Night Intrusion into Xu Family Manor!

*Swish!* A flash of white light gleamed. Dagger in hand, Lu Changsheng spun abruptly, slashing open the throats of two men in an instant. *Thud.* The expressions on the pair’s faces stiffened slightly, eyes wide with astonishment, as if unable to believe what had just happened. They collapsed to the ground, turning into lifeless corpses within moments. Lu Changsheng then stepped forward toward the final figure. "Y-You..." The last man’s eyes went wide, his mind gripped by sheer terror. Without a second thought, he turned on his heel to flee. Yet the moment he lifted his foot, Lu Changsheng’s dagger was already inches from his face. The razor-sharp blade hung right before his eyes, its frigid gleam striking dread straight into his heart. "Mercy! Physician Lu, spare my life!" "You know who I am?" Lu Changsheng raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. "I do! Of course I do!" the man stammered. "We know every apothecary and physician in Miaoshou Garden! Physician Lu is Old Wu's prized disciple—we've been watching you for a while!" Lu Changsheng’s thoughts raced. Recalling the recent wave of vanishing apothecaries and physicians, he had already formed a few suspicions. "Who are you working for?" "We..." The man hesitated. *Snick!* Lu Changsheng brought the dagger down in a swift slice, cleanly lopping off one of the man’s ears. With a bloodcurdling scream, the man clutched the side of his head, blood pouring over his hands. "I’ll speak! I’ll tell you everything!" he cried. "We’re martial artists hired by Philanthropist Xu of Xu Family Manor outside the city! Philanthropist Xu paid us silver to kidnap apothecaries and physicians and bring them back to Xu Family Manor!" Lu Changsheng frowned. He had heard of Xu Family Manor, and he had heard of Philanthropist Xu as well. This Philanthropist Xu owned numerous businesses, funded bridges, paved roads, and brought prosperity to the local area; he was a well-known figure across Nanyang Prefecture. Why would such a man dispatch martial artists to abduct apothecaries and physicians? "What does Philanthropist Xu want with these apothecaries and physicians?" Lu Changsheng pressed. "Philanthropist Xu is very secretive. He never told us," the man answered quickly. "However, working for him, it’s not as if we know nothing at all. If I had to guess, the Strengthening Blood Pills that suddenly flooded Nanyang Prefecture recently must have come from Xu Family Manor. Philanthropist Xu captured so many apothecaries and physicians probably to refine those pills!" Lu Changsheng was taken aback. It was tied to the Strengthening Blood Pills once again. Those pills had appeared mysteriously, their origins unknown. Who would have thought they seemed to flow directly from Xu Family Manor? Lu Changsheng questioned the man thoroughly on a few more details. Once he was certain the man was not withholding anything, he gave the dagger a light flick. *Squelch.* Clutching his throat, the man crumpled to the ground and perished. Perhaps even in death, he could never fathom how someone who was merely a physician could possess such terrifying martial arts. Lu Changsheng narrowed his eyes, weighing the situation in his mind. *These martial artists were sent by Philanthropist Xu to kidnap apothecaries and physicians. They targeted me, assuming I was just an ordinary doctor, unaware that I am an organ-refining martial artist.* *My identity shouldn't be compromised. After all, they were operating freely within the city, not exclusively targeting me.* *Besides, all three of them are dead. Dead men tell no tales; nobody will ever know I killed them.* *Still, for Xu Family Manor to abduct so many apothecaries and physicians, they must have some grand scheme in motion!* *I had no wish to get involved, but if I leave this alone, Xu Family Manor will inevitably send more martial artists sooner or later...* Lu Changsheng had already quietly reached a decision. Moreover, Apothecary Cheng had also been abducted by Xu Family Manor. He had always treated Lu Changsheng well at the medicine shop. Had he remained ignorant, that would be one thing, but now that he knew Apothecary Cheng had been taken by Xu Family Manor, he naturally could not sit by and do nothing. Even so, he could not act rashly. Returning to Miaoshou Garden, Lu Changsheng first changed into a set of night-traveler clothes and tied a black cloth across his face. Next, he took up a short sword. A short sword in plain view and a dagger hidden away—Lu Changsheng had grown quite fond of this combination. In certain situations, it proved remarkably effective. Once fully prepared, Lu Changsheng slipped out of Miaoshou Garden, melted into the night, and sped off toward the outskirts of the city. Xu Family Manor was roughly twenty li from Nanyang City. The distance was similar to Gao Family Fort, though in opposite directions: one lay to the east, the other to the west. By the time Lu Changsheng drew near Xu Family Manor, the sky had turned pitch-black. Yet in the distance, Xu Family Manor blazed with lights, apparently immersed in festive bustle. Lu Changsheng approached the manor without making a sound. He noticed a crowd gathered within a grand courtyard. Red lanterns hung both inside and out, adorned with paper cutouts of the character for marital bliss—someone was clearly holding a wedding. "Come on, drink up!" "Xu the Fourth, we're not stopping tonight until we're thoroughly drunk!" "Today is the Eldest Young Master's joyous day! We have to drink our fill!" "Tell me about it! We've been so swamped lately we haven't had a single spare moment—couldn't even slip into the city for a brothel visit!" "When will we ever get a break?" "Soon enough. Once we finish the master's business, we'll get plenty of rest." A cacophony of voices reached Lu Changsheng's ears. Ever since his blood exchange, his overall sensory perception had grown vastly sharper. Even from a great distance, he could catch their chatter clearly. Looking out over the sprawling estate, Lu Changsheng furrowed his brow. Xu Family Manor was vast. He did not know the layout, much less where the captured physicians and apothecaries were being held. How was he supposed to rescue them? Even so, Lu Changsheng refrained from showing himself recklessly, nor did he attempt to pose as one of the manor's retainers to fish for information. Places like Xu Family Manor were tightly knit and insular. The retainers and laborers saw each other day in and day out; it was impossible for Lu Changsheng to pass himself off as one of them. The moment he appeared, he would likely be exposed. Instead, Lu Changsheng kept listening quietly. With so many people and such boisterous celebration, someone was bound to have too much to drink and let slip a few words. Time ticked away. After several rounds of wine, a burly man slurred drunkenly, "All right, I've had my fill of food and drink. Time for me to head back on watch." "The master places great importance on that place. I daren't delay." "Right, right. Xu Erlengzi, hurry on back then! Don't let Master Xu catch you slacking, or he'll give you a sound thrashing with the rod!" Xu Erlengzi stumbled to his feet and swayed deeper into the manor. Hearing this, Lu Changsheng's interest was piqued. This Xu Erlengzi was clearly headed for a secret location—one that Philanthropist Xu regarded with utmost importance. Even if it was not where the apothecaries and physicians were imprisoned, it was very likely tied to the Strengthening Blood Pills. With that in mind, Lu Changsheng vaulted lightly into the courtyard. His movement technique was astonishingly fast and noiseless. Picking his way through the shadows, he trailed behind Xu Erlengzi without anyone noticing. As they moved deeper into the estate, the surroundings grew noticeably quieter, with virtually no foot traffic. Xu Erlengzi stopped beside a massive tree and pressed a hidden mechanism. *Rumble...* A passageway cracked open right next to the trunk. Three martial artists emerged from the passage, grinning as they spoke. "Xu Erlengzi, the master went down just now and asked where you were. We told him you'd stepped away to take a leak—that's the only reason your skin was spared!" A jolt ran through Xu Erlengzi, shaking him half-sober. He promptly tossed over two jars of wine. "Good brothers! Here, take these and drink up!" "Heh, not bad at all. You didn't forget us when you got your hands on good wine." "By the way, sober up quick so the master doesn't notice." With that, the three men prepared to head back into the passage. Lu Changsheng knew that slipping in behind the three of them undetected was out of the question. At this point, his only option was to force his way through. As long as he was fast enough, he could uncover what lay below before anyone raised the alarm. The instant the three men turned to step into the passage, Lu Changsheng appeared behind them like a ghost. *Shhk!* The three men felt only a fierce gust of wind rushing at their backs. Before they could even turn around, steel had already run through them. Lu Changsheng dragged the three corpses behind the tree and tossed them into an obscure corner, then slipped quietly into the passage. Following the downward slope, he could faintly hear waves of noise coming from within. Furthermore, the deeper he went, the clearer it became that the clamor was laced with panic and chaos. A faint metallic tang of blood drifted through the stale, murky air. *Something happened?* Lu Changsheng quickened his pace. Before long, he arrived at a spacious hall beneath the passage. Yet at this very moment, many bodies lay sprawled across the floor in pools of blood. A band of martial artists appeared to be besieging a lone figure clad in a crimson robe. *It's him?* Lu Changsheng was startled as his gaze locked onto the red-robed figure amid the fray.