Family Cultivation: My entire family are Villains

New Yu Era 1332, December 18

Xingnan Prefecture City, on the western Official Road, Tuoba Yu was concealed atop a large tree, reminiscing about the scene last month on the thirtieth when he returned to the main tent to report to the Youye Emperor, his expression slightly displeased.

His displeasure was naturally not aimed at the Retired Emperor and the strategist. It primarily stemmed from his own frustration and regret over his poor performance in the camp that day.

"The Retired Emperor and the strategist wouldn't suspect me. Ultimately, it's because I didn't obtain any useful intelligence on the Hou Clan. If I had brought back valuable information, the Retired Emperor and the strategist wouldn't have had such an attitude. Alas..."

Tuoba Yu let out a small sigh. Despite bearing the surname Tuoba, the Tuoba Clan, one of the three highest nobles in Great Jin aside from the imperial Yuwen Clan, had countless descendants. The total number probably exceeded a million. In Youdu, a place where nobles could be found around every corner, having the surname Tuoba wouldn't change one's status. To stand out, it primarily depended on one's strength and backing.

Of course, serving as a Scout Captain under the Retired Emperor's command, Tuoba Yu's talent was undeniable. He had just turned one hundred and had already reached the Yuan Dan Realm, which qualified him as a genius in the World.

But in front of the Retired Emperor, it was completely inadequate.

The Retired Emperor's close aides, Youquan Guard, elite Youming Army, and even the central army scout camp where Tuoba Yu served, were all brimming with talent. His level of aptitude simply couldn't compare. If not for his wit which helped him achieve numerous merits over the years, he wouldn't have been able to be the Scout Captain or receive the opportunity to meet the Retired Emperor.

"It's a meeting with the Retired Emperor; such a great opportunity, and I've wasted it all!"

Tuoba Yu looked down at the commoners below, feeling somewhat frustrated. He had been stationed here for twenty-seven days without noticing anything unusual. At the prefectural city, waves of commoners entered the city, interspersed with the Hou Clan's large army. So far, fifty-two waves of the army had returned, leaving only eight yet to return.

"The Hou Clan's five hundred thousand strong army was divided into sixty groups, and only eight remain. That equates to four hundred thousand troops already returning to the city. With only three days left of the one-month time period set by Hou Yuxiao, the remaining army should all return in these final three days!"

Tuoba Yu's tone was somewhat somber, as his mission this time was to monitor the movements of the Hou Clan's army, which ultimately meant his mission would conclude in three days.

The problem was, up until now, he had made no progress.

Of course, he had been genuinely monitoring Xingnan Prefecture City for a month and could claim to have done real work. But the crucial point was that he hadn't brought back any useful intelligence. The expression on the Retired Emperor and the strategist during last month's mission report was telling.

"No, I must seize this last three days to uncover something useful!"

Tuoba Yu clenched his fist, watching the commoners migrating in groups, preparing to enter Xingnan Prefecture City, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes. This was not aimed at the commoners but represented his own realization that he had to take action.

Suddenly, a gentle breeze blew by, causing his eyebrows to furrow. He quickly turned to look behind him.

A figure completely shrouded in a black robe hurriedly approached from afar. Upon seeing Tuoba Yu, the figure immediately knelt on the ground, cupping his hands urgently, "Captain, something has happened!" The reference version of this chapter is on M*V*LEMPYR.

"What happened?"

"The five brothers monitoring the eastern side of the prefectural city got careless and were discovered by one of the Hou Clan's armies. Fortunately, that particular army wasn't very strong. After a fierce battle, four of them died, and only one managed to escape back, though he is already on the brink of death!"

Tuoba Yu's face instantly bore an expression of anger, and he said sternly, "Idiots, I only instructed them to monitor the army's movements, not to do anything else, yet they were discovered?"

"Please calm your anger, Captain. Those five brothers approached the army on their own initiative, as if they had discovered something. The dying brother sent me to notify you to come over!"

"Stop wasting words and quickly take me there!"

Upon hearing this, Tuoba Yu's expression froze, his face immediately changing with shock. He barked an order at the man, who dared not utter a word in response, promptly leading Tuoba Yu to fly towards the west.

Thirty miles west of the prefectural city, next to the Official Road, stood a small rundown temple.

Following the man, Tuoba Yu entered the temple, waved away the greetings of over a dozen people inside, and headed straight to the center where a subordinate lay on the ground, his life hanging by a thread. Noticing the subordinate's nonstop bleeding, Tuoba Yu slightly furrowed his brow, placed a hand on the man's chest, and channeled his Divine Origin into the subordinate's body.

The moment he touched the chest, Tuoba Yu knew this subordinate was beyond saving!

Yet he still exerted all his effort to awaken the subordinate.

"What did you discover?"

The subordinate barely opened his eyes. Hearing Tuoba Yu's question, he parted his lips, his breath as faint as a whisper, "That... army... has... a... problem..."

Realizing the subordinate would soon be unable to speak, Tuoba Yu's expression darkened, and he quickly increased the flow of Divine Origin while pressing, "What problem?"

The subordinate, like Tuoba Yu, was also a descendant of a royal surname, loyal to Great Jin. It was evident that he was already on the brink of death, yet he still mustered his last bit of strength to utter four broken words.

"Cultivation... strength..."

As the four words faded, the light in the subordinate's eyes disappeared completely.

Tuoba Yu stopped the transfer of Divine Origin, but after withdrawing his hand, a frown lingered on his forehead, his mind filled with confusion and puzzlement.