Longtan Town, the Qin Mansion.
"Fourth Uncle, that Elder Ling seems to have some skill. Are you interested in going to meet him?" Qin Ming asked, speaking to the man before him in a study inside the Qin Mansion.
A middle-aged man was sitting upright at the desk in front of him.
The man was polishing a Treasure Sword that glinted with a cold light.
This man was precisely Qin Ming's fourth uncle, Qin Gang.
Qin Ming had actually come looking for his fourth uncle much earlier.
However, Qin Gang had been cultivating, so he was only able to see him now.
"Elder Ling?" Qin Gang raised an eyebrow, looking at Qin Ming across from him. A hint of curiosity appeared in his eyes.
"He must be an expert..." Seeing this, Qin Ming's eyes lit up, and he recounted the events of that morning.
'Looks like he really is a hidden powerhouse. He must have been quite a figure in his youth,' Qin Gang thought, slightly moved.
"This Elder Ling is a brilliant doctor, a capable man. I believe he must have also achieved a fair bit in the Martial Arts. Fourth Uncle, if you were to spar with him and gain some insight, it might be beneficial for your breakthrough to the Celestial Spirit Realm," Qin Ming said.
"The Celestial Spirit Realm!" At these words, the hand Qin Gang was using to polish his Treasure Sword paused, and a fiery light flickered in his eyes.
From the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering to the Innate Realm, there is a threshold that is difficult for ordinary people to cross.
Likewise, the same is true for the transition from the Innate Realm to the Celestial Spirit Realm.
But if one were to cross it, their strength and status would undergo a world-shaking transformation.
Therefore, many powerhouses who are at a bottleneck enjoy seeking out and sparring with peers, hoping to gain some new insight.
'It's working!' Qin Ming rejoiced inwardly.
"But tomorrow is New Year's Eve. Challenging him now probably isn't a good idea," Qin Gang said, his brow furrowing.
"Hehe, but if this battle allows you to achieve a breakthrough, wouldn't that be a wonderful thing?" Qin Ming chuckled.
Qin Gang nodded slightly and mused for a moment before saying, "But this Elder Ling is injured. If I make a move, it would be a dishonorable victory."
"You're only sparring, not trying to kill him. Besides, my younger brother has taken a fancy to his adopted daughter. If you and Elder Ling find a mutual admiration, you could take the opportunity to play matchmaker. And we can help Elder Ling heal his injuries. Wouldn't that be a perfect arrangement?" Qin Ming said with a flash in his eyes and a smile.
"That's true." Hearing this, Qin Gang nodded slightly, agreeing that this plan was feasible.
"Young Master! Young Master!"
Just then, a panicked shout suddenly rang out.
A young man rushed into the study.
"What is it? Why are you in such a panic?" Qin Ming frowned and snapped.
"Young Master, the Second Young Master... the Second Young Master is dead!" the young man wailed, kneeling on the floor.
"What?! My brother is dead?" At these words, Qin Ming's gaze became incredibly cold and sharp.
A fierce aura erupted from his body.
"Explain in detail. What exactly happened?" At this point, Qin Gang set down his sword, strode forward, and demanded in a harsh voice.
"It was like this..." the young man began, recounting the incident.
"Ling... Fei... I will make you pay with your life!" Qin Ming seethed, his eyes looking as if they would split, enunciating each word.
"He dared to kill my, Qin Gang's, nephew? He deserves death!" Qin Gang's eyes were frigid, and a sword light seemed to flash within them.
Afterward, they saw Qin Hong's body in a large hall.
"My son, how could you leave me like this!" In the hall, Qin Yuan, the current Clan Leader of the Qin Clan, wailed with tears and snot streaming down his face.
"Elder Brother, my condolences," Master Qin Si said with a frown.
"Fourth Brother, you must avenge Hong'er!" Qin Yuan said, his gaze shifting.
"Rest assured, Elder Brother. How can a disciple of our Qin Clan die so ignominiously? I will definitely avenge Hong'er!" Master Qin Si stated, word by word.
"Men! Assemble the troops! We march on Ling's Medical Clinic! Today, I will bathe Ling's Medical Clinic in blood to avenge my brother!" Qin Ming roared from the side.
"Yes, sir!"
"To Ling's Medical Clinic, to avenge the Second Young Master!"
"To Ling's Medical Clinic, to avenge the Second Young Master!"
Instantly, the Qin Mansion was filled with heaven-shaking cries.
The eight hundred guards of the Qin Clan had already assembled in the training grounds.
Qin Gang, Qin Ming, and Qin Yuan sat atop their warhorses, each one of them radiating a sky-high killing intent.
"Move out!"
Following the low command, the eight hundred men of the Qin Mansion poured out like a raging dragon leaving its lair.
Night had fallen.
A faint light glimmered on the snow-covered ground, and the streets on both sides of Longtan Town were already brightly lit with lanterns.
Some of the women had even begun to pray to the Divine Spirits.
CLOP, CLOP!
Suddenly, the sound of galloping hooves shattered the quiet night.
CLIP-CLOP-CLIP-CLOP!
The sound of hooves grew louder, the sound waves overlapping like an iron-blooded army charging at full speed.
The sudden noise immediately caught the attention of the town's residents.
"What's happening?" Many people immediately opened their windows to peer outside.
The light from within their windows illuminated the street.
Then, a troop of riders appeared beneath the lanterns.
"Those are people from the Qin Mansion!"
"That's Qin Ming, the pride of our Longtan Town!"
"And that's Qin Gang! He became a Divine Guard long ago, a man of great stature!"
With just a single glance, people recognized the men from the Qin Mansion.
After all, they could be considered the celebrities of Longtan Town.
"They look so aggressive. Where are they going?"
Beyond their surprise, everyone was also incredibly bewildered.
In all the past decades in Longtan Town, the Qin Mansion had never made such a grand display of force!
"Did something happen?" Everyone wore a confused expression.
"You don't know?" someone said. "I heard that Young Master Qin Hong is dead."
"What? Young Master Qin Hong is dead? How is that possible?" Hearing this, everyone's eyes showed their astonishment.
Qin Hong was a young master of the Qin Mansion and a Martial Arts Powerhouse at the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering. How could he have died?
"They say he was beaten to death by Ling Fei at the town entrance today!"
"What? Ling Fei? Impossible! He's the famous invalid of our Longtan Town!"
...
This discussion spread in all directions like a fierce wind.
The entirety of Longtan Town was in an uproar.
CLIP-CLOP-CLIP-CLOP!
The cavalry troop galloped past, heading for Ling's Medical Clinic.
"Look, they're really going to the medical clinic."
"Let's go, let's go see what's happening."
At once, the curious ones pushed open their doors and ran toward Ling's Medical Clinic.
Others had faces full of worry.
As the troop galloped closer, the residents near Ling's Medical Clinic were all startled.
In front of Ling's Medical Clinic, eight hundred disciples of the Qin Mansion surrounded the building like a pack of wolves.
The men at the front held up torches, the firelight bathing the area in red. The scorching heat began to melt the snow on the street.
"Go! Surround Ling's Medical Clinic! Don't let anyone out," Qin Ming commanded with a cold snort, his gaze hardening.
"Yes, sir!" Immediately, three guards each led two hundred men to surround Ling's Medical Clinic.
Two hundred men remained at the front of the clinic.
These two hundred were all Martial Artists, most of whom had reached the Eighth or Ninth Layer of Body Tempering.
Every one of them had blood-red eyes, their fighting spirit blazing.
A monstrous killing intent spread out, enveloping Ling's Medical Clinic.
Warhorses neighed, alarming everyone in the vicinity. The sheer momentum was enough to strike fear into people's hearts. The whole of Longtan Town trembled, and its people were terrified.
In the inner courtyard of the clinic.
"The people from the Qin Mansion are here." Hearing the horses neigh, Huang Xiaoman's brows twitched, and her Heart Spirit immediately reached out to perceive the situation.
Upon sensing them, her brows furrowed slightly.
"Such immense killing intent. It seems the Qin Clan won't let this go," Huang Xiaoman said, glancing at Elder Ling.
"Sis!" Her brother, Huang Liang, was extremely nervous beside her.
He had wanted his sister to leave with him.
But Huang Xiaoman refused to go no matter what, so, worried for her, he had stayed behind as well.
"They arrived quite quickly." A glint flashed in Elder Ling's eyes. He was holding a freshly brewed cup of tea, which he swirled gently as he spoke nonchalantly.
However, he still didn't move, instead sipping his tea unhurriedly.
'It's already come to this, and this old man still has the nerve to drink tea?' The thought made Huang Liang extremely anxious.
Ling Fei, however, breathed a small sigh of relief.
'The calmer my adoptive father is, the more confident he must be.'