In the northwestern kingdoms, bordering the west, a portion of the lands in those smaller nations is invariably traversed by the sprawling mountain range that runs the length of the entire northwest. Yet, beyond those regions, the terrain approaching the north is predominantly a vast, unbroken plain of grassland.

The Heavenly Net Kingdom is one such nation, with both Taicang County and Ta’a County falling under the jurisdiction of Linlang Prefecture. However, unlike Taicang County, Ta’a County boasts few mountain ranges, being mostly flatlands.

This area also marks the boundary between the Heavenly Net Kingdom and the Kaifeng Kingdom.

The Kaifeng Kingdom is recognized as one of the three great powers among the northwestern kingdoms, its might far surpassing what the Heavenly Net Kingdom could hope to match.

When bandits in Ta’a County engaged in robbery, they habitually steered clear of caravans originating from the Kaifeng Kingdom. Consequently, the armies of Kaifeng turned a blind eye to the activities of these mounted robbers, putting forth no significant effort to eradicate them.

For the Heavenly Net Kingdom, however, these bandits represented a massive, festering malignancy. Regrettably, no matter how intensely they launched encirclements, without the cooperation of the Kaifeng forces, these malignant growths could never be entirely excised.

The bandits in Ta’a County possessed no fixed territories; yet, it was precisely this fluid nature that maintained their necessary mobility, preventing them from being completely wiped out in one sweep.

Looking across all of Ta’a County, owing to its border location and the sheer number of bandits, the martial spirit here soared far higher than in any other county or prefecture. Among the bandits alone, there were as many as five masters who had reached the Tenth Level of Inner Strength.

The Crimson Scarf Bandits stood as one of the foremost major organizations among the numerous bandit groups in Ta’a County.

Within this large organization, the presence of two masters who had attained the Tenth Level of Inner Strength was a matter bordering on the unimaginable for ordinary bandits.

A master of the Tenth Level of Inner Strength, no matter where they went, was a target for wholehearted recruitment by the great noble families. Even if they scorned serving under another, they could entirely establish their own sect and forge a family line belonging solely to them.

While it might not be guaranteed that every Tenth Level Inner Strength master could establish a lineage spanning a thousand years, the founding patriarchs of those ancient families with a thousand-year heritage were, as a general rule, master cultivators at the Tenth Level of Inner Strength.

At this moment, the two leaders of the Crimson Scarf Bandits were guiding their many followers after sacking a village, now having settled in a flat, open area to rest and regroup.

The Great Chieftain, Guan Qing, and the Second Chieftain, Guo Shaofeng, were both powerfully built middle-aged men. They shared a common trait: eyes as cold as ice, seeming capable of seeing through anyone they locked gazes with.

Among the Crimson Scarf Bandits were many utterly fearless men, those who never hesitated to take the vanguard in any charge. Yet, if they were near the two chieftains and those chieftains fixed them with a glare, they would instantly transform from tigers into mice, daring not harbor the slightest hint of defiance.

This was the sheer authority wielded by the two Great Chieftains; without it, they could never have held command over the Crimson Scarf Bandits.

Inside the large tent, the two chieftains were indulging in fine wine and delicacies, simultaneously discussing their plans for future operations.

As for the various villages within Ta’a County, as long as they delivered the required head tax monthly, the bandits would not overly trouble them. After all, to survive long-term in this territory, besides relying on robbing passing merchants, the deference offered by these villages was indispensable.

If not a single village remained within Ta’a County’s borders, then these bandits would have no hope of maintaining their current comfortable existence.

Suddenly, the flap of the tent was violently pulled open.

A lean, wiry man stepped inside and bowed respectfully to the two Great Chieftains. “Great Chieftain, Second Chieftain, I have returned.”

Guan Qing nodded slightly. “How did the mission go?”

“Great Chieftain, Chieftains Wolf Fang and Fierce Tiger have both agreed to our request. They are willing to accompany us to Taicang County to bloody the Cheng family and avenge Captain Guan. However, Chieftain Blue Sea is adamant in his refusal, stating that the matter does not concern them, and there is no need to risk their lives for the Crimson Scarf Bandits, so he refuses to join.”

Guan Qing’s expression immediately darkened. He scoffed. “Did you tell them that everything acquired this time, the Crimson Scarf Bandits would take not a single coin, but offer it entirely for their use?”

The messenger bowed his head. “I did mention it, but Second Chieftain Hai Huiqiao instructed me to relay this message to you: she said…”

Seeing the man hesitate, Guan Qing frowned in displeasure. “What did that woman, Hai Huiqiao, say?”

The man gritted his teeth. “She said that Guan Wei died because he was greedy for others’ wealth and broke the rules by acting within Taicang County, thus bringing about his own demise. Furthermore, if our several factions joined forces and managed to destroy the Cheng family, it would only enrage the Lin Family of Linlang, and the Lin Family’s full retaliation would certainly bring us immense trouble. Therefore, she asked the Great Chieftain not to act rashly, but to reconsider carefully…”

He spoke slower and slower, finally biting his tongue into silence as he witnessed Guan Qing’s face growing so dark it seemed moisture might drip from it.

Guo Shaofeng’s expression shifted slightly. “Senior Brother, since that foul woman Hai Huiqiao refuses to see sense, we need not pay them any mind. For this operation, since we managed to invite Wolf Fang and Fierce Tiger to participate, even if we amassed all three great families of Taicang County, we could still destroy them all.”

Although Guan Qing’s face was etched with extreme displeasure, he had not lost his reason.

“Junior Brother, do not underestimate the three great families of Taicang County,” he scoffed. “Although Taicang County only has two masters of the Tenth Level of Inner Strength, to my knowledge, there are at least five or more masters at the Ninth Level. Moreover, apart from the He family, both the Xu and Cheng families are lineages passed down for over a hundred years. While it is not easy for masters above the Ninth Level to appear, there are certainly no lack of masters at the Seventh and Eighth Levels.” He let out a few dry laughs, his eyes extremely sinister. “If we truly fought them to the death, even if our four factions won in the end, we would be severely depleted of vital energy at best.”

Guo Shaofeng’s lips moved slightly, before finally asking, “Senior Brother, are you afraid that Blue Sea and the others will use this chaos for their own gain?”

Guan Qing nodded slightly. “Precisely. Although Lan Hanyang, like us, is a master of the Tenth Level of Inner Strength, everyone knows his cultivation is indeed the deepest among us. Furthermore, that woman Hai Huiqiao is not only cunning and resourceful but her Inner Strength has also reached the peak of the Ninth Level. If the two of them joined forces, even my brother and I would find it difficult to win in a fair confrontation.” He sighed lightly. “To have such a force lurking behind us is truly unsettling.”

Guo Shaofeng blinked twice. Although his personal strength was formidable, his strategic acumen was far inferior to his Senior Brother’s, which was why he was content to remain beneath Guan Qing. Otherwise, given his strength, he could have long since left the Crimson Scarf Bandits to establish his own domain.

“Senior Brother, if that’s the case, what should we do? Should we still avenge Guan Wei?” Since Guo Shaofeng could not fully grasp the complexities, he promptly ceased deliberation and asked directly.

A sharp glint of frigid air flashed in Guan Qing’s eyes. “This vengeance must be exacted, but Hai Huiqiao also has a point; we must consider the matter carefully.”

The Crimson Scarf Bandits had not been exterminated despite roaming Ta’a County unchecked for decades by relying on brute force alone.

Just as they were speaking, a sudden clamor erupted outside the door, followed by a man rushing in with the swiftness of wind and fire.

If He Yiming and the others had seen him, they would certainly have recognized this as the man they encountered on the border of the Jinlin Kingdom, the one who jumped into the water to escape in the end.

Now, he was utterly disheveled. His hair was matted and tangled, and the expression on his face was extremely grim, as if he might collapse at any second.

Seeing his wretched state, the two of them were naturally greatly alarmed. Especially Guan Qing, who knew where these men were heading. His eyes darted, and he asked sharply, “What happened? Where is Leader Liao?”

The man’s voice held a trace of weeping. “Great Chieftain, Leader Liao is dead.”

Guan Qing’s facial muscles twitched twice, but his voice strangely calmed. “Tell me in detail what occurred.”

The man responded with an affirmative nod and immediately recounted their journey and the encounter with He Yiming’s group, specifically mentioning the magnificent warhorse beneath He Yiming’s command, claiming that without that fine steed, they would never have ended up in such a state.

After listening, Guan Qing, his face dark, spat out, “Four people? Only four people managed to wipe you all out?”

“Great Chieftain, actually only two of them acted,” the man admitted with shame. “But those two were terrifyingly skilled; even Leader Liao was ambushed.”

The fact that Leader Liao was beaten to death by a long strip of cloth was simply too bizarre; even having witnessed it firsthand, they could not articulate a clear explanation. They could only say that Leader Liao had been ambushed beforehand, which was why he met such an inexplicable end.

Guo Shaofeng raised his eyebrows. “Do you know who those four were?”

The messenger kept his gaze low. “This humble one jumped into the river, preserving his life. After emerging, I immediately disguised myself and tracked them. Later, while they were lodging, I inspected the horses they were riding. Except for that swift steed, the rest of the mounts bore the brand of the He Family of Taicang.”

“The He Family of Taicang…” Guan Qing finally lost control and erupted. He jumped up, the gust of air he displaced nearly extinguishing the brazier in the tent.

“Taicang! Again, Taicang!” Guan Qing paced back and forth in the tent, his face contorted with rage. After a long pause, he finally reached a decision. “Come! Prepare my horse! I must personally visit Fierce Tiger and Wolf Fang.”

Guo Shaofeng started. “Senior Brother, what do you intend?”

“The two of us founded the Crimson Scarf Bandits and have rampaged unchecked in Ta’a County for a full twenty years. Now my own brother died at the hands of someone from Taicang, and Old Fourth Liao also died because of Taicang. If we continue to tolerate this, the reputation of the Crimson Scarf Bandits will inevitably plummet, and how can we show our faces in public?” Guan Qing ground his teeth. “I want to invite Xu Hanbai of Fierce Tiger and Zhong Wei of Wolf Fang to visit Blue Sea together. If that husband and wife agree to join us, then so be it. If they still refuse, hehe, the four of us will deal with them first.”

Guo Shaofeng nodded heavily. “Excellent! Since Senior Brother has decided, then this Junior Brother will certainly accompany you.”

His eyes faintly gleamed; he seemed to anticipate the impending battle with infinite eagerness.

A pair of hands, not overly large, stroked the stone surface gently, much like caressing a most beloved woman, giving rise to a profoundly unsettling sensation.

A moment later, He Yiming sighed in disappointment and stood up.

“Sixth Brother, what exactly are you looking for?” He Yitian finally could not hold back his curiosity and asked.

He Yiming chuckled slyly. “Big Brother, I am searching for some materials.”

He Yitian looked puzzled. “What materials are you looking for? Could it be these stones?”

“That’s right, I need some Wenfeng Stone,” He Yiming stated without hesitation.

“What do you need Wenfeng Stone for?” He Quanxin finally chimed in with an inquiry.

Since He Yiming’s return, he had sought out He Quanxin and Yuan Chengzhi, who had been accompanying him constantly.

He Yiming’s request had been exceedingly strange: he wished to select a satisfactory bed from within the Yuan Residence.

At present, He Yiming’s status within the family even surpassed that of He Quanxin. Although He Quanxin and the others did not know he had already stepped into the Xiantian Realm, being a master of the Tenth Level of Inner Strength at the age of sixteen was enough to demonstrate his formidable future potential to them.

Yuan Chengzhi, who had accompanied him the entire way, though also unable to fathom the depths of He Yiming’s ability, understood certain matters from the strange deference displayed by He Quanxin and his son toward He Yiming.

Therefore, when He Yiming put forth this peculiar request, Yuan Chengzhi immediately agreed without hesitation, personally accompanying him to every bedroom in the manor, allowing him to pick any bed he fancied.

Had He Yitian made such a request, He Quanxin would have instantly refused and scolded him severely. But since it was He Yiming, He Quanxin chose to remain silently tight-lipped.

After visiting ten bedrooms, everyone present had a clear idea.

What He Yiming required was not an ordinary bed frame. If it were a wooden or iron frame, he would glance at it and immediately move on. If it were a stone bed, he would examine it cautiously but ultimately depart disappointed.

It was only when He Yitian posed his question that He Yiming revealed his true objective.

Yuan Chengzhi gave a wry smile, feeling a slight resentment in his heart, yet his face remained cordial. “Nephew Yiming, you should have just said you wanted a bed made of Wenfeng Stone. However, this type of bed…”

He Yiming frowned slightly and asked, “Is there an issue?”

Yuan Chengzhi offered another bitter smile. “Beds made from this stone are rather crude; they are usually reserved for the communal sleeping platforms of the lowest-ranking servants in the residence.”

He Yiming then understood the reason.

In the Heavenly Net Kingdom and the Fire Crow Kingdom, Wenfeng Stone was not an exceptionally high-grade material, but due to its inherent properties, wealthy households would always prepare some Wenfeng Stone beds. Once the frigid winter arrived, sleeping upon them provided an incomparably comfortable warmth.

However, the wealthy in the Jinlin Kingdom did not recognize this luxury.

In their eyes, Wenfeng Stone was almost a base material, fit only for the use of servants.

In winter, to save on firewood, letting the lowest-ranking servants sleep on communal Wenfeng Stone platforms was undoubtedly the optimal choice.

This was merely a difference in custom across regions; no matter how clever He Yiming was, he could not have foreseen it.

But now that the location had been identified, He Yiming naturally would not be polite.

Under Yuan Chengzhi’s guidance, they arrived at the quarters designated for the servants. When He Yiming saw the communal platform, his eyes immediately lit up.

This single platform was carved from an entire block of Wenfeng Stone, measuring a full two meters in width and ten meters in length. Squeezing twenty people onto it would certainly not be a problem.

“Uncle Yuan, dedicating a Wenfeng Stone block this large as a mere sleeping platform—isn't that a terrible waste?”

“Waste? That is impossible,” Yuan Chengzhi laughed. “Nephew Yiming, perhaps you do not know that our Zheng Tong Commandery in Jinlin is one of the largest sources of Wenfeng Stone in the entire northwest. Blocks of Wenfeng Stone this gigantic might be rare elsewhere, but here they are commonplace; they are not considered precious items.”

He Yiming nodded in sudden realization. “Then, Uncle Yuan, may I have this stone bed?”

“Done, take it if you want it.” Yuan Chengzhi readily agreed, but then hesitated slightly. “Nephew Yiming, this is where the servants reside; you are certainly not suited to staying here. But moving this object to your own room… that…”

Given the length and width of this communal platform, perhaps very few private chambers could accommodate it.

He Yiming smiled faintly. “Uncle Yuan, I need this platform, but not for sleeping.”

Yuan Chengzhi was briefly surprised. “Then what does Nephew intend to use it for?”

He Yiming offered a mysterious smile. “Since Uncle Yuan has gifted this item to me, I can use it however I wish, correct?”

Hearing He Yiming deliberately skirt answering his question, Yuan Chengzhi was not angered, but chuckled good-naturedly. “Naturally. This item is now yours.”

There were at least a dozen servants who slept on this platform. However, for the Yuan Residence, housing these servants placed no burden on them; as long as He Yiming was satisfied, everything was worthwhile.

Moments later, under Yuan Chengzhi’s command, everything on the communal platform was cleared away cleanly.

He Yiming nodded slightly to everyone, moved to a corner of the room, squatted down, seemingly feeling around beneath the platform.

Finally, his eyes snapped open, and he uttered a soft command: “Rise!”

With that single word, the entire communal platform was lifted high into the air by him.

Everyone present, including He Quanxin, stared in utter shock, finding it hard to believe their own eyes.

“Uncle Yuan, I am taking this. Thank you…”

With a resounding crash, He Yiming, hoisting the platform aloft, smashed through the wall, his feet moving as if he were treading on wind and fire wheels, vanishing from everyone’s sight in an instant.

Wenfeng Stone was one of the lighter varieties among all types of stone.

However, such a massive communal platform must have weighed at least several thousand jin. Even He Quanxin could not guarantee he could lift such an object and depart with ease.

After a long silence, Yuan Chengzhi finally turned back, his eyes filled with admiration. “Brother He, I finally understand.”

“Understand what?” He Quanxin asked, returning to reality as if waking from a dream.

“I finally understand why Elder Brother He insisted on passing the Great Halberd to Nephew Yiming,” Yuan Chengzhi sighed deeply. “I had always heard Father speak of Uncle He’s innate divine strength, but I never believed it. Only now do I realize that there truly are men on this earth endowed with such colossal power. Alas, I wonder if the Great Halberd might be too light for Nephew Yiming.”

He Quanxin: “……”

He Yitian: “……”

Ps: Recommending a friend’s book: What? Transported to another realm? I cultivate immortality; my power far surpasses Battle Qi. No money? Tch! 1 reward point exchanges for ten thousand gold coins, is that enough? Damn, I don't like the look of you! I’ll drop a few hundred nukes on you! Satisfying or not? You have to read it to know. Whether it works or not, you must say. Transporting a Main God to a Foreign Realm—Strolling to the Strongest.