Chapter 77

（Yesterday I posted some group links, but ended up getting confused, as the V group hasn't opened yet and needs to wait until it's listed, causing some brothers and sisters to miss out. I apologize, bowing and clasping my hands in respect.）

cd44444 This is my WeChat ID. I had to post it twice yesterday for it to show up, as the first attempt was censored. Some brothers and sisters still don't know about it. Please add me, and we can communicate directly in the future. I'll spend the next few days figuring out how to use it, as I haven't used it before, hehe.

In the grand mansion of Chongyun Town, a slightly plump middle-aged man paced. His name was Yumeng, with a pale face and no beard, and his eyes occasionally flickered with intimidating runes. He was a skilled expert of the Yu Clan.

This time, he was ordered by the clan elder to inspect the western border, as the clan had some assets there, such as rare metal mines and tribute areas for exotic animals.

"Has Miss Youyu appeared?" Yumeng stood on a stone arch bridge in the garden, looking at a group of purple-scaled fish in the water, and asked the steward beside him. Taking advantage of the inspection, he also needed to request a talisman from the Bitian Pavilion and deliver it to an outstanding genius of the clan.

The genius was deeply favored by the clan elder, so he didn't want any mistakes and hoped to get the talisman as soon as possible and return it.

The steward was very respectful and said, "We have been investigating, but Miss Xia has not returned yet. I will report to you immediately once we have any news."

"Truly frustrating. The clan elder asked me to investigate Shi Ziling's situation, but you haven't even found out anything here. And I can't even see the person to request the talisman!" Yumeng's face was unhappy as he turned and walked down the stone arch bridge, entering a pavilion and sitting down.

The steward's face turned pale, and he hurriedly followed, bowing deeply. "Please forgive me, sir!"

Soon, the steward returned to a hall, sat in a reclining chair, and rubbed his temples. His aura grew stronger, and he shouted, "Bring me some people!"

Instantly, a group of people quickly entered. They were all powerful, with extremely strong abilities.

"For so many years, I've asked you to investigate Shi Ziling's situation, but you haven't even found a trace. You're all useless!" The steward roared, like an angry lion, completely different from his recent submissive demeanor, exuding immense power.

The group immediately felt a chill. They knew that this steward was not only ruthless but also a skilled expert with deep cultivation, a significant figure in Chongyun Town.

The steward's face was dark as he said, "Also, are the old monsters in that dilapidated manor all dead, and is that child still alive?"

"Sir, we have already investigated. That child is most likely a stand-in and cannot possibly be the Shi Hao from back then," someone bravely responded.

"Fools!" The steward was furious, slamming the wooden table, which shattered instantly. A wave of energy surged down, cracking the granite floor and causing it to sink more than a foot, showing how terrifying his cultivation was.

"Even if it's a fake, we must find a way to get rid of it. What kind of clan is the Yu Clan? Ancient and glorious, with a long history, even older than the Stone Kingdom. They value their reputation, and letting that little brat live is a disgrace to their face!" The steward roared.

The group below showed fear, involuntarily stepping back. The stern man above roared, making their eardrums hurt.

"Sir, with the old monsters dead, who can protect him? We will have news soon," the group hurriedly assured.

"I warn you, leave no trace. Otherwise, I will tear out your tendons and skin you. If anything goes wrong, no one will survive!"

"We will arrange it properly. We can make it look like he was bitten by a venomous insect, or a fierce beast from the mountains attacked him, causing him to slowly 'die' from illness, or we can bring in some thugs to do the job without directly harming him..."

"Enough, go and do it. I only want results," the steward waved them away.

The dilapidated manor was even more desolate, with the old-style doors and windows creaking in the wind, sounding like ghosts crying at night.

The few old men had passed away, and no new "criminals" had been sent here in recent decades, making it very eerie and lacking in human presence.

At night, even the servants were unwilling to go out or walk around the manor.

"Your name..." the little one scratched his head, as they shared the same name.

"Since childhood, they have called me Shi Hao," the child whispered, his head lowered, his expression gloomy, feeling very lonely after the old men died.

"Why don't you keep that name, and I'll change mine. You've suffered a lot for me, and I don't want to take the name you've been using," the little one said.

"No need, I'll change mine. This name always brings back many memories, and I want to end all of this," the child beside him said.

After thinking for a long time, he gave himself a new name: Shi Qingfeng. He hoped to be as free as the wind in the future and leave this prison.

The two children's big eyes were bright, and they looked at each other, smiling.

"I want to see Dahu," Little Qingfeng said, his eyes filled with reluctance and nostalgia, hoping to see his best friend before leaving.

For many years, he had been very lonely, with no peers to play with and no friends, only the black tiger bringing him joy. He was very pitiful.

"Okay!"

Before they could set out the next morning, a loud voice came from outside the gate, "Child, where are you? Uncle is here to take you away from this cursed place, so you won't be bullied by those slaves."

A tall, middle-aged man entered the manor, with a full beard, looking very rugged. The little one got up and hid, not wanting to be seen.

"Ah, it's Uncle Hai!" Little Qingfeng was delighted.

Uncle Hai was Grandpa Hai's son, and this family had always been very kind to him. After the old men passed away, Grandpa Hai and his son decided to take the child in, feeling that he was too pitiful.

"Leaving here isn't a good idea," a servant stepped forward to obstruct.

"Not a good idea? If the child stays here, he won't last three months. Do you know how his foot was injured? As soon as the old man fell ill, a rare venomous dragon appeared and bit his foot..." Uncle Hai was indignant, his beard quivering like steel needles.

"Uncle Hai, I'll go with you to see Dahu," Little Qingfeng ran over.

This was a small village, responsible for sending game, fruits, and vegetables to the second ancestral land of the Shi Clan. It wasn't very large, with only a hundred or so households.

"Roar..." A loud roar came from the village entrance, and a massive black tiger appeared, standing about three zhang tall and six to seven zhang long, very large, and quickly ran over. Behind it, four small tiger cubs, looking very cute, followed.

"Dahu..." Little Qingfeng quickly ran over, full of joy.

In the distant forest, the little one was startled. This tiger was no ordinary one, with abundant blood energy and mysterious runes in its body, making it a fierce beast.

In the distance, a young man with a cold expression said, "Damn, the Hai family father and son have taken him in. Both are strong, living in seclusion here, and all the villagers respect them."

That night, fierce beasts roared in the mountains, and several large black shadows, as if mad, rushed into the village, intent on a bloodbath.

"Roar..."

"Oh no, the fierce beasts are here, they're going to kill people, run!" The villagers were terrified.

"Thud," "Thud"

...

In the darkness, the sound of bowstrings echoed, and several glowing, rune-covered arrows flew out, hitting the large black shadows. The roars stopped immediately, and the giant beasts fell dead.

Soon, the villagers calmed down.

"Grandpa Hai, you're really in great shape, easily killing such fierce beasts," the villagers sincerely thanked him.

The little one nodded in the distant forest. The Hai family father and son were indeed strong, with extraordinary skills.

"Can this old man shoot rune arrows? He must be a great expert," a group of people in the distance frowned, their eyes filled with killing intent.

In the following days, venomous insects and fierce birds frequently appeared, troubling the village. Although the Hai family father and son killed them all, the villagers were still on edge.

"How hateful, they're forcing us to hand over the child. If we send him back, I'm sure he won't last two months," Uncle Hai was angry.

"Forget it, we've been here long enough. We should move to a new place, and take the child with us. Before we leave, I plan to settle some scores," Grandpa Hai said coldly.

At night, when fierce beasts attacked again, two figures moved swiftly like ghosts, rising into the air and disappearing into the distance.

"Ah..."

"Ah..."

Cries of pain echoed, not only from the beasts but also from people. The experts sent by the steward were all very strong, cultivating bone runes, or they wouldn't be able to investigate the clues and information about Shi Ziling and his wife. However, they were still not enough, and all twenty or so were killed, with none escaping.

"Amazing!" The little one was surprised in the forest.

He had lived in the mountains for a long time, fighting fierce beasts, and naturally knew how to hide his presence, so he wouldn't be discovered.

In Chongyun Town, the steward's eyes turned sinister upon receiving the news. Twenty or so experts dead in one night was not something ordinary people could do.

"Do I have to go there myself?!" He stood up, a powerful aura emanating from him, causing the walls of the room to crack.

The next morning, in the grand mansion, Yumeng got up and strolled in the garden, casually asking, "I heard you lost some people?"

The steward immediately bent over, not daring to look up, and said, "Yes, there are strong experts living in seclusion there. I plan to take action and eliminate them."

Yumeng said coldly, "Experts, I like them. I recently raised a fierce beast that needs the blood of strong people. Take a few of my people with you and bring that father and son to me. I suspect they might have some background."

The steward was startled, then overjoyed. With an important figure from the Yu Clan taking action, who could survive? Even if the father and son were hidden experts, they would have no place to hide.

He knew that Yumeng had been having a rough time recently and was harboring a grudge, which was about to be unleashed, possibly causing a great storm in the western border!

In the village, Little Qingfeng was very grateful, "Grandpa Hai, I can't go with you. I need to leave with the little brother, who said he can cure my foot. You should leave quickly, or those bad people won't stop."

Finally, they met in the forest, and Little Shi Hao appeared.

"Thank you, Grandpa Hai, Uncle Hai. You should leave this village