Chapter One: The Supreme Body-Tempering Pill

Ice and Snow Calendar Year 1356.

In the Northern Xiao City, early winter, snow was falling thick and fast, the cold biting to the bone.

“Fan’er, have you made up your mind?”

Inside the Lin family residence, a beautiful woman smiled gently, tapping her finger on the armrest of her chair as she looked at the delicate young man seated below her, her tone warm and pleasant.

Upon hearing this, the delicate youth pondered for a moment before shaking his head. “Second Mother, I know I’m not talented in cultivation, but the supreme Body-Tempering Pill that eldest brother fought so hard to get for me—I still want to use it myself. Lin Yu is already gifted, he doesn’t need my pill.”

The beautiful woman lightly furrowed her brows, but still smiled and said, “Since that’s your decision, your father hasn’t returned yet, so let’s leave this matter aside for now. We’ll discuss it when he’s back. You may go.”

“Alright, Second Mother, I’ll take my leave,” Lin Fan replied, rising and slowly walking out of the Lin family’s grand hall towards his own courtyard.

As Lin Fan departed, the smile faded from the beautiful woman’s face, replaced by an icy expression.

Standing beside her was an elderly woman, perhaps in her fifties or sixties. Once Lin Fan had vanished completely, the old servant stepped forward and whispered, “Madam, that little bastard is shameless, daring to refuse you. Should I...?”

The rest of her words trailed off, but the beautiful woman understood clearly. She shook her head. “Though that brat is unwelcome in the Lin household, he is still my husband’s blood, the third young master of the Lin family. We’d best not act rashly, lest we invite trouble.”

“Besides, that child has no talent for cultivation. He poses no threat to Yu’er’s future. My only worry is that supreme Body-Tempering Pill…”

She murmured softly, a cold murderous intent flashing in her eyes. “But what I fear more is that other brat. Though he claims to focus solely on martial arts and won’t vie for the family headship, who’s to say he won’t change his mind someday?”

...

Meanwhile, Lin Fan, oblivious to what the beautiful woman and her old servant discussed in the grand hall, had already returned to his modest courtyard.

His heart surged with excitement, so strong he could hear it pounding in his chest. He had only just learned from the lady that his eldest brother had managed to secure a supreme Body-Tempering Pill for him.

A supreme pill! Its power to refine the body was unmatched; it could even transform one’s talent for cultivation.

He had begun training at ten, but because of his poor aptitude, he was already seventeen and had only just reached the second stage of body tempering.

Many mocked him as a useless failure. Even the lady who had just spoken to him kindly, and her son Lin Yu, his half-brother, often whispered behind his back that he was worthless.

They assumed he didn’t know, but Lin Fan was more aware than anyone—he simply chose not to speak of it.

Now, with his father, elder brother, and second sister all absent, the household’s authority rested with Second Mother, the dignified lady of the Lin family. Lin Fan was no fool; he had no wish to suffer pointless hardship.

All he needed was to wait for his father’s return, then he could obtain the supreme Body-Tempering Pill, improve his cultivation talent, advance his level, and maybe—just maybe—his path to cultivation would become smooth.

Lin Fan tried to calm himself, but his heart still raced. He went to another room in his courtyard, approaching a shrine bearing ancestral tablets.

He quietly lit three sticks of incense, watching the smoke curl skyward. He took a deep breath, bowed before the spirit tablet, placed the incense in the burner, and spoke softly: “Mother, eldest brother traded for a supreme Body-Tempering Pill for me. At last, I can change my talent. If you know this in the afterlife, please bless me so it improves greatly—even if it’s only a tenth of Elder Brother or Second Sister’s.”

He paused, then continued, “But Second Mother wants me to give the pill to Lin Yu. I refused. I know her intentions well. Elder Brother is obsessed with martial arts, uninterested in becoming family head, and Second Sister—well, let’s not speak of her. I suspect the future head will be chosen between Lin Yu and me.”

His eyes grew distant, lost in thought. “I’ve always been a failure in cultivation, lacking talent. Second Mother never looked at me with respect. But now that Elder Brother has secured this pill for me, she’s grown wary, afraid my talent might improve and threaten Lin Yu. She wants to steal the pill, suppress me, and let Lin Yu’s talent and cultivation advance further.”

He sighed, feeling his mood settle. “I have no ambition for the family headship, but this pill—I cannot give it away. Not only has Elder Brother sacrificed much for it, but my future cultivation depends entirely on it.”

Suddenly, the door burst open, and a childish yet arrogant voice pierced the room, sharp and mocking: “Even with that supreme pill, you’re still a useless failure!”

Lin Fan’s expression chilled as he turned, frowning.

A boy about one meter sixty strode in swaggeringly, addressing Lin Fan, “I heard my mother asked you to give me the supreme Body-Tempering Pill. She’ll grant you three shops, and you still won’t do it?”

“Lin Yu, is this how you speak to your third brother?” Lin Fan did not answer, discomforted by Lin Yu’s attitude.

Lin Yu sneered. “Forget it, you useless failure. I don’t acknowledge a third brother as worthless as you. I’ll add two more shops—will you agree then?”

“No. Lin Yu, you’re still young. If you insult me, I won’t take it to heart. Leave now—I will not give you the pill!”

Lin Fan felt a rising irritation as he looked at Lin Yu’s arrogant demeanor. Though they shared a father, he felt no trace of kinship—only disdain and contempt.

“Lin Fan, think carefully. Even if you take the pill, your talent won’t match mine. The future headship is mine. When the time comes, killing you will be as easy as crushing an ant.”

“No, even now, if I wanted you dead, it would be effortless. If you’re smart, hand over the pill.”

Lin Yu, though young, had grown tall from cultivation—robust as a young bull. His eyes narrowed coldly as he stared at Lin Fan.

“Get out—!”

Lin Fan spat the word, refusing to say more. Facing such a brother was worse than confronting a sworn enemy. His heart chilled. Aside from Elder Brother, Second Sister, and the old man in seclusion, this family was nothing but cold-blooded.

“You dare insult me?”

Lin Yu was outraged. Lin Fan, who never dared raise his voice to him before, now told him to get out? Instead of leaving, Lin Yu stepped closer.

When he saw the three incense sticks in the burner, his eyes brightened and he laughed. “So you’re worshipping your dead mother. No wonder I heard you muttering about relying on the supreme pill for cultivation—you were talking to your dead mother.”

Lin Yu’s words and manner sent a chill through Lin Fan’s heart. Before Lin Fan could react, Lin Yu darted forward and kicked the incense burner, sending his mother’s spirit tablet flying.

“Why worship your dead mother? If you won’t hand over the supreme pill, I’ll come smash this shrine every day, unless you guard it constantly and never leave!” Lin Yu sneered, his eyes full of contempt, threatening outright.

With a crash, the incense burner smashed to the floor, ashes scattered everywhere, the spirit tablet shattered, offerings strewn across the room.

Lin Fan’s eyes reddened at the sight. Lin Yu had always been excessive, but never to this degree—only mocking words. For the sake of their shared father, Lin Fan had endured it.

But now, this was no longer childish mischief—it touched the deepest part of Lin Fan’s soul, a boundary no one could cross.

“You’re courting death—!”

Lin Fan gritted his teeth, forcing the words out from between them. Before he finished, he lunged furiously at Lin Yu...