I, a prison guard in the Heavenly Prison, secretly became invincible thanks to the system.

"Damn it... I've lived a life of great achievements... and I've fallen for this..."

The Old Ancestor of Floating Clouds still had some breath left, and his half-body kept struggling.

Ye Kang simply swung his knife and finished him off.

【Ding】

Mission Completed: Defeat Ancestor Floating Cloud

[Reward the host's comprehension]

Having gained the insight, Ye Kang didn't linger and immediately used his lightness skill to leave.

At this moment, the Wuji Ancestor also caught up.

Upon seeing the corpse of the Old Ancestor of Floating Clouds, he was surprised and his doubts deepened.

"This guy, does he really not want anything?"

……

Soon, Ye Kang regained his original appearance and returned to Meihe Town.

The atmosphere in the town was tense. Many merchants left the town with hurried steps, wishing they had an extra leg.

News of what happened to the Shen family had spread throughout the town. Knowing that the Floating Cloud Sword Sect would definitely retaliate, the people were afraid of being implicated, so they decided to flee.

Ye Kang didn't explain, but simply walked to the Shen family's house. Shen Fan was cleaning up the dilapidated courtyard wall. When he saw Ye Kang, he quickly came over.

"Son!"

Ye Kang waved his hand to interrupt and laughed, "The matter is resolved. The Floating Cloud Sword Sect will not cause trouble in the future. However, what happened last night should be kept to yourself and not told to outsiders."

Shen Fan's eyes were filled with excitement, and he bowed deeply in gratitude.

"Thank you so much, young master, for saving my life! Shen Fan will remember this kindness and will surely keep his family in check, lest they utter a word of it!"

"That's good. This matter is because my parents owed your father a karmic debt. I'm just settling this debt for them. You don't need to thank me. Remember, the person who helped you last night wasn't me, but a man in black named Mr. Kang."

"Shen Fan understands!"

He's a smart man; he understands things immediately without needing further explanation.

Ye Kang turned and left, and Shen Fan watched his retreating figure with deep gratitude in his eyes.

After Ye Kang left, he returned home and sternly warned all his family members that it was Mr. Kang who had made the move last night.

Ye Kang, on the other hand, returned to the inn.

Ye Long and the others had been waiting for a long time, and they all breathed a sigh of relief when they saw him return.

"Kang'er, is everything settled?"

"Don't worry, Mother, the Shen family will be fine. We should set off now."

"That's good."

Madam Ye nodded, a hint of reminiscence and melancholy flashing in her eyes.

I left home in a huff back then, and it was thanks to Master Shen's help that I survived. Now things have changed, and it's truly lamentable.

The family didn't linger; they only replenished their food and fodder before setting off again.

As for the Meihe region, the Shen family tragedy, the Wuji Sect's takeover of Fuyun Mountain, and the Fuyun Sword Sect's expulsion from the martial arts world are all irrelevant to them.

Ten days have passed in a blur of activity.

They only encountered one group of bandits along the way, which was easily dealt with by the guards without Ye Kang having to lift a finger. It was a smooth journey indeed.

On this day, the carriages and horses crossed a large bridge and arrived at a huge city.

A golden wooden plaque hangs above the city gate, inscribed with the two characters "Jinling".

It is Jinling City, the first major city on the Jiangnan Road and one of the core areas of the south.

Ye Long and his wife lifted the curtain, their expressions complex.

"I never imagined that I would return to Jinling one day."

"Don't be afraid, Madam. With Kang'er here, and since this is your father's invitation, nothing will happen."

"I hope so. My father removed me from the clan back then, and although he came to visit me a few times afterward, he was always indifferent. I just hope that this time he has really come to his senses."

Both of them had memories in their eyes, but Ye Kang's eyes were different.

He looked at the crowds coming and going at the city gate and felt somewhat alarmed.

Half of the people coming and going were ordinary people, and the other half were martial artists. Although they were all second- or third-rate experts, their numbers far exceeded those of other cities.

Indeed, the Jiangnan region is where martial spirit prevails.

The group entered Jinling City. The streets were crisscrossed, and the buildings on both sides were in the Jiangnan style. The passers-by also spoke with southern accents, but most of them were enthusiastic. Seeing the Ye family's luxurious carriages and horses, many vendors were hawking their wares nearby.

Lingyu and Lingxiu were visiting such a far place for the first time and found it quite novel. Madam Ye, who doted on them, bought them a lot of local snacks.

After walking through half the city, we turned north and continued until we reached the northernmost point, where the streets gradually thinned out, and a huge manor stood there.

Ye Kang and Ye Ping were also summoned to the carriage by Madam Ye, who gave them instructions.

“There are four great families in Jinling, each occupying a corner of the southeast, northwest and southwest. They are called Xie, Wang, Cui and Shi. My mother’s original name was Xie Yunying, and she was born into the Xie family.”

“Back then, your maternal grandfather wanted to marry me off to the Cui family’s son, but your father and I were in love… You know the rest of the story. I have been expelled from the Xie family, which is why I haven’t talked about these things all these years.”

After Madam Ye finished speaking, Ye Kang and Ye Ping were both stunned.

Good guy!

So it turns out I'm actually a young master from a prestigious family!

Seeing their surprise, Madam Ye shook her head and smiled, "The four great families have been passed down for hundreds of years, and they all rely on martial arts to establish themselves. Although they have sent many people to serve as officials in the court, their foundation lies in martial arts."

At this point, she looked at Ye Kang.

"Therefore, there are many martial artists in the family. Kang'er, you should restrain yourself and avoid conflicts with your cousins."

"Don't worry, Mother, you know I've always been kind to others."

Ye Kang gave an innocent smile, and also became interested in these four great families.

Having arrived here, the镖师 (bodyguard/escort) and 车夫 (driver/driver) had completed their mission. They received their money and departed.

The family stood at the entrance of the manor, carrying their luggage.

The guards at the gate hurriedly went in to report, and soon the gate opened, and a large group of richly dressed people came out.

The leader had a square face, thick eyebrows, and a goatee; he walked with a powerful stride.

He ran over with great joy and said, "Third brother, you've finally decided to come home!"

"Brother, long time no see."

Madam Ye smiled gently, tears welling in her eyes.

"It's alright, it's good that you're back. I received your letter a few days ago and immediately had people start preparing. I've prepared your favorite dishes. Come inside quickly!"

"Brother, where is Father?"

"You know how stubborn the old man is, don't mind him. Come on, let's go inside and introduce my brother-in-law and nephew to me!"

Immediately, several servants came up to help with the luggage.

The family followed them inside, but apart from a few of Madam Ye's brothers, most of the others looked impatient.

Especially the young people, their brows furrowed with disdain.

Ye Kang remained calm and composed, concealing his presence throughout, though he could occasionally sense a few curious glances.

This family is extraordinary. Most of them, both men and women, are martial artists, and many of them are highly skilled. In particular, several middle-aged men, who appear to be the uncles, are all around the third rank of the Innate Realm.

Ye Kang also noted.

Several of his cousins, who were about the same age as him, stared wide-eyed when they saw Lingyu and Lingxiu.

He didn't tolerate it and immediately glared back, startling his cousins.

Meanwhile, deep within the courtyard, in a pavilion, several young masters and ladies were also looking in this direction.

One of them had striking eyebrows and bright eyes, a handsome face, but his eyes were filled with coldness.

"They've finally come back. What was Grandpa thinking, calling them back at such a crucial moment?"

Upon hearing this, a younger man behind him whispered, "Brother, are you calling them back to divide the inheritance?"

"Hmph, if it were that simple, I wouldn't care. Why would I care about mere family assets?"

"Then what are you worried about?"

"Grandpa has reached a critical moment; I'm afraid he wants to summon all his bloodline members back to pass on that martial art..."