The stars had hidden themselves away, and the curtain of night loomed like a fiend, baring its monstrous face. The entire county seat lay hushed, as if plunged into a deathly silence.

Suddenly, the sharp sound of hooves rang out from the distance. It was a swift horse, seemingly faint at first, but in an instant, it became clearly audible.

Though shrouded in darkness, the rider on the horse could clearly make out the dilapidated gate of the county seat. What was an enormous iron gate to an ordinary person now looked as if it had been violently smashed by some massive object.

The double gates had split down the middle, utterly ruined, leaving behind a deep, dark passage leading straight inside.

He Yi Ming was burning with anxiety, but upon seeing the gate, his heart plummeted into an icy abyss. Gritting his teeth, he nudged his legs slightly, and the Red Tassel Horse, as if connected to his very thoughts, quickened its pace even further.

He entered the county seat without obstruction. The loud drumming of the hooves on the stone paths inside resonated like a war drum, utterly shattering the stillness of the night.

Within the town, traces of devastation were everywhere. Large patches of congealed, black bloodstains were visible in every direction. As far as his eyes could see, he counted more than ten corpses sprawled on the ground.

Judging by their attire, they were clearly ordinary town residents who had likely been unable to flee when the city fell and were slain by the bandits who stormed in.

His ears twitched slightly. He Yi Ming, still mounted, could hear sounds of whimpering coming from several nearby locations.

Though he couldn't tell if the sounds came from remaining bandits or from residents who had miraculously survived, none of it gave him any reason to linger.

The Red Tassel Horse was moving incredibly fast, faster even than human reflexes. By the time some people hastily threw on clothes and grabbed weapons to rush out, He Yi Ming on his horse had already vanished without a trace.

Passing by a certain grand manor, He Yi Ming’s gaze paused there for a moment.

This place was not unfamiliar to him; he had entered it many times before.

Recalling celebrating Old Master Cheng’s birthday, discovering the Xu family’s mole, obtaining the Blazing Fire Technique, battling Lin Tao Li on the wedding challenge platform, and secretly learning the strange seal arts of the Second Gate—all these events flashed through his mind instantly.

Yet, the opulent and illustrious Cheng Manor was now completely razed to the ground by a great fire. Only memories remained to search for its former glory.

His nose twitched slightly. A faint, acrid smell of burning still lingered in the air, indicating the mansion had not been destroyed too long ago.

Without pausing, He Yi Ming galloped through the main avenue, heading towards the He family’s residence within the county seat.

In the town, whether it was the mighty Cheng family or the innocent residents, the only people he worried about were his mother and father.

For decades, his parents had managed several shops in Taicang County seat day in and day out for the sake of the He family. Although the main function of these shops was to hide their true activities, their primary profit came from smuggled goods, which his father secretly managed.

When Taicang County fell, his foremost concern was whether his parents had anticipated the danger and managed to flee the town in time.

What he feared most now was arriving at the He family courtyards only to find the corpses of his parents.

If that were the case, even slaughtering every last bandit would never ease the hatred burning in his heart.

Reaching the He family mansion, the interior was pitch black, without a single spark of light.

He Yi Ming moved in a flash. Without waiting for the Red Tassel Horse to steady itself, his body lunged forward, instantly clearing the perimeter wall in front of the residence, landing soundly in the courtyard.

Before arriving, he had feared this place would be like the Cheng family’s—swept clean by fire. But now, though the house remained, his heart felt no lighter.

The moment he entered, he feared even more that he would see his parents' bodies with his own eyes within the rooms.

On his journey through the town, while it wasn't an absolute field of corpses everywhere, he had certainly seen dozens of bodies. And those were only the ones on the streets he had passed.

If one accounted for those unseen, and those who died inside their homes, who knew how many people in the entire county had perished in this calamity.

Only now did He Yi Ming gain a clear understanding of the ferocity of these bandits.

His gaze swept around, and his figure moved like lightning as he circled through the various rooms. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief. In the He family’s courtyards and houses, there was not a single corpse, and the furnishings were not significantly disturbed. It suggested that his parents must have received prior warning as the bandits approached, allowing them to retreat calmly.

Just as he was about to leave, a subtle movement stirred in his mind. He tilted his head, listening intently for a moment.

His expression shifted slightly. He Yi Ming strode out, covering the distance to a rockery in the courtyard in a single step.

He extended one hand, placing it flatly upon the rockery. His internal True Qi circulated, and a massive power surged out like an overwhelming tide.

The rockery shook violently, then suddenly lifted from the ground, forcefully blasted away by his single palm strike.

Dust flew everywhere, revealing a large, gaping hole beneath where the rockery had stood—a basement more than ten square meters in size.

Inside this subterranean room, a person looked up, utterly dumbfounded, staring at He Yi Ming with eyes full of horror, as if looking at a terrifying, monstrous demon. The man’s body was trembling uncontrollably.

He Yi Ming’s eyes suddenly lit up, and he sharply commanded, "He Chen, why are you here?"

This He Chen was a servant from the He Family Village, one who had earned the appreciation of his father, He Quan Ming. He was an orphan adopted by the estate. Because he was nimble and articulate, he stood out among the servants, was taken to the city by his father to assist in managing the shops, and was considered one of the He family’s few trusted stewards.

Now that the He family members in the county were missing, and He Chen was hiding here alone, it naturally caused He Yi Ming great anger and shock.

If he hadn't already reached the Xiantian realm, granting him impossibly sharp hearing, he might never have discovered the secret beneath the rockery.

He Chen first froze, but upon hearing He Yi Ming’s voice, his eyes instantly brightened, and his trembling stopped.

"Sixth Young Master, is that you, Sixth Young Master?"

"It is."

"You really are the Sixth Young Master!" He Chen immediately leaped out of the hole. Although the earlier dust had left him completely grimy, the joy on his face undiminished.

Seeing his expression, He Yi Ming’s face softened slightly, and he asked, "Why are you here? Where are my mother and father?"

"Sixth Young Master, it was the Master and Madam who instructed me to stay here." He Chen smiled bitterly. "This secret chamber was built secretly by the Master after taking over this residence. Some of the family's small valuables and precious silver were stored inside. The Master and Madam have already left, and before departing, they ordered this humble servant to remain on guard. But…"

He Chen looked at the rockery, now smashed into debris in the distance, his face etched with bitterness. "Now, this secret is likely compromised."

He Yi Ming's mouth fell open in surprise; he never expected this to be the reason.

However, at this moment, no amount of hidden silver and treasure could compare to the importance of his parents.

"He Chen, what exactly happened in the county?"

"Reporting to the Sixth Young Master, we were conducting our business that day when someone suddenly came from the Cheng family to inform us that the bandits from Tai'a County were about to attack, urging us to pack up quickly and leave the city." He Chen thought for a moment, then added, "The Master immediately ordered the shops closed, had all the valuables placed in the secret room, and commanded me to bring food and hide in the chamber to guard them. He ordered that I must not come out under any circumstances, unless the food ran out or someone from the He family came to summon me."

He Yi Ming frowned inwardly. It seemed He Chen did not know much more. He casually asked, "He Chen, then do you know where my mother and father went?"

He Chen bowed slightly. "Sixth Young Master, before I entered this secret room, I believe I overheard the Master mention going to the Cheng family's residence."

He Yi Ming recalled the tragedy at the Cheng family, and his head instantly buzzed. He felt all the blood in his body surging towards his head, almost bursting it open.

He Chen reached out in surprise to steady him. "Sixth Young Master, how are you... Ouch!"

The moment his hand touched He Yi Ming, he was thrown back. Fortunately, even in this state, He Yi Ming could distinguish friend from foe and hadn't genuinely used his True Qi, or the result would likely have been far worse.

Seeing He Chen lying on the ground crying out in pain, He Yi Ming sobered up slightly. He rushed to He Chen’s side, pulled him up, and circulated a thread of Wood-element True Qi through him, immediately smoothing out the minor injuries.

"He Chen, continue to follow the Master's instructions."

With that, He Yi Ming departed like a phantom.

He Chen responded, but when he turned back, he was stunned silent. The rockery was completely blasted away, leaving a dark, gaping hole. Now, anyone who saw it would be tempted to investigate the secret within. How could he possibly maintain its secrecy now?

※※※※

He Yi Ming bolted towards the exit, for he could hear the neighing of the Red Tassel Horse from outside the gate. In addition to that, there were more than ten voices mixed with surprise and angry curses.

"Good horse, truly a fine horse! Hurry and catch it…"

"Ouch, it ran over there! Hurry and block it…"

"It's coming this way, so fierce!"

At this moment, who else could be trying to capture a horse other than those reckless bandits?

He Yi Ming slipped silently over the wall and stood unobtrusively near the corner. The Red Tassel Horse immediately spotted him, wheeled around, and its bloody hooves flew as it instantly galloped over.

Behind it trailed more than ten fierce-looking men. However, these men were clearly horse lovers, preferring to be thrown off by the animal rather than striking it with weapons.

But when the Red Tassel Horse halted, they saw He Yi Ming and realized something was amiss.

One man, without a word, raised his broad saber and brought it down in a chopping motion. The savage glint in his eyes showed that he had grown addicted to killing these past few days and couldn't hold back.

He Yi Ming glared. His upper body remained motionless as he suddenly shot out a leg.

This kick was as swift as lightning and as heavy as a mountain peak, launched out far faster than the man’s blade.

Though the man watched He Yi Ming launch the kick, his reaction couldn't keep up. The mere thought of retreating or dodging crossed his mind just as the foot connected with his chest.

Even though it was just the tip of his toe gently tapping him, the man was flung backward as if struck by a massive sledgehammer.

Mid-air, the broad saber fell from his grasp with a clank, and the bandit flew more than ten meters before crashing heavily to the ground.

The remaining bandits’ faces changed in horror. The leader raised his sleeve, and instantly a signal arrow shot towards the sky, emitting a sharp whistle that echoed throughout the county seat.

He Yi Ming sneered repeatedly. He had been worrying about how to gather all the bandits in the town, but someone was conveniently doing the job for him.

The leader, unaware of He Yi Ming’s thoughts, was only trying to stall for time. He cupped his hands and said, "I am Zong Kui of the Red Turban Bandits. Who are you, sir, and why do you kill my brothers?"

He Yi Ming knew perfectly well this man was stalling for his comrades to arrive. Since their intentions were the same, He Yi Ming also sneered, "You don't need to know who I am. I only want to know why the Red Turban Bandits, who usually operate in Tai'a County, are forcibly attacking Taicang County seat?"

Zong Kui raised his eyebrows. "The Third Leader of the Red Turban Bandits, Guan Wei, and our Fourth Brother, Brother Liao, both died at the hands of the Cheng and He families in Taicang County. So, our First Leader brought the masses here to avenge our brothers."

He Yi Ming’s expression grew colder. "Avenge your brothers by killing? Heh heh, you can kill people, but if people kill you, you must seek bloody revenge? Truly worthy of being called bandits."

Zong Kui said coldly, "That's right. We can kill, but no one can violate us."

He Yi Ming lowered his head and suddenly asked, "I know about Guan Wei's matter, but what about Brother Liao? And how are you so certain it was the He family of Taicang County?"

Zong Kui glanced into the distance, faintly seeing flickering torches approaching rapidly. His heart rejoiced, but his mouth kept talking: "Those fools from the He family thought that once they left Taicang County, no one would recognize them. Little did they know that the horses they rode all bore the mark of the He family of Taicang County. If any of our brothers who escaped could secretly check them, wouldn't the truth be revealed? Heh heh, originally the First Leader was hesitant about whether to march several hundred li to bloody Taicang. But after receiving news that Brother Liao was also dead, he made up his mind and sent his beloved mount to the two leaders of the Blue Sea Pirate Group, leading to the grand alliance of the Four Great Bandit Groups."

Zong Kui’s words slowed down, and the look of joy in his eyes grew stronger. By now, the area was noisy; dozens of men were running from several directions, totaling over a hundred people.

One man shouted loudly, "Zong Kui, what happened? Why the signal arrow?"

Zong Kui quickly replied respectfully, "Leader Li, there’s a tricky fellow here, but he has a fine horse."

Leader Li's eyes immediately lit up, staring intently at the Red Tassel Horse without blinking. As a bandit, he could instantly tell the quality of the horse.

He looked over and saw a strange youth standing next to the horse. There was a long, conspicuous strip of cloth on this youth's back. But at this moment, his eyes were solely fixed on the magnificent red steed; he paid no heed to this unknown individual.

"Indeed, a fine horse. I want this horse. Boys, kill this fellow."

The bandits responded, and several eager to earn merit drew their blades and rushed forward.

However, just then, the expressionless youth suddenly looked up.

At that moment, his eyes shone like bright stars.

The bandits paused, unable to understand why, as they stared into those eyes, an indescribable cold dread welled up in their hearts.

A faint smile touched the corner of He Yi Ming’s mouth. Within this smile seemed to reside an unimaginable regret and resentment.

He slowly opened his mouth and spoke softly, "Elder Uncle, I was wrong. It turns out that eradicating evil completely is the only just way."

Though his voice was not loud, the hundred-plus men heard it clearly. The bandits exchanged glances, wondering if this person had gone mad from fright, yet why did an uncontrollable chill fill their hearts?

Suddenly, their vision blurred, and the youth's figure vanished from their sight.

"Ah…"

A piercing scream tore through the night sky. Everyone saw a figure tossed high into the air, disappearing into the night. In an instant, the scream seemed contagious, rising up one after another.

The bandits roared in anger, wanting to surround and hack the person down, but they quickly realized they couldn't keep pace with his rhythm. In mere moments, more than half of the hundred-plus men had fallen. Only ten or so sharp-eyed individuals, seeing the situation was disastrous, immediately turned and fled.

Leader Li was terrified and was about to retreat when he felt a heavy weight on his body, causing his legs to buckle and sink to his knees.

He Yi Ming had one hand resting on his shoulder. His voice was like ten thousand years of frost: "After you broke into the city, where are the Cheng family members?"

Leader Li’s courage was shattered. He blurted out subconsciously, "My lord, spare me! After we broke the city, the Cheng family members fled to Xu Family Fort along with the He family members!"

"Xu Family Fort? The He family is there too?"

"Precisely! We received word from the First Leader—the core descendants of Taicang County’s Three Great Families have all gathered together, defending stubbornly in Xu Family Fort."

The image of the high, massive walls of Xu Family Fort surfaced in He Yi Ming's mind, bringing a small measure of relief.

"How many people do your Four Great Bandit Groups have in total?"

Leader Li hesitated slightly, then felt a surge of immense force enter from his shoulder, immediately causing pain that pierced his very bones. Moreover, the opponent’s powerful aura was substantial, instantly crushing his will to resist.

In the presence of a Xiantian expert, not everyone could withstand even this powerful mental pressure.

"Combined, over five thousand."

"What is your strength?"

"Five masters at the tenth level of Neijin, and dozens more at the eighth and ninth levels…"

He Yi Ming’s heart grew colder. The combined strength of the bandits was staggering—it was unbelievable, even stronger than a family lineage passed down for a thousand years.

"What is the situation at Xu Family Fort?"

"The First Leader sent word tonight; they have been besieging it for five days, have broken through several gaps, and will launch a full assault at dawn tomorrow, certain to take it…"

"Heh heh, certain to take it?" He Yi Ming suddenly burst into loud laughter, his voice thick with killing intent.

Leader Li sensed disaster and cried out, clinging to a last shred of hope, "My lord, spare me! I swear I will never be a bandit again!"

He Yi Ming’s gaze was sharp. "I missed one chance; I absolutely will not miss a second time."

His figure leaped high into the air. He didn't even bother with the Red Tassel Horse, soaring like a wisp of cloud, darting like the wind toward the direction of Xu Family Fort.

Behind him, Leader Li’s body swayed twice, finally collapsing softly, just like the countless others he had killed, never to rise again!

Ps: Today is Sunday, tomorrow is Monday. An extra chapter will be added after midnight. I guarantee 15,000 words tomorrow ^_^