Xu Shang said goodbye to Innkeeper and Qin Xin, then left the inn.
Innkeeper watched his retreating figure, seemingly wanting to say something, but in the end, he remained silent.
Xu Shang stepped out of the inn's threshold, and the sunlight fell upon him, yet it could not dispel the gloom in his heart.
His footsteps were heavy, each step feeling as though he were treading upon fragments of memories. Passing through the streets of Sanqing Town, he arrived at the once-glorious Xu Family estate.
The sight before his eyes wrenched his heart. The former Xu Family estate was now reduced to broken walls and ruined foundations, its past glory utterly gone. Shattered bricks and tiles, collapsed beams and pillars, and desolate courtyards—everything appeared so bleak and desolate.
Standing before the ruins, Xu Shang took a deep breath; the air still seemed to linger with the aura of his family.
Xu Shang closed his eyes, letting the torrent of memories engulf him. Those sounds of laughter and joy, those warm embraces—all of them had now become things of the past.
He walked slowly into the estate, every step falling upon the grounds of former glory, now left with nothing but dust and memories. He came to the ancestral hall of the family, where the spirit tablets of generations of the Xu Family ancestors were enshrined.
Although the ancestral hall had not escaped destruction, the spirit tablets were still carefully preserved.
Xu Shang knelt before the tablets, his heart filled with guilt and self-reproach. He had failed to protect his family, failing to prevent the tragedy from happening.
But now, Xu Shang had returned; he was going to avenge his family and bring peace back to Sanqing Town.
He stood up, his gaze resolute as he looked into the distance. He knew his path would not be smooth, but he also knew he could not retreat.
Using his own strength, Xu Shang would revive the glory of his family and restore peace to Sanqing Town.
Xu Shang left the Xu Family estate without looking back, for he knew he could not dwell in the past—he had to look forward and meet new challenges.
Xu Shang returned to the inn, found Innkeeper and Qin Xin, and told them his decision.
"I am going to the Su Family," Xu Shang said calmly.
Innkeeper and Qin Xin exchanged glances; they knew what Xu Shang's decision implied. They also knew this would be a path fraught with danger, yet they saw the determination and courage shining in Xu Shang's eyes.
"Young Master Xu, whatever you do, we will support you," Qin Xin said firmly. "We will do everything in our power to help you."
Under the cover of night, Xu Shang slipped into the Su Family estate like a ghost. His movements were light and agile, every step avoiding dead branches and rubble on the ground to prevent making any noise.
Xu Shang's gaze was sharp, like that of a predator, catching any slightest rustle or movement around him.
Xu Shang came to the outer perimeter of the Su Family alone, observing the patrol routes and schedules of the guards.
After confirming the guards' blind spots, he chose a concealed corner and, using the vines and shadows on the wall, silently scaled the high barrier.
Once inside the Su Family compound, Xu Shang immediately sought out a hidden spot to conceal himself while carefully listening to the surrounding conversations and sounds.
Xu Shang knew there must be quite a few experts within the Su Family, so he had to act with caution and avoid exposing himself carelessly. Xu Shang was not here to kill people, but rather to stir up some internal chaos. Even though Xu Shang possessed the strength of the Spirit Opening Realm, within the Su Family, probably only Su Lie could match him as an opponent.
Xu Shang sensed the condition within his body and thought: Utilizing Demon Clan blood to boost one's strength, combined with the spiritual qi previously stagnating in the body, is the only way one manages to advance to the Spirit Opening Realm. While increasing one's strength is a good thing, excessive boosting is not necessarily beneficial, and it can actually impair future cultivation. It is better to suppress one's strength to the Body Inscription Realm.
In a dim corner, Xu Shang overheard the conversation between two footmen:
"Did you hear? The family head recently obtained a treasure, said to have boundless might."
"Really? What kind of treasure is it?" the other footman asked curiously.
"How would I know? But seeing how much importance the family head attaches to it, it must be extraordinary."
A thought stirred in Xu Shang's heart—this might be a weakness of the Su Family. If he could acquire this treasure, perhaps he could turn the tide. He decided to probe deeper.
Just at that moment, a burst of hurried footsteps shattered the tranquility of the night. Xu Shang immediately grew alert, and saw several Su Family experts rapidly passing by him, seemingly in pursuit of someone.
Utilizing this opportunity, Xu Shang silently followed behind them, wanting to see what was happening. He watched these experts stop in a courtyard, seemingly confronting someone.
"Su Mang, how dare you betray the family!" a voice said sternly.
Xu Shang was startled inwardly; so Su Mang was here as well, and it appeared he had stolen the Su Family's treasure.
Xu Shang immediately realized this was a prime opportunity. He could use this chaotic situation to find the whereabouts of the treasure.
Just as both sides were about to make a move, Xu Shang decided to take action. He flashed out from the shadows, rapidly approaching the battlefield while whispering to Su Mang: "I am here to help you. Let's deal with them together."
Su Mang was taken aback, clearly not expecting anyone to come to his aid, but then he saw the resolute look in Xu Shang's eyes. Hardening his heart, he decided to accept Xu Shang's help.
"Good! Let's join forces and take care of these bastards first!" Su Mang responded in a low voice.
Following Su Mang's reply, the two launched their attacks almost simultaneously. Xu Shang's footwork was nimble, moving like a gust of wind, his palm force fierce and sharp, striking the vital points of his opponents with infallible accuracy.
Su Mang relied on his own strength to withstand the enemy attacks head-on while searching for an opportunity to counterattack.
Xu Shang and Su Mang cooperated seamlessly; their offensive rolled like a tide, wave after wave, leaving the Su Family experts overwhelmed.
At that moment, Xu Shang spotted an opening and whispered to Su Mang: "The guards on the left are weaker. Let's break through from there."
Su Mang understood instantly, and both exerted force together. Like fierce tigers descending from the mountain, they instantly broke through the left-hand defense line. Amidst the chaos, Xu Shang seized the opportunity to grab a footman and quickly interrogated him about the whereabouts of the treasure.
Upon learning that the treasure was hidden in the secret vault of the Su Family, Xu Shang and Su Mang quickly withdrew from the battlefield and headed toward the vault.
On the way to the vault, Xu Shang realized that Su Mang was a villain, so his own plans had to be adjusted accordingly.
He knew that any cooperation with Su Mang might be fraught with variables and danger, so he had to be much more cautious and clever.
In the shadows of the Su Family estate, Xu Shang quickly adjusted his strategy.
Xu Shang decided to no longer seek direct cooperation with Su Mang, but rather to use the chaos caused by Su Mang stealing the treasure to carve out an opportunity for himself.
Xu Shang needed to find the exact location of the treasure and formulate a plan to seize it while avoiding a direct clash with the Su Family.
Xu Shang silently tracked Su Mang, observing his movements and the reactions of the surrounding guards.
Xu Shang noticed that Su Mang seemed very familiar with the layout of the Su Family, which made him even more vigilant.
Using his own martial skills and wits, Xu Shang evaded Su Mang's line of sight while keeping a close eye on his every move.
During the confrontation between Su Mang and the Su Family experts, Xu Shang did not rush to make a move, choosing instead to observe from the shadows to find the optimal timing.
When Su Mang engaged the Su Family experts in combat, Xu Shang seized the chance to sneak toward the location of the Su Family vault.
Su Mang's actions had already alerted the Su Family, and the guards around the vault might have been reinforced, but Xu Shang also saw his opportunity.
Near the vault, Xu Shang discovered some Su Family experts on patrol. Utilizing the night and the surrounding environment for concealment, he cautiously approached the vault's entrance.
Xu Shang overheard a conversation between the guards, learning that the treasure was placed inside a special secret chamber and protected by a special mechanism.
Using his intelligence and skills, Xu Shang cracked the vault's mechanism and silently entered the secret chamber.
There, he discovered the treasure upon which the Su Family relied—a mysterious piece of jade emitting a faint glow.
This piece of jade was of momentous significance to the Su Family; it was likely the source of their power.
Xu Shang looked at the jade; if he were to refine this piece of jade, it would raise his cultivation by at least one tier.
Xu Shang thought about how he had come here merely to prove in front of Su Lie that he was no longer the obsequious, groveling person of back then who lingered on in a degraded existence without a shred of dignity.
Therefore, he carved a single line next to the jade: "Alone, the Xu Family." Four characters in total.
Just as Xu Shang was about to take the jade, he heard hurried footsteps echoing from outside.
Xu Shang immediately realized that Su Mang might have shaken off his pursuers, or the Su Family had already discovered signs of the treasure being stolen.
Without hesitation, Xu Shang quickly tucked the jade into his bosom, then used his martial skills to silently slip away from the other side of the vault.
During his escape from the Su Family, Xu Shang once again displayed his resourcefulness and composure. He evaded the Su Family's pursuers and, utilizing the cover of night and the complex terrain, successfully escaped the Su Family estate.