"Mr. Lin, you're back?"

Anxiously waiting in his room, Liang Sheng heard voices outside. He opened the door to see Lin Mu standing there and was immediately overjoyed.

Although he trusted that Lin Mu would be fine, Lin Mu's identity was, after all, too sensitive.

If something were to happen to him, Family Head Liang Yue would personally intervene before anyone else had the chance.

Lin Mu asked, "Are you all okay?"

Liang Sheng scratched his head, slightly embarrassed. "What could happen to us? We were just a bit worried about you."

"And this is..."

Only then did Liang Sheng notice Daoist Master Qing Yu standing behind Lin Mu.

He felt an overwhelming pressure emanating from Daoist Master Qing Yu.

It wasn't just that the man's strength surpassed his own; it was also the undisguised murderous aura coming off him.

Having just killed so many people, Daoist Master Qing Yu now radiated an incredibly sharp and alarming killing intent.

"You can just call me Qing Yu," Qing Yu said with a smile.

"Greetings, Daoist Master Qing Yu," Liang Sheng said, not daring to be careless as he cupped his fist.

"Master, please talk. I'll go handle some things first," Qing Yu said, sensing that his master had things to discuss with the other man.

Besides, he had other matters to attend to as well.

"Go on."

After Qing Yu left, Liang Sheng looked at Lin Mu in shock. "Mr. Lin, that Daoist Master Qing Yu... he calls you Master?"

Lin Mu nodded but offered no further explanation.

Liang Sheng was astounded. Mr. Lin is truly amazing! To have such a powerful subordinate here in Southern Sky. That phone call he made earlier must have been to this Daoist Master Qing Yu.

"Mr. Lin, what should we do next?" Liang Sheng's first thought was to leave this place and head straight for Thunder Mountain.

"Let's wait for Qing Yu to return, and then we'll set off for Thunder Mountain directly," Lin Mu replied. He didn't want to waste any more time; he wanted to get to Thunder Mountain and acquire the medicinal herbs.

"Okay, I'll go get ready."

An hour later, Lin Mu and his group left Kai City, heading for Thunder Mountain.

「Thunder Mountain.」

It was located in the southwest of Kai City in Southern Sky.

The area, predominantly inhabited by the Miao and Dong peoples, was rich in ethnic character. Quaint and elegant, it was endowed with profound cultural significance and acclaimed as the cultural center of the Miao Tribe.

As far back as the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, Thunder Mountain had been brought under the imperial court's jurisdiction, which even established eight military garrisons, including Zhenyuan, Qing Lang, and Tonggu.

In 1944, the Thunder Mountain Administrative Office was established as part of a designated administrative zone.

It wasn't until 1950 that the office was reorganized into the Thunder Mountain of today.

The region boasted a long and storied history, having always been a world-famous tourist destination.

Along the way, Liang Sheng briefed Lin Mu on the local situation.

"The place we're going is still a ways from Thunder Mountain proper, about a two-hour drive."

Liang Sheng added, "By the time we get there, it will be almost dawn."

Lin Mu nodded.

Liang Sheng continued, "Aside from that, there are quite a few local factions entrenched here. The power dynamics are incredibly complex. Combined with the unique nature of this place, these factions are not to be trifled with by ordinary people."

After a moment's thought, he said, "The medicinal herbs we're looking for are controlled by a local power called Forgotten River Hall. They monopolize eighty percent of Thunder Mountain's medicinal herb business, have extensive channels, and even have some connections with the Sheng Miao of the deep mountains."

"Sheng Miao?" Lin Mu asked, somewhat curious.

Liang Sheng had been here many times to purchase medicinal herbs, so he was very familiar with the subject.

"The Sheng Miao are descendants of the Great God Chiyou's followers who migrated here in ancient times. They settled here to survive, but later, an internal split formed two major clans: the Sheng Miao and the Shu Miao."

Liang Sheng's expression turned grave as he explained, "Because the Shu Miao are heavily Sinicized, dealing with them is a bit easier; at worst, you might suffer a small loss. But the Sheng Miao are different. They are extremely xenophobic and have maintained a secluded life for many years, with almost no contact with the outside world."

"Rumor has it that they are adept at the art of Gu crafting. Making an enemy of them means an unending, merciless vendetta."

Lin Mu suddenly remembered Ding Fengqiu from the Dark Web.

Could he be one of the Sheng Miao?

Liang Sheng smiled. "However, Mr. Lin, please rest assured. I've been here many times, and Forgotten River Hall has cooperated with my Liang Family for a long time. The three types of medicinal herbs you need are provided by them."

"Mm. That's good."

Lin Mu didn't want any unnecessary complications while trying to gather the ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill.

The rest of the journey passed in silence. The group didn't stop in Thunder Mountain's county seat, instead heading directly to a small town under its jurisdiction.

「Xijiang Town.」

「Thunder Mountain County City.」

A villa was built on a mountaintop.

It was constructed along the contours of the mountain and equipped with all sorts of facilities.

Numerous guards could be seen patrolling the perimeter.

A single glance revealed its tight security, as impregnable as an iron fortress.

This was the residence of Lord Ma Liu of Thunder Mountain.

It was also a forbidden area within Thunder Mountain.

Several hoodlums knelt outside the villa's main gate, their heads bowed low and their bodies trembling slightly.

In the living room, an old man dressed in local attire was having breakfast.

The food looked dark and gave off a strong herbal scent, seeming to be some kind of unique local medicine.

Despite the unpleasant odor, the old man ate with great relish.

After he finished, a maid served him fragrant tea and cleared the plates.

The old man took a sip of tea before finally looking up at the men by the door.

"Kill them."

As soon as he spoke, several agile young men emerged from the shadows, seizing the hoodlums and dragging them away.

"Lord Liu, spare us, spare us..."

The old man remained unmoved.

A few seconds later, the screams abruptly stopped.

SMASH!

The old man suddenly hurled the ceramic teacup in his hand to the ground. It shattered into pieces, splashing tea across the floor.

"Daring to challenge me, Ma Liu, right on my own turf is simply courting death!"

This old man was none other than Lord Ma Liu of Thunder Mountain.

The kennel established by Huang Da was also one of his properties.

Over the years, it had earned him an immense fortune.

But just last night, the kennel had been completely slaughtered, and even the dogs he had spent so much effort raising were killed without a single one left.

So many years of hard work, all gone up in smoke!

A dangerous glint flickered in Ma Liu's narrow, triangular eyes. "Sang Tu," he ordered, "take some men and investigate immediately. Even if you have to turn Kai City upside down, you find that person for me!"

"Yes!"

A burly man accepted the order and walked out.

"And another thing! After you find them, find out who their relatives and friends are, even people they're just casually close with, and kill them all!"

Ma Liu said ominously, "He dared to destroy my life's work! I'll make sure he and everyone he knows are wiped out, down to the last chicken and dog!"

"Yes, Lord Liu!"

After Sang Tu departed, the old man straightened his clothes and went upstairs. He opened a wardrobe in his bedroom and took out a telephone from inside.

It was a one-way phone.

He could only receive calls; he couldn't make any.

But this phone was Ma Liu's most treasured possession.

At a specific time, the phone in Ma Liu's hand began to vibrate.

Ma Liu immediately sat up straight, his expression turning deferential.

Clearly, the person on the other end of the line held such a distinguished status that Ma Liu instinctively adopted a respectful posture, even over the phone.

"High Priest!"

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