Elder Huang dared not conceal anything. He immediately recounted, in explicit detail, how twenty years ago he had accompanied the former leader of the Treasure Gang to offer jade tributes to this very family.

Ye Qin questioned him with great scrutiny: "Oh, so that's how it was. Do you know what my surname is?"

"I do not. The leaders and heirs of the Ten Great Gangs only knew of your esteemed family's existence, but not any further details—be it surname, residence, appearance, or the techniques you cultivate. All these are top family secrets, utterly unknown to us. We merely acted upon orders. Moreover, it was always your family that contacted the Ten Great Gangs directly once a year to demand tributes; we never initiated contact with your family.

"Ah, yes, the previous leader of the Medicine King Gang might have known more, as he served as your family’s secular agent twenty years ago—the only one permitted to proactively contact your family. However, as far as I know, the Medicine King Gang has also lost contact with your family over these past two decades. For the last twenty years, the martial world gangs of Pingzhou have been scattered and disorderly, severely lacking proper governance. I believe your esteemed family should reassert control."

Elder Huang's demeanor was respectful and humble, and his answers were painstakingly detailed. He worried that Ye Qin was testing the veracity of his words, which might jeopardize his trust, so he dared not hold anything back. As for the relationship between the Medicine King Gang and this family, he had no intention of concealing it; the people of this family surely knew these matters far better than he did.

After hearing all of Elder Huang's replies, Ye Qin inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. It seems you don't know much more than I do. I, at least, know that the old fiend leading that family, Nan Tianba, has been dead for twenty years.

Ye Qin was largely satisfied with Elder Huang's thorough and honest answers.

He calculated that since no other Cultivator families had taken over the Ten Great Gangs of Pingzhou in the past two decades, it was highly probable that there were no other cultivators in the region. His current situation should be relatively safe.

Of course, this was merely a preliminary conjecture, not an absolute certainty.

Having only recently entered the third layer of the Qi Condensation stage, he wished to avoid any unnecessary risks. Recruiting Elder Huang of the Treasure Gang to use the gang's resources to gather spirit stones for him would avoid drawing attention. By remaining behind the scenes, he could significantly reduce his personal exposure risk.

Ye Qin made up his mind: he would subdue Elder Huang and compel him to serve faithfully.

He decided to utilize the Nan family’s name without hesitation.

"Then I shall tell you now. My surname is Nan. My family is the Nan Clan. The Clan Head and several siblings of my family are currently secluded within the clan. I am the Young Master of the Nan Clan, temporarily acting on behalf of the Patriarch while he is away.

"You need not be so constrained; simply address me as Brother Nan. Try your best not to attract undue attention. From now on, you, Huang Jin-Hu, will be solely responsible for collecting jade within Pingzhou territory for me. You need not know about other matters, nor should you ask too many questions. You only need to know that starting now, my Nan Clan has returned—this Pingzhou is still the domain of the Nan Clan. You only need to follow my commands. And you, Huang Jin-Hu, will become my family's new agent. As long as you render meritorious service to the Nan Clan, I will certainly treat you well."

"I dare not presume. Thank you, Young Master. In public, I shall address you as Brother Nan, and privately as Young Master. From this day forward, I am at your disposal, ready to shed my blood and expend my essence for the Nan Clan, even if it means ascending mountains of blades or plunging into seas of fire."

Elder Huang was overjoyed, as if he had just downed strong liquor. He was overcome with excitement, his face flushed crimson, and he scarcely knew where to put his hands and feet. He had waited anxiously for over two months, enduring endless torment, and finally, this day had arrived. The position of agent for the Nan Clan—a power that loomed above the Ten Great Gangs of Pingzhou—had finally fallen into his lap.

"There is no need for mountains of blades or seas of fire. You only need to collect enough spirit stones for me. Of course, if you encounter trouble you cannot resolve, I will back you up!"

Ye Qin finished speaking casually, then suddenly extended his right hand.

Whoosh!

In the small confines of the private room, a bizarre fluctuation suddenly materialized. A wisp of faint, crimson wind spontaneously appeared above Ye Qin's right hand, winding flexibly around his fingers, carrying a touch of mysterious eeriness, yet commanding awe with its sharp intensity.

"Young Master, what is that?"

Elder Huang startled, taking a step back, pointing at the strand of wind with astonishment. Ordinary wind, or the forceful currents produced by internal martial arts, would vanish the moment they appeared, incapable of lingering over the palm like this for so long. Yet, this wind coiled around Ye Qin's hand like a phantom, almost unnaturally so.

Ye Qin offered no explanation. Instead, he glanced coldly toward a spot outside the room and then pointed a finger toward the adjacent compartment. The wisp of wind shot out, piercing the wooden wall. Immediately, a heavy thud echoed from the next room as a human body fell to the ground.

Elder Huang was shocked. He had explicitly ordered his subordinates not to approach the private room; someone had been eavesdropping outside.

He pushed open the door to the adjoining room and hurried out, finding a sturdy man with a dark, pockmarked face clad in dark clothes collapsed near the doorway.

The man in dark clothes was a minor lieutenant, possessing the skill level of at least a first-rate master, yet he was completely bound from head to toe by the wisp of wind, unable to move. The more he struggled, the tighter the bonds constricted, sinking into his muscles, causing the man to gasp in pain that seemed to reach his very marrow.

When the man in dark clothes saw Elder Huang emerge, his terror intensified.

"Who sent you?"

The man clenched his jaw shut and remained silent.

"Hmph, do you think silence will keep me ignorant? Aside from the leader of my Treasure Gang, who else would dare plant a spy so close to me? He's held the position of Gang Leader for nearly twenty years, yet he still doesn't trust me completely, does he?"

Elder Huang’s expression grew grim, his teeth grinding in frustration.

Ye Qin slowly emerged from his compartment.

"This man has been eavesdropping outside this compartment for quite some time; he has likely heard many secrets. Elder Huang, you know how to deal with him. I have no interest in interfering with your personal matters, but your immediate vicinity requires thorough cleansing."

"Young Master, I know exactly what to do. I will certainly purge everyone around me as quickly as possible to prevent any further leaks of information."

Elder Huang immediately bowed in submission, lifted his foot, and planted it firmly on the spy's neck, his face grim and expressionless: Damn fool, you nearly ruined my good fortune. He applied force with his foot, and with a sickening crack, the man's neck was crushed into fragments. The man in dark clothes let out a single, piercing cry, convulsed twice, spat out a mouthful of startlingly bright blood, his eyes rolled back, and he died.

Ye Qin watched coldly from the sleeve of his robe.

This was the first time he had witnessed someone being killed alive right in front of him, yet for some inexplicable reason, his heart remained utterly undisturbed, feeling no particular sensation. Perhaps it was the experiences of his childhood, or the frequent sights of people being flayed alive in the Torture Chambers of the Herb Gathering Hall, or perhaps it was the long cultivation of the Sittin’ in Forgetfulness Scripture that had dulled his reaction to death.

In a life on the run in the martial world, death was commonplace.

Regardless of the reason, the event of this death stirred no ripple in his mind.

Soon, several men in dark clothes rushed up from the distant sound of commotion in the grand hall on the third floor of the Yongfu Inn. They stared in panic at Elder Huang and the black-clad figure beside him, unsure of what had transpired.

Elder Huang waved his hand, signaling them to remove the corpse. After receiving the order, the men in dark clothes dared not speak further. They immediately carried the dead man's body downstairs and buried it in the desolate mass grave outside the county town.

Ye Qin and Elder Huang then returned to the private room.

"What I used just now was an Immortal Art called the Wind Binding Technique, specifically designed for restraint. Once caught by it, even ten bulls would struggle to break free. There are many more techniques like this. Now do you understand why my Nan Clan rules Pingzhou, and yet no one dares to resist?"

Ye Qin stated the nature of the technique he had just employed in a calm tone. To secure Elder Huang's service in diligently seeking spirit stones for him, a combination of grace and might was essential. He was now exerting his might to ensure Elder Huang would never conceive of resistance.

"This is actually the legendary Immortal Art!"

Elder Huang stared at Ye Qin in horror, a tidal wave surging within his heart.

For thousands of years, Immortals in the Martial Kingdom had existed only in legends and stories, with almost no one ever having seen one with their own eyes. He had always speculated about the true identity of this family, assuming they were merely a powerful lineage possessing many peerless martial artists. He never imagined that the person standing before him was actually an Immortal, and that the Nan Clan was a family of Immortals—a notion too grand even for his wildest dreams.

－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－ Supporting the ranking push at midnight tonight, brothers and sisters, please support! .