“I’d like to test him myself!”
The first to step forward was the same short, powerfully built man who had escorted Qin Ming out of the dungeon earlier.
His name was Shi Chong, one of Yu Family Stronghold’s Eight Pillars and the man known as the “Ruthless Pillar,” responsible for debt collection and enforcement.
Before joining the stronghold, Shi Chong had been a butcher. He possessed tremendous strength and a fiery temper.
Years ago, after enduring relentless pressure from corrupt tax collectors, he had lost control during an argument and seriously injured an official. Forced to flee, he eventually found refuge in Yu Family Stronghold.
He had never studied formal martial arts. Everything he had came from brute strength, fearlessness, and years of surviving dangerous situations. Through sheer determination, he had earned his position among the Eight Pillars.
More importantly, the bandit Qin Ming had defeated earlier had been Shi Chong’s sworn brother and the man who had introduced him to the stronghold. The two had been as close as family.
Because of that, Shi Chong held a deep grudge against Qin Ming.
“Please advise me,” Qin Ming said politely with a cupped-fist salute.
“Save the formalities!”
With a roar, Shi Chong charged forward.
His sturdy frame resembled a wild boar rushing across a field. A massive fist cut through the air as it shot directly toward Qin Ming’s face.
Just as the punch was about to land, Shi Chong suddenly felt his vision blur.
His strike missed.
Before he could react, a powerful force guided his momentum aside and pushed him forward.
Bang!
A dull crash echoed through the courtyard.
Shi Chong’s stocky body slammed heavily into a nearby earthen wall.
Dust and debris scattered everywhere as part of the wall collapsed inward.
Everyone stared in disbelief.
Even Yang Yulian was visibly surprised.
No one had expected Qin Ming’s seemingly effortless movement to produce such an effect.
The technique he had used was a movement from Taiji, borrowing the opponent’s force and redirecting it rather than meeting strength with strength.
Combined with Shi Chong’s own momentum, the result was astonishing.
“Damn it!”
Shi Chong climbed out of the rubble, blood trickling from a scrape on his forehead.
Ignoring the pain, he charged again.
This time, he pulled a butcher’s knife from his belt.
Shi Chong had always relied on aggression and courage. Aside from suffering a crushing defeat at Yang Yulian’s hands when he first joined the stronghold, he had rarely been outmatched.
A flash of cold steel appeared.
Just as the blade neared Qin Ming—
It stopped.
Completely.
Someone gasped loudly.
“Bare-handed blade capture?!”
Silence instantly filled the hall.
Everyone’s eyes widened.
The sequence had happened so quickly that many barely understood what they had witnessed.
Qin Ming moved with perfect timing.
A shift.
A turn.
A redirection.
Then a push.
Bang!
Shi Chong lost his balance and was sent stumbling backward.
He crashed into a large wine jar.
The container shattered instantly.
Fragments scattered across the floor as wine splashed everywhere.
“My wine!”
Fang Jing cried out in distress as he rushed toward the broken jar.
Meanwhile, Shi Chong collapsed onto the ground, thoroughly defeated and unable to continue.
For several long moments, nobody spoke.
The display had completely stunned the audience.
Even Yang Yulian’s expression changed.
She already knew Qin Ming was skilled from their previous encounter, but she had not expected his abilities to be this remarkable.
“Excellent!”
Yang Yulian was the first to recover.
A bright smile appeared on her face.
“Excellent!”
“Wonderful!”
“That’s real skill!”
The atmosphere immediately changed.
The same people who had mocked Qin Ming earlier were now praising him openly.
This was a stronghold where strength earned respect.
Status, reputation, and fine words meant little.
Ability was everything.
And Qin Ming had just proven beyond doubt that he possessed it.
“Does anyone else wish to spar with me?” Qin Ming asked with another polite salute.
This time, no one answered.
The hall became completely quiet.
Many deliberately avoided meeting his gaze.
If even Shi Chong, one of the Eight Pillars, had been defeated so decisively, few wished to embarrass themselves by stepping forward.
“In that case, there’s no need for further tests.”
Yang Yulian looked at Qin Ming with clear appreciation.
“Qin Ming, I will formally ask you now.”
“Are you willing to join Yu Family Stronghold?”
Qin Ming remained silent for a moment.
“If the Stronghold Chief agrees to two conditions, then I am willing to join.”
“Oh?”
Yang Yulian raised an eyebrow.
“What conditions?”
“The first concerns my family.”
Qin Ming paused.
“I was only married yesterday. My wife is still at home. I cannot stay here permanently. I need to return and continue hunting to support her.”
The moment he finished speaking, laughter erupted throughout the hall.
“So it’s because of your wife?”
Yang Yulian smiled.
“Do you know how much wealth members of this stronghold receive each year?”
Fang Jing proudly added, “Even an ordinary new recruit can receive dozens, sometimes over a hundred taels of silver annually.”
“That much?”
Qin Ming was genuinely surprised.
For ordinary families, ten taels of silver could cover a year’s expenses.
“With your abilities, you could join the council directly,” Yang Yulian continued.
“If you formally join, accept the stronghold’s rules, and receive the mark of membership, you could earn at least a thousand taels a year. Possibly more during prosperous years.”
Only then did Qin Ming notice that several leaders had similar branded marks on their bodies, shaped somewhat like a horseshoe.
“Even so, I can’t agree.”
Yang Yulian blinked.
“You don’t want the money?”
“No.”
Qin Ming shook his head.
“I cannot remain here for long periods.”
To him, accepting the brand meant tying his fate permanently to the stronghold.
Even if everyone else disappeared one day, the authorities would still view him as one of them.
He would never truly be free.
“I won’t take the oath, and I won’t accept the brand,” Qin Ming said firmly.
“But if you need help in the future, you may seek me out. If the work is reasonable, I will assist. And if I help, I expect fair compensation.”
Immediately, several leaders became angry.
“If you refuse the oath and the mark, why should we allow you to leave?”
“Enough.”
Yang Yulian silenced them.
“What’s your second condition?”
Qin Ming met her gaze.
“My second condition is simple.”
“I will not harm the elderly, women, children, or ordinary poor people.”
The hall exploded with reactions.
“What nonsense!”
“Are you trying to act like a saint?”
“Who comes to a place like this talking about mercy?”
Many of the leaders were thoroughly exasperated.
Fang Jing’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
The young man standing before them was talented.
But he was also incredibly stubborn.
“Those are my conditions,” Qin Ming said calmly.
“If you accept them, I’ll cooperate.”
“And if I don’t?”
Yang Yulian’s expression cooled slightly.
Qin Ming smiled.
“I believe Chief Yang is a reasonable person.”
“After all, forcing someone rarely produces the best results.”
For the entire conversation, Qin Ming had sensed no real killing intent from her.
That was why he dared to speak so openly.
He believed Yang Yulian genuinely valued his abilities.
For that reason, she would not act rashly.
Yang Yulian suddenly burst into laughter.
“Hahaha!”
At that moment, Fang Jing stepped closer and lowered his voice.
“Chief, this man clearly has no intention of truly joining us. He has already seen the faces of everyone in this hall. Perhaps it would be safer to deal with the matter now—”
Before he could finish, the fluttering of wings interrupted him.
A carrier pigeon descended from the night sky and landed near the rear of the hall.
Yang Yulian’s expression immediately changed.
A slight frown appeared between her brows.
“Take him back to the dungeon,” she ordered.
“Give him food and wine as well.”
“As for what to do with him…”
She glanced at Qin Ming one last time.
“I’ll make that decision later.”
With that, she turned and headed toward the rear hall.