C3 Unable to Return Home!

"Bang!"

Being merciful to an enemy is being cruel to oneself, a lesson Xu Ming knew all too well. Having swiftly dealt with one adversary, he launched a fierce punch at the next.

"This kid is vicious!"

Xu Ming's punch was lightning-fast, leaving the man on the right no chance to evade. With no other option, he crossed his arms over his chest in defense.

"Crack, crack..."

The punch hit the man's arms with a solid, muffled sound, the crunch of breaking bones igniting Xu Ming's adrenaline.

Without sparing the man a glance, Xu Ming strode toward Xu Yang. "Your turn..."

Only then did the fallen man open his mouth, a dim look in his eyes, as blood spurted out. With his last breath, he asked, "What kind of fist is that?"

"Killing Dog Fist!"

The words hung faintly in the air, unheard by the man who now lay lifeless on the ground.

With two lives ended by two punches, Xu Yang realized his grave mistake. As he instinctively tried to retreat, Xu Ming blocked his escape with a swift move!

Seeing Xu Ming's terrifying speed and the two bodies on the ground, a chill ran through Xu Yang.

He was clearly no match for Xu Ming, who, without a doubt, would show no mercy.

"Don't kill me... Xu Ming... Fourth brother, we're family..."

Fear filled Xu Yang's eyes as the dread of imminent death made him back away.

"Brother? Family? Isn't that ironic?"

A bloodthirsty smirk played on Xu Ming's lips. His steps never faltered, nor was he swayed by Xu Yang's pleas.

Xu Ming was well aware that weeds must be pulled out by the roots, or they'll grow back with the spring breeze.

"You can't kill me... My grandfather is the third elder, my father is the family steward, and my brothers all possess God Grade Bloodlines, with the strength of Martial Disciples. If you kill me..."

"Ah..."

Xu Yang's plea was cut short as Xu Ming's palm descended upon his head. With a gentle tap, Xu Yang's head dropped, as though struck by lightning, and he fell to the ground in defeat.

The look in his eyes was one of defiance, as if to say, "My brother is a genius; how could you dare to kill me? Aren't you afraid of retaliation?"

"Of course, I'm not afraid of retaliation. If I were, I wouldn't have killed you..."

The third elder wielded immense power within the family, rivaling even the Patriarch himself. Yet, Xu Ming did not waver in his decision to end Xu Yang's life.

"Moreover, this is a remote farm, and the wild beasts will leave nothing of you behind..."

Xu Ming found it easy to obliterate all traces of the bodies. After searching the three corpses, he was quite disappointed to find they bore no treasures, only a small amount of money.

Having taken care of the scene, Xu Ming hoisted the bodies and made his way deep into the forest.

"Destroying the evidence is crucial; dawn is breaking, and I still need to get into town..."

"Young Master Xu Yang has disappeared..."

At dawn, as Xu Ming arrived at the farm, whispers filled the air. The sight of Xu Ming prompted fear and suspicion in the eyes of those present.

With his hands casually clasped behind his back, Xu Ming strolled through the farm, paying no mind to anyone.

Despite being stationed at the farm, many greeted him respectfully—Xu Ming was, after all, the son of the family patriarch. He acknowledged them with a mere nod, his demeanor unflappable.

"Where could Young Master Xu Yang have gone? The guards from last night claim they didn't see him leave, and he's nowhere to be found on the estate... Could something have happened to Young Master Xu Yang?"

"Young Master Xu Yang is the pride of our farm. Achieving Martial Dao Grade Seven within a year would bring great honor to us all..."

Xu Ming had no interest in these murmurs.

"The Young Master Xu Yang you speak of is already dead, likely turned into the droppings of some beast by now..."

With a cold laugh, Xu Ming dismissed the matter entirely. The farm had strict rules: no family disciple could leave without a token. Even if someone had allowed Xu Yang to leave, they wouldn't dare confess. Whoever did would face the wrath of the third elder and his supporters.

To protect their own lives, anyone would keep this incident under wraps. As for how Xu Yang vanished from the farm... who knows? Let the third elder handle the investigation. It's not like he can scour the forest, slicing open the bellies of wild beasts, or sift through each animal's droppings to find traces of Xu Yang.

As for the alleged murderer, Xu Ming, he has an alibi. He wasn't on the farm last night, so there's no suspicion on him, despite any past conflicts between the two.

Xu Yang had bullied and offended many in the past. There were plenty who were stronger than Xu Ming, with more than a few capable of taking Xu Yang down with ease.

"Fourth Young Master..." Upon Xu Ming's arrival at the Manor Lord's residence, Xu Liang, the Manor Lord, presented him with a Space Ring. "These are the items to be delivered to the family's inner courtyard; they're all in here..."

The family is divided into the outer and inner courtyards. The outer courtyard is for the Outer Sect Disciples, like those on this farm. The inner courtyard is the family's nucleus, home to the elite, the heart of the Xu family in Four-direction City.

Xu Liang's demeanor was now far more respectful than before. Gone was his previous indifference and the haughty air that once set him above others.

Xu Liang suspected that Xu Yang had likely met his end at the hands of Xu Ming. Just yesterday, Xu Yang had confided in Xu Liang his intention to take Xu Ming's life that very night. Yet now, Xu Yang was nowhere to be found, while Xu Ming was alive and well. Who else could be responsible?

"It must be the Patriarch who's secretly favored Xu Ming, considering he's his son. How could he not look out for him?"

Deep down, Xu Liang doubted Xu Ming possessed Xu Yang's true strength. He suspected the Patriarch had covertly provided Xu Ming with pills and martial skills, which would explain Xu Ming's newfound power over Xu Yang.

Xu Ming was well aware of these suspicions. Otherwise, why would everyone on the farm give him such peculiar looks?

"Keep harboring your doubts," Xu Ming thought. "By the end of the year, I'll give you all a surprise that will leave you speechless..."

Xu Ming pursed his lips dismissively and quickly put the matter out of his mind.

He had been eagerly anticipating the chance to enter the city for three months, and today, he could finally do so legitimately.

The Xu family had strict rules: any Xu family disciple assigned a position could not abandon their post without permission. If caught, they would lose three months' salary and face punishment.

For an ordinary Outer Sect Disciple, the monthly salary was just enough for regular expenses. Who would risk making a mistake?

In reality, every family had similar rules in place to prevent Outer Sect Disciples from bribing Inner Sect Disciples, which could disrupt the family's carefully laid plans.

Four-direction City was a mere dozen miles from the farm.

With Xu Ming's pace, it took him less than two hours to reach the city gates. Presenting the farm's pass, he made his way to the Xu family's back door with practiced ease.

The Xu family's front door was off-limits to Outer Sect Disciples; only the back door was accessible for business.

Upon reaching the back door, two guards promptly stepped forward to block Xu Ming's path. "Show your token and state your business..."

"Delivery," Xu Ming responded coolly. These guards were well aware of who he was, yet they showed not an ounce of respect, treating him like a stranger, their eyes brimming with disdain.

On the Martial God Continent, where power was paramount, Xu Ming hadn't been given the time of day by these people before he was assigned a role, let alone now as an Outer Sect Disciple facing Inner Sect Disciples.

"Hmm..." one of the guards muttered nonchalantly, extending his hand. "Hand it over..."

A surge of anger rose within Xu Ming as he reluctantly passed the Space Ring to the guard.

Wasn't he still a family disciple, even if from the Outer Sect? Was he now to be denied entry to his own family's threshold?