Strongest Family System

"Robert inhaled, then followed the motions shown in the video. The initial attempts came out clumsy; he was accustomed to direct, powerful blows, not the flowing coils of this new style."

"This style demanded a total mental reset. Rather than smashing into an attacker's force, each motion curved, redirected, and slipped past it. Robert's first tries looked clumsy, his shifts stiff instead of fluid."

"Flow like water, twist like wind," he muttered, repeating the mental cues from the training video.

"Robert spent the first hour just trying with the footwork. The Coiling Scales stance kept him low and balanced yet ready to spiral any way he needed. His legs burned from the odd posture, but he kept going."

By the second hour, muscle memory began developing. His movements became less forced, more natural. "Spiral steps that used to seem impossible were now just difficult, and Robert felt his body adjusting to the new combat style."

During the third and fourth hour, Robert's performance really started to improve.Defensive coils and offensive blows began to connect in one seamless motion. He shadow-sparred, weaving around swords only he could picture."

"During that fifth hour, Robert felt everything snap into rhythm. The form sank deep, granting him the same snake-like grace he had watched in the tutorial; his spirals now transitioned smoothly into strikes."

"By the end of the sixth hour, Robert could chain the entire sequence—coiling defense, seamless redirection, and a clean counterblow—without a hitch. Though soaked in sweat, he kept his breathing level."

He paused and checked his system interface:

Coiling Scales Technique: Minor Success Achieved

"A pleased smile formed on Robert's lips. Six hours of intense drills had pushed him to minor proficiency in a technique that would change how he fought. Coiling Scales meant he could stay lethal yet mask his actual cultivation level."

"Evening stretched its shadows across the field when Robert realized he had devoted the entire afternoon to sharpening just one piece of his expanding skill set. The Spirit Root Realm had flung open new doors, and he was only at the threshold."

Far from the estate, three masked figures were hiding in the shadows of the forest.

Their auras lay muffled, but a flash of killing intent still sparked in their eyes."

"Three days he locked himself away," one assassin muttered, his voice a harsh whisper. "The clan grew careless."

The second assassin, a tall woman with sharp eyes visible above her mask, shifted her position slightly. We just need to hang tight until he steps out by himself. "If we do not pull this mission off, the clan leader will be absolutely furious."

The third assassin, the youngest of the bunch, nodded with a heavy heart. "Yes, we should keep watch until he emerges. Clan head made it clear—there are no second chances."

The scar-faced leader of the trio pulled out a small spyglass, focusing it on the distant estate grounds. "Look there," he whispered. "Movement in the training area."

Through the lens, they could see Robert practicing in the secluded corner of the training grounds, his movements flowing in strange, serpentine patterns they did not recognize.

"Finally," the woman breathed. "After three days, the target shows himself."

"But he is still within the estate walls," the youngest pointed out. "Too many clan members around. We need him isolated, away from help."

The scar-faced assassin lowered the spyglass, his eyes calculating.

"Patience. He cannot stay locked in there forever. Young cultivators always get restless, always want to test their abilities outside safe boundaries."

"The information we gathered says he sometimes visits the markets alone," the woman added. "Or travels to Grey Shadow Hall. We just need to wait for the right opportunity."

"How long do we wait?" The youngest asked, frustration creeping into his voice.

"As long as we must," the leader replied, voice like ice.

We have supplies for two weeks. If Robert Osborn does not leave the estate by then, we will find another way to draw him out."

The woman pulled out a small jade communication stone. "Should we report to Elder Hart that the target is active again?"

The leader shook his head. "Not yet. We report when the mission is complete, not before. Clan Head wants results, not excuses."

"When evening rolled in, the three assassins hunkered down in their covert position, staring toward the distant estate. Professionals by trade, they had the patience to wait out any length of time for the perfect strike."

Unknown to Robert as he perfected his new Coiling Scales technique, death watched him from the shadows, patient and deadly, waiting for just one moment of vulnerability.

The hunt had begun, and the predators would not give up easily.

After taking the time to rest and recover his strength from the rigorous Coiling Scales training, Robert decided it was time to dive into his shadow arts skills. The night would be the perfect time for this, as the darkness would help keep his training a secret from anyone who might be watching.

As evening deepened into night, Robert quietly made his way toward the estate's rear exit. "The guards standing watch inclined their heads politely, no strangers to the young master's sporadic nighttime ventures."

The moment Robert stepped beyond the estate walls, a familiar chime echoed in his mind. The translucent system interface materialized before his eyes:

[System Notification]

Assassination Attempt Detected

Mission: Kill all enemies.

Reward: 200,000 system points.

Robert stopped in his tracks, his expression hardening. "So it is true."

The reward alone told him everything he needed to know. A target worth two hundred thousand points would not be weak. Whoever these assassins were, they had come prepared to kill him.

But fear never crossed his mind. Instead, Robert turned his steps toward the dark line of forest beyond the estate. The open grounds of the clan were no place for what was about to unfold.

He strolled peacefully under the canopy of trees, feeling the cool night air brush against his skin. The forest was still, but the silence felt heavy, as if the entire world was pausing for a moment.

Robert stopped at a small clearing where moonlight poured down between the branches. He drew both his sword and planted it upright in the earth before him, then sat cross-legged on the ground.

"let us see what kind of assassins you are," he murmured.

His spirit senses spread outward, merging with the quiet forest. He could feel them now—faint presences on the edges of his awareness. Watching. Waiting.

Robert closed his eyes, his breathing slow and steady. "He compressed his aura to the point of near non-existence, blending into the clearing like an ordinary stone."He would let them come to him.

"There was no longer any question—the first clash would happen. It was only a matter of when.

The forest held its breath for several more minutes before the first assassin made his move.

A whisper of displaced air was the only warning as a blade descended toward Robert's neck from behind. Without opening his eyes, Robert activated Shadow Step, his form dissolving into a blur as he rolled forward. The assassin's sword buried itself in the earth where he had been sitting.

"Finally," Robert said, rising fluidly to his feet and pulling his twin swords in one smooth motion. "I was starting to wonder if you had lost your nerve."

Three figures emerged from the tree line, each moving with the confident grace of Spirit Root Realm cultivators. The scar-faced leader wielded a curved saber, while the tall woman carried twin daggers that gleamed with a poisonous sheen.

The youngest assassin held a straight sword and moved with the quick, nervous energy of someone eager to prove himself.

"Robert Osborn," the leader called out, his voice cold and professional.

"Your death has been commissioned. Nothing personal."

"Everything about murder is personal," Robert replied, settling into the Coiling Scales stance. His body lowered slightly, swords held at different angles, creating an unusual defensive posture that none of the assassins recognized.

"The youngest assassin moved first, driven by impatience rather than strategy. He shot forward with his 'Lightning Thrust,' his sword flashing like silver as it streaked for Robert's heart."

Robert's response was pure Coiling Scales. Instead of blocking or dodging directly, his entire body spiraled to the right, his left sword deflecting the thrust while his right sword traced a serpentine arc toward his attacker's ribs. The assassin barely managed to pull back, a thin line of blood appearing across his side.

"Impossible," the woman breathed. "he is only Body Tempering Level 9!"

The scar-faced leader's eyes narrowed. "His technique is different. All three together!"

They launched their attack in a well-coordinated formation—the leader charging in from the front, the woman skillfully circling around to flank, while the injured youth pressed forward from the left.

Their movements were precise, their timing perfect.

Robert's response was like watching water flow uphill.

"Shadow Step silenced Robert's stride as he ghosted between their strikes. Guided by Coiling Scales, he traded direct clashes for swirling sword paths that bent enemy steel away and cleared room for counters."

The leader's saber came down in a powerful overhead chop. Robert's body twisted like a corkscrew, both swords rising to guide the saber's path past his shoulder while his rotation brought his right sword around toward the assassin's exposed flank. The leader barely managed to pull back, his outer robe sliced open.

"Moving from the back, she closed the distance, twin daggers poised at his kidneys, their venomous steel sparkling in the lunar light."

"Silent Footfall let Robert pivot noiselessly, yet the coordinated assault pushed him to depend entirely on Coiling Scales for defense."

"With his comrades pressing the attack, the youngest assassin channeled spirit energy into a deadly art. 'Storm Blade Barrage!' He yelled, sending a hail of silvery blades spinning around Robert."

"Robert's composure gave way to intense concentration for the first time since the clash began. Three Spirit Root Realm killers were synchronizing their peak techniques, and even his enhanced prowess would be strained to its limits."

"The forest seemed to hold its breath as blades clashed in a lethal dance that would decide who lived and who died."