The Teng Family Village training grounds. The clansmen, who had just finished their Tiger Fist drills, were all steaming in the cold.

The river water had frozen solid after the heavy snow. Yet, the Teng men stood firm, gripping their crimson-tasseled iron pikes, their gazes fixed upon the outsider in the center of the field!

A hundred heavy cavalrymen! "Hmm, not bad." Gu Shiyou sat high atop his warhorse, his eyes sweeping over the men of the Teng clan, then lingering briefly on the terrified and worried women and children.

A faint smile touched his lips. "Worthy of being the foremost estate within tens of miles.

Bare-chested in midwinter... quite impressive." Though he spoke these words, Gu Shiyou held these backwoods savages in utter contempt.

As the Young Master of Azure Lake Island, a single command from him could reduce such a village to scorched earth! For an ordinary village, he could simply slaughter them at will.

But this was the ancestral home of Teng Qingshan! If word spread, people would say that Gu Shiyou, consumed by jealousy of Teng Qingshan, took his vengeance out on his kin.

He would be ridiculed by the world! No harm should come to the families of one’s foes!

This was a creed followed by martial artists. Revenge for grievances, clear debts of gratitude and enmity—they could kill countless people, and the world would say nothing.

"Teng Qingshan grew up in such a barbaric, impoverished place?" Gu Shiyou mused internally. At this moment, clan members were pouring out of every alleyway in the Teng Village.

"Esteemed Sir!" A deep, aged voice rang out. Gu Shiyou turned his head.

The speaker was a robust elder with a head full of silver hair: the old Clan Head of Teng Village, 'Teng Yunlong'. Just then, Teng Yongfan finally arrived, rushing to stand beside Teng Yunlong.

"Master!" Teng Yongfan murmured softly. Teng Yunlong gave him a knowing look.

Teng Yongfan had only recently taken over as Clan Head; historically, Teng Yunlong had always managed major affairs. "We do not know what instructions the esteemed sirs have for our Teng Village.

Whatever your command, the people of Teng Village will certainly exert every effort to carry it out." Teng Yunlong smiled. This old man, who had survived a lifetime in turbulent times, recognized instantly that these heavy cavalrymen were in no way inferior to the 'Black Armored Army'.

Therefore, he dared not harbor even the slightest hope. "You are the Clan Head?" Gu Shiyou looked down at Teng Yunlong.

"Indeed." Teng Yunlong positioned himself squarely in front of his disciple, 'Teng Yongfan'. Teng Yongfan felt a sudden anxiety...

He knew that if disaster struck, the Clan Head would be the first to suffer. Teng Yunlong claiming the title first was truly for his own good.

"Listen well," Gu Shiyou looked down condescendingly at the assembled crowd. "Your Teng Village will select the three best hunters to temporarily serve under the command of my Azure Lake Island!" "May I ask, Sir?

What will these three clansmen be required to do if they go?" Teng Yunlong asked. "Silence!" Gu Shiyou barked, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"You will obey obediently. When I have not permitted questioning, you are forbidden to speak!

If you question me again... I won't hesitate to claim a few lives!" Behind Gu Shiyou, the Silver Flood Dragon Army soldiers gripped their spears, their eyes gleaming bloodthirstily at the villagers of Teng Village.

"Yes, yes." Teng Yunlong repeatedly agreed. "Your three best hunters!" Gu Shiyou glanced over at the other hunters mounted on the Silver Flood Dragon Army horses.

"However, I have already heard from the hunters of other estates. Your Teng Village hunters are the most formidable.

The captain of the hunting party, named 'Teng Qinghao'. And your current foremost hero in Teng Village is Teng Yongfan!

Therefore, these two must come!" When Teng Qingshan was young, his father, Teng Yongfan, was the foremost hero of the clan. After practicing the Tiger Fist, Teng Yongfan’s strength was second only to Teng Qingshan and Teng Qinghu.

Once Teng Qingshan and the other departed for the Guiyuan Sect, Teng Yongfan became the top figure in the clan. "Brother Fan," Yuan Lan, standing behind Teng Yongfan, saw her expression change drastically.

Teng Yongfan gripped his wife's hand, appearing remarkably calm. "Sir," Teng Yunlong said urgently, "It is true that Teng Yongfan is the foremost hero of Teng Village, but he is the clan’s master blacksmith, so he never ventures into the mountains.

He is not a hunter!" Teng Yunlong’s statement was partially untrue; although Teng Yongfan was a blacksmith, he had participated in hunting parties in his youth. It was only as his skill in ironworking improved that he gradually stopped joining the hunting teams.

"Hoo!" A black phantom flashed. Teng Yunlong’s expression shifted.

He barely managed to raise both hands to shield his chest before feeling a searing pain in them. The sound of bone fracturing echoed.

"Crack!" Teng Yunlong was flung away like a tattered sack. "Master!" "Old Clan Head!" Cries of alarm erupted.

Two young men from the clan instantly reached out and caught the falling elder. "Clang!" "Whoosh!" Seeing this, several enraged clansmen hastily donned their heavy armor, their eyes blazing as they glared at the intruders.

Even when weak, the men of Teng Village dared to fight bandits. Now that the village was strong...

though fearful of the heavy cavalry’s power, once their blood boiled, they feared nothing! "Master," "Godfather!" Teng Yongfan and Yuan Lan rushed to Teng Yunlong's side.

The old Clan Head had blood trickling from his lips, and his hands trembled; the gruesome sight of exposed white bone was visible through the bloody gashes on his hands. "Cough, cough..." Teng Yunlong coughed twice, forcing a strained smile.

"Yongfan, A'lan. It's fine...

Thankfully I practiced the Tiger Fist. Although both hands are ruined, my life is spared." Teng Yunlong's Tiger Fist practice had strengthened his body and internal organs.

The pike strike, absorbed by his hands, had injured him severely but failed to take his life. "Master!" Teng Yongfan's eyes turned red, tears welling up.

His master, Teng Yunlong, had had his hands destroyed! "You're past forty, don't carry on like this.

When I was young, hunting beasts in the Great Yan Mountains with your grandfather and the others, we suffered broken hands and legs, yet we still gritted our teeth and fought on!" Teng Yunlong smiled comfortingly. As an elder, his resilience was far greater.

"Old man, I told you just now, you listen, you do not question! This time I spared your life, but next time..." Gu Shiyou's voice remained placid.

Yet, Gu Shiyou felt a deep shock internally. He had unleashed that strike casually, intending merely to intimidate the people of Teng Village.

Even though it was a casual blow, he hadn't held back. In his estimation, an old fellow like that should have been killed instantly.

But clearly, this old Clan Head of Teng Village was stronger than he had anticipated. "Men of Teng Village, do you wish to clash with the Silver Flood Dragon Army of Azure Lake Island?" Gu Shiyou swept his gaze over the enraged clansmen.

The injured Teng Yunlong struggled to stand, leaning on Teng Yongfan, and managed a slight smile: "How would our poor mountain village dare to fight the esteemed sirs of Azure Lake Island? Wouldn't that be seeking death?" Gu Shiyou chuckled.

Then, Teng Yunlong continued, "Perhaps the esteemed sirs of Azure Lake Island do not know. The First Commander of the Guiyuan Sect's Black Armored Army, 'Teng Qingshan', is my maternal grandson!" The training ground of Teng Village fell suddenly silent.

"You ask my Teng Village to send three hunters, that is not an issue. However, Teng Yongfan is Qingshan's father, and he is a blacksmith, not a hunter!

There is no reason why he should go do chores for the Azure Lake Island sirs." Teng Yunlong stared at Gu Shiyou. In a clan, the Clan Head is paramount; how could he allow the Clan Head to be taken away so easily?

Gu Shiyou narrowed his eyes. "This old fellow is truly troublesome." If the elder hadn't mentioned Teng Qingshan, he could have feigned ignorance and taken Teng Yongfan away directly.

But now the name had been spoken! If he insisted on taking him, forcibly dragging the father of a Xiantian expert away for menial labor, the news would sound terrible.

"Azure Lake Island is one of the Eight Great Sects of Jiuzhou!" Teng Yunlong thought privately. "According to what I've read, the larger the sect, the more they value face.

If I hadn't mentioned Qingshan's name, they could pretend ignorance. But now that I have mentioned it, they should exercise some restraint." "Commander Teng of the Guiyuan Sect?" Gu Shiyou feigned surprise, looking around.

"I truly did not expect this Teng Village to be Teng Qingshan's ancestral home." "However!" Gu Shiyou's face turned cold again. "Teng Qinghao and Teng Yongfan must be taken.

This is a military order! A military order is as firm as a mountain.

My Azure Lake Island is the foremost sect in Yangzhou; we cannot alter a military order for a mere Commander of the Guiyuan Sect. As for Teng Yongfan being Teng Qingshan's father...

I will report it to my General in the Silver Flood Dragon Army! If the General changes the order, Teng Yongfan will be returned...

but for now, he must come!" "Any who dare resist shall be executed without mercy!" Gu Shiyou’s gaze was sharp. Teng Yunlong trembled inwardly.

He understood... this man genuinely intended to take Teng Yongfan!

If Azure Lake Island was determined to seize Teng Yongfan, what excuse could they not use? ...

A wave of agitation swept across the training grounds; many clansmen were furious. "I will go with you," Teng Yongfan stood up.

Many people panicked. "Brother Fan," Yuan Lan grabbed his hand, tears threatening to spill in her distress.

Teng Yongfan turned, smiling, and gently touched his wife's cheek: "A'lan, you know, I have to go!" Yuan Lan’s tears flowed. She understood!

The men from Azure Lake Island clearly intended to take Teng Yongfan. If they refused today, many people would likely die.

"A'fan, Qinghao, I will accompany you," a middle-aged man with grizzled temples, carrying a heavy bow and wielding an iron pike, stepped forward. "Father," Teng Qinghao looked at the newcomer in surprise.

This man was 'Teng Yongxiang', the clan's spear technique master. Teng Yongxiang was over fifty.

His wife having passed away early, he doted on his son, Qinghao. The arrival of Azure Lake Island was ill-intentioned, and he felt uneasy leaving his son alone.

"En." Teng Yongfan and Teng Yongxiang exchanged a look. They had been like brothers for decades; if they went together, they would not be easily overwhelmed if trouble arose.

"Qinghao," "Father," Teng Qinghao's wife and their young son and daughter clung to him. Teng Qinghao stroked the heads of his two children: "When Father is away, listen to Mother, understand?" "We understand, Father," The clear, bright eyes of his two children were filled with tears.

"Mount up," Gu Shiyou frowned and commanded. Teng Yongfan, Teng Yongxiang, and Teng Qinghao offered smiles to the clansmen.

Then, each gripping a refined iron pike—Teng Qinghao and Teng Yongxiang also carried bows on their backs—the three men mounted horses, sharing a mount with a soldier of the Azure Lake Island army. "Depart!" Gu Shiyou gave the order.

Turning their horses, the hundred heavy cavalrymen sped away like a burst of thunder, leaving behind the clansmen of Teng Village, their hearts heavy with worry for their kin.