As He Yiming stepped out of one of the streets, the expression on his face had undergone a complete transformation. From any angle one viewed him now, he appeared to be a robust man in his forties, and his height had even noticeably increased.

When leaving that shop, he had conveniently pocketed a set of long robes, and his physique had been deliberately altered to match the fit of these robes, making the disguise seamless. Although he had mastered the Bone Transformation Art, his effortless achievement of this feat was significantly linked to his attainment of the Xiantian realm.

Fan Haoyue and his two companions walked the street completely unaware. They not only had no idea that such a menace was trailing them, but even if they had known, how could they possibly escape the pursuit of a Xiantian master?

Quickening his pace, He Yiming soon positioned himself ahead of the trio. With a quick turn, he ducked into a small tavern on another corner, purchased a flask of cheap wine, sprinkled a little on his outer garment, and then began walking in the opposite direction.

At a street intersection, he stopped, emitting a loud belch, his eyes appearing slightly glazed over. He counted slowly in his mind while keenly listening to the footsteps of the three people approaching.

Once one’s power reached his level, a great deal could be discerned merely from the sounds transmitted through the ears. Although He Yiming had no idea what the ultimate goal of Fan Haoyue's group was, he could anticipate the direction they intended to take in the next moment just by sensing their gait.

The way a person’s foot lands carries extremely subtle differences between the motion of turning and walking straight. While ordinary people could never detect this, a Xiantian master could easily distinguish it with a slight focus.

Perhaps some individuals who had undergone extensive, specialized training might manage the same feat. But for a Xiantian expert, this ability was effortlessly achieved through their inherent strength—a capability far beyond the imagination of common folk.

Just as now, He Yiming had calculated that Fan Haoyue would proceed in a perfectly straight line. Finally, a mischievous smile touched his lips as he staggered drunkenly out into the intersection.

“Bang…” Fan Haoyue was walking along when, passing a street corner, a man who clearly seemed intoxicated stumbled out. He frowned, instinctively trying to sidestep, but for some inexplicable reason, he suddenly felt that no matter which direction he tried to dodge, avoidance was proving difficult.

This thought flashed through his mind but did not draw his particular attention. Lifting his foot, he was about to lash out with a kick.

But at that very moment, his supporting foot inexplicably slipped, causing his other leg to swing out and miss entirely. Not only that, but he collided violently with the drunkard.

Fan Haoyue’s vision went momentarily black; he felt as though he had struck a sheet of iron, seeing stars flash before his eyes. Fortunately, the two attendants behind him reacted swiftly, catching him before he could fall.

“Young Master, Young Master…” The two attendants called out worriedly; it seemed this collision was not minor. Yet, the drunkard who caused the impact was also clutching his head, crying out in pain—he was clearly no better off than the Second Young Master.

Fan Haoyue shook his head, appearing to regain some sobriety, but he instantly regretted becoming clear-headed. The impact was severe enough to leave a dull ache throbbing through his entire body.

Furious, he glared forward. The drunkard was now shakily regaining his footing, his expression as innocent as possible.

“You, you… why, did you, bump, bump me?” Fan Haoyue felt a surge of indignation rising—he was always the one accusing others; when had anyone dared to wrong him? “Beat him, beat him up, beat him severely…” a voice filled with resentment hissed coldly through clenched teeth.

The two attendants exchanged a look. One continued supporting Fan Haoyue, while the other offered a wry smile and stepped forward a few paces.

As if sensing something amiss, the drunkard quickly waved his hands, saying, “You, you mustn't mess around. I, I am very strong.” The altercation had already drawn the curiosity of some passersby on the street.

Seeing the drunkard’s gestures, the crowd instantly erupted in laughter. The attendant scoffed and, without another word, threw a punch.

This person had offended the Second Young Master. Even if it was unintentional, it had clearly angered him.

When the Second Young Master became enraged, it meant trouble for the two of them responsible for his safety. Thus, the punch was delivered without restraint; as long as it didn't prove fatal, administering a beating was deemed appropriate.

A heavy blow landed squarely on the drunkard’s abdomen. This was precisely because the attendant was deliberately avoiding a killing strike; otherwise, hitting a vital spot would have been truly dangerous.

The drunkard was instantly sent flying backward, spitting out a mouthful of blood that stained the ground red. The attendant felt a mix of shock and elation.

The drunkard, capable of knocking over the Second Young Master just moments ago, was clearly a strong, robust fellow. His casual punch had sent him flying and vomiting blood—when had his striking power become so immense?

However, something even more unexpected occurred. The moment the drunkard’s body hit the ground, he immediately scrambled up as if nothing had happened, bellowing with menace, “You dare hit me?

I’ll fight you to the death!” Then, lowering his head, he charged forward like a wild bull. In that instant, the brute emitted a presence that caused a heart-stopping pressure.

The attendant was startled but was immediately enveloped in a firm grasp and sent reeling backward. Groans of pain were heard continuously.

By the time the attendant regained his senses, he realized he had somehow fallen backward onto the sky, pinning his own Second Young Master and the other attendant beneath him. For some reason, the three of them had rolled into a tangled heap, completely incapable of offering any resistance.

When the three of them finally managed to clamber up amidst the derisive laughter of the onlookers, the drunkard had long since vanished. Although Fan Haoyue was arrogant, he wasn't entirely foolish.

That a random drunkard could knock him over was strange enough, but his attendant being so easily subdued, dragging him and the other attendant down in the process, was highly abnormal. The moment the three of them rose from the ground and could no longer see the drunkard, they instantly knew this man was no simple character.

One attendant’s face suddenly changed dramatically. “Bad!

My bundle!” Fan Haoyue and the other attendant quickly looked over. The package containing the black stone was indeed gone.

The three exchanged glances. Fan Haoyue roared fiercely, “Chase!” But deep down, they all knew the chances of catching the drunkard were slim indeed.

※※※※ As he strolled out of another street corner, He Yiming’s features had reverted to their original appearance, and his stature was completely normal. As for the outer garment he wore, it had long since been tucked away in some hidden crevice.

With a slight shift of his form, he arrived at one of the Yuan family’s commercial shops. The shop assistants recognized He Yiming and immediately rushed out to greet him attentively.

He Yiming instructed them to prepare a resting room and dispatch someone to the Antique Street to notify his elder brother, He Yitian, that he would be waiting there. The Yuan family servants dared not delay; they quickly arranged everything and vacated a room.

The first thing He Yiming did upon entering the room was to open the bundle. Inside the bundle lay a metal box, secured by an exquisite chain wrapped around it.

He Yiming let out a cold snort, gripping the chain and giving it a gentle tug; the chain snapped instantly. For a Xiantian master like him, such a lock, even without a key, posed no difficulty.

Opening the iron box revealed a round object wrapped in cotton cloth. His brow furrowed slightly.

Tearing away the outer layer of cotton, a dull, colorless black stone was exposed. When He Yiming saw the black stone, an expression of utter disbelief spread across his face.

Encountering Fan Haoyue this time had been entirely accidental. He Yiming had no intention of coveting the treasure initially; it was only the memory of Fan Haoyue’s hateful demeanor during their first meeting that prompted him to teach the man a lesson, to let him know that good and evil eventually receive their just desserts.

Yet, no matter how he reasoned, He Yiming had never expected that the item inside this box would be this treasure. His movements immediately slowed, becoming gentle.

Before he knew what the object was, he held little expectation. For Xiantian experts, ordinary items rarely held their attention.

But once he clearly recognized what lay inside, he became extremely cautious and understood why this object would be considered precious enough for use as a coffin weight. Because this unremarkable-looking black object was none other than the Refined Steel Mother Lode He Yiming had once obtained from Ting Shiguang.

This item held little practical use for ordinary people, and due to its rarity, it was not something common folk could recognize. However, for Xiantian masters, especially those who lacked a suitable personal weapon, this material was absolutely priceless and beyond measure.

He weighed the object in his hand, taking note of its size, and immediately broke into a broad smile. This piece was unexpectedly large—nearly double the size of the piece gifted to him by Ting Shiguang.

Taking a deep breath, He Yiming carefully put the contents of the bundle away, placing them back into the iron box. His mind began to race with possibilities.

This unexpected windfall had granted him such a massive piece of Refined Steel Mother Lode. He truly wondered what kind of person the deceased had been to warrant such a valuable item as burial accompaniment.

Since someone recognized its value, they likely weren't a nobody. A piece of Refined Steel Mother Lode this large could certainly allow for the complete re-forging of the remaining two sections of the Great Guan Dao’s steel shafts.

The main problem now was that he lacked the corresponding Wenli Stone Furnace in his possession. Alone in the room for an unknown period, he heard hurried footsteps from outside.

He Yiming instantly pictured his elder brother, He Yitian. Moments later, the door was pushed open, revealing indeed He Yitian and Yuan Lixuan returning.

They were chatting and laughing. After listening for a moment, He Yiming’s expression turned quite amusing.

From their conversation, he gathered that his prank on Fan Haoyue had been discovered and was already spreading as gossip. What made He Yiming laugh even harder was learning that Fan Haoyue was a member of the Fan family, the primary rivals of the Yuan family.

No wonder Yuan Lixuan wore an expression of schadenfreude when mentioning the incident. He Yiming stepped out to meet them.

After the initial greetings, the three immediately left the city and returned to Yuan Family Manor. As for the small bundle He Yiming now carried, no one paid it any mind, as no one could possibly associate the forty-something drunkard with the sixteen-year-old He Yiming.

※※※※ “Idiot, how did you handle things? Who told you to go to the antique shop?” A furious roar echoed from the Fan family residence.

The voice was full of vigor and carried a forceful, oppressive authority, clearly belonging to someone accustomed to issuing commands. In the Jinlin Kingdom, the Fan family was merely a recently rising minor clan.

However, because this family was anchored by a peak Tenth Level Inner Strength master, it attracted considerable attention. Currently, in the Fan family’s main hall, Fan Haoyue knelt on the ground, looking dejected, while his two attendants stood beside him with equally bleak expressions, daring not utter a word before the enraged family head.

Fan Haoyue glanced up briefly before lowering his head. “Father, my elder brother was not home.

I was merely trying to assist him.” “Assist?” Fan Shuhe let out a cold laugh. “More likely you were trying to show off.” Fan Haoyue kept his head down, but the fists resting on his knees clenched involuntarily.

Fan Shuhe noticed the movement and his impulse to continue scolding faded. Yet, his sorrow remained: compared to the elder son, this second son was certainly more adept at causing trouble than achieving success.

“Father, please don't be angry,” A soft voice intervened as Fan Haozhi quickly entered. “I have already heard about this matter.

Second Brother meant well, but the person he encountered was too cunning, which led to the loss.” Fan Haoyue looked up for the second time, his gaze shifting between his father and brother. When he lowered his head again, there was no trace of gratitude in his eyes, only simmering resentment.

However, he knew he absolutely could not display such feelings now, lest he face unknown retribution. “Sigh,” Fan Shuhe shook his head.

He felt too weary to discipline this second son any further. “Tell me, what exactly was lost?” Before Fan Haoyue could speak, his older brother interjected, “I sent someone to inquire at the antique shop.

This was a treasure discovered by the Grave-Digging Rat from the tomb of a major figure in the previous dynasty. Reportedly, it was used to weigh down the coffin.

However, judging by its appearance, it’s just a black stone.” Fan Shuhe’s brow furrowed slightly. Such an item, even if one saw it, might not be recognized unless one had prior knowledge.

“Forget it. Since no one knows what it is, let’s drop the matter,” Fan Shuhe’s tone suddenly sharpened.

“However, the fellow who dared to rob our Fan family must be found. I will grind his bones to dust!” Fan Haozhi offered a wry smile.

“Father, I heard about today’s events. That person’s skill is likely formidable, and he is completely unknown.

Finding him will be…” Fan Shuhe snorted again. He understood his elder son’s implication: such an unsolvable mystery would have to be endured with gritted teeth.

After all, the world was vast, and with the Fan family's current strength, locating such an individual within the entire county seat was nearly impossible. After reprimanding Fan Haoyue a few more times, Fan Shuhe finally rose and departed.

The two attendants by Fan Haoyue secretly breathed a sigh of relief; escaping punishment this time was sheer luck. Fan Haozhi waved his hand, and the two bolted away as if granted amnesty, daring not look at the brooding Fan Haoyue.

The affairs between these two brothers were decidedly beyond their interference. Fan Haozhi sighed softly.

“Second Brother, I sent people to investigate. The Yuan family has hired a Tenth Level Inner Strength master this time.

With this master backing them, Yuan Zeyu’s attitude has hardened; he’s showing a readiness to fight us to mutual destruction.” Fan Haoyue scoffed. “Elder Brother, matters like this should be discussed with Father, not with a good-for-nothing like me.” Fan Haozhi frowned.

“Second Brother, do you remember last time when you coveted someone’s mount and ended up getting beaten?” Fan Haoyue looked up sharply, anger blazing. “Why bring that up?

Are you trying to humiliate me again?” Fan Haozhi waved his hand helplessly. “Second Brother, according to Fan Qi, that red horse was among the group hired by the Yuan family this time, and the young, inscrutable rider on it has also arrived.” A murderous glint flashed in Fan Haoyue’s eyes.

“Second Brother,” Fan Haozhi’s expression finally grew serious. “The Yuan family sought aid from many others, yet received no response.

But someone from the distant Tianluo Kingdom came eagerly. Don’t you find that strange?” Fan Haoyue’s eyes narrowed menacingly.

“Elder Brother, are you suggesting that I summoned these people?” “It might not directly involve you, but this is a lesson nonetheless. Be less reckless in your actions from now on,” Fan Haozhi said with earnest sincerity.

Fan Haoyue let out a loud laugh, though it lacked any hint of respect. “Elder Brother, I will certainly remember your admonishments.

As for that red-horse rider, if he causes you any trouble, I will certainly resolve it for you.” With that, he flicked his sleeve and strode away, leaving Fan Haozhi staring at his retreating back, frowning deeply. Ps: Another chapter in two minutes ^_^