```

Night breeds many dreams, and delay leads to unforeseen changes.

Hence, as soon as the "Road Guide" was settled, Ruyi Commerce Chamber left with the coffin in tow that very evening.

They left behind only the essential staff needed to keep Shanghe County's granary running, maintain normal trade, and receive "Wang Tianchuan and Gao Lin from the canal side" — stewards, guards, servants...

Also leaving with them were eleven young martial artists from the seven martial arts halls of the southern city.

The seven martial arts families had almost unanimously shoved their most promising youths into Ruyi Commerce Chamber.

This was a way to protect and preserve their heritage.

After all, everyone knew that Hanping Prefecture was definitely safer than Shanghe County.

The situation in the northern lands was bad, but just how bad it was, nobody knew for certain as the information had been tightly sealed.

But even the tightest blockade eventually has a moment of breach—the question then is, will things be safe and sound, or terminally ill?

...

...

The carriage rolled on, leaving Shanghe County behind under the vast moonlight.

Madam Tong shifted to lift a corner of the curtain, gazing at the county town that was gradually fading away, and murmured softly, "I've lived here for so long, I'm actually a bit reluctant to leave."

Song Cheng: ???

He couldn't help but laugh.

Madam Tong reproached, "What's so funny?!"

Song Cheng wondered, "You actually want to stay now that we've finally left?"

Madam Tong planted her hands on her hips and tilted her head proudly, snipping, "Can't I just feel a bit of nostalgia?!"

Song Cheng glanced at the data above Madam Tong's head: 13~23.

This was the data showing that the White Snake Blade, Mysterious Turtle Step, and even the Battle Method had reached Great Achievement.

If Madam Tong were to confront the likes of bandit leaders from the past, she would stand a good chance of winning.

While he had indeed taught her earnestly and provided an unending supply of demon beast meat, Madam Tong had also been incredibly hardworking.

It was not easy for her to have broken through to this level in just over half a year.

"Alright, alright," Song Cheng indulged her, then beckoned, and Madam Tong daintily shifted over to sit by his side before leaning on his shoulder.

The fragrance of a woman's hair, carried by the airflow of the jolting carriage, entered the young man's nose, where his keen sense of smell amplified it greatly.

In the dark carriage, they snuggled close to each other.

Forest waves on both sides sounded like the sea, with insects and the night wind intermingling, producing intermittently sharp and strange chirps at midnight.

The darkness was boundless, and the few lights of the small caravan shone like a lonely boat.

The journey ahead was long and unpredictable.

The only thing one could cherish was the present.

Song Cheng whispered, "Take a nap. At best, it will take three days to reach the prefectural city."

Madam Tong responded, then softened her body, lying down obediently like a child, resting her cheek against his thighs, and suddenly patted them lightly, saying, "It's hard."

Song Cheng relaxed his muscles.

Madam Tong wriggled, adjusting her position several times until she was comfortable.

Before long, her breathing became regular.

Song Cheng looked down and gently stroked her hair.

There were the pure white strands, the wonderful contours, the closeness at heart, the intimacy written into the flesh and blood.

The youth watched for a long time before shifting his gaze to the panel:

[Name: Song Cheng]

[Talent: Longevity]

[Points: 86 points]

[Realm: Yellow Level Grade B]

[Cultivation Technique]

True Form of Xuanwu (Four Forms) (Yellow Level Grade B) (Perfection) (+)

Flying Wheel Force (Yellow Level Grade C) (Uninitiated (3/4))

Cleave Force (Yellow Level Grade C) (Uninitiated (2/4))

After grasping the Battle Method, "True Form of Xuanwu" finally revealed a new symbol for further extrapolation.

[A 0.02% chance to extrapolate a Yellow Level Grade A cultivation technique.]

[Refer to techniques of the same realm and sparring with peers of the same realm to increase the chances.]

[Each attempt to extrapolate requires 5 points.]

'Let's not discuss this for now.'

Song Cheng's gaze passed over this and instead lingered on "Flying Wheel Force" and "Cleave Force," then he made a silent decision:

'57 points to cultivate Flying Wheel Force.'

Based on his experience, the points needed to cultivate a Force Realm technique from "Uninitiated" to "Perfection" was 60 points.

As expected, in a moment...

Many cultivation insights surged into his mind.

The progress of "Flying Wheel Force" changed from "Uninitiated (3/4)" to "Perfection," and "Xuanwu True Force" from "Four Forces" to "Five Forces,"

but this time there was something special because after achieving Perfection in "Flying Wheel Force," a new point requirement appeared "0/64".

A line of information popped up.

[Compatible with True Form of Xuanwu, can be elevated and integrated into the True Form]...

'So that's how it is.'

'In other words, this technique can be understood and controlled through my own insights, advancing its superior Form Realm Techniques, and integrating it as part of the True Form of Xuanwu.'

```

'If I can successfully integrate it, my "True Form of Xuanwu" will no longer consist of four forms, but five.'

'Indeed, even lower-level Cultivation Techniques have their uses.'

Song Cheng looked at the remaining 29 points and put them all into "Flying Wheel Force," turning it into "Flying Wheel Force (Yellow Level Grade C) (Perfection (29/64))."

A sensation of twisting and coiling arose within him.

Have you ever seen a spinning top?

When a top spins, it naturally deflects and rebounds anything that comes flying towards it.

This is a kind of "Horizontal Force."

"Horizontal Force" combined with "Hard Force" created a bizarre protective power.

Any attack that hit Song Cheng would have to go through three layers of defense—the Protective Gang Qi, the Spiral Power, and the Hard Force on his body's surface—before finally inflicting any damage on him.

Likewise, if Song Cheng were to strike with all his might, aside from the Gang Qi he could mobilize, there would also be the intertwining of Hard, Horizontal, Thrust, Release, and Absolute Forces, bringing about a power hardly imaginable for an ordinary Force Realm being.

He glanced at the numbers.

They had changed from "93~186" to "103~206."

The Realm had not changed, but his strength had increased significantly, which was indeed excellent.

'It seems I can now confidently wield a power of 51~102, with even some room for enhancement.'

The young man lifted the carriage curtain, stared blankly for a moment, then leaned slightly back and closed his eyes to rest.

...

...

Three days later.

The carriage entered Hanping Prefecture.

The Prefectural City was vast, stretching across mountains, with a total of thirteen gates to the north, south, east, and west, which, combined with the large mountains and rivers, formed a protective wall.

The city was made up of one block after another.

The An Residence was located within the Ping'an Block in West City, bordering the West Market to the north.

The market was a place for large-scale trading, larger than the blocks.

Today was clear.

As the carriage entered the city and was about to reach Ping'an Block, Miss An sat next to Song Cheng and pointed ahead to the left, saying, "Master Shuimo's shop is over there. His shop doesn't cast ordinary weapons but only Mechanical Weapons. Ordinary people can only see his apprentices, and to have him personally craft something, one would need his Casting Ticket."

Song Cheng asked, "So, was my Mechanical Shield cast by his apprentice?"

Miss An nodded, replying, "Master Shuimo's Casting Tickets are only issued a few times a year, as few as three or at most four or five. With the standing of Ruyi Commerce Chamber in the Prefectural City, obtaining one is still too difficult. But anything produced by his shop won't be substandard."

As they conversed, Ying, riding her horse and wielding a blade, looked spirited and held her head high as she rode along.

In the distance, the young people who had followed from the Martial Arts Hall also looked around with curiosity and eagerness to prove themselves in this new world.

Especially Zhao Hua and Liu Jun, the martial artists who had received much guidance from Song Cheng, felt even more so.

After a while, the carriage arrived outside the An Residence.

Seeing the carriage approaching, many An Family members dressed in mourning clothes gathered around, young and old alike, all draped in white.

Cries of grief rose...

An Chenyu directed the carriage to bring the coffin into the residence, where everyone would pay their respects before the burial.

But halfway there, Zhao Hua and the other martial artists were stopped.

Looking towards a middle-aged man in the crowd, An Chenyu simply called out with indifference, "Third Uncle."

She did not "ask this Third Uncle to let people in."

After all, she came to take control of the An Family.

As one taking control, how could she ask for help?

If she sought others' agreement, would she not be handing over control?

In the crowd, the middle-aged man in sackcloth acted as if he hadn't heard and continued directing people to move the coffin inside the residence, while the An Family protectors firmly stopped Zhao Hua and the others.

That Third Uncle silently calculated, waiting for the other party to become agitated, to then slowly explain with statements like, "Non-family members are not allowed in," "You have to understand, great-niece," and "This is the family rule of the An Family."

Those who harp about rules, do they honestly do it for the sake of the rules themselves?

Of course not.

They aim to control the narrative and the adjudication, deciding who is right and who is wrong and wielding the power to reward or to punish.

This is a common trick in family struggles.

After the old master's death, this Third Uncle united many and, especially the remaining Force Realm Warrior, tried to pressure this niece with seniority so that afterward... the niece would still earn the money, but they would call the shots.

However, An Chenyu, seeing no response from him, turned around and walked out of the yard without another word.

Just as she left the yard, Zhao Hua immediately called out, "Who dares obstruct the way as we escort the old master's coffin home?"

The protectors had their orders, shouting, "Those who aren't of the An Family cannot enter! A son-in-law living with his wife's family has low status and is not allowed inside!"

Both sides instantly started a "talking past each other" dialogue.

One side shouting "Escorting the coffin, who dares obstruct," and the other "Non-family members, cannot enter."

The conflict was ready to ignite.

Then...

The protectors were instantly overwhelmed and found themselves howling and rolling on the ground.

The eleven martial artists were the hope of the seven southern Martial Arts Halls, among whom were no less than five Force Realm prodigies.

Five Force Realm brimming with youthful vigor against protectors who were at most in the Power Realm—was this not a total rout?

And the only Force Realm warrior of the An Family had not dared to make a move from beginning to end because he saw in the nearby sunlight and breeze, a young blindfolded boy, remaining calmly oriented towards him.

Behind the blind youth were Mr. Wang and his son.

Mr. Wang was frantically waving his hand at the protector, while Wang Tianma was standing there with a rueful smile, respectful and motionless.

The protector suddenly understood something: perhaps it was time for change within the An Family.

He dejectedly lowered his blade, silently moved aside, gave it a thought, and then cupping his fists, called out, "Protector Wan Qing greets you, son-in-law."

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