Strongest Family System

The quiet West Market was about to turn into a battlefield.

The attack began without warning.

One of the cloaked men vaulted onto a merchant's stall, his boot smashing through its wooden frame. Another slashed a hanging banner in half, sending sparks from the embedded talisman scattering into the air.

The market went crazy. Stalls got knocked over, and fruit rolled everywhere on the stones. Merchants were yelling—some scared out of their minds, others just mad about their stuff getting wrecked.

"Get out of here!" A voice cut through the noise.

Fear rippled through the crowd like wildfire. People pushed and elbowed their way toward any exit they could find, trampling merchandise underfoot in their rush to get away.

Robert stayed still in the shadows, watching as the four spread out and systematically tore through the market.

They were not here to steal—they were here to send a message.

A crate smashed down beside him, apples and oranges bouncing across the cobblestones. Time to move. He moved.

Robert closed the distance to the nearest man in three strides, his foot snapping up in a vicious kick to the attacker's ribs. The man staggered, eyes widening behind his mask, but Robert did not give him a chance to recover—an elbow to the temple dropped him instantly.

Another attacker spun toward him, the blade flashing. Robert dropped low, snatched the man's wrist, and wrenched it sideways.

The bone cracked, and the blade clattered to the ground. A palm strike to the chest sent the second man tumbling back into an empty stall, unmoving.

The third came from his right, fast and aggressive. Robert sidestepped, using the man's momentum against him. He seized the cloak, yanked hard, and drove a knee into the attacker's jaw. A sharp twist of his hands, and the body went limp.

The last one hesitated for a second, finally catching on to the danger—but it was too late.

Robert dashed forward, sweeping the man's legs out from under him before delivering a crushing blow to the throat. The masked figure twitched once, then stilled.

The fight had lasted less than twenty seconds.

Robert knelt briefly, placing a hand on each fallen enemy. The familiar pull of soul power surged through him as he absorbed their fading essence, the energy flooding into his cultivation.

It was quick and practised—by the time the nearest bystander glanced his way, there was nothing unusual to see.

He slipped back into the alleys, vanishing into the narrow streets before anyone could snap out of it.

By the time the first shouts of "What happened?" Rang out, he was already halfway to the Osborn estate.

Robert quietly slipped through a side gate, avoiding the bustling main courtyard.

He crossed the quiet corridors without drawing attention, eventually reaching his room.

After closing the door, he let out a long breath and opened the system interface.

His eyes scanned the glowing status screen—ready to see exactly how much he had gained.

[SYSTEM STATUS]

Name: Robert Osborn

Cultivation Realm: Body Tempering – Level 10 (Peak)

Spirit Energy: 1,920 / 2,000 (↑ +320)

Soul Power: 9,000

System Points: 180,420

Skills:

Shadow Step – Level 1: Silent Footfall achieved

Twin Dragon Fang – Level 1: Mirror Fang achieved

Mountain Fist – Level 1: Grounded Form achieved

Soul Awakening Realm – Level 3: Soul Seed Formation achieved

Quests:

Main Quest: Strengthen the Osborn Family – Progress: 0.5%

Side Quest: Secure West Market – Status: COMPLETE

He noticed something else, too. "The system has updated," he muttered to himself. "Before, it showed Soul Power in percentages… Now it is displaying it as a solid number. This is better."

A subtle smile played on his lips. Knowing exactly where he stood allowed for better planning—and the thought of a higher total brought him a sense of quiet satisfaction.

With 9,000 Soul Power in his hands, his soul cultivation would finally pick up speed like never before.

The 180,420 System Points shimmered temptingly in the corner of his vision. That amount of resources could buy high-tier cultivation manuals, rare alchemical materials, or even a one-time-use artifact capable of turning the tide in a battle.

Back at Grey Shadow Hall, the diplomatic meeting was coming to an end. Both groups had spent almost an hour being polite to each other, though the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.

Matthew James reached into his robes and withdrew a sealed leather portfolio containing the official West Market documents. His expression remained neutral, though his jaw was slightly tighter than before.

"Here are the ownership papers and transfer documents," Matthew said, placing the portfolio on the low table between them. "Everything is in order as agreed upon."

Elder Devon picked up the documents and scrutinized the seals before nodding to John Osborn. "The paperwork appears complete, Clan Head."

Matthew stood from his chair, his two accompanying elders rising with him. "Our business here is concluded. We have other matters to attend to."

He bowed to Elder Delvin and Miss Sarah. "Thank you both for making this transfer work." The three James clan members got up and left without another word. Their steps echoed down the hall, and as soon as they were out of sight, the tension in the room just melted away.

John Osborn eagerly accepted the portfolio from Elder Devon and began reviewing each document thoroughly. He checked every line carefully—signatures, seals, legal clauses, the works. Minutes passed as he examined everything, and then he broke into a satisfied grin.

"Everything looks perfect," John announced to the room. "The market is officially ours."

Elder Alex leaned forward with interest. "The transition should be smooth then?"

"Yeah, legally it is solid," Elder Devon said. "With Grey Shadow Hall involved, the James clan has no legitimate way to contest this."

Miss Sarah nodded appreciatively. "The market will be fully operational under Osborn management by tomorrow morning. Your clan's merchant permits are already processed."

Lady Mary broke her silence, speaking for the first time since they had all sat down.

"This will provide excellent opportunities for our younger clan members to gain business experience."

The conversation went on for another thirty minutes, covering all the practical stuff—how to handle vendors, security issues, and keeping the market running smoothly. John kept asking smart questions about the daily management side, which Elder Delvin answered using what research he had done ahead of time.

Finally, John stood and gathered the documents carefully. "Thank you both for making this possible.

"It was Young Master Robert's contributions that truly secured Grey Shadow Hall's support," Elder Delvin replied humbly.

Once they had finished with all the formal goodbyes and future partnership talk, it was time for the Osborn team to go. John slipped the ownership papers into his robes for safekeeping while Lady Mary and Elder Alex picked up their belongings.

Walking through Grey Shadow Hall toward the door, none of them knew that their newly acquired market had already seen some action. Their son had dealt with a threat that could have wrecked their investment before they had even officially taken over.

The afternoon sun was beginning to set as their carriage rolled through the city streets, carrying them home with documents that represented a new chapter in the Osborn clan's prosperity.

Meanwhile, at the James clan compound, Matthew James had returned from Grey Shadow Hall with barely contained frustration. The forced politeness of the transfer ceremony had left a bitter taste in his mouth, but at least his backup plan should have succeeded.

Settling into his private study, Matthew rang a small bell on his desk. Within moments, a servant appeared.

"Bring Elder Reno to me immediately," Matthew commanded.

As he waited, Matthew poured himself a glass of wine, trying to calm his nerves. The market transfer had been humiliating enough—surely the destruction of the west market would salvage something from this defeat.

Elder Reno entered the study, his face pale and his movements hesitant. He bowed deeply but remained silent.

"Well?" Matthew asked sharply. "How did the operation go? The west market's probably just a pile of rubble now, right?

Elder Reno shifted uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact. He knew Matthew James's temperament well, and delivering bad news was never a pleasant task. Still, lying would only make things worse when the truth inevitably comes out.

Taking a deep breath, Elder Reno spoke carefully. "Clan Head, there was... a complication."

Matthew's hand tightened around his wine glass. "What kind of complications?

"Someone was protecting the market," Elder Reno said quickly; the words tumbled out. "Our four Black Shadow members... they are all dead.

Whoever killed them was extremely skilled—the bodies showed signs of close combat, and it happened very quickly."

The wine glass shattered in Matthew's grip, red liquid and glass shards falling to the floor. His face flushed with rage as he stood abruptly from his chair.

"Dead?" Matthew's voice was dangerously low. "All four of them? Body Tempering Level 9 cultivators, and you are telling me some unknown protector killed them all?"

Elder Reno took an involuntary step backward. "Yes, Clan Head. There were no witnesses, but the skill required suggests we are dealing with someone at least at the Spirit Root Realm level, possibly higher."

Matthew's jaw clenched as realization dawned. Not only had he lost the market transfer, but now four valuable clan members were dead, and the Osborn's had somehow anticipated his sabotage attempt.

Everything he had planned was going to pieces, and someone in the background was way ahead of him—more than he had ever realized.