Encountering Zhou Manor's Young Master on the Road, Judgment in the Street

Clang, clang, clang, clang—

"A prisoner has escaped."

"Chase him! Hurry! Don't let the prisoner get away!"

"To the east! The prisoner ran east!"

Not long after Zhou Qing broke out of the dungeon, the jailers came rushing out one after another, banging bronze gongs as they put on a show of pursuit.

They all knew perfectly well that Zhou Qing had killed Captain Yang with a single slash. His strength was far beyond anything they could handle. Even within the county office, there were not many who could deal with Zhou Qing.

Still, they had to keep up appearances, if only to lessen their punishment.

At this moment, Zhou Qing had successfully escaped from prison, but he did not slow down. He gathered his inner force in his feet and sprinted at full speed.

The prison was located on the southwestern side of the county office.

The two were only a few hundred meters apart.

Therefore, Zhou Qing had to get away quickly and avoid being caught by the county office constables.

Before long.

He arrived at a household, knocked the occupants unconscious, then stripped off his prison uniform and changed into the coarse hemp clothing worn by ordinary folk.

After finishing all this, he took some dry rations and water from the household's kitchen, tucked them into his clothes, and continued fleeing.

Zhou Qing understood that although he had successfully broken out of prison, the county office would certainly not let the matter rest. They would surely send skilled fighters to hunt him down.

Thus, he did not dare relax and fled toward the outskirts of the city.

His foremost task now was to leave the city, shake off his pursuers, then wait until his strength had improved before seeking revenge on the person who had framed him.

Although Zhou Manor was not a martial arts clan.

In Black Stone County, however, it was still considered a wealthy household. It had numerous guards to protect the estate, among whom were quite a few capable martial artists.

If he wanted to settle accounts with Zhou Manor, Zhou Qing felt that his strength had to advance further to ensure nothing could go wrong.

The person in Zhou Manor who had framed him would never have imagined that he could leave the dungeon alive, much less that he would become a martial artist.

"Hmm?"

Just then, Zhou Qing spotted a familiar figure.

It was a young dandy dressed in brocade finery, holding a folding fan and accompanied by two attendants. Amid the laughter of several ladies, he stepped out of Spring Breeze Tower.

"It's him!"

Zhou Qing narrowed his eyes slightly.

The young dandy in the distance was precisely the man who had accompanied Zhou Manor's concubine, Madam Liu, to the medical hall for treatment that day.

He had just been thinking that he would infiltrate Zhou Manor and settle accounts once his strength had improved further.

Who would have thought.

That he would run into the man now.

Since they had met, a debt of blood should be repaid on the spot.

Whoosh—

Zhou Qing moved, immediately blocking the other man's path.

"Who are you to block this young master's way? Move aside!"

Seeing his path blocked, Zhou Chen bellowed angrily.

"Where did this wild brat come from? Get lost already!"

"You blind fool, scram at once, or we'll break your dog legs."

The two attendants behind Zhou Chen chimed in, their words brimming with contempt and arrogance.

Clang!

The response was a sharp saber.

The saber flashed from its sheath, its edge slicing through the air without a sound.

Thud, thud—

The two attendants behind Zhou Chen stared blankly before their bodies collapsed. They had already drawn their last breaths.

The sharp saber rested against Zhou Chen's neck. He immediately felt a chill there, and his whole body shuddered involuntarily.

"Ah! Murder!"

"Murder! Run!"

The common folk on the surrounding streets quickly fled upon seeing this scene.

Several guests who had just walked out of Spring Breeze Tower saw someone committing murder and were so frightened that they immediately hid back inside.

"Y-you dare murder someone in public? Do you know who I am?"

Zhou Chen's voice trembled. Fear left him barely able to form a complete sentence.

He had never expected this seemingly ordinary youth to strike without a word—and even kill his two attendants. He was utterly lawless.

Even though Zhou Chen had always been used to acting arrogantly, he would not dare commit murder in the street.

"I am Zhou Chen, the second young master of Zhou Manor. If you spare my life, young hero, just name what you want. Zhou Manor will surely satisfy you."

Zhou Chen begged.

"Young Master Zhou Chen truly has the memory of a nobleman. It has only been twenty-odd days since we last met, and you no longer recognize me."

Zhou Qing said calmly.

Though his voice was soft, it carried a chill that could not be ignored.

Zhou Chen froze at those words. The youth before him did seem somewhat familiar, yet he could not recall where he had seen him.

"I wonder how I offended you, young hero. Please enlighten me."

Zhou Chen racked his brains but could not remember when he had ever offended a person like Zhou Qing.

After cultivating the Spring Return Technique to the tenth level, Zhou Qing had changed considerably, whether in height and build, appearance, or bearing.

That was why Zhou Chen had not recognized Zhou Qing at first glance.

"Zhou's Medical Hall on Locust Tree Street, Everjoy Ward!"

Zhou Qing said coldly.

"What!"

Upon hearing the words "Zhou's Medical Hall," Zhou Chen's face instantly turned ugly. He immediately recalled who the youth before him was.

"Y-you weren't locked in prison, waiting to be executed after autumn?"

Zhou Chen spoke with a trembling voice, his entire body shaking.

By all rights, as a condemned criminal, Zhou Qing should have been held on the third level of the county office prison. Zhou Chen had never imagined that he could escape the dungeon.

Moreover, Zhou Qing should have been an ordinary physician. Yet judging by the speed of that strike just now, he was clearly a powerful martial artist.

"Zhou Qing, w-what do you want?"

Zhou Chen forced himself to remain calm.

But his trembling voice betrayed the fear in his heart.

"The medicine I prescribed was clearly to calm the mind and protect the pregnancy, yet you pinned the blame for Zhou Manor's concubine Madam Liu's sudden death on me. You framed me. What do you think I want?" Zhou Qing said coldly. "If you do not want to suffer, loudly tell the people around us everything you have done."

"Th-this is impossible!"

Zhou Chen's expression changed drastically.

If he revealed this matter, even if Zhou Qing spared his life, he would not have a good end waiting for him when he returned to Zhou Manor.

Slice—

Zhou Qing lightly moved the saber in his hand, and one of Zhou Chen's arms was immediately severed. Blood gushed out.

"Ah!"

Zhou Chen let out a shrill scream at once.

"I am not negotiating with you. If you refuse again, I will cut off your other hand, then both your legs." Zhou Qing said coldly. "I do not have time to waste here with you. I will give you only three breaths to consider."

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

"I'll talk! I'll talk!"

Just as Zhou Qing counted to one, Zhou Chen sensed the killing intent in his eyes. His mental defenses immediately crumbled, unable to withstand the pressure.

"My name is Zhou Chen. I am the second young master of Zhou Manor. I had an illicit affair with Concubine Liu, which left Madam Liu pregnant. I did not want to be punished by my father, so I developed murderous intent. I took Madam Liu to Zhou's Medical Hall on Locust Tree Street in Everjoy Ward to get medicine, then poisoned Madam Liu to death and framed Zhou Qing, the physician of Zhou's Medical Hall."

Zhou Chen spoke.

"Your voice is too low. No one can hear you."

Zhou Qing said coldly.

"My name is Zhou Chen. I am the second young master of Zhou Manor. I had an illicit affair with Concubine Liu..."

Under Zhou Qing's threat, Zhou Chen could only yield and shout loudly.

"Don't stop. Keep shouting!"

Zhou Qing barked.

"My name is Zhou Chen. I am the second young master of Zhou Manor. I had an illicit affair with Concubine Liu..."

"..."

Zhou Chen shouted it over and over again.

At this time, some nearby residents and the guests inside Spring Breeze Tower all heard Zhou Chen's cries, and shock filled their faces.

They had never expected the second young master of Zhou Manor to commit such a disgraceful deed.