The Storm Within the Mio Family

  In the morning, three days after the attempted abduction and Huang Di’s return with the ladies of the Mio family, he was taken to a secluded area modest house behind the main estate, designated for servants, where he remained under light supervision. Since then, he had not seen young Mio Hio or any of her companions.

  As he was guided by a maid toward the tearoom, Huang Di maintained a serene expression, carefully playing the role of a humble monk in search of peace. Yet his mind remained sharp, absorbing every detail around him. Despite the outward calm, he could feel that the Mio residence was on the verge of a storm.

  In the family council chamber, the atmosphere was heavy with tension. Elders and key members of the clan were gathered, their expressions ranging from outrage to deep concern. At the center of the room stood Mio Yoto, his long red hair, a hallmark of the family line, flowing down his back. His presence, fitting for a cultivator at the Minor Stage of the Sky Rank, commanded respect. As head of the Mio family, he remained silent, listening to the raised voices surrounding him without interruption.

  Previously, a few hours after the kidnapping. A rotund man with a prominent scar arrived at the site where the women were supposed to have been delivered. He was accompanied by a thin, hunched elder. The two found the transport party unconscious, their bodies strewn across the ground. The fat man, his eyes filled with disdain, kicked one of the downed men the one with a broken arm rousing him with a pained groan.

  "Wake up, your worthless dog!" the fat man barked. "Where are the women? The meeting is overdue for a long overdue!"

  The wounded man, still dazed, struggled to explain:

  "Forgive me, Big Brother. We were ambushed. Someone interfered and took the women. He was strong... I believe he is a specialist at the Earth Rank."

  The thin elder an aged, hunchbacked man with deep wrinkles was none other than Butler Qui Su. He looked at the group with visible disgust and anger.

  "What happened here?" he asked, each word slow and deliberate, carrying a threatening calm. "Why are you all in such a pathetic state?"

  The kneeling man, sobbing, answered:

  "We were attacked by someone who came out of nowhere. He was fast, powerful. We had no chance."

  Qui Su’s gaze darkened as he pondered aloud:

  "Only a specialist at the Earth Rank could have left you in this condition..."

  he muttered.

  "Clean yourselves up and return home. Bathe and tend to your injuries. Useless as you may be, you’re still lions of the Qui family. Once you’ve calmed down, find Sauro our guest’s servant and have him sketch the face of the man who took the women. Now go!"

  Without hesitation, the men rose and departed, leaving the fat man behind. He chuckled with smug satisfaction:

  "Looks like I’ll be getting more out of this. Seems you messed everything up, and that’s going to complicate our plans. Once they return, they’re not likely to leave again... We won’t get another chance."

  "Not necessarily, Ryoto," Qui Su replied. "This only forces us to accelerate the plans and move toward direct confrontation."

  "I told you not to call me that name. I’m known as Big Brother now! Hahaha!" the fat man laughed at his own joke, oblivious to the tension.

  Back at the Mio estate, the atmosphere was one of urgency and uneasy. Mio Yoto, fully aware of the gravity of the situation, addressed the gathered elders and family members:

  "Elders, brothers, and sisters, we face a clear threat. We must not underestimate our enemies. A solid plan is needed to safeguard our family and our interests."

  The First Elder, Mio Sato, Mio Yoto’s older brother and the third and last member of the clan at the Sky Rank, also at the Minor Stage was considerably older. His once-vibrant red hair had turned white with age, and he leaned on a cane that, in truth, concealed a hidden weapon. Though frail in appearance, he was a wolf clad in sheep’s skin.

  He nodded solemnly:

  "I agree, Mio Yoto. We must prepare for any eventuality. Yet we must also weigh our strategic options carefully."

  Meanwhile, in the tearoom, Huang Di listened intently to the murmurs and conversations around him, sensing that the situation was far more intricate than it appeared. He understood that his presence within the Mio household could be an asset, but also a dangerous liability. He would have to choose his next steps with utmost caution.

  Conflicts and Revelations

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  At the Mio family estate, on the night of February 21st, 1551, of the Empire, while the elders fervently debated strategies to confront threats from rival clans, Huang Di sought a moment of peace in his room.

  He had received a few valuable medicinal treasures as a reward for his heroic act remedies that could enhance his cultivation and decided to use them to accelerate his progress. Feeling the energy of the elixirs flow through his body, he sat in lotus position and focused on stabilizing his internal energy.

  However, his pursuit of serenity was abruptly interrupted when the door burst open. Mio Hio and Sara stepped in without realizing that Huang Di was during his cultivation. Just as they entered, Huang Di finished a rejuvenating bath. Caught completely off guard, the two young women saw far more than they expected.

  Sara, the first to react, shrieked and attempted to cover Mio Hio eyes. In her flustered haste, she lost her balance and fell on top of the young mistress, creating a comical scene that momentarily shattered the tension. Huang Di, equally stunned, froze in place, struggling to process the absurdity of the moment.

  His “weapon,” still quite visible, caused Sara to faint on the spot. Mio Hio, pinned beneath her, hadn’t seen everything, but upon glancing upward and meeting Huang Di’s stunned expression, she let out a scream of both embarrassment and fury:

  "You… your filthy old pervert!" she shouted, her cheeks burning red. "Don’t you have any shame walking around like that?"

  Before Huang Di could even reply, Mio Hio, overwhelmed by the situation, fainted as well. joining Sara on the floor.

  Once he recovered from the initial shock, Huang Di quickly dressed, then gently placed both women on his bed. Letting out a long sigh, he shook his head and sat nearby, waiting for them to regain consciousness.

  While he waited, Huang Di reflected on how much his life had changed since encountering Mio Hio and Sara. He knew it was vital to remain calm and clear-headed, especially during unexpected crises like this. As the two women began to stir, signaling they were waking up, he prepared to address the misunderstanding.

  "So... what did you come here for?" he asked, attempting to steer the conversation back to safer ground.

  Mio Hio, struggling to regain her composure, responded, "I wanted to discuss a proposal with you."

  Her voice still carried traces of shock, though she tried to sound composed. "Would you consider joining the Mio family?" she added, surprising both Huang Di and Sara. "I need new guards, and I thought you might be a good fit. But first, I wanted to hear your thoughts."

  Huang Di, intrigued, asked: "Why would you make me such an offer? Surely, it’s not because you saw me without clothes?"

  Mio Hio stammered: "Of course not! I just... I need people I can trust. And you’ve proven yourself to be trustworthy."

  Huang Di paused. Becoming a guard of the Mio family could bring stability, but he knew it would also divert him from his true path: the peak of the martial world.

  "I have no interest in serving anyone," he replied with resolve. "My goal lies in the martial path. I want to explore the world, to have my name recorded in the annals of history. This little city... it’s far too small for my ambitions."

  Though disappointed, Mio Hio respected Huang Di’s determination.

  "You're just a cultivator at the Profound Rank, essentially still a child on the martial path," she retorted, trying to mask her disappointment. "But I understand. We live in different worlds."

  Sara, quietly observing the exchange, felt a mix of relief and curiosity. There was clearly more to Huang Di than she had initially assumed and for the first time, she began to question her own first impressions.

  Revelations and Conflicts

  In the dim light of dawn, on the following day, Huang Di sat in lotus position, immersed in deep meditation. He had consumed the precious remedies granted to him as a reward for rescuing Mio Hio and her companions and now focused entirely on refining the energy coursing through his body. He knew that if he failed to control that energy properly, the consequences could be dire an internal explosion capable of severely damaging his meridians.

  Earlier, Mio Hio and Sara had entered the room unannounced, inadvertently disturbing his meditation and causing light injuries to his meridians, due to the overwhelming energy surging within him. The two ladies had been observing the moon in a courtyard near Huang Di’s assigned quarters when they sensed an intense aura saturating the air. They froze, realizing someone was on the verge of a cultivation breakthrough. The moment they recognized the energy, they knew it was their enigmatic guest and hesitated to interrupt.

  The energy was dense and vibrant, filling the surroundings with such palpable power that the air itself seemed to grow heavy.

  As Huang Di continued meditating, he felt the remedial energy blend flawlessly with his own essence. It was as if he were being reborn, each cell of his body vibrating with renewed vigor. Suddenly, something within him snapped—an internal barrier shattered. He had reached the third level of the Profound Rank.

  The sensation was indescribable. A wave of power surged through his body muscles, tendons, and bones strengthened and revitalized. It was as if he could feel life itself pulsing within him. His raw strength surged to approximately eighteen tons. With the aid of his technique, King’s Supra, in its early success stage, granting a 25% boost, his physical power soared to an astounding twenty-two and a half tons, placing him on par with someone at the third level of the Earth Rank in terms of brute strength.

  As he opened his eyes, Huang Di noticed something had changed. His monk disguise had vanished, revealing his true form: a young man with long hair cascading to his waist and a sculpted, powerful body, features uncommon for someone his apparent age.

  Mio Hio and Sara, who had silently slipped into the room during his breakthrough, witnessed the transformation and could hardly believe what they were seeing.

  "Who are you?" they both asked in unison, their voices laced with shock and suspicion.

  Cornered, Huang Di took a deep breath before answering, carefully choosing his words. "As you know, my name is Raizan," he said calmly. "I’m a wandering cultivator who happened to be in the right place at the wrong time and helped some women in need. I feared I couldn’t tell if you were friends or foes, so I disguised myself to protect myself."

  Still upset by the previous incident and now even more shaken by the secrets he had concealed, Mio Hio snapped back with anger: "You may leave in the morning. Here there are twenty large spirit stones. We're even now. I owe you nothing."

  Her voice trembled slightly, betraying the swirl of emotions inside her.

  Seeing the complexity of the moment, Huang Di chose partial honesty.

  "I understand your frustration, Mio Hio," he said, locking eyes with her. "But you must understand that in our world, blind trust can be deadly. I had to protect myself."

  Mio Hio listened, conflicted. Deep down, she knew he was right, but that didn’t ease the sting of betrayal. "I trusted you," she said more softly now. "And you hid the truth from me."

  Sara, silently observing their exchange, felt a mixture of sympathy and caution. It was clear that this was more than a simple misunderstanding, both Mio Hio and Huang Di were struggling with their own emotions and doubts.