Chapter 131: Heart Execution

"Why?"

Qi Yanhong’s voice was slightly hoarse as he fixed a deadly stare at the two Devotees from Jinyuan Prosperity Trading.

His body trembled slightly, no longer able to maintain his usual composure. At this moment, he was like a cornered lion—fierce and desperate.

When Chen Ming and the others barged straight into the study, his heart sank; he knew the situation was beyond salvation.

This was the core of the Qi Residence, yet his enemies had swaggered in unchallenged. No one had even raised an alarm.

What did that mean?

Either everyone in the Qi Residence had been slaughtered—

Or someone from within had led them in.

The reaction of the two Devotees when Chen Ming and the others entered made everything clear.

No matter how hard Qi Yanhong tried to rationalize it, he couldn’t understand. These two had always been loyal to Jinyuan Prosperity Trading, and he had treated them well. Why would they betray him?

Devotee Pang looked at him coldly, pulled out a golden token, and said word by word, "Lord Fang has ordered: from this day forth, Qi Yanhong is removed from the position of Chief Manager of Jinyuan Prosperity Trading. He shall be dealt with by Chen Erlang Jun."

As soon as those words were spoken, everyone from the Qi Family present felt as though struck by lightning, their faces turning ashen.

Lord Fang was the true backer behind Jinyuan Prosperity Trading, the actual master behind the scenes.

Over the years, however, Lord Fang had placed great trust in the Qi Family and never interfered in the management of Jinyuan Prosperity Trading, only sending people annually to collect a share of the profits.

With time, the Qi Family members had unconsciously begun to overlook Lord Fang's existence, believing the business belonged to them.

Now, with the sudden betrayal of the two Devotees and Lord Fang’s order displayed before them, their illusions were shattered—they realized that Jinyuan Prosperity Trading had never belonged to them.

Qi Yanhong stared at the golden token in Devotee Pang’s hand as the color drained from his face. In a bitter voice, he said, "Chen Erlang, quite the tactic!"

He knew he had lost—completely.

Chen Ming had managed to persuade Lord Fang to abandon him.

The two Devotees he had worked so hard to win over over the years had chosen Lord Fang without hesitation. It could be said that both he and the Qi Family had suffered a crushing defeat.

He laughed bitterly. "I underestimated you! You’ve won. What do you intend to do with the Qi Family?"

Chen Ming smiled. His gaze swept over the faces of everyone in the study as he said, "A grievance must be settled with the one responsible. I’ve said it before: I only want the heads of Qi Xingdong, Lu Zhihao, and the maid who framed me back then. Present their heads to me, and the past enmity will be written off."

As he spoke, he drew a dagger from his robe and threw it out. With a thud, it embedded itself in the center of the desk.

Qi Xingdong’s face turned deathly pale. He suddenly sensed the changing gazes from several uncles in the room and immediately realized Chen Ming’s sinister intent. He cursed furiously, "You little bastard! I should’ve just killed you back then… You think it was only the maid who framed you? If it hadn’t been for…"

"Shut up!"

A middle-aged man in the room changed expression and lunged forward, striking Qi Xingdong’s forehead with a palm.

Crack! Qi Xingdong didn’t even groan before collapsing dead on the spot.

Chen Ming watched this enemy die before his eyes, yet his expression remained unchanged.

The middle-aged man said solemnly, "Xingdong is dead. As for Lu Zhihao and the maid, I will have them captured. I hope Erlang Jun will keep his word and no longer make things difficult for the Qi Family."

Chen Ming shook his head. "Killing just those few isn't enough."

The middle-aged man’s face twisted in rage and disbelief. "Are you going back on your word?"

Chen Ming responded coldly, "Last night, four pirates infiltrated my residence to assassinate me. Wasn’t that your Qi Family’s doing?"

The man hastily disavowed any connection. "That was Qi Yanhong acting alone. It has nothing to do with us. We didn’t even know he was colluding with pirates."

"Very well." Chen Ming suddenly smiled. "Kill Qi Yanhong too, and I’ll let it go."

The middle-aged man hesitated.

Qi Yanhong’s prestige was immense. For a moment, he couldn’t summon the courage to act. After several shifts in his expression, his gaze turned increasingly vicious.

He said darkly, "Seventh Uncle, Third Brother, Fifth Brother. The Qi Family’s survival depends on this moment. We can’t hesitate any longer. Let’s do it together."

He intended to drag the others down with him. He wouldn’t bear the burden of villainy alone.

…

The other four present felt a chill watching this unfold. They all thought the same—this Chen Ming, despite his young age, was incredibly ruthless. His words were clearly meant to drive the Qi Family into infighting.

Not only did he want blood, he wanted hearts broken.

That the Qi Family had come this far was all thanks to Qi Yanhong alone. Yet now, when facing life and death, his clan betrayed him without hesitation, even ready to kill him with their own hands.

One could only imagine the fury in Qi Yanhong’s heart.

Some of them even felt a tinge of sympathy for him. After all, he was once a top figure in Qingfeng City. And now, he had ended up like this.

Finally, the eldest among them spoke up. "Eldest Son, you heard it yourself. We’re doing this for the Qi Family. Don’t blame us."

Qi Yanhong’s face was ashen, as if aged ten years in an instant. He hadn’t even reacted when his son was killed earlier. But now, upon hearing the elder's words, he finally raised his head, his cold gaze sweeping across them. "Idiots!"

His voice squeezed out from between clenched teeth, chilling to the bone.

He raised his hand—

A dozen streaks of light flashed.

Shk-shk-shk—

Before the Qi Family members could react, blood holes appeared in their throats. Without even understanding what had happened, they dropped dead.

Another dozen icy glints shot straight toward Chen Ming and his group.

The sudden ambush took everyone by surprise. The two Devotees from Jinyuan Prosperity Trading and the two guards behind Chen Ming reacted with lightning speed, drawing their weapons to deflect the incoming hidden weapons.

But they couldn’t cover others.

The two guards cried out inwardly—it was clear Qi Yanhong’s true target was Chen Ming. The projectiles coming their way were just distractions to prevent them from helping.

They had never imagined Qi Yanhong was a Fifth Grade Expert!

Caught unprepared, they were completely blindsided.

Chen Ming was only Sixth Grade—how could he possibly react in time?

The two guards were struck with panic. If Chen Ming died, how would they explain to the master?

Clang clang!

Just as they prepared to strike down Qi Yanhong—

A flash of dazzling sword light caught the corner of their eyes and knocked two projectiles out of the air.

This was—

The two of them looked at Chen Ming, completely unharmed, with disbelief in their eyes.

Fifth Grade?

The latest novel is published here!

He was actually Fifth Grade?

…

"Qi Yanhong, you sure hid it well."

The longsword in Chen Ming’s hand continued to hum softly. Looking at the dazed expression on Qi Yanhong’s face, he felt a bit of lingering fear. If not for someone whispering a warning into his ear earlier, he might have fallen for it.

This old schemer actually possessed the cultivation of a Fifth Grade Expert!

Just moments ago, the few members of the Qi Family had dared to attack Qi Yanhong. That meant even these core figures of the Qi Family were unaware of his true strength.

Far too insidious.

At such close range, without any guard up, only a Fourth Grade Expert might have reacted in time. Because a Fourth Grade Martial Artist already possessed defensive true qi, allowing them to react instantly in the face of danger.

A Fifth Grade Martial Artist lacked that capability.

"Fifth Grade… you’re actually Fifth Grade…"

Qi Yanhong was even more shocked than he was. For the first time, he lost composure, looking deranged. "Impossible… How could you be Fifth Grade?"

How long had it been since he broke through to Sixth Grade?

He himself had spent half a lifetime just to barely reach Fifth Grade. From Sixth to Fifth, it had taken him ten whole years.

Heaven was unjust!

Chen Ming wasted no more words and thrust his sword forward, executing the killer move “Setting Sun Returns.”

Qi Yanhong barely had time to raise his palms before the sword pierced his heart.

【You have slain an LV50 enemy. Gained 50,000 experience points.】

"That killed him?"

Chen Ming landed the strike and still couldn’t believe it. He had actually killed this old schemer that easily.

However, since the System had issued a prompt, it meant he was unquestionably dead.

Soon, he figured it out.

To hide his cultivation, this old schemer had likely never fought openly. All his skills were concentrated in hidden weapons—an extremely unbalanced specialist.

Thus, Qi Yanhong wasn’t trying to throw his life away—he genuinely couldn’t withstand the strike.

Chen Ming gave the sword a slight shake, scattering the blood from its blade, then sheathed it. Turning toward the two Devotees from Jinyuan Prosperity Trading, he said, "My feud with the Qi Family is settled. I’ll leave the aftermath to you two."

The two Devotees didn’t act haughtily and quickly responded, "When our master learned of what happened to Second Young Master, he felt deeply sorry and specially instructed the two of us to offer an apology in his stead."

Chen Ming replied, "Your master is too kind."

…

As Chen Ming left the Qi Residence, a strange sensation welled up in his heart. It was as if some dust had been swept from his spirit, and his entire being felt much lighter.

"Could this have been the obsession of the original host?"

He clicked his tongue in wonder. Until now, he had never felt anything amiss. Who would’ve thought that a lingering grudge had been coiled deep within the soul?

According to the martial path of this world, spiritual and mental aspects would eventually become crucial. If unresolved, such grievances might even hinder one’s cultivation.

Chen Ming came to a stop and said to the two behind him, "Thank you both for accompanying me on this journey."

These two were experts he had borrowed from Shang’an Trading Company, both of them Fourth Grade Experts. Although Su Zhi Ning was powerful, she disliked appearing in public and always remained hidden in the shadows. In a face-to-face encounter, if danger truly struck, she might not be able to act in time…

The two men looked a bit ashamed. "Second Young Master is too generous. We were careless just now and nearly let you get hurt. We hope you won’t hold it against us."

Chen Ming said, "There’s no need for such words. I’m already immensely grateful you accompanied me here. That was just a small mishap. With matters here settled, you two may return now."

Seeing that he had said as much, the two experts finally took their leave.

After they departed, Chen Ming boarded the carriage, preparing to return home.

Not far out, Su Zhi Ning slipped into the carriage.

Chen Ming smiled and said, "Thank you for the warning just now, miss."

Su Zhi Ning said softly, "It wasn’t me."

Chen Ming was taken aback. If not her, then who?

Chen Ming had actually managed to persuade Lord Fang to abandon him.

And the two Devotees he had spent years trying to win over had stood by Lord Fang’s side without hesitation. It could be said that both he and the Qi Family had lost completely.

He let out a bitter laugh. "I underestimated you! You’ve won. What do you intend to do with our Qi Family?"

Chen Ming smiled, his gaze sweeping across the faces in the study. He said, "A grievance has its debtor. I’ve said before—I only want the heads of Qi Xingdong, Lu Zhihao, and the maid who framed me. Deliver their heads to me, and all past grudges will be written off."

As he spoke, he drew a dagger from his robe and threw it out. Thunk—the dagger embedded itself into the center of the desk.

Qi Xingdong’s face turned ashen. He instantly sensed that the eyes of several uncles in the room had changed. He immediately realized Chen Ming’s sinister intent and shouted, "You little bastard! I should’ve just killed you back then… You think the only one who framed you was a maid? If it weren’t for—"

"Shut up!"

In the study, a middle-aged man’s expression changed drastically. He dashed forward and struck Qi Xingdong on the forehead with his palm.

Crack! Qi Xingdong didn’t even let out a sound before collapsing, dead on the spot.

Chen Ming looked at this enemy dying before his eyes, and his expression remained unchanged.

That middle-aged man said solemnly, "Xingdong is dead. As for that Lu Zhihao and the maid, I will send people to capture them. I hope Erlang Jun will keep his word and not make things harder for the Qi Family."

Chen Ming shook his head. "Killing just these few isn’t enough."

The middle-aged man’s face showed shock and anger. He felt deceived. "Are you going back on your word?"

Chen Ming said coldly, "Last night, four pirates infiltrated my residence and tried to kill me. That was your Qi Family’s doing, wasn’t it?"

The middle-aged man quickly distanced himself. "That was Qi Yanhong alone. It had nothing to do with us. We didn’t even know he was colluding with pirates."

"Very well." Chen Ming suddenly smiled. "Kill Qi Yanhong too, and I won’t pursue it further."

But the middle-aged man hesitated.

Qi Yanhong carried immense prestige. For a moment, he couldn’t summon the courage to act. After several changes in expression, his gaze gradually turned vicious.

He said in a low voice, "Seventh Uncle, Third Brother, Fifth Brother. The survival of the Qi Family depends on this moment. We can’t hesitate anymore. Let’s act together."

He was trying to drag the others down with him. This villainy couldn’t fall on him alone.

…

The remaining four people present felt their eyelids twitch violently. In their hearts, they all thought—this Chen Ming, so young, yet so ruthless. What he said was clearly meant to turn the Qi Family against itself.

Not only did he want to kill, he wanted to execute their hearts.

The Qi Family’s rise to today’s status was all due to Qi Yanhong. Yet now, at the moment of life and death, these clan members betrayed him without hesitation and were even willing to kill him with their own hands.

It was easy to imagine how furious Qi Yanhong must be.

Some of them even began to sympathize with Qi Yanhong. After all, he had once been the top figure in Qingfeng City—only to end up like this.

Finally, the eldest among them opened his mouth. "Eldest Son, you heard it yourself. We’re doing this for the Qi Family. Don’t blame us."

Qi Yanhong’s face turned grey, as if he had aged ten years in an instant. He hadn’t even reacted when his son was killed earlier. Only after hearing the elder’s words did he raise his head, casting a cold glance over them. "Idiots!"

His voice was squeezed out from between clenched teeth, carrying a chilling coldness.

He raised his hand—dozens of streaks of light flashed.

Shk-shk-shk—

Before the Qi Family members could react, bloody holes appeared in their throats. Not even knowing what had happened, they died on the spot.

Another dozen icy streaks shot toward Chen Ming and his four companions.

The sudden move caught everyone off guard. The two Devotees from Jinyuan Prosperity Trading and the two guards behind Chen Ming reacted swiftly, drawing their weapons and knocking away the incoming hidden weapons.

But they couldn’t protect anyone else.

The two guards were alarmed. They instantly understood—Qi Yanhong’s real target was Chen Ming. The projectiles coming at them were merely distractions to prevent them from lending aid.

They had never expected Qi Yanhong to be a Fifth Grade Expert!

Caught completely unprepared, they were stunned.

Chen Ming was merely Sixth Grade. How could he possibly react in time?

The two guards were filled with panic and anger. If Chen Ming died, how would they explain to the master?

Clang clang!

Just as they prepared to kill Qi Yanhong—

A flash of brilliant sword light caught their eyes, knocking away two of the hidden weapons.

This was—

The two looked at Chen Ming, completely unharmed, in disbelief.

Fifth Grade?

最⊥新⊥小⊥說⊥在⊥⊥⊥首⊥發！

He was actually Fifth Grade?

…

"Qi Yanhong, you sure hid yourself well."

The longsword in Chen Ming’s hand continued to hum. He looked at the stunned Qi Yanhong and felt a shiver of fear. If not for someone’s timely warning, he might have fallen into a trap.

This old schemer—he actually possessed the strength of a Fifth Grade Martial Artist!

Just moments ago, members of the Qi Family had dared to attack him. That meant even the Qi Family’s core had no idea he held such strength.

Utterly insidious.

At such close range, with no defenses up, only a Fourth Grade Expert could possibly react—because Fourth Grade Martial Artists possessed defensive true qi, allowing them to react instantly in danger.

A Fifth Grade Martial Artist lacked such ability.

"Fifth Grade… you’re actually Fifth Grade…"

Qi Yanhong was even more shocked than he was. For the first time, he lost all composure, appearing mad. "Impossible… How could you be Fifth Grade?"

He had only recently broken through to Sixth Grade.

He himself had spent half a lifetime just to barely reach Fifth Grade. From Sixth to Fifth, it had taken him ten whole years.

Heaven was unjust!

Chen Ming said no more. With a thrust of his sword, he unleashed a lethal technique—“Setting Sun Returns.”

Qi Yanhong barely managed to raise his palms before the sword pierced his heart.

【You have slain an LV50 enemy. Gained 50,000 experience points.】

"That killed him?"

Chen Ming had landed the sword strike, yet he still found it hard to believe that he had so easily killed this old schemer.

However, the System prompt had already appeared, so he was surely and utterly dead.

Soon, he figured it out.

This old schemer, in order to hide his cultivation, likely had never fought anyone head-on. All his skills were in hidden weapons. He was an extremely imbalanced specialist.

So, Qi Yanhong wasn’t throwing his life away—he had truly been unable to block that sword.

Chen Ming gave his sword a light shake, scattering the blood from the blade, then returned it to its sheath. Turning to the two Devotees of Jinyuan Prosperity Trading, he said, "My grudge with the Qi Family is settled. The aftermath—I’ll leave it to you two."

The two Devotees didn’t act arrogantly and quickly replied, "When our master learned of Second Young Master’s situation, he felt very sorry. He especially instructed us to apologize on his behalf."

Chen Ming said, "Your master is too kind."

…

As Chen Ming left the Qi Residence, a strange feeling rose in his heart. It was as if a speck of dust on his spirit had been swept away, and his whole body felt much lighter.

"Could this have been the original host’s obsession?"

He clicked his tongue in surprise. Until now, he had never sensed anything wrong. He hadn’t expected that deep within his soul, the original host’s resentment had still been lingering.

According to this world’s martial path philosophy, one day the path would involve spirit and mind. If such lingering thoughts weren’t dealt with, they could hinder one’s cultivation.

Chen Ming came to a stop and said to the two behind him, "Thank you both for accompanying me on this journey."

These two were experts he had borrowed from Shang’an Trading Company. Both were Fourth Grade Experts. Although Su Zhi Ning was strong, she disliked appearing in public and always stayed hidden in the dark. In a direct confrontation, if danger really appeared, she might not be able to act in time…

The two men looked a bit embarrassed. "Second Young Master overpraises us. We were momentarily careless just now and nearly got you hurt. We hope you won’t blame us."

Chen Ming said, "There’s no need to say that. I’m already immensely grateful that you came along. It was nothing more than a small mishap. Now that things are settled, you two may return."

Hearing this, the two experts finally took their leave.

Once they were gone, Chen Ming boarded the carriage, preparing to return home.

Not long after the carriage set off, Su Zhi Ning slipped inside.

Chen Ming smiled and said, "Thank you for the warning earlier, miss."

Su Zhi Ning said softly, "It wasn’t me just now."

Chen Ming was stunned. If not her, then who?

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