"Bright Moon Saber Art—Embrace the Moon in the Bosom!"
Seeing that he couldn't escape, Lin Yi had no choice. He gritted his teeth and used the strongest defensive move in the Bright Moon Saber Art to block Liu Fusheng's attack.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
Under the firelight, the two fought furiously outside the warehouse.
Lin Yi's long saber slashed again and again, streak after streak of saber light flowing without end. They connected flawlessly in midair, forming a full, round moon that blocked the attacks coming from every direction.
Liu Fusheng, meanwhile, flicked his soft sword repeatedly. Every move was exquisitely precise, like a venomous snake striking with its tongue.
His attacks were tricky, vicious, and ferocious beyond belief. Nearly every thrust brought Lin Yi mortal danger and immense pressure.
Under this terrifying pressure, Lin Yi was like a tiny boat in the open sea, liable at any moment to be capsized by the endless sword light and smashed to pieces!
"Master Lin Yi, give up!"
Holding his soft sword, Liu Fusheng continued stabbing out streaks of icy sword light, a cold smile on his face as he spoke:
"Though you have remarkable talent, you're still too young. You're no match for me."
"Even if you can use that terrifying defensive saber art to hold me off for a while, I'll be able to break through your defensive saber light with ease in twenty breaths at most."
"If you surrender now, then for old acquaintance's sake, I can at least give you a quick death."
"But if you keep resisting and end up in my hands after you're defeated, I won't let you die so easily."
"My Wang Family Pharmacy has held sway over Guangling for hundreds of years. Surely you've heard of the Ten Great Poisons we use specifically for torture and interrogation, Master Lin Yi?"
"If you don't surrender, then once you fall into my hands, I'll personally sever the tendons in your hands and feet, then use all Ten Great Poisons on you one by one. By then, you'll find it difficult even to die."
"Enough nonsense!"
Hearing Liu Fusheng's threats, Lin Yi's expression didn't change. He snorted:
"If you're really capable, then go ahead and break through my defenses. Whatever happens to me after that, I'll accept it."
"But if you think a few empty threats will make me surrender without a fight, then I can only say you're dreaming."
"Good, good, good! What spirit!"
At his words, Liu Fusheng didn't get angry. Instead, he laughed:
"Master Lin Yi, you truly live up to your reputation as a prodigy of Guangling Martial Academy and a friend of the Main Family's young heir. Impressive!"
"To be honest, if I hadn't committed such grave crimes this time, even I would have wanted to befriend you and let you go."
"Because I know that someone like you, as long as you survive, is destined to achieve great things! What a pity! What a pity!"
"No need to pity me! You won't be able to kill me tonight!"
Lin Yi sneered:
"But I really would like to know what's in that Medicine Manor west of the city. What could make you, Steward Liu, go to such lengths to put on a ghostly act, kill the Pharmacy's talented disciples, and even rush to the warehouse to set it on fire in such a critical moment tonight—all just to get your hands on it?"
"Oh, the Medicine Manor west of the city? You actually found out about that?"
Liu Fusheng was taken aback at first, but he quickly recovered and laughed:
"Looks like that brat Xiao Zhi told you! That brat has no filter. I'd already told them not to tell you Medicine Escort Team people anything about the Medicine Manor west of the city, but she still blabbed. If I'd known, I should've killed her sooner and offered up her Heart Blood to the Thousand Spirit Blood Origin Grass seedling."
"Thousand Spirit Blood Origin Grass? Is that the treasure you've been scheming to obtain?"
Hearing this unfamiliar name, Lin Yi furrowed his brows. He had never had much interest in medicine, so he asked:
"I know Blood Origin Grass, but what grade of precious herb is this Thousand Origin Blood Origin Grass, for you to be so utterly deranged over it?"
"Utterly deranged? Hahaha!"
Liu Fusheng burst out laughing at that:
"Master Lin Yi, I'm not deranged. If you knew the value of the Thousand Spirit Blood Origin Grass, you'd probably do the same as me!"
Still laughing heartily, Liu Fusheng seemed to have kept this bottled up for too long, or perhaps he simply wanted to show off. He actually started explaining it to Lin Yi of his own accord:
"The Thousand Spirit Blood Origin Grass is a rare mutation of the Ninth Grade Medicinal Herb known as Blood Origin Grass. Even among hundreds of millions—or tens of billions—of ordinary Blood Origin Grass plants, one may never appear. It's an unparalleled treasure!"
"It's a Third Rank herb. They say it can bring the dead back to life and restore flesh to bare bones. Its effects are even more astonishing when refined into pills. It's a sacred medicine for healing, coveted by countless Third-Rank Martial Artists."
"That's why a mature Thousand Spirit Blood Origin Grass is worth a fortune on the market, at least two hundred thousand taels of silver. And often, even money can't buy one."
"For example, one appeared last year at the largest auction in Dongshan Prefecture. Do you know how much it sold for?"
"How much?"
Lin Yi asked instinctively.
"Two hundred and thirty-eight thousand, nine hundred taels of silver! A full two hundred and thirty-eight thousand, nine hundred taels of silver!"
As Liu Fusheng spoke, his mung-bean-sized eyes glittered with boundless madness and greed.
"What! Two hundred and thirty-eight thousand, nine hundred taels of silver!"
Hearing that figure, Lin Yi was utterly stunned.
If he had that much silver to spend on his Evolve Talent, how many talents could he evolve? And if he bought pills, how powerful could he become?
No wonder Liu Fusheng had gone mad. It was only natural!
Before a treasure like this, let alone a Seventh Grade Martial Artist like him, even a Sixth-Rank Martial Artist or a weaker Fifth-Rank Martial Artist would probably go mad!
"But..."
After the shock passed, a new question arose in Lin Yi's mind:
"As far as I know, Blood Origin Grass is already incredibly hardy. It can be grown in many places and transplanted with ease. As a mutation of Blood Origin Grass, the Thousand Spirit Blood Origin Grass should be even hardier, shouldn't it?"
"Since you discovered the Thousand Origin Blood Origin Grass long ago, then by all logic, you could have dug it up and transplanted it. Why did you go to such lengths to cause all this trouble?"
"Haha! Master Lin Yi, you don't understand."
As he launched a fierce assault on Lin Yi with his soft sword, Liu Fusheng laughed and explained proudly:
"Though the Thousand Spirit Blood Origin Grass looks no different from ordinary Blood Origin Grass when it's young, it's far more delicate than those worthless plants."
"Before it reaches a certain stage of growth, it absolutely cannot be moved. Otherwise, it'll die within an hour."
"So, two months ago, when I first discovered the Thousand Spirit Blood Origin Grass by chance while inspecting the Medicine Fields at White Bird Medicine Manor west of the city, I had to make sure no one learned its secret."
"Even though none of the apprentices, guards, or pharmacists at the manor recognized what the treasure really was, I still took action that very night and killed everyone at White Bird Medicine Manor."
"Afterward, I spread rumors that the Medicine Manor was haunted and forbade anyone from the pharmacy from entering. To scare them, I deliberately lured a few apprentices into going there at night, then killed some and drove others mad, making the rumor seem true."
"Sure enough, heh heh! After I stirred things up like that, the rumor that the Medicine Manor was haunted took root. And since I severely punished anyone who dared go there, no one from the pharmacy dared return."
"But unfortunately, keeping it secret wasn't enough! The Thousand Origin Blood Origin Grass couldn't be transplanted in the short term. As it grew, it also absorbed the nutrients from the Medicine Fields within a dozen or so miles, causing the medicinal properties of the ordinary Blood Origin Grass planted at the surrounding manors to deteriorate significantly."
"On the surface, the Blood Origin Grass whose medicinal properties had been depleted looked no different from normal Blood Origin Grass. But once it was used, experienced alchemists of Seventh Grade or higher would soon notice that its medicinal properties had been stolen. They'd then guess that a Thousand Spirit Blood Origin Grass had most likely appeared nearby. If that happened, how could I ever claim the Thousand Spirit Blood Origin Grass for myself?"
At this, Liu Fusheng snorted coldly. As if remembering something, he narrowed his eyes before continuing:
"So later, I consulted ancient texts and first found a special Ripening Method that used the Heart Blood of young Martial Artists to ripen the Thousand Origin Blood Origin Grass. That way, the Thousand Spirit Blood Origin Grass seedling would reach the stage where it could be transplanted sooner."
"Then I found a way to sow discord between the foolish magistrate of Beicang County and Black Wind Stronghold, prompting them to attack Beicang County."
"Finally, while Black Wind Stronghold was attacking the county town and the pharmacy, I'd take advantage of the chaos to burn all the Blood Origin Grass, destroying the herbs and the evidence so no one could spot any trace of the Thousand Spirit Blood Origin Grass."
"That way, even if the Main Family investigated and blamed someone afterward, they'd blame Black Wind Stronghold and the Beicang County magistrate who provoked them. It would have nothing to do with me."
"And then the Thousand Spirit Blood Origin Grass would be mine, Liu Fusheng's, to do with as I pleased! Hahaha!"
Liu Fusheng laughed loudly, utterly pleased with himself.
"So that's how it is."
On the other side, Lin Yi finally understood:
"Steward Liu, you really did plan things out well. But after calculating so much, did you never consider that our Medicine Escort Team might reach Beicang County and transport the Blood Origin Grass away before Black Wind Stronghold attacked the county town?"
"Once that batch of Blood Origin Grass reached the Commandery City and was used by all those alchemists, wouldn't the secret of the Thousand Spirit Blood Origin Grass be exposed all the same?"
"Master Lin Yi, you underestimate me."
Liu Fusheng laughed again:
"You could think of something so simple. How could I, Liu Fusheng, not?"
"Since things have come to this, I won't hide it from you. The battle between your Medicine Escort Team and Black Wind Stronghold tonight was part of my plan from the start."
"Black Wind Stronghold is powerful enough to rival a Top Force in the Commandery City. So even if they only sent a small force to attack the county town, without an External Force intervening, the local Martial Artists—including me—would have found it difficult to escape, let alone burn the Blood Origin Grass amid the chaos."
"So, to ensure my own safety, I first found out when your Medicine Escort Team would arrive in Beicang County to collect the herbs. Then I paid a hefty price to bribe a Fifth-Rank chieftain of Black Wind Stronghold and have him send men to attack Beicang County tonight."
"That way, the Black Wind Stronghold forces attacking Beicang County would run right into your Medicine Escort Team."
"With your Medicine Escort Team holding them off, I could easily burn all the Blood Origin Grass collected in the warehouse, then slip away afterward! One stone, two birds! Hahaha!"
"Impressive! Truly impressive!"
After hearing Liu Fusheng's full explanation, Lin Yi couldn't help but admire him:
"Not one of those who climb from the lowest rung to become the chief steward of a county is simple."
"Steward Liu, I kept raising my estimation of you, but I never thought you'd be even more impressive than I imagined."
"To pull off such a startling scheme as a Seventh Grade Martial Artist and earn more than two hundred thousand taels of silver in one fell swoop."
"Such a feat—among Seventh Grade Martial Artists, no one in Guangling Commandery could rival you. Even across all of Dongshan Prefecture, there wouldn't be another."
"Even if I were in your place, I'm sure I couldn't have carried it out as flawlessly as you. You really have my admiration!"
"Hahaha! To receive a compliment from Master Lin Yi, Liu Fusheng hasn't wasted all that breath for nothing."
"But we've talked long enough. It's about time for you to be on your way, Master Lin Yi! Rest easy."
As he spoke, a cold glint flashed in Liu Fusheng's eyes. A moment later, he spotted a flaw in Lin Yi's swordplay and extended his soft sword. In the next instant, it seemed poised to pierce Lin Yi's heart.
But just then—
"Clang!"
The sound of metal striking metal rang out. At that critical moment, the speed and strength of the long saber in Lin Yi's hand surged dramatically, instantly making up for the flaw and easily stopping Liu Fusheng's attack.
"What! Seventh... Seventh Grade Mid Stage! How is this possible?!"
Seeing this, Liu Fusheng's eyes widened, his face filled with utter disbelief.
And in that instant of shock, Lin Yi's long saber suddenly turned. The bright, round moon instantly became a dazzling, razor-sharp streak of saber light. With a whistle, it tore through the air and slashed across Liu Fusheng's neck.
"Pfft!"
The sound of a blade sinking into flesh rang out.
In the dark night, a massive head shot up into the air.
Then an endless fountain of blood gushed from the fat, headless corpse below.
Defense! A sliver of deadly opportunity forged in the midst of defense!
This was the perfection-level Bright Moon Saber Art!
Before you continue