Ten Qingshan scanned the surrounding bandits, thinking: "There are still nearly eighty bandits left. Once I make a move, these bandits will likely scatter and flee. If they scatter... even at my best, I can only kill a dozen or twenty. It would be of no use, and Uncle Yan and the others..." Ten Qingshan looked at his clansmen.

These clansmen had gone into the mountains with him to hunt wild beasts, and today, some were crippled, and some had lost their sight.

Rage burned in Ten Qingshan's heart.

"Everything is negotiable?" Ten Yongfan stepped forward twice, walking up to Ten Qingshan, looking at the group of bandits. "If you want to save your leader, it's simple. Hand over everything valuable you possess. If it's enough to compensate for the losses of our clansmen, perhaps we will release your leader. Otherwise..."

Ten Qingshan glanced at his father and did not object; the other clansmen tacitly agreed.

In this era, death was common. If one often acted rashly, Ten Clan Village would have long been destroyed. Sometimes, a rational consideration was necessary. Killing more bandits offered no benefit to Ten Clan Village; conversely, it might drive the bandits into a frenzy, potentially leading to the deaths of even more clansmen.

"Fine, no problem." The handsome youth immediately pulled out three silver ingots from his embrace, simultaneously turning to the others and shouting, "Hurry up!"

The bandits hesitated slightly, then one by one, they pulled out silver and copper coins from their pockets.

"Throw it all together, on the ground," Ten Yongfan ordered.

Although reluctant, each bandit threw their silver and copper coins onto the field, soon forming a small pile.

"Qinghu, go count how much it is," Ten Yongfan instructed.

"Okay." Ten Qinghu ran over, counted carefully, and turned back, "Not counting the odd bits, it's a total of three hundred and twenty-three taels of silver!"

"Only this much?" Ten Yongfan sneered, looking at the handsome youth. "The head of your Tiger Mountain Hill leader isn't worth this little silver?"

The handsome youth became anxious upon hearing this. He was the one most worried about his leader's life among the group, because that was his own brother! The handsome youth turned and glared fiercely at a thin, lean bandit: "Where are the bank notes my brother left with you?" The bandit was startled and stammered, "That... that was to be offered to the White Horse Gang!"

"At a time like this, who cares about the White Horse Gang? My brother is about to die," the handsome youth snapped.

Clearly, the handsome youth still held considerable authority.

"Mhm." The bandit pulled out a stack of bank notes from his embrace, also reluctantly throwing them onto the ground.

When Ten Yonghu saw it, he turned back and said, "Sixteen notes of one hundred taels each!"

"Hmph, although it's not much, we'll grudgingly accept it. Alright, you can go. But he has to stay." Ten Yongfan pointed at the man with the triangular eyes. The man with the triangular eyes was so frightened he immediately knelt down, turning fearfully to look at the other bandits, "Brothers..."

"He isn't one of ours from Tiger Mountain Hill either; he's just a petty thug. Kill him or slice him up, that's up to you. Please release my leader quickly," the handsome youth said.

"Scram." Ten Qingshan flicked his foot toward the waist of the fierce bandit leader.

The fierce bandit leader was sent flying up, landing heavily in front of the handsome youth.

"Let's go quickly," the fierce bandit leader murmured in a low voice.

"Go!" The handsome youth helped up the fierce bandit leader and immediately gave the order. This group of bandits quickly fled into the distance.

"Brothers..." The man with the triangular eyes was almost in tears. Then he turned and saw the group of Ten Clan members staring at him angrily, and his whole body trembled with fear.

Ten Yongfan stared at the man with the triangular eyes: "Speak. Tell us everything from beginning to end."

The man with the triangular eyes shivered. "Good sirs, this has nothing to do with me! I was just a messenger! My brother works for Old Master Li, the great salt merchant of Yangzhou. This time, his leader ordered him to find people to deal with you. That leader, it seems, had even placed an order with you, paying you ten thousand taels of silver. My brother also said... that leader initially didn't plan to give you the ten thousand taels of silver."

"Damn bastards, that's the swine!" Ten Qinghu roared.

Killing intent arose in Ten Qingshan's heart: "That cavalry leader should be named Qin San!" Although he desperately wanted to kill Qin San, Qin San was, after all, a key operative under the great salt merchant, and in terms of power... the current him might not necessarily be Qin San's match. For now, he could only endure!

"Good sirs, just pretend this was a passing fart and let me go," the man with the triangular eyes pleaded.

Ten Yongfan moved his long spear.

"Pfft!" The long spear pierced the throat of the man with the triangular eyes. His eyes widened roundly, then his life force dissipated, and his body collapsed limply onto the field.

"Let's go," Ten Yongfan pulled out his long spear and said.

The Ten Clan members, supporting the injured, quickly departed.

On the way back.

"Qingshan," Ten Yongfan spoke.

"Father," Ten Qingshan looked at his father.

"Do you think what I did today, taking the silver and letting those bandits go, was wrong?" Ten Yongfan sighed. "Your spear skills are excellent. If I had let you go all out, you could only kill a portion of them at a time, while the others would have killed many of our clansmen. In that case, more of our people would have died."

"To act on momentary impulse and put the clansmen in peril—that is absolutely not permissible," Ten Yongfan taught.

"Father, I understand."

If Ten Qingshan were truly a ten-year-old child, he might have acted rashly due to youthful spirit. But possessing memories of a past life, he understood when to endure and when to erupt.

"Qingshan, you now have a voice within the clan, and you can make decisions. But you must remember: to ensure the continuation of our Ten Clan in this chaotic age, never act on impulse!" Ten Yongfan said. "Always remember, behind you, there are many more clansmen."

"I know, Father." Ten Qingshan felt a stir in his heart.

It wasn't because of his father's words that his heart was unsettled.

It was because... Xingyi Quan!

"Now seems about the right time to teach the clansmen Xingyi Quan," Ten Qingshan pondered internally. "When I was three or four, or five or six, what I said held no weight in the clan. Moreover, a mere child teaching everyone Xingyi Quan would be too ridiculous. But now, I am the foremost person in the clan, and everyone knows my spear skills are formidable! If I state one fabrication, it should be easier for the clansmen to believe."

Ten Qingshan walked on the return path, thinking carefully, and finally settled it: "Yes, when we get back this time, I will discuss it with the Clan Head, Father, and the others."

Upon returning to the village, the fact that most of the group that went out, including Ten Qingshan, were injured shocked the members of Ten Clan Village. Fortunately, no one died, which was within an acceptable range.

At the residence of Clan Head Ten Yunlong.

The several elders of the lineage, along with higher-ranking members like Ten Yongxiang and the armless Ten Yonglei, had gathered there.

"Yongfan, you all did very well this time," Ten Yunlong sighed. "I never expected that cavalry leader to be so petty, sending bandits after us even after giving us the ten thousand taels bank note!"

"To that cavalry leader, we are just ants; he can crush us whenever he wishes," Ten Yonglei sneered.

"In the incident over a hundred years ago, wasn't the then top gang in Yicheng, the 'Bronze Tiger Gang,' trying to establish dominance by destroying our Ten Clan lineage? Fortunately, we fled quickly into the great mountains. But even so, nearly half our clan was slaughtered," Great-Grandpa sighed. "In this world, human lives are the cheapest things."

"Thankfully, everyone returned alive," Ten Yunlong looked at Ten Yongfan and Ten Qingshan. "Yongfan, Qingshan, you father and son must be tired today. Go back and rest early."

"Yes, Master," Ten Yongfan nodded.

"Grandfather!" Ten Qingshan suddenly spoke.

"Hm?" Many people looked toward Ten Qingshan. The elders of the lineage were extremely fond of him; despite his young age, he possessed astonishing martial prowess. Having such a master benefited the entire lineage. For example, today, without Ten Qingshan, perhaps few of the hunting party would have survived. But with Ten Qingshan, not only did everyone survive, but they also forced the bandits to hand over silver.

Ten Qingshan looked at the elders: "Grandfather, there is something I must tell everyone."

"Speak," Ten Yunlong said with a smile.

"What is it, Qingshan?" Great-Grandpa also inquired.

Ten Qingshan said: "Not long after I joined the hunting party, I hunted and killed a tiger. While killing the tiger, I carefully observed its movements. Upon returning, I contemplated it deeply. I remember that Li Jinfu of Li Clan Village was able to develop a set of 'Fierce Tiger Fist' through observation; I, too, have developed a set of Tiger Fist!"

"Tiger Fist?" The clansmen all laughed.

On the lands of Kyushu, countless styles of boxing existed. Because the era was chaotic, who didn't know a move or two?

"Qingshan is truly remarkable," Ten Yunlong praised, without dwelling on it.

"But while practicing this Tiger Fist, and coordinating it with controlled breathing, just a few days ago, I discovered a mysterious force generated within my body!" Ten Qingshan declared.

"A mysterious force generated within the body?" The entire room froze instantly.

"What kind of force?" Ten Yunlong asked eagerly.

Ten Qingshan crouched down: "Grandfather, look." Ten Qingshan held his hand motionless above a wooden stool and simultaneously agitated his internal energy.

"Whoosh!"

The internal energy shot out like an arrow. With a cracking sound, a section of wood on the edge of the wooden stool completely pulverized into dust.

Everyone in the room was stunned, unable to utter a word, staring blankly at the scene.

"Internal Energy!!!" The armless Ten Yonglei was the first to shout.

"It is Internal Energy!" Ten Yongxiang also exclaimed excitedly. "It is Internal Energy!"

"It truly is Internal Energy; I have seen it, this is definitely Internal Energy," Ten Yunlong was also extremely excited. The group of clansmen stared at Ten Qingshan like a pack of hungry wolves fixing their gaze upon a lamb, faces flushed with excitement.

"How is it possible that Qingshan has cultivated Internal Energy?" Ten Yongxiang marveled.

Ten Qingshan also shook his head, feigning confusion: "I don't really know. I was just imitating the tiger's movements, feeling that those movements could temper the body, and simultaneously adjusting my breathing coordination. But I never expected that after practicing for several months, Internal Energy would actually generate within my body. I can hardly believe it myself."

"Hahahaha..." Ten Yunlong burst out laughing. "What is so strange about that? There are countless methods for cultivating Internal Energy in this world, and aren't all these methods created by humans? If others can create them, can the most brilliant genius of our Ten Clan lineage over a thousand years not create one?"

The clansmen nodded one after another.

"If others can create them, it is only fitting that such a genius appears in our Ten Clan," Ten Yongxiang also laughed heartily.

"However, mine is merely simulating the tiger's movements and breathing; there is nothing more profound," Ten Qingshan shook his head.

"Simple is good, simple is good, one step at a time," Ten Yunlong was overjoyed. "That old fellow from Li Clan Village boasted to me that his grandson created the Fierce Tiger Fist; hmph, it's just a fake posture. My grandson's Tiger Fist can actually cultivate Internal Energy; it's stronger than his!"

Ten Qingshan clearly understood that in Xingyi Quan, the Three Stances and the Five Elements Fists, while seemingly simple, were actually the hardest to yield results from. Many masters of Xingyi only practiced the Twelve Forms of Xingyi. Only after achieving success in the Twelve Forms did they then begin to gradually study the Five Elements Fists and the Three Stances.

"Scattered focus is worse than specialization. Teaching them the Twelve Forms is not as good as just teaching the Tiger Form. They will find it easier to achieve success practicing the Tiger Form," Ten Qingshan thought internally.

What he referred to as Tiger Fist was actually the 'Tiger Form Fist' among the Twelve Forms of Xingyi.

"Grandfather, I wish to pass this Tiger Fist on to the clansmen," Ten Qingshan stated.

"Good, good," Ten Yunlong nodded repeatedly.

"Hahaha, if we have Internal Energy, who in Ten Clan Village would dare provoke us?" Ten Yongxiang was also very excited. Ten Yongfan beside him excitedly clapped Ten Qingshan on the shoulder. "Qingshan, I, Ten Yongfan, am proudest in this life to have begotten a son like you, hahaha..."

The group of clansmen was extremely stirred.

Possessing the Tiger Fist, the strength of Ten Clan Village would undergo a drastic change.

"All of you remember this," Ten Yunlong turned and looked around. "Qingshan created this Tiger Fist; do not let it spread outside. From now on, this Tiger Fist will be the secret art of our Ten Clan Village, absolutely not to be passed outside—passed to males, not females!"

"Understood," everyone nodded.