"I already know about the incident," came the raspy, dissatisfied voice on the other end of the line.

Even through the phone, Ma Liu could feel the High Priest's murderous intent, sending a shiver down his spine. He hastily explained, "High Priest, I will definitely handle this matter well!"

"Hmph. Ma Liu, remember this: everything you have now was given to you by me, and I can take it back at any time!"

A cold sweat broke out on Ma Liu's skin. In the eyes of outsiders, he, Ma Liuye, was the king of Thunder Mountain, able to command the wind and rain at will. In the eyes of the High Priest, however, he was nothing more than a pitiful ant. If the High Priest was displeased, he could be crushed at any moment.

"High Priest, please rest assured. I will not let you down!" Ma Liu promised, standing up straight.

"You have three days. I want to see that person's corpse!"

The call disconnected, and Ma Liu let out a long, shuddering breath. Though the call had only lasted a few minutes, he was drenched in sweat. He knew, however, that this was the best possible outcome. If he failed to find the culprit who destroyed the dog farm, he, Ma Liu, would die a miserable death. He was all too familiar with the High Priest's methods.

"Damn it," Ma Liu muttered ferociously, his face twisted with a fierce killing intent. "When I find out who you are, I will make you regret ever being born!"

「...」

「Eight in the morning.」

Lin Mu and his party finally arrived at Xijiang Town.

Xijiang Town was quite famous in Thunder Mountain, as it was home to the renowned tourist destination, the Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village. Praised as a thousand-year-old ancient capital, it possessed a profound cultural heritage, unique local customs, and beautiful scenery. It could be called God's paradise on Earth.

Although it was only eight o'clock, the town was already bustling with people. Shops had opened for business, and the aroma of various breakfast dishes wafted through the streets.

However, all of this held little appeal for Liang Shanshan, despite her love of food. The events of last night were still fresh in her mind, and her father's words echoed in her ears.

Lin Mu was a master of the Martial Way? Her father's savior? He even took first place in the River City Martial Meet?

Gazing at Lin Mu's back, Liang Shanshan couldn't help but think to herself. How can a guy like that be a master of the Martial Way? He doesn't look the part at all; he's just an ordinary person. Aside from being a little good-looking, he's completely ordinary. Where's the air of a master of the Martial Way?

She had heard that the Master Lin at the River City Martial Meet was exceptionally distinguished and powerful. His skills were unfathomably deep, and he had even killed another martial arts master single-handedly.

Master Lin? His surname is Lin? Could it really... be him?

She shook her head sharply, dismissing the unrealistic idea. She laughed at herself. There are so many people in the world with the surname Lin. It can't be such a coincidence.

On the other hand, the Qing Yu Daoist following Lin Mu looked every bit the part of a top-tier master. He had an ethereal aura and a calm demeanor. During his conversation with her father, just a few of his words were incredibly enlightening, revealing his profound understanding of the Martial Way. He had earned her utmost respect.

Now, this is what a Martial Way expert should look like, she thought.

But the thought that such a Martial Way senior addressed that Lin Mu fellow as "Master" was incredibly jarring to her.

"Mr. Lin, I've already informed the medicinal herb supplier. They will be here shortly to meet us," Liang Sheng said to Lin Mu after making a phone call.

"Good." Lin Mu nodded. Along the way, he had been enjoying the scenery.

The scenery in Xijiang Town is quite pleasant. With its unique cultural environment, it would be nice to bring Qin Luoli here for a visit sometime, he thought.

As they were speaking, a few men and women dressed in local attire came walking toward them from across the street.

"Uncle Liang, you've arrived," said the young man at the head of the group as he approached them.

"Ah, it's Little Ping." Liang Sheng quickly stepped forward, smiling at the young man. "I can't believe you're all grown up. It's been so many years."

The youth, Zhao Ping, didn't seem very enthusiastic. He merely said politely, "It's good to see you, Uncle Liang. My father asked me to wait here for you all. Please, follow me."

"Alright, thank you for your trouble."

Liang Sheng expressed his thanks, then explained to Lin Mu, "The Zhao Family, our partner here, holds significant local influence. They're essentially the local magnates of medicinal herbs, with channels to acquire many materials that are normally difficult to find."

Lin Mu nodded, but the look he gave Zhao Ping was somewhat strange.

"That's Zhao Hedong's son," Liang Sheng said in a low voice. "I met him a few times on previous trips to buy medicinal herbs. He's considered the successor that Zhao Hedong has high hopes for."

As they spoke, the group followed the street to the entrance of a shop.

Forgotten River Hall.

Inside the shop, numerous medicinal materials were piled high, and several people were busy sorting them. An overwhelmingly pungent odor filled the air.

"Please come inside, everyone. My father is currently discussing something with someone, but he'll be with you shortly," Zhao Ping said, leading the group further in.

Once inside, Lin Mu discovered that while the front of Forgotten River Hall was an herb shop, it had a large courtyard in the back. The yard was filled with vast quantities of drying medicinal herbs. It seemed Forgotten River Hall truly lived up to its reputation as Xijiang Town's foremost medicinal herb merchant. An ordinary merchant couldn't possibly procure the herbs displayed here.

This made Lin Mu even more eager about his trip to Southern Sky.

"Please wait a moment, everyone. My father will be out shortly," Zhao Ping said, guiding them to sit in a parlor before turning and leaving.

As he exited, Zhao Ping nodded to two assistants standing by the door. The two men exchanged a covert glance and remained standing at the entrance. They looked like they were accompanying the guests, but it was more like they were standing guard.

"Master, something seems off," Qing Yu Daoist said in a low voice.

"What seems off, Daoist Master Qing Yu?" Liang Sheng asked curiously.

Daoist Master Qing Yu replied, "Logically, even if Zhao Hedong didn't have time to meet us, the goods should have been prepared. We could have just taken our things and left without taking up much time. Why would he insist we wait here?"

Liang Sheng's brow furrowed. "Indeed. They usually have the goods ready, and after inspection, it's a simple exchange of money for product. I've never seen them do this before."

"So you think there's a problem, Daoist Master Qing Yu?" Liang Shanshan asked.

"It's not a matter of thinking there's a problem," Daoist Master Qing Yu stated. "I'm certain of it."

Hearing this, Liang Sheng chuckled. "Daoist Master Qing Yu, you're being overly concerned. It's been many years since I last came here. It's possible Zhao Hedong simply wants to see me." He added, "In the past, I always came to Southern Sky alone and dealt with Zhao Hedong many times. He's a trustworthy man."

"One can never be too careful," Lin Mu said. "It's always better to be cautious."

Hearing Lin Mu's words, Liang Shanshan couldn't help but retort, "You're just being paranoid. With my dad here, what could possibly happen?"

"Shanshan!" Liang Sheng shot his daughter a dissatisfied look before quickly explaining, "Mr. Lin, please don't mind her. She's always been this way."

Lin Mu just smiled slightly, not at all bothered. This, however, only made Liang Shanshan feel more indignant.

What a jerk, just putting on an act. If something really were to happen, he wouldn't be any help at all, she fumed internally.

While they waited, a bustle of noise came from outside. Liang Shanshan saw people coming and going in Forgotten River Hall, seemingly moving something large. She didn't pay it much mind.

After a while, however, all the noise disappeared, and the entire Forgotten River Hall fell eerily silent.

Liang Shanshan's heart skipped a beat.

Is something really about to happen?

Just as she began to grow nervous and Liang Sheng's expression started to turn grim, a man's voice called from outside.

"Boss Liang, long time no see!"

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