Luoshui County, County Government Office.
"How is it?" Cao Bin sat in his armchair.
In front of him, a man dressed in a constable's uniform bowed.
"Sir Cao, we only found Xu Yunfeng's remains yesterday."
"The county coroner said it's been too long! The body has been completely devoured by wild beasts, leaving only some bones and bloodstained clothes. It's impossible to determine the cause of death for Xu Yunfeng and the others."
Hearing this, Cao Bin pondered for a moment.
Then he asked, "What about Hong Chengtao's body?"
The constable replied, "We found it too! It's the same situation. They were likely all killed by the same person."
He continued, "Sir Cao, based on my investigation, Xu Yunfeng, Hong Chengtao, and the others followed Jiang Ning out of the city that day. None of them returned."
"So, they failed!" Cao Bin frowned, muttering to himself.
During this, the constable remained silent, waiting for Cao Bin's response.
Cao Bin then looked up, "What about Jiang Ning? Any news of him returning to the city?"
The constable shook his head, "I don't know. The guards at the city gate are under the jurisdiction of the City Guard Department. My authority doesn't extend there, and they don't recognize Jiang Ning."
"Forget it!" Cao Bin waved his hand. "Even if it wasn't him, it's related to him."
Hearing this, the constable added, "Sir Cao, are you saying that Xu Yunfeng and Hong Chengtao were killed by Jiang Ning?"
Cao Bin shook his head, "Probably not. Jiang Ning is talented, but he's only been practicing martial arts for a little over a month. Even if he could kill Xu Yunfeng, he couldn't possibly kill Hong Chengtao!"
"Hong Chengtao had achieved minor success in skin tempering, and his Iron Sand Palm reached perfection last month. He had mastered Jinli, and with his extensive combat experience, even I wouldn't dare say I could take him down, let alone kill him!"
"Hong Chengtao had been in the gang world for so many years, and escaping was always his specialty."
Cao Bin then mused, "It seems that after Shen Congyun left, he indeed took precautions against us. I wonder what he left for Jiang Ning. It's not wise to continue provoking him now."
Hearing this, the constable breathed a sigh of relief.
"Sir Cao is wise! Shen Congyun must have left some hidden weapon, like the Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needles or the Thunderbolt Bomb."
Cao Bin nodded slightly, "Possibly. It must be some extremely valuable external tool. Otherwise, Hong Chengtao and Xu Yunfeng wouldn't have died so swiftly."
He then added, "Send someone to guard the city gate for half a month. If Jiang Ning returns, notify me."
"I'll take Xu Yunfeng's mother's head as an apology, and this matter will be settled."
The constable quickly agreed, "Sir Cao is right! From his previous actions, it's clear he's a smart man. Smart people know how to assess the situation. Turning enemies into friends is the most beneficial for him. I believe he understands that."
"Dismissed!" Cao Bin waved his hand.
As the constable left, Cao Bin added, "Remember to inform Shi Xiaoyuan that this matter is to be dropped."
"Yes, Sir Cao!" The constable bowed again before exiting the room.
Canglang Martial Arts Hall.
"Master Wang, still no news of my brother?" Jiang Li's face was filled with worry.
Wang Jin shook his head, "Still no news."
He then comforted Jiang Li, "Don't worry. I met with Commander Chen of the City Guard Department yesterday. He said he would do his best to find Jiang Ning."
"Thank you, Master Wang!" Jiang Li bowed deeply.
Wang Jin waved his hand, "No need for that. Jiang Ning is not just your brother; he's also my disciple, my most valued disciple!"
"If something has happened to him, I will spare no effort to find him!"
"If he's truly in trouble..." Wang Jin's eyes flashed with a fierce light. "I will make sure those responsible pay with their blood!"
Green Snake Gang Headquarters.
"What did you say!" Shi Xiaoyuan, seated on his tiger throne, slammed the table and stood up.
Crash
The table beside him shattered into pieces.
The constable's eye twitched slightly, but he maintained his composure. "Gang Leader Shi, Sir Cao said to let this matter rest."
"He says to let it rest, and it's over? Did my brothers die for nothing?" Shi Xiaoyuan roared in anger.
He continued, "If this gets out, won't the other two gangs laugh at me, Shi Xiaoyuan, for being a coward, afraid of a mere brat?"
The constable replied, "But Jiang Ning has Shen Congyun backing him. In two or three years, Shen Congyun will return to Luoshui County. And then there's Wang Jin, who is not to be trifled with."
Hearing Shen Congyun's name, Shi Xiaoyuan's eyes twitched slightly.
He had to admit that Wang Jin was indeed someone he couldn't afford to provoke.
He then snorted coldly.
"Go back and tell Cao Bin that if Jiang Ning returns unharmed, I won't swallow this. I will find a way to avenge my brother Hong."
The constable bowed, "I've conveyed the message. The rest is up to you, Gang Leader Shi."
"But Sir Cao has some additional words for you."
"Jiang Ning has two powerful backers, neither of whom is easy to deal with."
"If Shen Congyun returns one day, he will be nearly invincible in Luoshui County. Wang Jin, though old, is still one of the top ten strongest in the county."
"If Jiang Ning dies, then everything is fine. No one will side with a dead man against the Cao family or the Green Snake Gang. But as long as he's alive, these two backers remain."
"If it weren't for this, given Sir Cao's temperament, he wouldn't have chosen to swallow his pride."
"Moreover, if Jiang Ning returns unharmed, how he killed Hong Chengtao and Xu Yunfeng remains a mystery! Gang Leader Shi, don't forget this!"
"If he has the strength to kill Hong Chengtao, who was at the minor success stage of the ninth rank, he might even pose a threat to eighth-rank experts!"
"It's precisely because of this unknown factor that Sir Cao chose to back down. No one knows what Shen Congyun left for Jiang Ning or how powerful it is."
After saying this, the constable walked out of the room.
After the constable left, Shi Xiaoyuan muttered to himself.
"Jiang Ning?"
"To think this kid has grown to such an extent that even Cao Bin chose to back down."
"But I, Shi Xiaoyuan, am not that kind of person. Don't give me the chance, or I'll see what kind of trump card you have!"
"To think my brother Hong could be taken down by such a brat."
Another day passed.
Near noon, at the east gate of Luoshui County.
A man with a bundle on his back and a longsword at his waist slowly approached.
This man was Jiang Ning.
"Finally, back!" Looking at the words "Luoshui County" on the city wall, Jiang Ning sighed.
Although he had only been away from Luoshui County for ten days, it felt like years.
Now that he was back, he felt a mix of emotions.
He then thought to himself.
"Disappearing for over ten days, my brother and Master Wang must be worried."
With this in mind, he quickened his pace toward the city gate.
At that moment, a soldier holding a white wanted poster approached.
As he posted the wanted notice at the city gate, a crowd gathered.
"Officer, who is this criminal you're after?" a firewood carrier asked, glancing at the newly posted notice.
The officer looked at the crowd and said, "Folks, here's a chance to make some money!"
"The higher-ups have ordered the arrest of a notorious bandit, the River Dragon Tian Buyi."
"This man committed a major crime in the Valley of Medicinal Herbs, so there's a reward of a hundred taels of gold for his capture. If you provide credible information leading to his arrest, you'll get a hundred taels of silver."
Hearing this, the crowd erupted in excitement.
"Is this for real?" someone quickly asked.
"It's written in black and white, so it's real!" the officer replied.
Another person asked, "Is it true that capturing him will earn a hundred taels of gold? And reporting his whereabouts will get a hundred taels of silver?"
The officer nodded, "If any of you can capture Tian Buyi, you'll get a hundred taels of gold. The Valley of Medicinal Herbs is backing this reward, so there's no need to worry about the money."
He then added, "But don't get greedy, folks. This man is a genuine eighth-rank martial artist, a notorious bandit. Capturing him is a job for the big shots. Don't go risking your lives for the reward."
"If you find any detailed information about Tian Buyi, report it to the authorities either the City Guard Department or the county government, and you can claim the hundred taels of silver."
Hearing this, someone else asked, "Officer, what is the Valley of Medicinal Herbs?"
Before the officer could answer, someone else chimed in.
"The Valley of Medicinal Herbs is a second-tier sect in Dongling Prefecture. Although it's second-tier, its alchemy and medicine-making skills are exceptional, so it has good connections and deep pockets."
"If the Valley of Medicinal Herbs is offering the reward, then there's no need to worry about the money."
At this moment, Jiang Ning, passing through the city gate, was also drawn to the wanted poster.
"An eighth-rank martial artist, and capturing him earns a hundred taels of gold? That's quite the exaggeration!" he thought to himself.
He then stopped at the city gate to read the notice.
After reading it, it was indeed as the officer had said.
The River Dragon Tian Buyi was indeed an eighth-rank martial artist.
He had committed a major crime, angering the Valley of Medicinal Herbs, and was now heavily wanted.
Capturing him would earn a hundred taels of gold.
Providing credible information leading to his arrest would earn a hundred taels of silver.
Confirming this, Jiang Ning was even more astonished.
After all, a hundred taels of gold was no small sum.
One tael of gold was equivalent to a thousand taels of silver.
A hundred taels of gold was a hundred thousand taels of silver.
What kind of crime had this man committed to warrant such a hefty bounty?
Jiang Ning didn't understand.
But from the size of the reward, he could sense the Valley of Medicinal Herbs' fury.
Only extreme anger could drive them to offer such a high price for the capture of an eighth-rank martial artist like Tian Buyi.
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