Starting as The Young Master of A Pharmacy, He Trained Swordsmanship in Seclusion For Twenty Years - Chapter 49

“Father, let’s go!”

The two young men beside Lu Jiahe quickly stepped forward, supporting him as they hurried toward the door.

“Damn bastard, you dare ruin my plans!”

The burly leader of the assailants roared in fury, his aura flaring—undeniable proof of a fully cultivated Muscle-Tempering Realm martial artist.

He raised his right foot, aiming a vicious kick at the severely wounded Li Mingzhong, trying to knock him aside.

But Li Mingzhong seemed unafraid of death. Ignoring the searing pain in his left arm, he raised his right arm to block the attack.

“You idiots, go after them now! If that old man escapes, you’re all dead!”

Seeing that he couldn’t shake off Li Mingzhong, the burly man bellowed at the men behind him.

As soon as he spoke, the others no longer held back. Their Muscle-Tempering Realm auras erupted as they charged toward the door in pursuit.

Outside Lu Family’s Medicine Shop

Not far from the entrance, two women arrived on horseback.

One wore plain white robes, while the other was dressed in a fitted sapphire-blue brocade gown embroidered with a mysterious black mystical bird.

They were none other than Ye Qingxuan and Li Yanran.

Ye Qingxuan glanced curiously at Li Yanran, wondering why she had stopped here.

“Sister Yanran, what’s wrong?”

Today was the day Li Yanran was set to leave the county town. Coincidentally, Ye Qingxuan had also planned to return to the prefecture with her—after all, Li Yanran had already confirmed the death of the White Lotus Blood Infant.

As for why Li Yanran had paused in front of the Lu Family’s Medicine Shop…

It was because she had once again thought of that senior, Lu Xuan.

Had she not experienced it herself, she would never have believed that such a small county could house a martial arts prodigy whose talent rivaled that of a peerless monster.

“It’s nothing. Let’s go, Qingxuan.”

Li Yanran shook off her thoughts. There was no point dwelling on it.

After all, a man like Senior Lu Xuan wouldn’t stay in this small county forever. Sooner or later, their paths would cross again.

Just then, a commotion erupted at the entrance of the Lu Family’s Medicine Shop. Five or six people rushed out in a panic.

At the front were Lu Jiahe and his two sons, while the shop’s guards covered their retreat.

“Don’t worry about me! Yunqing, Yunfeng—go get help! Assist Mingzhong!”

Lu Jiahe clutched his chest, where a searing pain radiated from a wound oozing dark, poisoned blood.

“The blade was poisoned!”

Seeing the blackened blood, Lu Yunqing and Lu Yunfeng paled in horror.

“Huh?”

“What’s happening?”

“It’s Old Master Lu! Someone’s attacking him!”

The pedestrians outside the shop gasped in shock.

“Old Master Lu?”

Li Yanran, who had been about to leave, suddenly turned her head.

Her sharp eyes caught sight of several Muscle-Tempering Realm men bursting out of the shop, chasing after the fleeing group.

“You damn bastards! Stop right there!”

From further down the street, a group of county constables in official uniforms charged toward the medicine shop.

Leading them was a slightly overweight man—Liang Cheng.

His body surged with astonishing speed, his newly broken-through Muscle-Tempering Realm aura erupting violently.

His eyes burned with fury as he shoved aside anyone in his way, desperate to reach the Lu Family’s Medicine Shop.

But then, another group of constables emerged from a side alley, deliberately blocking his path.

The leader, a tall and burly man named Huang Wen, smirked at Liang Cheng with mocking amusement.

“Huang Wen!”

“Get the hell out of my way, or I’ll kill you!”

Liang Cheng’s eyes turned bloodshot. Without hesitation, he drew the saber at his waist and slashed at Huang Wen.

Meanwhile…

One of the pursuers had already caught up to Lu Jiahe. With a few brutal kicks, he sent the guards flying.

“Heh heh heh!”

“Old man, just die already!”

The man’s face twisted with glee as he clenched his fist and aimed a crushing blow at Lu Jiahe’s head.

At this moment, he could almost see wealth and glory within his grasp.

BOOM!

A blur too fast for the eye to see flashed past.

A series of deafening impacts echoed as the men chasing Lu Jiahe were sent flying like ragdolls, crashing into nearby buildings.

“He’s been poisoned. Give him this first—it’s Profound Origin Root Elixir.”

The one who had struck was none other than Li Yanran. Without wasting words, she pulled out a delicate jade vial and handed it to Lu Yunqing and Lu Yunfeng.

“Profound Origin Root Elixir?!”

Lu Yunqing’s eyes widened in shock, but he snatched the vial without hesitation and poured it into his father’s mouth.

If this woman had saved them, she likely meant no harm.

Elsewhere…

“You useless trash actually broke through?!”

Huang Wen stared at Liang Cheng in disbelief, barely managing to block his frenzied attacks.

Liang Cheng’s reckless, life-risking fighting style left Huang Wen flustered, his body riddled with cuts.

How the hell did this waste Liang Cheng reach the peak of the Muscle-Tempering Realm?

“Those useless idiots… Let’s go!”

Seeing the growing crowd, Huang Wen abandoned the fight and fled into the alley with his men.

Liang Cheng, regaining his senses, ignored his own injuries and sprinted toward the medicine shop.

Back at the Shop

The burly leader who had stabbed Lu Jiahe finally emerged, having kicked aside the now-poisoned Li Mingzhong.

“Damn it, you old bastard are still alive?!”

Spotting Lu Jiahe still breathing, the man’s face darkened. With a vicious flick of his wrist, he hurled his dagger straight at Lu Jiahe’s heart.

But mid-flight, a pale, slender hand snatched the blade out of the air—and snapped it in half.

“There’s more of you?”

Li Yanran tossed the broken dagger aside indifferently.

Before the burly man could react, darkness swallowed his vision as his body was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing back into the medicine shop.

Just then, Liang Cheng arrived, his face turning deathly pale at the sight of his unconscious uncle.

Rage erupted in his heart like a storm.

County Office – Archives

Inside the records room, Lu Xuan sat quietly, flipping through one book after another, his eyes scanning the contents rapidly.

His uncle by marriage, Liang Shanhai, had brought him here after learning of his purpose. Though it technically violated county regulations, no one dared to object.

Suddenly, the door burst open.

A middle-aged man in white official robes strode in—Liang Shanhai, the county’s Chief Clerk.

His expression was grave as he looked at Lu Xuan.

“Xiao Xuan… your father has been attacked.”

Lu Xuan’s head snapped up, his fingers freezing mid-page.

In an instant, an overwhelming pressure filled the room. A terrifying gale howled, sending papers flying in all directions.