Unrestricted Dao Lord

The banquet proceeded as planned.

Zhang Su was called to the main table, where he sat with his older brother and a group of prominent figures from the Prefecture City.

Although Zhang Su was quiet and reserved, his older brother, Zhang Chen, was eloquent and sociable.

Moreover, he didn’t know if it was just his imagination...

...but Zhang Su noticed that his brother seemed to be standing taller.

By the afternoon, Zhang Chen was already drunk.

But he was very happy.

"Second Brother, hahaha, my Second Brother is a Martial Dao genius..."

Seeing Zhang Chen in this state, his wife didn’t scold him. Instead, she couldn’t help but smile.

She looked at Zhang Su and said with a smile, "Second Brother, look at your older brother. He’s truly happy. He barely drinks on a normal day, but he’s had so much today..."

Zhang Su nodded.

He could also tell that his brother’s happiness was genuine, coming from the heart.

Just then, a commotion suddenly erupted outside.

The noise grew louder and louder.

Su Zhenzhen frowned.

"Xiaocui, go see what’s happening outside."

"Yes, milady."

Xiaocui quickly headed outside.

The noise outside did not subside.

It was mixed with gasps of alarm.

Zhang Su’s senses were sharp.

But the noise was too chaotic.

He could only faintly make out words like "Escort Agency" and "corpses."

Before long, Xiaocui ran back, hurrying.

Her expression was one of excitement.

"Milady, Young Master, the men from the Zhenyuan Escort Agency are back..."

"And the Zhenyuan Escort Agency’s carts are carrying dozens of corpses! The sight is terrifying. I asked around, and they say the bodies belong to the bandits from Feitian Ridge. They were incredibly vicious and had quite a reputation in the Jianghu..."

As Xiaocui explained in detail, everyone came to understand what had happened.

"What? The Feitian Ridge bandits?"

Zhang Chen, who had been slightly drunk, seemed to sober up instantly upon hearing "Feitian Ridge."

He asked urgently, "The goods! What about the goods the Escort Agency was transporting?"

Xiaocui thought for a moment. "It seems the goods weren’t lost. Everyone is talking about how skilled Chief Li’s Martial Arts are. They say he even killed the leader of Feitian Ridge..."

Zhang Chen breathed a sigh of relief.

Hearing this, however, Zhang Su’s expression turned a little strange.

’Li He killed He Xiongfei?’

’The Zhenyuan Escort Agency wiped out Feitian Ridge?’

However, Zhang Su had already given the bodies of the Feitian Ridge bandits to the Zhenyuan Escort Agency.

They had paid him two thousand taels of silver.

How the Zhenyuan Escort Agency chose to publicize it was none of his business.

Besides, such empty fame was useless to Zhang Su.

So, Zhang Su sat quietly and said nothing.

But Zhang Chen couldn’t sit still.

The shipment escorted by the Zhenyuan Escort Agency was far too important.

"No, I have to go see for myself."

Zhang Chen immediately stood up.

Su Zhenzhen quickly pulled Zhang Chen back, whispering, "Husband, don’t be in such a hurry. Chief Li still has to take those corpses to the Government Office for processing. In any case, the Zhenyuan Escort Agency will definitely deliver the goods to the Su Family."

"Just wait. Today is a joyous occasion. It’s bad luck to go looking at corpses."

Zhang Chen thought about it and realized she was right.

Those bloody corpses were indeed inauspicious.

Besides, since the Zhenyuan Escort Agency had returned with such fanfare, the goods were most likely safe.

That set his mind at ease.

"Alright, then we’ll wait for Chief Li to come to the Su Family himself. We’ll naturally learn the details then."

Zhang Chen was sober now.

The important shipment had been safely escorted back by the Zhenyuan Escort Agency.

He felt a great sense of relief and joy.

But while Zhang Chen didn’t go to look, others wanted to join the excitement.

Those who went to watch came back gossiping amongst themselves.

"I saw it with my own eyes! The men from Zhenyuan Escort Agency took dozens of corpses to the Government Office. Tsk tsk, the scene was truly horrifying."

"Yeah, I saw it too. They said the bandit leader was someone called ’Flying Heaven Saber’ He Xiongfei. He was built like a mountain, and the saber he used was incredibly heavy, probably dozens of jin, like a door panel. You could tell at a glance he was no small fry."

"Heh, and such a powerful Martial Artist was killed by Chief Li. The Zhenyuan Escort Agency’s Chief of the Escort is truly as vigorous as ever, his prowess undiminished by age."

"Undiminished by age? He’s even stronger than before! I’ve heard of this Feitian Ridge leader, He Xiongfei. He had a big reputation in the Jianghu. They said no one but an Inner Strength master could handle him. But in the end, he was killed by Chief Li. Tsk tsk, how remarkable."

"It seems Chief Li has been hiding his true strength. In the future, my Zhao Family Trading Company will have to consider hiring the Zhenyuan Escort Agency for our shipments..."

Discussions like these could be heard everywhere.

Zhang Su’s lips twitched as he listened.

He couldn’t see Zhenyuan Escort Agency’s Li He at the moment.

But he could already imagine how proud and triumphant Li He must be feeling.

’He probably thinks that two thousand taels of silver was money well spent!’

’And I didn’t even overcharge him by a single tael!’

As evening approached, the banquet ended.

The guests left the Su Family estate one after another.

Zhang Chen, his wife, and the people from the Third Branch were all waiting in the discussion hall.

Zhang Su had been dragged along as well.

Although Zhang Su was an "outsider," no one in the Su Family dared to object now.

Soon, the people from the Zhenyuan Escort Agency arrived.

They were escorting a line of horse-drawn carts.

On top of which were the Su Family’s goods.

Li He’s face was flushed with excitement, and he walked with a powerful, confident stride.

He walked all the way to the Su Family’s discussion hall.

Just as Li He was about to speak...

...his eyes fell upon Zhang Su.

The smile on his face froze.

Zhang Su then asked meaningfully, "Chief Li, was that two thousand taels of silver money well spent? I didn’t overcharge you by a single tael, did I?"

Li He nodded hastily. "It was! It was more than worth it! Never mind two thousand taels, it would have been worth three thousand, even five thousand!"

Inside the hall, everyone was completely bewildered.

They had no idea what was going on.

"Second Brother, you know Chief Li?"

Zhang Chen asked.

"I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Chief Li once before."

Zhang Su’s words made Li He understand instantly. It seemed Zhang Su hadn’t explained the matter of the Feitian Ridge bandits to the Su Family.

However, just because Zhang Su wouldn’t say anything didn’t mean Li He wouldn’t.

Zhang Su’s silence was a gesture to save him face.

So, Li He took a deep breath, bowed to Zhang Su, and said, "I must thank the Second Young Master for saving the Zhenyuan Escort Agency!"

The crowd grew even more confused.

At this point, Li He explained, "Everyone, the truth is, I was not the one who killed the Feitian Ridge bandits. It had nothing to do with the Zhenyuan Escort Agency. It was... the Second Young Master who killed them."

"Those dozens of corpses, including the Feitian Ridge leader, He Xiongfei, were all slain by the Second Young Master! Each one killed by a single sword strike to the throat!"

"This old man is ashamed... If the Second Young Master hadn’t intervened, I’m afraid the Zhenyuan Escort Agency would have been finished..."

Everyone’s hearts trembled.

Looks of utter disbelief appeared on their faces.

’Those dozens of fierce bandits were all killed by Zhang Su?’

Although they knew Zhang Su was strong...

...being able to defeat Jiang Cheng with a single strike meant his strength was certainly extraordinary.

But that was just a spar.

Compared to dozens of Feitian Ridge bandits, it was like a molehill to a mountain.

Yet Zhang Su had single-handedly slaughtered all the Feitian Ridge bandits.

The shock of this revelation was simply too great for everyone.

"Second Brother, is what Chief Li said true?"

Zhang Chen asked.

"Yes, it’s all true. However, I only intervened because I heard the name ’Su Family’ and learned the goods belonged to you. I didn’t expect the bandits to be all bark and no bite, so I just killed them all."

"Afterward, I sold the bandits’ corpses to Chief Li and came to the Su Family ahead of them."

Zhang Su spoke in a calm tone.

It was as if he were recounting an ordinary, everyday event.

But everyone understood just how thrilling and dangerous the real story must have been.

One person killing dozens of hardened bandits.

Including a Jianghu expert like the bandit leader He Xiongfei.

What kind of terrifying strength did that require?

Su Zhenzhen couldn’t help but ask, "Second Brother, in the Guiyuan Sect, are you already one of the Ten Great Outer Disciples?"

Everyone’s heart skipped a beat.

They didn’t know much about the Guiyuan Sect.

But they had heard of the Guiyuan Sect’s Ten Great Outer Disciples.

Those were the top experts in the Guiyuan Sect’s Outer Sect.

The most talented geniuses.

To be ranked among the Guiyuan Sect’s Ten Great Outer Disciples meant you were an absolute powerhouse!

Zhang Su shook his head. "I’m not one of the Ten Great Outer Disciples yet."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

If Zhang Su had become one of the Ten Great Outer Disciples after only a year in the Guiyuan Sect, it would have been too shocking to believe.

Zhang Su didn’t mention that he was preparing to challenge the Ten Great Outer Disciples as soon as he returned to the sect.

It wasn’t set in stone yet.

There was no point in saying anything now.

When he truly became one of the Ten Great Outer Disciples, the Su Family would surely hear the news.

There was no need to rush.