Starting as The Young Master of A Pharmacy, He Trained Swordsmanship in Seclusion For Twenty Years - Chapter 24

As for Liang Cheng back at the county office, after returning, he hastily reported the deaths in Willow Ditch Village.

The official cause? The victims had encountered highly venomous insects and beasts in the village, succumbing to their toxins.

The bodies, having been caught in a fire, were completely incinerated—no remains left.

The fabricated skeleton of the “venomous beast”? Liang Cheng had tossed it aside on the way back. It had only been a ploy to calm the villagers.

As for Lu Xuan’s involvement, Liang Cheng didn’t breathe a word of it. The other constables had also been sternly warned to keep silent.

Liang Cheng’s father was the county jailer, the fourth-ranking official in the local government, overseeing the prison and a trusted confidant of the magistrate.

Naturally, the constables took Liang Cheng’s warning to heart.

And just as he had expected, the Willow Ditch Village case was closed without a hitch.

After all, such incidents weren’t even under the county office’s jurisdiction—they were the responsibility of the village head.

As long as the village head didn’t escalate the matter, the county office couldn’t be bothered with affairs in the countryside.

…..

Lu Family Main Hall

Three days later, having concluded his secluded training, Lu Xuan made his way to the main hall.

A few people had already gathered inside before his arrival.

Before even stepping through the doorway, Lu Xuan heard an effusive voice praising:

“Ah, excellent! Cousin, your tea is truly to my taste!”

“You two—pack some up for me. I’ll take it back later to offer to the old man.”

“Yes, Young Master Cheng.”

Entering the hall, Lu Xuan spotted a slightly plump young man lounging in one of the side chairs, dressed in the uniform of a county constable.

It was Liang Cheng—acting as if he owned the place, gesturing grandly while ordering the two maidservants in front of him.

This guy…

“Young Master!”

The maidservants immediately bowed upon seeing Lu Xuan.

“Hm. You may leave.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“Cousin!”

“It’s only been a few days, but I’ve missed you to death!”

Liang Cheng sprang up from his seat and charged toward Lu Xuan, arms wide as if aiming for a bear hug.

The exaggerated display made Lu Xuan frown.

“Liang Cheng,” he said coolly, “are you itching for a beating?”

The dangerous glint in Lu Xuan’s eyes froze Liang Cheng mid-step. He didn’t dare advance further.

With an awkward chuckle, Liang Cheng scratched his head.

“C-Come on, cousin! Can’t I miss you after not seeing you for days?”

Lu Xuan ignored him, walking past to take the seat at the head of the hall.

Once Lu Xuan was seated, Liang Cheng sheepishly returned to his own chair.

“So…” Liang Cheng tilted his head curiously. “What’s the urgent matter? You never send for me—it’s always me coming to you for saber advice.”

Today was the first time Lu Xuan had ever summoned him.

What could his cousin possibly need his help with?

Lu Xuan finally revealed his purpose.

The reason he’d called Liang Cheng was to gather information about martial experts in the county.

Why?

Because Lu Xuan wanted a movement technique—and he needed to know if any such martial artists existed locally.

As a constable, Liang Cheng had unparalleled knowledge of the county’s affairs. Asking him directly was the most efficient approach.

“Oh! So you’re looking into martial experts in the county?”

“Then you’ve come to the right person! If I claim to be second in county knowledge, no one dares call themselves first!”

Chest puffed with pride, Liang Cheng launched into his explanation.

“In the county, there are five publicly recognized top experts. The strongest is my boss—Chief Constable Chen Shi, a peak Bone-Forging Realm master!”

His tone turned reverent at the mention of the chief constable.

“The other four are: Escort Liu, Guild Leader Wu, Manor Master Qian, and Shopkeeper Liu. All four have reached the advanced stage of the Bone-Forging Realm.”

“Escort Liu—you’ve met him before, cousin. He was with us during that bandit ambush.”

“And then there’s—”

After a lengthy rundown, Liang Cheng’s throat was parched. He grabbed his teacup and gulped down the contents.

“Is that so?”

Lu Xuan’s eyes flickered thoughtfully as he processed the information.

None of the experts Liang Cheng mentioned matched what he needed.

They specialized in palm techniques, swordplay, fist arts—but not a single movement technique among them.

These miscellaneous martial arts held no interest for Lu Xuan.

His system points were hard-earned. He couldn’t afford to waste them on unsuitable techniques.

Noticing Lu Xuan’s silence, Liang Cheng tilted his head.

“What’s wrong, cousin? Did I miss something?”

Lu Xuan shook his head. “Are there any martial artists in the county who specialize in movement techniques?”

“Movement techniques?”

“Never heard of any. I just listed all the Bone-Forging Realm experts in the county.”

None?

As expected—martial artists with movement techniques were exceedingly rare.

Not a single one in the entire county.

A pang of disappointment struck Lu Xuan. If he wanted a movement technique, he’d have to find another way.

Perhaps only in the prefecture capital, where powerful martial artists gathered, could such a rare technique be found.

The prefecture capital, huh?

Lu Xuan’s gaze darkened.

This county really was too small for him now. If he wanted to grow stronger, he’d have to set his sights beyond it.

“Cousin, those are all the Bone-Forging experts in the county. Their techniques are the only ones worth your time.”

Liang Cheng assumed Lu Xuan was looking to learn another martial art.

And in Liang Cheng’s eyes, his cousin’s strength was undoubtedly beyond the Bone-Forging Realm.

Naturally, only experts at that level or higher would be qualified to teach him.

“Wait—you said those are all the Bone-Forging experts in the county?”

“What about those below the Bone-Forging Realm?”

Suddenly, an improbable idea flashed through Lu Xuan’s mind.