The cavalry detachment was imposing. Numbering over a thousand strong, they completely intercepted the caravan, bringing its progress to a halt.

"Esteemed sirs," a silver-haired elder, one of the caravan organizers, said with a courteous bow and a smile, "This old man is from the Nine Horse Trading Company—"

"Old man!"

A sharp, displeased shout suddenly rang out.

The leader of the cavalry, a young man clad in black fish-scale armor, sat high atop his warhorse, looking down upon the elder with clear annoyance. "Spare me the pleasantries. I am here to arrest someone! Your Nine Horse Caravan had best comply obediently. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to throw you in jail as well."

This declaration startled the elder into shaking his head and stepping back. The entire caravan instantly fell silent, everyone cautiously watching the cavalry unit.

"Who is Wei Jiang? Step forward!" a loud roar echoed throughout the caravan.

"Hmm?" Tenga Qingshan, positioned toward the rear of the crowd, frowned. Though he didn't know Wei Jiang well, Wei Jiang was known as a prodigy in internal martial arts cultivation. Of course, a genius still needed serious refinement to become a true master. Furthermore, his daughter seemed quite close to this Wei Jiang. Tenga Qingshan held a degree of goodwill toward Wei Jiang.

"Who is Wei Jiang!!!" came another shout.

"General, he's here," a soldier immediately pointed him out.

From the center front of the caravan, near two young women, a tall young man carrying a heavy iron spear on his back stepped out of the throng. His voice was deep and resonant. "Why are you looking for me?" Wei Jiang was tall, nearly eight feet, with eyes like those of the Thunder God. Standing there, he naturally exuded an imposing aura, like a coiled tiger, yet his features were quite refined, suggesting a young age.

"Oh? You are Wei Jiang?" The young general, seated on his horse, scrutinized Wei Jiang closely, a cold sneer touching his lips. "Judging by your appearance, you might possess some skill. But—no matter how skilled you are, you cannot defy martial law with force. Guards, seize him!"

"Yes, sir."

Immediately, ten soldiers moved to surround him.

"Who dares touch me!" Wei Jiang’s eyes flashed with rage. The imposing black iron spear, nearly a zhang long, materialized instantly in his hands. Paired with Wei Jiang’s current momentum, the spear carried significant deterrent power. The ten surrounding soldiers dared not approach.

"Get back!"

Wei Jiang swept his long spear horizontally with a sharp whistle, whipping up a gust of wind that sent the ten soldiers staggering backward in fear.

Watching from a distance, Tenga Qingshan allowed a faint smile to appear. "He has considerable strength! That black iron spear must weigh several dozen jin; to wield it with such speed using a single arm shows astonishing strength." Tenga Qingshan observed him with the critical eye of a mentor.

"General, you accuse me of violating martial law. What law have I broken?" Wei Jiang’s voice was sharp and strong as he fixed his gaze on the young general in the distance.

"Hmph. Not long ago, an entire family of thirteen was brutally murdered in Lian’an City. The examinations showed their bodies riddled with spear wounds. Moreover, a witness clearly saw you!!! You, Wei Jiang, committed the crime!" The young general’s face was contorted with anger as he roared, "A family of thirteen, murdered inside the city! Even if you fled to the ends of the earth, it would be useless. With such venomous intent, how could I not arrest you?"

"No, I didn't kill them!" Wei Jiang roared.

"Stop quibbling!" The young general sneered. "You boast of superior martial prowess, and my soldiers dare not touch you? Fine, I shall see precisely how capable you are."

With a loud Clang,

The young general, gripping a heavy, dark-green broadsword, leaped from his warhorse like a diving eagle. He managed three mid-air shifts before landing over ten zhang away, stopping less than three zhang from Wei Jiang. This mere display of Qinggong made Wei Jiang's expression shift instantly.

"This young general's strength is not insignificant," Tenga Qingshan murmured among the caravan members. "To fly over ten zhang while wearing heavy armor—he is definitely a first-rate martial artist. To become a City Guard General at such a young age… he is no ordinary person."

"I alone am enough to capture you!" the young general sneered, his heavy sword blurring into a shadowy fan of phantom shapes, enveloping Wei Jiang.

"Hmph."

Wei Jiang let out an angry snort. His feet rooted into the earth like the roots of an old tree, and his black iron spear lunged out like a roaring tiger.

"Boom!" Brute force crushing technique.

The heavy spear instantly shattered the general's sword projections, but the general's footwork was uncanny; with a slight shift, he followed up with a strike as terrifying as rushing thunder!

Tenga Qingshan and Li Jun, observing from the caravan, discussed with smiles.

"Wei Jiang’s power is good. Moreover, his spear technique faintly carries the essence of Cannon Fist," Tenga Qingshan nodded approvingly. "And his entire movement—the dodging and weaving—shows a tiger held in his heart. He has internalized the 'Tiger Form' to the bone, to his very soul. It is only a pity... his spear technique remains somewhat crude."

Li Jun also nodded. "That young general clearly had an excellent teacher. This sword style belongs to the Earth-grade Secret Codex of the Yu Huang Sect: Purple Thunder Sword Canon."

"If they fought bare-handed, Wei Jiang would win," Tenga Qingshan sighed inwardly. This was the inherent weakness of many internal martial artists who only practiced the Tiger Form Fist. "Qingshan, if you could coach him for half a day, with Wei Jiang’s foundation... his strength would leap forward. He could certainly defeat that practitioner from the Yu Huang Sect." Li Jun's judgment was sharp; she recognized Wei Jiang as raw jade. His attainment in Tiger Form Fist was high, but he hadn't fully integrated it into his spear work.

"However," Li Jun frowned slightly, "Wei Jiang killed an entire family of thirteen..."

"Madam," a respectful voice came from the gray-robed middle-aged man beside her. "The Sect Master and Madam rarely venture out and are unaware of this matter. In truth, the Yu Huang Sect now uses all manner of schemes to obstruct talented internal martial artists wishing to join our Xing Yi Sect. False accusations are common. Today, it is clear the Yu Huang Sect intends to take Wei Jiang."

"Shameless," Li Jun’s expression changed.

"Hmph."

Tenga Qingshan’s face darkened. Although he had seen reports, seeing it firsthand brought the reality crashing in.

"The Yu Huang Sect truly resorts to any means to capture internal martial artists, especially those with immense talent, like Wei Jiang... With my guidance, he could absolutely reach the 'Earth Ranking' level. Perhaps, within a few years, he could even step into the Grandmaster realm," Tenga Qingshan thought, boiling with anger. Talent like Wei Jiang's was rare; even within the Xing Yi Sect, finding someone who practiced the Tiger Form Fist to this extent was difficult, let alone among self-taught practitioners. If not for such extraordinary genius, the Yu Huang Sect would not deploy an entire military contingent to arrest him.

"Boom!" The ground trembled.

Wei Jiang was seen retreating nine consecutive steps in the distance, each step leaving a deep imprint in the earth, causing the ground itself to crack.

"Clang!" The spear, knocked from his grip, spun away and clattered nearby.

"Take him," the young general ordered with a cold smile, inwardly sneering, "I thought he was something after sweeping three strongholds with one spear. The Sect arranged for a Master to accompany me, just in case. But... just a self-taught practitioner. That's all." The general’s easy defeat of Wei Jiang caused the only man in the cavalry unit not wearing armor—a bald old man—to smile and stroke his beard in approval.

Tenga Qingshan, amidst the caravan, frowned, preparing to intervene and snatch Wei Jiang away.

Suddenly—

"So that's how it is, you shameless wretches!" A clear, crisp shout rang out.

Tenga Qingshan rubbed his head, exchanging a look of shared exasperation with Li Jun beside him.

A young woman in green clothes moved with swift, agile kicks and punches, sending the soldiers attempting to seize Wei Jiang flying backward. Then, with a flick of her foot, the green-clad girl effortlessly lifted the heavy iron spear weighing several dozen jin. She casually caught it with her right hand, executed a quick flourish, and nodded slightly. "Not bad."

She held the spear across her body with practiced ease, looking down scornfully at the young general. "I actually believed Wei Jiang Big Brother had committed murder. I never expected that upon hearing the explanation... it turns out your Yu Huang Sect is this utterly shameless!"

"Insolent!" The young general's face darkened.

"You are insolent!"

The green-clad girl, Hong Lin, shouted sternly. "It turns out your Yu Huang Sect has done this many times before. What? If an internal martial artist refuses to join your Yu Huang Sect, they instantly become murderers or philanderers? Your Yu Huang Sect is truly creative in its fabrications! With me here today, you will not take Big Brother Wei Jiang anywhere."

"Xiaohong," Wei Jiang cried out in alarm.

"Big Brother Wei Jiang, you just watch from the side." Hong Lin held the long spear, looking quite heroic.

The young general’s face grew uglier. He sneered, "You madwoman, it seems you are in league with this Wei Jiang. Then prepare to be thrown into the same dungeon." With that, he lunged rapidly toward Hong Lin. Each of his steps seemed to vary in length, creating a strange rhythm, and in a flash, his heavy sword was already before Hong Lin. The young general clearly did not underestimate her, deploying his most potent technique.

"Hmph."

Hong Lin let out a delicate snort. Planting her feet firmly, she held the spear with one hand and thrust with the other!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

She wielded the 'Shadow Following' spear technique from the Xing Yi Five Element Spears with considerable mastery. A vortex of spear shadows instantly enveloped the young general, whose face shifted dramatically. The bald old man watching from the ranks of the cavalry also saw his expression change.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

"Not good."

He managed to barely block three strikes, before finally throwing his heavy sword horizontally in a desperate attempt to fend off the fourth.

"Peng!" He was smashed backward, crashing into the ranks of the soldiers in the distance.

"Wow."

"This girl is terrifyingly strong."

A wave of gasps rose from the caravan members. No one had expected a mere girl to possess such terrifying power.

Tenga Qingshan, watching from the caravan, allowed a smile to appear. "Among the Five Element Fists, Hong Lin excels most at Crushing Fist. This spear technique, 'Shadow Following,' is where she is strongest. She already possesses 'Earth Ranking' strength." In terms of pure attainment, Hong Lin naturally couldn't compare to the Tenga Qingshan of the past, but... the 'Shadow Following' spear technique Hong Lin learned was the version Tenga Qingshan had refined through numerous corrections—far more exquisite and potent than the version he created when he was ten years old at Tenga Manor.

"Which family's daughter are you, that you know nothing of manners! No upbringing! How dare you obstruct the army!" A figure suddenly shot out from the ranks of the distant army. "Let this old man teach you some decorum!"

Tenga Qingshan and Li Jun's faces darkened. How dare someone insult their daughter by calling her ill-mannered and lacking upbringing? He was just a Xiantian master, yet so arrogant.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Tenga Qingshan and Li Jun moved almost simultaneously, but Tenga Qingshan’s speed was even more astonishing; he seemed to teleport directly to the very front of the caravan.

"What kind of thing are you, to dare say my daughter has no upbringing!" A low voice sounded abruptly, and simultaneously, the voice struck the blurry figure like an invisible shockwave, sending the figure flying back even faster than it had arrived.