Starting as The Young Master of A Pharmacy, He Trained Swordsmanship in Seclusion For Twenty Years - Chapter 52

“What? Huang Yangping is dead?”

“Old Chen, what nonsense are you spouting?”

In the back hall of the county office, Ye Qingshan’s expression twisted in shock as he stared at Chen Shi standing before him.

Dawn had barely broken when Chen Shi rushed in to wake him.

“Yes, sir. The Huang family came to report the crime—Huang Yangping’s sons and concubines are at the county office right now.”

Chen Shi’s face was just as grim.

Who could’ve done this? The audacity to kill a government official!

Worse yet, the killer had infiltrated the Huang residence, murdered Huang Yangping without a sound, and left unnoticed. It wasn’t until nearly sunrise that the Huang family discovered his body.

“Two others were also killed—Huang Yangping’s son, Huang Wen, and Jia Sheng, the owner of the Jia Family Pharmacy.”

Ye Qingshan barely registered the other two names. His focus remained on Huang Yangping.

As the deputy magistrate of Qingyun County, Huang Yangping was Ye Qingshan’s right-hand man. His sudden, unexplained death would fall on Ye Qingshan’s shoulders.

“Is Huang Yangping’s body still at the Huang residence?”

“Yes, sir. I immediately dispatched men to seal off the estate—no one is allowed to leave.”

“Old Chen, I’ll go to the Huang residence myself.”

Just as Ye Qingshan and Chen Shi stepped outside, another unexpected figure appeared.

“Old Liang? You—?”

Ye Qingshan and Chen Shi froze at the sight of Liang Shanhai. A sinking feeling settled in their chests.

“Old Ye, Old Chen… last night, three prisoners mysteriously died in the jail.”

Liang Shanhai’s face was ashen. He’d rushed over after his son, Liang Cheng, discovered the bodies during an early morning inspection.

Though the dead were the thugs who’d attacked his brother-in-law, their execution required the county magistrate’s judgment. Their deaths in custody meant Liang Shanhai, as the jail warden, would bear the blame.

And the killer? It certainly wasn’t the jailers—they knew better than to kill prisoners outright.

Noticing Ye Qingshan and Chen Shi’s grim expressions, Liang Shanhai frowned. “Old Ye, Old Chen… what’s wrong?”

Ye Qingshan exhaled heavily. “Huang Yangping is dead.”

“What?!”

The news struck Liang Shanhai like a thunderbolt.

“Enough. Old Liang, send for the coroner to examine the prisoners’ bodies. Old Chen and I will retrieve Huang Yangping’s remains from his estate.”

…..

The Lu Residence

Outside the Lu family gates, a pudgy constable in uniform pounded on the door.

“Open up! It’s Liang Cheng!”

Footsteps hurried from within, and the gate creaked open.

“Young Master Cheng!”

Liang Cheng barely acknowledged the servant’s greeting, nodding briskly before striding toward a particular courtyard.

Soon, he stood outside Lu Xuan’s quarters. Hesitating briefly, he raised his hand to knock—

The door swung open before he could.

A tall figure stood in the doorway.

“Xuan-ge!”

Liang Cheng blinked in surprise. Had his cousin known he was coming?

But there was no time to dwell on it. “Xuan-ge, it’s bad! The men who attacked Uncle… they’re dead in their cells!”

He’d gone to check on the prisoners at dawn, only to find the guards unconscious and the assassins’ corpses grotesquely twisted—their insides reduced to mush beneath unbroken skin.

After alerting his father, Liang Cheng had raced straight to the Lu family to inform Lu Xuan.

But Lu Xuan showed no reaction.

“Xuan-ge, you—”

“Why panic?” Lu Xuan’s voice was calm. “You already guessed the outcome, didn’t you?”

His knowing gaze made Liang Cheng’s eyes widen.

“Xuan-ge… it was you!”

The pieces clicked. No wonder he’d asked about the jail’s layout yesterday.

Relief washed over Liang Cheng. The prisoners’ deaths had been gruesome—enough to unsettle even someone accustomed to violence like him.

“Did those bastards name their employer?” Liang Cheng growled. “Whoever it was, I’ll make them pay!”

He wasn’t troubled by Lu Xuan’s actions. The assassins had deserved far worse.

“No need for me to tell you,” Lu Xuan said cryptically. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

“I’ll… find out?”

Baffled, Liang Cheng left in a daze.

But he wouldn’t remain confused for long.

Lu Xuan’s Plans

Watching Liang Cheng leave, Lu Xuan retrieved a blue token from his robes—the Black Swan Guard insignia Li Yanran had given him.

After reviewing the county’s crime records, he’d found no further threats to the Lu family.

“White Path Prefecture…”

The prefecture governed over a dozen counties, including Qingyun. With no immediate dangers left, Lu Xuan could finally set his sights beyond this small town.

Ever since learning of realms beyond Inner Energy—the Outer Aura Grandmaster and Divine Mansion True Master—he’d been eager to leave.

And then there was the antidote Li Yanran had provided for his father…

“Mysterious Yuan Root Liquid.”

Lu Xuan had never heard of it until his younger brother, Yunqing, mentioned it.

While healing his father with inner energy, he’d detected traces of a force resembling natural spiritual energy in the old man’s body.

If I’m right… that energy came from the Mysterious Yuan Root Liquid.

This world held things far more potent than mere medicinal herbs.

Spiritual treasures? Or something else entirely?