Uncle Tang nodded. “That’s his condition, Young Master. He’s the only formation master I know of. Until we find another, if we want to break the formation around the Terrestrial Martial Realm ruin, we have to go to him.”
“But his condition…” Song Yongquan hesitated. Even as the young master of the Song family, the formation master’s terms gave him a chilling sense of dread.
“Young Master, this has been his unchanging condition for decades. If you don’t want to hire him, we’ll have to find another way,” Uncle Tang said.
“Let me think about it,” Song Yongquan replied. The condition was too outrageous for him to agree to lightly.
Uncle Tang didn’t press further. If not for the urgency of accessing the ruin, he wouldn’t have suggested this formation master. He knew why Song Yongquan was hesitant—the terms were not something anyone could easily accept.
“What about the other group that discovered the ruin? Any news?” Song Yongquan asked, his voice heavy as he shifted topics.
“No. The men we sent to hunt them down haven’t returned. They’re likely dead,” Uncle Tang replied.
Bang!
Song Yongquan slammed the tea table. “Who are these people, daring to oppose me? They must be tired of living.”
“Young Master, if I’m not mistaken, they’re likely from an ancient martial family,” Uncle Tang said.
“Ancient martial family?” Song Yongquan was taken aback, puzzled.
“Ancient martial families focus solely on martial cultivation, unlike families like ours. They value strength above all, with centuries of history. Their members prioritize martial training, often living in remote mountains or forests,” Uncle Tang explained. He paused, then continued, “Unlike us, they don’t seek fame or profit. They’re inconspicuous in China. The people we encountered in the Hundred Thousand Mountains are likely from such a family. The mountains are one of China’s seven forbidden zones, a common training ground for these families.”
“So, they’re strong?” Song Yongquan’s expression grew serious.
“Yes and no,” Uncle Tang replied.
“What does that mean?” Song Yongquan asked, confused.
“Young Master, these families stay hidden, so their true strength is unknown. But martial cultivation requires vast resources. Without them, even the most talented can’t achieve much. Most of these families are weaker than third-rate clans. However, the powerful ones rival the eight top families and are forces even we dare not provoke,” Uncle Tang explained.
“There are ancient martial families that rival the eight top families?” Song Yongquan’s eyes widened in disbelief. To him, the eight top families were China’s pinnacle. How could there be others on their level?
“Yes. The eight top families focus on cities, while these families avoid worldly conflicts, so there’s no clash of interests,” Uncle Tang said.
“My father knows about them too?” Song Yongquan asked. This was his first time hearing of such families, both enlightening and shocking. How many secrets of the world did he still not know?
“It’s no secret among the higher-ups of the eight top families. Even some first-rate families know of them. I learned of it from the Second Master,” Uncle Tang said.
Song Yongquan took a deep breath, feeling a pang of dejection. As the Song family’s young master and a potential heir, he hadn’t yet entered the family’s inner circle, clearly not fully recognized by its leadership.
“So, the people in the Hundred Thousand Mountains are likely from an ancient martial family?” he asked grimly. “What now? I’ve sent men to hunt them. Making peace might be impossible.”
Realizing he might have targeted a family rivaling the eight top families, Song Yongquan felt a chill. Had he known, he’d never have pursued them.
He glanced at Uncle Tang with some resentment. Knowing so much, why hadn’t Uncle Tang warned him?
But then, the ruin was so valuable—how could he pass up the chance to eliminate witnesses?
“Young Master, our only option now is to keep hunting them and guard the exits of the Hundred Thousand Mountains. If we find them, wipe them out,” Uncle Tang said, a cold glint in his eyes. To him, these were likely ordinary disciples without strong protectors. Killing them was no big deal, even if they were from a top ancient martial family. With the Song family behind them, what was there to fear?
“Right, that’s the plan,” Song Yongquan said decisively. He wasn’t one to hesitate. “We can mobilize the family’s forces. The Hundred Thousand Mountains are in our territory. I refuse to believe we can’t find them.”
“Young Master, I’ll make the arrangements,” Uncle Tang said, leaving the pavilion.
After Uncle Tang left, Song Yongquan picked up the phone and dialed a number. “I need you to do something.”
“Speak,” a cold voice replied.
“Investigate someone,” Song Yongquan said, giving a name.
“You’ll have answers in a day,” the voice said before hanging up.
Song Yongquan set down the phone, a sharp glint in his eyes.
Tap, tap, tap…
Footsteps approached, and Song Yongquan looked up to see Uncle Tang returning, looking urgent.
“Uncle Tang, what’s wrong?” he asked.
“Young Master, something’s happened in Kunyang Town,” Uncle Tang said hurriedly.
“Kunyang Town?” Song Yongquan was stunned, not expecting this. “What happened?”
“The Du Clan in Kunyang Town has been wiped out,” Uncle Tang said.
Before he could finish, Song Yongquan jumped up, incredulous. “The Du Clan was wiped out? How? Are they idiots? How could they be destroyed out of nowhere?”
“Young Master, the news just came from Kunyang Town. I believe even the family head has been alerted,” Uncle Tang said.
“What about the Du Clan’s patriarch? He’s a peak Acquired Realm martial artist,” Song Yongquan asked urgently.
“He was killed,” Uncle Tang replied, his tone heavy with shock.
“How is that possible?” Song Yongquan couldn’t believe it.
The Du Clan, though not a vassal of the Song family, had good relations with them. The patriarch, a peak Acquired Realm martial artist, was a significant figure. How could he be killed, and the clan destroyed, just like that? Who had such power?
This was Nanling Province, the Song family’s stronghold, where they’d operated for over a thousand years. Their eyes watched every corner, and no movement escaped them.
Yet, the Du Clan was annihilated, and its patriarch killed, without a whisper of warning.
“When did an Innate Realm martial artist enter Nanling Province?” Song Yongquan asked, taking a deep breath.
“There’s no such information,” Uncle Tang shook his head.
“No wonder my father’s alarmed. An Innate Realm martial artist in Nanling Province, and we didn’t know? That’s a failure of our intelligence,” Song Yongquan said gravely. If an Innate Realm martial artist could kill the Du patriarch today, it could be a Song family member tomorrow. They had to be on guard.
“Young Master, besides the Du Clan’s destruction and the patriarch’s death, Zheng Xiaoyang, the Third Master of Zhongyuan Province’s Zheng family, is dead too. Of the Zheng family members he brought, all but one, who’s missing, are dead,” Uncle Tang added.
“What?” Song Yongquan spun to face him, enunciating each word. “Zheng Xiaoyang is dead too?”
“Yes,” Uncle Tang confirmed, meeting Song Yongquan’s piercing gaze. He realized Song Yongquan was beginning to carry the authority of a family head.
Song Yongquan took a deep breath to process the shocking news.
The Du Clan’s destruction and the patriarch’s death were shocking enough, but Zheng Xiaoyang’s death was staggering.
Unlike the Du patriarch, a lone figure valued only for his strength and utility in guarding the Hundred Thousand Mountains’ exits, Zheng Xiaoyang was backed by the Zheng family, which was tied to the Fu family, one of the eight top families. Though the Song and Fu families were once allies, they were now at odds. Zheng Xiaoyang’s death in Nanling Province, Song family territory, would provoke reactions from both the Zheng and Fu families.
Staring at Uncle Tang, Song Yongquan asked, “Are you saying the Du Clan’s destruction and the patriarch’s death are linked to Zheng Xiaoyang? Did he have the strength to kill the patriarch?”
“Young Master, Zheng Xiaoyang and the patriarch died together. It seems they fought fiercely, but someone else killed them both,” Uncle Tang said, shaking his head.
“What?” Song Yongquan was incredulous. Both were peak Acquired Realm martial artists. A mutual defeat was plausible, but a third party killing them both was unthinkable.
“It’s true,” Uncle Tang nodded. He’d been skeptical when he first heard but confirmed the news before reporting.
Song Yongquan suddenly thought of someone. “Uncle Tang, any news of Li Feng? Could this be related to him?”
