Book 2 Chapter 58: The Ruined County Town - Martial God

### Chapter 58: The Ruined County Town The stars seemed to have hidden themselves away, and the night’s curtain lay like a menacing demon, revealing its ferocious face. The entire town was eerily quiet, as if it had fallen into a deathly silence. Suddenly, the distant sound of hooves broke the silence. It was a swift horse, its sound faint at first, but quickly crescendoing into clarity. Despite the darkness, the rider could clearly make out the town’s ruined gate. To an average person, that would be a gigantic iron gate, now apparently smashed by something hefty and brutal. The double gates were split from the middle, utterly destroyed, leaving a dark path leading directly inside. He, He Yiming, was already anxious, but upon seeing this gate, a chill descended upon his heart. Gritting his teeth, he gently squeezed with his legs, and the Red Silk Horse, as if sharing his thoughts, quickened its pace. They entered the town unimpededly, the resounding hoofbeats on the stone path piercing the night’s stillness like war drums. The town was marked with scars, with large patches of dried black blood visible everywhere. In his line of sight, more than a dozen bodies lay prone on the ground. Judging from their clothing, they were clearly ordinary townsfolk, likely caught unawares during the town’s fall, murdered by the marauding horse thieves who stormed the town. His ears twitched slightly, and from atop the horse, He Yiming could hear several disturbances nearby. Whether these noises were from remaining horse thieves or surviving townsfolk, he had no interest in staying to find out. The speed of the Red Silk Horse was astonishing, surpassing human reflexes. By the time some people hurriedly dressed and armed themselves, He Yiming and his mount had vanished. Passing by a grand residence, his gaze lingered momentarily. This place was not unfamiliar to him; he had entered here numerous times. Celebrating Elder Cheng’s birthday, discovering the Xu family's undercover agent, obtaining the Fiery Fire Technique, battling Lin Taomu on the wedding stage, learning two peculiar seal techniques—memories of these events surfaced in his mind. Yet now, the once resplendent and renowned Cheng Residence had been completely consumed by flames, leaving nothing but ashes. Only the remnants of memory could conjure its former glory. He sniffed slightly, detecting a faint burnt odor lingering in the air, indicating the residence had not been destroyed long ago. Without stopping, He Yiming pressed on towards the residence of the He family within the county town. Despite all else—the grandiose Cheng Residence or the innocent local residents—in his heart, his foremost concern was his parents. For decades, they had diligently managed a few shops in Tai Cang County for the He family. Although these shops served primarily to mask their true trade, the main income stemmed from smuggling activities, which his father secretly controlled. When Tai Cang fell, his chief worry was whether his parents foresaw the impending danger in time to escape. He feared nothing more than returning to the He family compound only to find his parents’ lifeless bodies. If such a tragedy unfolded, exterminating all the horse thieves would not suffice to quell his inner rage. Reaching the He family compound, it lay in darkness without a hint of light. In a fluid motion, He Yiming didn't wait for the Red Silk Horse to halt. With a leap, he soared over the courtyard wall, landing steadily inside. Before coming here, he had feared the compound might be reduced to ashes like the Cheng Residence. Though still intact, his heart felt no relief. Inside, he dreaded seeing his parents' corpses firsthand. Throughout the town, though not overrun with corpses, he had already seen dozens along the paths he traveled. If one included those unseen, those perished inside homes, the town’s death toll was incalculable from this calamity. Only now did He Yiming realize the true brutality of these horse thieves. His gaze shifted as he swiftly darted through the rooms, finally breathing a sigh of relief. No corpses in the He family's courtyards and buildings, nor were the interiors ransacked. It seemed his parents had received warning and retreated calmly before the horse thieves drew near. As he prepared to leave, he paused, tilting his head slightly, listening intently. His expression shifted, and with long strides, he approached a rock garden in the courtyard. Placing a hand on the formation, he channeled inner energy, unleashing a tidal wave of force. The rock garden shuddered violently, abruptly lifting, hurled aside by his palm’s might. Dust billowed, revealing an underground chamber about ten square meters large. Inside, a man looked up, dumbstruck, gazing at He Yiming with terror, as if beholding a fearsome demon. He trembled visibly. But He Yiming’s eyes lit up, and he barked, “He Chen, why are you here?” This man, He Chen, was a steward and one of the few favored by He Yiming’s father, He Quanming. An orphan taken in by the family, his agility and eloquence helped him stand out, earning a role assisting He Quan in the town, among a select number of entrusted stewards. For the rest of the He family to vanish, leaving He Chen alone was infuriating. If not for having reached the innate stage, with extraordinary hearing, he might never have discovered the secret beneath the rock garden. He Chen was momentarily stunned but upon hearing He Yiming, his eyes brightened, halting his trembling. “Sixth Young Master, is it really Sixth Young Master?” “Yes.” “It truly is you, Sixth Young Master.” He Chen leapt out of the pit, his face alight despite the dust settling on him. He Yiming, seeing his expression, slightly relaxed, asking, “Why are you here? What about my parents?” “Young Master, it was the master and madam who tasked me to stay here,” He Chen replied with a wry smile. “This secret chamber was built by the master after taking over the premises, to house some valuable items. The master and madam have already left, leaving orders for me to remain. Yet…” He glanced at the shattered rock garden with a bitter gaze, “Now this secret is probably out.” He Yiming gasped, never expecting such a reason. By now, he cared little for treasure compared to his parents’ safety. “He Chen, what happened in the county?” “Sixth Young Master, we were conducting business when the Cheng family suddenly warned us that horse thieves from Tai'a County were approaching, urging us to leave the town,” He Chen recalled. “The master quickly ordered us to close shop, stash all valuables in the secret chamber, and instructed me to guard it, forbidding me from emerging unless our food ran out or the He family summoned.” He Yiming knew that meant He Chen lacked further information, but he asked anyway, “Do you know where my parents went?” He Chen bowed slightly, “Sixth Young Master, before entering the secret chamber, the master seemed to have mentioned going to the Cheng family.” Remembering the ruins of the Cheng family, He Yiming’s mind buzzed, his blood rushing to his head, nearly bursting. He Chen reached to steady him, exclaiming, “Sixth Young Master, are you alrig… Ah!” As soon as He Chen touched He Yiming, he was flung back. Fortunately, even in such distress, He Yiming could distinguish friend from foe and withheld his full energy, sparing He Chen from harm. Seeing He Chen lying in pain, He Yiming became lucid. He moved swiftly, pulling He Chen up, channeling wood-elemental energy to heal his minor injuries. “He Chen, continue as my father instructed.” With that, He Yiming darted away swiftly. “Yes,” He Chen replied, but as he turned, He Yiming was already gone. With the rock formation overturned, a gaping dark hole was left in its place. Surely anyone who saw it would be tempted to explore, making it impossible to keep such a secret... ※※※※ He Yiming dashed toward the gates, spurred on by the Red Silk Horse’s neighs from outside. Accompanying the sound were over ten voices filled with surprise and vitriolic curses. “What a fine horse, catch it quickly…” “It’s heading that way, block it off…” “It's coming this way, such a fierce horse…” The ones interested in capturing the horse at such a time could only be the audacious horse thieves. He Yiming silently vaulted over the wall, standing motionless at the corner. The Red Silk Horse, noticing him instantly, turned around, its blood-red hooves moving swiftly, and rushed to him. Chasing behind it were over ten rugged men with fierce expressions, yet even faced with the risk of injury, they refrained from using weapons, preferring not to harm the horse they coveted. But when the horse stopped, and they saw He Yiming, they realized something was off. One man, without a word, lifted a large saber, aiming a heavy strike directly at He Yiming. The malicious gleam in his eyes suggested he was bloodthirsty, craving more violence. He Yiming's gaze hardened; his upper body remained still as he abruptly kicked out a leg. The kick was lightning-fast, as heavy as a hammer, and struck before the man's saber could descend. Despite watching helplessly as He Yiming’s foot approached, the man was too slow to react; the thought of evading barely crossed his mind when he felt the impact on his chest. Though He Yiming’s foot barely touched him, the man was sent flying as if struck by a thousand-pound hammer. In mid-air, his saber dropped, clattering down, while he was flung over ten meters, landing with a heavy crash. The other horse thieves recoiled in shock, the leader flinging his sleeve as an arrow shot skyward, unleashing a shrill whistle that echoed across the city. He Yiming sneered inwardly. Under these circumstances, with the leader inadvertently gathering all the horse thieves for him, it was a stroke of fortune. Unbeknownst to the leader, whose intention was simply to buy time for reinforcements, He Yiming shared the same goal. Calmly, he replied, “There's no need to worry about my identity. I just want to know why the Red Bandits left Tai’a County to attack Tai Cang County?” Zong Kui, the leader, raised an eyebrow, “Our third leader, Guan Wei, and fourth leader, Liao, were both killed by the Cheng and He families in Tai Cang County. That’s why our chief led us here, to avenge our brothers.” He Yiming’s expression grew even colder, “Avenge your brothers? Ha! You kill, but when others kill you, you call it revenge. Truly worthy of horse thieves.” Zong Kui replied frostily, “Exactly, we can kill, but others cannot offend us.” Lowering his head, He Yiming suddenly asked, “I know about Guan Wei, but what about Liao? How do you know the He family in Tai Cang County was responsible?” Zong Kui glanced distantly, spotting lanterns approaching rapidly, his heart rejoicing, though he continued speaking endlessly, “Those fools of the He family thought they wouldn't be recognized in leaving Tai Cang, not realizing their horses bore the He family’s marks. Our fleeing brothers confirmed it with a glance. Initially, our chief hesitated to attack Tai Cang, but upon learning of Liao’s death, he decisively offered his prized steed to the Blue Pirate Band’s leaders, prompting this grand coalition with the other major bandit groups.” Zong Kui spoke more slowly now, his eyes brimming with satisfaction, while the clamor of approaching voices indicated that more than a hundred people converged on their location. A man shouted, “Zong Kui, what’s happening here, why did you signal?” Zong Kui respectfully answered, “Master Li, there's a persistent troublemaker here, but there’s also a magnificent horse.” Li, the leader, fixed his eyes on the Red Silk Horse, knowing at a glance its exceptional quality. He turned, noticing the peculiar youth beside the horse, his back adorned with an obstructive cloth strip, though his focus remained solely on claiming the remarkable horse, disregarding the unfamiliar figure. “Indeed, a superb horse. I claim it! Men, kill this guy for me.” The horse thieves echoed the order, a few eager to prove themselves lunging forward with drawn blades. At that moment, the emotionless youth lifted his head. In that instant, his eyes blazed like stars. The horse thieves froze, inexplicably chilled as they met those eyes. A faint smile traced He Yiming’s lips, his expression laced with deep-seated regret and defiance. Gently, he whispered, “Uncle, I was wrong. It turns out, leaving no trace of evil is the true way.” Though his voice was soft, all present heard him clearly. The horse thieves exchanged puzzled looks, wondering if he was delusional, yet why did his words instill such profound dread? Suddenly, the youth vanished from sight. “Ah…” A piercing scream shattered the night’s tranquility, one man hurled into the air and vanishing into the sky. Soon, more screams followed, like an infectious wave. Enraged, the horse thieves howled, striving to encircle and kill the youth, but found themselves unable to match his pace. In mere moments, over half had fallen, leaving only a discerning few who fled amidst the chaos. Master Li panicked, attempting to escape, yet felt an overwhelming pressure force him to his knees. He Yiming had clasped a hand over his shoulder, his voice sharp as ice, “What happened to the Cheng family after the town fell?” Terrified, Li stammered, “Mercy, sir! After breaching the city, the Cheng and He families fled towards Xu Family Fort.” “Xu Family Fort? The He family too?” “Indeed, the chiefs communicated that the core disciples of Tai Cang’s three noble families gathered at Xu Family Fort, fortifying their defenses.” Visions of Xu Family Fort’s towering walls filled He Yiming’s mind, providing a shred of relief. “How many of you are in the four great bandit groups?” Li hesitated momentarily, feeling an intense force surge from his shoulder, the agony so acute, and the overwhelming presence shattering his resistance. In the presence of an innate master, the mental pressure alone was unbearable for most. “Over five thousand combined.” “How strong?” “Five at internal energy tenth level, dozens at eight or nine…” He Yiming’s heart grew colder. For horse thieves to possess such might, surpassing a millennial family’s power was astonishing. “What’s the situation at Xu Family Fort?” “Our chief reported tonight that it's been besieged for five days, with several breaches, and will launch a final assault at dawn, assured of victory…” “Heh, assured of victory?” He Yiming laughed maniacally, his voice menacing. Li, realizing his peril, clung to a final hope and pleaded, “Mercy, sir! I won’t be a horse thief again.” He Yiming’s gaze was cold, “I erred once, I will not err again.” He leapt high, abandoning even the Red Silk Horse, darting through the sky with astonishing speed towards Xu Family Fort. Behind him, Li's body wavered, then collapsed, never to rise again, lying still as those he once mercilessly slew.