be of the staff scampering towards other rooms.

   “Young master please! I was only worried about your health.”

   I clenched my fist and slammed down onto the table. It broke and fell down along with the platters of food.

   “I don’t believe you have time to worry about someone else. I would worry about what you would do in the future. Now If I ask again I will call on the house guards.”

   The maid’s knees trembled as she shuffled backwards. She then let the tears stream down her cheek as she bursted out crying. Then turning to run towards the main hall where the resident doors were.

   Just then, a voice echoed inside my ears. My smile fell quickly as I twitched from the sounds in my head. 

   “Arrogant....Cruel….Tyrant…” The voice repeated quickly all at once.

   I brought both hands to my ears as I shut my eyes to drown out the noise. They came in with a stream of pain. Attacking my spiritual will?!

    Why weren’t the bloody maids coming? Are they just laughing at my pain? 

   I opened my eyes and to my surprise, I found that no one else was in the room. I want to yell. The voice is getting louder but I just can’t control it. 

   “Y-young master Zheng.” a maid said quietly.

   “What!” I yelled out fiercely, feeling my blood boiling from having been toyed with. 

   “Trainer Jin is here.” she murmured quietly, clasping her hands together as she hung her head low.

   The voices ceased but my head still shook with a tinge of pain. Whatever attacked me attacked my spiritual will. The enemy wouldn’t be easy to find. The cowards. Have others finally sent assassins?

   I sighed inwardly then stood up, brushing past her in which she flinched to my every movement. 

   Trainer Jin was a teacher from the Fengxin Academy of martial arts which our family owned. Trainer Jin would come personally to come supervise me in cultivating. I wasn’t that angry at the fact since it's better than having to go to an academy filled with people below me. However, why did I even need to cultivate? It’s not like my older sister would die and I would have to inherit the family name anytime soon. All I needed to do was wait. And by then, the name will surely be my own.

   A smile crept onto my face. Making my handsome face even more dazzling.

   All I can do is wait until the day comes when I finally control everything.

   I walked out onto the courtyard with my back straight and my head high as I moved swiftly passed the two guards guarding the pathing. They bowed at me and I simply nodded. This was my status.

   In the distance, I could see a long white haired man with average features standing in the middle of the courtyard with someone beside him. My eyebrows arched upon seeing the most stunning girl in an expensive purple dress with her hair up. She had a very cold look. Just staring at her gave me shivers. Was it excitement?

   She must’ve been around my age, 15 or 16 at most. But I wasn’t surprised at her looks, no, I was surprised by the fact that some stranger was suddenly standing in my courtyard.

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   I walked over with my hands behind my back along with my chin up as my eyes hardened at Trainer Jin then onto the girl beside him, 

   “Young master Zheng.” they greeted simultaneously along with a low bow.

   Her voice was gentle and cool. Almost like a princess.

   “Trainer Jin, may I ask why there is a stranger standing inside the courtyard?” I asked without moving my eyes away from the girl.

   Her expression was unchanging and her eyes were gentle. She wasn’t smiling but she just seemed indifferent standing before someone of the highest noble family.

   “I have brought Xia Leng of the Xia family here for friendly duels to help with your cultivation.” he said promptly as he kept his head bowed.

   I then turned on my heel and started to walk away, “Very well. We shall see her abilities.”

   Help with my cultivation? Interesting. 

   “Of course, young master.” Trainer Jin said to which in turn shuffled off to the side,

   I now stood opposite of the, admittedly, mysterious beauty in front of me. The courtyard was large so the space between us was quite distant. However, I could still make out the gold necklace she wore around her slender neck. From this distance, the girl almost looked like she could be part of the family with how beautiful she was. She was already slender when close up but from afar it seemed her beauty still had the same attraction.

   “Xia Leng, 15, Mystery plane.”

   “Hua Zheng, 15, Enhancement plane….” my voice drawled out as soon as I heard what plane she was in. 

   I gave an icy glare towards Trainer Jin who stood on the side. There are nine stages in the Awakening Plane, which is the lowest plane. The first stage is the lowest, the Collection plane. Then the Enhancement Plant, Venation Plane, Adamance Plane, Juggernaut, Invincible, Mystery, metamorph, until finally the strongest in awakening, the Unmaker Plane. 

   I smiled over at Trainer Jin who seemed to notice my icy glare.

   “I believe it would be useful for you to fight with someone in a higher plane to help with your cultivation, young master Fengxin. I have already told the lady to hold back.”

   I clenched  my fists behind my back but I stayed smiling at the trainer. Hold back? I am a noble! The highest of all other noble families and she was told to take it easy on me? Is this not an attack on my character? It’s an embarrassment! 

   Though, naturally I cannot say anything. Trainer Jin was handpicked by father and thus controlled my cultivation methods.

   I have been in the lower Awakening planes for three years… I have met my peers at the academy but I have never once heard of their cultivation levels. This is truly upsetting to have to be this behind. 

   Tsk, if she wants to hold back so be it. I’ll break through during this fight!

***

   Xia Leng just stood on the other side as if there wasn’t a battle at all! Am I getting looked down upon by a lesser family? Tsk, I’ll just have to close the gap between our levels.

   I stepped one foot forward then made a dash towards the girl in front of me! Air kicked up behind me as I hurtled towards her. I may be on a low plane but that doesn’t mean my talents are ordinary. I would practice martial arts with Trainer Jin everyday, so my combat power is extremely high! She doesn’t stand a chance.

   When the distance between us closed, she still didn’t move an inch. Now as my gentlemanly self, I would probably never hit a woman but, inside of combat is different. Everything is fair. But I’m still from a family of nobles, the strongest cultivators in the city! Planes mean nothing to me!

   I punched forward with all my might, clenching my teeth as my fist was about to mark the pretty face of hers.

   She continued staring at me but suddenly, her hair began to rise and I felt a chilliness in the air. Her right eye glowed snowy white, while her other eye turned fiery red. 

   Thinking that it was a spell, I had to make contact before she could release it! 

   Crack…

   “Huh?” I questioned.

   I was no longer moving forward. With the momentum I had, my fist surely would’ve collided with her…. 

   I felt the spiritual qi around us and something came into view. Snow?

   The atmosphere around was getting colder and colder as I stared at the unflinching beauty in front of me. She hasn’t raised a finger yet I’m stuck like this?

   Then, I could suddenly see an icy coating forming around my arm. My eyes flashed and I glanced down, noticing that my feet and legs were covered in ice!

   I shivered from the chills as I stared back at the girl in front of me.

   “Release him.” the trainer said suddenly. 

   The geezer probably set this up in the first place to have me humiliated like this!

   The eyes in front of me stopped glowing and her hair floated down gently. I could feel movement in my arms and legs so I swiftly jumped backwards, and patted the ice off me.

   The ice was probably warmer than the glare I was giving the teacher. I glanced at the girl but my anger shouldn’t be directed to her. This trickery man probably put her up to this. For I mean, how can someone this beautiful risk trying to offend the most noble family in the city?

   I’ll scoff at that before anyone tries to test me!

   Regaining my composure, I promptly put my hands behind my back and straightened my back.

   “You are strong, cultivate with me starting tomorrow.” I said emotionlessly yet inside I was cursing.

   Someone this strong would probably be able to have me leap over all the other planes. Haha! I laughed inside as I thought about being the strongest in our generation.

   The girl didn’t say anything but instead looked over to the trainer who was smiling to himself like an arrogant fool.

   Cough, cough. He cleared his throat, “I’m sorry to say but, Lady Xia already cultivates under a personal teacher.” he said with a hint of intent but I paid no mind to it.

   “That’s fine, tell mother and father you are too incompetant and have been repressing my growth in the world of cultivation. From now on I’ll be learning under Xia Leng’s master.” I announced, never once hesitating in my words.

   My actions are resolute and my words are superior. No one can deny me.

   As for trainer Jin? Ha! He will suffer the consequences. How can I still be on the second lowest plane while the person in front of me is the same age yet with a large gap. I refuse to believe it.

   This all happened instantly. As soon as I announced I would be cultivating with her, her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to say something but the trainer stopped her.

   It didn’t matter if I had her opinion. Whoever her master is must be more capable than the fool who has been teaching me all these years.

   This, my words are once again, resolute.