Dali, Wanzhou, Shunan City.
The famous Yu Family Martial Arts School in the city was decorated with lanterns and banners today, filled with the sound of drums and gongs.
Guests from all directions arrived continuously.
"Ah Sheng, the tables in the east hall aren't enough. Come with me to the backyard and bring some more," a muscular man hurriedly shouted through the noisy crowd, then pulled the young man standing in the front yard to follow him.
The young man had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, with a handsome face. Because of his good looks, he was assigned the easy job of greeting guests in the front yard.
"Brother Zhang, why rush so much? Let those guests stand a little while. It won't tire them out," Li Musheng yawned and lazily followed Zhang Dazhuang ahead.
Zhang turned back and glared, annoyed:
"Today is a big day — the old master of our school is officially retiring. All the important people in the martial world have come. If you're lazy like this, you'll cause trouble and get beaten."
Hearing this, Li Musheng rolled his eyes. He actually wanted someone to beat him, but it seemed almost impossible to find such a person now.
Zhang shook his head, slowed his pace, and spoke more seriously:
"You're just too ambitious without working hard. You're so handsome — if you trained harder, maybe the old master would marry his second miss to you."
"Brother Zhang, please spare me. The Second Miss weighs four hundred jin, and her palm is wider than my head. With my build, I simply can't handle her."
Li Musheng chuckled softly. Then he shifted his tone and said, "If that stingy old man Yu could give me the Third Miss, I might be willing to consider it."
"Forget it," Zhang Dazhuang scoffed. "The Third Miss is like a fairy, with terrifying talent in martial arts. She's even been accepted by the famous Qingyun Sect in Wanzhou. Do you really think she'd ever look at you?"
Zhang Dazhuang sneered and mocked Li Musheng mercilessly.
Li Musheng didn't mind and bantered back for a while. Soon, they arrived at the storage room in the backyard.
Zhang Dazhuang stacked five tables on his shoulder and hurried toward the front yard. But just as he stepped into the yard, a booming voice echoed over the entire mansion:
"Yu Zhentian! Twenty years without seeing you, today I've come to take your life!"
The voice thundered like a storm right next to their ears, making their eardrums ache. They hadn't seen who spoke yet, but the noise silenced the once lively mansion instantly.
...
Inside the main hall, Yu Zhentian, his hair streaked with gray, sat solemnly in the seat of honor. A golden basin for washing hands had just been brought to him.
"This person's internal energy is incredibly strong!"
A middle-aged man in fine clothes, sitting nearby, showed surprise. He was large and broad-shouldered, radiating a powerful presence without needing to show anger.
"I had a feeling something would go wrong today. Forgive me for letting you witness this, City Lord Hao."
Yu Zhentian stood up and cupped his fists respectfully toward Hao Shen. His expression darkened right after.
At that moment, a group of anxious disciples rushed to the entrance of the hall, clearly worried for his safety.
"Master, something terrible has happened! Someone's barged in, killing as they go!"
"What's the panic?" Yu Zhentian snorted coldly. "Just a sneaky rat hiding its face. Not worth my concern."
He stepped forward, each stride firm and powerful as he made his way outside the hall.
"City Lord Hao, give me a moment. Once I've dealt with this matter, we'll share three hearty cups of wine."
Hearing this, Hao Shen's eyes gleamed slightly. He stood and followed, saying:
"Wait, Brother Yu. Let me go with you. I want to see who dares stir up trouble in my Shun'an City."
The group strode out together, their presence commanding and intense.
By the time they arrived at the front courtyard, a crowd of guests had already gathered, all craning their necks to look up at the roof.
They murmured quietly among themselves, the atmosphere tense and heavy.
Perched atop the black-tiled rooftop, which resembled the spine of a mountain, stood a tall man dressed in black. His face was hidden behind a black cloth, and the long blade in his hand gleamed with a chilling light.
Zhang Dazhuang and Li Musheng stood at the back of the crowd.
Zhang Dazhuang gripped his staff tightly, his face anxious as he looked up at the man in black. Beside him, Li Musheng stood with arms folded, calm and relaxed, as if watching a show.
"He doesn't even dare show his face. Clearly a cowardly thug with a guilty conscience," Zhang Dazhuang said angrily.
Seeing Yu Zhentian and the others arrive, he tried to push forward to help, but the crowd was packed too tightly—he couldn't get through.
Li Musheng reached out and tugged his sleeve with a chuckle.
"That guy's strength isn't below Old Man Yu's. If you rush up there, Brother Zhang, you'll be lucky to survive one swing of that blade."
Zhang Dazhuang paused slightly, suddenly remembering the man's earlier display—his voice arriving before his figure.
That kind of technique could only belong to someone with profound internal strength.
He stopped pushing forward through the crowd. After all, he wasn't a brainless brute; he knew his own limits.
"A thief like that… The old master will surely deal with him easily."
Zhang Dazhuang cleared his throat twice and stayed beside Li Musheng, leaning on his cane while peering toward the center of the courtyard.
"Who are you? Why do you hide your face? What grudge do you hold against me?"
Yu Zhentian suppressed the anger in his heart and directly questioned the man in black.
"You old fool really are senile!"
The man let out a cold snort and said with a sinister tone:
"Let me help jog your memory. Twenty years ago, during the battle at Junliu Mountain, you slashed my fifth brother's arm with a single sword stroke. Do you remember now?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Zhentian's white brows furrowed as he tried to recall what the man had said.
A moment later, he suddenly looked up and said, "You… which one of the Seven Fiends of Zha River are you?"
"What? The Seven Fiends of Zha River?!"
As soon as those words left his mouth, the guests in the courtyard all gasped in shock.
The Seven Fiends of Zha River were notorious. Over the past decade, they had committed countless crimes across Wanzhou—murder, robbery, and more—constantly ranking among the top three on the government's most wanted list.
What was even more frightening was that the Seven Fiends of the Zha River were extremely skilled in martial arts. Many well-known martial artists had died miserably at their hands.
The most notorious case they committed recently happened three months ago. In a single night, they massacred the entire Zhao Family Armory in Shen City—over a hundred people, young and old, were wiped out without a single survivor.
When the news spread, it shocked the entire martial world of Wanzhou.
The Zhao Family Armory had been a prestigious martial clan for over a century. They had no shortage of skilled fighters and were one of the top forces in Shen City.
But even with such strength, they couldn't escape the deadly hands of the Seven Fiends. That alone was enough to show just how terrifying these criminals were.
"That's right. You finally remembered."
Zha Third's eyes were cold as he slowly scanned the crowd below. The guests had already begun murmuring in fear when his voice suddenly turned dark and heavy.
"From this moment on, you have ten breaths of time. Everyone here, except for those from the Yu family, may leave."
"Anyone who remains after ten breaths… I'll kill them all."
His voice was powered by deep inner energy, shaking the jujube tree in the front yard. Its bark cracked, branches snapped, and leaves fell like rain. The ears of those present buzzed painfully, and their minds turned blank.
Ordinary people who had no martial training were overwhelmed with fear. Some trembled uncontrollably, and the faint-hearted even wet their pants on the spot.
Once they realized what was happening, everyone panicked. No one dared to think twice—they fled in a frenzy.