A Turning Point in a Deadlock, The Cheng Family Shocked!

Learning that the Jinsha Gang was behind this, everyone was thrown into a panic. The team out gathering herbs was likely in grave danger.

Jin Buhuan's mastery of the Life-Chasing Poison Needles was legendary, and he was a veteran expert in the Bone Forging Realm. Just the hall masters under his command alone could have wiped out their Cheng Family countless times over.

No matter what, they were no match for the behemoth that was the Jinsha Gang.

I am the one who harmed Zhou Qiming! Cheng Yu was filled with regret. He had high hopes for Zhou Qiming's potential, but he never imagined that the herb-gathering trip would be so perilous. It was he who had led this young man to disaster.

The Jinsha Gang had actually dispatched a Bone Forging Realm martial artist to deal with their small Cheng Family; they were truly ruthless and left no room for mercy.

Even if Zhou Qiming had held back some of his strength, it was impossible for him to escape from Qiu Yun, who was in the Bone Forging Realm.

"I'll go ask Master Yuan for help. If we take people out to rescue them now, there might still be hope."

Cheng Yu shook off his weakness and prepared to act immediately. If Yuan Tieyi stepped in to mediate, perhaps the Jinsha Gang would spare Cheng Yan and the others.

Regardless, Zhou Qiming was an outsider who had been dragged into this dangerous storm because of him. Cheng Yu's conscience could not bear it; he had to take some measures to save them.

Yuan Tieyi had become his last straw, and he only hoped that it wasn't too late.

"Don't be foolish. Even the Iron Clothes Martial Arts School wouldn't risk opposing the Jinsha Gang. If they are finished, then our Cheng Family is finished too. Pack your valuables immediately; you must escort the young master and flee to the county town tonight."

Cheng Changkong pierced through the cold reality, leaving everyone feeling even more chilled. Where could they run to now? The surrounding roads and villages were all controlled by Jinsha Gang outposts. How could they possibly let the Cheng Family go?

"I am the one who harmed them. If I had stopped Cheng Yan's idea from the start, perhaps no one would have died."

Cheng Yu regretted not insisting on shutting down the herb business earlier. He stepped toward the door, saying, "Since I can't count on Master Yuan, I am not one to fear death. I cannot stand by and watch them die."

He prepared to go find Zhou Qiming and the others by himself.

The elders all shook their heads, as if they were already witnessing their own end.

"Brother, what are you all doing?"

Suddenly, Cheng Yan's voice drifted in from the courtyard, leaving everyone stunned and filled with disbelief.

Behind Cheng Yan were several carts packed to the brim with goods—a haul even richer than any previous herb-gathering trip.

But Cheng Yu and the others didn't care about the harvest at all; they were overjoyed.

"You're safe! Thank goodness." Cheng Yu walked up and grabbed her shoulders, eager to ask what had happened.

"Brother, you're hurting me." Cheng Yan stepped back, her injuries flaring up.

"It's my fault, take your time." Cheng Yu's face was full of joy, finally emerging from the guilt and self-reproach he had felt moments ago. He saw at a glance that although the Cheng Family's team had suffered heavy casualties, both Zhou Qiming and his sister were safe. Being alive was more important than anything else.

"Reporting to the young master, we owe everything to Captain Zhou this time. Your arrangements were truly wise!" A guard stepped forward to report.

If Zhou Qiming hadn't lured Qiu Yun away, they all would have died. In the end, Zhou Qiming had even returned in time to clear the battlefield. Even though he only possessed the strength of the Skin Refining Realm, he had survived, and the guard felt a deep sense of gratitude.

Soon, everyone was talking over one another, clearly explaining the sequence of events. As for how Zhou Qiming managed to escape from the hands of the Earth Fiend Hall Master, that remained a mystery.

If you can't find the book by its title, try searching for the author; perhaps the name has been changed!

"What? The one who intercepted you was actually Earth Fiend Legs Qiu Yun? How, how did you survive and make it back?"

Cheng Changkong gasped. Only the veterans like them knew the fearsome reputation of the Earth Fiend Hall Master. If it had been any other expert from the Jinsha Gang, there might have been a glimmer of hope, but facing this Earth Fiend Legs, whose leg bones were tempered and whose speed and footwork were terrifying, there was no room for luck!

"Brother Zhou, I never imagined you..." Cheng Yu started, but left the sentence unfinished.

Everyone has their own trump cards and secrets. Cheng Yu was conflicted about whether to press for the truth; it would be troublesome if she offended Zhou Qiming, their great benefactor.

Could it be that Zhou Qiming was actually a disciple sent out for training from an ancient family in the Prefecture, and he had an incredibly terrifying Guardian behind him?

Perhaps Qiu Yun had actually died at the hands of Zhou Qiming.

But no matter what, neither Cheng Yu nor Cheng Changkong dared to speculate in that most terrifying direction. How long had he been practicing the Iron Cloth Skill? To be able to deal with a Bone Forging expert like Qiu Yun after only eight or nine days—just thinking about it made their scalps tingle!

It must have been the expert behind Zhou Qiming who intervened. A veteran Bone Forging expert was clearly beyond his capabilities; the Guardian would never sit by and watch the Jinsha Gang bully the weak.

Everyone knew the most important point: the Cheng Family's desperate situation had taken a turn for the better, and the fact that the herb-gathering team returned alive was entirely due to Zhou Qiming's merit!

Seeing the expectant and curious gazes of the crowd, Zhou Qiming had already prepared a countermeasure on the way back.

This matter required a reasonable explanation to wash away the trouble surrounding him.

Of course, Zhou Qiming had no idea that the Cheng Family had already imagined so much, even coming up with the idea of a family Guardian—it was a shame they weren't professional storytellers with such vivid imaginations.

"I risked my life to lure Qiu Yun away, just to buy a chance of survival for everyone. That villain pursued me relentlessly, and I thought I was a dead man, but who would have expected two Tiger-headed Ghouls to suddenly appear halfway? They entangled Qiu Yun, and I don't know what happened after that."

Zhou Qiming feigned a look of fear and relief, as if he had just survived a disaster, recounting it as if he had experienced it firsthand.

Only then did everyone suddenly realize what had happened, but the looks they cast toward Zhou Qiming became increasingly filled with awe.

Even a Bone Forging Realm martial artist like Qiu Yun was missing and presumed dead, yet a mere Skin Refining Realm youth had managed to escape back alive. This only served to prove that Zhou Qiming was unfathomable, with extraordinary talent and character.

Moreover, luck itself was a form of strength. A martial arts genius like Zhou Qiming, favored by fortune and surviving such a catastrophe, was destined for greatness.

Cheng Changkong withdrew his gaze and nodded deeply. "That must be it. Demons and ghosts love the hearts of martial artists with vigorous blood and energy. It is only natural they would target the stronger Qiu Yun first. That old bastard got what he deserved."

Based on Cheng Changkong's experience, he naturally knew that the Earth Fiend Hall Master would not be coming back alive. Although Ghouls were merely low-level demons driven by a Tiger Demon, they were not something a mere Third Stage of Body Tempering fighter like Qiu Yun could contend with.

For a time, everyone looked at Zhou Qiming with gratitude and awe, completely devoid of their former contempt. Being able to escape from the hands of a demon only further proved his strength!

Furthermore, the fact that Zhou Qiming had turned back to save Cheng Yan after escaping the danger, killing a Muscle Cultivation martial artist in one stroke, was a display of strength and courage that was undoubtedly acknowledged.

"Captain Zhou is blessed with immense fortune; that Qiu Yun messed with the wrong person!" The members of the Cheng Family praised and thanked him, all feeling that Qiu Yun was just unlucky and had been countered to death by Zhou Qiming.

Having painstakingly cultivated to the Bone Forging Realm, only to die an obscure death at the hands of a demon—Qiu Yun was truly unfortunate.

"Since the mission is complete, I will be taking my leave."

Zhou Qiming cupped his hands and prepared to depart. Right now, he only wanted to collect his reward and quickly convert the resources he had accumulated into strength; only then would he be capable of dealing with the crises to come.

In these chaotic times, the only things one could rely on were one's own two fists. He would not harbor any expectations of others!

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