Before dawn broke, the chill of late autumn's early morning was heavy. All around, it was still pitch black.

In the cellar of the Luo family, a lamp had been quietly lit. Young Luo Zheng shielded half the light from the lamp and sat quietly at the table, carefully taking out a worn paperback book.

Luo Zheng had just turned seventeen this year. He was lean and not conventionally handsome, but he possessed a kind aura, particularly in his very spirited eyes. Even in the dim light of fireflies...

Under the lamplight, their eyes also shone brightly.

"It took me a whole month to finish reading this book, 'Tianlun Wenxian.' The teachings within are all good, but I absolutely cannot agree with the phrase 'repaying grievances with virtue'!" Luo Zheng said softly.

Speech, staring at the flickering light like a grain of bean, his face wore a look of sorrow: "If it weren't for Father's kind heart and belief in these four words, my eldest branch wouldn't have ended up like this. Father

"...will not die any more..."

After much thought, the sound of a lock being picked suddenly came from the entrance to the cellar. Luo Zheng immediately wiped away the sadness in his eyes, replaced by a resolute face, and at the same time, he moved nimbly

Blowing out the oil lamp, he covered himself with the old, worn blanket.

The cellar door creaked open, and several footsteps echoed closer. The first man stepped forward, stomped on Luo Zheng's bed with his foot, and shouted in a sharp voice: "Still asleep? Get up for me!"

"Still thinks he's the big shot of the Luo family?"

This man was an administrator for the Luo family. He had a pointed, monkey-like jaw and a tumor on his forehead. At first glance, he was repulsive.

Luo Zheng threw back the covers, opened his eyes deliberately, and got out of bed without a word. He put on his shoes, though worn out, with care.

Neat and tidy.

The headman rolled his eyes and spat out a single syllable, "De," before beckoning with his hand. Several attendants behind him then surrounded Luo Zheng and fitted him with heavy leather armor and shackles.

Fetters.

After finishing this set, Luo Zheng followed the servant out of the cellar and walked towards Luo's martial arts hall.

The Luo family was a prominent clan in Chongming County, possessing tens of thousands of mu of fertile land and hundreds of mines. They were renowned throughout Chongming County.

However, the entire Eastern Region has thousands of county towns, with countless prominent families. The Luo Family doesn't even rank among them in the entire Eastern Region.

Luo Zheng was escorted by servants, crawling out of the deep cellar. He walked through countless pavilions, corridors, bridges, and pleasure boats before reaching the entrance to the martial arts hall.

The martial arts hall has an open layout and is where the Luo family children practice their cultivation. The entrance is paved with white marble dragons and lions, and the ground is covered in a meter-square black basalt stone. Standing at the entrance, you can

...to a state of great prominence and influence.

In the center of the martial arts hall, dozens of Luo family disciples in gray robes were diligently practicing punches under the guidance of their master.

A flurry of punches, shouts ringing out.

These Luo family descendants, all in their teens, study diligently and assiduously every day to secure a certain status within the Luo family.

In late autumn, the cold wind was biting and piercing. Yet, they were sweating despite the chill, some even with steam rising from their heads, a white mist swirling around them...

On one side of the martial arts hall, there were a dozen men, much like Luo Zheng, with handcuffs and shackles on their hands and feet, wearing leather armor. These men each had failing breath, bruised faces and swollen eyes,

All darkness carries wounds.

Luo Zheng was taken to the Martial Arts Hall and stood with those men.

These men with decaying breaths, most of them were death row inmates bought by the Luo family from the local prison. Once purchased, they became slaves to the Luo family, and their role was to serve the Luo family's children.

Being used as a target, allowing the Luo family's children to beat and train at will, testing their own strength. These targets are beaten to death or crippled every year, how many we don't know.

Luo Zheng wasn't a prisoner bought back. He used to be the eldest son of the Luo family's main branch, a prominent head of the household. His status in the Luo family was high and noble, and even among his peers, he held a position of authority.

He bowed deeply to him, even treating his elders with utmost respect.

It was only two years ago that a major event occurred in Chong County: Luo Zheng's father, the head of the Luo family, was poisoned and killed by his own brother.

Immediately, the eldest branch was implicated and framed by the other three branches of the Luo family, accused of treason. Amidst familial discord, the eldest branch fell into ruin.

And Luo Zheng, as the former head of the family, was also charged with treason and reduced to a servant of the Luo family, becoming a target for the Luo family's children to beat and train. He could never turn things around.

This life of being beaten at random has lasted two years. In these two years, Luo Zheng doesn't know how many punches and kicks he's endured, nor how many insults.

"Today's training is over, all Luo family disciples, each choose your own target! Hitting a person will allow you to fully understand the techniques in actual combat, learn about people's weaknesses,

The distribution of bones!

After Luo's instructor gave the order, the Luo family disciples each found their own targets. Soon, the sound of pleas for mercy rang out in the martial arts hall. These Luo family disciples didn't care at all about these

Treat slaves like human beings, strike with force, and show no mercy.

If there's no one around, fight Luo Zheng. You'll fight with more passion and intensity because this former head of the family is even more capable now!

Faced with the fists of the Luo family disciples, Luo Zheng protected Zhou's vital points. His face was expressionless, and he calmly and collectedly countered. These...he had grown accustomed to.

Not long after, several people suddenly walked into the martial arts hall. The one at the front was dressed in brocade, with a spring breeze on his face.

The master is here!

"Master, you've finally emerged from seclusion! You look radiant and vigorous. I presume your cultivation has made great strides!"

"The head of the family is incredibly intelligent, a genius among our Luo family. He must have already reached the Bone Tempering Realm!"

The Luo family members present stopped fighting and flocked to talk with the man named Jinnian, their fawning expressions overflowing.

Luo Zheng's gaze fell on Jinnian, a flicker of barely perceptible anger rising within him. That Jinnian, the "Head" as the Luo family children called him, was named Luo Peiran. He had once

The second son of the family, was about the same age as Luo Zheng.

After Luo Zheng was demoted to a house slave, Luo Peiran took his place and became the head of the Luo family.

A while back, I heard that Luo Peiran went into seclusion to train and hasn't been seen for a while. Now that he's out, it seems like Luo Peiran's strength has improved again!

Luo Peiran's perceptive senses detected Luo Zheng's unfriendly gaze. She turned to face Luo Zheng, a playful smile curving her lips, and walked straight up to him.

"Lu Zheng, I've been in seclusion for a long time. I didn't expect you to still be alive?"

"As you say, Laozi won't die so easily," Luo Zheng mumbled in reply.

"How dare you speak to the head of the household like that?"

"You lowly house servant, don't you dare stand! Kneel down and kowtow to the master, begging for forgiveness. Otherwise, you'll regret ever being born!"

Several young men of the Luo family cried out, their expressions as if Luo Zheng had dug up their ancestral graves.

Luo Zheng coldly surveyed the crowd. These Luo family children, who used to act like dogs before him, not even daring to breathe, were now changing faces faster than flipping through a book.

Immediately became Luo Peiran's dog.

However, Luo Peiran waved his hand to stop those impetuous younger disciples of the Luo family. With a grave expression, he addressed Luo Zheng: "Luo Zheng, do you know why I went into seclusion?"

Luo Zheng remained silent, only staring at Luo Peiran with a sullen expression.

"You should know that our Luo family has two Heavenly Creation and Earthly Transformation Pills, right? A while ago, I swallowed one of them," Luo Peiran said with a smacking sound, "This Heavenly Creation and Earthly Transformation Pill is indeed extraordinary."

The pure medicinal power washed over me, causing a rebirth of my bones. I leaped from the Refining Realm to the Bone Forging Realm in an instant. And the effects were only one-tenth of its full potential, still lingering within me, flowing endlessly...

"My supply is about to be cut off, but I'm only a hair's breadth away from the Refining Internal Organs Realm. The Marrow Refining Realm is also within reach!"

Pill of Heavenly Creation!

These two pills are the treasures of the Luo family, holy medicines left by their ancestors. It is said that they are stored in the most hidden place of the family and are generally not allowed to be used.

According to ancestral precepts, only Luo family members who reach the Bone Tempering realm before the age of sixteen are eligible to use the Heaven and Earth Creation Pill.

There are five realms in total, divided into the First Realm of Refining Skin, Second Realm of Refining Qi, Third Realm of Refining Bones, Fourth Realm of Refining Organs, and Fifth Realm of Refining Marrow. The difference between each realm is

It is extremely huge, and it's incredibly difficult for an ordinary person to break through. It takes decades of tempering and hardship to even stand a chance.

Generally, people reach the Triple Bone Forging Realm before the age of thirty. Even those with exceptional talent.

However, the ancestral rule states that to use the Heaven and Earth Creation Elixir, one must reach the Triple Bone Refining Realm before the age of sixteen, only then are they eligible!

At sixteen years old, he had already reached the Bone Tempering Realm. This was a genius among geniuses. Not just within the Luo Family, but throughout the entire Chongming County, there had never been such a case in history. Therefore, for the past three hundred years, the Heaven and Earth Creation Pill had remained unclaimed.

that's it.

Originally, Luo Zheng was the one most likely to refine the pill of Heaven and Earth's Creation.

At fourteen, he had already reached the peak of the Second Refinement Realm, hailed by Prince Chong as the hope of reviving the Luo family, a favored child of heaven, a genius among geniuses!

Unfortunately, in that very year, the family fell into decline. His father, being a kind and benevolent man, was murdered by his own brothers. Luo Zheng was demoted to the status of a slave, becoming a target and a prisoner of the lowly. His cultivation...

To be stuck in stagnation, losing the opportunity to acquire that pill of heaven and earth's creation.

While Luo Peiran's talent was ordinary, he had only just entered the Second Refinement Realm at sixteen and wasn't qualified to use the Heaven and Earth Creation Pill. However, he still...

This Heaven and Earth Creation Pill was meant to be his, yet it was eaten by this utterly talentless waste. Even though Luo Zheng's heart had been completely smoothed out over the past two years, he couldn't help but feel enraged.

"Luo Peiran, you have disregarded the ancestral teachings of the Luo family and privately hoarded the holy medicine. You are worse than a beast!"

"Hmph, in my eyes, you're not even as good as a worm in stone! I have reached the peak of the Bone Tempering Realm, able to hold a thousand pounds with one hand. You, a mere house slave, would be crushed by me with a single finger."

Today, I’ve successfully left the customs and want to test my skills. I think you're a good target!" Luo Peiran didn't take Luo Zheng's words seriously and pointed at him and said, "You're it!"

He didn't choose Lu Zheng, but found a middle-aged man instead. That middle-aged man, upon being pointed at by Luo Peiran, was shaken to his core. Though he wore a thick

Skin armor, capable of withstanding harm, still couldn't help but tremble before Luo Peiran who was at the Bone Tempering realm. In a moment, it turned into a lump.

Then Luo Peiran let out a deep breath, clenched his fists, and assumed the stance of the Luo family's unique skill, "Purple Sandalwood Fist." He wanted to show off, running his inner energy to its peak, causing the air around him to buzz.

In a faint purple glow.

"Spare...me... Master, please spare my life!" The target's eyes widened in terror as he saw Luo Peiran's murderous aura. This punch was guaranteed to kill him,

He begged for mercy while also about to kneel down.

"Pop!"

Luo Peiran wouldn't listen to the target's pleas for mercy. This punch landed right on the target's mouth, producing a dull thud. The leather armor used to protect the mouth was actually torn apart.

His face was battered and shattered, his mouth completely destroyed. He slammed into the wall of the training hall and bounced back onto the ground unconscious.

This punch would have killed a fully armored target.

"The head of the household's punch was mighty, I'm afraid there isn't a second person among the younger generation of our Luo family who could match it!"

The head of the family will surely revitalize the Luo family and bring it to new heights!

The Luo family's children, seizing the opportunity, started showering him with flattery again.

Luo Peiran seemed very satisfied with the effect of this punch, and then he looked at Luo Zheng unkindly.

Luo Zheng subconsciously took a step back. Although his foundation was stronger than that middle-aged man's, he couldn't withstand Luo Peiran's punch.

Luo Peiran let out two sly laughs and struck Luo Zheng's shoulder hard twice, "Rest assured, I won't kill you so quickly. I want to show you, I, Luo Peiran, am better than you."

That kind of trash would have to be much stronger!

Luo Peiran was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something and turned back to say, "Oh, right, I forgot something. I heard that my genius cousin is not doing as well in the Qingyun Sect as..."

"Damn it, I offended the bigwigs and got sent to Purgatory Mountain to reflect! I'll wait until I enter the Infernal Realm before going back to Qingyun Sect to rescue everyone... hahaha..."

Hearing this, Luo Zheng's heart suddenly tensed!

(Editor in charge：fate/stay night novel)