Deterrence

"Good timing."

Qin Lian sprang from the mountaintop, bounding down the slope and landing before Qin An and the others after just a few leaps.

"The Canglang Sword Sect's warriors at the True Qi Realm and above have been wiped out. Leave thirty men to clear out anyone who slipped through the net. The rest, follow me straight to the Dragon River Gang."

"Family Head!"

Seeing Qin Lian come down the mountain, still able to run and leap, Qin An and the others hurriedly greeted him in ringing voices.

Then they heard what Qin Lian said...

"The Canglang Sword Sect's warriors at the True Qi Realm and above have been wiped out?"

"The... the Family Head destroyed the Canglang Sword Sect alone, with a single sword?!"

"The Canglang Sword Sect had two formidable experts, Wu Meng and Ning Chuan, plus six elders and countless disciples. Even an ordinary expert at Qi Refining into Gang might not have been able to overcome that lineup."

Everyone was instantly both stunned and delighted.

Especially since, from the foot of the mountain, they could now vaguely make out some of the distant corpses...

Qin An found it hard to believe. "Family Head, you... you're all right?"

Wasn't the Family Head going to stake his life on a bloody battle?

"Hmm? Didn't I say I would go ahead and crush the Canglang Sword Sect and the Dragon River Gang, while you followed with the men to clean up afterward? What could have happened to me?"

Qin Lian gave these members of the Qin Family a puzzled look.

He had left a letter.

"I... we thought..."

The sudden surprise left Qin An's face somewhat flushed as his words caught in his throat.

He did not know how to respond.

Qin Lian did not press him. "Enough. We mustn't let the Dragon River Gang's experts escape! The sooner we settle this, the sooner I can truly rest easy!"

"Yes."

Qin An immediately said, "Elder Ping, Elder Lie, take some men and tally up the battlefield here. Everyone else, follow the Family Head and flatten the Dragon River Gang!"

"Flatten the Dragon River Gang!"

The Qin Family disciples answered loudly, each brimming with energy and fighting spirit.

Qin Lian soon departed with the group.

Only after they left did Qin Ping, Qin Lie, and the others lead the remaining Qin Family disciples up the mountain.

Though they had already seen the bloody haze and bodies strewn across the mountain from afar, when they entered the mountain themselves and saw the devastation littering the ground, the Qin Family members still could not help drawing in sharp breaths.

"From the look of it, there must be dozens, if not a hundred bodies here... The number alone is staggering, and every corpse belonged to at least a ranked expert! This... was this all the Family Head's work?"

"I thought the Family Head meant he had routed the Canglang Sword Sect's elders and elites when he spoke of destroying them. But now it seems... even if their registered disciples weren't slaughtered to the last, they must have lost seven or eight out of every ten! The Family Head's strength... is truly unbelievable!"

"He's too strong! Who said the Family Head suffered grievous injuries fighting Blood Demon Zuo Qiudao and could never recover?! This is clearly breaking down to rise anew! Destroying a sect alone, cutting down dozens upon dozens of ranked experts with his sword-even the grandmasters who actually made the ranking could do no more!"

"Hahaha! With the Family Head holding the fort, why should our Qin Family fear the Commandery Governor's Office or the Three Pure Ones Temple? Why should we worry about failing to claim all of Taibai for ourselves?"

For a time, the Qin Family disciples climbing the mountain were overwhelmed with shock and joy.

It was as though they could already see the Qin Family holding sole dominion over Taibai Commandery City, then extending the tendrils of its influence throughout the Sixteen Counties of Taibai.

"Family Head!"

Qin An rode up alongside Qin Lian. "Do you need to rest a while?"

"We'll make this quick."

Qin Lian said, "The Dragon River Gang's headquarters is at Longjiang Wharf. They're well informed and have probably already learned of the Canglang Sword Sect's destruction. To prevent any complications, we must hurry over, wipe them out, and settle this."

After speaking, he glanced at Qin An. "Once we've destroyed the Canglang Sword Sect, the Dragon River Gang, and the Xie Lineage, I will step down as family head and concentrate on condensing Gang and refining Qi, seeking to reach the realm of Weave Astral Qi into Armor and the Three-Foot Qi Wall."

"Weave Astral Qi into Armor!"

Qin An's eyes immediately lit up.

Once one's Gang Qi became profound enough to weave into armor, one was qualified to contend for the Grandmaster Heaven Ranking!

Once one's name appeared on that ranking...

An entirely new world would open up!

The entire Qin Family would also soar into the heavens on the privileges and conveniences brought by a ranked grandmaster!

"From now on, you will oversee all the Qin Family's affairs, great and small. Future arrangements will also be yours alone to decide..."

As Qin Lian spoke, he added, "You saw it yourself in this crisis. The Qin Family's foundations are still shallow. If anything happens to me, the family faces utter disaster. So from now on, keep a lower profile and focus on recuperating and building our strength. Do not stir up any more trouble."

Qin An's heart turned solemn at his words, and he hastily promised, "Rest assured, Family Head. I will restrain our clansmen's words and actions. I absolutely won't cause you any trouble during your secluded cultivation."

Qin Lian nodded slightly.

As they talked, they swiftly covered several dozen li.

Longjiang Wharf was already close at hand.

Yet when the Qin Family group actually reached the fortress-like compound at the edge of the wharf, they found that the compound, which should have been bustling with people, was in complete chaos.

At the sight of several dozen Qin Family riders arriving, people scattered with cries of alarm.

"It's Qin Wudi of the Qin Family! He's here! Run!"

"Where's Gang Leader Long? Where is Gang Leader Long?"

"The moment the gang leader received the carrier pigeon's message from the Canglang Sword Sect, he fled in terror! We were all deceived! Qin Wudi, whose sword presses Taibai-he wasn't injured at all..."

All sorts of shouts came from within the compound.

Clearly, they had already received word from the Canglang Sword Sect.

"Family Head..."

"I'll go inside and take a look first."

"Daozhi, take a few good fighters and accompany the Family Head."

Qin An hurriedly gave the order.

"Yes."

Qin Daozhi, who had only just cultivated True Qi, answered and quickly followed Qin Lian with several seventh-grade experts, heading straight for the Dragon River Gang's headquarters.

The chaotic crowd at the headquarters' entrance scattered as Qin Lian's party arrived, without even putting up a semblance of resistance.

Inside the Dragon River Gang, only two or three small fry remained. There were no experts worth mentioning.

The sight made Qin Lian frown.

Weren't they supposed to have gathered all their elites to choose hall masters?

Were they discussing how to divide the baggage and go their separate ways instead?

After leading his men through each courtyard, Qin Daozhi soon dragged out a middle-aged man who looked like a leader.

"Family Head, Long Ao, Wang Gang, and the other gang leaders, deputy gang leaders, and hall masters suddenly left half an hour ago. This is Xue Ren, a deputy hall master of the Dragon River Gang."

"Spare me, Family Head Qin... I had no idea Long Ao, Wang Gang, and the others had the gall to make an enemy of you."

The deputy hall master dropped to his knees without a shred of backbone. "If I'd known they dared commit such outrageous treachery, I would have reported it to you immediately, Family Head Qin! Who in all of Taibai Commandery City doesn't know that you are the very heavens above everyone's heads..."

Qin Lian frowned slightly as he listened.

"Where did Long Ao and the others go?"

"I... I'm only a newly promoted deputy hall master. I know nothing about the whereabouts of the gang leaders and hall masters... Otherwise, they wouldn't have abandoned me here... I truly don't know where the gang leader and the others are hiding..."

"Doesn't the Dragon River Gang claim to have three thousand members? With so many men, why didn't they have even the courage to resist? Why flee without a fight?"

Qin Lian asked.

"Three thousand members?"

Xue Ren froze.

Even Qin Daozhi glanced at his family head...

Of the Dragon River Gang's supposed three thousand members, it would have been impressive if five hundred truly dared charge into battle and risk their lives.

The rest were essentially members in name, making their living from the wharf and the various trades along the Dragon River.

They helped swell the numbers when needed, but most of the time, porters carried sacks, laborers unloaded cargo, and fishermen fished.

How could the Commandery Governor's Office allow a gang with three thousand armed men to exist right under its nose?

But from the Family Head's words...

Had he actually believed it?

"Well... the Dragon River Gang... may claim to have three thousand members and over a hundred experts... but out in the world, a man gives himself his own standing..."

Xue Ren explained sheepishly, "The Dragon River Gang naturally falls far short of your Qin Family, Family Head Qin... Even compared with the Canglang Sword Sect, our actual fighting strength is a little inferior because our members are such a mixed lot... When the gang leader heard how you had displayed your divine might, sending heads rolling and leaving countless dead and wounded in the Canglang Sword Sect... naturally... naturally, he fled with his tail between his legs..."

Qin Lian's expression grew somewhat peculiar as he listened.

He had thought the Qin Family's foundations were still shallow, unable to muster even a hundred ranked experts, and that without him, it could never contend with the Canglang Sword Sect or the Dragon River Gang.

But now it seemed...

Was everyone equally lousy?

Like a makeshift troupe.

"With standards like these, where did they find the courage to send men to our doorstep to probe us?"

Qin Lian asked.

Even if he had destroyed the Canglang Sword Sect alone with a single sword...

The Dragon River Gang should at least have put up a fight.

If you don't dare risk your life, why join a gang?

Xue Ren trembled, not knowing how to answer.

Just then, Qin An suddenly entered from outside.

"Family Head, Prefect Qi of the Commandery Governor's Office has sent someone over..."

He did not even glance at Xue Ren kneeling on the ground. "Your thunderous methods and wholesale slaughter have clearly frightened them out of their wits, Family Head. Everyone is in a panic. They want to mediate and ask you to calm your anger and rein in your Divine Ability."

Wholesale slaughter? Everyone in a panic?

Wasn't this an ancient society?

He had only wiped out a hundred or so people from the Canglang Sword Sect, and that was enough to throw everyone into a panic?

But judging by the various parties' reactions...

His strategic objective could be considered achieved.