Starting as the young master of a medicine shop, he practiced swordsmanship for twenty years.

Chapter 374 Grandmaster!
A sinister smile appeared on Cao Yi's face, and he moved like a ghost, quietly approaching Lin Qinghan from behind.

The blood-stained knife in his hand was still dripping with alluring blood, blooming into dazzling red plum blossoms on the ground.

Those palace maids who were sent by the Crown Prince to monitor and protect Lin Qinghan died at Cao Yi's hands.

"Miss Qinghan, please come with me to the palace. His Majesty requests your presence..."

Cao Yi's deliberately drawn-out tone carried an uncomfortable, sticky quality.

"You don't want to either..." As he spoke, he greedily took a deep breath.
The delicate fragrance of Lin Qinghan's hair, mixed with the smell of blood, entered her nostrils.

A few steps away, Cao stared blankly, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily.

Even though he was a eunuch, he couldn't hide his eccentricity at this moment.

Cao Yi stuck out his scarlet tongue and licked his lips, but could only swallow his saliva in vain.

With this disabled body, even fulfilling the most basic desires has become a luxury.

Faced with such a stunning beauty, all he could do was spit on her face.

Moreover... Cao Yi suddenly shivered.

This is the woman personally chosen by the Emperor!

Let alone a eunuch, even if he were a real man, so what?

If he dared to harbor such thoughts towards Lin Qinghan, he feared that under the Emperor's wrath, he wouldn't even be left with a complete corpse.

Thinking of the horrifying tortures inflicted by the Eastern Depot, Cao Yi's feverish mind cleared up considerably.

Lu Xuan's indifferent gaze swept over Lin Qinghan, ignoring her beautiful eyes filled with deep-seated hatred.

To him, such hatred was nothing more than the rage of an ant, not even worthy of his attention.

“Send her to the palace.”

These four simple words conveyed Lu Xuan's unquestionable authority.

At this moment, Lu Xuan had only one thought in his mind: the system points that could help him break through the shackles of martial arts.

Women? Hatred? These are all just fleeting clouds.

Upon hearing the order, Cao immediately bowed respectfully, his posture so humble it was almost prostrate: "I will obey my godfather's command."

He caught a glimpse of Lin Qinghan's clenched fist out of the corner of his eye and chuckled inwardly—this thorny rose was destined to be placed in the vase of the supreme.

However, Cao Yi could never have imagined that the lamb to the slaughter in his eyes at this moment would eventually become the Yama, the devil who would take his life.

Cao didn't care at all after he saw his godfather and his party leave.

He then casually used the tip of his knife to lift Lin Qinghan's chin, unaware of the overwhelming killing intent surging beneath her lowered eyelashes.

Just like a venomous snake whose tongue is not visible, yet its deadly venom is already poised to strike.

"Please, Miss Qinghan."

Cao Yi chuckled, completely unaware that he was personally sending a beautiful serpent into the Dragon Court.

Deep within the Eastern Depot, in Lu Xuan's secret chamber, dozens of sandalwood boxes were displayed, each emitting a faint medicinal fragrance.

Thousand-year-old ginseng, snow mountain lingzhi, South China Sea pearls... these rare treasures that are rarely seen by ordinary people are now piled up on the ground like ordinary clutter.

"Not enough... far from enough..."

Lu Xuan's pale fingers gently stroked the wooden box, his eyes gleaming with a burning light.

With his command, the entire Eastern Depot, this massive killing machine, suddenly awoke, along with the Jinyiwei, this trapped beast, which was also driven along with it.

The Thirteen Protectors of the Eastern Depot—thirteen adopted sons personally trained by the original owner of the body—led their henchmen like wolves, rushing towards various parts of the capital.

A century-old medicine shop's cabinet was violently dismantled, the secret chambers of a powerful family were trampled underfoot, and a wealthy merchant only handed over his treasured possessions when a cleaver was held to his throat...
"Bring us all the highly nourishing ingredients that are over fifty years old!"

The order spread like wildfire.

Whether it's the thousand-year-old He Shou Wu from a prestigious family, rare treasures presented as tribute from overseas countries, or life-saving elixirs secretly kept by the Imperial Medical Bureau...
Anyone who touches upon the word "supplement" will not escape the clutches of the Eastern Depot's henchmen.

Within just a few days, the skies over the capital were filled with wails and pleas for mercy.

Cao Jin and Cao Haosheng, leading their fierce Imperial Guards and Eastern Depot agents, surrounded the Feng family mansion, a century-old medical family in the capital.

The cold glint of the embroidered spring knife reflected the plaque above the mansion gate that read "Saving the World and Healing the Nurse," making it all the more ironic.

Inside the main hall of the mansion, cries and wails rose and fell.

"You old codger, how dare you make fun of your Grandpa Jin?"

Cao Jin's cold voice echoed in the hall as he kicked Old Master Feng three zhang away.

The old man's withered body smashed the medicine cabinet in front of him, and countless rare medicinal herbs fell like rain.

"Zheng!"

Immediately afterwards, the gleaming blade was pressed against the throat of the only son of the Feng family. Cao Haosheng grinned maliciously as he drew a bloody line: "I heard that your Feng family ancestors refined pills for various high-ranking officials and nobles? Is this all the junk you've got?"

With a flick of his knife, he knocked over a table full of ginseng that was only a few decades old.

"This is your last chance; if you can't deliver something good..."

Cao Haosheng lowered his blade, pressing it against the young man's groin. "The Feng family's century-old lineage will end in your hands today!"

In the corner, the woman holding the baby fainted from fright, and the child's cries were particularly jarring amidst the blood.

Cao Jin, who was standing nearby, suddenly kicked over the altar where the Sage of Medicine was worshipped, and said in a sinister tone.

"If you delay your godfather's important business, we'll let you taste the eighteen tortures of the Eastern Depot... It's a torment worse than death."

Although Feng Jiangming, the head of the Feng family, was forced to kneel on the ground, he still kept his spine straight, his mouth bleeding, but he gritted his teeth and remained silent.

The current head of this family of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners had an indomitable spirit burning in his eyes.

"What a tough nut to crack!"

Cao Jin's eyes flashed with a wicked light, and he suddenly grinned maliciously as he kicked out hard.

Feng Jingming flew out like a rag doll, crashing into the wooden chair in front of him, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the floor.

In the blink of an eye, Cao Jin, like a demon, rushed to the front of the matriarch of the Feng family.

His withered, claw-like fingers grabbed the woman's hair, which was styled in a bun, and forced her to look up at her still charming face.

Her white silk dress was disheveled during the struggle, revealing half of her snow-white arm.

"Mmm...it smells so good~" Cao Jin took a deep breath, buried his face in his mistress's neck, and his voice gradually became distorted with excitement.

"Madam Feng, tell me... is your husband's bone stronger, or is your body more resilient?"

As he spoke, Cao Jin's other hand had already touched the jade belt around the woman's waist.

Feng Jiangming, who was being held down below, roared with fury, "Beast! Let her go!"

However, his roar only resulted in the Eastern Depot agents stomping on him even harder, his cheek being crushed hard onto the blue bricks.

Cao Jinyin smiled and leaned close to the ear of the Feng family matriarch: "I'll ask you one last time. Where do you hide all the medicinal herbs in your Feng family?"

As he spoke, he lightly traced the woman's trembling neck with his fingertips, "If you don't speak... I'll have my brothers... serve you well in front of your husband..."

"You bunch of corrupt officials, you have no respect for the law! I will definitely go to the Jingzhao Yin's office to file a complaint with the emperor!" Feng Jingming roared angrily, his voice echoing in the hall.

"Wang Fa?"

Cao Jin suddenly threw his head back and burst into laughter, his laughter filled with madness. He turned to look at Cao Haosheng behind him: "Thirteenth Brother, did you hear that? This old scoundrel actually dares to talk to our Eastern Depot about the law?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Cao Jin's smile vanished, and his eyes flashed with a cold light: "On the territory of the Great Yu Kingdom, what we, the Eastern Depot, say is the law!"

After saying that, Cao Jin's palm suddenly surged with qi, and a sharp burst of energy shot out.

With a sharp "rip," the silk and satin covering the matriarch of the Feng family instantly turned into countless shredded butterflies, her snow-white skin faintly visible through the tattered fabric.

"No!" Feng Jingming let out a heart-wrenching wail.

Cao Jin grinned maliciously and reached out to grab that patch of snow-white skin...
"Lord Cao, isn't this... a bit too much?"

The deputy commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard behind him could no longer bear to watch and reluctantly stepped forward.

His right hand unconsciously pressed on the hilt of the knife, his five fingers gripping it tightly.

"You're asking for it! Get out of here!"

Before Cao Jinfa could speak, Cao Haosheng, who was standing to the side, had already launched an attack with a sinister smile.

In an instant, his right palm condensed into a malevolent aura, and with a powerful palm strike, it landed squarely on Zhao Huai'an's chest.

boom!
The deputy commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string, only stopping when he crashed into the octagonal table in the hall.

He spat out a mouthful of blood with a bewitching appearance. Upon seeing this, the Imperial Guards drew their swords in unison, their cold, sharp glint instantly filling the hall.

"Stop it all!"

The deputy commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, enduring excruciating pain, roared, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with trembling hands, "What are you trying to do...? Are you trying to drag your entire family down with you?"

These words were like a bucket of ice water poured over me.

The hands of the Imperial Guards holding their swords trembled uncontrollably—they knew it better than anyone else.

If anyone dares to attack the Eastern Depot today, dozens more headless corpses will be added to the imperial prison tomorrow, and even the elderly mother and young children at home will not escape death.

The reason why the deputy commander endured humiliation was because he had personally witnessed the tragic end of Yuan Qian, the pacification commissioner of Xuanwu.

That day, he accompanied the three garrison commanders, Vermilion Bird, Azure Dragon, and White Tiger, to Jinfu City.

The once invincible Lord Yuan had become a highly decomposed body.

What chilled him to the bone was that Shen Wanbao, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, remained completely silent.

Everyone in the court and among the common people knows that although the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot are known as the "Depot and Guard," the Embroidered Uniform Guard has long since become the Eastern Depot's henchmen.

Yuan Qian's act of secretly harboring the person the Eastern Depot was looking for was a capital offense, a violation of the emperor's will.

The victor is king, the loser is villain...

Zhao Huai'an smiled bitterly to himself.

He clearly remembered how Lord Shen's calloused hands clenched tightly and then slowly relaxed when he learned of Yuan Qian's death.

This commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who had dominated the court for decades, could only swallow his hatred for killing his disciple.

Commander Shen Wanbao felt deep regret. He blamed himself for being soft-hearted and secretly protecting Lin Qinghan to protect the Crown Prince's personal feelings.

Now that the truth has come out, not only has his beloved disciple been lost, but the entire Embroidered Uniform Guard has also lost face.

The deputy commander stared at Cao Jin's arrogant back, his fingernails digging deeply into his palm.

What justice is there in this imperial court? It's just that old eunuch from the Eastern Depot holding absolute power...
"Stop! I'll talk!" a hoarse voice suddenly rang out.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Feng Jingming, who had been so defiant just moments before, was now weeping uncontrollably.

"You know what's going on!"

Cao Jin snorted coldly, grinned maliciously, and squeezed the snow-white flesh in his hand hard...

Meanwhile, similar tragedies are unfolding throughout the capital.

Neither the residences of the six ministers nor the mansions of powerful families could escape this catastrophe.

That really does mean everyone is equal.

Some ordinary people hid in the shadows and smiled bitterly.

However, this "equality" was entirely built upon the tyranny of the Eastern Depot's agents.

However, there are still several places near the capital that even the henchmen of the Eastern Depot dare not easily set foot in.

Before the bluestone steps of Lingdao Temple, several agents from the Eastern Depot were about to break in when they were blasted several feet away by an invisible wall of energy.

Outside the Qingfeng Sect's mountain gate, the Embroidered Spring Blade of the Imperial Guard was still unsheathed when a falling leaf flying through the air severed the silk ribbon binding it.

Some even witnessed the old master of Broken Sword Manor simply snort, causing Cao Jiu, the Eastern Depot official who came to search the area, to vomit blood and retreat...

These renowned martial arts families, with their centuries-old traditions, possess a depth of knowledge and experience that is truly astonishing.

The bronze bell of Mingfo Temple rings out as usual every day, as if mocking the ridiculous behavior of the Eastern Depot.

No matter how powerful you are, in front of a true martial arts master, you are nothing but a clay chicken or a clay dog.

Three days later, in the main hall of the Eastern Depot.

Sunlight streamed through the carved window lattices, casting dappled shadows on the bluestone floor.

Lu Xuan, dressed in a black python robe, sat upright on the gilded throne with his eyes closed.

His pale, slender fingers tapped lightly on the armrest, producing a rhythmic "tap-tap" sound in the silent hall.

Below the hall, the thirteen bodyguards of the Eastern Depot stood on both sides.

Cao Yi was in the lead position, and the other twelve people stood in order of seniority.

These adopted sons were all dressed in black flying fish robes, with standard Eastern Depot swords hanging at their waists. They even controlled their breathing very lightly, for fear of disturbing the person seated at the table.

A faint smell of blood lingered in the air—the traces left from the ransacking of the capital a few days earlier.

The thirteen men all carried lingering murderous intent, but in front of Lu Xuan, they were all as obedient as dogs.

The wisps of smoke rising from the gilded incense burner shrouded Lu Xuan's face in a hazy mist.

No one knew what the head of the Eastern Depot, who struck fear into the hearts of the court and the public, was pondering at this moment.

Host: Lu Xuan, the Immortal of the Mortal World (Fourth Incarnation)

Realm: Grandmaster (Beginner)
Technique: Extreme Cold Palm 8/9
Score: 100
Lu Xuan slowly opened his eyes, a barely perceptible hint of disappointment flashing in them.

Over the past three days, the so-called "natural treasures" plundered by the Eastern Depot have piled up like mountains.

Thousand-year-old ginseng, snow mountain lingzhi, South China Sea pearls... rare treasures in the eyes of ordinary people are nothing more than a pile of barely usable common things in his eyes.

It took Lu Xuan three whole days to refine the system points and he finally obtained 3000 system points.

This number brought a cold smile to Lu Xuan's lips.

Such a huge expenditure of manpower and resources has yielded only such a paltry benefit.

Those so-called "highly nourishing" things are ultimately just mundane things. How can they compare to the natural treasures that truly absorb the essence of heaven and earth?
The 3000 system points were used to simulate the "Extreme Cold Palm" technique once, and a total of 2900 system points were used.

“Mortal things are mortal things after all…” Lu Xuan muttered to himself, his voice so cold that the thirteen bodyguards below all shivered involuntarily.

If he relied on these worldly tonics, Lu Xuan probably wouldn't be able to break through to a realm beyond the limits of this world until he died of old age.

(End of this chapter)