Xu Yan rode on horseback, looking at the two martial artists ahead. They wore long sabers at their waists, their faces alight with surprise, yet a hint of coldness glimmered in their eyes.
He fell into thought.
"Am I being watched? Do they want to kidnap me?
"No, that can't be right. Why has nobody targeted me before?
"Could it be because I haven't been divorced yet and am still engaged to the General's Residence, so these martial artists didn't dare touch me?"
He had been searching everywhere for experts for more than a day or two. Traveling alone through Donghe Commandery, he had never encountered a martial artist daring enough to kidnap the young master of Donghe's richest family.
And now, someone had openly set their sights on him right on the official road!
The first thing Xu Yan thought of was that the General's Residence had broken off the engagement. Without that restraint, these martial artists had begun targeting him.
"Although I'm no longer the future son-in-law of the General's Residence, my maternal grandfather is the Minister of Personnel!"
Xu Yan's thoughts shifted. Although he no longer had any connection with the General's Residence, he was still the grandson of the Minister of Personnel—that was a powerful court minister with real authority.
"Foolish boy, just come with us obediently."
One of the martial artists leaped into the air and reached out to pull Xu Yan from his horse.
Although there were no passing travelers on the official road at that moment, they still had to finish the fight quickly and seize him at once.
They had to avoid any unexpected complications.
As long as Xu Yan was in their hands, the rest of their operation would be much easier.
He reached out and grabbed Xu Yan's shoulder, then suddenly exerted his strength, trying to pull him down. To his horror, he found that he seemed to be clutching a great mountain.
His opponent did not move in the slightest!
Not good!
His heart clenched. He was about to let go and retreat when he suddenly felt his neck tighten. A hand had already clamped around his throat and lifted him into the air.
"Who gave you the nerve to come after me?"
Xu Yan stared at him.
The other man was shocked at the sight. With a clang, he drew his saber, leaped into the air, and slashed at Xu Yan.
"Let go!"
His eyes brimmed with Killing Intent, and a ruthless glint flashed through them.
"Hmph!"
Xu Yan snorted coldly. With his other hand, he grabbed straight toward the incoming saber. Dipper qi surfaced along his arm as he seized it with tremendous force!
Bang!
The long saber fell into his hand and instantly snapped into several pieces under the tremor of his Vital Energy!
Boom!
A wave of Vital Energy and dipper qi blasted from Xu Yan's hand and struck the man in an instant.
With a bang, the man, still suspended in midair, exploded on the spot.
Flesh and blood flew everywhere, startling Xu Yan. Vital Energy and dipper qi instantly enveloped his body.
Yet the instant his Vital Energy and dipper qi surfaced, the man whose neck he was gripping was caught off guard. Under the impact of the Vital Energy and dipper qi, his bones and tendons shattered on the spot. His eyes bulged wide in terror, and he died!
Rumble!
Vital Energy swept outward, carrying every chunk of flesh and corpse into the grass on both sides of the road.
"They're far too fragile!"
After Xu Yan threw the corpse into the grass, he could not help staring blankly.
He had only used a little Vital Energy, yet he had directly beaten a man apart!
"I'm too strong!
"I'm no longer on the same level as them."
Xu Yan exhaled, his heart surging with excitement. This was true martial arts! He was only in the Qi and Blood Realm, yet he already possessed such terrifying strength.
"My control over my own power is still a little lacking. I'll have to be more careful next time!"
After learning his lesson, Xu Yan continued on his way.
There was no one on the official road at that time. No one had witnessed what happened when he killed the two martial artists, so Xu Yan returned home with a clear conscience.
"Yan'er, you're finally back!"
Madam Xu pulled her son's hand with delight and looked him up and down. He had not lost weight or grown tanned; he even seemed a little more robust. She immediately relaxed.
As long as her precious son had not suffered or endured hardship, that was all that mattered.
"Yan'er, now that you're back, don't go wandering around anymore. It isn't safe outside these days."
Madam Xu reminded him earnestly.
"Mother, where's Father?"
Xu Yan asked in confusion.
Every time he returned, his father would inevitably appear with a stern face, ready to lecture him.
Yet today, he was nowhere to be seen!
"Your father went to handle some business matters."
A trace of worry crossed Madam Xu's face.
"Mother, what happened to our family?"
Xu Yan immediately realized that something had happened to his family.
Otherwise, his father would never personally handle the affairs.
Wanting her son to settle down and understand the dangers outside, Madam Xu sighed and said, "At some point, a band of mountain bandits appeared along Jin'an Road in Donghe Commandery and robbed our family's goods.
"Your father is arranging for people to deliver the goods again. If they aren't delivered on time, we'll have to pay triple compensation.
"Yan'er, your father will take care of these matters. You just got back—are you hungry?"
Madam Xu ordered the servants to prepare a feast to welcome her precious son home.
Xu Yan furrowed his brow, and then his heart began to stir restlessly.
"Although I've only just entered the martial path, the peerless experts of the martial world are as frail as paper before me. These mountain bandits actually dared to target my family's goods—they truly deserve to die!
"This is the perfect chance to test whether I can crush that entire nest of bandits by myself!"
He could use this opportunity to test his strength and, incidentally, resolve his family's troubles.
He had spent quite a lot of his family's money over the years. For the goods to be important enough for his father to take seriously, they were clearly worth a fortune.
"Mother, where is that bandit den? Why hasn't the government gone to wipe them out?"
Xu Yan asked with an expression of curiosity.
Madam Xu did not know that her precious son was preparing to crush the bandits alone, and she did not conceal the truth. "They're on Black Wind Mountain, two hundred li from Donghe Commandery, right beside Jin'an Road."
"Jiang Pingshan claims he has to guard against the Tianmu Cult causing trouble, so he refuses to send troops to suppress the bandits. Hmph, he's only standing by because the engagement was broken off and our family no longer has anything to do with him."
Madam Xu's face filled with anger when she mentioned Jiang Pingshan.
Xu Yan understood at once. These goods were traveling along Jin'an Road, clearly bound for the Capital City of Qi Kingdom. That bandit den had robbed them on Jin'an Road—and they were the Xu Family's goods.
There was probably more to this matter.
But Xu Yan did not care about any of that. He only wanted to test his strength and crush that entire nest of bandits!
"Mother, I suddenly remembered that I have something to take care of. I'm heading out for a while."
"Yan'er, where are you going? Come back!"
Madam Xu cried out anxiously.
Xu Yan led a horse out of the stable and rode straight out of the city.
"If I hurry to Black Wind Mountain, it'll be nearly dark by the time I arrive. The timing is perfect!"
Xu Yan thought excitedly.
On Black Wind Mountain, a group of martial artists had gathered and were discussing how to rob the Xu Family's goods next.
The bandit chief was a burly man with a bare torso covered in black hair. A huge saber was planted beside his feet as he said in a deep voice, "This mission must succeed. Xu Junhe is no ordinary man. After losing one shipment, he'll certainly be prepared. None of you can afford to let your guard down!"
"Boss Xiong, rest assured. As long as Jiang Pingshan doesn't send troops, Xu Junhe won't be able to protect the goods no matter how capable he is!"
"Exactly!"
Just then, a figure wrapped in blazing, ferocious dipper qi suddenly charged up the mountain. With a vicious voice, he shouted, "If you want my Xu Family's goods, then show me what you're capable of!"
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