A month later, the entirety of Taicang County finally settled down, and the resulting statistics on losses stunned everyone.

This time, the bandits had directly targeted the three great families of Taicang, with the Cheng family suffering the most grievous wounds and the heaviest losses. Especially within the county seat, which was practically the foundation of the Cheng family. Three-tenths of the businesses were the Cheng family’s enterprises, revealing the immense scale of their accumulated wealth.

Now that the bandits had breached the city, all the businesses had suffered the fate of being looted. Even those untouched by the bandits were stripped bare by the ruffians and common folk within the city.

Fortunately, the Cheng Estate was vast and deeply rooted, with years of savings amounting to no small sum. With their daughter established in Linlang Commandery City, the days of rebuilding their home were clearly on the near horizon.

As for the Xu family, while not quite as disastrous, half of their city walls had been destroyed, and the family retainers and dependents suffered hundreds of casualties—a blow that was hardly minor.

In stark contrast, the losses sustained by the He family were negligible, almost amounting to nothing.

This was the advantage of being a small family yet to fully branch out. When faced with existential peril, self-preservation was far simpler and easier than for those larger clans.

Furthermore, this time they had received support amounting to tens of thousands of taels of gold, propelling the He family onto a path of rapid development.

Simultaneously, the news of a Xiantian master emerging in the He family had already swept across all of Taicang County, spreading towards the entirety of Linlang like wildfire.

If He Yiming had merely been a Houtian expert, or if he hadn't displayed that overwhelmingly immense power when facing the multitude of bandits, his fame would certainly not have spread so rapidly.

But when those two factors combined, there was simply no way to suppress the news.

On this particular day, dozens of swift horses arrived before He Family Manor.

Moments later, He Quanyi personally came out to greet them.

Among these riders, the leader was none other than Lin Taoli, hailing from the Lin family of Linlang.

This foremost expert among the younger generation of the Lin family possessed a presence that ordinary people could hardly imagine. He himself was a Houtian expert at the Ninth Level of Neijin (Inner Strength). Anyone standing near him would subconsciously feel a heavy pressure.

Yet, this time, He Quanyi felt no pressure emanating from him. Instead, Lin Taoli was exceedingly courteous, addressing him repeatedly as ‘Martial Uncle’ and consistently positioning himself as the junior—a treatment that would have been utterly unthinkable during their previous encounter.

As He Quanyi led him into the inner hall, he mused to himself, realizing that this dramatic shift in demeanor was entirely due to Yiming’s influence.

It seemed the imposing display Yiming made that day had already reached Linlang Commandery City; otherwise, given the high status of this young man, it would have been impossible for him to arrive here in such a short span of time.

Once host and guest were seated, He Quanyi smiled and inquired, "Young Master Lin travels a great distance; may I ask the purpose of your visit?"

Lin Taoli smiled slightly, his gaze sweeping across the hall. "Martial Uncle, your nephew has come specifically to pay respects to Master He."

Only a Xiantian realm expert could be addressed with the title of 'Master.' Although He Yiming was more than ten years younger than Lin Taoli, Lin Taoli willingly used this title in deference to his martial achievements.

He Quanyi hesitated slightly. "Young Master Lin, I can relay your request, but whether Yiming wishes to see you is not for me to decide."

Lin Taoli nodded slightly. If anyone else had spoken those words, it might have sounded presumptuous, but when addressing someone who was a Xiantian master, no one would harbor such a feeling.

"I will trouble Martial Uncle for the arrangement," Lin Taoli said respectfully.

In truth, his heart was also filled with profound emotion. Just over a year ago, He Yiming was, like him, a Houtian expert at the Ninth Level of Neijin. While He Yiming had already displayed astonishing, incredible talent back then—enough to stir his interest and make him wish to recruit him into the Lin family—

He never expected that in barely over a year, he would miraculously ascend from the Ninth Level of Neijin to the Xiantian realm.

When he first heard the news, his only thought was disbelief, swiftly followed by shock.

It was only after the dependents and attendants from Taicang County faithfully recounted the legends of that day’s battle that the elders in his family confirmed the reports.

Although rumors might not always be entirely trustworthy, the fact that He Yiming had advanced to the Xiantian realm was now almost certain.

It was based on this understanding that Lin Taoli proactively offered to travel to Taicang County.

Furthermore, the elders of the Lin family strongly approved of this endeavor. Fostering a good relationship between the rising pillar of the next generation and a Xiantian master like He Yiming would undoubtedly be more beneficial for the future development of their clan.

He Yiming was not cultivating alone in a secret chamber, but rather practicing quietly in his own courtyard.

In truth, once martial cultivation reached his level, daily practice was no longer as absolutely essential as it was for Houtian practitioners.

Xiantian masters emphasized sudden enlightenment (Dunwu). If he were to experience another epiphany similar to the one atop the mountain peak, the benefit to He Yiming would far surpass years of accumulated hard training.

If not for that, a few months ago, he would not have been able to defeat Lü Xinwen, who had been striving to reach the Xiantian realm for over twenty years.

Of course, that state of sudden enlightenment was ethereal and unpredictable; even He Yiming himself could not say when he might encounter it again. Therefore, he maintained his daily routine without the slightest relaxation.

He exhaled a long breath from his chest and abdomen. This exhalation was extraordinarily prolonged, lasting a full two minutes, causing his stomach to subtly concave.

Holding one's breath for two minutes was not a major issue for most people, but exhaling continuously and smoothly for two full minutes was an incredibly difficult feat.

Slowly standing up, He Yiming felt neither joy nor sorrow, existing in a strange state.

After every period of cultivation, he felt as if he were brushing against some underlying force between heaven and earth, yet this sensation remained perpetually elusive and intangible. He did not know if other Xiantian masters shared similar frustrations, but he felt quite troubled by it.

At this point, he finally began to understand why those travelogues he had read in the past consistently advocated for traversing the entire realm and seeking out renowned masters.

Breaking through in martial arts was not easy; the efficiency of cultivating in isolation was far inferior to drawing inspiration from external sources.

If he had not had the experience of traveling to the Fire Crow Kingdom, if he had not received the reminder from Xie Zhien, he would probably still be searching the dense forests for five-hundred-year-old spirit beasts whose very existence was questionable, unable to break through to Xiantian.

If he had not studied his grandfather’s secret treasury and learned that the Xiantian Golden Elixir could aid a cultivator in breaking the final limit, he might have remained in He Family Manor pondering endlessly, never venturing out, and missing all subsequent opportunities.

A subtle thought stirred in his mind: Did this signify that he needed to embark on a long journey?

Suddenly, the door was gently pushed open, and Yuan Lixun whispered, "Young Master, shall you take a rest?"

At this time every day was when He Yiming concluded his practice. After several days of acquaintance, Yuan Lixun had thoroughly grasped his habits.

He Yiming nodded slightly. Yuan Lixun immediately retrieved the prepared tea and snacks, placing them carefully on the table, making absolutely no sound throughout the entire process.

Sitting on a chair and quietly observing Yuan Lixun’s movements, He Yiming found himself thinking that a life with dedicated service was perhaps not so bad, and he realized he did not reject this feeling.

"Lixun, your Neijin is quite good; you've already reached the Fifth Level of cultivation," He Yiming remarked abruptly.

Yuan Lixun’s movements stiffened slightly before immediately resuming their smoothness. She looked up and smiled charmingly, "Young Master, with my meager Neijin cultivation, can it really enter your esteemed notice?"

A faint smile touched the corner of He Yiming's mouth. Fifth Level Neijin—that was a memory he could never forget.

Although he was not hungry, he picked up a piece of layered cake and slowly chewed it.

Yuan Lixun hesitated for a moment. "Young Master, Uncle Third just sent word that Young Master Lin Taoli from the Lin family of Linlang is here and wishes to call upon you. I wonder if you are willing to grant him an audience?"

He Yiming slightly widened his eyes, and they immediately lit up. "How long has he been here?"

"About half an hour," Yuan Lixun thought with a start. Could this person be a close friend, and was He Yiming annoyed that she hadn't informed him sooner?

He Yiming laughed heartily and stood up straight. "Lixun, I will go meet him now. I hope he hasn't left already."

Seeing that he showed no sign of wanting to blame her, Yuan Lixun breathed a sigh of relief. After watching him depart, she personally tidied up the items in the room.

Although she could have asked the maids to handle everything, Yuan Lixun was meticulously careful about everything concerning He Yiming, preferring to do it herself rather than delegate.

He Yiming strode quickly toward the main hall, one thought dominating his mind: how he might acquire the Lin family's Xiantian hand-seal secret techniques. If he could examine those manuals, he was absolutely certain his strength could attain a definite level of improvement.

His steps were deceptively fast; with just a few movements, he arrived in the main hall.

Half an hour had passed since He Quanxin sent word, and He Yiming had indeed begun to wonder if Lin Taoli had already departed. But even before reaching the hall, he heard a familiar burst of laughter.

Hearing that sound, He Yiming couldn't help but smile faintly. This was Lin Taoli, and from his laughter, He Yiming perceived that Lin Taoli bore no resentment over the slight delay caused by Yuan Lixun.

"Brother Lin travels from afar; forgive my failure to welcome you properly," He Yiming boomed as he entered, mimicking his father’s former gesture by cupping his hands.

The sounds in the hall instantly ceased. Lin Taoli's eyes brightened, and he quickly stood up. "Master He, we meet again after a year, and you have successfully advanced to Xiantian—truly cause for great celebration."

He Yiming gave a wry smile. Since the other party had changed his address, he saw no need to deliberately correct him.

This was not due to arrogance; the difference between Xiantian and Houtian was an unbridgeable chasm. Even the attitude of his own relatives towards him had changed drastically, let alone that of an outsider.

"Brother Lin, I was running my cultivation exercises just now and failed to come out and greet you. I beg your pardon."

"Master He is too polite," Lin Taoli said with deep feeling. "Given your current achievements, you still persist in diligent daily practice—it truly shames those of us struggling below."

He inwardly sighed, realizing that behind every success lay the support of unyielding effort. No matter how high He Yiming's innate talent, without such arduous cultivation, he could not have achieved his present status.

The two sat down again. Lin Taoli drew a red gift scroll from his sleeve. "My father heard that Taicang County suffered heavy losses during the recent bandit attack. Those bandits were remnants fleeing from Tai'a County in the Commandery, whom we had been unable to suppress effectively. However, here in Taicang County, these bandits ran into a truly tough opponent. The leaders of the four bandit groups are either dead or missing, and Tai'a County is much more peaceful now. Therefore, my father ordered me to bring a small token of gratitude; please accept it, Master He."

He Yiming did not immediately take the scroll, instead asking with keen interest, "Did those bandit leaders not return to Tai'a County?"

"Indeed, the five leaders, all at the Tenth Level of Neijin, along with Hai Huijiao, who was equally renowned, never returned," Lin Taoli confirmed.

He Yiming felt a surge of suspicion. He had certainly slain four of them, but he had never seen the Lan Hanyang couple. Given their strength, could they have been ambushed and killed en route? Otherwise, they would have returned to Tai'a County long ago.

However, he did not doubt Lin Taoli’s words, as there was no reason for Lin Taoli to deceive him over such a matter.

Casually taking the scroll, He Yiming glanced over it, and his expression shifted slightly.

This gift was far too valuable.

A ceremonial gift of twenty thousand taels of gold, five hundred Sky-Net Swift Horses, fifty bolts of Great Shen silk...

These were the main items; the miscellaneous gifts added up to a hundred varieties.

Even He Yiming felt a touch of shock upon seeing this lavish offering.

He closed the scroll. "Brother Lin, as the saying goes, one should not accept rewards without merit. I fear I cannot accept this gift."

Lin Taoli gave a wry smile and produced another thick ledger-like item, handing it over. "I knew Master He would refuse this, which is why I prepared this. If Master He still declines after viewing this, then I shall have nothing more to say."

He Yiming paused slightly, opened the item, and saw lines of data recorded within.

Twenty fine horses, fifty taels of gold, sundry weapons, and so forth...

Although these items were recorded separately, their sum was undoubtedly a staggering amount.

Lin Taoli explained, "As soon as we received news of the bandits' rout, we immediately dispatched troops to Tai'a County and smashed all four bandit lairs. Everything recorded here is the harvest from that operation." He paused and smiled, "Master He, you are primarily responsible for this success. We have allocated you two-tenths of all the gains—that isn't too much, is it?"

Only then did He Quanyi and He Yiming realize the truth. No wonder the Lin family suddenly presented these items; they were all retrieved from the bandits' strongholds.

He Quanyi suddenly spoke up, "Young Master Lin, to my knowledge, those bandit groups were elusive. Did they possess fixed lairs?"

"Linlang Commandery is the foundation of our Lin family. Although we have been helpless against the bandit groups in Tai'a County for decades, we didn't simply ignore them. We managed to infiltrate a few clansmen who obtained intelligence, so it's not surprising we knew their locations," Lin Taoli said with a faint smile. "Although bandits move like the wind, they do have several fixed nests. It’s a pity we only found the gold hidden by the Red Scarf Bandits and the Fierce Tigers; we could find no trace of the hidden caches belonging to the Wolf Fang Bandits and the Blue Sea Bandits."

He Quanyi and He Yiming exchanged a look, both inwardly startled by the depth of the Lin family’s careful planning, which far exceeded their imagination.

He Yiming handed the ledger back. "Very well, since Brother Lin is so sincere, I shall not refuse out of discourtesy."

A flicker of delight appeared on Lin Taoli’s face. "It is my honor that Master He deigns to accept."

They smiled at each other. After a moment, Lin Taoli cautiously probed, "Master He, have you ever heard the name Master Shui Xuanjin?"

He Yiming shook his head blankly, but He Quanyi took a deep breath. "Master Shui Xuanjin? He is the State Protector Master of our Tianluo Kingdom."

"Precisely, the State Protector Master," Lin Taoli said with a wry smile. "Master He’s magnificent feat—slaying two hundred bandits with a single strike—has already reached Tianluo City, moving even Master Shui Xuanjin deeply. The Tianluo Imperial Court wishes our Lin family to inquire whether Brother He would be willing to travel to the Imperial Capital of Tianluo to meet Master Shui. If you are unwilling, they absolutely will not disturb you. But if Brother He has such a desire, the Imperial Court will dispatch someone to deliver a personal invitation and escort Master He to the capital."

He spoke these words with great caution, constantly monitoring He Yiming’s expression. To his relief, He Yiming’s eyes already revealed unmasked excitement, as if he greatly yearned for this proposal.

"Brother Lin, since it is a summons from the State Protector Master, I certainly dare not refuse," He Yiming said casually, adding, "When do you expect the Imperial Court contingent to arrive?"

Lin Taoli was overjoyed; he had not expected He Yiming to be so agreeable. "Master He, at the latest, the Imperial envoys can arrive within half a month."

"Good, then half a month it shall be," He Yiming stated, standing up. "My cultivation for the day is not yet complete. Brother Lin, please excuse me."

Leaving the living room, He Yiming’s eyes shone brilliantly. The Xiantian masters in the capital of Tianluo Kingdom—how exciting that prospect was...

P.S.: Tomorrow, three chapters totaling fifteen thousand characters, the second extra update this week, no holding back ^_^