Yang Jing’s fist shot out without a hint of hesitation, crashing down with the characteristic heavy, ferocious power of the Mountain-Shattering Fist.

In that instant, Shen Lie’s pupils dilated. His eyes filled with absolute terror and despair. He wanted to dodge, wanted to scream, but he couldn’t even make a sound.

With a sickening THUD, the fist smashed into his head.

Like a ripe watermelon struck by a boulder, Shen Lie’s head instantly burst apart. Red and white matter splattered all over the floor, even speckling the nearby wall with grime.

His body, which had been twitching faintly, instantly lost all signs of life and went completely limp.

Yang Jing withdrew his fist, his brow furrowing as he took in the bloody scene. ’I still don’t have enough experience with killing,’ he thought. ’When time gets tight and complications arise, I get flustered.’

’I was a bit too hasty. This scene is far too brutal.’

’Next time I have to do this, I’ll be cleaner and more decisive. Make less of a mess.’

He glanced down at his fist, which was covered in something sticky. He grabbed a rag from the table, wiped his hand clean, and then quickly wiped away any splatters that might have landed on his clothes.

Once that was done, he strode to the door.

With a CREAK, he shut the door, sealing off the sound of the wind outside from the bloody scene within.

Then, he turned around, his gaze sweeping across the dim room.

He had focused on finishing off Shen Lie as quickly as possible. Only now did he have time to search for the man’s hidden treasures.

Shen Lie had been around Yuhe County for a long time, and as a Martial Artist at the Peak of Dark Energy, he must have had some savings.

While waiting for Shen Lie earlier, Yang Jing had already surveyed the room’s furnishings by the faint moonlight, getting a rough idea of the layout.

He knew where things were likely hidden and which spots were probably empty.

But at the time, he was worried Shen Lie might not return. If he had recklessly searched and left a trace, it would have tipped him off, making a future attempt much more difficult. So, he had only looked, not touched.

Now that Shen Lie was dead, those concerns were gone.

Yang Jing took a deep breath, calmed his racing heart, and began to search carefully.

He started by the bed, bending down to check underneath it.

His fingers probed the cracks in the bed planks for a moment but found only years of accumulated dust and a few splinters. There were no hidden compartments or stashed items.

He then reached under the pillow, finding nothing but a small coin purse containing a few pieces of silver.

Unhurried, Yang Jing turned and walked toward the wardrobe against the wall.

It was made of high-quality pine and looked quite sturdy.

He pulled open the top drawer. Inside were a few neatly folded, clean clothes. Nothing unusual.

Next, he opened the middle drawer, which held scraps of fabric and a needle and thread, likely for occasional mending.

It wasn’t until he pulled open the bottom drawer, the one closest to the bed, that Yang Jing’s eyebrow twitched.

Deep inside the drawer sat an exquisitely crafted wooden box, fastened with a small lock.

Yang Jing gripped the small lock, channeled his Inner Strength, and with a sharp SNAP, ripped it right off the box.

Opening the box, Yang Jing’s eyes lit up. Inside, nestled on a thick layer of velvet, were six neatly arranged gold ingots.

Yang Jing hefted one. Each ingot seemed to be about twenty taels, and their heavy metallic luster still shone dazzlingly in the dim light.

"Well now."

Yang Jing murmured, a wave of delight washing over him.

Six twenty-tael gold ingots. That converted to 1,200 taels of silver—not a small sum by any means.

Money was always a necessity.

Although his master’s support had recently solved his problem with acquiring Exotic Beast Meat, he never knew when he might need money. It was always better to have more.

’This windfall came at the perfect time. It will really bolster my resources.’

He carefully picked up the gold ingots and weighed them in his hand. They felt heavy and solid, definitely not a counterfeit alloy.

He then took out a small cloth pouch he had prepared, placed the ingots inside one by one, tied the drawstring tight, and tucked it securely against his body.

After stowing the gold, Yang Jing didn’t stop. His gaze swept across the room as he continued his search.

He pulled open a smaller adjacent drawer. It didn’t contain any gold or silver, but rather four small, neatly arranged jade vials. Their lustrous surfaces made it clear they were no ordinary items.

Yang Jing picked up one of the vials and uncorked it. A faint medicinal aroma wafted out, cool yet carrying a hint of warmth.

He held it to his nose and sniffed for a moment. A look of recognition crossed his face. It was a Qi Storage Pill, identical to the ones he usually took. The vial contained about seven or eight of them.

He then picked up the other three vials. One exuded the rich, mellow aroma of jujubes. Another had the bitter scent of herbs, but with a faint, sweet aftertaste. The last one’s fragrance was the faintest, but it lingered the longest.

Yang Jing identified them with a little effort: a Blood Jujube Pill, Cyan Rice Powder, and Qi Condensing Dew. All were elixirs used to nourish one’s qi and blood and aid in cultivation. Although not as potent as the Qi Storage Pill, their mild nature made them suitable for long-term use.

He had been working at Liu’s Medical Hall for a long time now, learning to identify many medicinal ingredients under Liu Maolin. He had deliberately expanded his knowledge in this area and understood a great deal about elixirs, so it was only natural that he could recognize these.

’Excellent,’ Yang Jing thought, overjoyed. He recapped each of the four vials, carefully placed them in the pouch, and nestled them alongside the gold ingots.

The value of these four vials of elixirs—with the Qi Storage Pills alone being quite expensive—was no less than that of the six gold ingots. They would be immensely beneficial to his future cultivation.