Starting as The Young Master of A Pharmacy, He Trained Swordsmanship in Seclusion For Twenty Years - Chapter 29

The agonized wailing lasted a full half-hour before finally fading into silence.

Zhang Heng didn’t stop there. He picked up a kitchen knife and, without hesitation, slit the throats of the young man’s four guards. The entire process was swift and decisive.

He had already noticed shadowy figures gathering in the surroundings, but the horrific screams had kept them at bay.

“My daughter, do you see? I’ve killed this little bastard with my own hands!”

“I’m coming to join you now!”

With that, a look of resolve flashed in Zhang Heng’s eyes. Gathering all his strength into his right hand, he struck his own chest with a devastating blow.

The terrifying force instantly shattered his heart’s meridians, and Zhang Heng collapsed, dead.

…..

In the heart of the county town stood an imposing government complex, its walls built from massive blue-gray bricks. Two stone lions, weathered by time, stood symmetrically at the entrance, exuding solemn authority.

The Qingyun County Office!

This was the seat of power for Qingyun County.

Though night was falling, the office remained brightly lit, bustling with activity. Inside a spacious hall, over a dozen men sat in attendance. At the head sat a man in his forties or fifties—Chen Shi, the Chief Constable of Qingyun County and the strongest known martial artist in the region, a peak Bone-Forging expert!

The others in the room were constables responsible for maintaining order in different districts of the county. Among them was someone familiar to Lu Xuan—Liang Cheng.

All wore serious expressions as they reported the day’s events to Chen Shi.

Suddenly, a panicked bailiff rushed in, his face pale with fear.

“Chief Constable, something terrible has happened! There’s been a murder in the county!”

Chen Shi frowned.

A murder?

Wasn’t that a routine matter? Why were these men so shaken?

Suppressing his irritation, Chen Shi asked calmly, “Where did it happen?”

“In the eastern district—just a short distance from our office!”

“The victims… are Huang Xuanjie of the Huang family and his four guards!”

The moment the words left the bailiff’s mouth, the room erupted.

Chen Shi and the other constables snapped their attention toward the messenger.

“What did you say?” Chen Shi stood abruptly, doubting his own ears. “Huang Xuanjie is dead?”

The Huang family!

There was only one Huang family in the county—the household of the County Magistrate’s Deputy, the second most powerful figure in Qingyun County.

Huang Xuanjie was the deputy magistrate’s nephew—or so the public was told.

But Chen Shi knew the truth.

Huang Xuanjie wasn’t just a nephew.

He was the deputy magistrate’s illegitimate son, born from an affair with his own sister-in-law.

The chief constable’s head throbbed. He wasn’t afraid of the deputy magistrate’s wrath—he feared the man’s madness and the innocent lives that might be caught in the crossfire.

While Chen Shi was weighed down by dread, someone else felt quite differently.

Liang Cheng, standing nearby, froze for a moment before a surge of pure joy flooded his heart.

“What? That bastard is finally dead? Hah! Serves him right! That piece of scum should’ve died ages ago! If only I could’ve—”

“Liang Cheng!” Chen Shi barked, cutting him off with a furious glare. “Shut your mouth!”

Though Huang Xuanjie was indeed a monster, voicing such thoughts aloud was suicidal—especially when the deputy magistrate was involved.

Liang Cheng merely shrugged. “Uncle Chen, what’s there to fear? That trash got what he deserved.”

Chen Shi and Liang Cheng’s father were old friends, which was why Liang Cheng dared to speak so freely.

He had long despised Huang Xuanjie. Every patrol brought fresh evidence of the man’s cruelty toward the common folk.

If not for the bastard’s horde of bodyguards, Liang Cheng would’ve dragged him to the dungeons himself.

“Enough,” Chen Shi said, rubbing his temples. “All of you, dismissed. I’ll handle this case personally. Liang Cheng, you’re coming with me to the scene.”

With no other choice, Chen Shi dispersed the constables and prepared to investigate the murder himself.

…..

The Huang family arrived before the county office did.

The deputy magistrate himself was absent—he had secluded himself for cultivation in recent days.

But Huang Xuanjie’s birth mother, upon hearing the news, fainted on the spot.

Leading the Huang family’s delegation was the chief steward, a frail-looking man in his sixties.

Trembling uncontrollably, he stared at the bloody, pulped mess on the ground.

His mind raced with visions of his master’s inevitable fury once he emerged from seclusion.

“Young Master!”

“This is a disaster… a complete disaster!” The steward’s voice shook with rage. “That damned murderer—someone drag his corpse away and feed it to the dogs!”

As Huang family servants moved toward Zhang Heng’s body, the county office’s forces arrived.

At the forefront was Chief Constable Chen Shi, followed by Liang Cheng and a dozen bailiffs.

Dozens of torches blazed, illuminating the scene as if it were midday.

Seeing the Huang family about to desecrate Zhang Heng’s remains, Liang Cheng sprinted forward and kicked away the nearest servant.

“Hmph!”

“Who dares interfere with official county business? All unauthorized personnel—get lost!”

“You insolent cur!” the Huang steward snarled. “How dare you oppose the Huang family?!”

Whoosh!

With a sudden burst of speed, the elderly steward lunged at Liang Cheng, aiming to strike him down!

But before the blow could land—

A massive hand shot out from behind Liang Cheng, seizing the steward’s wrist in an iron grip!

Chen Shi stepped forward, his voice icy. “Try that again, and I’ll execute you on the spot.”

Liang Cheng’s back broke out in cold sweat.

That old bastard actually tried to ambush me!

What a shameless, underhanded—

“You decrepit old—”

Before Liang Cheng could finish his tirade, Chen Shi yanked him back.

“Enough. All non-officials, clear out. Liang Cheng, gather the bodies and bring them to the office.”

With the chief constable’s authority backing him, the Huang family could only watch as the county’s men collected the corpses.

After all, Chen Shi’s reputation was undeniable—the strongest martial artist in Qingyun County, a peak Bone-Forging expert.

As Liang Cheng examined Zhang Heng’s body, his heart skipped a beat.

It’s that madman!

He actually did it—he got his revenge.

Damn it… I need to clean this up before it drags me and Brother Xuan into the mess.