[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-grain-of-mountains-and-rivers":3,"chapter-the-grain-of-mountains-and-rivers-the-grain-of-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-1":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Mountains and Rivers of the Imperial Granary",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":12,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2231193,4184,"Chapter 1: Murder Case","the-grain-of-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-1",1,"\u003Cp>\"Name?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lu Xingzhou.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the Demon Suppression Division, Sheng Yuanyao stopped her brush and looked up at the other person with a strange expression: \"This name isn't exactly auspicious. Is it your real name?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xingzhou smiled faintly, his voice magnetic and pleasant: \"It sounds cultured, doesn't it? There are plenty of people with the same name. Come to think of it, I've even seen people name their children things like 'Demise' or 'Delusion'. Why must you take it so seriously, Miss?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sheng Yuanyao’s eyes flickered, as if the word \"Demise\" reminded her of something, and she scrutinized Lu Xingzhou carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man was dressed in white with a silver sash, his face as handsome as jade, refined and elegant. Even though Sheng Yuanyao was accustomed to the noble young masters of the capital, she felt that this man’s handsomeness and temperament were enough to rank in the top tier—truly a man as jade-like as the legends.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regrettably, he was a cripple, currently sitting in a wheelchair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sheng Yuanyao’s seniority in the Demon Suppression Division was still shallow, but her eye for detail was not poor. She could see that the muscles in the man’s legs had already atrophied; this was not something that could be faked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a real cripple, and had been for a long time. What a pity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She composed herself, her expression turning serious once more: \"Age?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nineteen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Judging by your accent, are you a local of Xiazhou?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I was indeed born here, but I followed my family south to visit relatives when I was eleven or twelve. I only returned half a year ago.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You entered the old Huo residence at a quarter past noon yesterday. What were you doing there?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am an alchemist, so naturally, I understand how to treat illnesses,\" Lu Xingzhou replied calmly. \"Old Master Huo has been suffering from angina recently and invited me to treat him. For the past half-month, I have gone there every day. You can ask anyone, Miss, and you will know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You came again today for the same reason?\" Sheng Yuanyao stared fixedly at Lu Xingzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An invisible pressure descended. Lu Xingzhou’s heart stirred, and sweat quickly beaded on his forehead in response to the pressure. He said with some difficulty: \"Of course. Old Master Huo’s treatment is not yet finished; it was agreed upon. Bringing me to the Demon Suppression Division to ask these inexplicable questions—what exactly is your intent, Miss?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sheng Yuanyao withdrew the pressure and said coldly: \"First of all, that was not Old Master Huo. The entire Huo clan has relocated to the capital. The only person left in the old residence is an old steward.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xingzhou looked stunned: \"I was unaware of this. I didn't know the Huo family members previously, and seeing his status, I assumed he was the Old Master.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sheng Yuanyao stared at him intently: \"Secondly, at the end of the afternoon yesterday, the old Huo steward was found dead in his room.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xingzhou immediately shook his head: \"His angina was almost cured; he would not have died suddenly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sheng Yuanyao slammed the table: \"Stop playing dumb!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you implying, Miss, that he was murdered?\" Lu Xingzhou was not intimidated by her, his expression instead returning to indifference. \"I entered at noon yesterday and only stayed for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before leaving. By the afternoon, I had already returned to the mountain. Whatever you are implying, Miss, it has nothing to do with me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sheng Yuanyao continued to stare fixedly into Lu Xingzhou’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was bluffing Lu Xingzhou to see his reaction. In reality, the old Huo steward was only missing; the victims were the other servants. It was strange that all the older, experienced servants in the old Huo residence were dead, while all the teenage servants were alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the testimony of the surviving servants, the murder had indeed not yet occurred when this Mr. Lu left. Moreover, the victims were all killed by having their throats slit with a sharp weapon, not by poison, so the possibility of a delayed-action poison could be ruled out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sheng Yuanyao glanced at Lu Xingzhou’s legs again. She thought to herself that in such a massive Huo residence, covering over ten acres, with victims in the East Courtyard and the West Wing, to pick out specific people and kill them without anyone noticing or raising an alarm—this kind of traceless skill did not seem like something this cripple could accomplish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Furthermore, that would require an intimate knowledge of the terrain throughout the Huo residence, which would be difficult for an outsider who only went straight to the main house to treat a patient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by Lu Xingzhou’s reaction, he didn't seem to know what had happened either. From every angle, he didn't seem to have much suspicion; the missing old Huo steward was the most suspicious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, since he was the only outsider to enter the old Huo residence on the day of the crime, even if the suspicion was light, it could not be completely ignored. It still required careful investigation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sheng Yuanyao finally said: \"You said you were already on the mountain by the afternoon. What proof do you have?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xingzhou smiled: \"The elixir I was refining when I left was about to come out of the furnace, and I was in a hurry to return to the mountain. You might as well come back to the mountain with me to ask, Miss. You can even help me push my wheelchair.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sheng Yuanyao was not about to push it herself; she called two of her burly subordinates to help, and followed behind all the way out of the Demon Suppression Division.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was a capital official sent out to gain experience, intending to spend two years in Xiazhou to polish her resume before returning... She never expected that only a few days into her tenure, before she had even learned the faces of her subordinates, she would encounter a major case involving twenty or thirty lives. She felt both annoyed and excited. Annoyed because the murderer was essentially slapping her in the face; excited because, wasn't the reason she chose this profession because solving cases was fun?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was front-line gossip!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Great Gan Empire had a rich atmosphere of cultivation. Xiazhou was quite far from the capital and counted as a remote mountain region, but it was not poor. Because this place produced a vast array of medicinal herbs, it was one of the Great Gan’s herb bases. There were many sects, families, and gangs of all sizes here, all of which relied on the sale of medicinal herbs to establish themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some of them, not satisfied with being mere herb peddlers, would cultivate or hire alchemists to station themselves there, refining finished elixirs for sale. Lu Xingzhou had arrived in Xiazhou half a year ago. For reasons unknown, he was hired as the chief alchemist by the Danxia Gang on Danxia Mountain east of the city. Since then, the Danxia Gang had gained the ability to refine elixirs, and their development had been quite gratifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not to mention that most cultivators in the world could refine a few elixirs, but truly excellent ones were hard to find, and their status was very high. This Lu Xingzhou was rumored to be an eighth-grade alchemist, a rank officially certified by the Elixir Bureau. In a remote place, this rank was already considered quite good, and at his age, he was full of potential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xingzhou was only a nineteen-year-old youth. Although alchemy did not require a high cultivation base, it was a profession that required a great deal of experience. It was not easy for a young person to even enter the ranks, let alone reach the eighth grade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Danxia Mountain was not far from the old Huo residence; it was actually the neighboring mountain behind the Huo residence. This was likely the reason the old Huo steward invited Lu Xingzhou to treat his illness. The mountain was not high, mostly consisting of slopes, so Lu Xingzhou could go up and down in his wheelchair, though it was quite strenuous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the early years, Danxia Mountain was relatively primitive, with lush trees and a dilapidated Daoist temple on the summit. Later, when the temple was abandoned, the mountain was occupied by the Danxia Gang, who built a large base and planted herbs all over the mountain, making the air pleasant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following Lu Xingzhou into the Danxia Gang’s main alchemy room, a massive alchemy furnace came into Sheng Yuanyao’s view. The furnace was already trembling slightly, and the fragrance of elixirs was faintly wafting out. Lu Xingzhou hadn't lied; a newly refined batch of elixirs was indeed about to be finished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sheng Yuanyao’s gaze fell on the little Daoist boy beside the furnace. The boy was about five or six years old, with a chubby, round face and a round topknot, looking as cute as if he were carved from pink jade. At this moment, he didn't seem to notice that someone had arrived at the door. He was rubbing his little hands, carefully taking a stick and poking under the furnace, secretly prying out a few roasted sweet potatoes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The aroma of the roasted sweet potatoes overwhelmed the fragrance of the elixirs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sheng Yuanyao’s mouth twitched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These sweet potatoes were something newly imported from the distant seas a few years ago...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A boy in charge of the alchemy fire secretly roasting sweet potatoes with the alchemy fire—if it affected the success of the elixir, wouldn't Lu Xingzhou beat him to death?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, Master!\" The little Daoist boy only then discovered Lu Xingzhou at the door. He jumped up, ran over with a thud-thud, and held up a roasted sweet potato with a smile: \"Master, eat a sweet potato.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sheng Yuanyao felt this was practically a slap in the face, but Lu Xingzhou only rubbed the little boy’s chubby face with indulgence: \"You eat it, I'll check the elixir first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh...\" The little Daoist boy caught sight of Sheng Yuanyao and held the sweet potato out to her: \"Does the pretty sister want to eat? It's so fragrant.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sheng Yuanyao shook her head with a smile to indicate she didn't want any. Lu Xingzhou smiled: \"Wait a moment, Miss. This elixir is about to come out, and I must finish the final steps. If you wish to question others, please feel free.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he was not a prisoner, so Sheng Yuanyao said nothing. She watched him sit cross-legged by the furnace to regulate the alchemy fire. After adjusting it for a moment, he cast a fire-assisting incantation toward the bottom of the furnace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The furnace fire flared, a rosy light appeared at the edge of the furnace lid, and the fragrance of elixirs filled the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sheng Yuanyao watched the alchemy process with great interest, and even the two Demon Suppression Division subordinates who had followed her subconsciously held their breath, witnessing the scene of a new batch of elixirs being finished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The furnace lid slowly floated up, and nine elixirs automatically drifted out, rotating leisurely above the furnace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sheng Yuanyao’s heart leaped wildly: \"Eighth-grade Qi-Boosting Elixirs, nine pills from one furnace, all of supreme quality... And this was achieved after being away for over an hour, with only a child in charge of the fire! They look like eighth-grade elixirs, but an eighth-grade alchemist absolutely could not achieve this level. He is not an eighth-grade alchemist at all; he is a seventh-grade! Very likely a high-tier seventh-grade!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If entering the eighth grade at nineteen was called full of potential, then what about a high-tier seventh-grade at nineteen?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was a one-in-ten-thousand talent, the kind that major powers would fight over! How could such a person hide in this remote place of Xiazhou, working for a ninth-rate gang like the Danxia Gang?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as she was thinking this, she saw Lu Xingzhou quietly tuck three elixirs into his sleeve, leaving only six rotating in the air, appearing as if only six had been refined in this batch. The little Daoist boy reached out his little hand and secretly took one away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xingzhou glared at him, and the little boy apologized with a smile, then touched each of the remaining five elixirs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sheng Yuanyao watched with her own eyes as the little boy absorbed part of the medicinal power from the five supreme elixirs, causing their efficacy to drop and turning them into superior-grade elixirs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little Daoist boy showed a look of comfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sheng Yuanyao: \"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A frivolous voice came from outside the door: \"Tsk, refining mere eighth-grade elixirs, only five superior-grade pills from one furnace... Yan'er, is this the level of your Danxia Gang’s chief alchemist?\"\u003C\u002Fp>",2138,"2026-06-18T01:27:10.910Z","2026-06-18T03:18:02.290Z","Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","4101e700070a6bdf8e4d141b765fc525b5e882da5385d05d32612ae8c581c297","the-grain-of-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-2",null,325,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmountains-and-rivers-of-the-imperial-granary-cover.jpg"]