Preparation

Blazing killing intent.

Instantly enveloped the entire hall.

Li Shuyan didn't even have time to warn Li Mu at his side; he instinctively tore the thumb ring from his hand and hurled it toward the shattered roof.

"Clang."

The long saber shuddered violently.

The blade shifted its trajectory, sweeping toward Li Mu's head.

The latter felt a stinging pain between his brows.

There was no longer any chance to dodge, so he could only raise his arms and clap his hands together to clamp down on the descending blade, simultaneously looking up into a pair of eyes filled with murderous intent.

The indifference in those brows.

Li Mu found them vaguely familiar.

In a split second.

A bolt of lightning seemed to flash through his mind, and he couldn't help but shout in horror: "Father, he is..."

However, before he could finish his words.

The immense force transmitted through the blade violently shook Li Mu's palms apart, cleaving straight down from his crown, causing his body to stiffen.

"Plop."

Qin Jiu landed.

Li Mu's rigid body split in two and fell to the ground.

This moment seemed long.

But from the moment he drew his blade to the moment he landed in the hall.

It took less than three breaths.

"Mu'er!"

Li Shuyan was momentarily dazed, then his eyes split with rage; his body surged like a tyrannosaurus, the bluestone floor tiles beneath his feet exploding as he reached Qin Jiu in an instant, throwing a punch.

The latter's eyes flickered, and he held his saber horizontally before his chest.

"Clang."

The moment fist met weapon.

Fine cracks immediately radiated outward beneath the two men.

The dust permeating the surroundings.

Was instantly blown away by the powerful gale.

"Second Refining..."

Li Shuyan's expression faltered, then turned into extreme fury: "A mere Second Refining, how dare you! You deserve to die!!!"

"Boom."

Almost simultaneously.

The roof exploded again, and two more figures descended.

One made no attempt to hide their aura, the fluctuations of Second Refining internal energy radiating from their body, while the other was slightly more restrained, holding a six-sided heavy hammer and smashing it straight toward Li Shuyan's head.

"Get lost!"

The latter was nearly insane at this moment.

Adding the unmasked Second Refining aura of the newcomer, he only slightly dodged the hammer before raising his hand to strike the newcomer's chest.

However, in just one exchange.

Li Shuyan coughed up blood and flew backward.

His left arm hung limply at a grotesque angle, and the person wielding the hammer followed like a shadow, landing several more blows until the head of the Li Family died on the spot, never having the chance to say another word from start to finish.

"Protect the main family!"

"Kill them!"

At this moment.

Shouts of battle gradually rose from outside the hall.

Followed immediately by the sound of clashing weapons.

Hearing this, Qin Jiu immediately hacked off Li Shuyan's head, then looked at the masked figure holding the hammer.

"You go deal with the other direct descendants of the Li Family."

"Leave this place to me and him."

"No, that is far too risky..."

"No matter."

Qin Jiu shook his head and said, "Just now, didn't I take a punch from Li Shuyan head-on? Unless there is a Three Refinements martial artist outside, no one can threaten me. Go, speed is the essence of war. If there is anything amiss, we shall review it after we return."

Qin Xuanzhou could only sigh upon hearing this.

He then quickly left the main hall.

Qin Jiu grabbed Li Shuyan's head and, taking the other person with him, walked out of the hall, heading straight for the source of the shouting and killing.

When he tossed that head, eyes still wide with disbelief, onto the ground.

The expressions of the guards changed instantly.

"Patriarch, the Patriarch, he..."

Someone's teeth chattered.

They only managed half a sentence.

Then, they involuntarily began to shuffle backward.

The others also flickered their gazes, gradually falling silent, before dispersing and fleeing in a tacit agreement; some of the shrewder ones even bolted straight toward the Inner Mansion.

Clearly, these people saw it for what it was.

The opponent had brought Li Shuyan's head out merely as a warning, with no intention of continuing the slaughter.

Thus, the guards turned and fled decisively.

What a joke.

A Three Refinements martial artist had been killed in less than a quarter of an hour from the first sound of the clash.

Who would dare to keep standing their ground?

"Let's go, to the Li Family Secret Vault."

Qin Jiu spoke.

The others' eyes lit up upon hearing this.

They then leaped toward the Inner Mansion.

Night, the first watch of the Yin hour.

Less than half an hour had passed since the death of the Li Family Patriarch.

Taking advantage of the dark night and high wind.

Qin Jiu led Qin Xuanzhou and his party in a hurried return to the Qin Mansion, while the other guard who had remained at the Chai Gang had also set fire to the pavilions there before returning safely to the Qin Mansion.

At this moment, the group.

Having changed out of their clothes, gathered in the East Wing.

"Regarding tonight's events, everyone..."

As Qin Jiu spoke, his gaze swept across their faces.

Qin Xuanzhou wore a stern expression and immediately said, "Please rest assured, Patriarch. This matter will rot in our stomachs. If anyone dares to leak even a whisper, I will personally twist their head off."

Hearing this.

The others looked toward Qin Jiu and hurriedly patted their chests in assurance.

This current Patriarch of the Qin Family.

His strength had been displayed with sharp, undeniable brilliance tonight.

Even Huang Jing, who had previously served as a sparring partner, and Qin Xudong, were both struck with immense shock in their hearts.

Taking the head of the old Chai Gang leader with a blade.

Hard-hitting the Li Family Patriarch.

This was by no means something that could be explained by the Second Refining realm.

Therefore, no one wanted to leave a bad impression in front of Qin Jiu at this time.

Seeing this, Qin Jiu nodded and said, "Everyone has contributed tonight. Therefore, I reward Commander Qin Xuanzhou with one thousand taels of silver and two bottles of Pulse Protecting Pill for the Three Refinements. The other five shall each be rewarded with two hundred taels of silver and two bottles of Bone Forging Pill. Are you all satisfied?"

"This subordinate thanks the Patriarch."

The group accepted the rewards with joy.

As Second Refining guards, their monthly salary was only twenty taels of silver. Now, after just one outing, the two bottles of Bone Forging Pill alone were worth three hundred taels of silver; who could say they were not satisfied?

Qin Jiu looked at their expressions and couldn't help but shake his head inwardly.

In fact.

The things obtained tonight at the Chai Gang and the Li Family.

The gold and silver alone exceeded a total value of thirty thousand taels of silver, not even counting the precious medicinal herbs, grand elixirs, and graded weapons.

The reason for bestowing such a small amount.

The primary reason.

Was that these people had also been lining their own pockets while moving the valuables.

It was just that they hadn't taken much.

So, he had simply turned a blind eye to it.

After distributing the rewards.

Qin Jiu dismissed the crowd.

Leaving only Qin Xuanzhou behind.

"Xuanzhou, starting tomorrow, help me streamline the guard force. Try to keep only those who are loyal to the Qin Family."

"Steward Wang is currently not in the residence."

"You are also to oversee the other collateral clansmen and the families of the servants. Weed out the chaff as quickly as possible; our Qin Family must prepare to leave Songshan County."

"What?"

Qin Xuanzhou was startled and asked, "Is this because of what happened tonight?"

"Yes, and no."

Qin Jiu nodded and shook his head simultaneously.

He did not elaborate further.

After all, one cannot see into another's heart; those collateral uncles from earlier had left without a moment's hesitation, so he naturally did not feel at ease sharing his inner thoughts with anyone just yet.

He only instructed the other to prepare for their departure from Songshan County.

Qin Xuanzhou hesitated for a moment before saying, "I have no objections to this, but what about the Hundred Beasts Garden..."

"I will handle that side personally."

Qin Jiu said.

His eyes flickered slightly.

He still had five empty talent slots, and while he worked on improving his strength, he could see if there were any suitable talents to imprint.