"Fang Qingshi gave this to you?" Feng Yuan assumed it was once again from Fang Xiao, who was already a personal attendant for the Tiger Armor Army and always looking out for Chu Ming.

"Mm." Chu Ming offered no further explanation.

"..." Feng Yuan glanced at the cultivation technique, a flash of joy crossing his eyes before quickly fading.

He was truly happy that Chu Ming still remembered him.

The previous body refining technique, he had practiced every day. Though he had yet to condense his qi and blood, his body was growing stronger, and his strength already surpassed that of ordinary men.

But...

Feng Yuan put away the cultivation technique, staring intently at Chu Ming: "It’s true that Jingyan County produces fine salt, but for someone in the Chief Clerk’s Office like you, it’s a dangerous place."

"The County Magistrate of Jingyan County is named Lv Wen, and the County Magistrate’s assistant is called Zhou Xun." He abruptly offered this information.

Lv Wen? Zhou Xun?

Chu Ming’s heart stirred slightly.

The surnames Lv and Zhou reminded him of two people.

One was Merit Officer Lv Jinhui, the other Inspector General Zhou Xi, both fifth-grade officials at the Inspectorate.

Feng Yuan didn’t make it explicit, but Chu Ming already understood his meaning.

"Also, as I have learned, there are nearly a hundred men from the Inspectorate guarding the mine. Each one is at least at the late stage of the Blood Circulation Realm, if not the Strong Bone Realm. They take orders only from the Inspectorate," Feng Yuan said heavily. "Be careful, with everything."

Chu Ming bowed low in salute: "This junior will be mindful."

Feng Yuan offered some more advice, then left the Chu Mansion.

Elsewhere, Ye Hong and Shen Yu exchanged letters, which were rushed by fast horse to Xirong County. The content was simple: a thorough investigation and arrest of the Wan Family, Xingheng Martial Arts Hall, Wind Traveling Escort Agency, and a campaign to wipe out Black Wind Stronghold.

That same night, Chu Ming was not idle, either.

"Brother Shen, do you happen to know the location of Black Wind Stronghold?"

"What are you planning?" Shen Yu raised his eyebrows, a bad feeling rising in his heart.

"Does Brother Shen know?"

Chu Ming didn’t answer, but instead just repeated the question.

Shen Yu stared at Chu Ming, his gaze wavering. After a moment’s thought, he asked tentatively, "Are you planning to destroy Black Wind Stronghold?"

Chu Ming nodded.

"Chu Ming, you..." Shen Yu looked rather conflicted. "What is your current strength? Late Refining Organ Realm? Or have you already reached Refining Organ Perfection?"

Shen Yu had learned from Meng Zhen and Ye Hong that the mysterious man in black who killed Black Pockmarks and his two men was at least late Refining Organ Realm, and likely even at Refining Organ Perfection.

And he knew—that man in black was the very youth before him, the seemingly gentle and refined Chu Ming.

"Late Refining Organ Realm." Chu Ming thought for a moment and replied.

By the standards of the Refining Organ Realm, he had already nurtured three organs and three viscera, and begun nurturing the final organ, placing him in the late stage.

But in reality, he had condensed thirty-seven streams of qi and blood, three times that of normal martial artists. As for what realm his true strength belonged to—combined with his other hidden cards and techniques, there really was no easy way to judge his precise level.

Late Refining Organ Realm!

Shen Yu had been mentally prepared, but hearing Chu Ming say "late Refining Organ Realm" out loud still sent a sharp jolt through his heart.

The youth before him was only sixteen years old.

Most crucial of all, the boy’s attainments in both scholarship and officialdom were equally extraordinary.

But...

Even at the late Refining Organ Realm, breaking into Black Wind Stronghold alone remained extremely dangerous.

"Chu Ming, Black Pockmarks may be dead, but from what Ye Hong told me, there are still over a thousand bandits at Black Wind Stronghold. You on your own..."

The Refining Organ Realm was not invincible. If surrounded, even a thousand bandits could wear a man down to death, if not outright overwhelm him.

"Hundreds of villagers in Dahe Village died because of me." Chu Ming ran a palm over his face, changing his features once again. "All I can do is ensure that Black Wind Stronghold is buried along with those innocent villagers."

Shen Yu gazed at Chu Ming, his throat working for a few moments, but in the end, he couldn’t speak the words aloud.

He knew Chu Ming’s nature: on the surface, he seemed indifferent to everything and everyone, but in reality, he had a clear set of principles guiding his actions.

Truthfully, their natures were similar: once they’d decided on a thing, they’d find a way no matter what.

"Black Wind Stronghold is on Black Wind Ridge, over two hundred li from Baiyuan County."

"Alright." Chu Ming changed into black nightclothes.

"Chu Ming..." Shen Yu wanted to suggest going along, but thinking of his own aging body—he’d only hold Chu Ming back. "The terrain at Black Wind Ridge is complex. Xirong County once sent the Inspectorate to wipe them out, but failed every time. You...be careful."

"Don’t worry."

...

Black Wind Stronghold.

Black Wind Ridge was formed by a dozen or so mountain peaks linked together, with Black Wind Stronghold nestled deep within, in an easily-defensible, hard-to-attack spot.

Black Wind Stronghold was one of Xirong County’s most notorious bandit dens; the county had sent troops to attack numerous times, but failed due to terrain, manpower, and planning issues.

After disguising himself, Chu Ming left Baiyuan County, made haste through the mountains, and with Sword Gourd Spirit’s spiritual sense scanning the area, he quickly found the exact location of Black Wind Stronghold with little effort.

At that moment, deep within Black Wind Stronghold, a great hall stood, lavishly adorned, lit by blazing lamps.

On the throne, covered in tiger skins, sat a burly man with a hideous knife scar on his face—one hand clutching a giant bowl of wine, the other holding greasy meat.

Beside him was another seat draped with bear hide. Upon it sat a bald man.

These two were the Second and Third Village Chiefs of Black Wind Stronghold.

"Second Brother, now that the Big Boss is dead, shouldn’t we get out of here while we can?"

In contrast to the scarred man’s relaxed manner, the bald man looked worried.

"Leave? Leave for where? Why would we leave?" The scarred man slapped the throne beneath him, laughing loudly. "I’m not even done warming the chief’s seat yet!"

"...Big Brother is dead, the secret is out. If Xirong County sends troops now..."

"Heh, a siege?" The scarred man dismissed it. "Relax, Black Wind Stronghold is easy to defend and hard to attack. I may not be as strong as Big Brother was, but I’m not far off."

"Second Brother, you’ve had too much to drink..." The bald man’s face grew even darker at these words.

Their big brother had been a master in the Refining Organ Realm, while this second boss was only at Strong Bone Perfection.

"Drunk? I’m not drunk. Go, bring all those women Big Brother took!"

"..." The bald man stared at the drunkenly ranting scarred man, his gaze flickering. Retreat was stirring in his heart.

Previously, with Black Pockmarks—someone in the Refining Organ Realm—here, even government attacks could be repelled. Now, with the boss dead, staying was as good as waiting for death.

"Alright, Second Brother, just wait. I’ll go get them now." The bald man stood to head out.

However, before he’d gone far, a figure walked into the hall.

The newcomer wore tiger-skin robes, an enormous axe slung over his shoulder, his hair fanning out in wild tufts.

The bald man saw him and immediately went deathly pale, stumbling backward in terror.

"Who’s that?" The scarred man struggled to lift his head, rubbing his eyes.

"Wang Meng, you..." His face, like the bald man’s, instantly turned ashen.

This Wang Meng swept the two with a look of contempt before setting down his giant axe.

Boom—

The floor trembled, a mark of the axe’s weight.

"I hear Black Pockmarks is dead?" Wang Meng’s voice boomed.

"Big Brother..."

"From now on, Black Wind Stronghold is mine." Wang Meng said flatly.

Before the scarred man could finish speaking, Wang Meng dragged his giant axe toward the chief’s seat. The second boss, terrified, tumbled from the throne in haste.

He had every reason to be afraid—Wang Meng was a master as powerful as their old boss, a killer famed throughout Xirong County’s Blood Vine Castle.

Blood Vine—one of the most fearsome bandit gangs in all Xirong.

"Bring wine, bring meat, bring women."

"...Yes."

On the other side—

Chu Ming, hidden in the darkness, crept near Black Wind Stronghold. With Sword Gourd Spirit’s spiritual sense extended, he probed the stronghold and counted over eleven hundred bandits within.