Action

Late at night, Gaoyang County yamen.

As many as fifty Bright Force martial artists had assembled!

"The Li Family colluded with mountain bandits and embezzled imperial funds. The evidence is conclusive. Tonight, they will be exterminated!"

Inside the yamen, He County Magistrate addressed the crowd in a ringing voice.

The people below broke into heated discussion.

"Who would have thought it was the Li Family?"

"That can't be right. Did the Li Family eat a bear's heart and leopard's gall to dare openly oppose the imperial court?"

"Silence! Silence!"

Wang Ming looked at the chattering crowd below and shouted sharply!

As one of the four chief constables, Cheng Heng was naturally among them.

"By order of the County Magistrate, each head of a Li Family member is worth five taels of silver. The heads of the other Bright Force martial artists serving as guards are worth three taels each!"

"Those who kill opponents of a higher realm will receive additional rewards!"

"Military orders are like mountains. Move out!"

At the command, fifty Bright Force martial artists, led by the four chief constables, swiftly left the yamen and moved to surround the Li Family.

Inner City, Li Family.

It was already deep into the night, yet the Li Family estate remained brightly lit.

"Father, it seems our information has leaked. He Chunshan has deployed men, and they are already closing in on our home!"

Li Teng said uneasily.

Li Wen remained calm. He took a small jade vial from his robes and handed it to Li Teng.

"Father, could this be...?"

Though Li Teng looked panicked, delight still flashed across his face.

"That's right. This is a Marrow-Cleansing Pill. Though it is only Low-Grade, raising your innate foundation by one level will not be difficult!"

Li Wen's expression was composed. "I will deal with He Chunshan. Once the situation reaches a stalemate, find an opportunity to escape."

"As long as you survive, the Li Family will still have a spark of life."

"When your cultivation advances in the future, come back and seek revenge on He Chunshan!"

Li Teng carefully accepted the jade vial, grief written all over his face.

"Father! Is the entire Li Family going to be buried here today?"

"Do not panic. As long as you live, the Li Family will still have hope of rising again from the ashes."

"He Chunshan will be here soon. Hide yourself well. Remember, while the green hills remain, there will be no shortage of firewood!"

Li Wen truly deserved to be called the helmsman of a great Lineage. Everything he did was for the fundamental interests of the Lineage.

The Li Family's decline was already unavoidable, yet he had spent the entirety of their fortune to buy Li Teng a Mid-Grade Marrow-Cleansing Pill to improve his innate foundation.

At the same time, he was sacrificing himself to preserve Li Teng, this bloodline, and keep a spark alive for the Li Family!

"Father!"

Tears streamed down Li Teng's face. After giving his father one last reluctant look, he finally hid himself in his family's secret passage.

Not long after Li Teng disappeared, waves of clamor rose outside the Li Family courtyard.

Bang!

With a thunderous crash, the gates of the Li Family estate were kicked open.

At the forefront was none other than He Chunshan!

"Li Wen, come out. You will not escape today!"

"Heh heh!"

Li Wen sneered and slowly emerged from the house.

"He County Magistrate truly has not lost his heroic vigor from his younger days. I never expected you to uncover it so quickly!"

At this point, Li Wen had no intention of denying anything. His son's escape route had already been fully arranged, and he no longer had any attachments!

"This official truly cannot understand what was going through your mind. You actually dared lay hands on something belonging to the imperial court."

In an instant, blade light flickered between the two men!

Kill!

At this moment, the many yamen martial artists surrounding the Li Family estate had already begun fighting the Li Family guards!

This was not Cheng Heng's first time facing such chaos. He struck repeatedly amid the crowd, moving with ease.

"Brothers, kill! Carve a bloody path!"

The many martial artists on the Li Family's side were no weaklings either. They drew their weapons one after another and began battling Cheng Heng and the others.

However, the Li Family's Bright Force martial artists were clearly weaker than those of the yamen.

Once the battle began, everything depended on the Li Family's direct descendants taking the lead. Seeing that the situation was unfavorable, many guards began scattering and fleeing.

The Li Family's direct descendants would naturally live and die with the Li Family, but these guards had only ever worked for silver to support their families.

When it truly came time to risk their lives, it simply was not worth it.

"Drop your weapons and you will not be killed!"

"This battle is only to punish the Li Family bloodline. All others who surrender their weapons will not be killed!"

Cheng Heng let out a thunderous shout in the midst of the battle. Sure enough, many guards threw down their weapons, and the situation instantly tipped toward the yamen.

Crack!

Someone was trying to flee amid the chaos!

Cheng Heng immediately pursued the sound.

That figure vanished with astonishing speed. Clearly, he was no ordinary Hidden Force martial artist.

Cheng Heng's heart tightened, but his footsteps followed closely behind, never falling behind.

He chased him all the way beyond Gaoyang County, several li from the county town.

A handsome youth in luxurious clothes suddenly turned around.

"Young hero, there is no need to keep following me. Let me go. Name your demands!"

Cheng Heng was only fifty or sixty paces away. Judging from the youth's outline, he could vaguely make out that this was the Li Family's young master, Li Teng!

Cheng Heng halted and said coldly.

"Return with me to the Inner City, or you will not escape."

Li Teng sneered. "You? Since this cannot be settled peacefully, then die!"

Li Teng instantly drew the steel saber from his back. A flash of cold light streaked forth as he charged directly at Cheng Heng.

Li Teng had no time to waste. He had to kill Cheng Heng quickly and end this battle at once!

If Cheng Heng entangled him and reinforcements arrived afterward, he would be unable to leave.

Thus, he showed no mercy at all. The moment he attacked, it was a killing move!

Cheng Heng exhaled softly, then tensed every muscle in his body and pushed the Vajra Art to its limit.

He then drew the steel saber from his back and slashed horizontally!

Clang!

With a tremendous crash, both men were sent flying backward. Li Teng let out a muffled groan as his entire body went numb.

His expression changed drastically. He had not expected this man's saber technique to be so refined that it had reached the height of perfection. He had just wanted to turn and flee, but for the moment, he could not summon any strength.

In that brief moment of respite, Cheng Heng threw aside his steel saber, spread his arms, and lunged straight at Li Teng.

Li Teng took a deep breath, gathered all the strength in his body, and barely managed to raise his arms to block.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

After several exchanges, Li Teng's face turned livid, his arms numb as he fell into a disadvantage.

Cheng Heng's face was icy. His arms rapidly swelled as he unleashed Black Tiger Rips Out Heart, smashing directly into Li Teng's chest.

Boom!

Li Teng stared at the scene before him in disbelief, then was violently blasted away and crashed to the ground.

He still wanted to speak, but a mouthful of blood surged up his throat, leaving him unable to utter a word. He had clearly suffered severe internal injuries.

No matter how hard he thought, he could not understand where this man had come from. Within the yamen, aside from He Chunshan, there should not have been a second person worth mentioning!

"W-Wait... Tell me what you want. I can give you anything, as long as you let me leave!"

Li Teng said, his face flushed and blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

Cheng Heng's gaze was ice-cold. He looked at the Li Family's young master before him as though he were already a corpse.

Seeing that Cheng Heng would not let the matter rest, Li Teng stopped wasting words. Planting both hands on the ground, he sprang away in an instant, trying to shake Cheng Heng off as quickly as possible.