Chapter 11

He returned home, and Qin Lan had already prepared the meal.

Over the past two days, Qian Biao and his gang seemed to have disappeared, not showing up again.

This eased the mind of Qin Shuo, who had been worried about Qin Lan being harassed.

But Qin Shuo knew this was only temporary.

Those ruffians, unless they die one day, will eventually come back.

After finishing dinner, Qin Shuo continued practicing archery.

Having the White Jade Ginseng King as a super nourisher, Qin Shuo practiced archery without any hesitation or reservation.

Each time he drew the bow, he exerted his utmost effort, pulling the bowstring to its fullest.

After a full day of hunting, traversing mountains and rivers, the consumption and refinement caused the White Jade Ginseng King inside the Taotie Cauldron to shrink by a circle.

A huge amount of medicinal power surged into Qin Shuo's body, greatly enhancing his physique.

If it were two days ago, others seeing him would think he was like a bamboo pole—tall and thin but without flesh.

But since obtaining the White Jade Ginseng King, the vast medicinal power constantly nourished his body, causing subtle changes in his appearance.

If observed closely, his arms and cheeks were no longer gaunt as before, but slightly bulged, giving a sense of full blood and vigor.

However, the greatest change belonged to his arms.

At this moment, drawing the bow, Qin Shuo clearly felt his arm strength increase again.

Yesterday, while refining the Iron Fetal Bow, he still felt some strain and effort when drawing past halfway.

But now he can do it easily.

"If this continues, I might train a pair of arms with boundless strength, like qilin arms."

Qin Shuo thought to himself.

The medicinal effect of the White Jade Ginseng King is astonishing, greatly enhancing his physique.

Originally he also thought of training his legs to balance his limbs.

Otherwise, his arms would become as thick as pillars while his legs remained as thin as bamboo poles, which would be too deformed.

But after a day of observation,

Qin Shuo discovered that although his arm strength had surged, the outward change was not exaggerated.

Instead, it presented a beautiful streamlined form, like a cheetah—fit and strong, yet not bulky, full of explosive power.

As for his legs, he also trained them deliberately.

He even chose to frog-jump into the mountains in solitude to let the White Jade Ginseng King's medicinal power strengthen his legs.

The effect of doing this was very obvious.

In just one day, Qin Shuo felt his leg strength increase considerably.

But compared to his arms, it was still inferior.

"As long as it doesn't become deformed, that's fine."

Qin Shuo wasn't greedy either.

As long as he didn't turn into a misshapen monster with thick hands and thin legs, he could accept weak leg strength.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The twanging of the bowstring continued until late at night.

That night, Qin Shuo drew the bow 650 times, and his arm strength increased significantly again.

【Ingredients: Iron Fetal Bow】

【Current refinement progress: 15%】

Watching the Iron Fetal Bow's refinement progress rise steadily, Qin Shuo felt a sense of accomplishment.

In the following days.

Qin Shuo left early and returned late each day, always gaining something.

At times he could earn six or seven hundred wen, at other times two or three hundred, and he never came back empty-handed.

Even Zhang Xiong felt his progress was too fast, as if the old Qin had possessed him, like divine assistance.

Upon hearing this, Qin Shuo merely smiled.

He is now more than just possessed by Old Qin; after a while, he will also have the ancestral divine archer of the Zhang family possessing him.

Only then will it be the time for him to truly unleash his full potential.

Days proceeded in an orderly manner.

The matter of the demon haunting Old Ginseng Mountain has now spread far and wide.

Almost everyone in Blackwater City knows about it.

Even Qin Lan, who rarely interacts with others, has heard of the Old Ginseng Mountain demon incident and repeatedly urged Qin Shuo not to go there.

Qin Shuo listened, giving verbal assent, but he didn't take it to heart.

However, the worry that had been weighing on his mind finally settled.

Although he was confident he had cleaned up thoroughly, leaving no obvious traces or evidence,

but since he had killed someone, he still felt a bit uneasy.

Now, everyone in Blackwater City believes those three hunters and ginseng pickers met with demonic calamity, so naturally no one will pay him any attention anymore.

Thus, the stone weighing on his heart can finally be set down.

However, heaven does not always follow human wishes.

Just as Qin Shuo thought everything had settled, an accident occurred.

That evening,

Qin Shuo, as usual, carried his game home.

When he entered Yellow Mud Lane, he found his own gate wide open, with two yamen runners dressed as constables standing outside.

From far away he could hear someone speaking in the courtyard.

Listening closely, it was a man interrogating Qin Lan, his voice low and magnetic.

"Who are you? What are you sneaking around doing?"

The two gatekeepers quickly spotted Qin Shuo, immediately giving him a stern look.

"Sir Constables, that's my home..."

Qin Shuo pointed to the courtyard behind them, showing an anxious expression, tightened his backpack, and stepped forward.

"Oh? You're Qin Shuo?"

The two yamen runners sized him up, then said indifferently:

"Go on in, Official He has been waiting for you a long time."

Saying that, they stepped aside to make a path, gesturing for Qin Shuo to enter.

In the courtyard.

A young man sat on the bench with a relaxed, domineering posture.

He wore white clothes, his attire neat and capable, completely different from the gatekeepers outside—not like a constable, more like a wandering martial artist.

Opposite him, Qin Lan lowered her head, her voice timid, nervously wringing her sleeve cuff as she answered his questions.

"No... no ginseng, no herbs either; the most I've caught are hares and bird eggs..."

Perhaps because she was too nervous, Qin Lan's speech stumbled, and she dared not meet the white-clad youth's eyes.

"Hmm?"

Noticing Qin Shuo enter the courtyard, the white-clad man stopped questioning Qin Lan and turned his attentive gaze toward him.

In an instant, Qin Shuo felt as if he were being stared down by a ferocious wolf.

That sharp gaze seemed able to pierce everything, see through all his hidden things, leaving him nowhere to hide.

"What a powerful aura!"

Qin Shuo's vigilance surged in his heart.

The white-clad youth before him was terrifying; he must be a master who has achieved accomplishment in martial arts.

Just one glance made him feel as if facing a formidable foe.

"Sir Official!"

Qin Shuo bowed and cupped his fists, naturally averting his gaze, not meeting the other's eyes.

That gaze was too oppressive, making Qin Shuo feel pressured.

The white-clad youth said nothing, merely staring fixedly at Qin Shuo.

Qin Lan beside him was so frightened she didn't dare breathe, standing obediently there, afraid that a wrong word would bring trouble to Qin Shuo.

"Are you Qin Shuo?"

After a long while, the white-clad youth finally spoke slowly.

His voice was low and dignified, making people involuntarily feel apprehensive.

"Yes."

Qin Shuo answered respectfully, his voice carrying just the right hint of tremor.

When commoners see officials, it's impossible not to be afraid.

Seeing his utterly terrified, honest and simple demeanor, the white-clad youth's mind relaxed slightly.

This youth's bearing... is very commoner-like!

Afraid, yet not panicking.

His face also showed a hint of bewilderment, just like the other hunters he had interrogated before.

"Let me ask you, five days ago, did you go up the mountain to hunt?"

"Yes."

"Where did you hunt?"

"Longshu Gully, Lion's Hollow, Black Wind Valley."

"Didn't you go to Old Ginseng Mountain?"

"No."

"What game did you catch that day?"

"In Longshu Gully I got a partridge, in Lion's Hollow a speckled chicken and a black-tailed snake, plus a nest of bird eggs."

"Oh? You remember that so clearly?"

The white-clad youth raised his eyebrows, his fierce gaze making Qin Shuo's heart go cold.

"Damn, what tone is this guy using? Could he have discovered something?"

Qin Shuo felt a bit guilty, but his tone remained calm.

"Replying to Official He, I usually take the game I catch each day to Zhang the Butcher's meat shop to sell; that day I caught less, so I remember it clearly."

Qin Shuo maintained his meek, honest persona while defending himself.

"Hmm."

The white-clad youth neither affirmed nor denied, then continued:

"Do you know that recently people have died on Old Ginseng Mountain?"

"I've heard a bit about it."

"Do you know how they died?"

"I heard it was due to a demonic calamity."

"Monster disaster?"

The white-clad youth raised their eyes, their gaze locking onto Qin Shuo as if trying to see through them.

"According to your neighbor, on the day someone died at Old Ginseng Mountain, you came back unusually late, right?"

"Yes."

"Since you caught little game that day, why did you return so late?"

The white-clad youth's voice was cold and harsh, aggressive and pressing.

"Sir, that day I found no game in Dragon Tree Gully or Lion's Ridge, so I ventured into Black Wind Valley, got lost there, and that's why I returned late."

Qin Shuo delivered the prepared excuse, looking anxious about being wronged.

Black Wind Valley is a strange place, deep woods and heavy mist, where many old hunters have gotten lost.

So after coming down the mountain that day, Qin Shuo had already prepared a reason for his late return.

Moreover, Lion's Ridge is not far from Black Wind Valley; it makes perfect sense that he found no game in Lion's Ridge and then tried his luck in Black Wind Valley.

Because many old hunters do that.

Black Wind Valley is shrouded in thick mist year‑round, and ordinary people dare not venture in.

Only those old hunters who have long failed to catch good game dare to risk entering Black Wind Valley for a try.

Qin Shuo believed his own actions were logical and faultless.

If the other party suspects him solely because of his late return, then his claim of getting lost in Black Wind Valley could pass off.

Unless……

That day, someone just happened to be in Black Wind Valley!

But how could such a coincidence exist in the world?

However, after hearing Qin Shuo's statement, the white‑clad youth's eyes suddenly turned cold; they sprang to their feet and raised their voice:

"You're lying!"

"Li Lao Shi of Langqiao Street was hunting outside Black Wind Valley that day; they never saw you at all."

"Speak!"

"The three Qi brothers and the ginseng‑picker Liu Lao Han…"

"Was it you who killed?"