At the foot of Daqing Mountain, before his grandfather's grave.
"Grandfather, your grandson has already avenged you. Before long, I will surely return and invite you into the Liu Family ancestral grounds. One day, when your grandson becomes powerful, I will definitely bring you back to this world!"
Returning to the medicine shop in Qingshi Town, Jiang Feng discovered that Manager Liu had already returned from Yunzhou City. The moment they met, Manager Liu's jaw dropped in shock. "Your aura has grown so much stronger! What is your cultivation level now?"
"Mortal Mastery Stage." Then, Jiang Feng told Manager Liu everything he had experienced over the past few days.
Upon hearing this, Manager Liu's expression changed drastically. "This is bad. Follow me."
Seeing that Manager Liu was unusually serious, Jiang Feng did not dare to ask too many questions. He followed him through several turns until they arrived before the gates of a large courtyard.
"This is the residence of that Ge Bing. Today was supposed to be the day he returned to his post. If he fails to report today, the Lu Family will send people to investigate tomorrow. I just hope his disappearance hasn't reached the Lu Family yet." With that, Manager Liu leaped over the wall into the courtyard.
Night had already fallen. Candlelight filtered out through the window paper of a room, and the sound of a woman sobbing drifted from inside.
Jiang Feng and Manager Liu approached slowly, puncturing the silk window covering to peer inside. They saw a luxuriously dressed matron weeping before an old man. "Father-in-law, my husband hasn't returned in six days. Something must have happened to him! We've already notified the Lu Family, so why haven't they sent anyone yet?"
At that moment, a young man nearby chimed in, "Grandfather, Father went out to vent my anger, and he must have been murdered by that wild brat! You must have someone kill him!"
"Silence! If you weren't always idling about and provoking others for no reason, how could things have come to this? A lenient mother truly ruins her son. I've already sent people to ask around. The day your father took men to the woodcutter's home in the west of the town, no one ever saw him come back. I went to the west of the town and interrogated that couple with severe torture, but who could have expected them to bite their tongues and commit suicide? Even if the Lu Family sends people, what good will it do? It might even bring disaster upon our Ge Family..."
Hearing this, killing intent blazed in Jiang Feng's eyes. He kicked the door open, pointed at the old man, and said, "You old bastard, that couple were merely ordinary commoners, yet you trampled on human lives as if they were grass. Today, I will make all of you pay with your lives!" With that, Jiang Feng punched the old man right in the chest. A bloody hole was instantly blasted through the old man's chest, his head slumped to one side, and it was clear he was beyond saving.
Jiang Feng then turned his ruthless gaze toward the young man. "If you weren't so vindictive and hadn't sent people to kill me, you wouldn't have to die today. Remember, in your next life... stop bullying others by abusing your power." Having said this, Jiang Feng slowly walked toward the young man, his eyes as chilling as the Grim Reaper.
At that moment, the matron suddenly went mad and grabbed Jiang Feng's thighs. "Y-you can't kill him! They were just two worthless commoners... I'll give you money, a lot of money... Sob... I beg you to spare him, he's just a child!"
Jiang Feng snapped his head around, his eyes locking onto her like two sharp swords. "Worthless commoners? A child? Hahaha! Logic like yours is truly fucking deserving of death! Spare him? Have you ever spared anyone else? You're no good either!" With that, he kicked the matron away.
Upon seeing the gruesome state of his grandfather, the youth was already frightened out of his wits. Seeing Jiang Feng walking toward him step by step, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted on the spot.
After dealing with the three people in the room, Jiang Feng released his Divine Sense and discovered there was no one else around. Thus, the uncle and nephew took advantage of the night to hurry over to the woodcutter's home.
Looking at the tragic scene inside the house, Jiang Feng could not help trembling all over. The woodcutter's home at this moment was like hell. Not only were the couple's limbs broken and their eyes wide open in death, even that tiny young life had been tortured beyond recognition.
If Jiang Feng had still felt a shred of hesitation when killing the matron earlier, at this moment he felt completely at peace—not a single person in this Ge Family was unjustly killed.
Manager Liu patted Jiang Feng on the shoulder. "Born in chaotic times at the very bottom of society, there is no such thing as true freedom. Once someone is dragged into power struggles like they were, their end can only be torn to shreds just like theirs. Therefore, if you want to control your own destiny, you must become strong. Very strong—so strong that everyone fears you and dares not provoke you."
Manager Liu's words were like morning bells and evening drums, striking at the depths of Jiang Feng's soul. Jiang Feng made a secret resolve: "Since that's the case, then I... will strive to become the strongest, and roam freely across heaven and earth."
Two days later, the news of the annihilation of the two families in the west of the city spread like wildfire through Qingshi Town.
Because Ge Bing had failed to return to his post for so long, the Yunzhou Lu Family sent people to investigate. However, everyone in the town was on tenterhooks, fearing they would follow in the footsteps of the two families. Thus, the Lu Family did not seem to turn up any useful information. As matters stood, no one was willing to waste extra effort on a dead man.
The investigators sent by the Lu Family consulted with the town bailiff, patrolled the street where the Baicaotang Pharmacy was located twice, and then returned to report on their mission.
They surely wouldn't find any clues!