Fearing being killed for his overwhelming merits, the empress decided to marry him.

"Huo Gang, what do you want to do? This is Sect Leader Xue's order. Do you even dare to disregard the Green Robe Sect?"

On a table beside piles of grain in the manor square, a group of swordsmen in blue robes stood with their swords.

The leader, a disciple of the Qingyi Sect wearing a square scarf on his head, dressed in a blue scholar's robe, and holding a cold sword, was pointing at Huo Gang's nose and cursing loudly.

Huo Gang's forehead veins bulged, his eyes were bloodshot, and he gripped a wood-chopping knife tightly in his hand.

"What, you're not convinced? The sect leader taking a liking to your Huo family's girl is giving you face, so you'd better not be ungrateful!"

The disciple was still spewing disgusting words.

"You're a down-and-out, it's an incredible favor that the sect leader would even take a liking to a woman from your Huo family. What do you have to be unhappy about?"

"If you add another member to your Huo family next year, you'll bring honor to your ancestors, won't you?"

After saying that, he glared at the others in the manor and shouted angrily.

"And what are you all doing, crowding around like that? Believe me or not, I'll kill you all right now!"

Seeing the atmosphere growing increasingly tense, some villagers came out and whispered to Huo Gang, "Old Huo, let it go. The Qingyi Sect is too powerful; we can't afford to offend them."

"Old Huo, bear with it. If we anger the Green Robe Sect, we're all finished."

"That's Sect Master Xue's son, we absolutely cannot afford to offend him."

Persuaded by the villagers, Huo Gang slowly loosened his grip on the wood-chopping knife.

Seeing Huo Gang compromise, the disciple became even more arrogant.

"Hmph, a bunch of ants, daring to oppose my Green Robe Sect, they really don't know what's good for them. This year, their taxes will be increased by another 30%!"

Upon hearing this, the crowd erupted in groans of despair.

"If you add another 30%, how are we supposed to survive?"

"Young Master Xue, please have mercy and stop paying taxes. People will starve to death if this continues."

Xue Pan ignored this completely: "You bunch of peasants, it's a great blessing that my Qingyi Sect can manage you. You still dare to make demands of us?"

Let me tell you, anyone who doesn't pay taxes is colluding with the imperial court! They're a rare traitor!

"My Green Robe Sect could kill you all without a second thought. Anyone else who disagrees with my words, step forward and let me see!"

Upon hearing this, the villagers were so frightened that they dared not utter another word and all took a half step back.

In the face of power, ordinary people can only passively serve as beasts of burden.

"Hmph, a bunch of ants, daring to make demands of me, they really don't know what's good for them."

Xue Pan snorted coldly, sheathed his sword, and was about to lead his men to pull the grain carts away.

"Stop! Don't leave! Give me back my sister!"

Suddenly, a loud shout broke the silence.

Xue Pan and the villagers all turned around to look, only to see Huo Qubing charging towards Xue Pan like a madman, holding a carrying pole.

"Give me back my sister! Give me back my sister!"

"Stop it!"

Huo Gang reacted quickly, grabbing Huo Qubing by the back of the neck and pulling him back.

But Huo Qubing was still shouting there.

"Dad, let me go! I can't let him take my sister away!"

"Xue Pan, give my sister back!"

Xue Pan's eyes hardened, he turned around, drew his sword, and approached Huo Qubing.

"you wanna die!"

At this critical moment, Huo Gang suddenly raised his hand and slapped Huo Qubing hard across the face.

Snapped--

A crisp slap rang out, and Huo Qubing was instantly slapped to the ground, a bright red blood even spilling from the corner of his mouth.

"You heartless bastard, who gave you the audacity to speak to Young Master Xue like that? Don't you even know who you are? Do you deserve it?"

Huo Gang shouted at Huo Qubing, his eyes filled with helplessness and numbness.

Huo Qubing tried to get up again, but Huo Gang pressed him down hard, making him unable to move.

Seeing this from a distance, Shen Lang casually picked up a wood-chopping knife from a farmer and quietly hid it behind his back.

Xue Pan originally intended to kill Huo Qubing with a single sword strike, but seeing Huo Gang slap him to the ground, he immediately burst into laughter.

"Hahaha, brat, thank your father! I'm in a good mood today, otherwise, with the force you used to charge at me, you'd be dead by now."

He sheathed his sword and added, "Don't worry, your sister is living the high life as my father's concubine. She won't be mistreated, hahaha."

After saying this, he turned around and led his men and grain carts away.

Huo Qubing only released Huo Qubing after the person had gone far away.

With his restraints removed, Huo Qubing picked up a carrying pole and prepared to continue his pursuit.

"You think you haven't caused enough trouble already?"

Huo Qubing grabbed him tightly and roared.

"Are you only satisfied after you've killed our whole family?"

"But they kidnapped my sister!"

"That's her fate, child. We can't defeat the Green Robe Sect!"

Huo Qubing fell silent, his stubborn face contorted with rage.

The next moment, he slammed his fist into the ground and burst into tears, clutching his head.

Shen Lang walked over to the two men, glanced at the father and son, and then quietly walked out of the manor...

As evening fell, Xue Pan and his party walked across the open field.

Several groups of soldiers rode by from time to time along the way, raising clouds of dust.

"Strange, why are there so many soldiers passing by lately?"

Some people are puzzled by the government's recent actions.

Upon hearing this, Xue Pan laughed and said, "You wouldn't know this, would you?"

One of the disciples immediately asked curiously, "Young Master, do you perhaps know something?"

Xue Pan said with an arrogant expression, "Of course, it's fine to tell you. Something big has happened in the capital recently. Do you know Shen Lang, the husband of the current empress?"

"Of course I know. It's this guy who has made our sect struggle so much. Many peasants and ants (common people) no longer trust the sect."

Xue Pan said, "Hehe, Shen Lang has committed a serious crime and angered the Empress. The Empress is now sending people everywhere to kill him."

"What? How is that possible? Isn't Shen Lang deeply favored by the Empress?"

"But if Shen Lang eats someone, do you think the Empress would still spare him?"

Upon hearing this, everyone's mouths gaped open wide enough to swallow an egg.

"Eating people? That's terrifying."

Xue Pan laughed and said, "It's absolutely true. My father told me that when Shen Lang was besieged by the Yan army at the border, he survived by eating the corpses of his comrades."

"How terrible."

"Hehe, the Empress is blind. The person beside her in bed is actually a man-eating demon. Naturally, he cannot be allowed to live."

"So, Shen Lang is now being hunted by the imperial court?"

"This is a secret. The Empress is also a person who cares about her reputation, so naturally she can't talk about this in public."

"Hahaha……"

Upon hearing this, the group smiled broadly.

Xue Pan waved his hand: "Let's go back to Qingyi Sect."

Suddenly, a cold wind blew by.

A chilling killing intent swept over them.

Xue Pan frowned and ordered everyone to stop.

Because at this moment, a figure dressed in black was slowly walking towards him from a hundred paces away.

One of the disciples immediately shouted, "Who's that in front? Get out of the way! This is the Qingyi Sect's grain cart!"

Shen Lang remained silent until he was ten steps away from the group before stopping.

"Don't panic. I only have one question: Where did you take Huo Gang's daughter?"

Xue Pan frowned: "You're also one of Huo Gang's henchmen? Heh, do you know who I am?"

"Don't make me repeat myself, where is Huo Gang's daughter?"

Xue Pan roared in fury: "Boy, how many lives do you have to talk to me like that? I think you're tired of living, so I'll grant your wish and kill him!"

As soon as he finished speaking, two disciples rushed out from behind Xue Pan, drawing their swords and attacking Shen Lang.

"Tai Xu - Wind Rift".

Shen Lang's eyes turned cold, and the wood-chopping knife in his hand spun in an instant.

Puff, puff—

With just a blink of an eye, the two disciples of the Green Robe Sect were already decapitated.

"Damn it, he's a master! Give him to me..."

*Pfft, pfft, pfft*

Before Xue Pan could finish speaking, Shen Lang moved like a shooting star, instantly killing the remaining seven Qingyi Sect disciples with his woodcutter's knife.

"what……"

Xue Pan was shocked and quickly drew his longsword.

boom--

But the next second, Shen Lang delivered a powerful kick, knocking him to the ground.

Before he could even get up, Shen Lang delivered a knee strike, completely crushing him until he coughed up blood and had no chance to retaliate.

The whole process took only a few breaths, and Shen Lang had already taken control of the situation.

"Fellow Daoist, spare my life! Spare my life! Huo Gang's daughter was sent to the sect two hours earlier than planned, and she's currently at the main headquarters in Qingshan City."

"lead the way."

Without wasting any words, Shen Lang threw away the woodcutter's knife, severed Huo Gang's arm, gagged him, threw him onto a fast horse, and casually picked up Huo Gang's Green Bamboo Spirit Sword before heading towards Green Mountain City.