In years of famine and drought, their village even rejected fatty meat.

Chapter 546 Absolutely Impossible

Seeing that the crowd still didn't believe him, Jiang Canghai shook his head helplessly. In fact, he understood their thoughts. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would have found it hard to believe that someone like Xia Yuanying would die.

"This is absolutely true. I saw it with my own eyes, there is no doubt about it!"

Jiang Canghai patted his chest and said.

Seeing this, everyone looked on with suspicion. In their impression, Jiang Canghai was not the kind of person who liked to speak carelessly. His certainty at this moment made everyone unsure.

Xiao Mingwang scrutinized Jiang Canghai's expression repeatedly, and seeing that he indeed didn't seem to be joking, he said, "Tell me in detail how Xia Yuanying died?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Canghai paused, organized his thoughts, and said, "When I first arrived in Qingzhou, it was exactly as rumored, completely under the control of Xia Yuanying. Because I concealed my true identity and slightly revealed my cultivation level, I was able to meet Xia Yuanying along with other martial artists who were also looking to purchase Python Blood Grass and Python Bone Grass."

Xia Yuanying, who possessed a large quantity of Python Blood Grass and Python Bone Grass, proposed two ways to obtain the Python Blood Grass: one was to serve it for several years, and the other was to purchase it for 5 taels of silver per plant.

"Elder Jiang should have chosen the second option?"

Xiao Mingwang said that he was quite confident in Jiang Canghai's loyalty and believed that Jiang Canghai would not serve Xia Yuanying for a mere medicinal herb.

"Not bad!"

Jiang Canghai nodded: "My loyalty to our sect is as clear as day and night, so how could I serve Xia Yuanying? However, I have been searching for Python Blood Grass and Python Bone Grass for many years, so I will not give up this opportunity. Therefore, I took out 100,000 taels of silver notes that I had prepared in advance and bought two Python Blood Grass plants."

The other martial artists, though not as wealthy as I am, each purchased more than one Python Blood Grass.

Fifty thousand taels per plant!

Everyone present, including Little Ming King, twitched at the corners of their mouths. Fifty thousand taels for a single medicinal herb was no ordinary amount. Even for high-ranking members of the White Lotus Sect, it would be incredibly painful to spend fifty thousand taels of silver.

"After purchasing the Python Blood Grass, I prepared to leave with the other martial artists. Xia Yuanying did have a certain air of courtesy and personally escorted us to the gates of the Prince's mansion. But at that moment, an unexpected event occurred..."

At this point, Jiang Canghai paused, and everyone present held their breath, knowing that the crucial part was about to begin.

"Just as Xia Yuanying was seeing us off from the Qingwang Mansion, a group of strange people arrived outside the Qingwang Mansion."

Jiang Canghai recalled Chen Dao's face in his mind and continued, "The leader was a young man with a youthful face who looked to be under 20 years old, and Xia Yuanying died at his hands!"

"A boy under twenty? Are you sure?"

Xiao Ming asked incredulously, and the others also looked shocked.

It's not uncommon for teenagers under 20 to be killed, but what's truly rare is... a 20-year-old who killed Xia Yuanying.

It should be noted that Xia Yuanying was a fifth-rank martial artist, and because he practiced the Overlord Spear, a top-tier martial art, his strength was in no way inferior to that of a fourth-rank martial artist.

That's not all. The Qingwang Mansion also has a powerful personal guard, whose commander is a peak fourth-rank expert.

How could the powerful Qingwang Mansion be breached by a mere youth? Especially one who is not even 20 years old.

"Sure!"

Jiang Canghai nodded solemnly: "Although that young man is not yet 20 years old, his cultivation level is quite high, possessing the strength of the fourth rank!"

"A fourth-grade cultivation level, and not even 20 years old? This..."

"That's impossible! Even if you start cultivating from the womb, it's impossible to break through to the fourth rank before the age of 20, right?"

"How talented must one be to possess such strength before the age of 20?"

"..."

Everyone present was dumbfounded.

What does it mean to reach the fourth rank before the age of 20?

Take the people present as an example. Even the most talented Xiao Mingwang only broke through to the fourth rank at around 25 years old. Not to mention the others, many of them are now in their thirties or forties and still haven't broken through to the fourth rank.

At this moment, Jiang Canghai told them that a boy under 20 years old possessed the strength of the fourth rank, which was hard for everyone to accept!

"A 20-year-old fourth-rank official, wow!"

Even Little Ming King couldn't help but gasp. He had been exceptionally talented since childhood and was favored by the previous Ming King, who gave him the best techniques and cultivation resources.

Despite having such excellent conditions, he only broke through to the fourth rank at the age of 25. Breaking through to the fourth rank before the age of 20 is simply unheard of!

"This person's talent is nothing short of monstrous!"

Xiao Mingwang said with certainty, if it is really as Jiang Canghai said, that the boy has the strength of the fourth rank at the age of less than 20, then his talent... is definitely far stronger than his own, Xiao Mingwang, and may even be at the level of a prodigy.

"but……"

Xiao Mingwang's eyes flickered, and he said, "Even with the strength of the fourth rank, it wouldn't be enough to break through the Qingwang Mansion, would it? I remember that Xia Yan, the commander of the Qingwang Mansion's personal guards, has the strength of the peak of the fourth rank. In addition, Xia Yuanying has a large amount of python blood grass and python bone grass. Xia Yan is probably not far from the third rank."

Xia Yan's reputation wasn't particularly high among ordinary people, but it was quite prominent among the higher-ups of the White Lotus Sect.

After all... those who were enemies of the Green King had already thoroughly investigated the Green King's mansion, and therefore knew Xia Yan, the commander of the personal guards, very well.

“What King Ming said is correct. Even if that young man has the strength of a fourth-rank cultivator, he cannot shake the Qingwang Mansion in the slightest.”

"Many years ago, when I was traveling in the capital, I encountered Xia Yan. At that time, Xia Yan was already at the fifth rank. Now, many years have passed, and he is probably already at the peak of the fourth rank or even the third rank. A fourth rank martial artist is no match for him at all."

"Could it be that the young man has other help behind him?"

"Such a talented young man must have a powerful force supporting him. Perhaps it was that force that helped him destroy the Qingwang Mansion."

"I think so too."

"..."

The others present speculated on other possibilities, and most felt that the destruction of the Qingwang Mansion must have been due to the help of other forces, otherwise it would have been impossible for a mere fourth-grade youth to destroy the Qingwang Mansion and kill Xia Yuanying.

However, Jiang Canghai shook his head and said, "No other forces were involved. Only that young man and his group destroyed the Qingwang Mansion!"

"what?!"

"How can this be?"

"How can someone at the fourth rank destroy the Azure King's Mansion?"

"This is impossible!"

"Without the involvement of other forces, how could a mere fourth-grade cultivator possibly destroy the Azure King's Mansion?"

"..."