Slaughtering a Hall Single-Handedly, Returning to Jinshui Town

The Cheng Family caravan was in shambles, with guards continuously falling into pools of blood.

If Qiu Yun hadn't been lured away, the situation would likely have been even more dire.

There were still twenty or thirty experts from the Jinsha Gang on the field; their greatest losses had been those killed earlier by Zhou Qiming. In contrast, the Cheng Family had only a few elite direct descendants left, and the herb-gathering laborers had been wiped out.

I hope Zhou Qiming escaped the clutches of the devil. Cheng Yan's strength was gradually failing. She closed her eyes in total despair, her heart still filled with worry and prayer.

However, she knew the hope was slim. Against an old-school expert like Qiu Yun, who had reached the Bone Forging stage in his legs, there was simply no escaping his speed.

"Dying isn't going to be that easy."

"You hurt so many of our brothers; we're going to torture you to vent our hatred!"

"That pretty boy was your lover, right? Heh heh, I'm afraid he's already dead under the Hall Master's palm. He isn't coming back."

Seven or eight experts at the peak of Muscle Cultivation circled Cheng Yan like jackals, cornering her against a large boulder. Their eyes gleamed with malice, all of them wanting a piece of the action.

Suddenly, a figure on horseback galloped in from the distance. The horse let out a long neigh, looking spirited and full of vigor.

The field fell silent for a moment, and both sides ceased their fighting.

"It's the Hall Master! The Hall Master has finally returned. That brat sure could run," a Jinsha Gang member grinned and laughed.

"Damn it, Zhou Qiming..." The few remaining Cheng Family members turned pale, feeling a sense of despair. If Qiu Yun had returned so quickly, then Captain Zhou's fate was likely sealed.

However, within a single breath, Cheng Yan instantly rallied from her despair. Her eyes sparkled with light as she said in disbelief:

"It's Zhou Qiming!"

In an instant, the crowd erupted, shocked and horrified beyond measure.

Qiu Yun was a veteran Bone Forging expert; he had actually failed to hunt down a youth at the peak of Skin Refining.

A truly terrifying speculation surfaced in the minds of the Cheng Family members.

"Could it be that Qiu Yun is dead? There's no other explanation!"

"We're saved! This must be Captain Zhou's doing."

"The fact that he could escape from a Bone Forging expert already speaks volumes about his strength."

For a moment, the Cheng Family members breathed a sigh of relief, though they still dared not let their guard down while in such a perilous situation.

Cheng Yan saw Zhou Qiming flash forward and take down a Muscle Cultivation gang member with a single slash of his blade. She could no longer hold on, and her soft body collapsed into his arms.

"As long as you're okay..." A smile touched the corners of Cheng Yan's mouth.

"This girl, she's too reckless." Zhou Qiming shook his head and settled her onto the carriage.

He then scanned the field and turned to the remaining members of the Cheng Family. "My apologies, I am late."

"Without you, we would have already died at the hands of Qiu Yun. How can you say such things, Captain Zhou!" Several Cheng Family disciples replied with faces full of respect and admiration, cupping their fists in salute.

At first, they had been extremely disdainful of Cheng Yu's arrangements, wondering why the Cheng Family caravan should have to take orders from an outsider like Zhou Qiming. But after experiencing this incident, they were completely convinced, their eyes filled with nothing but fanatical worship for the strong.

"It's your turn now." Zhou Qiming's cold, piercing gaze swept over the members of the Jinsha Gang.

"Run! Could it be that the Hall Master has met with misfortune?"

"Hurry back and report this! Something big is going to happen!"

"This brat must have used some kind of trick or ambush. How could he have returned before Hall Master Qiu!"

The members of the Jinsha Gang scattered like birds and beasts, wishing they could find a hole to crawl into. They dared not face the overwhelming might of Zhou Qiming.

With Copper Skin Blood Sacrifice and a physical strength reaching a thousand jin, slaughtering elites at the Muscle Cultivation level was as easy as killing chickens or dogs. Without Qiu Yun there to hold the line, who could withstand this god of slaughter? The members of the Jinsha Gang were terrified to the core.

"Attack! Don't let a single one of them escape!"

Zhou Qiming waved his hand and led the charge. He could not let these people return to report the news; his secrets and identity could not be exposed yet.

In an instant, the situation reversed. The rabble of the Jinsha Gang experienced the taste of being hunted and abused.

Wherever the Mountain-Weight Saber passed, it was like an autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves. Those who touched it were wounded, and as he rode on horseback, it was like mowing grass.

"This... so strong..." Cheng Yan and the others swallowed hard, feeling a chill for the Jinsha Gang. It was fortunate that Zhou Qiming was not their enemy; he was too terrifying.

"Damn it, Gang Leader Sha will not let the Cheng Family off!"

The last remaining gang member let out a wail like a vengeful spirit before collapsing into a pool of blood.

"Inventory the goods and dispose of these thieves on the spot. Ensure that not a single living soul is left!"

Zhou Qiming ordered in a deep voice, completely taking control of the situation. He then added, "Those who survived this trip will be heavily rewarded upon our return, and there will be compensation and pensions for the servants who died."

Since it wasn't coming out of his own pocket anyway, Zhou Qiming pacified the hearts of the people, and those below worked even harder.

"This guy..." Cheng Yan's mouth twitched, rendered speechless.

As the setting sun hung over the distant mountains, the Cheng Family finally arrived back at Jinshui Town.

Having survived the ordeal, they were quite moved to see the familiar scenery outside the small town.

Along the way, Cheng Yan did not ask Zhou Qiming about the whereabouts of Qiu Yun. Everyone had their own secrets.

At this moment, in the Cheng Family council hall, Cheng Changkong and several elders paced back and forth, restless and uneasy.

"I wonder if the herb harvesting went smoothly. My Cheng Family's pharmacy cannot hold out for many more days." Cheng Changkong frowned; his hair had turned significantly whiter over the past few days.

An Elder said angrily, "I don't know who is trying to target the Cheng Family. I hope they haven't encountered any danger; we cannot afford any more deaths."

Cheng Yu had just returned from practicing boxing at the martial arts hall and comforted the group, "Regardless, Yuan Tieyi is my Master. The culprit wouldn't dare to cause too much of a scene; they are likely just playing tricks in the shadows."

At this moment, he could only pin his hopes on Zhou Qiming in his heart. Worry flickered in his eyes, but he could not reveal it in front of the Elders; the Cheng Family needed to maintain stability.

Cheng Yu was still extremely astonished by Zhou Qiming's growth and talent. Relying on a single manual of the Iron Cloth Skill and the meager resources of a chef's apprentice, he had forcibly broken through the Skin Tempering stage. On top of that, Zhou Qiming possessed innate divine strength, allowing him to rival martial artists who had reached the Great Success of Muscle Cultivation.

These past few days, Cheng Yu had frequently sparred with him. At first, he could still offer pointers on Zhou Qiming's Iron Cloth Skill, but by the end, they were able to trade blows for dozens of rounds. Zhou Qiming's growth speed was simply terrifying; it was definitely not something that could be displayed by someone with inferior aptitude. It was likely that Yuan Tieyi had misjudged him.

Suddenly, a servant who received guests came stumbling in through the courtyard gate, shouting, "Family Head, Young Master, it's bad..."

Cheng Yu stood up from his chair with a start, exclaiming excitedly, "Has the herb-gathering team returned!"

Logically, it shouldn't have been this fast. Even before the caravan was attacked, they would spend a day or two in the mountains each time, let alone now, with criminals lurking about.

With a thud, a blood-drenched arm fell from the servant's embrace, shocking everyone present.

"What is going on? Whose is this!" Cheng Changkong demanded.

"It's the Jinsha Gang!"

The servant was gasping for air as he pulled out a blood-stained letter. "Vice Gang Leader Jin Buhuan just sent someone to deliver a message: if the Cheng Family does not submit within half a month, there will be no way out."

After opening the threat letter and taking a glance, everyone turned pale with horror.

"This, this is Mother Wu's arm. Didn't she go out to buy groceries this morning? Why hasn't she returned? Go find her!" an Elder recognized it and cried out in alarm.

Mother Wu was a servant who had followed their family for decades. She was very proper in her duties of buying groceries and cooking, and she had even held Cheng Yu and Cheng Yan to feed them milk when they were children.

"We're in trouble, Yan'er and the others..." Cheng Changkong put down the letter and slumped into his armchair.

Now, none of them had the heart to worry about Mother Wu; they only felt that a great disaster was imminent.