Chapter 376: Dust Settled

Old Man Mi's face showed a hint of a smile, but his face, like a dried orange peel, looked particularly eerie when he smiled. "Steward Hong has a good memory," he said. "He even remembers a minor figure like me in this manor."

Beside him, Zu An glanced at Chu Tiesheng, who lay dead on the ground with wide-open eyes, and couldn't help but swallow. He had seen Chu Tiesheng's cultivation before, and he knew he would likely be no match for him. Yet, such a Sixth-Rank master had been killed by Old Man Mi with just a single finger. If it were me, Old Man Mi could probably just glare me to death!

Hong Zhong's entire body was tense as he stared intently at the old man. "I never imagined that both His Grace and I had been so mistaken," he said. "To think such a master was hidden in the manor, completely unknown to us..." Mid-sentence, he suddenly moved. Clearly, he intended to distract Old Man Mi with words before launching a surprise attack. It must be said, when an honest person turns ruthless, they can be far more treacherous than ordinary villains.

"Look out!" Zu An quickly warned, only to see Old Man Mi still standing motionless. In that moment, the wizened, thin body seemed to grow instantly taller. Ah, look at him! When will I be able to act so coolly?

Hong Zhong also noticed Old Man Mi hadn't moved and hesitated for a moment. However, he quickly reasoned that even if the old man's cultivation was higher, such overconfidence would surely come at a heavy price. Having cultivated to the Seventh-Rank, he had once been considered a genius by those around him, lacking neither talent nor resolve. In a flash of lightning, he made his best judgment: to seize this opportunity for a desperate fight, hoping to severely wound his opponent with the first blow.

"Heart-Shattering Fist!" He roared, and a faint glow appeared on the surface of his fist. Unlike the previous strike against Qin Wanru, which had been a mere afterimage, this fist truly swelled rapidly. He had poured all his cultivation into this single strike, launching it with an unstoppable momentum, holding nothing back.

Zu An involuntarily staggered back several steps. Even from the side, the powerful force emanating from the opponent's punch made it difficult to stand steadily and breathe. He couldn't imagine the immense pressure Old Man Mi was facing head-on. This formidable punch hurtled towards the small, stooped Old Man Mi, appearing as though 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 had effortlessly raised his left hand, catching Hong Zhong's fist in his palm. Hong Zhong's fist, which had just swollen to the size of a boulder, had returned to its normal dimensions. He struggled to pull his hand back, but the fist remained completely unmoving. His face was flushed crimson, and his usually meticulously slicked-back hair was now somewhat disheveled. He looked utterly disgraced.

"Your cultivation is quite good for Moonbright City, but unfortunately, it's insignificant in the grand scheme of the world." As Old Man Mi finished speaking, he twisted his hand upwards. With a sharp snap, Hong Zhong's wrist was twisted and broken, his fist contorted into an awkward angle.

Zu An gasped, "Damn, that looks painful!"

Hong Zhong let out a horrific shriek. Old Man Mi frowned, quickly extended a finger, and lightly tapped Hong Zhong's forehead. Hong Zhong's scream instantly cut off, his eyes lost their light, and he collapsed limply to the ground.

Old Man Mi wiped his finger and cast a faint glance at Zu An. "It's handled," he said. "The rest is up to you."

Zu An felt as if he were dreaming. He recalled how he and Qin Wanru had previously despaired over this situation, trying countless methods with no assurance they could quell the rebellion. Yet, Old Man Mi had casually strolled in and dispatched both culprits with just two fingers. What seemed impossible for them was resolved so effortlessly. He had known this was a cultivation world where strength reigned supreme, but having transmigrated from a civilized world, he hadn't fully internalized it. It was only now, thoroughly shaken, that he truly understood the meaning of power in this world.

Old Man Mi quickly reverted to his frail, stooped appearance and soon vanished into the night. Zu An finally came back to his senses. By then, the manor guards had rushed over upon hearing the commotion.

Zu An simply picked up the corpses of Hong Zhong and Chu Tiesheng and walked out. Facing the guards who had drawn their swords and pointed them at him, he declared in a deep voice, "Chu Tiesheng conspired with Hong Zhong, committing rebellion and intending to disrespect Madam. Now, the main culprits have been executed. The rest of you were misled and coerced by these scoundrels. I have received Madam's authorization to handle this matter completely. Lay down your weapons and surrender now, and all past transgressions will be forgiven."

"Brother-in-law, Brother-in-law~" a petite figure cried, running out and throwing herself into his arms. Chu Hanzhao had originally been confined to her room. However, when the commotion started, many guards rushed over, including those who had been guarding her room, as Chu Tiesheng and Hong Zhong's actions concerned their future. Chu Hanzhao had initially planned to escape, but then she heard Zu An's voice. The events of the night had left her terrified and panicked, yet she had tried to appear strong. Now, 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 of the family, but with no one from the main branch in power, they had simply drifted along. Now, with Zu An's appearance, and the Second Young Lady also present and even showing such closeness to Zu An, it seemed the previous rumors were likely false. So, instinctively, everyone believed Zu An's words.

Another group of guards were confidantes whom Chu Tiesheng and Hong Zhong had bought over years ago. Although they wished to resist, seeing Chu Tiesheng and Hong Zhong dead instantly left them without a leader. Chu Tiesheng and Hong Zhong, especially the latter whose cultivation was well-known, had both been killed by Zu An. How could anyone else stand a chance against him? Furthermore, Zu An had specifically declared that he would not hold anyone else accountable.

Consequently, the peripheral members among them began to throw their weapons on the ground. With someone leading the way, more and more weapons were discarded. Finally, even the core confidantes of the two resigned themselves and threw down their weapons, surrendering.

Seeing the situation unfold, Zu An let out a long breath. If this group had truly resisted to the end, it would have been quite troublesome. After all, he hadn't killed Hong Zhong and Chu Tiesheng himself, and he didn't yet possess the ability to quell an entire scene like that.

Next, he instructed these guards to return to their respective duties and resume their former positions. He recalled how, during the Three Kingdoms period, after Wang Yun used the honey trap to kill Dong Zhuo, he relentlessly pursued and annihilated Dong Zhuo's Xiliang army. This drove the desperate Xiliang army to rebel, ultimately crushing the Eastern Han Dynasty. Therefore, he made no special arrangements for Hong Zhong's and Chu Tiesheng's former subordinates. However, a pledge of loyalty was still necessary. The families of Hong Zhong and Chu Tiesheng needed to be confined and dealt with after Qin Wanru returned. Since he was short-handed, he assigned this task to these guards, which also served as a complete break from their past allegiances.

Eager to atone for their sins and prove their worth, the group quickly went to take control of the second branch's relatives. To everyone's surprise, Chu Hongcai was found to have been imprisoned by Chu Tiesheng's men. From those around, it was learned that he had always opposed Chu Tiesheng's rebellion, leading to a falling out between father and son and his subsequent confinement. Despite their estrangement, Chu Tiesheng was still his father. Upon learning that his father had been killed by Zu An, Chu Hongcai's eyes turned bloodshot, and he vowed revenge against Zu An.

Seeing the 999 anger value continuously popping up in the background, Zu An felt no joy at all. A son's vengeance for his father is an unresolvable feud, and Chu Hongcai's reaction was entirely natural. Originally, eradicating him would have been the most logical choice. However, the two had gotten along well on several past occasions and could be considered friends. Moreover, Chu Hongcai had openly opposed Chu Tiesheng's rebellion, a display of character that Zu An admired. Therefore, Zu An couldn't bring himself to be ruthless and simply had him taken away under strict supervision.

As for Hong Zhong, he was a solitary figure except for his son, Hong Xingying. However, Hong Xingying seemed to have received prior warning, as by the time the apprehending party arrived, he had long since vanished.