Reversing the Heavenly Dipper

"Seventh Chief is dead!"

"Let's avenge our chief—rush him together!"

"Kill him!"

The remaining Green Ridge Stronghold bandits shouted these threats, but as they stepped forward, they turned and fled, moving swiftly.

"A bunch of spineless cowards." Fang Man's face showed contempt.

The remaining four bandits didn't require Fang Yuan's involvement, just enough to give the family disciples some practice.

"At least a late-stage Xiantian expert, and this poor."

Fang Yuan rummaged through Scarface's body, finding nothing of value—just some silver and pills.

The Shi family members, stunned for a long moment, quickly stepped forward to express their thanks.

"Sir, might you be the Young Master of the Fang Family?"

The Shi family's Xiantian Sixth Layer cultivator, his gaze flickering with doubt and uncertainty, asked hesitantly.

"That's right."

Fang Yuan didn't hide his identity. The Shi family's relationship with the Fang family was decent, which was why he had chosen to intervene.

At this, the Shi family's gazes toward Fang Yuan grew even more respectful.

"With strength like this, yet he didn't pass a major sect's trial—truly hard to imagine."

Shi Kai recalled recent rumors from the Prefecture City, glanced at Fang Yuan, and thought to himself, "Does this look like someone gravely wounded?"

Truly, rumors mislead!

Shi Kai had intended to offer some material thanks, but considering Fang Yuan's status, he found it hard to present anything worthy.

"I'll report this to the family head."

As Fang Yuan conversed with the Shi family, Fang Man's battle was nearing its end.

Fang Man dragged two bandits, barely breathing, to a large tree, then smiled amiably at the Shi family.

The Shi family was puzzled but politely returned the smile.

But the next moment.

Their eyes went wide.

Fang Man first smashed both bandits' arms and legs with an iron rod, then drew a long blade and hacked off their limbs, blood splattering everywhere.

After that, he took a rope, bound the two men, and hung them from the tree, leaving only their cries of pain and wails echoing.

"This..."

Shi Kai's mouth hung open, his face full of shock.

This was far too ruthless—even bandits weren't this brutal and terrifying.

Cultivators had tenacious vitality; without fatal wounds, they wouldn't die easily.

Which meant.

Before death, the two would endure constant agony, gradually feeling their life slip away.

"All dealt with."

Fang Man came over to greet them, still smiling cheerfully.

"Take care on your journey—I won't see you off."

Fang Yuan prepared to leave.

Shi Kai quickly bowed, "Your life-saving grace is unforgettable. Please visit the Shi family when you have time."

Fang Yuan gave a slight nod, leading the younger disciples on a brief patrol through Falling Mist Mountain. They found no bandits, only a few spirit beasts.

"It's getting dark. Let's head back early."

The deep mountains at night were fraught with danger, far from safe.

"Falling Mist Mountain is full of dangers, and family disciples often fall. Young Master Yuan, don't blame yourself too much."

Fang Zheng looked at Fang Yuan, who was disheveled and wounded upon return, and offered words of comfort.

"Besides, the Green Ridge Stronghold bandits are vicious by nature, all wanted criminals on the official list."

Fang Zheng continued, "They're seasoned and cunning; even I often suffer heavy losses when I run into them."

"Young Master Yuan, breaking into Xiantian at your age means boundless prospects and great achievements ahead."

"I'll bear the losses from this incident myself—no blame will fall on you."

Fang Yuan's face showed little change in emotion. He understood clearly what Fang Zheng wanted and made a promise.

"I don't believe that Fang Yuan and his group can return unscathed."

Fang Yuan thought to himself.

He had arrived earlier than Fang Yuan, also accompanied by a group of followers.

Upon learning that Fang Yuan intended to enter the mountains to kill bandits, how could a real man fall behind?

Who would have guessed that his first outing would go poorly, encountering a bandit leader at the mid-stage of the Innate Realm, nearly costing him his life.

"I just wonder how things are going on the Young Master's side."

Fang Zheng grew worried. Seeing that time was running late, and with Fang Yuan's earlier failure as a cautionary tale, he was tempted to send people out to search.

Fang Yuan, as the son of the Grand Elder, was a key figure in the family's cultivation efforts.

Fang Zheng couldn't afford to offend him either.

He had to provide emotional support, after all, talking cost nothing, and besides, the disciples had all come from his side.

On the surface, the matter had little to do with him, but if an accident truly occurred, he would inevitably incur the resentment of their elders.

"Go invite two stewards to hunt some demon beasts in the mountains. We're running low on rations lately."

Fang Zheng gave a meaningful glance to his subordinates.

Just at that moment.

Over a dozen figures emerged before his eyes, the leader graceful and refined, with an otherworldly bearing, a three-foot green sword hanging at his waist.

"Young Master!"

Fang Zheng's brows lit up with joy, and he immediately trotted forward, causing Fang Yuan beside him to frown slightly.

"The brothers have been out working all day. Please have Steward Fang Zheng prepare plenty of meat."

Fang Yuan had grown accustomed to his enthusiasm and spoke with a smile.

"Neat clothes, no one injured. Looks like they didn't run into the Green Ridge Stronghold bandits. Lucky." Fang Yuan guessed.

"How come all of you are injured?"

Among the Fang family disciples, there were acquaintances. When these two groups happened to meet, someone asked in a low voice.

"We ran into bandits. Don't even mention it—those guys are really strong..."

"You didn't run into any?"

"Nonsense, of course we did. I even killed one myself."

Everyone present was a cultivator, and the disciples' low whispers were heard loud and clear.

Killing the Green Ridge Stronghold leader with a single sword strike.

Rescuing the Shi family merchant convoy.

Fang Yuan's face instantly turned ashen. He clenched his fists, feeling a surge of blood rush to his throat.

He turned and went back to his small single room in the row of houses, no longer able to suppress the injuries on his body and the bitterness in his heart, spitting out blood.

"Am I doomed to never catch up to him in this life..."

"No, that's impossible."

After his frenzy subsided, Fang Yuan gradually regained his composure. He sat cross-legged, swallowed a pill, and his entire body exuded a blood-red aura.

Three days passed in a row.

Fang Yuan led the disciples in repeating the same tactic, ambushing and killing two more groups of Green Ridge Stronghold bandits, and also wiping out a band of roving outlaws.

Such actions were noticed by passing travelers, who all praised them without exception.

After learning of Fang Yuan's strategy, Fang Yuan began to emulate it, turning from passive to active, and killed a group of bandits.

For a time, morale at the Fang family's mining grounds soared to unprecedented heights.

Green Ridge Stronghold suffered heavy losses and gradually realized the severity of the problem, beginning to devise countermeasures.

"Second Brother, the Fang family has truly gone too far, using us as whetstones for their disciples."

The hot-tempered Fifth Chief of Green Ridge Stronghold wanted to gather men and attack the mining grounds again, completely destroying them.

"The Big Brother hasn't come out of seclusion yet. It's not wise to act rashly."

The Second Chief was much calmer. After the failed night raid last time and these consecutive losses, they had already been severely crippled.

Without complete certainty, he would not act recklessly.

"Let the brothers rest for a few days."

The Second Chief made his deployment: "Since they enjoy counter-ambushing so much, we'll just leave them hanging for a few days."

"Afterward, have the brothers change the ambush locations. Try to pick open terrain."