Chapter 6: Rumors

At Desolate Mountain Ridge.

A hill on the outskirts of Qing Ya County, extending towards the mountain range. The vast expanse of mountains stretched continuously like a protective wall enclosing Qingya County within. The old pine forest emitted a foul odor from decaying leaves, creating a soft cushion underfoot.

Above, sunlight filtered through the pine needles, casting dappled patterns - a sight remarkably picturesque.

This place typically saw few visitors, barring ginseng diggers and brown bears; only squirrels and venomous snakes frequented here. However, today it was unusually bustling with several groups arriving one after another, culminating in a fierce battle before finally settling down now.

“All taken care of?”

“Of course, no survivors when I’m involved.”

The cold wind howled, rustling the pine needles.

Two voices echoed amidst the trees. Following the sound, two men dressed in azure-red attire could be seen conversing, standing side by side in the forest. On the left stood a man wearing an imperial eunuch’s cap, his white hair draped loosely around him, imparting a chilling and austere aura with his narrow eyes. Beside him, another figure sat cross-legged on a stone, his bloodstained official robes draped loosely over scattered hair. Between his legs lay a long, bloodied sword, while he meticulously wiped its blade clean with a white cloth.

Scattered haphazardly nearby were numerous corpses, their pungent scent permeating the area and spreading with the mountain breeze.

Sensing the scent of blood, wild beasts cautiously approached from the distance.

“It had better be so. This matter is too significant; any unexpected complications could…”

The white-haired eunuch frowned slightly at the approaching noises.

“That’s your concern; I’m only here to collect payment and eliminate targets.” The man finished wiping his sword, stood up, sheathed it, and began walking away in another direction.

“Remember to find me for similar tasks next time. Same rules: one thousand taels per person! No questions asked, just the killing.”

As the man neared, the gathered wild beasts instinctively retreated, sensing danger emanating from him.

“No questions asked? Heh!” Only after the man disappeared completely did the white-haired eunuch chuckle softly, unable to hide the disdain in his eyes.

In the distance, the beasts, driven by hunger, slowly started advancing again.

Whoosh!

An arrow flew through the air, instantly impaling the nearest beast.

Moments later, a group of people arrived, swiftly slaughtering every wild animal seeking advantage nearby within the blink of an eye.

“Wei-gonggong!”

The leader knelt on one knee, paying respects to the white-haired eunuch. Those behind him followed suit, none daring to raise their heads to look directly at the eunuch’s face.

“Clean up this area and keep your mouths shut!” The white-haired eunuch’s gaze swept over the three grave diggers at the back, his voice chillingly stern.

“Yes, sir!” the leader promptly responded.

The group swiftly dispersed, beginning to bury the corpses.

Among them, Chen Luo looked at the scattered bodies, a hint of bitterness appearing on his lips.

This was serious trouble!

Days continued to pass.

The atmosphere in Qingya County grew increasingly tense. Apart from the initially sealed-off street, two more were now cordoned off. Two days ago, while heading out for martial training, Chen Luo heard rumors claiming that Lord Bai, a prominent figure in the county, had colluded with rebellious factions, plotting treason. As a result, higher authorities intended to execute his entire clan.

Several influential families within the county had already been wiped out by agents of the imperial court.

No one knew the truth behind these rumors, but they instilled widespread fear. Many individuals connected to Lord Bai fled the area. In a small place like Qingya County, the influence of such powerful families reached every corner. Lord Bai’s interests extended across all essential goods—grain, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea. Even the pig feed purchased by local swineherds originated from the Bai Manor. If Lord Bai’s entire clan were indeed executed, half of Qingya County’s population could vanish overnight.

Chen Luo merely listened to these rumors, as he and Third Uncle relied on official wages from the government.

Although grave digging may not be prestigious, it was part of the official government duties, with payment coming directly from them. Even if the Bai family truly faced extermination, it would not extend to Chen Luo and his uncle.

“He still hasn’t returned.”

Chen Luo stepped inside briefly, his worry deepening further.

After their last encounter at home, Third Uncle had completely vanished. Yesterday, Chen Luo specifically took leave from Cripple Ma and visited the yamen where his uncle worked. However, they informed him that Third Uncle had gone on an extended mission outside and wouldn’t return for several days. Chen Luo had encountered such long-term assignments before when assisting his uncle, but this time, he couldn’t shake an uneasy feeling.

Considering the rumors circulating around town, he sensed there was more to this situation than met the eye.

“My strength is still too weak,” Chen Luo clenched his fists, continuing his training in the courtyard.

Beside him, the strength-enhancing ointment simmered on the stove, emitting a persistent foul odor. After many days, he had roughly figured out its usage: external application!

It could also be used internally, but sparingly, as it caused severe diarrhea the next day.

These findings were discovered through Chen Luo’s ruthless experimentation on a local ruffian. Recalling how wobbly the man’s legs were after emerging from the outhouse the following morning, Chen Luo abandoned any thoughts of internal use.

Fortunately, the external application proved highly effective.

After practicing diligently for several days, Chen Luo noticed a remarkable improvement in his boxing techniques. Particularly after applying the medicinal paste, the surge of warmth intensified at an alarming rate. Additionally, the “borrowed brain training” during his sleep also brought significant enhancements.

Despite only training for half a month, with the aid of external medicines and over a hundred ‘old friends’ within his mind, this short period equaled several years of practice for others.

With each passing moment, Chen Luo grew stronger, to the point where he himself couldn’t gauge his current level of proficiency. However, he was certain that Cripple Ma, his master, could no longer match him.

As usual, Chen Luo practiced his punches today. On the tenth repetition, he suddenly felt a wave of heat emanating from his dantian. This energy coursed through his limbs, instantly dissipating all fatigue.

“Is this… cultivating inner qi?” Chen Luo initially startled before bursting into ecstatic joy.

Ignoring the changes caused by the heat, he swiftly positioned himself in the courtyard, adopting the stance of the Pillar Art to control the flow of warmth within his body. Several of the over a hundred ‘brains’ in his mind promptly surfaced relevant memories, enabling him to quickly grasp the use of inner qi.

One rotation, two rotations…

Within his perception, every muscle in his body rapidly vibrated, causing his strength to surge exponentially. He wondered if others experienced such significant changes during their breakthroughs. At that moment, he felt several times stronger than before, but exactly how much stronger was difficult to gauge.

“Continue! I must become even stronger!”

Suppressing his excitement, Chen Luo resumed practicing diligently.

Boasting about small achievements and seeking attention from others is something children do. Having lived two lifetimes, Chen Luo possessed the discipline to remain focused.

Thus, after completing his realm advancement, he continued training in the courtyard as if nothing extraordinary had occurred.

While Chen Luo accumulated martial experience,

at Desolate Mountain Ridge,

the weather grew colder, with light drizzle beginning to fall.

Third Uncle Chen, along with two other grave diggers, skillfully gathered and buried bodies scattered throughout the forest.

This marked the thirteenth batch they had interred over recent days. The imperial court had detained them here, preventing them from returning home.

“Let’s eat.”

After finishing their work, the three men sat amidst mounds of earth, each pulling out cloth bags containing hard, cold steamed buns which they shared among themselves.

In this frigid weather, the buns had turned stiff. As lowly grave diggers, with no one concerned for their well-being, they were fortunate to have any food at all.

“It’s been four days now.”

The grave digger on the left took a bite of the cold, hardened mantou and suddenly spoke up.

“Among today’s dead, there was someone I recognized.” This grave digger, named Luo Cheng, was well-known in Qingya County for his profession. Like Third Uncle Chen, he had over a decade of experience, similar to the third member of their group. Together, they were considered the pillars among Qingya County’s grave diggers, with no issues ever arising from the corpses under their care.

“Second Master Bai,” muttered the previously silent figure, taking another bite of his mantou. His deep voice carried weight; this man was Wang Laozuan, older even than Third Uncle Chen. He had been a grave digger longer than any of them, making him the most seasoned among the trio.

As seasoned veterans, they fully understood the significance of Second Master Bai.

He was the patriarch of the Bai family and the local tyrant of Qingya County, once a prominent figure they could only look up to. Now, he lay amidst the pile of bodies like a dead dog, without even a coffin to claim. If such a high-ranking individual as Second Master Bai met this fate, who could the rest possibly be?

Third Uncle Chen remained silent, quietly eating his mantou. He too had made some observations, but speaking about it held little meaning now.

They all feared that they might have to stay here permanently.

This grim realization weighed heavily on the minds of the three veteran grave diggers.

From the start, the eunuch assigning them this task had no intention of leaving any witnesses alive.

Rebels? Traitors? It was hard to discern who stood loyal or treacherous, especially after what these three had witnessed.