The Prodigal Disciple of Mount Hua: Seizing All Opportunities

The three then traveled together and arrived in Huayin County in the afternoon.

The "Jishetang" pharmacy where the murder occurred has been sealed off by the government. At this time, the area in front of the pharmacy is deserted, with only a few yamen runners yawning and casually guarding it.

After revealing his Huashan Sect identity and negotiating with the guards, Lao Denuo was able to enter and investigate.

Being a member of the Huashan Sect is quite useful in Huayin.

Upon entering the shop, it was a mess, with medicinal herbs scattered all over the floor mixed with congealed blood, and the air filled with a strange smell of blood and herbs.

Clearly, the government officials understood that this place belonged to the Huashan Sect and did not disturb the scene; even the corpses were left in their original positions without being removed.

Yue Lingshan's pretty face paled slightly, and she subconsciously took a step closer to Chen Qianyang.

Although she was a woman of the martial arts world, she was well protected by her parents, and this was the first time she had ever seen such a bloody scene.

Chen Qianyang held her cold little hand and patted it to reassure her.

"Second Brother, how is it?"

Laudenau had already begun examining the signs of a fight inside the store and the location of the bodies.

His brow furrowed. "It looks like a robbery and murder. According to the constables, the shop was completely emptied of its silver. However..."

"That's right, Senior Brother," Chen Qianyang interjected. He squatted down, pointing his fingertip at the fatal wound on the neck of a corpse: "Look at this sword strike. Although there are many wounds on the corpse, this is the fatal one. The wound is narrow and straight, penetrating three-tenths of an inch into the flesh. The force is precise, which is not something an ordinary thief could do in a panic. It's more like the work of a master, who then disguised it as a series of cuts afterward."

"Moreover, the three dead were outer disciples of my Huashan Sect. Although their martial arts skills were not excellent, how could ordinary thieves kill them so easily?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Laudenau's eyes; he could actually see what Chen Qianyang was saying.

In fact, the killer didn't try to hide anything.

However, Chen Qianyang was only twenty years old and had no prior experience in the martial arts world.

It is indeed quite difficult to get straight to the point at a glance.

"Junior brother's observation is insightful and his words are absolutely correct. This murderer is probably quite skilled in martial arts, and he likely has ulterior motives for killing these three."

Chen Qianyang nodded, said no more, got up and paced around the store to see if he could find any other clues.

His talent for swordsmanship made him exceptionally sensitive to even the smallest traces.

He walked to the back room of the pharmacy and saw that the surrounding furnishings looked like the shopkeeper's resting place.

His gaze swept over the bookshelf against the wall, his fingers tracing over several thick ledgers and medical books.

Finally, they stopped at a seemingly ordinary book called "Qianjin Fang" (Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold).

The wear on the spine of this book is slightly different from that of the books next to it.

It seems to be frequently taken out and turned over.

He gently pulled it out, only to find that the book was quite heavy in his hand.

Inside the cover, there was a cutout, revealing two small booklets, one thin and one thick.

The thick book is the pharmacy's accounting book, clearly recording the normal medicinal herb exchanges with the Huashan Sect in recent years.

As for the thinner one...

Chen Qianyang's eyes grew cold, and he slowed down his reading speed.

This was clearly a secret ledger, and the trading partners were none other than the disciples of Chaoyang Peak. He even saw Mei Jianhe's name among them.

The ledger contains a large number of rare medicinal materials, such as old ginseng, purple-veined he shou wu, and blood poria, with transaction prices far below market prices, and some even directly marked as "gifts".

The sheer length of time and the enormous sums of money involved are staggering.

In other words, this pharmacy ostensibly works for the Huashan Sect, but secretly it has connections with Chaoyang Peak.

"Second Senior Brother, Senior Sister, please take a look at this." Chen Qianyang handed over the booklet.

Laudenuo took a look and his expression immediately turned serious: "How dare this guy do this! As a member of the Huashan Sect, he misappropriated sect resources and sold them to Chaoyang Peak at a low price or even for free. He is lining his own pocket and betraying his own sect. He deserves to die! This matter is of great importance and needs to be carefully considered."

Yue Lingshan's pretty face flushed with anger: "These people from Chaoyang Peak are too wicked! They've been taking advantage of our Huashan Sect all along, and Father has been deliberately tolerating them..."

"The best course of action now is to send the account books back up the mountain and let Master decide," said Laudenuo.

Chen Qianyang shook his head: "Second Senior Brother, if I'm not mistaken, this secret account was hidden extremely well, which means that the manager was a key person in the know, and may even be the main person in charge. His death may be related to this secret account and Chaoyang Peak."

"Junior brother, you mean...?"

"Beat the grass to alert the snake, deliberately make a big fuss about the account books, and see who will jump out."

"Wouldn't that expose the conflict between Chaoyang Peak and our sect to the public?" Laudenuo frowned slightly.

Chen Qianyang sneered inwardly: "Those people from Chaoyang Peak are so arrogant, treating us Huashan disciples like nothing. What's wrong with bringing up the conflict? If Master blames me later, I'll take the blame."

This proposal was actually a test, a test of Laudenau's reaction, and also a test of the reaction of the people behind him.

If it were someone else, Chen Qianyang would naturally not have said that.

But if it were the mature and prudent second senior brother, he probably wouldn't object from his position.

"Alas, those people from Chaoyang Peak are indeed despicable." Lao Denuo sighed. "If we report this to Master, it will most likely be suppressed. Fine, let's do as Junior Brother says and see which demons and clowns are causing trouble behind the scenes."

Chen Qianyang immediately understood; there was indeed more to this than met the eye.

Since the murderer wants to muddy the waters, then I'll let him have his way.

Just as the three were about to leave, a commotion broke out outside the shop, accompanied by the shouts of the yamen runners.

"What Huashan Sect? I am the Huashan Sect! Today I'm going to see who's messing with my stuff!"

Before the words were finished, three figures rushed in. The leader was tall and thin, with a fair complexion, sinister eyes, and a cold smile on his lips. He was none other than Mei Jianhe, who had been defeated by Chen Qianyang's sword yesterday!

Behind him followed two arrogant Chaoyang Peak disciples, also dressed in blue robes.

Chen Qianyang was about to put away the account book in his hand, but after seeing who it was, he pretended to slow down.

Mei Jianhe's gaze swept across the room and immediately fell on the hidden ledger that Chen Qianyang had not yet put away. His expression changed, and he sneered, "So it's your senior disciple, Uncle Yue. This pharmacy owner owes Chaoyang Peak a batch of essential medicinal herbs. Now that he's dead, the accounts should be settled, right? Boy, hand over the ledger in your hand, and this matter will have nothing to do with your Huashan Sect."

Laudenuo stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Junior Brother Mei, this is Huashan's property. The murder case is not yet cleared up, and the accounts still need to be taken back to the mountain for verification..."

"Check what!" Mei Jianhe interrupted impatiently, his tone laced with sarcasm. "Laudeno, stop pretending to be a good person! The murders here have nothing to do with me, but I must take this ledger with me today!"

He clearly already knew that something had happened, and that the two Huashan disciples must have seen the secret tent.

If we report this, we will surely be scolded by our master.

Master has been away these days, and the one in charge of things on the peak is that despicable Yuan Chengzhi.

That guy will definitely use his position to settle personal scores.

No, no matter what, we must seize the ledger now, and then deny everything later.

His gaze swept past Laudenuo, fixing on Chen Qianyang with a venomous look. "And you, brat, what a small world! Yesterday you got lucky with your strange swordsmanship, but dare you spar with me again today? I'll show you what a real fast sword is!"

Chen Qianyang stepped forward, subtly shielding Yue Lingshan, whose face was contorted with anger, behind him. Facing Mei Jianhe's provocative gaze, he calmly said, "Senior Brother Mei, you certainly have quite the airs. This pharmacy owner secretly traded with your Chaoyang Peak, embezzling Huashan's assets at low prices and enriching himself. Now that he's died a bizarre and violent death, you're so eager to demand your money back. Perhaps you have a guilty conscience, and his death is related to your Chaoyang Peak?"

The loud voice attracted the attention of the yamen runners and passersby outside, who gathered around.

"Bullshit!" Mei Jianhe reacted angrily, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

This kid is such a simpleton, he actually revealed such a secret.

If this matter blows up, neither side will benefit.

He shouted sternly, "Boy, don't spout nonsense! How could my Chaoyang Peak possibly embezzle anything from your Huashan Sect? You're asking for trouble!"

Having said that, he disregarded the occasion, drew his longsword with a clang, and with a flash of cold light, unleashed a move called "Gentle Breeze Stroking Willows," the tip of the sword trembling with a strong wind as it pierced straight at Chen Qianyang's face. The speed was even faster than yesterday, and the move was exceptionally ruthless.

They actually planned to kill this kid right there on the spot.

Chen Qianyang was prepared. Without moving his feet, he flipped his wrist and drew his long sword from his waist. He struck first, and the tip of the sword accurately hit the Mei sword and the seven-inch mark on the spine of the thrusting sword.

"Ding!"

With a crisp clang, Mei Jianhe felt a subtle and supple force coming from him, causing his sword to involuntarily veer off course, and the force even made his wrist slightly numb.

He was even more shocked. Yesterday, he only felt that the boy's swordsmanship was strange, and thought that he had been careless.

Only today, upon experiencing it again, did I realize that the insight and skill contained within far exceeded his age.

Chen Qianyang thrust out his sword, then sheathed it and stood still, his tone remaining calm and unwavering: "Senior Brother Mei, if you don't want anyone to know, then don't do it in the first place. This ledger is here; it's irrefutable evidence. You should think about how you're going to explain your actions to Senior Mu and Uncle Gui when you get back."

Mei Jianhe's face was ashen, his chest heaving violently, clearly furious, yet he was also wary of Chen Qianyang's unpredictable sword moves.

Furthermore, there were only two junior brothers behind him at this time, and more and more people were watching the commotion.

This place is located in a bustling area of ​​Huayin City, and once a fight breaks out, it will be difficult to control.

He stared intently at Chen Qianyang, forcing out the words through gritted teeth: "Fine! Fine, Chen Qianyang! Sharp-tongued! We'll see about this!"

After uttering those harsh words, he left dejectedly with two equally unfriendly disciples.

"Little Chen, you're amazing! Look at him, he's about to explode with anger!" Yue Lingshan clapped her hands and laughed, her beautiful eyes sparkling with admiration.

Laudenuo said, "Junior Brother Chen, Mei Jianhe and this man are narrow-minded and vindictive. Given your behavior today, we need to be wary of their surprise attack on our way back to the mountain."

Chen Qianyang smiled noncommittally: "We'll deal with whatever comes our way. If the people from Chaoyang Peak really want to destroy the evidence, we'll just kill them. Should we, the disciples of Huashan, swallow our anger and let them bully us just because they're arrogant?"

He knew in his heart that the conflict had completely escalated.

This is probably what the person behind it all wanted to achieve.