Chapter 379: Dust Settled

Old Man Mi’s face showed a hint of a smile, but with his face like dried orange peel, his smile was particularly unsettling. “Steward Hong, you have a good memory. You even remember a minor figure like me in this mansion.”

Zu'an, standing nearby, glanced at Chu Tiesheng, who lay dead on the ground with his eyes open. He couldn't help but swallow. He had witnessed Chu Tiesheng's cultivation level, and if he had to face him, he likely wouldn't be a match.

Yet, a sixth-rank master like him was killed by Old Man Mi with just one finger.

If it were me, Old Man Mi could probably just glare me to death, couldn't he?

Hong Zhong’s body was now taut, his eyes fixed on the old man in front of him. “I can’t believe that both I and Duke Mingyue were mistaken. We didn’t realize such a master was hidden in this mansion…”

Midway through his sentence, he suddenly moved.

Clearly, he intended to distract Old Man Mi with words and then launch a sneak attack.

It must be said, when an honest person turns dark, they can be far more insidious and cunning than an ordinary villain.

“Be careful!” Zu'an quickly warned. But he found Old Man Mi still standing motionless.

In that moment, the skinny old man's body seemed to instantly grow taller.

Wow, look at him!

When will I be able to act so cool?

Hong Zhong also noticed that Old Man Mi hadn't moved, and he hesitated for a moment. However, he quickly reconsidered: even if the opponent's cultivation was higher than his, being so arrogant would surely come at a heavy cost.

Having cultivated to the seventh-rank, he had once been considered a genius by those around him, lacking neither talent nor resolve. So, in a flash, he made the optimal decision: seize this opportunity to fight with all his might, ideally inflicting a heavy blow right away.

“Heart Shattering Fist!”

He roared, and a faint stream of light appeared on the surface of his fist. Unlike the previous punch he threw at Qin Wanru, which turned into a blurry afterimage, this punch truly caused his fist to rapidly swell. He used all his cultivation for this strike, charging forward with an unstoppable momentum, holding nothing back.

Zu'an involuntarily stumbled back several steps. Even standing to the side, the powerful force generated by the punch made it hard to stand steadily and breathe. He couldn't imagine the immense pressure Old Man Mi, who was directly facing it, was enduring.

This fierce punch hurtled towards the small, stooped Old Man Mi, as if it would tear him to shreds in the next second.

But in the blink of an eye, the turbulent air in the room suddenly quieted.

Old Man Mi simply and effortlessly raised his left hand and caught Hong Zhong's fist in his palm.

Hong Zhong's fist, which had just swollen to the size of a boulder, had now returned to its normal size. He struggled to pull his fist back, but it wouldn't budge.

His face was flushed crimson. His usually meticulously combed back hair was now slightly disheveled. He looked utterly disheveled and pathetic.

“Your cultivation in Moonbright City is quite good, but it’s hardly worth mentioning in the grand scheme of the world.” No sooner had Old Man Mi finished speaking than he twisted his hand upwards.

With a crisp snap, Hong Zhong's wrist was twisted and broken. His fist was contorted at an awkward angle.

Zu'an gasped. Damn, that must hurt!

Hong Zhong let out a horrific shriek. Old Man Mi frowned, then swiftly extended a finger and tapped him directly on the forehead. Hong Zhong's scream abruptly ceased, his eyes instantly lost their light, and he fell lifelessly to the ground.

Old Man Mi wiped his finger and gave Zu'an a faint glance. “It’s handled. The rest is up to you.”

Zu'an felt as if he were still dreaming. He recalled how he and Qin Wanru had been so distraught earlier, trying countless methods with no confidence of quelling the rebellion.

Yet, Old Man Mi had casually arrived and killed the two culprits with just two fingers.

What seemed impossible to them had been resolved so easily.

He had always known this was a cultivation world where strength reigned supreme. But having transmigrated from a civilized world, he hadn't fully adjusted yet.

Only at this moment, completely stunned, did he truly understand what power meant in this world.

Old Man Mi quickly reverted to his trembling, hunched appearance and soon vanished into the night.

Zu'an finally snapped back to reality. By then, the mansion guards had already rushed over upon hearing the commotion.

Zu'an simply picked up the bodies of Hong Zhong and Chu Tiesheng and walked out. Facing the crowd of people who had drawn their swords and pointed them at him, he said in a deep voice: “Chu Tiesheng conspired with Hong Zhong, committing treason and attempting to disrespect the Madam. The main culprits have now been executed. As for the rest of you, who were misled and coerced by these villains, I have received the Madam’s authorization to handle this matter completely. Those who lay down their weapons and surrender now will not be held accountable.”

“Brother-in-law, brother-in-law!” a petite figure cried out as she ran out and directly threw herself into his embrace.

Originally, Chu Hanzhao had been confined to her room and unable to leave. But when the commotion broke out, many guards rushed over. The few guards stationed outside her room also ran off. After all, Chu Tiesheng and Hong Zhong held sway over their future.

Seeing this, Chu Hanzhao had originally intended to escape. But then she heard Zu'an’s voice. The events of the entire night had left her extremely frightened and panicked, yet she had to pretend to be strong. Now, upon seeing Zu'an, she could no longer hold back.

The surrounding guards exchanged glances. A significant portion of them had always been loyal to the main branch, but with no one from the main branch to lead, they had simply gone with the flow. Now that Zu'an had appeared, and with the Second Miss present and still so close to Zu'an, it seemed likely that the previous rumors were false. Thus, everyone instinctively believed Zu'an's words.

Another group of guards were confidants Chu Tiesheng and Hong Zhong had bought over the years. Although they wanted to resist, seeing that Chu Tiesheng and Hong Zhong were dead, they instantly lost their backbone.

Chu Tiesheng and Hong Zhong, especially Hong Zhong's cultivation, were well-known. If even they were killed by Zu'an, how could anyone else be a match?

Moreover, Zu'an had explicitly announced that he would not hold others accountable.

So, the peripheral members under their command began to throw their weapons to the ground.

With someone leading the way, more and more weapons were dropped.

Finally, even the core confidants under the two men resignedly threw their weapons to the ground and surrendered.

Seeing the situation before him, Zu'an breathed a sigh of relief. If these people had truly resisted to the end, it would have been quite troublesome.

After all, Hong Zhong and Chu Tiesheng weren't killed by him; he didn't possess the ability to suppress the entire crowd like that.

Next, he instructed these guards to return to their respective duties and former positions.

He remembered how Wang Yun, after using the honey trap to kill Dong Zhuo during the Three Kingdoms period, had then pursued and exterminated the Xiliang army. This had led the desperate Xiliang army to revolt, completely crushing the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Therefore, he did not impose any special treatment on Hong Zhong's and Chu Tiesheng's former subordinates.

However, the "pledge of loyalty" that needed to be established still had to be. Hong Zhong's and Chu Tiesheng's families had to be brought under control and would be dealt with once Qin Wanru returned.

He was short-handed, so he sent this group of people. This also served as a complete break from their past.

The group, eager to atone for their past misdeeds by proving their worth, quickly went to apprehend the relatives of the second branch.

Surprisingly, Chu Hongcai had actually been imprisoned by Chu Tiesheng's men. Learning from those around, it turned out that he had always opposed Chu Tiesheng's rebellion, and had been imprisoned after the father and son had a falling out.

Despite their falling out, Chu Tiesheng was still his father. Upon learning that his father had been killed by Zu'an, he still came, eyes blazing red, seeking revenge against Zu'an.

Seeing the constant stream of 999 rage points appearing in the background, Zu'an felt no joy whatsoever.

A grudge for a murdered father was irreconcilable; it was perfectly normal for Chu Hongcai to react this way.

Originally, eradicating him completely would have been the most rational choice. However, they had gotten along reasonably well on several occasions before, and could even be considered friends. Furthermore, Chu Hongcai's public opposition to Chu Tiesheng's rebellion this time also made his character admirable. Therefore, Zu'an couldn't bring himself to be ruthless and could only have him taken away and properly looked after.

As for Hong Zhong, he was a lone wolf, with only a son named Hong Xingying. Yet, it was Hong Xingying who seemed to have received prior notice, for by the time those sent to apprehend him arrived, the place was already empty.