"The new batch of medicinal herbs has arrived."
"The trade route has finally reopened. I heard that Lord Fu Zun mobilized the imperial troops and swiftly wiped out those bandits who had been blocking the trade route."
"Yes, with the mighty army sweeping through, how could those mere mountain bandits survive? But we need to be cautious; it's said that some martial arts experts among the bandits escaped and are now hiding in nearby cities, committing crimes from time to time."
"These damn mountain bandits make life unbearable..."
Apprentices and pharmacists within Miaoshou Garden were engaged in lively discussions, clearly harboring strong resentment towards the mountain bandits.
The mountain bandits had disrupted the trade route, preventing medicinal herbs from reaching Nanyang City, which directly impacted Miaoshou Garden's business. Fortunately, with the reopening of the trade route, Miaoshou Garden received its supply of medicinal herbs, and business was gradually returning to normal.
"Mountain bandits..."
Lu Changsheng was also aware of this matter. Although the imperial army had crushed the mountain bandits, some martial experts had scattered into various towns and counties, causing headaches for local authorities. After all, these individuals were martial arts masters, making their capture a formidable challenge, especially since they operated covertly, leaving no traces behind.
As a result, the security in Nanyang City had deteriorated recently, with several wealthy households falling victim to the marauding criminals. Miaoshou Garden's security team had been frequently mobilized, intensifying their patrolling efforts.
For now, Miaoshou Garden had managed to remain unscathed.
"Lu Changsheng, lend a hand here. This basket of medicinal herbs is too heavy..."
Liu Yang called out to Lu Changsheng.
"I'm coming."
Lu Changsheng saw Liu Yang struggling to carry a basket of herbs on his shoulder. However, Liu Yang had underestimated the weight, and the herbs had him trembling under their pressure, clearly too heavy for him to handle.
Lu Changsheng quickly rushed over and effortlessly lifted the basket of herbs, causing Liu Yang to feel relief as the weight lifted from his shoulders.
"Let's carry it down together," Liu Yang suggested.
"No need for that," Lu Changsheng replied and, with both hands, effortlessly lifted the basket of herbs. This surprised Liu Yang, who had struggled under the weight just moments ago.
This basket of herbs weighed at least six to seven hundred pounds, yet Lu Changsheng lifted it effortlessly, not even breaking a sweat. It was evident that this weight was well within his capacity.
"Lu Changsheng, have you mastered the Grand River Vitality Technique?" Liu Yang seemed to have realized something and immediately asked.
"Yes, I've mastered it," Lu Changsheng replied without going into further detail. In truth, he had not just mastered it; he had already reached a high level of proficiency.
Liu Yang, also an apprentice pharmacist, had been practicing for a few years longer than Lu Changsheng. Despite having known about Lu Changsheng's dedication to martial arts, he had never thought much of it. After all, many apprentice pharmacists started but eventually gave up on martial arts. However, seeing Lu Changsheng's newfound strength, Liu Yang couldn't help but feel envious.
"Really enviable..."
"Not to mention among apprentice pharmacists, there are very few who have mastered the Grand River Vitality Technique."
Liu Yang couldn't help but envy Lu Changsheng's martial prowess. However, he understood that being an apprentice pharmacist was their primary focus. Even though Nanyang City was facing security issues, Miaoshou Garden remained a safe haven.
Lu Changsheng continued his daily routine of reading, identifying medicinal herbs, and practicing martial arts. In just two short months, his progress was astonishing.
Host: Lu Changsheng
Comprehension: 198 (Above Average)
Instant Kill Technique: Mastery
Iron Sand Palm: Mastery
Sixfold Blood Strengthening Technique: Fourth Stage
On the attribute panel, Lu Changsheng's comprehension had reached a remarkable 198, just 2 points short of 200, approximately double that of an ordinary person.
Lu Changsheng looked forward to the possibility of unlocking new achievements when his comprehension reached 200. Would it lead to a whole new level of understanding?
Additionally, in the past two months, not only had his comprehension improved rapidly, but Lu Changsheng was also on the verge of mastering the Instant Kill Technique. He could feel that it would likely be perfected within a few days.
The Instant Kill Technique might be a third or even fourth-grade martial skill, and once mastered, it would undoubtedly be a significant achievement.
Lastly, there was the Sixfold Blood Strengthening Technique. Lu Changsheng had already reached the fourth stage. This martial art was truly exceptional, with each stage representing a significant transformation. With his current blood strength, he possessed unimaginable power, even at the fourth stage.
When he reached the sixth stage, just how terrifying would his strength become?
"Ding, ding, ding."
"Quick, all apprentices come out to help."
Suddenly, Zhang, the steward of Miaoshou Garden, shouted urgently. His voice carried a sense of urgency.
"What's going on?"
Lu Changsheng immediately put down his work and rushed to the courtyard of Miaoshou Garden.
Zhang, the steward, had a grim expression as he spoke, "Just half an hour ago, a group of thieves raided one of the medicine shops in Miaoshou Garden. Many doctors, apprentices, pharmacists, and even members of the security team suffered severe casualties."
"Now, all apprentices should go to the main hall and follow the instructions of the physicians to treat the wounded."
The apprentices were taken aback.
The medicine shop of Miaoshou Garden had been looted? And it seemed there were heavy casualties?
Lu Changsheng immediately thought of the bandits that had been defeated by the imperial army. Only those formidable martial experts among them would dare to raid Miaoshou Garden's medicine shop in broad daylight.
Without allowing the apprentices to dwell on the matter, Zhang led them to the main hall.
In the main hall, there were many stretchers, some of them covered with white cloth. It was evident that those covered by the cloth had not survived.
At a rough glance, nearly a dozen people had lost their lives, and dozens more were injured, some missing limbs or grievously wounded, their lives hanging by a thread.
This sight shocked the apprentices, with many of them turning pale. It was clear that they had never seen such a "gruesome" scene before.
Lu Changsheng remained composed on the surface, but his heart was heavy. Miaoshou Garden was a major power in the entire Nanyang City, and every medicine shop had its own security team. How could they have suffered such heavy losses?
There was only one explanation: the enemy was exceptionally strong.
The senior members of Miaoshou Garden, led by their current family head, Zheng Renxin, arrived at the main hall.
Miaoshou Garden had been established by their ancestors more than a century ago. Zheng Renxin, the current family head, might not be highly skilled in medicine, but he was rumored to be a formidable martial artist.
Behind Zheng Renxin were the high-ranking members of Miaoshou Garden, who looked at the gruesome scene with anger in their eyes.
"Family Head, these thieves are too audacious. They dared to target our Miaoshou Garden. Give me a squad of guards, and I will personally lead the effort to capture these thieves."
"It has been many years since our Miaoshou Garden experienced such a heinous incident. We must punish them severely."
"Family Head, with your command, our guards will search the entire city to find these thieves!"
These elders and high-ranking members were filled with righteous indignation. The actions of these thieves had caused Miaoshou Garden enormous losses. They had lost over three thousand taels of silver, not to mention the valuable medicinal herbs that had been stolen. Furthermore, the casualties had resulted in significant expenses for treatment and compensation.