Strongest Family System

"Once Elder Devon and the five cultivators were done speaking with him, Robert walked out of the training hall." The sky was rapidly darkening, and the lanterns were creating cozy pools of light on the stone paths.

Now, the estate was a lot quieter, as the lively activities of the day faded into the serene stillness of the night.

"Robert's footsteps fell into a steady rhythm as his thoughts drifted from alchemy to something completely different. No potion-making tonight—he needed to work on himself instead."

He walked into his private quarters, shutting the heavy wooden door behind him. The soft scent of sandalwood still hung in the air from the incense he had burned during his meditation. Without delay, he sat down on the thick meditation cushion in the middle of the room, legs crossed and back straight.

For the first time, he was diving into Soul Seed Formation, having finally established the spiritual foundation that made it possible.

Soul cultivation was far more elusive than body or qi cultivation — no amount of muscle training or meridian strengthening could touch the soul directly.

"A deep breath, and Robert let himself drift inward. The physical world grew dim and distant." "The lantern light dimmed to nothing in his awareness. The incense might as well have stopped burning. Even the familiar creak of the old floor fell silent in his mind."

In the depths of his consciousness, a vast inner sea appeared, its surface dark and still.

This was his Soul Sea, the ethereal space where his soul power lived. At this moment, his soul power looked like scattered beams of light drifting aimlessly across that sea—helpful, but without any real focus.

The process of Soul Seed Formation required gathering all that loose soul power into one concentrated point, compressing it until it condensed into a Soul Seed — the foundation for all higher soul techniques.

"Robert gathered the fragments of soul light floating nearby." It was delicate work; moving too quickly could cause turbulence in the Soul Sea, which might damage his spiritual sense. Slowly, steadily, the scattered lights began to spiral inward toward a single point above the sea's center.

"Robert's breathing grew so shallow it was barely there at all.

Beads of sweat formed on his forehead — soul cultivation did not strain the muscles, but it drained mental stamina at an alarming rate.

"The threads of light merged gradually, creating a rice-sized sphere that pulsed with brilliant energy." "The Soul Seed had barely taken shape. It kept shifting and changing, yet he could sense what it might become."

He kept feeding it soul power, letting it thicken and solidify. The brighter it grew, the more it resonated through his consciousness, sending faint ripples of clarity into his thoughts. It felt… pure.

"Time blurred together—could have been hours for all Robert knew. The sphere kept growing until it was about the size of a small pearl, its light steady and strong. That is when he realized he had done it. The Soul Seed was there, planted deep in his Soul Sea. His first real step as a soul cultivator."

"Even so, he could sense how much further he had to go." Cultivating the Soul Seed would require patience, steady soul refinement techniques, and the recovery of vast amounts of spiritual essence. Still, tonight's success was enough.

Opening his eyes, he exhaled slowly. The room was dark except for the faint orange glow of the dying lantern flame. His mind felt both exhausted and sharper than it had been in weeks.

Robert opened his system interface with a thought, the familiar translucent screen appearing before his eyes. His gaze went straight to the Soul Power bar.

Soul Power: 50% The number made him frown slightly. Half his reserves are gone from just forming the Soul Seed — a clear reminder of how demanding soul cultivation truly was.

For an alchemist, strong soul power is a luxury. For a soul cultivator… it is a necessity.

He realized that if he wanted to advance further, every resource the clan could spare — soul recovery pills, spiritual herbs, rare artifacts — would have to be invested in restoring and expanding his soul power. Without it, any higher-level soul techniques would remain out of reach.

This path is going to drain more than just energy. It will drain resources, patience… Maybe even opportunities. But the payoff will be worth it. Closing the system screen, Robert stretched out on his bed.

The fatigue from both alchemy and soul cultivation caught up with him immediately, pulling him into a deep, dreamless sleep.

"Tomorrow he had to deal with the market transfer and the clan's latest crisis. But tonight? Tonight, he had given himself the gift of simply doing nothing."

As the first rays of morning sunlight filtered through his window, Robert stirred from his deep sleep. The exhaustion from last night's soul cultivation had been completely restored by the restful slumber.

He felt different somehow—more centered, more aware. The Soul Seed within his consciousness pulsed gently, a constant reminder of his breakthrough.

"Robert splashed water on his face and pulled on clean clan robes before heading down the hall to his father's study. The servants were already rushing around everywhere—clearly, today was going to be important.

Reaching the heavy wooden door, Robert knocked twice.

"Come in," came his father's voice from within.

"Robert walked in and saw John hunched over his desk, poring over a stack of papers. Maps and contracts covered the table—clearly, they were getting ready for the big meeting.

"Father, are you ready for the trip to Grey Shadow Hall?" Robert asked.

"John stopped reading and looked over at him. 'Yeah, we have our people lined up. Everything's ready.'"

Elder Devon, Elder Alex, your mother, and I will go together. We want to ensure everything proceeds smoothly with the market transfer."

Robert nodded appreciatively. Having both elders accompany his parents would demonstrate the clan's seriousness about the agreement while also providing additional support if any complications arose.

"I wish you the best of luck, Father. Grey Shadow Hall will honor their word—I'm confident the transfer will go without incident."

"Thank you, son. Your arrangements with them have made this possible."

"Pride and gratitude flickered across John's face in equal measure."

We should return by late afternoon with the signed documents and official ownership."

After exchanging a few more words about security arrangements for the estate while the leadership was away, Robert bowed respectfully and left the study room. With the delegation handling the market transfer, he had other priorities to attend to.

"The corridor amplified every step as Robert walked toward the alchemy hall. Cultivation practice was not done for the day, and with the Soul Seed now pulsing inside him, he was curious how it might change the way he brewed his potions.

By combining advanced alchemy with soul cultivation, he could gain a powerful advantage for both himself and the clan.

"Across town at the James clan compound, Matthew James looked down the long conference table at the elders who had gathered around him. His expression was dark, and everything about the way he sat screamed that things had gone badly lately.

"We have only one option remaining," Matthew said, his voice carrying a dangerous edge. "We must hand over the market to the Osborn clan."

The elders around the table nodded reluctantly.

"The letter from Grey Shadow Hall was no secret—everyone had heard about it. But are we going up against them? That was suicide. Nobody had that kind of clout. Matthew leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with calculated malice.

"However, that does not mean we have to make it easy for them." He paused, letting his words sink in before continuing. "I want the Black Shadow group mobilized.

Once I get to Grey Shadow Hall with a couple of our elders for the transfer, four members from Black Shadow, all at Body Tempering Level 9, will make their way to the west market and wipe it out entirely.

A cold smile crossed his lips. "If we cannot have the market, we will make sure the Osborns inherit nothing but rubble and ash. They will have to rebuild everything from scratch, which will cost them both time and resources they do not have."

The elders exchanged knowing glances. The plan was ruthless but effective.

Matthew turned to a stern-faced man sitting to his right. "Elder Reno, you will oversee this operation personally.

Let us ensure that our clan's name remains hidden and is not associated with this attack at all.

If Grey Shadow Hall discovers our involvement, it will create complications we cannot afford." " Reno James dipped his head in acknowledgement. "Consider it done. Black Shadow knows how to handle these things without leaving a trace."

By evening, the west market will be nothing but ruins." "The elders went quiet, all of them suddenly understanding just how serious this decision was."

While they would lose the market officially, they would ensure the Osborn clan's victory would be a hollow one.

"The room went quiet as Matthew rose from his chair, every eye turning his way." The Osborns got lucky this time—pulled some strings, called in favours, or whatever. But they are idiots if they think one victory ends this. Time to remind them why you do not cross the James clan."