Yang Zhenshan glanced at Scar Liu lying on the ground, withdrew his long spear, and boldly confronted the bandits charging forward.
The Yang family's ancestral spear technique was based on two feet; the body followed the feet, the arm followed the body, the wrist followed the arm, united as one, forming a complete strength throughout the body.
Advance with sharpness, retreat with speed, the stance was dangerous, the rhythm was short, immovable like a mountain, in motion like a thunderclap.
With Yang Zhenshan's terrifying power deploying the Yang Family Spear technique, its sharp edge was vividly displayed and unstoppable, and within breaths, more than a dozen bandits fell to the ground, wailing in agony.
At this moment, no one outside dared rush inside, and even the remaining bandits scattered like startled birds.
Scar Liu's life or death was unknown, more than a dozen fierce bandits were slaughtered almost completely, faced with the formidable Yang Zhenshan, those bullies who feared strength would not dare stay here.
"Jiang He, finish them!"
Yang Zhenshan threw out a command and charged out with the long spear.
If not pursuing the victory now, when?
When it comes to eliminating evil, Yang Zhenshan, whose intent to kill had already risen, would naturally not stop at this time.
In the courtyard, Jiang He and a group of young men fell into a daze.
"Too strong!"
"So terrifying!"
"Uncle Zhengshan killed the bandit leader!"
The group was stunned by the martial prowess Yang Zhenshan showed, murmuring in amazement.
Even Jiang Cheng, who had lived most of his life, was breathless with shock.
But Jiang Cheng, after all, being an old hunter, had stronger endurance than the younger ones.
He hurriedly stepped toward the barely breathing Scar Liu and fiercely swung the hatchet onto Scar Liu's neck.
In fact, he shouldn't have gone forward, even if Scar Liu was already on the verge of dying, he shouldn't have approached.
Should Scar Liu have any remaining strength, Jiang Cheng might lose his life.
Fortunately, the worst didn't occur; the hatchet came down, embedding into Scar Liu's neck but not severing his head.
"Dad!"
Jiang He responded, quickly rushing forward to pull Jiang He.
"Be careful, they might be playing dead!"
Jiang He reminded them and simultaneously drew his bow and released arrows towards the bandits on the ground.
Yang Zhenshan charged to the Jiang family's gate only to find that the bandits who had gathered earlier were already fleeing toward the village's east side.
"Trying to run, too late!"
He thrust the long spear into the earth, and Yang Zhenshan drew two short spears from his back, striding boldly into the smoke.
Whizz, whizz~~
Short spears flew out one after another, each claiming a life.
"Damn, run fast!"
"He's coming!"
"Brothers, flee!"
The remaining bandits were utterly terrified, scrambling frantically to escape.
The swirling smoke and flickering fire hid Yang Zhenshan's vision; having thrown all ten short spears, Yang Zhenshan had no choice but to stop to pick up two long spears.
This pause allowed the remaining bandits to flee to the Jiang Family Village.
The bandits rushed into the smoky Jiang Family Village, feeling the thrill of survival, but this joy did not last long.
"There's a thief!"
A shout rang out.
Followed by a commotion of footsteps and calls spreading.
"Don't panic, stay close!"
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
In the smoke, indistinct figures raised spears, charging at the bandits who had just escaped.
When Yang Zhenshan walked out of the Jiang Family Village, he saw Yang Zhengxiang leading the young men of Yang Family Village, killing everywhere.
Possessing deadly weapons, the intent to kill naturally arose.
Although the young men of Yang Family Village had never been on a battlefield or experienced killing, they practiced martial skills and often fantasized about scenes of great achievement in battle.
So in the face of the current situation, their mindset differed from that of the younger men of Jiang Family Village.
They were excited and enthusiastic, howling like wolf cubs, charging forward; if not for Yang Zhengxiang's restraint, they might have rushed to the front line long ago.
The bandits who had escaped were quickly pierced all over with bloody holes.
"I killed one! Haha~~ Cough, cough~~" Yang Chengxu raised a bloodstained long spear, laughing excitedly, though he seemed to forget about the surrounding smoke, causing him to cough.
"Zhenshan!" Yang Zhengxiang remained calm and continued observing the surroundings. He saw a figure seemingly holding two short spears emerging from the flames, uncertainly shouting.
"Clan Leader, it's me!"
Amidst the smoke, with obscured vision, Yang Zhenshan quickly responded to avoid any misunderstanding.
"Uncle Zhengshan!"
"Grandpa Zhengshan!"
Seeing Yang Zhenshan, the young men of Yang Family Village became even more excited.
"Are you hurt?" Yang Zhengxiang quickly stepped forward, looking at Yang Zhenshan.
"No!" Yang Zhenshan shook his head.
Seeing his usual expression, Yang Zhengxiang finally relaxed, "How is the situation?"
Yang Zhenshan replied heavily, "Let's go over there first and talk."
He saved Jiang Cheng's family, yet many from the Jiang family village died under the mountain bandits' blades.
Everyone followed Yang Zhenshan into Jiang family village.
The fire still blazed fiercely, and smoke continued to fill the air.
"Father-in-law!"
"Yang Clan Chief!"
Seeing Yang Zhenshan and Yang Zhengxiang, Jiang Cheng's eyes turned red.
"Brother, let's put out the fire first!" Yang Zhenshan said simply without elaborating.
Jiang Cheng and Yang Zhengxiang nodded, quickly sending their young men to fight the fire and rescue people.
The fire lasted through day and night, only fully extinguished by dawn the next day.
Most of Jiang family village was consumed by the flames; only a few houses around Jiang Cheng's were still intact.
As the morning light shone once again, the whole Jiang family village felt oppressed by a massive weight, suffocatingly heavy.
At the village entrance, rows of bodies lay in the open, from elderly with white hair to toddlers with twin buns, and countless souls vanished in the ashes.
Nearby, more than thirty corpses lay scattered together; these were the bandits.
"It's too tragic! Alas~~" Seeing the ground full of corpses, Yang Zhengxiang sighed in pain.
Yang Zhenshan took a deep breath, at such a moment, unsure of what to say or do.
Any words of comfort seemed pale and weak at this time.
He could only stand quietly aside, watching the villagers immersed in grief.
Later, Jiang family village held a simple funeral, burying the villagers' bodies on the back mountain.
As for the bandits' corpses, Jiang Cheng had already sent someone to report to the authorities, and the county government would naturally send people to handle it.
Especially Scar Liu, a figure on the Bounty Order, with a bounty of three hundred taels; this money should belong to Yang Zhenshan.
However, Yang Zhenshan did not stay in Jiang family village waiting for the government's officers; with Yang Zhengxiang and Jiang Cheng there, his reward would not be less unless the county refused to give it.
After a brief conversation with Yang Zhengxiang and Jiang Cheng, Yang Zhenshan took Yang Yunyan back to Yang Family Village.
Though the mountain bandits were eliminated, Jiang family village remained a mess, and with Yang Yunyan pregnant, Yang Zhenshan wasn't comfortable leaving her there, so he took her back to the Yang family.
With Ms. Wang, the Li family, and the little girl taking care of her, Yang Yunyan could live more peacefully with the Yang family.
Sitting on the ox cart, Yang Yunyan's face was somewhat pale; she was frightened and scared throughout the day and night, still not fully recovered.
Yang Mingcheng drove the ox cart, with Yang Zhenshan walking behind, looking at Yang Yunyan's face, he comforted her, "Alright, you're pregnant, don't think too much; get a good sleep when you get home."
He wasn't very good at comforting people, especially his adopted daughter, but seeing Yang Yunyan so miserable, he couldn't help trying to comfort her.
To say, Yang Yunyan was only sixteen now, just a middle schooler in previous times.
Twenty-eight-year-old Yang Zhenshan serving as her father was a bit of a stretch, but as an uncle, it was more than sufficient.
"Dad, I'm okay!" Yang Yunyan squeezed out a faint smile and said.
"Hmm, by the way, did you finish the cotton-padded clothes I asked you to make before?" Yang Zhenshan didn't know how to comfort her, so he changed the topic.
"Finished, I already brought them!" Yang Yunyan pointed to the bundle beside her and said.
"That's perfect, the weather's getting colder lately, tomorrow I'll send them to your grandparents," Yang Zhenshan said.
"Are all the winter clothes at home finished?" Yang Yunyan redirected her focus, worrying about her maternal family.
Yang Zhenshan laughed, "The winter clothes for the family, your eldest sister-in-law and second sister-in-law have prepared them, but I took two apprentices a while ago, and they don't have winter clothes yet."
"Tomorrow, let your eldest brother go to town to buy some cotton and cloth, you stay at home for a few more days and make them a couple of sets of winter clothes too."
"Dad took apprentices?" Yang Yunyan looked surprised.
"Hmm, took in two apprentices."
The two of them chatted casually like this, soon arriving at Yang Family Village.
Compared to the grief-stricken Jiang family village, Yang Family Village remained as peaceful and calm as ever.
At home, Yang Yunyan received care and attention from the family, calming her fearful heart.
However, the Yang family had too few rooms; there was no extra room for Yang Yunyan alone, so she had to stay with Yang Yunxue and Wang Daya.
Watching the bustling family, Yang Zhenshan felt a sense of peace.
Yet the two grandsons seemed somewhat afraid of him, the usually lively and active Yang Chengye dared not come near him, as if he were not their grandpa but a fierce beast.
Children were most sensitive; having just killed, Yang Zhenshan carried a faint aura of killing intent, though his heart was calm now, the bloody aura hadn't dissipated completely.
Yang Zhenshan didn't mind; he couldn't control the aura yet, and could only wait for time to gradually dispel it.