Family Cultivation: My entire family are Villains-Chapter 826 - 363. The Two Brothers Eager to Achieve Merit

New Yu Era, Year 1332, Fifth Day of the Seventh Month

On the official road outside Jiujun County City, two handsome young men dressed in black, each riding a fiery steed with swords at their waists, appeared as if they had traveled a long distance. They were watching the comings and goings of people at the city gate, their eyes full of curiosity and liveliness.

Most of the passersby had already noticed the two young men, but almost without exception, after a glance, they quickly shifted their gaze elsewhere.

Regardless of how valuable the fiery steeds they rode were, the clothes on their backs, although seemingly ordinary black robes, upon closer inspection, were clearly made of much finer material than common folk wore. Not to mention the swords at their waists and the jade ornaments hanging on them, it was almost as if "wealthy family" was engraved on their foreheads.

Coupled with the youthful innocence between their eyebrows and their air of naivety, it was clear these two were noble young masters just stepping into the martial world.

A few years ago, encountering such young masters, the tough individuals in Jiujun County would inevitably harbor some ill-intentions, with some brave ones risking it to see if they could profit from them.

But that's no longer possible.

Since the new regulations in Hexi have been implemented in Jiujun County, all martial artists have been registered under the Martial Registry Command. Any who committed crimes could not escape the Xuanting Bureau in each city, and the punishment for martial artists was often much harsher than for ordinary criminals. At minimum, they would be stripped of their Martial Registry Command, or at worst, executed immediately.

Losing the Martial Registry Command might sound like a minor punishment, but its effects are terrifying. Under the Hexi Alliance, there are three prefectures: Xingnan, Hexi, and Nanping. Whether local or from elsewhere, all martial artists must register. Without the Martial Registry Command, you can't enter any city within the three prefectures, can't purchase anything used by martial artists, and can't even access the official roads between regions.

These martial artists are uniformly labeled as illegal residents by the Hexi Alliance. Once labeled, they become targets for the Xuanting Bureau in each city. If caught by the Xuanting Bureau it's bearable, but if they were unfortunate enough to be caught by experts of the Hou Clan or the Black Feather Guard of Fourth Master Hou, they would be executed without trial.

Essentially, once stripped of the Martial Registry Command, it's akin to being exiled from the Hexi Three Prefectures. With the war raging in Xuzhou to the east and Leiyin Temple sealing off the entire region to the west, making finding a peaceful sanctuary in today's world difficult. Especially in places like the Hexi Three Prefectures, with no wars at all.

...

"Brother, what are you dawdling for, shall we enter the city?"

Hou Wuji, full of enthusiasm, took a couple of steps when he noticed Hou Wuqie standing still. He quickly turned back, calling out to him in confusion.

"Wuji, maybe we should head back. We've been out for two days; it's about time. If our uncle and father awaken from their secluded cultivation and find us gone, they'll surely fly into a rage!"

"I'm not going back. I've been stuck in Five Elements Heaven for over twenty years, day in and day out with nothing but cultivation, I'm about to go crazy. It's rare to get out; if I don't enjoy myself for at least a year or so, it's a waste. You can go back if you want, but no matter what you say, I won't go back."

Hearing Hou Wuqie's suggestion to return, Hou Wuji instantly became agitated.

Though he appeared to be in his twenties, having spent over twenty years continuously cultivating in Five Elements Heaven, his psychological age was entirely inconsistent with his actual age. After speaking, without waiting for Hou Wuqie's response, he rode his horse directly towards the city gate.

Seeing that Hou Wuji paid no heed to his words, a trace of helplessness flashed on Hou Wuqie's face. Having been confined in Five Elements Heaven for over twenty years himself, he too felt pent up. Thinking they hadn't left the Hexi territory, he believed there wouldn't be any problem, so he followed behind Hou Wuji, riding towards the city gate.

"Young sirs, please present your tokens!"

The soldier guarding the city gate wore black armor. The two immediately recognized them as soldiers of the Zhaoyang Army, and without saying anything, retrieved the fake identity tokens prepared earlier by their family. The guard also detected no anomalies, letting them into the city.

"Jiujun is the westernmost county of Xingnan Prefecture. With its proximity to Jianye Prefecture and the need to guard against Leiyin Temple, the stationed troops are more numerous than elsewhere. If I remember correctly, fifty thousand Zhaoyang soldiers are stationed here, led by Commandant Cheng Yunye, Uncle Cheng. He is in the Divine Skills stage of the Yuan Dan Second Realm; the City Lord is Uncle Gao Huan, a Great Grandmaster of the Fourth Realm."

Hearing these names, a smile appeared on Hou Wuji's face. During those twenty years in Five Elements Heaven, his father was in secluded cultivation long-term, and his mother seldom emerged. Most of the time, he and Hou Wuqie lived alongside other high-ranking clan members, receiving guidance in their cultivation, with Cheng Yunye and Gao Huan being among them.

"Uncle Cheng previously held a position at the Lower Hou Sect under my aunt. His cultivation soared over these years in Five Elements Heaven, and it was my father who recommended him to my uncle to lead troops in the Zhaoyang Army. Unexpectedly, he's been transferred directly to Jiujun County; Uncle Gao Huan seemed to have always been with Grandfather Gao Cheng at the Qinglong Association, yet now he's in the Thousand Cities Bureau and assigned here as City Lord."

Hou Wuqie spoke with a hint of doubt. Cheng Yunye and Gao Huan were considered among the core upper echelons of the Hou Clan. For both of them to be reassigned to the sensitive area of Jiujun County simultaneously seemed an unusual occurrence.