In the south of the Great Qian Dynasty, in the city of Jinyang, lies the residence of the third-rank State Protector General, the Qin Family.
As the scent of medicine wafted into his nostrils, Qin Feng abruptly opened his eyes while lying in bed.
The antique bedroom, the gauzy canopy of the bed, everything seemed so unfamiliar.
With a muddled consciousness, Qin Feng shook his head, puzzled about his whereabouts. Where was he, and how did he end up here?
"Young Master, you're awake?" A crisp voice sounded, and Qin Feng looked towards its source. It was a pretty girl dressed as a maid in a green skirt, currently holding a steaming bowl of medicinal soup.
"I'll go inform Master and Second Madame." The quick-witted girl hurriedly put down the soup and rushed out of the room. Qin Feng wanted to ask her something, but seeing the situation, he could only give up.
Just then, as his head throbbed with pain, various pieces of information flooded his mind.
Qin Feng, a weak scholar from the Great Qian Dynasty?
His father, Qin Jian'an, was a third-rank State Protector General, and their family lived in the southern city of Jinyang.
Qin Feng's eyes widened. Had he traversed through time and space to become the scion of a prestigious family?
Before he could feel more astonishment, more memories emerged.
The Qin Family's ancestors had fought alongside the founding emperor of Great Qian, cutting down monsters and eliminating demons, establishing impressive military achievements. They were granted the title of third-rank Protector General, which was later demoted through generations from first-rank, then to second-rank, and eventually to their current third-rank status.
Qin Feng's expression was complicated, as he initially thought the title of third-rank State Protector General was a high position. However, there were ranks above it, such as the Protector and the Guardian Generals. Thus, wasn't it possible for anyone to suppress them?
According to the Great Qian's hereditary demotion system, the Qin Family could retain or even elevate their rank if someone in the family made notable contributions. Regrettably, aside from their ancestor, the descendants were mostly unremarkable, causing the Qin Family's gradual decline.
This was especially evident in the case of Qin Feng's father, Qin Jian'an.
Originally, the Qin Family lived in the Imperial Capital, Feng Heavenly City. However, Qin Jian'an felt that the cost of living was too high and decided to sell their ancestral home, relocating the family to a remote southern city. This move shocked many at the time.
It was a rare occurrence for someone to willingly leave the Imperial Capital, as countless people from the Great Qian Empire were desperate to move there.
If the Qin Family's ancestors knew about this, they would surely be furious enough to jump out of their coffins.
"Talent, huh?" Qin Feng couldn't help but sigh.
But why did he end up traversing here? Did the original owner die?
Qin Feng tried hard to recall, eventually piecing together the sequence of events.
It was the tenth year of Mingde, a time of chaos and turmoil as ghosts and demons roamed the land. Despite the Demon Slayer Department's efforts to vanquish these threats, the problem persisted.
Five days ago, black mist invaded Jinyang City, absorbing people's energy and taking lives. The local Demon Slayer Department dispatched several members, but none returned.
The original owner was frustrated with his life and often wandered the city at night to vent his dissatisfaction, as there was no curfew in the small city of Jiny yang.
Unexpectedly, he encountered the demon causing chaos in the city. Then...
He closed his eyes, stiffened his legs, and died of fright?!
Qin Feng opened his mouth, astonished by such an unpredictable cause of death.
From his memories, he understood why the original owner was so frustrated.
As it turned out, the original owner's birth mother had suffered from a stubborn illness and passed away when he was just one year old. Qin Jian'an later married a second wife, who bore him another son.
This in itself was not unusual, as it was common for men of that time to have multiple wives and concubines. However, the strangeness lay in the extraordinary innate talent of the Qin Family's second young master!
The second young master's incredible aptitude cast a shadow over the original owner, making him feel inadequate and discontented. This, combined with his father's indifference, left the original owner feeling hopeless and lost.
Now in this world, Qin Feng knew that he must adapt and find a way to survive. With the knowledge and memories of the original owner, as well as his own intelligence, he had the potential to make a significant impact on the Qin Family and the world at large.
But first, he needed to understand the power structure of this world, cultivate his own abilities, and navigate the challenges that lay ahead. With a resolute determination, Qin Feng prepared to face his new life in the Great Qian Dynasty, embarking on a journey filled with adventures, dangers, and the pursuit of power.
As he began to adapt to his new life, Qin Feng couldn't help but wonder what destiny had in store for him. Only time would reveal the path he was destined to walk, but one thing was certain: his journey would be anything but ordinary.
In this world, the human race fought against demons by mastering various Dao Lineages, such as Hundred Ghosts, Divine Martial, and Literature Saint. Qin Family's Second Young Master, Qin An, practiced the Divine Martial Dao Lineage.
Due to his abundant blood energy and extraordinary muscles and bones, he successfully entered the ninth rank of Body Refinement Realm at the age of fifteen. By sixteen, he reached Grade 8 Qi Refinement, and by eighteen, he attained the seventh rank of Consolidation Realm.
Even in the prestigious Heavenly City, his rapid progress would be praised by many.
Comparatively, the original owner had no strength to even truss up a chicken, and most of his knowledge was theoretical. Although he could have entered the Literature Saint Dao Lineage, he had studied for more than a decade but hadn't even entered the ninth rank of the Literature Saint Foundation Realm.
Naturally, this disparity left the original owner feeling humiliated and looked down upon by the servants and maids in the family.
Even when his stepmother and younger brother looked at him, the original owner felt their eyes were filled with undisguised contempt.
As a result, the original owner often wandered around the city at night, venting his frustrations.
Qin Feng sighed deeply, feeling a sense of déjà vu. In his previous life, he had been oppressed by others, and now, even in this life, he couldn't hold his head high because of his talented younger brother.
However, it didn't matter. Having traveled to another world without any cultivation talent, being looked down upon by his family, targeted by an evil stepmother, and oppressed by his talented younger brother, his experience from his previous life seemed to suggest that he was destined for greatness.
Maybe in a few days, he would be framed by his stepmother and younger brother, expelled from the Qin Family, and then leave with a determination to soar to greater heights!
At this thought, Qin Feng's mouth curved into a smile, feeling a little excited.
Just then, a person entered the room with hurried footsteps, came to his bedside, and grabbed Qin Feng's arm.
Upon looking, the person was dressed in black Martial Artist attire, had a handsome face, and appeared to be around eighteen or nineteen years old. Their bright eyes were captivating.
Qin Feng, slightly blushing, withdrew his arm and said, "Miss, men and women should not touch hands when they give or receive things. Please respect yourself."
But in his heart, he was overjoyed. Such a beautiful person was truly rare. What was their relationship? Were they engaged?
However, he didn't recall anything like that in his memory.
The black-clothed person frowned and asked, "Doctor Song, what's wrong with my brother? He's speaking nonsense and doesn't even recognize me?"
"If I'm not mistaken, I'm afraid Eldest Young Master has been frightened, and his three immortal souls and seven mortal souls have been affected. We may need to find an expert from the Demon Slayer Department to examine him," a grey-haired old man hesitated before giving this reply.
Qin Feng looked at the black-clothed person with surprise. This person actually called him "brother"? The Qin Family only had two young masters, which meant...
Was he his Second Brother, Qin An?!
The original owner had always felt inferior in front of Qin An, so his memories of him were vague.
Qin Feng's thoughts raced as he overheard a woman's sobbing at the doorway, "I never agreed to leave Heavenly City. With demons running rampant and the chaos in the world, nowhere in Great Qian is safer than the Imperial Capital. But you insisted on coming to this remote place."
"Now look, if something happens to Feng'er, how am I supposed to face my late sister?" The sobbing woman was a beautiful lady in her mid-thirties, with a well-maintained, curvaceous figure and attractive looks. Standing next to her was a handsome, resolute-looking middle-aged man.
Based on his memories, these two were his stepmother, Meng Xue, and his biological father, Qin Jian'an.
However, the current situation seemed quite different from what he had initially expected.
Where was the wicked stepmother he had anticipated, or the scheming younger brother who wanted to see him dead? They all seemed to care for him genuinely, which made him wonder how the story would unfold next.