Starting with the creation of the Immortal Clan through the compilation of the family genealogy.

Chapter 6: Bandits wreak havoc, and the yamen officials suffer.

"Yes! The Changfeng Escort Agency's heavy shipment at Black Wind Pass suffered a major setback!"

Wang Hai gritted his teeth, "The head镖师 (bodyguard) of the escort, Liu, was a master at the peak of the Ming Jin (Ming Jin) level. He led seven or eight镖师 (bodyguards) and almost all of them were wiped out!"

"The scene was... horrific! According to one of the porters who managed to escape, there was only one person who attacked! Dressed in black and masked, wielding a sharp knife, he was incredibly ruthless! Liu, the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort), couldn't even last three moves against him!"

"One person? Three moves?" The surrounding constables gasped in shock.

Liu, the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort), was quite a figure in the county, yet he was so easily defeated? That thug's strength was probably comparable to a second-rate master!
Wang Hai said in a deep voice, "This is the third incident this month! The first two were passing caravans that lost some property, but none of them were killed. This time it's a security escort agency! So many people have died, this is a completely different matter!"

"Now, the county magistrate is furious and has ordered us to capture this scoundrel within seven days! He must be brought to justice, dead or alive!"

He glanced around, his gaze settling on Meng Xihong: "Xihong, your skills have improved lately, and your mind is sharpening too. This time, you're coming with me! Bring plenty of men and weapons!"

Meng Xihong's heart sank.

The divination indicates "minor misfortune" and "avoid taking risks alone," clearly pointing to this matter.

That thug was highly skilled and ruthless; he was definitely not a kind person.

But he couldn't refuse. As a constable, catching criminals and thieves was his duty, especially since Wang Hai had specifically asked for his services.

"Yes, sir!" Meng Xihong clasped his hands in response, his eyes serious.

He secretly resolved that he must be extremely careful on this trip and would never risk his life. His primary task was to protect himself and his colleagues.

Three days later, in a secluded ravine near Black Wind Ravine.

Wang Hai, along with more than ten elite constables, including Meng Xihong, and two local hunters familiar with the terrain, set up an ambush here.

Based on the clues, the perpetrator is very likely hiding in the vicinity and waiting for another opportunity to commit a crime.

The cold wind howled, and the mountains and forests were deathly silent.

The group lay hidden among the cold rocks and withered grass, holding their breath and concentrating intently.

Meng Xihong adjusted his physical condition to its best. The keen perception brought by his [Martial Arts Root] allowed him to clearly capture every unusual sound in the wind.

Time passed little by little.

Just as dusk was falling and everyone's vigilance began to relax—

"Ah—!" A shrill scream came from not far away!

"It's to the west! Old Li and his men were on lookout!" Wang Hai's expression changed drastically. "Damn it! We've been exposed! Quick! Follow me!"

Without bothering to hide, everyone drew their knives and rushed toward the direction of the screams.

Meng Xihong hid in the crowd, a warning screaming in his heart! The divination's warning echoed in his mind!

He deliberately lagged behind Wang Hai and the others by half a step, his eyes scanning the surroundings like those of a hawk.

After passing through a dense forest, the scene before me was chilling!

Two constables responsible for perimeter security lay in pools of blood; one had his neck slashed open and was already dead; the other had a deep, bone-revealing stab wound in his chest and was convulsing in pain.

Ahead of them, a lean figure dressed in black was slowly drawing a long, narrow knife from a constable.

The moment the blade left his body, he ripped off the black cloth covering his face with his other hand and impatiently pressed his lips and teeth against the dripping blood, swallowing and licking it hastily as if it were raining after a long drought.

With this movement, a strange flush appeared on his pale cheeks, and his eyes shone with a satisfaction and excitement as if he had absorbed the essence of life. The cold aura around him seemed to intensify for a brief moment.

"You scoundrel! Prepare to die!" Wang Hai's eyes were bloodshot with rage as he witnessed the brutal death of his brother, with whom he had spent every day. His anger instantly overwhelmed his reason.

Wang Hai roared, unleashing his peak Ming Jin strength without reservation. His blood surged, and his waist knife, accompanied by a piercing whistling sound, slashed down at the man in black with an unstoppable momentum.

This strike was unleashed with fury and its momentum was astonishing. Under such power, an ordinary martial artist with the strength of Ming Jin would probably lose even the courage to block!
However, when faced with this thunderous blow, a hint of undisguised contempt and cruelty flashed in the eyes of the man in black.

He remained motionless, like a mountain, until the blade was almost upon him. Then, as if by magic, he swayed slightly, narrowly avoiding the fatal blade at the last second.

At the same time, the long, narrow blade in his hand struck first, transforming into a pale, venomous snake's tongue, silently yet swiftly tearing through vision, stabbing viciously towards Wang Hai's heart at an extremely tricky and illogical angle. This strike, without any grand display, contained a chilling sharpness, its speed far exceeding Wang Hai's reaction time.

"Oh no!" Meng Xihong's pupils suddenly contracted to pinpoints.

He could clearly see that the moment the man in black made his move, the tendons and bones in his arm emitted a low but teeth-grinding hum, not a simple explosion. The internal force was condensed as if it were a tangible substance, and it also faintly brought with it a chilling shriek that stirred the soul.

This person is definitely a master of internal strength who has been immersed in this art for many years, and is far from being a mere beginner!
Wang Hai's slash missed its mark; he had used up all his strength and hadn't yet generated any new power. Faced with this counter-slash that was faster than imagined and at an extremely tricky angle, he had no time to make any effective counter-attack or parry! His eyes were instantly swallowed by boundless horror and despair!

At this critical moment!
"Watch out, sir!" a loud shout rang out! Meng Xihong moved!
"Oh!"

"laugh!"

Two muffled sounds rang out almost at the same time!

Meng Xihong's iron fist, imbued with hidden strength, slammed heavily into the black-clad man's hastily parried left arm!
The instant his fist made contact with his opponent's arm, Meng Xihong's [Martial Arts Root] keenly sensed an extremely strange tactile sensation.

The opponent's muscles and skin were not as resilient and vibrant as those of an ordinary person. Instead, they exuded a weak and restless heat, as if the inside had been hollowed out and was being forcibly supported only by a strange power.

There was also a subtle suction force coming from it, as if it wanted to greedily seize the blood and energy in his fist!

Crack! A clear sound of bone breaking rang out.

The man in black groaned, his body trembled violently, and for the first time, pain and astonishment appeared in his eyes.

He clearly underestimated the terrifying penetrating power of that punch. Almost at the same time that the opponent's left arm fractured, a few drops of warm blood, carrying an indescribable sweet and rotten smell, splattered onto Meng Xihong's hand and sleeve.

As the man in black slashed at Meng Xihong's neck with his swift knife, Meng Xihong, while throwing a punch, simultaneously extended his right hand with lightning speed and precisely grabbed the wrist of the man holding the knife!
The blade stopped abruptly less than three inches from his throat! The icy aura of the blade sent chills down his spine!

Disarm a blade barehanded!
This was a close call, extremely dangerous!
In a flash, Meng Xihong not only saved Wang Hai, but also fought the fierce master of internal energy head-on, holding his own against him! He even severely injured the master's left arm.

Just as Meng Xihong grabbed the other person's wrist and their skin touched, that strange feeling came over him again!
The pulse in the other person's wrist was beating abnormally fast and wildly. The way the blood and qi flowed under the skin was completely different from any orthodox martial arts that Meng Xihong knew. It was full of violence and an indescribable thirst, as if it was not an arm, but a vicious living thing eager to devour blood.

"This is a tough one! Charge together!" At this moment, the other constables finally rushed up. They were both shocked and furious to see this scene, and they all drew their swords and surrounded the enemy!

The man in black was in excruciating pain in his left arm, and his right wrist, which was being held by Meng Xihong, was also experiencing a strong craving for such powerful blood and energy. However, now that he was surrounded by the crowd, he knew that things would not end well today.

His eyes flashed with ferocity, and with a sudden struggle, a tremendous force far exceeding that before surged forth, mixed with a cold and filthy shockwave that attempted to erode Meng Xihong's fingers.

Meng Xihong's fingers went slightly numb as the other party forcibly broke free.

Without hesitation, the man in black used the force of his struggle to leap backward like a large bird, disappearing into the dark depths of the forest in a few bounds, leaving only a venomous roar echoing through the woods:

"Fine! Fine, Wufeng County! You dared to ruin my plans! I'll remember you! Especially you! Kid! We'll meet again!"

Meng Xihong did not pursue. He stood still and slowly released his slightly numb right hand.

The power his opponent unleashed just now startled him; it was clear they had been immersed in internal energy cultivation for a long time, but the nature of that power was strangely malevolent.
The greedy suction, the foul vibrations, and the strange, sweet-smelling smell of the blood that splashed onto his hands, which was not yet completely cold, all aroused a strong sense of unease and vigilance in him.

'This person's technique... is quite bizarre!' Meng Xihong's eyes narrowed slightly, and he secretly kept this suspicion in mind.

He glanced at his fallen comrades and the seriously wounded Wang Hai on the ground, his expression growing increasingly grave.

Wang Hai clutched his bleeding arm, his face pale, but his gaze towards Meng Xihong was filled with gratitude for surviving a close call and disbelief: "Xi...Xihong! When...when did you acquire such skills?!"

That life-saving collision, that punch that withstood the thug, that precise disarming of a blade with bare hands… these are feats no ordinary constable could accomplish.

This is clearly a second-rate master who has grasped the essence of internal force!

Meng Xihong took a deep breath and didn't answer, but said in a deep voice, "Sir, we can't stay here any longer! That thug is seriously injured, but he may not have gone far. Let's rescue the people first and retreat back to the county town immediately!"

Looking at Meng Xihong's calm and composed figure giving instructions, and then at the miserable state of his colleagues on the ground, Wang Hai was filled with mixed emotions.

The relief of surviving the ordeal, the grief of losing his colleagues, the astonishment at Meng Xihong's hidden strength, and the deep-seated hatred for the villain were all intertwined.

He knew that things were about to change in Wufeng County.

But Meng Xihong, whom he had always regarded as an honest junior, was probably the key figure who could truly quell this storm.

(End of this chapter)