The county seat served as the hub for the entirety of Taicang County. Although the main residences of two of the three great families were not situated within the city walls, they still maintained substantial properties and businesses there.

From a sprawling mansion nestled within a grand district of affluent streets in the southern part of the city, an astonished query echoed: "You say what? Defeated in a single exchange?"

Inside the room, Xu Yucai lay flat, severely wounded, his face startlingly pale, his breathing rapid and shallow.

Three men stood beside the bed. Besides Xu Yude, another was Xu Xiangci, whom He Yiming had encountered before. The third man appeared to be in his early thirties, though his actual age had surpassed forty.

He was of moderate build, clad in a long, open-weave black gauze tunic that trailed to his feet. He possessed a square face, with cheekbones slightly more prominent than normal—a perceived flaw that lent an unusual charm to his features. At this moment, his single-lidded eyes gazed steadily at the prone form of Xu Yucai, his thoughts unreadable.

Though not tall, standing beside Xu Xiangci, who was a head taller, he created a bizarre illusion: it seemed as if he, rather than Xu Xiangci, stood taller.

Xu Xiangci spun his head abruptly and demanded, "Fourth Brother, what is your assessment?"

Although this man was the youngest among the second generation of the Xu family, he was undeniably the pride of the entire clan. Moreover, he was the only one, besides the Old Master, to have reached the Ninth Level of Inner Strength, and was considered the most likely candidate to break through to the pinnacle of the Tenth Level.

In his presence, the older brothers of the Xu family’s second generation never dared to put on airs.

Xu Xiangqian stepped forward and gently ran his hand over Xu Yucai a few times. The still-unconscious Xu Yucai slowly relaxed his tense body, the pain fading from his features before he finally drifted into a deep sleep.

"An immensely powerful strike," Xu Xiangqian stated gravely. "Yucai was using a top-tier Battle Skill; to be injured by that... could the technique He Yiming used be a Primal Battle Skill?" He then shook his head. "That’s impossible. The He family is not like us; they could never possess a secret manual like a Primal Battle Skill."

Xu Xiangci nodded heavily, snorting coldly. "How can the He family compare to us Xu family? Never mind a Primal Battle Skill; they shouldn't even dream of possessing a top-tier one."

Xu Xiangqian offered a wry smile. "Indeed. That is precisely what puzzles me."

Xu Xiangci’s gaze sharpened suddenly. "Yude, after your last defeat against Hu Bin, the Eldest Brother made an exception and taught you top-tier Battle Skills. Could the power of a top-tier skill really be inferior to the other party's ordinary technique?"

Xu Yude immediately bowed low. "Second Uncle, He Yiming did not employ any Battle Skill whatsoever."

The expressions of both Xu Xiangci and the other man shifted slightly. He asked urgently, "If he didn't use a Battle Skill, how could he have injured Yucai?"

"He Yiming injured Yucai relying purely on his Inner Strength cultivation," Xu Yude replied, lowering his head. A flicker of sheer terror remained in his eyes; the scene on the dueling stage was forever burned into his memory.

Xu Xiangqian’s face grew extremely solemn. He spoke calmly, "Second Brother, if he can inflict injuries this severe on Yucai using only Inner Strength without a Battle Skill, then the He family brat’s cultivation must have reached the Peak of the Seventh Level."

"Peak of the Seventh Level," Xu Xiangci repeated bitterly. "He Yiming is only fourteen years old, yet he has already reached the Peak of the Seventh Level. Is he even human?"

Xu Xiangqian paused for a moment, casting a surprised look at his elder brother, then offered a wry smile. "Second Brother, you joke. He must be a once-in-a-millennium genius to accomplish such a feat."

Xu Xiangci suddenly waved his hand dismissively. "A year ago, while hunting down Hu Bin, I encountered him once. At that time, he was only at the Sixth Level. In just one short year, he not only surpassed the barrier of the Sixth Level but reached the Peak of the Seventh. If I had known this, even if I had been discovered, I would have killed him on the spot then and there."

A hint of displeasure crossed Xu Xiangqian's face. "Second Brother, that thought is dangerous. If the He family were to discover it, our Xu family would truly have no standing left in Taicang County."

Xu Xiangci let out an angry snort. "The He family already boasts abundant talent. If we allow He Yiming to grow unchecked, sooner or later, the entire Taicang County will belong to them alone."

"That is not necessarily true," Xu Xiangqian said, smiling confidently. "Second Brother, as long as the Old Ancestor is alive, no matter how powerful the He family becomes, they will not dare to move against our Xu family unchecked. At worst, we will be suppressed for a few decades. I refuse to believe that the He family's talent will flourish forever while our Xu family can never catch up."

Xu Xiangci pondered for a moment, then gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Fourth Brother, you always look at things with more clarity." He paused, then lowered his voice suddenly. "Fourth Brother, what if we sought an audience with the Old Ancestor?"

With an annoyed glare, Xu Xiangqian countered, "Second Brother, are you jesting? If we were to bother the Old Ancestor over this trivial matter, he would likely break our legs. Besides..." He sighed deeply. "Unless it concerns the very survival of the clan, or if a disciple capable of advancing to the Innate realm appears, not only us, but even Father would find it impossible to request an audience with him."

Xu Xiangci instantly deflated like a punctured ball, his expression rapidly dimming.

Xu Xiangqian looked up, gazing in the direction of the He family residence. His eyes were deep, lost in unknown contemplation.

Taicang County was not particularly large, and the news of the battle between the third-generation disciples of the Xu and He families at the street corner spread throughout the entire city within a single day.

In the Tianluo Kingdom, where martial culture was paramount, this was undoubtedly the most sensational gossip. The martial contest became the subject of intense discussion, stirring up a tempest that seemed to touch every corner of the city, known to all.

Especially remarkable was young He Yiming, who managed to send Xu Yucai, the second young master of the Xu family, flying with a single palm strike—a feat that grew increasingly legendary in the retelling.

Speculations about his true power were varied, with some even daring to suggest his cultivation level had surpassed that of the second-generation masters from the three great families.

Of course, those holding such views were mostly those who had little to no internal martial arts training, or whose cultivation was shallow—people who merely echoed rumors and grasped at straws.

Those who were truly accomplished in martial arts would absolutely not believe such claims.

Because they knew that the average cultivation level of the second-generation masters among the three great families was generally the Eighth Level of Inner Strength. Even if He Yiming possessed the Peak of the Seventh Level, he could not possibly be on par with them.

However, they were unaware of He Yiming’s true strength, leading to their miscalculation.

Regardless of the public discourse, He Yiming’s fame had spread far and wide, becoming known to everyone in the county seat, and it was rapidly expanding outwards, soon to cover all of Taicang County.

Furthermore, one point had gained near-universal acceptance: He Yiming’s strength had secured him the undisputed top position among all third-generation disciples of the three great families. Even He Yitian, who had previously held sole dominance, was now eclipsed by him.

What was strange, however, was that although the outside world was buzzing with the news, the three great families maintained a unified silence, with no one issuing any official statement on the matter.

Under orders from his father, He Yiming confined himself to his residence, not stepping out until three days later, when he accompanied the clan elders to the Cheng family for a birthday celebration.

The Cheng family was undeniably the family holding the greatest influence in Taicang County.

The Cheng family's Old Master was a renowned martial practitioner throughout the county. Although his Inner Strength cultivation only reached the Ninth Level, this did not diminish the Cheng family’s immense prestige in Taicang County.

The Cheng family was an ancient lineage spanning over a century. There were several others contemporary to Old Master Cheng Ningsheng, and the second generation alone numbered in the dozens. They were deeply entrenched in Taicang County, like an old vine coiling around the land. Coupled with their control over the City Guard post, no one could afford to slight them.

Certainly, despite their large numbers, the Cheng family was significantly weaker in martial prowess compared to the other two families.

Within the entire Cheng lineage, only Old Master Cheng Ningsheng had reached the Ninth Level of Inner Strength. Among his several brothers and dozens of second-generation members, the highest was only the Eighth Level, and many had not even broken through the Sixth Level.

Even so, when Old Master Cheng Ningsheng celebrated his eightieth birthday, the sheer volume of guests arriving to offer congratulations was overwhelming, making the mansion appear like a bustling market. Outside the Cheng estate, traffic flowed ceaselessly, with well-wishers arriving without interruption, as if the entire population of Taicang County had gathered there.

When He Yiming arrived before the Cheng manor with several elders, he was momentarily stunned by the lively scene.

The previous fight at the street corner had drawn over a thousand people, but compared to the current spectacle outside the Cheng estate, it seemed insignificant.

However, the Cheng family had clearly anticipated the influx and had organized everything perfectly. All guests were lined up in a specific order. Although the line of carriages stretched back from the entrance of the Cheng residence to the third street, no disorder had erupted.

He Yiming marveled inwardly. As expected of a century-old aristocratic family; they possessed vast experience in managing such grand occasions. If such a crowd had suddenly appeared before the He Family Village, even the Old Master himself might have presided over utter chaos.

At that moment, his sole realization was that the cultivation of the martial path and the management of human relations were indeed two entirely different matters.