Yellow Heaven Turmoil

Early the next morning, the Sun Family's discovery of Tian Dazhuang and Ding San's corpses indeed caused a tremendous uproar.

"Outrageous! This is utterly outrageous!"

In the Sun Family head's study, a hot-tempered old man slapped his chair in fury. This was Sun Yongyan, the Sun Family's Second Elder. Upon learning of the matter, Sun Chengde, the head of the Sun Family, had summoned him here to discuss it.

"The Second Elder is right. This is a grave provocation against our Sun Family."

The Middle-aged Man seated in the place of honor was Sun Chengde, the Sun Family head. Though his expression remained largely calm, flames of rage surged in his eyes as well.

"Does the Family Head have any leads? Only by chopping that thief into ten thousand pieces can we display the might of our Sun Family."

"I examined those two corpses carefully. Judging from the wounds on their bodies, the attacker wielded a swift sword, and the battle ended in an extremely short time. That indicates the person's cultivation level was far above theirs."

"Taking all this into account, the only person in all of Lin'an City who comes to mind is Zhu Shi, the Zhao Family's Bone Forging Realm retainer. Besides the yamen and the Zhao Family, who else in Lin'an City would dare lay hands on our people?"

After venting his anger, Sun Chengde calmly analyzed the situation.

Just as Bi Changsheng had expected, the Sun Family's suspicions began to converge upon the Zhao Family.

"The Zhao Family again! Do they truly think our Sun Family is so easy to bully? I'll go demand an explanation from them right now."

Second Elder Sun Yongyan was impatient by nature. With that, he made to storm out the door.

"Not so fast. The Great Elder is still in seclusion recovering from his injuries. At present, our strength is evenly matched with the Zhao Family's; even if we go, I fear we will gain nothing. Once the Great Elder recovers, then we can go reason things out with them."

Still relatively composed, Sun Chengde spoke up to stop him.

On the night the Bi Family was exterminated two months ago, the three families had sent four Inner Strength Realm experts to besiege Bi Tiancheng, the Bi Family head. Driven into a desperate corner, Bi Tiancheng ultimately used a forbidden technique and desperately inflicted severe injuries upon Sun Yonghua, the Sun Family's Great Elder.

After that battle, the Sun Family's Great Elder had remained in seclusion to recover.

"Moreover, our Sun Family has only just put down roots in Lin'an City. We need time to rest and recover, so it would not be wise to launch another major conflict anytime soon."

Though the Sun Family was somewhat stronger than the other forces in Lin'an City, it had not yet reached the point where it could use its might to overawe an entire city.

When the Sun Family had first arrived in Lin'an City, in order to replace the Bi Family and establish itself there, it had paid no small price while currying favor with the Zhao Family and the yamen.

Especially that County Magistrate Shi Kangshun, that skinflint Zhou. Even now, whenever Sun Chengde thought of the terms the magistrate had demanded, his heart still ached faintly.

"It's all that damned Yellow Heaven Cult's fault. If not for them, our Sun Family would not have had to leave our homeland and move the entire clan here."

"Then we'll listen to the Family Head. We'll put this debt on their tab for now. Once the Great Elder leaves seclusion, we'll settle every account with them one by one."

Though Sun Chengde was not particularly senior in generation, as the Sun Family head and its strongest expert, he still possessed considerable authority. Persuaded by him, Sun Yongyan set aside his impulsiveness.

In the blink of an eye, another fifteen days and nights passed.

"Three months ago, the Yellow Heaven Cult began stirring unrest in neighboring Jin'an Prefecture. Before long, it spread throughout all of Jin'an Prefecture like beacon fires racing across the prairie..."

"The remaining forces of Jin'an Prefecture fought desperately under the leadership of Grandmaster of Condensing Gang Long Hanwen, Hero Long..."

"Last month, Hero Long arranged a battle with the Vermilion Bird Envoy, who oversaw the Yellow Heaven Cult's affairs in Jin'an Prefecture, at the prefectural city of Jin'an Prefecture."

"In the end, Hero Long was defeated by the Yellow Heaven Cult's Vermilion Bird Envoy."

"Thus, Jin'an Prefecture completely fell under the Yellow Heaven Cult's control."

Smack!

As the old storyteller brought down his clapper, the tea drinkers in Jingming Teahouse of Lin'an City finally snapped out of the tale.

"Not bad. A reward for you!"

A Middle-aged Man sitting alone at a table, with a somewhat chilly bearing, took out a piece of broken silver and tossed it to the old storyteller.

"Thank you, Master Zhu."

Catching the silver, the old storyteller beamed with delight and bowed and scraped before the Middle-aged Man.

The Middle-aged Man, however, paid him no further attention. He drained the tea in his cup in one large gulp, picked up the longsword lying on the table, and turned to leave the teahouse.

"That Yellow Heaven Cult truly deserves death. They've left all of Jin'an Prefecture's people unable to live in peace."

"Exactly. Who knows how many people from Jin'an Prefecture have been forced from their homes? A huge number of refugees have gathered outside our Lin'an City alone."

"This has been going on in Jin'an Prefecture for so long. Why hasn't the imperial court sent anyone to suppress it? It has merely ordered the neighboring prefectures to cooperate in providing relief to the refugees. That is far too strange."

"If the imperial court had acted, Hero Long would not have had to face the Yellow Heaven Cult's pressure alone."

"Don't speak of it, don't speak of it. This is not something people like us can discuss."

"Lin'an County borders Jin'an Prefecture. If the Yellow Heaven Cult spreads the unrest to our side, then we'll be in serious trouble."

"Our Ningyun Prefecture is different from Jin'an Prefecture. With the three great behemoths—the Divine Fist Sect, the Demon Extermination Society, and the Town Martial Department—here, the Yellow Heaven Cult probably would not dare act rashly."

After that Middle-aged Man departed, the remaining tea drinkers seemed to have had a great mountain lifted from their backs, and they all began chatting animatedly.

In a corner of the teahouse, another ordinary-looking Middle-aged Man listened quietly to the other tea drinkers' discussion for a while before paying his bill and leaving as well.

The Middle-aged Man unhurriedly made his way to a small courtyard in an alley of the southern district, pushed open its gate, and entered.

After entering the courtyard and sliding the bolt into place, the Middle-aged Man's body began to shrink. Then he reached up and wiped his face, peeling off a human-skin mask. Beneath it was Bi Changsheng's true face.

During this period, in order to travel about more conveniently, Bi Changsheng had cultivated a Tendon and Bone Contraction Technique from his memories to the Perfection Realm. He could freely alter his physique, and he had also crafted a specially made human-skin mask recorded in the technique to use alongside it.

"Young Master, you're back. Did everything go smoothly on this trip?"

Uncle Fu, who had been sweeping the courtyard, stopped what he was doing upon Bi Changsheng's return and stepped forward to ask with concern.

Liu Zhengqing, who had been practicing his punches nearby, also stopped for the moment and came over.

"I've basically gathered all the information. We can begin tonight."

Bi Changsheng answered Uncle Fu first, then encouraged Liu Zhengqing beside him.

"You've practiced well. I imagine that in a few days, you'll break through the Skin Refining Realm and become an official martial artist."

"It is all thanks to the Young Master's guidance."

Faced with Bi Changsheng's praise, Liu Zhengqing merely scratched his head and grinned foolishly, though the delight in his eyes could not be restrained.

Ever since the incident involving Tian Dazhuang half a month ago, Liu Zhengqing's admiration for Bi Changsheng and his longing to practice martial arts had reached new heights. Yet constrained by his status, he had not dared bring it up. It was Bi Changsheng who saw through him and decided to teach him martial arts of his own accord.

Originally, Bi Changsheng had planned to teach him the Bi Family's inherited martial art, the Thirteen Swords of Qingfeng. However, Liu Zhengqing's performance with the sword was truly ordinary, so Bi Changsheng instead taught him another, slightly inferior technique kept in the Bi Family's collection: the Six Harmonies Fist, which could only be cultivated to the Inner Strength Realm.

Unexpectedly, Liu Zhengqing displayed considerable talent in fist techniques. In only around ten days, he had brought the Six Harmonies Fist technique to the entry level and was about to break through into the Skin Refining Realm. His martial skill was also on the verge of minor accomplishment.

That speed naturally could not compare to Bi Changsheng's Life-Spending Cultivation, but compared with the geniuses in Bi Changsheng's memories, it was even a notch superior.

"It is all because we are incapable and cannot be of any help to the Young Master."

Uncle Fu felt somewhat guilty. In his heart, Bi Changsheng carried the hopes of avenging the Bi Family and restoring its glory. Now Bi Changsheng had to take risks for cultivation resources, so Uncle Fu was naturally filled with worry.

"Zheng Qing, you must practice martial arts earnestly, so that you may help shoulder the Young Master's burdens in the future."

"Father, rest assured. I'll work hard."

Liu Zhengqing said solemnly.

"Uncle Fu, you work tirelessly inside and outside the household, allowing me to focus on cultivation. You have already helped me immensely."

It was precisely because the mature and steady Uncle Fu had managed matters both within and beyond the household during this period that Bi Changsheng had avoided many trivial affairs, allowing him to cultivate single-mindedly and rapidly raise his cultivation level.

"Besides, since I have made this decision, I naturally have confidence in it."

During this period, Bi Changsheng had undergone Life-Spending Cultivation another four times. His original savings, along with the unexpected windfall obtained from Tian Dazhuang, had already been depleted. To continue rapidly using Life-Spending Cultivation, the resource-acquisition plan that had previously been shelved was once again placed on the agenda.