"Whichever one of you gets me that technique would get to choose one weapon from my personal weapon rack." Min Lei threw in the carrot after previously giving them a stick.

"I won't fail you father!" Min Yan assertively made her statement.

​​

"it is my duty as your son and I won't fail!" Min Kong replied with strong conviction.

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In Min Bolin's Residence

"Jiao'er, can you do it?" A calm voice spoke at a round table, where two female figures and a male figure sat eating.

"Dad, I will try my best. The pills will help me a lot to raise my strength before the Clan Gathering Ceremony." One of the female figures, Min Jiao replied the male figure who was her father, Min Bolin.

"Who do you think is your biggest obstacle amongst the Min Family contestants?" the other female figure who was Min Jiao's mother, Min Fei asked calmly.

"Defeating Min Gui will be very difficult, and I can't afford to underestimate Uncle Lei's children; Min Kong and Min Yan as they both possess equal strength and are not far off compared to Min Gui." She said.

"Then there's Min Qing too, who I feel no one really knows her cultivation level, not to forget the other twins who have been taken to the wall for training. These six are my only concern in this competition, but I still have a sixty percent confidence that I can take the top spot in the competition." Min Jiao spoke with the Kind of confidence that will put some men to shame.

"What about Min Hong?" Bolin asked.

"What about him? Is father implying that I should be concerned about him also?" Min Jiao asked somehow confused about her father's statement.

"You should know I won't mention it, if it's not important." Bolin went on to explain.

"Someone who can cultivate from scratch to the 5 Star Warrior stage in less than three years and also happen to train swordplay to 'One with World' level, within two of those three years, to me is very impressive."

"That's even ignoring the fact that he is secretive and might be hiding his true strength. I think you should be concerned about him and his sister, Min Qing." Min Bolin finished whilst gazing into the distance like a calm and old wise man.

Min Jiao heard her father's advice and left to evaluate the level of threat all her potential opponents in the coming of age ceremony pose to her success. Asides the fact that her father was the second strongest member of the Min Family, he's also well known for his high intellect and deduction abilities, so her choice to follow his guidance was without question.

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Dawn…

The next day…

In every Min Family residence, similar talks, advice and guidance were being dished out by every parents and grandparents to their younglings about the upcoming coming of age ceremony.

Being the hottest topic in the entire Soaring Cloud Village, it is no surprise that the Min Family precinct became a business domain for all the local business men and woman of all trades; from pills to weapons and different low-level arts and techniques.

Every member of the Min Family living outside the castle are trying all their possible best to purchase everything they need to compete, since they can only get the lowest of the techniques and arts dished out by the Family library, which is considerably inferior to those the members of the castle train in, they have to source for adequate techniques and arts from the several merchants that have temporarily setup shop in the Family precinct.

But, back in Min Rou's residence…

"Mother, do you have any information on the participants of the upcoming competition, as I barely know anyone outside the castle?" Min Hong asked as he entered Min Rou's room.

"Yes mother, we would need all the help we can get if any of us is to get into the top three." Min Qing walked in just behind her brother asking.

"Top three?!" Min Rou was a bit stunned at the level of ambition her two adorable children were having, but thinking back at the amount of effort they have put into their training, it is no surprise they are not willing to settle for less.

"Well, it would be bad parenting if I can't even help you this bit and since it would be partial for father to give you two any guidance, I've gathered a summary about all the talented members of the family."

"Let's start from castle members and move outwards. Just as you both know, all your cousins have also raised their strengths considerably these few years, as they also know the importance and honor that comes from this competition."

"In this scroll their level of strengths have been updated, including the martial arts or techniques they have learned so far. But, both of you are not to take this report to be perfect, as everyone would definitely be hiding their strengths since the element of surprise would be key if anyone is to be noticed in the coming of age ceremony." Min Rou warned before handing over the scroll to her children.

Min Qing received the scroll, opened it and placed it in a way that Min Hong could get a good view and read of the information within, which read;

"Cultivation Base (Age):

Your First Cousin: Min Jiao – 6 Star Qi Sea. (15 years)

Your Fourth cousin: Min Gui – 8 Star Warrior Stage and 8 Star Qi Creation. (16 years)

Your Third Cousin: Min Kong – 5 Star Qi Sea. (1 6years)

Your Third Cousin: Min Yan – 5 Star Qi Sea. (15 years)

Your Second Cousin: Min Fang – 4 Star Qi Sea. (15 years)

Other Members: Min Bai & Min Ming – Predicted as the strongest. (13 years)

Min Luo – 6 Star Qi Sea. (14 years)

Min Wei – 6 Star Qi Sea. (14 years)

Min Tao – 4 Star King Stage (14 years)

Martial Arts Accomplishments:

Min Jiao – One with World in the Sword, two sword arts and one evasive technique.

Min Kong – One with World in the Sabre, two sabre arts and one defensive technique.

Min Yan – One with World in Whip, two whip arts and one footwork technique.

Min Gui – One with World in Hammer, one hammer art and one defensive technique.

Min Fang – One with World in Gauntlet, one fist art and one evasive technique."

"Heavens! With the level of our strengths, we will find it a bit difficult to even make the top ten and top three can as well just be a pipe dream." Min Hong was stunned as he saw the level of improvement his cousins have made over the past four to five years.

"We might as well just imagine all of them are at least one level higher than the reports, since they would be doing their best to hide their strengths just like mother said." Min Qing spoke intelligently.

"If you two really wish to enter the top three, then the Min Bai and Min Ming duo should be your major focus."

"Do you know the reason why their strengths are unknown and estimated as probably the strongest?" Min Rou asked her kids who seemed to have ignored the most vital piece of information in the scroll.

The Min Hong and Min Qing duo shook their heads signifying they have no idea but a curious expression appeared on their faces as they await their mother's explanation.

"Firstly, you two must understand that they both do not really fancy our Min Family Branch. Both of them have the notion that the members of the castle are weak and privileged because despite their access to the best resources in the family, they are not too far ahead of some talented ordinary members of the family."

"Their father is the head guard at the Min Family Wall, our first line of defense against any enemy, intruders or bandits whilst their mother is one of our best healers. They felt they should at least be allowed to live in the castle and have access to the castle's resources because of how vital their parent's job was."

"But grandpa was unwilling since they weren't the only ones with parents who had vital jobs and if they were to allow all of them to live in the castle, asides from the unavailability of space, there won't be enough resources to go around. Moreover, the family can't handle that much expenditure of resources." Min Qing added as she had also heard about the story since she was little.

"Correct, so father only allowed the descendants of the elders and himself live in the castle and make use of its resources. So, this made the twins detach themselves from the members of the castle, even though their parents are still very much loyal to it."

"So, you two should expect them to be aggressive towards castle members, whilst being lenient to the ordinary members. That would be their way of proving their point."

"Secondly, one day when patrolling deep in the forest at the Min Family borders, their father stumbled upon an old inheritance in a cave just outside the wall and since he was very loyal and made a lot of positive contribution to the family, father convinced the elders to let him keep the inheritance to himself as a form of goodwill to his family."

"Then he took his children; the twin to the wall to train them and cultivate the inheritance. Before they left, the twins were just behind Min Jiao in terms of cultivation base and techniques. Now that they would have absorbed the inheritance, hardened by different battles against bandits, it's no doubt that they will be the strongest amongst the third generation of the Min Family." Min Rou explained in detail.

"Wow, these guys are really talented and exceptional. Even without the resources of the castle, they could cultivate almost on par with big sister Min Jiao." Min Hong praised fanatically.

"Mother, I plan on going into secluded cultivation for the little bit of time left before the competition. If we are to make it into the top three, then we have to increase our strengths as much as possible within the little time left." Min Qing spoke as she stood up heading straight to the Min Family resort.

"Mother, I would like to go into the forest to train for the next one year instead. I would like to battle some spirit beasts to improve my understanding of the various techniques I train in." Min Hong had a different idea of raising his strength instead.

"Hong'er, you are only ten, the magic beasts in the forest are very dangerous and..." midway into her speech Min Rou paused before granting her son's request. "Okay, but be careful, the spirit beasts in the forest are not to be underestimated. They are of different cultivation levels ranging from Qi Sea stage to Nascent Soul stage."

"You must also understand that your Blackstar Shirt won't be able to help you against those beasts in the Dan Formation stage, so when you see one, immediately flee with your footwork technique and never look back until you get to a place with a lot of people." Min Rou warned her delighted son as she waved him away.

Immediately Min Hong left his mother's room, Min Rou spoke into the empty room. "You're back." Then she turned to face the dark corner of her room. "Are they finally making a move?"

"Yes, Elder Rou." A figure materialized from the shadows and knelt on one knee as it bowed. "They've sent someone to the central precinct to recruit some capable warriors." The figure raised up its head, then light fell on its face and illuminated a very beautiful feminine face with a very pale skin, who looked to be about twenty years old.

"Sit. Tell me everything you know." Min Rou gestured the girl to a nearby seat. This girl was Min Rou's personal guard and no one in the family except her father knew about her existence.

Min Rou's duty to the Min Family was to gather information about everything going on in the East Wind Kingdom. This included, information about their rival families, merchants, mercenaries, bandits and even the royal family of the East Wind Kingdom.

Thus, Min Rou went over to the Death Guard Squad and chose the only three female guards amongst them. She then assigned each one of them to different region of the vast Soaring Cloud Village which had the Merchant tribes to the West, the Zhou family to the East, and finally the Wang family to the North.

The guard currently in front of her was Min Ye, she was deployed to the East to keep an eye on the activity within the Zhou Family as they were arch rivals of the Min Family and were also participants of the 'Battle for the Central Region'.

"The Royal Guard has ordered that this upcoming 'Battle for the Central Region' should be within the younger generation, this was just after he was visited by the Zhou Family Head. Thereafter, the Zhou Family Head immediately sent Zhou Mu to take their talents to the central region to train and gain experience." Min Ye summarized months of valuable information in a single statement.

"Shit! Doesn't this make things a little difficult. I never knew the Zhou Family head could be this shameless, bribing the royal guard to change the format of the competition, giving them a massive head start in preparation." Min Rou fumed at the news she just received.

"I will tell father and get his instructions, we must start preparations as soon as possible, we only have about a year after the coming of age ceremony before it begins." Min Rou made a quick decision.

"Furthermore, I need you to carry out a mission for me, it is an extremely important one and anything other than success is unacceptable." Min Rou added as she spoke sternly.

"Your wellbeing is my mission and the only thing I live for, without it, I am just a being without purpose. What are your orders, Elder Rou?" The young lady got down on one knee and bowed as she asked.