The Martial Saint begins by collecting corpses.

[Gain martial arts experience.]

[Acquired skill: Mountain-Opening Stance Technique.]

[Acquired martial arts skills: Mountain-Splitting Fist, Blood Explosion Technique (incomplete).]

[Obtained incomplete bone structure.]

"A fragment of the Blood Explosion Technique? It seems to be the terrifying burst of power from Sun Ji just now. He must have used this move to defeat the Muscle Cultivator before."

Lu Ming stood outside the wall and saw a white light pass through it, which he then absorbed, gaining Sun Ji's martial arts experience and confirming that Sun Ji was dead.

Fortunately, no one was in the house. The other houses nearby were trembling with fear, and no one dared to open their doors to check. Only then did Lu Ming signal Da Hu and the others to drag the body away. They took about ten taels of silver from his body and threw him into the mass grave.

Back in the west courtyard of the county magistrate's mansion, the four of them ate and drank, and Da Hu, still somewhat shaken, said:

"His last move was incredibly powerful. Luckily, my older brother told me not to get close, or I might have gotten hurt."

The monkey quickly swallowed the braised pork in its mouth and said:

"Brother, your wisdom and strategy are truly admirable."

Ah Lang also looked at Lu Ming with considerable awe.

Lu Ming smiled and said:

"It's not like a boxing match where you can easily win, so why take the risk?"

"The ambush was able to be carried out successfully because Ah Lang helped me make the poison and forge the throwing knives."

"This blood-dissolving poison quenched on the throwing knife is very potent. It only took a dozen breaths to kill a martial artist who had reached the Great Perfection of Skin Refinement."

"Hehe... Let's divide the ten taels of silver we got this time."

"I'll take three liang, Ah Lang will take three liang, and Monkey and Tiger will each take two liang."

"Great!" The three were overjoyed upon hearing this, and Ah Lang couldn't help but clench his fist and wave, a hint of confidence flashing in his eyes.

It was late at night, and Lu Ming was just about to rest when there was a knock on the door. It was Steward Li who sent a servant to invite him to a side hall for a chat.

Lu Ming followed the servants to the side hall, where he found that Li Xiu was still the only person there.

After waving his hand to dismiss the servants, he kept scrutinizing Lu Ming and couldn't help but ask:

"That night, Da Hu returned and inquired about detailed information regarding Sun Ji. I guessed you were going to make a move. Did you really kill Sun Ji?"

Lu Ming laughed and said, "Hasn't the steward already received the news? Why are you still asking?"

Although Lu Ming did not give a direct answer, Li Xiu already understood that this matter was true.

He let out a long sigh, sat in the main seat, and looked at Lu Ming with some regret, still feeling very sorry.

Lu Ming is a talented person! But no matter how talented he is, in this world where martial arts are revered, he is not as good as a martial arts genius with superior aptitude.

Lu Ming may not know what superior physical attributes mean yet, but he will soon understand.

From a personal perspective, Li Xiu still greatly admired Lu Ming, perhaps because his own martial arts talent was also mediocre.

Li Xiu tapped the table and pointed to a letter on the table next to Lu Ming, saying:

"The leaders of four gangs, namely the Giant Strength Gang, the Iron Palm Gang, the Quick Knife Society, and others, have jointly sent you an invitation to a banquet at the Iron Palm Gang headquarters on Qing Le Street tomorrow."

Lu Ming opened the invitation with a puzzled look. In addition to inviting him to the banquet, it also mentioned that several artisan friends were invited to visit in advance.

Lu Ming's face darkened:

"So they're targeting those commoners on Qingping Street again? Humph! Since they invited me, of course I have to go and see if the food and drink suit my taste."

With that, Lu Ming got up to leave.

Li Xiu quickly said:

"Brother Lu, please wait a moment."

Lu Ming stopped and turned to look at him. He saw a hint of apprehension in Li Xiu's eyes as he looked at him, and said:

"Since Brother Lu has decided to attend the banquet, he must have a plan to win. However, among those gangs, there are spies from my county government."

"Brother Lu, if a fight breaks out, please only punish the ringleaders and do not harm your own people."

Lu Ming's heart skipped a beat, and he said somewhat awkwardly:

"Brother Li, it's not that I don't want to help, but in this life-or-death situation, swords have no eyes, how can I hesitate? If you really want me to hold back, please tell me the identity of the spy so I can make my own judgment."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiu paced back and forth, finally nodding and saying:

"There are several spies, but they are all led by one of them. That person is named Xiao Wule, who lives in the Xiao Mansion on Qingping Street and is the vice leader of the Iron Palm Gang."

A look of surprise appeared in Lu Ming's eyes.

Goodness, even the secret agent has become the vice leader.

Seeing Lu Ming's gaze, Li Xiu sighed and said:

"He has indeed made great contributions. We were looking for someone to replace him three years ago, but we couldn't find a suitable candidate, so we let him stay there."

Lu Ming said, "I understand. As long as he doesn't make a move, I won't make a move against him."

Li Xiu said, "Thank you, brother."

"You're welcome." Lu Ming smiled slightly, then turned and left.

Instead of returning to the small courtyard, he quickly went to the small gate on the left side of the county government office, left through the back door of the abandoned pharmacy, safely bypassed the sentries Zhao Meng had planted nearby, and arrived at the Xiao residence on Qingping Street.

This is just a small courtyard.

Lu Ming observed the layout and then forcefully tapped on a side wall outside with his fingers.

A moment later, an irritable voice came out through the back door:

"Which brat is asking for trouble? Knocking on my wall in the middle of the night instead of sleeping."

Under the moonlight, he was not particularly tall, of medium build, with an ordinary appearance, but his eyes were fierce.

Seeing Lu Ming standing at the back door waiting for him, he suddenly stopped, a hint of wariness appearing on his face. He looked around and said:

"Who are you? Why are you looking for me?"

Lu Ming said, "The steward asked me to tell you to put this in their drinks tomorrow when they are all there."

As he spoke, he tossed a package into his hand.

Xiao Wule caught the package, his gaze sharpening:

"The steward? Which steward?"

Lu Ming asked, "Chief Steward Li Xiu, who else?"

Xiao Wule's pupils constricted sharply: "You really know... this, this is poison?"

Lu Ming shook his head and said:

"It's just a common herb that dissolves in alcohol and can even enhance its aroma. You can have someone try it."

After saying that, he turned and left.

Xiao Wule hesitated for a moment, then turned back into the courtyard and quickly found two gang members who were drunk to taste the wine.

Lu Ming stood in the dark alley and waited quietly for a while. After confirming that Xiao Wule really had no intention of reporting him, he quietly returned to the county government.

The next day, at the Iron Palm Gang headquarters on Qing Le Street.

Today, the Iron Palm Gang deliberately drove away many of its members, leaving the mansion empty.

Only four people, including the leader of the Giant Strength Gang and the leader of the Iron Palm Gang, were sitting around a table of food and wine in the hall. Apart from them, only Xiao Wule, the deputy leader of the Iron Palm Gang, was busy with a small number of kitchen staff.

The leader of the Iron Palm Gang frowned:

"Why haven't they arrived yet?"

He specifically sent his disciples to guard the gate of the county government, so that they could report the results to him as soon as Lu Ming came out, but so far there has been no news.

The leader of the Giant Strength Gang also frowned and said:

"Sun Ji hasn't arrived yet either."

The leader of the Quick Knife Gang was a tall, thin man. He pressed his hand on the long sword at his waist and sneered:

"Sun Ji will definitely come; he can't wait to avenge his brother."

"Let's wait a bit, after all, we're the ones who invited them," the other person said calmly.

"Master Lu has arrived!"

At this moment, Xiao Wule, who was waiting at the door, suddenly shouted.

Only then did everyone realize that Lu Ming had walked out of the county government office without a word, and they immediately looked at each other in surprise.

At this moment, Xiao Wule, who was standing at the door, was also shocked. He now realized that Lu Ming was actually the mysterious person who had come to see him last night.