21: Last year, I was a young man, today I am a young master

Shiji County:

Someone knocked.

Apothecary Li took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and opened the door.

A smell of blood assailed him.

He saw a Masked Man in rough linen clothes, covered in blood, enter.

Thud!

A package was thrown to the ground.

"See if there's any Nie Qi Grass inside."

"Oh, and where's your water vat? I need to wash."

Apothecary Li... Half an hour later:

Apothecary Li held a blood-stained Nie Qi Grass, extremely agitated.

He was over sixty and only remembered seeing Nie Qi Grass once in his youth.

Many years later, he saw it again.

"This time, I must write a more detailed herbal compendium."

Chu Qing, masked and wearing wet linen clothes, said:

"How long will it take to refine that Secret medicine?"

He had given the Toad Secret medicine formula to Apothecary Li.

Apothecary Li swallowed, fearfully saying, "Two days, two days at most."

Chu Qing looked at him deeply and said indifferently:

"Alright!"

"Refine the medicine well."

"Once it's done, this Secret medicine formula is yours."

Apothecary Li's eyes widened in disbelief.

When he saw the Toad Secret medicine formula, he felt that once the medicine was refined, it would be his death day.

Yet, this person not only wouldn't kill him to keep it secret, but also wanted to give him the Secret medicine formula?

This... was truly incredible.

Chu Qing, sensing his thoughts, said, "You haven't seen my face, so you won't die."

After speaking, he took the more than two thousand taels of silver notes compensated by the fake medicine peddler and turned to leave.

The sky was about to lighten... Early morning:

Chu Qing went to the martial arts hall.

Zhao Wuji and the others hadn't been released yet.

Shi Tiezhu, under his guidance, barely managed to keep things running.

With the Toad Secret medicine nearing completion, Chu Qing hopped around the training ground.

"I'll strive to complete the first condition before the Secret medicine is refined."

One lap... ten laps... twenty laps... "Chu Qing, someone's looking for you."

A few minutes later:

At the entrance, a Blood River Gang subordinate cupped his fists and said:

"Master Qing, Hall Master Liu wants you to go to the Yamen."

The Yamen?

Chu Qing was pensive.

"I haven't killed any enemies in Shiji County these past two days, so why are they looking for me again?"

His mind raced with a thousand thoughts as he followed the subordinate to the Yamen.

Upon entering the Yamen, a constable led him to a large courtyard.

This was Chief Constable Shi's office.

Main hall:

Chief Constable Shi, Officer Li, Hall Master Liu, and others were discussing matters.

Chu Qing cupped his fists in greeting and stood silently to the side.

He listened to them discuss how to deal with Zhao Wuji and the others.

A constable sneered:

"They committed a great wrong."

"Teaching Cultivation Techniques to a murderer makes them accomplices."

"According to the law, they should be executed!"

Another constable objected: "Mantis Fist, Iron Hand, and Iron Thread Fist are not exclusive to them; they exist in many places."

"They cannot be convicted."

Hall Master Liu whispered, "They are not the murderer, but they are also accomplices."

"They killed members of my gang; they should pay with their lives."

He knew that this incident was entirely caused by his own subordinates.

Since he had already offended Zhao Wuji and the others, this time, he wanted to kick them while they were down, hoping they would never recover.

The group argued incessantly.

Chief Constable Shi watched with interest, as if watching monkeys.

After a long while, he slowly said:

"That... what was your name again, Chu...?"

"Sir, this Junior is Chu Qing."

Chu Qing cupped his fists in greeting.

Chief Constable Shi smiled and said, "You personally participated in this matter; tell me, how should we handle it?"

Chu Qing said seriously:

"Sir, in the early stage, Hall Master Liu's ineffective search allowed the murderer to escape."

"Fortunately, under your wise leadership, in the Late Stage search, many stolen goods were recovered, and evidence of the murderer's escape was found."

"The murderer did not deal with Zhao Wuji and the others when he escaped, which proves their relationship is not deep."

Chief Constable Shi nodded to himself.

This person is interesting; he immediately pushed the blame onto Hall Master Liu.

And he, not only had no fault, but even had merit.

"Sir, Zhao Wuji and the others made a mistake, but it was only a minor one."

"To find evidence, you also cleaned up some ownerless houses; now, we can have them repair the houses and hand them over to you for safekeeping, so that when the owners return, they can be returned to them."

Chief Constable Shi laughed heartily.

Zhao Wuji and the others would pay to repair the houses, and in the end, the houses would fall into his hands.

Very good.

As for the owners of the houses coming back to claim them? Is that possible? Many houses have been abandoned for decades; where are their descendants? Who can prove it?

At this moment:

The others looked thoughtful, then also smiled.

Only Hall Master Liu's face was grim, and he growled, "Sir..."

A friendly constable clapped a hand over his mouth and whispered, "Shut up!"

Hall Master Liu was bewildered.

Chief Constable Shi smiled and said:

"Chu... has merit; this Chief Constable once promised to reward him when the matter was concluded."

"Today, this Chief Constable is happy, so I will reward you with a set of Dao of the Blade."

Chu Qing's heart quickened.

The expressions of many constables subtly changed.

The Great Qian Empire did not prohibit unarmed Cultivation Techniques, but it did prohibit weapon-based Cultivation Techniques.

Although the Empire was now in turmoil, facing the Millennial Calamity, those who possessed weapon Cultivation Techniques were still very few.

Don't be fooled by many people carrying swords or spears.

But they were all for show.

In a real fight, without Moves and routines, they could only kill ordinary people.

Even constables, if they hadn't been to a martial arts academy, couldn't learn weapon Cultivation Techniques.

Even if they secretly learned them, they wouldn't dare to openly use them.

Now, Chief Constable Shi was going to teach Chu Qing the Dao of the Blade.

This Dao of the Blade, with someone to vouch for it, could be openly displayed.

How could they not be jealous?

Hall Master Liu was even more consumed by jealousy, his eyes bloodshot.

I took the blame.

And was reprimanded by a friend to shut up.

It was already humiliating enough.

Yet Chu Qing could get the Dao of the Blade?

"Sir, the blade is a weapon of ill omen; Chu Qing comes from a ruffian background."

"His temperament is already not good; if he has a weapon of ill omen and kills people, it will cause you trouble, Sir."

The other constables also tried to dissuade him.

The Dao of the Blade was too precious.

They couldn't get it, and they didn't want Chu Qing to have it either.

Chief Constable Shi frowned.

Chu Qing was pensive.

"If I really take the Dao of the Blade, God knows if these guys will force me to hand it over."

"At that time, people will definitely die."

"One or two deaths don't matter."

"But if too many die, Chief Constable Shi will definitely suspect me."

"Then it will be troublesome."

"Moreover, I want to enter the martial arts academy."

"In the martial arts academy, what weapon Cultivation Techniques for blades, spears, swords, and halberds aren't there?"

"The martial arts academy's preliminary examination is in just over twenty days; enduring this for a bit is fine."

Although he thought so, he was still annoyed by Hall Master Liu and the others.

However, he cupped his fists and said:

"Sir, I am still young and cannot handle weapons."

Chief Constable Shi breathed a sigh of relief.

Originally, he had offered Chu Qing the Dao of the Blade purely out of impulse.

After he said it, he immediately regretted it.

It was hateful that those constables only obstructed and didn't offer a way out.

Chu Qing was much better than them.

What a talent!

Chief Constable Shi smiled and said, "Since that's the case, I'll give you a set of Claw Cultivation Technique first."

"After seven or eight years, when you achieve Major Achievement in the Claw Cultivation Technique, I will then reward you with the Dao of the Blade."

Many constables and Hall Master Liu let out long breaths.

But they all failed to see the fierce glint in Chu Qing's eyes.