Standing in the vast open fields, one could gaze out upon rolling waves of green rice paddies, soybean pods heavy with fruit, and rows of sweet potatoes that soaked the soil of their trenches. Everywhere, the crops promised a bountiful and beautiful harvest.

Several carriages slowly approached from the distance, surrounded by dozens of knights. Each of these riders was brimming with vigor; their eyes shone with a piercing light that, upon meeting the gaze of any passerby, felt sharp enough to cause a sting, and left a chill in the heart.

Though this entourage made no loud announcements, as they traveled, any person or vehicle obstructing their path on the road would instinctively pull aside and clear the way.

Those who traveled often possessed a degree of discernment; they knew well who could be provoked and who could not. The moment they observed the demeanor and imposing presence of these knights, even the most stubborn souls would pause to assess the situation.

Several days later, these carriages finally arrived beneath the walls of He Family Village in Taicang County.

The perimeter of He Family Village had by now been fortified with a massive outer wall, and those stationed atop it had long since noticed the peculiar convoy.

Several men swaggered forward to question the newcomers. Although these gate guards lacked significant cultivation, their powers of observation were remarkable; upon seeing the riders, they immediately knew these individuals were not ordinary folk.

Yet, behind them stood the He Family Village—the highly influential He Family of the entire Tianluo Kingdom.

Thus, upon seeing the unfamiliar faces of the knights, the guards did not truly take the procession to heart.

The leader of the guards extended a large hand and boomed, "Halt there!"

The dozens of knights immediately reined in their horses and stopped.

Seeing the obedience of the riders, the lead guard felt a significant portion of his anxiety ease.

These knights possessed formidable auras, clearly accomplished in cultivation, yet their horsemanship was truly unimpressive. The sharp-eyed guards instantly deduced that they were likely not retainers of any major power, but rather a rabble gathered from unknown sources.

Such men, no matter how skilled individually, would never be given serious consideration by a truly great family.

The lead guard’s courage swelled. "Who are you people? Do you know where this is? And you dare ride your horses here? Stop immediately!"

The mounted knights exchanged glances. Based purely on martial prowess, any one of them could have sent these sturdy guards sprawling and searching for their teeth. However, when it came to verbal sparring, they were entirely outmatched.

Seeing the knights rendered speechless, the lead guard grew more pleased. With a cold snort, he declared, "I don't care where you come from. Get down off your horses!"

One of the knights frowned slightly, cupped his hands, and said, "Please, good sir, relay a message. Tell them..."

"Relay a message?" The leader burst into laughter, cutting him off. He held out a hand, weighing it in the air a few times. "Fine. Hand it over."

The knight stared at the outstretched palm, utterly baffled. "Hand over what?"

The guard's eyes bulged with anger. "Nonsense! The silver, of course. This is the rule of He Family Village: if you want me to pass a message, you must offer a suitable tribute. Today I’m feeling generous—thirty taels of silver should suffice."

A burst of laughter erupted from behind the man. Dozens of people lined the walls, all chuckling and watching, without a single person stepping forward to intervene.

Such a scene had played out countless times, always with the same result.

They could almost predict the final outcome: the knights, though unwilling, would inevitably hand over their wealth, or they wouldn't even manage to send a message inside, let alone enter He Family Village.

As the astonishment on the knights' faces was still lingering, a clear, resonant voice carried out from one of the carriages.

"Since when did He Family Village adopt such a rule?"

Though the voice was not sharp, it carried an ineffable authority. The lead guard stuttered, momentarily struck speechless.

However, only a moment later, he recovered. Noticing the strange looks from those around him, especially the contemptuous expressions on the faces of the knights before him, he flushed with mortified rage. "Damn it! I made that rule! Who the hell are you to talk back to me?"

A cold snort came from inside the carriage. The person within clearly had no desire to haggle with such a petty individual, instead stating directly, "Liu Chengyang, take him down. Proceed."

The lead knight respectfully turned on his horse and bowed. "As you command."

The retainers on the wall and below stood dumbfounded. In all their time serving here, this was the first time they had encountered someone so utterly blind to reality.

To seize a man of He Family Village? Did these people truly not know where they were, or were they a band of madmen?

No matter what the retainers guessed, none would believe that anyone genuinely dared to challenge the authority of He Family Village.

All eyes fixed on that one knight, eager to see if he truly possessed the nerve to strike.

Yet, in the next instant, they witnessed it. The knight named Liu Chengyang turned back, extended his arm, and instantly seized the lead retainer. With one hand, he effortlessly hoisted the man high above his head.

The crowd erupted in clamor; no one reacted instantly.

Years of comfort and flattery had inflated their sense of self-importance, making them arrogant. Struck by this completely unexpected blow, they found themselves momentarily paralyzed.

Liu Chengyang held the retainer aloft and shouted, "Clear the way!"

He spurred his magnificent steed, and the horse immediately reared up, charging forward.

Below the wall, shrieks of panic erupted as a dozen retainers were instantly scattered like chaff.

"CRASH..."

A massive sound echoed from the ramparts. Someone, sensing the gravity of the situation, immediately sounded the warning bell.

Since the construction of this stronghold, the bell had served as mere decoration, because everyone knew that as long as He Yiming lived, no one would dare attack He Family Village.

Moreover, He Family Village was currently teeming with masters. Though no Innate Realm experts were presiding, Elder He Laibao, as well as several honored guests, were all great masters of the tenth or ninth level of Inner Strength.

Any common challenger here would surely be a dog chasing a meatball—gone without a trace.

Thus, this high-hanging bell was sounding its warning for the very first time.

Almost simultaneously with the ringing of the bell, a long cry echoed from within the village, followed by several figures rushing forward with incredible speed.

Upon hearing the long cry, the panicked retainers seemed to find their backbone; some even drew their weapons and began to counterattack.

However, the knights were all elite soldiers. Dismounting, they casually grabbed and tossed the guards, flinging them away as if they were sacks of straw.

Of course, the knights showed restraint, taking care not to inflict fatal wounds.

Several figures swiftly emerged from the village; their voices arrived before their bodies did.

"Stop!"

The voice, like thunder, carried an undertone of astonishment and fury. This was the first time someone had dared to openly provoke them, and it was a profound blow to their collective honor.

However, when these figures reached the scene and saw the knights, their expressions shifted to disbelief. The leader quickly called out, "Senior Brother Liu, why are you here?"

Liu Chengyang ceased his action, and with a light wave, the other knights immediately stopped. Most of them knew each other, but at that moment, they exchanged only meaningful glances, refraining from greeting each other openly.

The retainers on the wall paled upon hearing the leader’s address.

The retainer leader clutched by Liu Chengyang shuddered violently. It turned out the man he was extorting was, in fact, the greatest pillar of support for He Family Village. Realizing this, he was terrified beyond measure.

Liu Chengyang looked at him with disgust, tossed him aside casually, and flung him far away.

With the movement of a master at the late stage of the tenth level of Inner Strength, even condescending to seize this man felt beneath his dignity.

The curtain of a carriage was drawn back, and a young man stepped out.

As he descended, the curtains of the other two carriages simultaneously opened, revealing a white-haired, youthful-faced elder and a burly middle-aged man.

The young man who had just disembarked shot a cold glance at the groaning retainers sprawled on the ground, then turned. "Brother Zhu, Elder Yu, I apologize for making you witness such a spectacle."

The other two simultaneously shook their heads, looking straight ahead, offering no comment on the events unfolding there.

Several figures hurried over from a distance. One with sharp eyes spotted the young man and immediately called out, "Sixth Brother, is that you?"

A trace of warmth finally appeared in the young man's eyes. "Big Brother, I trust you have been well."

The retainers on the ground, upon hearing this address, froze as if struck by a paralysis spell, their moans ceasing. Their attacker was none other than their true master. Beaten as they were, they realized they had been lucky to escape with their lives.

The young man descending from the carriage was naturally He Yiming. The other two were Zhu Baqi and Yu Xichen.

Zhu Baqi had accompanied He Yiming to Tianchi Mountain, but passing through the Tianluo Kingdom, he naturally made a detour to visit home.

As for Yu Jinglei, he remained in Heng Mountain, sending Yu Xichen along as a substitute—a gesture better than nothing.

However, upon arriving at He Family Village, everything He Yiming encountered infuriated him. No matter how fast He Family Village expanded or how short-handed they were, they could not resort to hiring riffraff like this. What must the reputation of He Family Village be with gatekeepers like these?

He Yitian and the others quickly arrived. With the exception of Yitian, the rest were veterans of the village. Seeing the scene, they instantly understood what had occurred. They exchanged wry smiles, paid their respects, and dispersed to handle the cleanup.

As the saying goes, family shame should not be aired in public. He Yiming summoned an old steward and instructed him to arrange lodging for Zhu Baqi and Yu Xichen. Upon learning their identities, the old steward naturally prepared the best rooms in the village for them. He Yiming still held some faith in the long-time members of the estate.

Zhu Baqi and the others noticed He Yiming’s poor temper and were entirely sympathetic. If they were in his shoes, they might even have committed murder out of anger. Thus, they accepted the steward's guidance without ceremony and left, allowing He Yiming to converse with his family.

Once everyone was settled, the faint smile on He Yiming’s face finally vanished. He turned and asked, "Big Brother, why are we employing such servants? Are we truly out of capable people?"

Although He Yitian was the eldest grandson of the third generation and He Yiming's cousin, he felt immense pressure standing before his celebrated sixth brother, whose reputation spanned the entire Northwest. However, given the vast difference in their current standing, He Yitian no longer harbored any jealousy.

Just as an ordinary person might envy a neighbor or colleague, but would never envy a national leader, the enormous gap in status had long since dissolved any nascent jealousy He Yitian once felt.

Heaving a deep sigh, He Yitian explained, "Sixth Brother, I was not the one who employed them."

Hearing a hint of difficulty in his brother’s voice, He Yiming asked in surprise, "Then who was it?"

"Second Uncle." He Yitian spoke the truth plainly.

He Yiming was instantly silenced. Learning that his own father was the one orchestrating all this, he could not voice his dissatisfaction, no matter how strongly he felt.

He Yitian offered a wry smile. "Sixth Brother, the truth is, Second Uncle was forced to employ them. Furthermore, their current audacity was actually encouraged by Second Uncle and us."

This time, He Yiming was genuinely astonished. He knew his father intimately and could not fathom why the old man would make such a decision.

As He Yitian prepared to speak further, an excited shout echoed from within the village: "Sixth Brother! Sixth Brother is back!"

Led by He Yitao, a large contingent rushed out. This group included all of He Yiming’s siblings, as well as his parents and Third Uncle, and even Elder He Laibao had come out personally.

He Yiming exchanged a look with his elder brother; his eyes held a trace of resignation. While he disliked having Elder Baoy and his parents greet him in this manner, he understood perfectly that no matter how he explained himself, it would likely be useless. His current status meant that even his own parents regarded him with a certain distance.

Grabbing He Yiming’s arm, the two hurried forward. Since they could not stop the elders from coming out, they could at least reduce the distance they had to walk.

"Whoa..."

He Yitao threw himself forward joyfully, engulfing He Yiming in a crushing bear hug. A wave of warmth washed over He Yiming’s heart. Among all his relatives, perhaps only this young man still treated him as the Sixth Brother he once was.

He Yitao was now sixteen, and in terms of build, he was not much shorter than his sixth brother. He Yiming lightly patted his shoulder, sending a circulation of true energy through him, nodding with satisfaction.

"Ninth Brother, it's been over half a year, and you've broken through the Fifth Layer to the middle stage of the Sixth Layer. Very good."

He Yitao immediately puffed up with pride, boasting like an old vendor hawking his wares.

After only a few words, he received a heavy smack on the back of his head. He turned to glare angrily, but seeing his father’s darkened face, he instantly scurried behind He Yiming like a mouse encountering a cat.

He Yiming smiled inwardly, realizing his ninth brother was still the same—most afraid of Third Uncle. However, as that smile touched his lips, he was surprised to realize how long it had been since he had laughed so genuinely.

"Yiming, don't listen to his nonsense," He Quanyi snorted lightly. "After taking the Essence Golden Pill, you still haven't reached the peak of the Sixth Layer. What a waste."

He Yiming finally understood. Compared to before, the cultivation conditions in He Family Village had undergone a massive transformation. It was no wonder that even Yitao, who possessed only a mild interest in martial arts, had become a minor master at the sixth level of Inner Strength.

After paying respects to his parents and Elder Baoy, the crowd bustled into the village.

That evening, the estate was naturally lively. Once things settled down, He Yiming went to his father's room to inquire about the gatekeepers outside the manor.

He Quanxin shook his head slightly. "Yiming, after you achieved the Innate Realm and became the Nation-Protecting Grand Master of the Tianluo Kingdom, the fame of He Family Village spread far and wide. Relatives and friends arrived in a continuous stream, even distant connections we barely knew existed."

He Yiming paused, confused. "Father, do we have that many relatives?"

He Wude was an orphan. He founded He Family Village himself, and it had only been three generations; how could there be so many relatives?

He Quanxin snorted. "Of course! Your mother’s side, your grandmother’s side, your first uncle's wife's side, your third uncle's wife's side—anyone remotely connected by blood is a relative!"

He Yiming immediately clamped his mouth shut. He feared no opponent in a three-hundred-round battle, but sorting out these relationships gave him a headache the size of a bushel basket.

"Father, did you place those men at the gate because of these relatives?"

"Not just these relatives," He Quanxin sighed deeply. "Yiming, you drove away the bandits in the region and earned a brilliant reputation. While that is good, such widespread renown brings significant trouble."

He Yiming was utterly perplexed. "What trouble?"

"Complaints."

He Yiming found this bizarre. "When did He Family Village become the government office...?"

"In this world, injustices occur every day. Not looking far afield, even in Taicang County, the weak and powerless who are oppressed by the strong have no recourse, so they come to He Family Village first," He Quanxin stated gravely. "It’s fine if we occasionally intervene in a few of these matters, but if we take on every request, even a powerful entity like He Family Village could never establish itself in Taicang County, let alone build a legacy lasting a thousand years."

He Yiming opened his mouth, finally grasping his father's intention. With a long sigh, he could only shake his head in resignation. His martial arts cultivation was already immensely powerful, but even amplified tenfold, it could only guarantee the safety and prosperity of his immediate family and friends.

To make an enemy of the entire established gentry class—not just He Yiming, but even a legendary Divine Dao expert might hesitate to attempt such a feat.

In his heart, an immense wave of feeling arose: perhaps a good reputation did not always bring good fortune.