Which Su family?

He Xiongfei laughed.

His bear-like, hulking frame vaulted directly off the back of his horse.

It was easy to see that the horse seemed to feel much lighter.

"Since Head Escort Li has personally issued the challenge, how could I refuse? However, my hands are heavy; I wonder if Head Escort Li can withstand them?"

He Xiongfei grabbed a blade directly from his horse's saddle.

It was a thick-backed blade.

One look at this blade revealed it was heavy and powerful.

It likely weighed several dozen catties.

Being able to wield a blade of such weight was proof of just how terrifying He Xiongfei's strength was.

Seeing the thick-backed blade in He Xiongfei's hand, Li He's heart sank.

But he also knew that the arrow was already on the string and had to be fired.

He was the Head Escort, and he had to be responsible for this shipment.

If he didn't fight and simply let He Xiongfei rob this shipment, then his Zhenyuan Escort Agency might as well close its doors.

"Although I am getting on in years, my muscles and bones are still in good shape; it won't be an issue."

"Head Escort Li, please."

With that, the two of them stood outside the inn.

Li Wushi and Li Xiaoman were both very nervous.

After all, the opponent was the fierce bandit Flying Blade He Xiongfei, and that thick-backed blade in his hand clearly looked extraordinary.

They were also worried about their father's safety.

Seeing two martial artists about to "fight," the guests who had swarmed to the second floor of the inn to hide all poked their heads out and came outside to watch the spectacle.

Zhang Su, like everyone else, was very interested in the battle between the two.

After all, Zhang Su had never actually experienced the martial world.

He didn't know what kind of strength real martial artists possessed.

Li He and this He Xiongfei appeared to be martial artists with some small reputation in the martial world.

To a certain extent, their strength could reflect the current standard of the martial world from a side perspective.

Zhang Su squeezed into the crowd, his gaze sweeping over the two men one by one.

He paid particular attention to the thick-backed blade in He Xiongfei's hand.

This thick-backed blade was certainly not light.

In this battle, Li He would likely not have an easy time.

"Clang."

The first to draw his blade was Li He.

He was known in the martial world as the Ghost Head Blade; his blade techniques were sharp, strange, and quite ruthless.

Facing He Xiongfei, Li He dared not show the slightest bit of contempt.

He didn't even dare to be arrogant, choosing instead to strike first.

A sheet of cold, sharp blade light instantly enveloped He Xiongfei.

This strike would be very difficult to dodge.

However, He Xiongfei had no intention of dodging.

He grabbed the thick-backed blade directly.

This thick-backed blade didn't even have a scabbard.

Swung with great force by He Xiongfei, it didn't look like he was performing a blade technique so much as swinging a door panel.

He Xiongfei's thick-backed blade crashed fiercely into the sheet of blade light created by Li He.

He couldn't dodge.

He absolutely couldn't dodge it.

No matter how refined or strange Li He's blade technique was, he couldn't dodge it.

However, facing He Xiongfei's wide-open, sweeping strike, he couldn't evade it either; he could only gather all his blood and energy to meet it head-on with a fierce slash.

"Boom."

A muffled sound rang out.

He Xiongfei's hulking frame merely swayed slightly.

But Li He felt an irresistible, terrifying force surging from the blade.

Then...

"Snap."

Li He's blade shattered in an instant.

At the same time, a terrifying, monstrous force slammed into Li He's body.

"Thump, thump, thump."

Li He stumbled back several steps.

"Pfft."

He spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turning deathly pale in an instant.

He had lost!

And it had taken only one move!

"Father..."

"Chief Escort!"

"Swish, swish, swish."

The escort guards immediately drew their blades, staring nervously at the group of fierce bandits from Feitian Ridge.

Li Wushi and Li Xiaoman rushed to Li He's side and helped him up.

Li He glanced at the broken blade in his hand.

His hand was shaking uncontrollably.

Clearly, his arm had been injured as well.

It had only been one move.

The dignified "Ghost Head Blade" couldn't even withstand a single strike from He Xiongfei?

"Hahaha, Chief Escort Li, you're actually not bad. Many famous martial artists in the pugilistic world end up dead or crippled after one of my strikes. The fact that you're still standing means you're already quite strong!"

He Xiongfei grinned, revealing his stark white teeth.

He wasn't mocking him.

He was stating a fact.

He was born with a unique gift—supernatural strength—and he wielded a heavy blade weighing dozens of catties.

Ordinary martial artists simply couldn't take a single move from him.

Basically, with one strike, his opponents would be crushed to pieces.

How could they still be alive?

The fact that Li He was still alive, having suffered only minor injuries, proved he was formidable.

This outcome caused an uproar among the onlookers.

Some of the merchants had also heard of the reputation of Li He from the Zhenyuan Escort Agency.

In his decades of escorting, Li He had never lost a single shipment.

They hadn't expected him to fall this time.

So, this is what a martial artist is like...

Zhang Su was also in the crowd.

Although the exchange between He Xiongfei and Li He had lasted only one move, Zhang Su had already seen through it.

Both Li He and He Xiongfei were at the ninth level of the Blood Qi Realm.

Their blood qi was likely around a hundred strands.

In the pugilistic world, most martial artists practiced either ordinary or superior techniques.

Obtaining a top-tier technique was nearly impossible.

Possessing a top-tier technique was enough to establish a martial arts family, passed down through generations.

This was because top-tier techniques could break through human limits, and the probability of generating internal force was far higher than for those practicing ordinary or superior techniques.

Without a top-tier technique, one could not break through human limits; relying solely on about a hundred strands of blood qi meant years of grinding.

Perhaps after decades of grinding, there might be a tiny chance of generating internal force and becoming an internal force martial artist.

But most people didn't have that kind of luck.

Even after decades of grinding, they remained at the ninth level of the Blood Qi Realm.

Now Zhang Su understood why his older brother was willing to marry into the Su Family and become a son-in-law mocked by everyone in Qingquan Prefecture; it was entirely to pave the way for him.

If not for the connections and silver of the Su Family, how could Zhang Su have entered the Guiyuan Sect and become an outer sect disciple?

Even as just an outer sect disciple, one could gain access to top-tier or even peerless techniques.

His starting point was already far higher than these pugilistic martial artists.

This is the true value of a disciple from a major sect!

"Father, let's fight them to the death..."

Li Wushi gritted his teeth and whispered.

This shipment of goods must not be lost.

Once lost, the Zhenyuan Escort Agency and the entire Li Family's decades of foundation would be destroyed in an instant.

The price was too high.

So high that the Zhenyuan Escort Agency could not bear it.

"Oh? You want to risk your lives? The young head escort is still young and hot-blooded, but he certainly has guts..."

He Xiongfei immediately gripped his heavy blade, a cold and sharp killing intent radiating from his body.

Although he had said he would only rob the shipment and not kill anyone this time.

But if the Zhenyuan Escort Agency didn't know what was good for them, he would have no choice but to start a massacre!

After all, he was a bandit!

"Shut up!"

Li He let out a loud shout, cutting off Li Wushi's words.

He raised his head, took a deep look at He Xiongfei, and then said in a deep voice: "This old man's skills are meager, and I am no match for Chief He, but my word is as good as gold in the pugilistic world. Since I have lost, then according to our agreement, Chief He may take these goods."

"Hahaha, good, Chief Escort Li is truly a man of his word!"

He Xiongfei burst into laughter.

"However, Chief He should be aware that this shipment belongs to the Su Family! Once you offend the Su Family, life at Feitian Ridge will likely not be easy..."

Li He was clearly very unwilling, and as he spoke, he aggravated his injuries, causing him to cough violently.

He Xiongfei, however, did not care at all and said meaningfully: "I don't care about any Su Family; I only care about robbing the shipment. If they have the ability, let the people from the Su Family come to Feitian Ridge!"

He Xiongfei waved his hand.

Immediately, the group of fierce bandits behind him dismounted one after another, preparing to take away the goods.

The escort guards of the agency glared at the group of bandits with fury.

They also knew the consequences of losing this shipment.

Li He waved his hand and shouted: "Everyone, step aside."

Although the escort guards were very angry, they knew that the Chief Escort was doing this to protect them.

Thus, the escort guards could only step back, one step at a time.

Just as the bandits were about to take full control of the cargo, Suddenly, a strange voice emerged from the crowd: "The Su Family? Which Su Family?"

Following that, a young man in a white robe, holding a long sword and looking like a refined young master, walked out from the crowd.

"Of course, it is the Qingquan Prefecture Su Family, known as Su Half-City..."

Li He spoke subconsciously.

"Oh?"

"Since it is a shipment for Su Half-City, then I cannot let you take it away..."

Zhang Su spoke slowly.

He originally did not want to meddle in other people's business.

The killings of the pugilistic world had nothing to do with him.

But he hadn't expected that this shipment would actually belong to the Su Family?

His eldest brother was a matrilocal son-in-law of the Su Family.

This Su Family business also had a share belonging to his brother.

Therefore, this shipment was now his business.

Naturally, he had to step out and intervene!