The Wang Family

Meanwhile, Shen Xiuhan parted ways with Chen An and walked alone down the long street, his thoughts spinning rapidly.

Han Li...

What on earth was the background of this obscure young master of the Han family?

Zhao Honggang was no nobody.

As a genius famous throughout Changyun, Zhao Honggang possessed outstanding talent. At such a young age, he had already reached the peak of the Tendon Tempering Rank, just a single step away from breaking through to the Anjin Rank!

A few months ago, relying on his older age and higher cultivation, he had even defeated Jiang Qinghong by half a move.

Yet, such a fierce character had actually been severely injured by Han Li, to the point of falling unconscious!

So, the question was...

Just how powerful was Han Li?

At this thought, Shen Xiuhan's mind stirred, and a faint golden light spread out like ink:

【Today's Intelligence has been refreshed!】

【Intelligence 1: Han Li, over twenty-five years old, newly entered the Anjin Rank. He has reached Great Perfection in the 『Greenwood Stance』, Great Accomplishment in the 『Falling Smoke Movement Technique』, and Minor Accomplishment in the fragmented 『Qingyuan Sword Art』. He has mastered sword glow and is skilled in alchemy! Currently hiding with Song Huatang and Han Huiwan at the Han family estate in Xiqi Village of the Outer City. (Coordinates...)】

Anjin!

Shen Xiuhan paused, his eyes narrowing.

Although he had some suspicions about Han Li's cultivation, seeing the intelligence still shook him to the core.

‘An Anjin Rank expert at twenty-five... This talent leaves Zhao Honggang far in the dust.’

‘Yet this person keeps such a low profile, lying low in the Han estate for years without making a sound, without a shred of the arrogance typical of those who succeed at a young age.’

‘With this kind of temperament, if he isn't planning to shock the world with a single strike, then he must have an even greater scheme.’

‘What's more, he is also proficient in alchemy and has even mastered the "sword glow"!’

Shen Xiuhan was secretly alarmed. He had once read records about the "sword glow" in the ancient texts of the Mei Courtyard.

The so-called sword glow was the mark of a sword cultivator truly stepping over the threshold of the Dao of the sword.

Once mastered, sword qi could cling to and flow along the edge of the blade when unleashed, multiplying its lethality and making it effortless to slice through gold and shatter jade.

Furthermore, this technique was the perfect counter to defensive armor and body-tempering martial artists who trained in external physical conditioning.

Of course, such a lethal technique could not be mastered through hard work alone.

Only those with an exceptional natural talent for the sword could comprehend this realm.

Clearly, Han Li was a rare sword genius!

‘Fortunately, Han Li and I are somewhat acquainted and have no enmity...’

Shen Xiuhan glanced at the next two pieces of intelligence and smiled coldly to himself.

‘As for the Tongbei Martial Arts Hall, they have truly suffered eight lifetimes of bad luck...’

【Intelligence 2: Zhao Honggang of the Tongbei Martial Arts Hall has suffered completely shattered ribs and a pulverized shoulder bone. Three of his five main tendons for Tendon Tempering have been severed, leaving him with no hope of ever reaching the Anjin Rank in this lifetime. The physicians of Changyun County are helpless. Unwilling to abandon his disciple, Yan Xiao intends to leave the county tonight to seek treatment from the famous physician Wen Songling in Changshui County.】

【Intelligence 3: Having suffered this blow, the Tongbei Martial Arts Hall has been severely weakened. At the same time, dissatisfied with the level of support from the Wang family in their struggle against the Bai family, Song Yanrong intends to secretly visit the Bai Mansion later tonight to seek a truce...】

The commotion Han Li caused this time had completely muddied the waters.

Rescuing Song Huatang and his mother while effortlessly crippling Zhao Honggang in the process...

This forced Yan Xiao to take him to Changshui County overnight to seek a famous physician.

The Tongbei Martial Arts Hall was already at a disadvantage in its struggle against the Bai family.

Now, their headquarters had been raided, yet they couldn't even figure out who the culprit was.

Distracted and overwhelmed, how could they possibly have any strength left to fight to the death with the Bai family?

Moreover, the Wang family had been reluctant to enter the fray themselves, only sending underhanded groups like the Luanbo Gang to slowly encroach upon the Bai family's territory. They were clearly using the Tongbei Martial Arts Hall as a shield.

This behavior had likely filled Yan Xiao and Song Yanrong with resentment long ago.

Now, seeing that the situation was dire, Song Yanrong wanted to take this opportunity to back down gracefully and seek a truce...

Connecting the clues one by one, Shen Xiuhan's heart rate began to quicken.

Yan Xiao was going to leave the city overnight for Changshui County.

Song Yanrong was going to the Bai Mansion to negotiate.

Feng Xiaobao and Ma Xianyang were leading a large group of disciples to block the Inner City gates and the docks, searching for Han Li like headless chickens...

Shen Xiuhan clenched his fists tightly.

‘A godsent opportunity!’

If he missed this chance, who knew how long he would have to wait before he could sneak into the Tongbei Martial Arts Hall and obtain the original manual of the 『Tongbei Stance』.

Shen Xiuhan suddenly looked up.

The sun was high in the sky. It was roughly the hour of Shen, with a few hours left before dark.

‘No rush... Haste makes waste. I'll wait until Yan Xiao and Song Yanrong leave.’

Shen Xiuhan took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement in his heart, and looked at the fourth piece of intelligence.

【Intelligence 4: The young son of the cook, Madam Shi, has been abducted by the Bai family's "Martial Enforcement Hall." He is currently being secretly transported to the prison on "Fish Island" on the northern side of Yunyi Island. Tang Jin, the fifth chief of Chenjian Dock, nicknamed the "Blood Fiend Blade," personally oversees the island. (Coordinates...)】

Fish Island...

The excitement in Shen Xiuhan's heart cooled, and a strange look flashed across his eyes.

Since taking office as the Patrol Envoy, Shen Xiuhan had become thoroughly familiar with the factions around Yunyi Island.

Cloudwater Lake was vast. The "Giant Whale Gang" and "Water Dragon Stockade" entrenched on the eastern side mostly engaged in rough work like robbing merchant ships and plundering villages.

But Fish Island was different.

This island belonged to a branch directly under Chenjian Dock. It was situated right to the north of Yunyi Island, like a thorn embedded in the waterway.

The chief on the island, Tang Jin, was accustomed to using a nine-ringed, thick-backed broadsword. His blade style was bold, fierce, and ruthless, earning him the nickname "Blood Fiend Blade."

Through the incident with Lu Ya, Shen Xiuhan had already learned that the Bai family was connected to Chenjian Dock.

But he had not expected their relationship to run this deep.

Shen Xiuhan's thoughts raced like lightning.

‘No, that's not right...’

‘Some time ago, the number of Outer City commoners who went to the government office to report child-snatching cases added up to twenty or thirty households in total!’

‘If the Bai family had sold them to brothels, it would be impossible for not a single rumor to leak out with so many young children involved.’

‘Now it seems that eighty percent of those children, just like Madam Shi's young son, were abducted by the Bai family and sent to Fish Island by water!’

‘But what on earth is the Bai family plotting by secretly keeping so many young children locked up on Fish Island?’

...

In the northern part of the city, at the Wang family's back courtyard.

It featured blue bricks, grey tiles, and high, upturned eaves.

Hanging above the lintel was an ebony plaque with three characters inscribed in powerful, vigorous strokes: "Hall of Quiet Reflection."

The furnishings inside the hall were simple but elegant.

A bronze incense burner rested on a long red sandalwood table, with curls of sandalwood smoke drifting out from the openwork lid, filling the room with a tranquil fragrance.

On the flower stands on both sides sat pots of green pine bonsai, their gnarled branches twisting with a touch of ancient charm.

Seated on the grand armchair in the center was a middle-aged man dressed in a loose white robe.

His face was lean and refined, his breathing so long and deep it was almost imperceptible, and his aura was as deep as an abyss and as steady as a mountain.

Standing below him was a handsome young man of about twenty-six or twenty-seven.

The young man had sword-like eyebrows extending to his temples. His hands, hanging at his sides, had well-defined knuckles and faint calluses on the knuckles, clearly indicating someone who had trained in martial arts for many years.

“Patriarch.”

The young man broke the silence in the hall. He cupped his fists and spoke in a steady voice,

“Brothers from the Luanbo Gang have reported that they tracked the movements of the Bai family's Martial Enforcement Hall at the docks.”

“The other party acted with extreme caution, using several tightly sealed carriages to load dozens of large wooden crates onto a ship.”

The young man paused before continuing,

“On the night Gao Nian was killed, two members of the Golden Dragon Gang who survived the silencing were taken in by Tang Cheng.”

“These two informed Tang Cheng that the crates most likely contained the young children who had gone missing due to the child-snatching cases during the day. They said the Bai family had been doing this secretly for a long time, but they didn't dare to interfere back then...”

At this point, the young man showed a look of confusion,

“But I don't understand...”

“What on earth is the Bai family plotting by abducting these young children and secretly sending them to Fish Island?”