Starting as The Young Master of A Pharmacy, He Trained Swordsmanship in Seclusion For Twenty Years - Chapter 48

The speaker was a tall, burly man dressed in coarse black clothing, his face as dark as charcoal, muscles bulging along his powerful arms.

His eyes gleamed with malice as he glared at the other men beside him and growled:

“Master Jia has promised—whoever kills Lu Jiahe will not only receive three thousand taels of silver but also his lifelong protection. Wealth and luxury will be yours forever!”

As the brute finished speaking, a flash of greed crossed his own face.

If even he couldn’t resist such an offer, the others were practically trembling with excitement.

“Let’s go. Remember—we only get one chance. That old fool Lu Jiahe is always surrounded by bodyguards.”

With that, the brute concealed his murderous intent and led his men into the Lu Family Herbal Shop.

For Jia Sheng, the fastest way to crush the Lu Family Herbal Shop was simple: eliminate Lu Jiahe.

The old man was a master physician, respected and well-connected—the very pillar holding up the Lu family’s legacy.

Once he was gone, the Lu family would collapse.

As the Jia family’s greatest rival, no one understood the Lu family’s weaknesses better than Jia Sheng.

Lu Jiahe had three sons and one daughter.

His daughter, Lu Qingqing, had already married into a family in Dengfeng County a year ago.

As for his three sons?

The eldest, Lu Xuan, the legitimate heir, was a martial arts fanatic who spent all his time training in seclusion, cut off from the outside world.

Jia Sheng scoffed at the mere mention of him.

What threat could a brat like that pose?

A mere 20-year-old who fancied himself a martial artist?

At best, he might have reached the Skin-Tempering Realm—or perhaps the Flesh-Forging Realm if he was slightly talented.

Even if by some miracle he had broken through to the Bone-Refining Realm, so what?

In Jia Sheng’s eyes, a Bone-Refining martial artist was barely worth a second glance.

Every warrior of that level in Qingyun County still had to bow and call him “Master Jia” with respect.

The ones Jia Sheng truly kept tabs on were Lu Xuan’s two half-brothers—Lu Yunqing and Lu Yunfeng.

These two always stayed by Lu Jiahe’s side, being groomed as the future heirs of the Lu family’s medical arts.

But right now? They were still far too green, having only grasped the basics of their father’s skills.

They couldn’t possibly uphold the Lu family’s reputation alone.

Which meant—once Lu Jiahe died, the Lu Family Herbal Shop would crumble for good.

…..

The Ambush

As soon as the brute stepped into the herbal shop, a young apprentice behind the counter greeted them with a polite smile.

“Honored guests, are you here for treatment or to purchase herbs?”

“Treatment!”

The brute didn’t hesitate.

“Right this way, then.”

The apprentice led them to the back hall, where the strong scent of medicinal herbs filled the air.

The space was large enough to hold a hundred people, with five long wooden tables set up.

Behind each table sat a physician in his forties or fifties, assisted by younger attendants.

“Honored guests, these are our physicians—”

The apprentice bowed, about to leave—

When suddenly, two massive hands seized him and lifted him into the air!

The brute held him up like a ragdoll, his voice a snarl:

“You dare look down on me?!”

“My illness can only be treated by your master physician! Now take me to him—NOW!”

With that, he slammed the apprentice onto the ground.

The commotion immediately drew the attention of the shop’s guards, who rushed in—led by Li Mingzhong, a Flesh-Forging Realm warrior.

Li Mingzhong’s eyes darkened as he took in the scene.

“Who the hell are you? This is the Lu Family Herbal Shop—you’ve got some nerve causing trouble here!”

“Trouble? Hah!”

The brute sneered.

“Your shop has the audacity to insult us by sending these quacks to treat us!”

“I said—only your master physician can cure me! Bring him out, or I’ll smash this place to pieces!”

His arrogant words silenced the entire hall.

Li Mingzhong’s face twisted in fury. With a wave of his hand, five more armed guards stormed in.

“You’re dead!”

“Men—drive them out!”

“Wait, Mingzhong.”

A calm voice cut through the tension.

A middle-aged man with streaks of gray in his hair stepped forward, flanked by two well-dressed young men.

“Master Lu!”

Everyone in the shop immediately bowed in reverence.

Li Mingzhong hurried to Lu Jiahe’s side.

“Master, these men are clearly here to cause trouble—don’t fall for their tricks!”

“It’s fine.”

Lu Jiahe raised a hand, studying the intruders.

After a moment, he frowned.

“From what I see, you gentlemen appear healthy. There are no signs of serious illness.”

His decades of experience told him—these men were faking.

“Pfft! And here I thought the famed Lu Family Herbal Shop had real physicians!”

The brute smirked, stepping closer.

“Just another fraud, like the rest of these useless old men!”

He pretended to adjust his sleeve—

Then a dagger slipped into his grip.

“Let me show you exactly what’s wrong with me!”

In a flash, he lunged, the blade aimed straight for Lu Jiahe’s heart!

“MASTER—LOOK OUT!”

Li Mingzhong’s mind went blank.

Instinct took over.

His left arm shot up to block the strike.

THUNK!

The dagger pierced clean through his forearm—

And the tip still grazed Lu Jiahe’s chest, drawing blood!

“BASTARDS!”

The entire hall erupted in rage.