Apologies for the error in the previous chapter number!

Zhang Daofeng and Zhang Yungan exchanged a look, relief washing over both their faces. Zhang Yang achieving such excellent results while still so young, yet maintaining such a steady, mature demeanor, was truly rare. Every bit of Zhang Yang’s performance filled them with immense satisfaction. "Very well said. My Zhang family has a successor!"

A deep, muffled voice suddenly sounded. Zhang Daofeng, Zhang Yungan, and Zhang Yang all turned toward the doorway. Zhang Pinglu had returned at some unknown time. "Old Ancestor, you don't need to investigate anymore. The Long family has already sent word; the Huyan family members have indeed fled!" Zhang Yang spoke up immediately, and Zhang Daofeng nodded in agreement. The Zhang family was small and extremely united, but this also had its drawbacks—lacking the manpower of larger clans, they had to manage everything themselves. "I anticipated this long ago. What I went to investigate was where they might relocate to!" Zhang Pinglu smiled faintly and nodded slowly. He had arrived just moments ago and heard Zhang Yang's words, which made him even more pleased with Zhang Yang now. "Old Ancestor, you returned so quickly; did you already find out where they went?" Zhang Daofeng suddenly asked. Zhang Yungan also stared intently at Zhang Pinglu. They knew that although the Old Ancestor could sometimes appear flippant, he handled serious matters with great diligence; he would never return so swiftly without news. "Naturally. When I take personal action, there is nothing I cannot discover!" Zhang Pinglu’s smile deepened, tinged with a hint of pride. His demeanor was almost childlike—they say that old men become more like children as they age, and even Inner Strength cultivators are no exception. "Old Ancestor, precisely where did the Huyan family go?" Zhang Yungan followed up, not dwelling on the subtleties. He just wanted to find them quickly to avenge Zhang Yang and to make everyone understand: Zhang Yang was the Zhang family’s inverse scale, untouchable by any. Zhang Pinglu sat down and poured himself a cup of tea. He sipped it slowly. Just as Zhang Yungan was about to press him again, he gently articulated two words from his mouth: "Yin Shan!"

Yin Shan? Zhang Yungan, Zhang Daofeng, and Zhang Yang exchanged glances. Yin Shan was also a famous mountain in China, one of the ten great mountain ranges. Although smaller than the Tian Shan range, the Yin Shan range stretched for over two thousand li. A vast expanse of mountains spanning over two thousand li would certainly be largely untouched wilderness. Furthermore, Yin Shan was located on the Mongolian steppe—a sparsely populated area where a large family could indeed find a suitable place to hide. It was plausible that the Huyan family had retreated into Yin Shan to escape the Zhang family's retribution. "Old Ancestor, Yin Shan is enormous. Do you know their specific location?" Zhang Daofeng inquired. Zhang Yungan and Zhang Yang immediately focused their gazes on Zhang Pinglu. Yin Shan was too vast; knowing their exact location was the key. Otherwise, searching this massive mountain inch by inch would take ages, and they might never find them. "I am not entirely clear on the precise spot, but I have narrowed it down to those few peaks. They are certainly among them!" Zhang Pinglu shook his head. He didn't know the exact location but could pinpoint several peaks, which would undoubtedly make the search significantly easier. A few peaks—they could search through them quickly. Even if Huyan Feng could conceal his aura, others couldn't. Discovering even a tiny clue would lead them to the hidden individuals. "Old Ancestor, you weren't gone long. How did you manage to find this out?" Zhang Yang suddenly asked again, and Zhang Yungan and Zhang Daofeng showed equal curiosity. Yin Shan was not nearby; it was far away, and travel time alone was considerable. They truly wanted to know how Zhang Pinglu had discovered the Huyan family's relocation. Zhang Pinglu burst into laughter, his face radiating even more smugness. "Haha! That old lunatic is foolish and doesn't keep up with the times, but I do. Do you people know about something called a satellite? It can see everything on the ground with perfect clarity. I went to find a junior of mine who helped me track the Huyan family's relocation trail!" "Satellite?" This time, Zhang Yang’s mouth dropped open wide. Zhang Yungan and Zhang Daofeng were equally astonished. No one expected their old ancestor to be so modern, utilizing satellite technology. Satellites could indeed observe much of the ground, making it possible to track the Huyan clan, who had moved from Tian Shan. However, such an investigation wouldn't be easy; the junior Zhang Pinglu mentioned must also be a person of considerable influence. Regardless of the method Zhang Pinglu used, they had successfully located the Huyan family's new base—that was the crucial point, the result they desired. "Old Ancestor, I am utterly impressed. You actually thought of using a satellite!" Zhang Daofeng shook his head with a wry smile. The method Zhang Pinglu employed exceeded his expectations. Now it seemed their ancestor was not as obstinate as imagined; he was more open to new things than Zhang Daofeng himself. "Of course. After I confirmed they moved to Yin Shan, they vanished. Satellites can trace the process of relocation but not their current location. I suspect that area might be concealed by a formation. If so, it’s either a place they prepared beforehand, or the Huyan family has a Formation Master who reset the arrays to evade satellite surveillance!" Zhang Pinglu smiled and nodded. Using a satellite to track the Huyan family did indeed make him very proud. The one he used this time was a military satellite. The junior he mentioned possessed truly immense influence; although called a junior, he was actually older than Zhang Yungan, but in Zhang Pinglu’s eyes, anyone from the secular world, no matter how old, was a junior. No one could live as long as he had. "I returned to tell you all to prepare yourselves. We depart in two days, heading directly for Yin Shan!" Zhang Pinglu’s smile vanished as he spoke, and an unnatural wave of killing intent filled the room. This surge of killing aura caused Zhang Yang, Zhang Yungan, and Zhang Daofeng to shudder involuntarily. They all understood: the Old Ancestor was truly enraged this time. An ordinary first or second-tier Inner Strength cultivator losing their temper could lead to bloodshed on the spot; when an expert at the Great Perfection realm like the Old Ancestor became truly furious, it meant rivers of blood would flow. "We understand. We will certainly be prepared over these next two days!" Zhang Daofeng agreed first, and Zhang Yungan and Zhang Yang confirmed their understanding. Only then did Zhang Pinglu leave, satisfied. His whereabouts were unpredictable; he left without saying where he was going, but he had stated they would depart in two days. They simply needed to use these two days well to prepare. Two days seemed like a long time, but it was actually tight. The enemy they were going to retaliate against was a thousand-year-old clan guarded by a Great Perfection expert. Even though Huyan Feng was injured, a starving camel is still larger than a horse; the Huyan family likely concealed countless hidden strategies. This impending assault would be the largest clash between Inner Strength clans in hundreds of years. A conflict between two thousand-year-old clans, regardless of the outcome, was bound to alert everyone. For the Zhang family, this was an opportunity to reaffirm their fame and prove themselves. None of them—not Zhang Yang, nor Zhang Yungan and Zhang Daofeng, and certainly not Zhang Pinglu—could allow this matter to falter. They had to make everyone understand: the thousand-year-old Zhang family, though numbering only four, was not someone to be trifled with easily. If truly provoked, the consequences would be beyond what ordinary people could bear. "Grandfather, Uncle, here are several bottles of Fourth-Tier Spirit Beast Essence Blood. Quickly, concoct some Fourth-Tier Essence Blood Pills; this will give us greater confidence against the Huyan family!" As soon as Zhang Pinglu left, Zhang Yang pulled out many items from the safe. Fourth-Tier Spirit Beast Essence Blood, Fire Dragon Fruit, the previously acquired Thousand-Year Jade Lingzhi, the recently obtained Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Milk, and the Thousand-Year He Shou Wu. Coupled with the raw materials compensated to Zhang Yang by the Long family previously, Zhang Yang produced an assortment of top-tier, heavenly material-grade ingredients. These materials left Zhang Daofeng and Zhang Yungan stunned. Both were much older than Zhang Yang. Zhang Daofeng, in particular, had not only encountered heavenly materials himself but had also helped concoct many medicines for others; yet, even he had never seen so many top-grade raw materials assembled. "Yang Yang, when—when did you gather so many good things?" Watching Zhang Yang take out items one by one—besides the heavenly materials, there were many precious auxiliary herbs—Zhang Yungan could no longer restrain himself and asked directly. "It’s all accumulated over this period. Since you and Grandfather are here, I won't have to toil alone; let's concoct it all into medicine!" Zhang Yang chuckled. He was somewhat proud of these treasures but managed not to show it. "It's not hard work. No matter how hard, I would gladly concoct this much spiritual medicine. Yang Yang, you truly are a rich landlord—no, even a rich landlord isn't this wealthy!" Gazing at the mountain of treasures, Zhang Yungan’s eyes glowed. Even at the Zhang family's peak, they might not have possessed so many good things. He was too excited now to know what to say. All these things belonged to Zhang Yang, but who was Zhang Yang? He was the successor of the Zhang family, currently the only one. All future possessions of the entire Zhang family would belong to Zhang Yang, so the more good things he had, the better. Zhang Daofeng was also slightly excited, but his thoughts were deeper than Zhang Yungan’s. His first thought was of Wuying. The Treasure-Seeking Mouse was indeed formidable; he attributed everything Zhang Yang had acquired to Wuying. At the same time, he felt a profound sense of melancholy, similar to Zhang Yungan: the more good things Zhang Yang had, the better. It seemed Heaven truly intended for their Zhang family to rise again. Thinking of the Zhang family's resurgence, Zhang Daofeng felt an involuntary pang of sadness, murmuring in his heart: "Shihua, you bore a good son. Father wronged you back then!" His daughter had left behind a worthy successor for the Zhang family. Now, Zhang Daofeng began to harbor regrets, wishing he hadn't been so harsh and adhered to so many ancestral rules back then. Perhaps his daughter wouldn't have suffered such a calamity, and now Zhang Yang could be living happily with his family. "Uncle, Grandfather, I'll leave the work to you. I’m heading back now; concocting this much medicine will take time!" Zhang Yang divided everything, smiled, and returned to his room. Preparing the medicine required time, and two days wasn't long. Relying solely on himself, he couldn't possibly finish concocting all these medicines. These were all spiritual medicines. Even as a Fourth-Tier Inner Strength cultivator, he couldn't afford any carelessness when preparing them; it still demanded time. Two days passed in a flash. During these two days, Zhang Yungan and Zhang Daofeng worked tirelessly. They managed to refine all the top-grade raw materials into spiritual medicines. Concocting this volume of spiritual medicine without a single failure testified to their profound skill in medicine preparation. The Zhang family’s medicine preparation skills being paramount was no mere boast. Both men were exhausted, but the smiles never left their faces. After this batch of refinement, Zhang Yang's net worth far surpassed everyone else's. Perhaps only grand clans like the Long family or great sects like Shaolin could compare to him. Those clans and sects had accumulated their wealth over many years through collective effort. Zhang Yang, by himself, could rival them, allowing him to stand proudly above the entire cultivation world. Both men now held jade bottles in their hands. Each bottle contained five Fourth-Tier Essence Blood Pills. Zhang Yang was never stingy with his family. The total number of Essence Blood Pills he concocted this time was nearly one hundred, enough for their long-term use. After setting aside some for the three spirit beasts and for Mi Xue's future cultivation, Zhang Yungan and Zhang Daofeng each received a significant share. Five pills each was their stated preference; for them, five were sufficient. After reaching the Fourth Tier, they couldn't use Essence Blood Pills for advancement anyway. These pills were primarily for combat use. They insisted on only five each, and Zhang Yang couldn't argue; he could always provide more if they used these up later. On the morning of the third day, Zhang Yang received a message on his phone. The message was from Zhang Pinglu, telling them to depart first and meet directly at Yin Shan. This Old Ancestor had already set off on his own, not waiting for them at all. Zhang Yang was left speechless and amused by this development. After informing Zhang Yungan and Zhang Daofeng, their eyes widened in surprise as well. The Old Ancestor had left silently while they were still waiting. "Let’s go too!" Zhang Daofeng finally sighed, gathered his things, and headed out. Long Feng, Mi Xue, and Qu Meilan stood at the doorway. This trip was to settle the feud between the Zhang and Huyan families. Zhang Yang had not asked Long Feng to accompany them. He could visit alone under his personal capacity, but joining an outright assault carried a different meaning; no matter what he said, in the eyes of the enemy, he would represent the Long family. Long Feng understood the sensitive nature of the mission and stayed home to cultivate diligently. "Zhang Yang, Uncle, Grandfather, come back soon!" At the door, Mi Xue held Zhang Yang’s hand and spoke softly. Zhang Yungan laughed heartily, already settling into the driver's seat of the Mercedes sedan that belonged to Zhang Yang. Zhang Yungan couldn't drive before, but he had managed to learn the basics quickly these past few days. As for the license, Zhang Yang’s status made it easy to procure one for him. "Don't worry, I'll accompany Uncle. We'll be back as soon as the business is concluded!" Zhang Yang smiled down at her, having kept the exact reason for the trip vague from Mi Xue, only explaining that he was handling an errand with his uncle and grandfather. Serving his elders, Mi Xue couldn't object. "I know. Come back soon. I’m graduating soon, and after graduation, I’ll go to the place you mentioned for training." Mi Xue nodded. She would graduate a year before Zhang Yang. The place Zhang Yang mentioned was that five-star chain hotel. A five-star establishment was undoubtedly much better than the restaurant she currently worked at. In the future, she could manage the five-star hotel, transferring the current restaurant entirely to Xiao Dai and Nannan, allowing Mi Xue to move up in the world... "Chiluochuan, beneath Yin Shan, the sky is like a dome, covering the vast wilderness. The heavens are boundless, the fields are immense, the wind blows, and the grass parts to reveal cattle and sheep!"

Zhang Yungan hummed a little tune as he strode across the grassland. Ahead of them lay the undulating peaks of the Yin Shan range. Before advancing to the Fourth Tier, Zhang Yungan had traveled outside frequently and had visited this area before. He couldn't help but sing this timeless folk song upon returning to the plains beneath Yin Shan. "Uncle, your singing is quite good! You should enter a competition when you get back; you might win a big prize!" Zhang Yang said with a smile, also walking with a steady stride. Wuying lay lazily asleep on his shoulder. Zhuifeng followed slowly and leisurely beside them. Neither Zhang Yang nor Zhang Yungan walked slowly, but compared to Zhuifeng, the foremost spirit beast in speed, they were far behind. Zhuifeng had deliberately slowed its pace to match them; otherwise, it would have vanished long ago. This was their third day since setting off. Two days of travel had brought them directly to the vicinity of Yin Shan. The grassland here was not short grass; it was very tall, making vehicle access difficult. But truth be told, driving here wouldn't be faster than walking. Excluding Shandian (Lightning), the three humans and two beasts in their party were all Fourth-Tier powerhouses. Even Shandian was quietly cultivating now. It had consumed an Essence Blood Pill before emerging. The advancements of Zhuifeng and Wuying to Fourth-Tier Spirit Beasts had dealt a significant blow to the little fellow. It used to be the strongest; its poison had repeatedly helped Zhang Yang severely injure enemies. Now, in terms of sheer strength, it was trailing behind. The little one could not accept this and was working hard daily, hoping to break through sooner. However, spiritual beast breakthroughs were never easy. It didn't have the help of a Fifth-Tier spirit beast like Huanshu (Phantom Mouse), so it could only rely on arduous self-cultivation. Its disposition these past few days had caused Zhang Yang considerable heartache. "Haha, you're just teasing me, boy. I know my limits; if I sing with this voice, I’d scare everyone away!" Zhang Yungan laughed loudly, quickening his pace slightly. But no matter how fast he walked, Zhang Yang kept pace effortlessly. This forced Zhang Yungan to admit that Zhang Yang's current strength had surpassed his own. Zhang Yungan had merely stabilized at the early stage of the Fourth Tier, while Zhang Yang was already at the peak of the early stage. Although they were still in the same realm, a gap in power had formed. "According to the Old Ancestor, the Huyan family relocated into these Five Pillars Peaks!" Zhang Daofeng spoke slowly. The Old Ancestor had been in contact with them these past two days. He had indeed arrived here ahead of them and confirmed the Huyan family's current whereabouts. Five Pillars Peaks—many mountain ranges shared this name. The Five Pillars Peaks of Yin Shan were transliterated from Wuzhu Feng. Seven hundred years ago, a fierce battle took place here. A defeated Mongol army, pursued by Ming generals, was forced to hide within the Five Pillars Peaks, hoping to use the treacherous terrain to ward off the Ming forces. Unfortunately, out of over a thousand men who entered the mountains, fewer than three hundred made it out alive. The pursuing Ming army of over two thousand suffered similarly, with only about five hundred emerging from the mountains. The two armies never engaged in direct combat within the mountains; both suffered heavy losses. After this, the Five Pillars Peaks was listed by many as a dangerous place, one absolutely to be avoided. However, the danger here was less severe than at Bawang Feng (Overlord Peak). But such places shared a common characteristic: they were desolate. The Five Pillars Peaks differed from Bawang Feng in one aspect: the Five Pillars Peaks lay deep within the Yin Shan range, much like the Long Family Plains were deep within the Kunlun Mountains. One had to travel a long way into the mountains after entry. This offered greater advantages for concealment, especially since the Huyan family was currently seeking complete obscurity to avoid retribution; such a location was even more suitable. "Grandfather, let's speed up. How about a race? See who reaches the Five Pillars Peaks first?" Zhang Yang suddenly proposed. Zhang Daofeng glanced at him, slightly taken aback. Zhang Yang proposed a competition. Although it was a race among the three of them, it was clearly aimed at Zhang Daofeng. Zhang Yungan was certainly no match for Zhang Yang in speed. "Hiss! Hiss!" Before Zhang Daofeng could reply, Shandian, beside them, squeaked happily. Racing was its specialty; it feared no opponent. Seeing the excited Zhuifeng, Zhang Yang shook his head helplessly, then quickly added, "Zhuifeng, you don't count; you must stay with us, don't run too far ahead!" Racing against Zhuifeng was asking for a beating, and more importantly, Zhuifeng would definitely bolt off until it vanished from sight. If it ran too far ahead, finding it again on this vast grassland wouldn't be easy. If it went the wrong way and ended up God knows where, retrieving it would take effort. Zhuifeng was a major fighting asset in this assault on the Huyan family, so it couldn't be separated now. "Hiss! Hiss!" Zhuifeng’s beautiful head immediately drooped, and it let out a disgruntled, soft sound. It was complaining to Zhang Yang. Why couldn't it join the race? This was a rare chance to use its strengths, yet Zhang Yang denied it the opportunity. "Fine, Yang Yang, we’ll have one race!" Zhang Daofeng finally spoke, agreeing to Zhang Yang’s proposal. Zhang Yungan said nothing but nodded repeatedly. He was also eager to try. He knew he might not match Zhang Yang in speed, but he wouldn't be far behind; they were both in the same realm, after all. "Alright, let's start now!" Zhang Yang agreed, and before the words even settled, he exerted force beneath his feet and sprinted forward.

Zhang Yuan'an and Zhang Daofeng both froze for a moment, cursing that brat Zhang Yang in unison, before immediately quickening their pace to give chase.

They hadn't pursued for ten minutes before Zhang Yuan'an's speed abruptly slackened, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Even though Zhang Yang had the initial head start, their speed was not slow; being at the fourth level of Neijin meant their reactions in every aspect were swift. Zhang Yang had only been running for a few seconds before they caught up.

In those few seconds, Zhang Yang hadn't covered much distance and was still well within their line of sight.

But in that short span, he couldn't even glimpse Zhang Yang's shadow, nor could he sense his energy presence, indicating that Zhang Yang had sprinted far ahead, to a distance where chasing was simply impossible.

It had only been less than ten minutes, and to be left behind like this, Zhang Yuan'an couldn't help but feel deflated.

"What, sad? Giving up already? Or perhaps you're feeling disheartened, realizing you can't match your nephew?"

Zhang Yuan'an, who had been walking slowly, suddenly spun around, staring at Zhang Pinglu behind him in utter astonishment. He had no idea when the old man had managed to arrive at his side.

Just moments before, the entire group had assumed the elder had already reached Wuzhu Peak.

"Old Master, what are you doing here?"

"I was hungry and went into the city to buy a few roasted chickens. What, is that not allowed?"

Zhang Pinglu raised the bag in his hand, which indeed contained several paper-wrapped items, and in his other hand, he held a plastic bag. Zhang Yuan'an glanced at it stealthily before immediately lowering his head.

Inside that second bag, there were actually two bottles of Erguotou. Was their Old Master setting off for a battle or a vacation? This time, they were going to stir up trouble for the Huyan family; a massive confrontation was inevitable.