Chapter 83

......

The two girls, having reaped a bountiful harvest, had already begun trading with each other, each taking what they needed.

On the contrary, the two older boys in the family were still locked in a stalemate with their respective opponents. Their opponents seemed to be at the high end of the second level of the Qi Condensation stage, but they were very skilled at working together.

This forced the two brothers to also fight in tandem, and the battle was intense and evenly matched.

Moreover, the bandit leader with the scarred face had not moved at all.

Among the bandits, he had the highest cultivation, almost reaching the fifth level of the Qi Condensation stage. As a wandering cultivator, reaching such a level at around forty years old was no small feat.

Unlike family disciples and household guards, who receive substantial support every year and additional rewards for good performance, wandering cultivators often have very unstable sources of cultivation resources, and most resources must be obtained at the cost of their lives.

Some might say, if wandering cultivators are so poor, why don't they join a family and serve as household guards? This is indeed a path for wandering cultivators, but families are very strict about recruiting household guards, requiring a clean background, clear origins, and good character.

Even so, most families are reluctant to recruit wild wandering cultivators as household guards, preferring to cultivate their own from a young age.

When families do need wandering cultivators, they often hire them at high prices to serve as cannon fodder or to carry out dirty work.

The reason the scarred wandering cultivator had not moved was because he was being watched by Wang Shouzhe.

The young man, who looked to be in his late teens, gave him a completely unfathomable, profound feeling. It was clear that the other party's strength far exceeded his own.

This kind of terrifying pressure was only felt from late-stage Qi Condensation experts.

Such a young late-stage Qi Condensation expert must have been a direct descendant of a family, carefully cultivated with all available resources, destined to walk the path of the Spirit Platform.

In Ping'an Town, there was only one such person, rumored to exist.

He had tried to escape several times but was always within Wang Shouzhe's line of sight. He knew that any movement would result in a devastating attack from the other side.

At this point, he could no longer hold back and, swallowing his saliva, said, "Are you the head of the Wang family, Wang Shouzhe? I am Scarred Old Five. Since I've fallen into your hands, I'll accept my fate." Of course, this was not his real name; there were many similar names in the wandering cultivator world.

"Ha ha~" Wang Shouzhe did not respond, but continued to watch the battle between Wang Shouyong and Wang Shoulian. As for Scarred Old Five, he could only stay put, unsure of Wang Shouzhe's intentions.

The two male members of the Wang family, who had previously been mediocre in their cultivation, had been forced to practice under the pressure of their elders. However, because the family was poor, most resources were concentrated on Wang Shouzhe.

Thus, their cultivation was only at a level where they could get by, and they had never aspired to the path of the Spirit Platform.

It was only after Wang Luqiu, the catalyst, appeared that they were "motivated" to practice hard, and they finally showed some improvement, though their opponents were also very experienced, making the battle a close match.

This time, Wang Shouzhe had a dual-purpose plan: to eliminate the bandits and to hone the skills of his younger siblings, while also instilling in them a correct worldview.

The battle was dragging on.

Wang Luqiu began her taunting: "Wang Shouyong, Wang Shoulian, can you be any more useless? Lu Jing, let's split them up, one each." Her eyes were filled with excitement, clearly eager to gain more and fatten her little purse.

The two boys' faces turned red, and they gritted their teeth and fought hard. Finally, after several risky moves, they managed to subdue the two wandering cultivators. This performance could only be described as mediocre.

The Wang family's *Xuan Yuan Technique* was a mid-grade cultivation method, and the various basic body techniques and combat skills in the family were also excellent. They should have had a solid foundation. Facing these wandering cultivators, who often lacked even a complete low-grade cultivation method, they should have had a relative advantage.

However, at a similar cultivation level, they had to exchange injuries to barely defeat their opponents.

Their faces were red, but after being mocked by their sister so much recently, Wang Shouyong and Wang Shoulian had developed thicker skin and quickly learned to gather the spoils of war.

"Good, there is some effect from the training," Wang Shouzhe acknowledged, "Shouyong, Shoulian, you fought bravely and have made significant progress. Although you are injured, as men, you must experience some storms to see the rainbow. Go and bandage yourselves."

He had been watching the entire time, and if his younger brother was in serious danger, he would have intervened immediately.

"Yes, Fourth Brother." The two boys obediently retreated to the side to bandage themselves, their faces flushed with excitement, a mix of joy from defeating a strong enemy and delight from being praised by their Fourth Brother.

The rules for male family members were much stricter than for the girls, making their personalities generally more reserved. The girls, in their view, would eventually marry and leave, so they were more lenient.

Wang Shouzhe was the brother they most admired and respected, and being praised by him was a rare and joyful experience.

"Good, you have a bit of a manly spirit now, which makes me look at you differently. It seems my special training for you was not in vain," Wang Luqiu, who was usually sharp-tongued, said, her face slightly pale as she and Wang Lu Jing helped their brothers apply some wound medicine and bandage them.

No matter how sharp-tongued she was, they were still blood-related family, and she couldn't help but be concerned when they were injured.

At this point, Wang Shouzhe turned his gaze to the scarred wandering cultivator and said calmly, "Surrender. You have no chance."

Scarred Old Five's face turned ashen, and large beads of sweat rolled down his face. "Sir Wang, I was wrong. I shouldn't have been swayed by the Liu and Zhao families to do such despicable things. If you let me go, I will give you all the evidence and ensure that the Liu and Zhao families suffer."

He knew that the Wang family had deep-seated grudges with the Zhao and Liu families.

"That sounds tempting," Wang Shouzhe said with a stern face, "but unfortunately, if I agree, how can I live with myself? You have only one path: surrender and confess, and I will give you a dignified death afterward."

"You... If you don't agree, you won't get the evidence," Scarred Old Five threatened fiercely, "You will lose a great opportunity to deal with the Liu and Zhao families."

"Whatever, we'll see. If we can get it, we will; if not, it doesn't matter. Your evidence is not essential to bring down the Liu and Zhao families," Wang Shouzhe said nonchalantly.

"You!" Scarred Old Five became increasingly fierce, like a cornered beast. "Fine, fine, fine, you leave me no choice. I'll fight you to the death!" The only path to survival had been blocked by Wang Shouzhe, and he resolutely took out a pill and swallowed it.

In an instant, his face turned bright red, his eyes filled with a fierce and cruel look, and his body swelled with mystical energy, as if he had grown larger.

"Fourth Brother, be careful. That's a Frenzy Pill. It's said to allow one to fight beyond their level," Wang Lu Jing said anxiously, taking out her insect flute.

Even Wang Luqiu's face changed: "How despicable, to take a Frenzy Pill. Fourth Brother, let's fight together."

"No need. This person is too dangerous for you to handle. Step back," Wang Shouzhe casually drew his sword and walked toward the wandering cultivator, "Today is a training session for everyone. Remember this: never underestimate any enemy, as they may have hidden survival techniques."

"Yes, Fourth Brother." "Yes, Fourth Brother." "Fourth Brother, be careful."

Wang Luqiu also saw how dangerous the situation was and began to worry about Wang Shouzhe.

"Ao!"

The scarred wandering cultivator's eyes were filled with a cruel and bloody look as he wielded a large knife and swung it at Wang Shouzhe with a powerful force, the blade's momentum so fierce that it seemed to want to cut through the warehouse.

Wang Shouzhe's face did not change. He casually thrust his sword, striking the side of the knife with lightning speed.

"Clang!"

The sound of metal clashing rang out, and the fierce knife attack was completely neutralized. The knife blade could not withstand the force and was deflected backward, and the scarred wandering cultivator, whose body had swelled, was pushed back several steps as if hit by a punch.

"How is this possible!" The remaining bit of rationality made the scarred wandering cultivator extremely frightened. He was confident that this move, even if it couldn't injure, would at least force a retreat.

"Ah!"

Wang Shouzhe sighed lightly, "You underestimated the depth of the Wang family and me, Wang Shouzhe. Do you really think a Frenzy Pill can make you a match for me? Ha ha~"

After a light laugh, Wang Shouzhe's body moved like smoke, swift and unpredictable.

He swung his sword.

A thick white sword beam, like a bolt of lightning, struck the wandering cultivator.

"The Willow Fluff Body Technique"

"The Wang Family Xuan Yuan Sword Technique"

Wang Lu Jing and Wang Luqiu almost shouted in unison. These were the Wang family's inherited techniques, mid-grade body techniques, and mid-grade sword techniques.

They had seen Wang Shouzhe's Willow Fluff Body Technique before, which was unpredictable and elusive, making it impossible to touch even his clothes. But this was the first time they saw him use the family's secret technique, the Xuan Yuan Sword Technique.

"Clang!"

The scarred wandering cultivator barely blocked the attack, spitting blood and retreating. Before he could catch his breath, a more powerful second strike followed.

Another block...

The third strike!

"Clang!" The sound of a bell and drum rang out as the scarred wandering cultivator's knife shattered into two pieces, and the impact sent him flying, spitting blood and falling to the ground, unable to get up.

"Ah!"

The four younger siblings saw Wang Shouzhe fight for real for the first time, all of them