Execution of the Entire Family!

Liu Sanguan personally led the team to collect taxes, causing chaos throughout the entire Mingbei City.

However, the common people simply applauded. Hadn't these nobles already levied exorbitant taxes and levies? This time, it was finally their turn.

The tax collection process was much easier than I had imagined.

After Lin Mo publicly executed Qian Wantong to establish his authority, these nobles obediently handed over their taxes.

The Qian Mansion of the Purple Gold Pavilion.

The once bustling and magnificent mansion.

At this moment, however, a sense of oppression prevailed.

In the secret room behind the hall, Qian Baitong's eyes were bloodshot.

He handed a newly written, sealed letter to his trusted steward.

"Immediately use the fastest communication channels to send this letter to the capital and present it to my father! Accuse Liu Sanguan, the lord of Mingbei City, of fabricating pretexts to forcibly levy taxes and imprison alchemists... Request the Empire and the Association to quickly dispatch an imperial envoy and law enforcement team to investigate and suppress this matter!"

"Yes, young master!"

With the butler gone, Qian Baitong was left alone in the secret room.

He looked at the magnificent longsword his grandfather had used in the corner, his face contorted with rage.

"Just wait, I will personally take your life in three years!"

He knew that even if the empire investigated, Liu Sanguan, as a senior city lord, would at most be demoted.

If I really want revenge, I have to wait until I become strong!

Most importantly, there was that man in black who appeared out of nowhere!

They all have to die!

However, at that moment, a guard scrambled into the secret room, his face ashen.

"Young...Young Master! Something terrible has happened! A large contingent of guards has suddenly arrived and surrounded our mansion! They're already at the front hall!"

Qian Baitong's lips twitched, and he said through gritted teeth, "They're definitely here to collect taxes. Give them the money first, and then..."

Before he could finish speaking, the guard interrupted, "They...they're not here to collect taxes! They're here to confiscate our property!"

"What?!"

Upon hearing this, Qian Baitong's pupils contracted.

He quickly grabbed the ornately decorated enchanted longsword and rushed out of the secret chamber.

When Qian Baitong rushed into the front yard, the scene before him chilled him to the bone.

Inside the courtyard, soldiers dressed in city guard uniforms had taken control of all the entrances and exits.

Most of the Qian family's guards were disarmed and pinned to the ground.

The few who resisted fell into pools of blood and remained motionless.

His trusted steward, whom he had just dispatched, collapsed to the ground.

A deep, bone-revealing wound on his neck was still bleeding.

As for the secret letter, except for a corner still held by the butler, the rest had been torn away.

In the center of the courtyard, City Lord Liu Sanguan was slowly reading the secret letter.

His brow furrowed at times, relaxed at others, and finally he nodded slightly.

"I see, no wonder the boss said to nip it in the bud."

Upon seeing this, Qian Baitong's enchanted longsword trembled slightly with anger.

"Liu Sanguan! Wasn't killing my grandfather enough for you?! Do you really think the Qian family has no one left?!"

Liu Sanguan then looked up at him, folded the letter neatly, and stuffed it into his pocket.

He then put on an embarrassed expression: "Oh, don't blame me. I was just following orders."

As he spoke, he took out a scroll of documents stamped with an official seal from his bosom and cleared his throat.

"Wait a minute, I'll tell you your crimes now."

Qian Baitong tried to rush forward, but several guards blocked his way, their spears pointed at his vitals.

"Qian Wantong, the head of the Qian family, and his family members defied the imperial order to pay taxes in the 379th year of the imperial calendar; they privately kept 87 armed guards, far exceeding the limit for private soldiers of nobles; they secretly colluded with the demon forces, intending to overthrow the governance of Mingbei City, and the evidence of their treason is conclusive."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Qian Baitong's deathly pale face.

"According to Article 9 of Chapter 3 of Volume 5 of the Imperial Law, those who resist taxation, gather a private army, and intend to commit treason are guilty, and the evidence is conclusive. The entire family is sentenced to confiscation of property, and the principal offender and accomplices shall be executed immediately."

Qian Baitong turned pale upon hearing these accusations: "Slander! Utter slander! I will appeal to the capital!"

Liu Sanguan closed the file, ignoring Qian Baitong's roar, and waved his hand behind him.

"What are you waiting for? Charge! Those who resist will be killed without mercy!"

"Yes, sir!"

The guards didn't care about the intrigue and backstabbing involved; they only needed to follow orders.

"Bastards! I'll fight you to the death! Kill!"

Qian Baitong finally recovered from the immense shock and humiliation, letting out a beast-like roar.

He brandished his ornately enchanted longsword and charged toward Liu Sanguan, his steps frantic yet filled with a mad, resolute determination.

However, he couldn't even get within five steps of Liu Sanguan.

A young guard approached expressionlessly, thrusting his spear out like a venomous snake.

Qian Baitong hurriedly raised his sword to parry.

However, the moment the enchanted longsword clashed with the ordinary spear, he felt a tremendous force coming from the blade, which made his hands go numb.

The second spear came even faster, piercing his shoulder blade with precision.

"ah--!"

Qian Baitong screamed and fell to his knees, his longsword slipping from his hand with a crisp clanging sound.

Blood quickly stained his magnificent brocade robes, and excruciating pain overwhelmed him like a tidal wave.

He looked up and saw Liu Sanguan looking down at him.

There was no hatred, no pleasure, and even a hint of innocence in his eyes.

Why...?

Qian Baitong gritted his teeth, and blood foam spilled from the corner of his mouth.

"My grandfather has been killed by you... The Qian family has already..."

Liu Sanguan sighed: "I didn't want to do this either, but the boss said to nip it in the bud."

As he spoke, he ordered the soldiers, "Kill the entire Qian family, leave no one alive. If the eggs are about to break, split the earthworms upright, pour boiling water on the ant nests..."

Screams began to echo from every corner of the Qian family compound.

……

One by one, the fully loaded carriages drove back to the city lord's mansion.

When the astonishing wealth accumulated by the Qian family was piled into the warehouse, even Yin Xue, who was used to grand occasions, couldn't help but gasp in amazement.

Lin Mo stood in the center of the warehouse, looking at the small mountain that had almost doubled in size.

His face remained expressionless.

This is only a small part of the wealth of those aristocratic tycoons.

With these, the refining speed of the stone-cloth herb should be greatly accelerated.

Perhaps we could try to develop a new drug that is more effective and better suited to the mother's condition.

He turned around and looked at Shi Xuan and Shi Qin, who had rushed over upon hearing the news.

And Master Liu Yishou, who couldn't wait to start researching the refining method of the herb "stone-cloth".

"You can use all the resources here, whether they are gold coins, essence, or alchemy materials, at will."

The group was shocked, clearly not expecting Lin Mo to be so generous.

Even Liu Yishou's lips twitched.

What alchemists fear most is a lack of materials. Now that they have gathered all the materials in the entire Northern City, he can use them as he pleases.

Even an empire wouldn't go to such lengths.

"but,"

Lin Mo interrupted their shock by speaking.

"I need you to increase the potency of the Stone-Clad Herb as quickly as possible! At all costs!"

Shi Qin pursed her lips: "Mr. Lin, rest assured, we will do our utmost!"

Lin Mo said no more, and took one last look at the mountain of resources.

It was as if they wanted to transform them all into a life-saving potion.

Then, without hesitation, he turned around and walked out of the city lord's mansion.

We passed through the forecourt, which still reeked of blood.

Passing by the guards who stood in awe.

His steps did not falter for a moment.

They walked all the way to the city gate.

The wind from the wasteland carried a chill and the smell of dust.

He raised his head and looked at the distant, hazy outline of the gray stone mountains.

That's where the mercenaries of the Northern City make their money, and it's a gathering place for a large number of Beast Kings.

Upgrade, become stronger, acquire more resources, find better medicine...

With a clear mind, there was no time to rest, much less time to enjoy the power and wealth that had just been acquired.

His mother's illness made every minute of his life more urgent.

We need to be faster.

Lin Mo determined the direction, then his figure transformed into a swift black shadow, quickly disappearing into the road leading deep into the mountains.

The hunt has begun.