Qiu Zu: From an apprentice in a medicine shop to an immortal ancestor.

Chapter 177: Wanted! Dragon Monarch's Edict

A shop of the Chonglou Merchant Guild?

Qiu Zhen frowned slightly.

Why would the Demon Suppression Division seal up a shop of the Chonglou Merchant Guild for no good reason?

Immediately, his gaze fell on Liu Anqing and Kang Zhuangyuan.

"We returned from the city, and Liang Mansion was fine then."

"That's right. At that time, Shopkeeper Liang was in good spirits and even wanted to keep us for dinner. He was in a very good mood and didn't seem to have encountered any trouble."

Liu Anqing and Kang Zhuangyuan were also confused and surprised by the sudden situation before them.

They had just returned from Liang Mansion in Qingmu City, and things were about to be successful. They never expected that the Chonglou Merchant Guild would encounter trouble.

The expressions of the two became subtle.

Anything involving the Demon Suppression Division was no small matter.

As the saying goes, a county magistrate can ruin a family, but the Demon Suppression Division can exterminate a clan.

Offending the county magistrate would at most lead to family ruin, but it wouldn't involve outsiders.

But if the Demon Suppression Division took action and involved a major case of "demons and monsters," it would be different.

The imperial court attached great importance to "demons and monsters."

It would rather kill a thousand by mistake than let one go.

Anyone would keep a respectful distance from cases involving "demons and monsters," fearing being implicated and getting involved.

At the entrance of Guangling City, merchants, peddlers, and Jianghu figures all watched the excitement from afar, forming a vacuum zone in front of the Chonglou Merchant Guild's shop.

No one dared to approach, fearing that they would be targeted by the Demon Suppression Division and implicated.

Of course, there were exceptions.

With a leap, Qiu Zhen crossed the crowd and appeared in front of the open space of the shop.

The Demon Suppression Division's martial masters were extremely vigilant. Noticing the movement, they immediately surrounded him to drive him away. However, after seeing who it was, they all paused and then silently lowered the weapons in their hands.

"Which bastard..."

Wu Chuanfeng noticed the movement and walked out of the shop, cursing and questioning, but as soon as he came out of the shop and saw who it was, his reprimand stopped abruptly, and a complex expression appeared on his face:

"That... so it's Divine Physician Qiu."

"Captain Wu, long time no see."

Qiu Zhen nodded slightly and entered the shop as if nothing had happened.

Wu Chuanfeng was stunned by the sight.

If it were someone else who broke in without saying hello when the Demon Suppression Division had sealed off the area, even a Xiantian master, he would have sternly reprimanded them without hesitation.

However, the person in front of him was Qiu Zhen.

After thinking about it, Wu Chuanfeng still didn't speak or even take action.

In the astonished gazes of the onlookers, he silently followed Qiu Zhen into the courtyard.

"Good heavens, Qiu Zhen really has influence now. He broke in like that, and the Demon Suppression Division didn't dare to fart."

Kang Zhuangyuan opened his mouth, feeling a great shock in his heart.

Could the Demon Suppression Division's sealed area be broken into at will?

Liu Anqing didn't speak, but the shock in his heart was equally great.

Inside the courtyard of the Chonglou Merchant Guild's shop.

The Demon Suppression Division's martial masters were arresting and tying up the Chonglou Merchant Guild's clerks and martial masters, while officials in black robes were counting the goods. The scene was busy and noisy.

Qiu Zhen's unauthorized intrusion surprised the Demon Suppression Division's martial masters and officials, but none of them spoke.

They neither greeted Qiu Zhen nor drove him away. The scene was unexpectedly harmonious.

Wu Chuanfeng followed behind, looking helpless:

"Sir, may I ask what brings you here?"

Qiu Zhen didn't answer. He looked around and frowned slightly.

The Demon Suppression Division wasn't just sealing off the area; it was a complete "house raid."

It seemed that the Chonglou Merchant Guild had encountered no small trouble.

Qiu Zhen's heart sank, and he turned to look at Wu Chuanfeng beside him:

"What crime has the Chonglou Merchant Guild committed? They still owe me a large sum of money."

"They owe you money, sir?"

Wu Chuanfeng secretly breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

It was good that he wasn't here to cause trouble.

After saying that, Wu Chuanfeng pondered for a moment and said:

"Sir, to be honest, this matter may be a bit troublesome..."

Qiu Zhen had stayed in the Demon Suppression Division for some time and understood the implication:

"The Chonglou Merchant Guild has committed a major crime?"

"That's right."

Wu Chuanfeng nodded:

"The Chonglou Merchant Guild is suspected of colluding with demons and monsters, acting as henchmen for demon forces, and purchasing various medicinal materials for them."

Qiu Zhen frowned slightly:

"A merchant guild doing business deals with all parties. It's unavoidable that they unintentionally purchase medicinal materials for demon forces. It's a matter of varying degrees. Even if it's confirmed, according to the law, it's just confiscation of the ill-gotten gains, at most an additional fine for redemption. You're not trying to make money by taking the opportunity to make things difficult for them, are you?"

"Look what you're saying."

Wu Chuanfeng smiled sheepishly, feeling a little embarrassed, and explained:

"This time is different. Just an hour or so ago, our Demon Suppression Division went to Liang Mansion. At first, we only summoned Shopkeeper Liang to cooperate with the investigation and didn't intend to make things difficult for him. Initially, he was very cooperative and immediately expressed his willingness to cooperate with the investigation. Who would have thought that after leaving the city gate, on the way to the Demon Suppression Division in the suburbs, he suddenly turned violent, injured the brothers of the Demon Suppression Division, and fled in fear of punishment."

Speaking of this, Wu Chuanfeng looked around and lowered his voice:

"According to the higher-ups, the strength displayed by Liang Wei this time is very unusual. He actually has the cultivation of the Great Perfection of the Xiantian True Essence Realm."

"A year ago, he was only at the Xiantian True Qi Realm. He repeatedly lost in the arena competitions with foreign Jianghu forces for territory, and the merchant guild suffered heavy losses, and business shrank repeatedly."

"In just one year, Liang Wei's cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds. He's not like you, sir, with your extraordinary talent and destiny. His cultivation breakthrough is so fast that we suspect he received assistance from demons and monsters and is deeply colluded with them. That's why we quickly sealed off the entire Chonglou Merchant Guild..."

Wu Chuanfeng spoke eloquently, recounting the whole story.

"There's such a thing."

Qiu Zhen's heart sank.

Wu Chuanfeng had no reason to deceive him now. If this was true, Liang Wei was indeed very abnormal.

The sudden surge in strength and violent resistance against the Demon Suppression Division... all signs revealed Liang Wei's abnormality.

"Captain Wu, what about the other members of the Liang family?"

"My Demon Suppression Division is currently arresting them everywhere..."

— —

Guangling City entrance street.

"Chief Qiu, will the Demon Suppression Division look for us? Will we get into trouble later?"

Kang Zhuangyuan's expression was a little unnatural, and he was worried.

They went to Liang Mansion before the incident, and the Demon Suppression Division would definitely look for them to ask questions afterward.

The Demon Suppression Division was a "dragon's pool and tiger's den."

Ordinary people who entered the Demon Suppression Division and were involved in "demon and monster cases," whether they were guilty or not, would more or less have something happen to them.

"It doesn't matter. If the Demon Suppression Division asks you questions, just say I sent you to Liang Mansion to collect money."

Collect money?

Liu Anqing and Kang Zhuangyuan were stunned, but they soon understood.

Qiu Zhen was planning to sever ties with the Liang family.

The two agreed very much in their hearts. Involving a demon and monster case, this marriage was probably at its end and would not have a good result.

"Chief Qiu, we know how to answer."

"Yes."

Qiu Zhen nodded and instructed:

"If the Demon Suppression Division still harasses you, I will come forward to settle it and won't let you get into trouble."

Liu Anqing and Kang Zhuangyuan heard this and remembered the scene where Qiu Zhen forcibly broke into the shop just now, and none of the Demon Suppression Division's martial masters dared to stop him, and they immediately felt relieved.

The Chonglou Merchant Association had an incident, and the matchmaking naturally fell through.

Liu Anqing and Kang Zhuangyuan returned to the Guangling Pharmacy to work, while Qiu Zhen rode his horse straight to Qiu Family Village.

Shortly after.

Qiu Family Village, Qiu Residence.

"What? The Chonglou Merchant Association colluded with demonic forces."

Qiu Qing, the eldest brother who was waiting for news at home, felt like he had been struck by lightning. He was immediately disturbed and couldn't wait to ask:

"Then, then what about Yin'er? How is she?"

"The Demon Suppression Division is currently hunting down the Liang family, as for Sister Yin'er..."

Qiu Zhen finished speaking, his eyes lingering as he looked at his eldest brother:

"Where is Sister Yin'er? Eldest brother, why are you asking me? I should be asking you."

Qiu Qing was stunned:

"How would I know that?"

"Heh heh ~"

Qiu Zhen stared at his eldest brother Qiu Qing, catching the fleeting unnaturalness and panic on his face, and sighed in his heart.

His always honest and simple eldest brother couldn't hide anything from him. He could tell at a glance whether he was lying or not.

As expected.

He had guessed it in Guangling City earlier.

For more than a year, Liang Yin and his eldest brother Qiu Qing had been secretly in love. Presumably, they had a "secret base" for their rendezvous.

With sudden changes at home, the most likely place for Liang Yin, who lacked a sense of security, to hide would be such a place.

Moreover, it was also reasonable for her to seek out his eldest brother Qiu Qing as soon as something happened, given that they were in love.

That's why, in Guangling City, he specifically instructed Liu Anqing and Kang Zhuangyuan to tell the Demon Suppression Division that they were going to the Liang residence to demand money, instead of mentioning the matchmaking, mainly to provide cover.

"Brother, don't be evasive. If Sister Yin'er is caught by the Demon Suppression Division, it will be as difficult as ascending to heaven to get her out."

"This..."

Qiu Qing was originally hesitant, but upon hearing this, he immediately sobered up:

"Well, Yin'er did come to me just now. Little brother, Yin'er is a daughter of a concubine, and her mother died early. She is not favored at home. Good things will definitely not be her turn. She is implicated and definitely did not collude with demons, nor did she practice forbidden techniques."

"Okay, take me to find Sister Yin'er."

"Okay."

With that said, the two brothers immediately left the Qiu residence and left Qiu Family Village from the back mountain.

About half an hour later.

Qiu Qing led Qiu Zhen to a wild mountain outside Qiu Family Village. After winding around, they entered a cave.

Upon entering the cave, it suddenly opened up.

Sunlight sprinkled down through the gaps in the dense vines, illuminating the cave.

Inside the cave, there were pots, pans, a stove, and a table, everything was complete. The furnishings were very homely, and it was obvious that the two of them often came here to meet.

As soon as Qiu Qing entered the cave, he called out softly:

"Yin'er, it's me."

The cave was quiet, with only echoes.

No one responded.

Qiu Qing was stunned and quickly realized something, pointing to Qiu Zhen and said:

"This is my younger brother Qiu Zhen, I've told you many times, he's not an outsider, you don't need to be nervous..."

However, there was still no response.

Qiu Qing wanted to call out again, but Qiu Zhen spoke first:

"Brother, there's no one in the cave, she's left."

As a cultivator, Qiu Zhen had a powerful divine sense, and a mere Houtian martial artist couldn't hide from his scan.

"There seems to be a letter over there."

"What!"

Upon hearing this, Qiu Qing's expression changed slightly, and he quickened his pace to the table in the cave.

Sure enough, there was a letter.

The ink was still wet, obviously left not long ago.

In the past year, in order to practice martial arts better, he had also learned some characters, especially after meeting Liang Yin, he could roughly read simple letters without any problem.

"This..."

Upon seeing the letter, Qiu Qing's whole person suddenly became listless.

Qiu Zhen, who was on the side, did not read the letter. With his powerful divine sense, the content of the letter had already been fully captured.

Liang Yin left a letter and left.

She did not choose to stay here, for fear of implicating Qiu Qing.

The Great Zhou Dynasty advocated strict laws, emphasizing implication, especially when it came to "demon cases." Getting involved would be a lot of trouble.

Soon after, the two brothers returned to Qiu Family Village.

After returning, the eldest brother Qiu Qing suddenly became decadent, listless, and unhappy.

Even though Qiu Zhen comforted him with kind words, Qiu Qing remained unmoved, his mood was very low, and he seemed a little helpless in the face of the current situation.

Qiu Zhen Valley.

"She is indeed a good girl."

Qiu Zhen sat cross-legged, sighing in his heart.

After seeing the letter left by Liang Yin, the worry in his heart was completely put down.

He was just afraid that his honest and simple eldest brother would be deceived by a bad woman and encounter a routine.

Liang Yin left a letter and left without saying goodbye in order not to implicate her eldest brother Qiu Qing.

This meant that she was sincere, and the two were truly in love.

Finding true love is not easy.

As for whether the Liang family colluded with demons or whether Liang Yin practiced forbidden techniques, he didn't care so much.

After all, he himself was a "demon" in the eyes of outsiders.

"No matter what, let's inquire about the news first."

Qiu Zhen casually took out the [Miro Palace] jade token from the [Jade Dragon Treasure Seal], sank his divine sense into it, and inquired about the news of the Chonglou Merchant Association from Fairy Yun Rou and Jade Cicada.

About a quarter of an hour later.

The jade talisman flickered with spiritual light.

Qiu Zhen picked up the [Miro Palace] and sank his divine sense into it. He saw that it was Jade Cicada who had replied.

"Senior Brother Qingwei, I know some information about this matter. Shopkeeper Liang Wei refused to be arrested and fought with the Demon Suppression Division, causing quite a stir in the Chang Le Prefecture's cultivation world. Right now, many people are looking for him."

Qiu Zhen was slightly surprised.

Caused a stir?

Although it was rare for a Xiantian True Qi Realm to break through to the Xiantian True Gang Realm, it shouldn't have caused a stir in the entire Chang Le Prefecture's cultivation world.

"Could there be some inside story in this?"

"That's right!"

Jade Cicada smiled slyly:

"That Liang Wei of the Chonglou Merchant Association seems to have obtained a book of pills and refined a golden pill, which caused his cultivation to skyrocket and his strength to advance by leaps and bounds. The legendary external elixir immortal technique has reappeared in the world, attracting attention from all sides."

Qiu Zhen became interested:

"A book of pills? What book of pills? It can actually attract the attention of the entire Chang Le Prefecture's cultivation world?"

"It is said that Liang Wei displayed the golden pill secret technique from the [Jade Dragon Pill Book] when fighting with the experts of the Demon Suppression Division."

"This [Jade Dragon Pill Book] is said to be the pill book passed down by the Dragon Lord in the past. There was news about it two years ago, which caused a sensation for a while, but no one has ever found the secret book. Unexpectedly, Liang Wei of the Chonglou Merchant Association obtained it. I don't know if it's true or false..."

Dragon Lord's pill book?

Qiu Zhen's expression froze.

If it had been before, he might have been confused, but right now, he vaguely understood.

It is said that the Dragon Lord once refined the "Nine Revolutions Immortal Pill", and the remaining [Jade Dragon Pill Book] can be said to be the supreme secret book of external alchemy.

No wonder it caused a sensation.

After Jade Cicada finished speaking, a look of longing appeared on his face:

"Dragon Lord's pill book, if one can obtain this pill book, one will not only obtain the secret book of alchemy, but also be able to find the whereabouts of the legendary [Nine Revolutions Immortal Pill]."