Martial Emperor Potential, Black Cloud Stronghold

A moment later.

Su Yun entered the estate and saw his parents walking toward him.

Father Su was named Su Xiao. Nearly fifty, he looked somewhat plump.

Mother Su was dressed like a noblewoman, her face powdered with rouge and cosmetics.

At the sight of Su Yun,

Father Su hurried over in three swift strides, staring intently at Su Yun as he looked him over again and again.

Then he reached out and patted Su Yun's shoulder, laughing heartily.

"Good! Good!"

"My son has grown up—spirited and dashing, radiant and brilliant, with the bearing I had in my youth! Hahaha!"

Father Su had always cared deeply for Su Yun.

Now that Su Yun had entered the Mystic Blade Sect, he naturally felt gratified.

"It's good that you're back."

Mother Su spoke coolly from the side, neither warm nor cold.

"Father, Mother, I'm back."

Su Yun paid no mind to Mother Su's attitude. Smiling gently, he spoke with warmth in his expression.

"Come, let's go inside and talk."

At that moment, Father Su took Su Yun by the arm and led him inside.

The group arrived at the main hall.

"Third Brother, you've finally returned."

"These past few days, Father has kept talking about you, hoping every day that you would come home."

The moment Su Yun entered, an elegant young man greeted him with delight.

"Big Brother!"

Su Yun smiled as well.

"Yun'er has grown up—and grown more handsome too!"

At that moment, a gentle-looking young woman came over, took Su Yun's hand, and said tenderly.

"Sister-in-law, I'm nowhere near as handsome as Big Brother."

"After all, he was once known as the number one handsome man in Glaze Prefecture!"

Su Yun looked at his elder brother, Su Lin, with a grin.

When he was younger, Su Lin had been extremely vain, constantly calling himself the number one handsome man in Glaze Prefecture and flirting with every pretty face he saw.

He had made quite a few jokes of himself because of it.

"You brat, you've only just come back and you're already making fun of your big brother?"

The elegant man laughed and scolded him, filling the hall with a festive air.

Everyone chatted idly for a while.

Then Mother Su and Su Yun's sister-in-law found an excuse to leave.

They left the hall to the three men of the family.

At that moment, Su Yun asked.

"Father, Big Brother, has the Lin Family come looking for trouble again recently?"

"It's nothing major."

Su Lin replied with a smile, no trace of worry visible on his face.

But after a moment of silence, Father Su's eyes revealed a hint of weariness.

Then he sat down heavily in his chair, his expression solemn as he slowly spoke.

"Yun'er, now that you've entered the Mystic Blade Sect, your wings are gradually growing strong."

"There are some things we need not hide from you any longer."

As he spoke, a trace of concern appeared on his face.

"Over the past few years, Glaze Prefecture has grown increasingly unstable and chaotic. Fierce bandits and robbers have appeared one after another."

"Of all the Su Estate's businesses, the escort trade has suffered the greatest impact."

"In past years, with Elder Chen overseeing our Cloud Lin Escort Agency, no one dared provoke us."

"Elder Chen possesses Body Refining Ninth Layer cultivation. His Three Flower Blade has reached the pinnacle of mastery, and his movement technique leaves not even dust behind."

"He once slew a Profound Mastery martial artist and carved out a formidable reputation!"

"But time shows no mercy. He has grown older and older."

"The old hidden injuries from his youth flare up often now. He is no longer equal to the task and can only remain at home to recuperate."

"This year, our Cloud Lin Escort Agency has been robbed several times while transporting goods. Vast quantities of merchandise were taken, and the merchant caravans suffered devastating losses, forcing us to abandon the escort business."

"In truth, it isn't just our Su Estate. The Lin Family, Qin Family, and Luo Family have suffered as well."

"The merchant caravans of all these great families have been plundered by bandits several times this year, suffering grievous losses!"

"This evening, Old Ghost Lin invited me to discuss matters in detail. His purpose was to come up with a solution to resolve this issue."

After hearing this, Su Yun was stunned.

He had just thought the Lin Family was playing some new trick.

He had not expected the truth to be this.

At that moment, he looked toward his elder brother.

Su Lin had fallen silent as well.

His hands unconsciously clenched, only to drop helplessly again.

He had no talent for cultivation, his meridians blocked. Even after expending enormous resources, he had only reached Body Refining First Stage.

He simply could not resolve this matter.

The next moment, a worried look appeared on his face.

"In fact, Elder Chen's health has been worsening by the day for a long time now, and his strength has declined severely."

"Back then, when Elder Chen oversaw the Cloud Lin Escort Agency and personally escorted the shipments, those bandits did not dare plunder them. It may not have been because they truly feared him, but because they were wary of his identity."

"Elder Chen was once an Outer Sect disciple of the Mystic Blade Sect. His talent was extraordinary."

"But in the end, he was trapped by love. He remained stuck at Body Refining Ninth Layer, unable to advance even a single step, and left the sect in dejection."

"Now that the escort agency no longer has Elder Chen overseeing it, those bandits naturally no longer fear such things."

Father Su nodded as well. "That's right. Wealth stirs the heart."

"Even Elder Chen's prestige cannot outweigh the value of those goods."

"Father, Big Brother, what cultivation do those bandits possess?"

Su Yun seized upon the key point and asked gravely.

"Yun'er, don't act rashly!"

Father Su hurriedly warned him.

But Su Yun smiled. "Father, Big Brother, I'm already at Body Refining Fourth Stage!"

He had no intention of concealing it and stated it openly.

"Body Refining Fourth Stage!?"

The moment they heard this, Father Su and Su Lin were both utterly dumbfounded.

It seemed Su Yun had joined the Mystic Blade Sect less than a month ago, hadn't he?

Breaking through to Body Refining Fourth Stage in less than a month?

This...

Even a personal disciple of the Mystic Blade Sect could not be this terrifying, could they!?

"Haha! Good! Excellent!"

"My son has the potential of a Martial Emperor!"

Father Su immediately rose to his feet and laughed heartily.

His elder brother was equally excited. "My old Su family has produced a True Dragon!"

They had indeed been under tremendous pressure during this time.

The entire burden of the Su Estate rested on their shoulders.

If they failed to handle it properly, the consequences would be severe.

Now, Su Yun was not only at Body Refining Fourth Stage, but also a disciple of the Mystic Blade Sect.

He might not be able to resolve the problem immediately, but at the very least, he gave them ample confidence!

Overjoyed, Father Su promptly ordered servants to prepare fine wine and dishes.

The group drank and chatted, reminiscing about the past and speaking of all that had happened around them.

Gradually, night descended, moonlight scattering across the ground in shattered fragments.

Late that night.

Su Yun returned to his room.

He sat in a wooden chair, reading through a report.

His elder brother had given him the report. It contained information about that group of bandits.

"Black Cloud Stronghold!"

Murmuring the three scarlet words on the first page, Su Yun carefully read through the report.

Before long, he had finished it.

He now had some understanding of Black Cloud Stronghold.

"The Black Cloud Stronghold chief is at Body Refining Eighth Stage. His blade techniques are profound, and his physique is powerful."

"He was once a disciple of a prince, holding a respectable official post before being demoted into banditry."

"Besides him, there are three lieutenants under his command, all at Body Refining Seventh Stage and quite formidable."

"The bandits under his command vary in cultivation, numbering roughly one hundred and fifty."

After reading it, Su Yun's expression shifted.

With so many bandits, they truly were not something an ordinary merchant caravan could contend with.

He was not their match yet, either.

"However, in three days at most, I'll break through and reach Body Refining Fifth Stage."

"If I also use medicinal baths to raise the Bone Forging Vajra Technique to a higher level, I should have enough confidence."

Su Yun pondered inwardly.

Creak!

At that moment, someone pushed open his door.

His sister-in-law, Xu Ling, entered carefully with a smile on her lips, carrying a bowl of medicinal soup thick with herbal fragrance.

"Sister-in-law, this is...?"

Su Yun looked up, stunned.

"Come, Yun'er. Drink it while it's hot."

Xu Ling brought the medicinal soup before Su Yun and spoke gently.

Seeing the various precious medicinal ingredients in the bowl, Su Yun felt warmth rise in his heart.

"Alright."

He did not stand on ceremony. Smiling, he lifted the large bowl and swallowed the medicinal soup in great gulps.

The next moment, a voice rang out in his mind.

"Ding!"

"Your Breathing Technique has detected a large amount of medicinal power and is excitedly accelerating its absorption. Cultivation efficiency has surged!"

"Drink slowly. Don't choke."

Watching Su Yun gulp down the medicinal soup, Xu Ling was delighted, yet quickly took out a handkerchief and wiped the medicinal residue from the corner of his mouth.

"Take these fifty thousand taels in banknotes first."

After wiping him clean, Xu Ling immediately took out a stack of banknotes and handed them to Su Yun.

Then, her face filled with delight as she said, "Your big brother went to the Qin Family tonight to collect a debt."

"Barring any surprises, he'll be able to bring you another thirty thousand taels tomorrow!"

Just as Su Yun was about to say something, Xu Ling spoke first. "Yun'er, don't refuse."

"The Su Family can only rely on you now."

Her expression was gentle, but her tone was resolute, and her eyes held anticipation.

Hearing this, Su Yun did not refuse again. He merely nodded.

"Alright, I understand."

After Xu Ling left, Su Yun began refining the immense medicinal power within his body.

After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, he finally finished absorbing it.

"Your Breathing Technique has absorbed all medicinal effects. Cultivation speed has surged. Current cultivation progress (96%)"

Seeing his cultivation progress,

Su Yun grinned.

"Looks like I'll break through tomorrow!"

Black Cloud Stronghold, is it? When the time comes, I'll tear the roof right off your den!