Starting as The Young Master of A Pharmacy, He Trained Swordsmanship in Seclusion For Twenty Years - Chapter 19

The towering peaks of the Junling Mountain Range loomed over the land, a vast and jagged expanse stretching near the official road leading to Qingyun County.

This stretch of the road, cutting straight through the mountains, was the main route to Qingyun County—the only one wide enough for carriages to pass safely. High, rugged mountains surrounded it on all sides.

Under the blazing sun, the scorching heat beat down mercilessly on the earth.

Not far from the road, a crowd had gathered beneath the shade of an ancient tree, hiding from the sun’s fury—and lying in ambush.

A voice broke the silence as a man spoke to a burly figure at the center of the group.

“Brother Hu, do you think anyone will pass by today? We haven’t had any luck for days.”

“Those… gentlemen are waiting for our haul. If we come back empty-handed again today, we’re done for…”

The man referred to as Brother Hu was a towering brute, his upper body wrapped only in a patch of yellow fur with distinct black stripes—a tiger’s pelt.

His eyes burned with fury as he glared at the speaker.

The man trembled uncontrollably—whether from fear of Brother Hu or the gentlemen he had just mentioned was unclear.

Brother Hu, though inwardly uneasy, masked his fear with a savage scowl.

“Hmph! I don’t need you to remind me,” he growled, feigning nonchalance.

Then, his gaze turned toward the distant road.

Still empty.

A cold sweat broke out on his back as frustration and dread gnawed at him.

Damn it all. If we don’t get anything today… I’m finished.

The memory of those three terrifying figures sent a chill down his spine.

Originally, he and his men had been refugees fleeing from Lanshan County, the nearest town to Qingyun.

But on their journey, they had crossed paths with three mysterious strangers—men who slaughtered without hesitation, establishing dominance through sheer brutality.

They had forcibly taken command of the refugees, turning them into a band of highway robbers preying on travelers passing through these mountains.

No one dared disobey. Those who had tried were long dead, their graves already overgrown with weeds.

Brother Hu had witnessed it himself—the three fiends torturing dozens of defiant men to death without mercy.

The survivors learned quickly. They obeyed. They became willing tools in the hands of their merciless masters.

But not long ago, their bandit activities had drawn the attention of Qingyun County’s authorities. Soldiers had swept through the mountains, thinning their numbers from nearly two hundred to fewer than a hundred.

Just then, a man came sprinting down from a nearby peak, panting as he rushed toward the group.

“Brother Hu! Someone’s coming! Looks like a few carriages!”

Brother Hu’s face lit up with savage glee.

“Finally!” he roared. “You hear that, boys? We’ve got prey! Get ready!”

Thank the heavens. If no one had come today, those masters of ours would’ve eaten through our last scraps of food.

“Brother Hu…” the messenger hesitated. “There are quite a few of them. Should we send word back to the bosses?”

Brother Hu’s grin vanished. He seized the man by the collar, his eyes blazing.

“Then why the hell are you still standing here? Go! Warn them now!”

“Y-yes! Right away!”

The man scrambled away in terror, stumbling as he fled.

Before long, the rhythmic clatter of hooves echoed in the distance. A small convoy of carriages approached, flanked by mounted guards.

As they drew closer, Brother Hu’s excitement turned to dread.

His face fell like a wilted eggplant.

What the hell is this?

Among the travelers were men in official uniforms—county constables.

And indeed, those constables were Liang Cheng and his men, escorting the carriage carrying Lu Xuan.

The other carriages belonged to a merchant convoy that had crossed paths with them, also returning to Qingyun County.

The leader of their guards was a renowned martial artist in the county, a seasoned expert who had reached the Bone-Forging Realm.

Damn it all!

Brother Hu clenched his teeth.

Their food stores were nearly empty—barely enough to last another day or two.

There was no choice.

With a snarl, he drew his blade.

“Brothers! There’s no turning back now! Charge!“

…..

On the road, inside his carriage, Lu Xuan’s ears twitched slightly.

He lifted the curtain, his expression cold as he glanced ahead.

“Liang Cheng,” he called out, his voice cutting cleanly through the noise of hooves. “Halt. Be wary—there’s an ambush ahead.”

Liang Cheng reacted instantly.

“Everyone, stop!” he bellowed.

His voice carried so far that even the merchant convoy ahead heard him.

In an instant, the entire procession ground to a halt.

“Ambush ahead! Stay sharp!” Liang Cheng barked, not bothering with explanations.

To him, Lu Xuan’s word was absolute.

“Ambush?”

The lead guard, a grizzled man in his forties, scanned the surroundings warily.

Before he could react, figures burst from the roadside, charging toward them with crude weapons in hand.

“Bandits!“

“Defensive positions!“

The guard captain roared the order, and his men snapped into formation.

Liang Cheng, too, drew his weapon, eyes locked on the approaching swarm.

Bandits?