The sun had already set, leaving the night narrow and deep, hemmed in by the green brick walls and horse-head gables. Yet, the main hall of the He Family Estate was ablaze with light today.

When He Yiming hurried into the hall, he found he was not the first to arrive.

A full month had passed since he broke through the Sixth Layer limit and advanced to the Seventh. However, he hadn't disclosed this to anyone during that time, so the family elders still believed his cultivation remained at the Sixth Layer.

Just as he was cultivating as usual today, a servant came to report that the Old Estate Master had summoned him to the main hall.

He Yiming dared not delay and hastened to the hall. Yet, he was not the first here; his Second Brother and Third Brother had already arrived before him.

He Yihai nodded slightly toward Yiming. "Sixth Brother, you've come too."

"Yes, greetings, Second Brother." He Yiming bowed deeply. Although Second Brother was the son of the Eldest Uncle, his demeanor toward his younger brothers was not significantly different. To be honest, among the third generation disciples, only the Fifth Brother, He Yizhang, had a particularly poor relationship with him; otherwise, the interactions among the siblings were quite harmonious.

Of course, there were subtle differences in the bonds between biological brothers, though this was less apparent within the He Family Estate.

He Yihai nodded silently and immediately fell quiet. However, He Yiming knew this was Second Brother’s nature; if it weren't for the ties of brotherhood, he likely wouldn't have even offered a greeting.

He moved a few steps to his Third Brother, He Yixuan, and asked quietly, "Third Brother, what happened? Why are you all here?"

He Yixuan shrugged with a wry smile. "We don't know, but since it's Grandpa’s personal order, it shouldn't be a small matter, right?"

He Yiming nodded slightly, about to speak, when a sudden intuition struck him. He immediately stopped talking and looked toward the outside of the hall.

A moment later, several figures emerged from the dim light beyond the doorway.

Upon seeing these arrivals, the three of them—Yiming, Yihai, and Yixuan—immediately stood up, chests out and backs straight, displaying an exceptionally alert bearing.

Leading the group was He Wude, the man who had single-handedly established the He Family Estate. Behind him were Eldest Uncle He Quanxin and Third Uncle He Quanyi. As for the last remaining figure, it was naturally He Yitian, heralded as the foremost talent among the third generation.

The three brothers in the hall exchanged surprised glances. What matter could possibly warrant the Old Estate Master gathering nearly all the estate’s marketable strength?

He Yiming glanced toward the direction of the Scripture Pavilion. As far as he knew, within the estate, aside from the Old Estate Master's direct descendants, there was also an old retainer whose cultivation had reached the Ninth Layer, putting him on par with the Eldest Uncle. This old retainer seemed to have grown up alongside the Old Estate Master since childhood, setting him worlds apart from the common servants.

For years, this old retainer, along with the Eldest Uncle, resided in two separate side halls within the Scripture Pavilion courtyard, enjoying treatment no less preferential than that of a direct descendant.

And today in the He Family Estate, apart from that singular old retainer, all other disciples who had reached the Sixth Layer of Inner Strength had assembled.

He Wude strode into the hall and settled into the main seat in the center. His gaze was sharp and penetrating, sweeping over everyone present. All those who met his eyes felt a peculiar, scorching sensation, immediately lowering their heads involuntarily.

He Yiming’s heart trembled slightly. This was the peak of the Tenth Layer Inner Strength—vastly beyond anything he could currently contend with.

He silently lowered his gaze, unwilling to attract any special attention.

"I have summoned you here because there is a matter that requires your attention," He Wude’s voice, slightly aged yet full of power, resonated through the hall. "Men from the Cheng family arrived today. A nationally wanted fugitive has fled into our county, and they hope we can assist the government in apprehending or killing this person."

He Yiming exchanged glances with his Second and Third Brothers; all three felt a stir of anticipation. Looking at their two elders and Eldest Brother, their faces remained impassive, clearly having known about this already.

"The fugitive fled from Linqiu Prefecture and is named Hu Bin, a cultivator whose Inner Strength has reached the peak of the Fifth Layer. He is said to be quite skilled."

He Yiming instantly understood why Grandpa had agreed and summoned them all.

While Fifth Layer Inner Strength was respectable, everyone present was at least at the Sixth Layer or higher. With a few helpers, they could certainly subdue the man easily. For the disciples of the He Family Estate, this was actually a rare opportunity for tempering.

Otherwise, constantly cultivating behind closed doors without practical combat experience would offer little benefit to their future cultivation.

He Wude’s gaze suddenly flashed with a sharp glint. "You must not hold any contempt for this man. Although Hu Bin only possesses Fifth Layer cultivation, he is ruthless. In Linqiu Prefecture, he was a centurion in the army, awaiting execution for the crimes of rape and murder of civilians while posing as a bandit. However, he escaped the military, leaving a trail of slaughter along the way until he reached us." He paused, his voice growing more solemn. "Though he has only killed common folk, killing so many has naturally imbued him with a certain killing aura. If you encounter him, you must be cautious and never let your guard down."

Everyone sobered instantly and replied in unison, "Yes."

He Wude had always been a man of decisive action. Once a decision was made, he immediately assigned tasks. He instructed everyone present to lead several estate retainers who had reached the Third Layer of Inner Strength, take Hu Bin’s portrait, and proceed to various surveillance points.

He Yiming and the others naturally had no objections; in fact, they felt a degree of excitement. After years of cultivation, they finally had a chance to prove themselves; they certainly weren't going to miss it.

After He Wude finished assigning tasks, he waved his hand. Everyone, except for himself and He Quanxin, immediately departed with their assigned men, following the envoys sent by the Cheng family.

Once everyone had dispersed, He Quanxin hesitated. "Father, Yiming is only thirteen this year, and he hasn't even been at the Sixth Layer for a full year. Isn't it a bit early to have him take on independent command?"

He Wude let out a dry laugh. "Quanxin, do you remember which sector I assigned Yiming to?"

He Quanxin paused, thought for a moment, and then understood. "I see. Yiming is responsible for the sector closest to the county seat, and it's the main thoroughfare. Since Hu Bin is fleeing, he certainly won't take the main road openly, but rather the secluded paths, nor would he throw himself into the county seat to be captured. So, Yiming's assignment this time is purely a formality."

He Wude nodded slightly. "Precisely. What you said is correct. Yiming's talent is the most outstanding among his brothers; I have high hopes for him. However, constant secluded practice within the estate is not necessarily a good thing. Letting him participate, letting him feel the atmosphere, will certainly benefit his growth. As for Hu Bin, the three major families in the county are working together, mobilizing people from various villages to search. Unless he escapes the county first, there will be no unexpected incidents."

He Quanxin nodded heavily. "Father, your consideration is always thorough."

He Wude’s face lit up with excitement. "Besides that, having Yiming lead a team is also to let the Xu and Cheng families know that our He family has gained another genius cultivator. I believe those old foxes from the Xu and Cheng families should understand which family is destined to be the strongest in Taicang County's future."

Two days later, a servant brought two slips of paper containing the latest intelligence from the Cheng family to the Old Master.

Since He Quanyi had also taken estate guards out, He Quanxin had temporarily left the Scripture Pavilion to manage the sundry affairs of the entire manor. When the news arrived, he was discussing several difficult points of cultivation with the Old Master.

Taking the letters from the Cheng family from the servant, He Quanxin opened the first one. His expression shifted slightly. "Father, the Cheng family writes that Hu Bin’s whereabouts have been exposed, but he managed to injure both Yude and Yucai among the Xu family’s third-generation disciples before fleeing."

He Wude paused, pondering for a moment. "Xu Yude and Xu Yucai should have reached the Sixth Layer quite some time ago, right?"

"Yes, they advanced to the Sixth Layer around seventeen or eighteen, just like Yihai and Yixuan. But sadly, none of them have managed to break through to the Seventh Layer even by the time they reach twenty-four or twenty-five." When saying this, a trace of pride couldn't help but color He Quanxin's tone.

He Wude murmured, "Two young men at the Sixth Layer of Inner Strength couldn't even stop a Fifth Layer fugitive. This Hu Bin is no simple character."

He Quanxin nodded slightly and casually opened the second letter. However, as his eyes swept over the text, his face instantly changed dramatically, and he exclaimed, "Not good!"

He Wude frowned. "Quanxin, you are the eldest in the family; you must maintain the demeanor of the eldest. Do not panic over minor matters."

He Quanxin looked up, clearly paying no heed to his father’s words, and spoke rapidly. "Hu Bin is now fleeing towards the County Road! The Xu family’s Second Generation masters are in hot pursuit."

"Hmm, the Xu family Second Generation should be strong enough... What? Fleeing towards the County Road?" He Wude suddenly stood up, a faint shade of green creeping onto his face.

He Quanxin turned around without hesitation. "Father, I will go first. I will ensure Yiming is safe!"

However, before his words had fully faded, his vision blurred as a figure had already streaked past him, heading toward the County Road.

He Quanxin froze, then let out a bitter smile.

Although Hu Bin only possessed Fifth Layer Inner Strength, he was a wanted man whose hands were stained with blood. To have fled from the distant Linqiu Prefecture to this location and injured two Xu family disciples who had reached the Sixth Layer Inner Strength years ago, he couldn't have done it without some genuine deadly skill.

If he had encountered any of the other disciples from the estate, He Quanxin wouldn't have been overly worried. Even Yixuan was eighteen and had participated in several sparring matches against the younger generations of the Xu and Cheng families, possessing rich combat experience. Furthermore, they had reached the Sixth Layer for almost two years, and each possessed a Battle Skill technique nearing its peak power. In terms of individual combat strength, even if they couldn't win, they should be able to protect themselves.

But Yiming was different. He had only advanced to the Sixth Layer a little over six months ago, and his mastery of Battle Skills was unlikely to be at its peak. If he encountered the battle-hardened Hu Bin, who had clawed his way out of piles of dead bodies, it was genuinely uncertain who would prevail. If Yiming were lost, it would be a devastating blow to the He family.

Sighing inwardly, He Quanxin immediately gave chase, but the gap in strength between him and He Wude was too vast; he couldn't catch up. Still, he hoped silently that Yiming would not run into Hu Bin, and he mused that his calculating old father had finally miscalculated this time.

Ps: Although we have entered the weekly recommendation period, our ranking is precarious. Brothers, please continue your support; we must hold on! I beg you...