On this night, the Yunhe County City was as calm as ever.
However, some major forces sensed the imminent storm.
The Zhang Family.
As one of the top four influential powers in Yunhe County City, they naturally received the news of the bloody incident at Fengyuan Studio for the first time.
"Suyi, is he really the former disciple of Qinghe Sword Mansion?" Clan Chief Zhang Zhiyan asked in surprise.
He was quite puzzled and couldn't imagine how a young man who had lost his cultivation would grow to such a powerful extent after just one year.
"It is indeed him," a servant whispered. "Six Qi Gathering experts from the Prefectural Manor were also killed by him. Qin Wenyuan is currently investigating this matter in secret."
Zhang Zhiyan became even more astonished, pondering, "This young man is extraordinary. He has offended two of the top powers in Yunhe County City all at once. Either he is recklessly arrogant and ignorant of the consequences, or he has absolute confidence."
He wore a bright yellow robe, slightly plump, with a beardless face, giving the appearance of a kind and wealthy elder.
But the influential figures of Yunhe County City knew very well that Zhang Zhiyan was a smiling tiger, hiding a knife behind his smile. He was both ruthless in temperament and methods.
The servant said, "But until now, no one has been able to figure out where Suyi gets his confidence."
Zhang Zhiyan nodded and said, "Pay more attention to this matter. Keep an eye on the reactions of the Prefectural Manor and Qinghe Sword Mansion. If there's any news, remember to inform me immediately."
The servant nodded in agreement.
...
Qinghe Sword Mansion.
The Sword Washing Spring.
Mu Cangtu was sharpening his sword, and the jet-black blade emitted a trembling sound, echoing in the night.
His figure was withered, with white temples, and his expression was focused and serious.
Whenever he felt unsettled in his heart, he would sharpen his sword by the Sword Washing Spring, which would make his heart as firm and resolute as a sword.
It was unknown how long it had been, but Mu Cangtu sheathed the long sword in a scabbard made of pine wood and stood up.
Despite his slightly short stature, when he stood up, he seemed like a solitary mountain peak rising from the ground, exuding an earth-shattering and majestic aura.
The high-level members of Qinghe Sword Mansion who had been silently waiting in the distance all respectfully saluted.
Mu Cangtu!
Mu Cangtu, the Lord of Qinghe Sword Mansion, was a renowned martial arts grandmaster who had been famous for many years.
He was straightforward and taciturn, with a temperament as firm as iron. His mastery of the sword had reached the pinnacle.
In Yunhe County City, he was known as the "Qinghe Sword that Suppresses Half the City."
Under the cover of night, Mu Cangtu carried the pine wood scabbard on his back and spoke with a resolute tone, like the clang of swords:
"Tell Qin Wenyuan that I am a swordsman. When it comes to matters of life and death, success or failure, I have no concerns. He can have other thoughts, but I will only do what I must."
After speaking, Mu Cangtu clasped his hands behind his back and drifted away.
Zhou Huaiqiu and the other influential figures of Qinghe Sword Mansion realized that the incident at Fengyuan Studio tonight had ignited a murderous intent in their Lord!
...
"The opportunity has come!"
In an inn in Yunhe County City, Zhou Zhili clapped his hands and laughed heartily. "This is truly heaven-sent. If I act at this moment, I might be able to kill two birds with one stone."
Upon receiving the news about Fengyuan Studio, he immediately realized that a great opportunity had presented itself.
"Suyi dares to act like this because he has confidence in dealing with the crisis. If you think intervening in this matter will win his favor and make him serve you, it's wishful thinking," Zhou Qing said lazily, sitting at the table, sipping wine from a jug with bright, sharp eyes filled with mockery.
"If I can provide timely assistance, it would be even better. If not, adding to the splendor is also a delightful prospect."
Zhou Zhili, undeterred by this, spoke confidently, "Moreover, the purpose of our visit to Yunhe County City this time is to take down Qin Wenyuan and make him serve us. But this cunning old fox has been unwilling to make a move too early!"
In the end, his lips curled into a cold smile. "But this time, I want to see how Qin Wenyuan, faced with a figure like Suyi, will stumble and fall!"
"By then, I will step forward and clean up the mess. Qin Wenyuan will have no choice but to bow down obediently!"
Zhou Zhili then looked at Zhou Qing and said, "In doing so, I would have done a favor for Suyi while also gaining control over Qin Wenyuan. Isn't that killing two birds with one stone?"
Zhou Qing sighed softly, her interest waning. "In worldly affairs, one should always prepare for the worst and strive for the best outcome. Don't be too pleased with yourself too soon."
Zhou Zhili didn't care about her words at all.
Seeing this, Zhou Qing couldn't be bothered to say more.
How could people like Suyi care about mundane power struggles?
Both Qin Wenyuan and Mu Cangtu were merely Martial Masters in his eyes, nothing more!
...
The next morning, dark clouds hung heavy in the sky, indicating signs of rain.
In Su Yi's humble abode, everything proceeded as usual. He practiced, washed up, and had his meal with composure.
However, Huang Qianjun, Feng Xiaofeng, and Feng Xiaoran showed obvious signs of worry, unlike their usual calm demeanor.
Su Yi noticed but didn't say anything.
He looked up at the sky and could roughly tell that a heavy rain was approaching.
The coming storm seemed appropriate.
Suddenly, the sound of urgent horse hooves resounded through the gourd alley.
"Su Yi, Master Su, the prefect has ordered you to come to the Qingding Drill Ground outside the city!"
A black-clad man knocked on the door, exuding a chilling aura.
Huang Qianjun and the others paled. Was the Prefect's Mansion finally making a move?
"Alright."
Su Yi readily agreed, without hesitation.
The black-clad man wasted no time and rode away.
"Su-ge," Huang Qianjun took a deep breath and said, "I'll accompany you!"
"It's going to rain," Su Yi said softly, "bring two umbrellas. I don't want to return drenched and looking disheveled."
Huang Qianjun hurriedly went to fetch them.
"Senior Brother Su..."
Feng Xiaofeng was about to say something when Su Yi smiled and interrupted, "Wait a moment."
After a while, the sound of urgent horse hooves rang out again.
Yuan Luoxi, dressed in military attire with an elegant and heroic demeanor, hurriedly arrived. Her cute melon seed face beamed with joy as she said, "Mr. Su, my father has agreed to help."
Cheng Wuyong quickly nodded behind her.
Su Yi smiled and pointed at Feng Xiaofeng and Feng Xiaoran, "If you truly want to help, please take care of them. I will go to the Qingding Drill Ground and be back soon."
With that, he walked towards the courtyard.
Feng Xiaofeng finally realized that Su Yi had already guessed that Yuan Luoxi would come, which was why he asked them to wait for a moment, allowing the Yuan family's forces to take care of himself and his sister.
"Senior Brother Su, you didn't have a chance to drink the pot of wine I brewed yesterday. I'll brew another one for you this time, and it'll be waiting for you when you return!" Feng Xiaofeng took a deep breath and said loudly.
"Okay." Su Yi waved his hand without looking back.
Outside the courtyard, Huang Qianjun had prepared the carriage.
"Uncle Yong, I'll leave it to you here," Yuan Luoxi quickly caught up with him upon seeing the scene.
Cheng Wuyong felt anxious in his heart. How could he miss the upcoming grand performance? But as he thought of Su Yi's instructions, he could only restrain himself.
...
The sky was gloomy, and darkness enveloped the earth.
Outside the city, at the Qingding Drill Ground.
Located next to the mighty Dang River, this drill ground was home to a battalion of three thousand soldiers under the jurisdiction of the Prefect's Mansion. Each of them was a fierce warrior.
On the spacious and flat drill ground, banners fluttered in the wind.
A group of well-armed and vigorous soldiers stood in formation.
On the elevated platform of the drill ground, Qin Wenyuan sat calmly in the center, as steady as a mountain.
Beside him stood the prominent figures of the Prefect's Mansion, like stars surrounding the moon.
Standing by Qin Wenyuan's side was his son, Qin Feng.
He occasionally raised his eyes and looked around, feeling both excited and thrilled. In his mind, he even imagined scenes of Su Yi being killed on this drill ground.
On the seats on both sides of the platform, many figures had already taken their places.
Almost all of them were influential figures from the major forces in Yunhe County. Each stomping their foot could shake the dynamics of a whole area.
The sky darkened, with thick black clouds overhead, creating a heavy and oppressive atmosphere in the drill ground.
They were all waiting.
After news of the bloody incident at Fengyuan Restaurant spread last night, the influential figures in the city were all stirred up.
Everyone knew that today, a grand spectacle would unfold in the Qingding Drill Ground!
"Zhang Family Patriarch has arrived!" Suddenly, a voice rang out outside the gates of the drill ground.
Following closely behind, a group of figures walked in under countless astonished gazes.
The leader, with a white mustache and a slightly plump figure, was none other than Zhang Zhiyan, the patriarch of the Zhang family.
Behind him were his son, Zhang Yuanxing, and other influential figures from the Zhang family.
Their appearance caused a stir in the field.
"Brother Zhang, please take a seat quickly," Qin Wenyuan stood up, clasping his fists from a distance.
"Master Qin, I've come here only to broaden my child's horizons. I won't meddle in any other matters. You can rest assured," Zhang Zhiyan smiled and returned the greeting.
Then, they each took their seats.
"Yuan Family Patriarch has arrived!"
Not long after, another voice rang out, causing a commotion in the entire venue.
Even Qin Wenyuan felt surprised. His eyebrows furrowed slightly. Why did Yuan Wutong, that old fox, come?
He had a decent relationship with Zhang Zhiyan, so it wasn't surprising for him to suddenly appear. However, Yuan Wutong's arrival caught him off guard.
The reason was that he and Yuan Wutong had no particular relationship. They were not on the same path and rarely interacted with each other.
As he pondered, he saw two figures entering through the gates of the drill ground.
The leader wore a wide-sleeved robe, exuding an air of scholarly elegance.
The young man beside him was tall, imposing, and awe-inspiring.
It was none other than Yuan Wutong and his second son, Yuan Luoyu.
The father and son did not bring any entourage, but who in the field would dare to underestimate them?
Many influential figures from various clans stood up and paid their respects.
Zhang Zhiyan smiled and asked, "Brother Yuan, I came here to enjoy the show. What about you?"
"I'm here to join the fun," Yuan Wutong smiled.
Zhang Zhiyan nodded and burst into laughter, "I thought Brother Yuan came to support that young man named Su Yi."
Yuan Wutong applauded and exclaimed, "Brother Zhang, you have sharp insight. You've seen through the purpose of my visit. It's truly admirable."
Zhang Zhiyan: "???"
Everyone present was stunned, completely caught off guard.
On the high platform, Qin Wenyuan's eyes narrowed slightly, his expression turning cold. He said, "Am I to understand that Su Yi dared to commit murder and cause such a great disaster in the city because Brother Yuan was supporting him?"
His words directly pointed at Yuan Wutong!
Many people's expressions became uncertain, clearly affected by Qin Wenyuan's words.
However, Yuan Wutong smiled helplessly and shook his head, saying, "Su Yi doesn't need my support at all. If you don't believe it, just wait for him to arrive and ask him yourself."
As soon as he finished speaking, in the distance outside the drill ground, a lonely carriage approached in the dim light of the sky.