Instructor Jiang, Cripple Him!

After dinner, Qiushi had originally planned to take Jiang Yunhe to reason things out with Liu Yuanqing. Unexpectedly, Song Ankang also wanted to go, so the three of them headed for the storeroom together.

The storeroom stood in the center of Chaoyun Manor, covering several thousand square meters. It was built entirely from Qinggang Stone; even an Earthworm Beast could not get inside.

Liu Yuanqing spent most of his days in the storeroom with nothing else to do, living quite an easy life.

When Song Ankang and the others arrived at the storeroom, Liu Yuanqing was enjoying dried meat and fruit while being attended by two clerks. He was living rather comfortably.

"Son-in-law, you've come. What can I do for you?"

Seeing Song Ankang and the others arrive, the fat-headed, big-eared Liu Yuanqing did not take them too seriously. He slowly rose to his feet and looked at Song Ankang.

Song Ankang glanced at him. "I'm here to collect this month's stipend. Exchange all of it for Medicinal Herbs. Also, advance me the next two months' stipends, likewise paid in Medicinal Herbs. I should still have that much authority."

"Th-this..." Liu Yuanqing froze. He cast a wary look at Jiang Yunhe beside him, but still flatly refused. "Son-in-law, you may not know this, but this year's drought has made it likely that we cannot pay the taxes. So we have to conserve last year's reserves, and everyone's stipends have been reduced."

Song Ankang frowned. "Since when?"

"It started last month. It is not that this lowly one deliberately targeted you, Son-in-law," Liu Yuanqing explained.

Song Ankang pressed, "Then were Steward Wang's stipend and yours reduced?"

"Th-this..." Liu Yuanqing was stunned and could not answer for a moment. There were records for every stipend issued, so he did not dare make something up.

Song Ankang saw the answer from his expression and sneered. "Since neither your stipend nor Steward Wang's has been reduced, yet mine has, could it be that the two of you are the manor lords, while I am your servant?"

"Immediately make up this month's stipend for me, along with the next two months' stipends. Not a single coin less."

"B-but... there truly is not much stock left in the storeroom." Liu Yuanqing still stubbornly refused to give in.

Song Ankang's expression changed slightly as he looked at Jiang Yunhe. "Instructor Jiang, cripple this dog who has dared defy his superior. He actually dared dock my stipend. Does he take me for a soft persimmon to be kneaded as he pleases?"

"Yes, Son-in-law." Jiang Yunhe nodded and walked toward Liu Yuanqing.

Although Liu Yuanqing was a martial artist at the Outer Forging Third Layer, he was far inferior to Instructor Jiang of the Inner Refinement Realm. If the two fought, Liu Yuanqing would undoubtedly lose.

Seeing that Song Ankang was not joking, Liu Yuanqing panicked. This somewhat weak son-in-law had actually shown such backbone. "Son-in-law, you cannot do this. I am an old hand of Chaoyun Manor. I have managed the storeroom for decades. Even if I have no merit, I have worked hard. You cannot treat me this way."

Song Ankang ignored him, his face calm as still water, while Jiang Yunhe drew ever closer to Liu Yuanqing.

"If the Tang Family's steward in charge of grain and Medicinal Herbs learns that you have done this, he will certainly punish you," Liu Yuanqing continued to make a desperate stand.

Song Ankang raised an eyelid, but did not take his words to heart. Given Liu Yuanqing's actions, crippling his cultivation was a normal punishment.

If the Tang Family's steward in charge of such matters punished him over this, that too would be defying a superior. When the time came, Song Ankang would not mind crippling that man's cultivation as well.

Seeing that Song Ankang remained unmoved, Liu Yuanqing finally behaved himself. "Son-in-law, I was wrong. This lowly one will immediately make up this month's stipend in full and advance the next two months' stipends as well."

But what terrified Liu Yuanqing was that even after he had yielded, Song Ankang still did not call Jiang Yunhe back. Jiang Yunhe was about to seize him.

At the critical moment, Liu Yuanqing's mind finally turned quick. "This lowly one will give my own three months of stipends to Son-in-law as well. Please spare this lowly one, Son-in-law. I will never dare again."

Only then did Song Ankang call Jiang Yunhe to a halt. He gave Liu Yuanqing a cold look. "If there is a next time, no one will be able to save you."

"Yes, yes, yes. This lowly one shall obey Son-in-law's words. There will not be a next time." Liu Yuanqing repeatedly bowed, nearly collapsing to his knees.

Liu Yuanqing prepared the Medicinal Herbs Song Ankang needed at top speed, then led a group of storeroom clerks to respectfully see Song Ankang off. None of their previous arrogance or neglect remained.

After leaving the storeroom, Jiang Yunhe looked at Song Ankang in surprise, as though meeting him for the first time. "Son-in-law handled that quite well this time. You finally have a bit of a manor lord's bearing."

"Yes, yes! Son-in-law was so imposing. You were incredible just now. That Liu Yuanqing was nearly frightened to tears by you. It was so satisfying to watch." Red hearts flickered in Qiushi's bright eyes. She had clearly fallen beneath Song Ankang's long trousers.

Song Ankang smiled. "If Instructor Jiang had not been beside me to back me up, I would not have dared do that. Instructor Jiang deserves most of the credit this time."

"You flatter me, Son-in-law." Jiang Yunhe smiled faintly. He wanted to say that he had always been by Song Ankang's side before, yet had never seen him act so tough. Could it be that, having finally stepped onto the path of cultivation, his temperament and personality had changed?

That was a good thing. A weak, easily bullied son-in-law was not worthy of the talented and beautiful eldest miss.

Yet when Jiang Yunhe's gaze inadvertently swept over Song Ankang's back, he saw the muscles slightly bulge with one of Song Ankang's movements, and his heart gave a thump.

Th-this... why did that resemble the traits of a Muscle Tempering Realm martial artist? And Son-in-law's personality seemed to have changed rather drastically. Generally, only after cultivating demonic arts would most people undergo such changes.

Jiang Yunhe grew suspicious, but did not reveal it. Instead, he carefully observed Song Ankang's every movement.

Song Ankang had only just stepped onto the path of cultivation and had not broken through long ago. He had also not cultivated the Heaven Concealing Earth Absorbing Art. Furthermore, the Outer Forging stage had conspicuous traits to begin with, so Jiang Yunhe soon discovered more abnormalities.

Muscle Tempering Realm!

Jiang Yunhe gradually became certain of his suspicion. In merely a few days without seeing him, Song Ankang had gone from a frail scholar too weak to truss a chicken into a Muscle Tempering Realm martial artist. That was far too fast—unless he had cultivated a demonic-path cultivation method, it would be difficult to progress at such a speed.

But everyone knew that although demonic-path cultivation methods placed few demands on Talent and Aptitude and allowed rapid cultivation, they often carried enormous side effects. Moreover, they were difficult to cultivate to profound realms, offered limited future prospects, and most importantly, easily led to an early death.

Those who cultivated demonic-path methods basically found it difficult to meet a good end. Unless forced into it, few human martial artists chose to cultivate demonic-path methods.

After all, there were so many righteous-path cultivation methods, as well as numerous divine techniques and peerless arts. Why choose demonic-path methods?

After Qiushi happily went to sort the Medicinal Herbs, Jiang Yunhe could not help looking at Song Ankang. "Son-in-law, did you... did you cultivate a demonic-path cultivation method during the two days I was away?"

I did not promote this at all on the old book, yet you still came. Thank you to the top fan of my old book, Peterlo0420, for the many rewards; thank you to Immortal Within Fortune for the reward and recommendation; thank you to Fire Trees and Silver Flowers Night for the first reward and investment. Thank you all so much!!!